Production
Video Game Production is very different from what people may think it involves. Some people may think it involves simply making the game and then playing it. However, it is basically managing the development of video games, making sure that the team is happy and are on target, promoting the game through marketing, dealing with deadlines and integrating all areas of design into one smooth product. This page will give out various information that I considered valuable during my time as a producer and would give to other potential producers.
Agile Production
There are many production methods that are in use, and you may well have used some of them before. Terms like Waterfall might ring a bell. Agile is another. Waterfall is a system where you set out your targets and deadlines before you begin the project and you must complete all of them in a certain section before moving onto another. This doesn't work so well when placed into a rapid environment like the gaming industry. Agile is all about being able to adapt and change to the consumers needs and often works in sprints. The product owner is involved in the production and gives their thoughts to the design team regularly allowing them to constantly change how they are developing the game. Agile's aim is to develop a product with a high flexibility for customization.
Managing Workloads
Working in the gaming industry is not simple, there will be a lot of work to be produced and usually with a tight deadline. This is where managing workloads comes in, and ties in well to the Agile Production method. I mentioned in the other paragraph about 'sprints'. Sprints are usually conducted in one or two weeks. All the work that the team is going to undertake is placed in the sprint with a priority marker. For example, getting the level design in game may be higher priority than texturing a building and so this is reflected in the sprint. However, this is where Agile comes in. It may be that getting the level design in game was easier than you though, because you work to an agile methodology, you can move up work that was reliant on the level design being completed. The opposite is also true; if it's taking longer than you expected, you can delay other parts of the project to accomodate for this, and reassign tasks to try and fix the delay.
Managing Teams
One of the producer's main roles is managing the team that you have been assigned. I have been the producer of three projects at university and all have turned out well, although it did take some managing of human resources to get there. Your main role is to assign the tasks and make sure everyone is getting on with their task and if they have any problems. If they do have a problem, you should be able to facilitate a solution to that problem, whether it be reassigning tasks or helping them find someone to fix the problem. The producer is generally in charge of keeping the team cohesion. In my experience, it's good to laugh and joke with the team, and make them understand that you rely on them to get the job done. But at the same time, don't come across as too friendly, as some may try and take advantage of this. If someone thinks that they are an integral part of the system, they are going to work hard for you. This is done by trust. Trust your team, and they will trust you to guide them.
All art on this page has been created by fellow team member Ali Malik. Visit his portfolio!