A Game Designer’s Lore

I am currently assigned to the role of an internal producer in a team of 15 students trying to prototype their first 3D game for PC that’s on a bigger scale. Since we all are still studying, the project is run completely extra-curricular, alongside other projects that are being graded. The lesson is to try to simulate the whole process of game development as it could be in reality, to the point where the game is ready for a solid pitch. That is in particular developing a stable prototype with fun gameplay, modern graphics and audio and solid narrative - and last but not least builing a team structure that allows for achieving these goals.

Now the last task obviously is my one. Accordingly this is the reason why I will write a series of articles on that topic - managing a team of students for a videogame project.

On a first glimpse you may say, “So what? Get a book on team management and game producing and get it on!”. This also was my first thought but then I realized that all these books assume projects and teams being intergrated into a company. But there’s some huge differences between a team consisting solely of students and a team formed of employees. For the future articles I will try to isolate single discrepancies and provide possible solutions fitting the needs of students trying to manage a game project.