U17: COMPUTER GAMES

PRODUCTION

Health Warning Please remember that the Exam Board

doesn’t provide MAs for anything beyond U4, so this is my best interpretation of the markgrids and other paperwork…

Note: this one needs easy and frequent access to a decent digi camera.. Or two… and lenses… and printers… and paper…

Scenario

This is a primarily research-based unit, so there’s a fair amount of Web-hopping here. BUT the info you’ll pick up will be interesting (I hope!) and might just come in handy in a future application form!

Oh – and thanks again to the screen bean teams for their contributions on slides here…!

Scenario

A small software company is looking to break into the educational games arena through health education. You need to set up a plan to manage the project and create the production plan…

After you’ve found out what one is, of course!

Task 1: Who Does What?

‘No [one] is an island’: my cleaned-up 21st Century version of A Great Truth. So in games development, you need to research and explain Who Does What.

You can use any appropriate format for this that you prefer, but the roles on the next slide are the absolute essentials…

Task 1: Who Does What?

Games development teams: e.g.market researchdesignart and animationprogrammingproductionaudiotesting

Markgrid – AO1

PASSCandidates describe in broad terms

some of the key game development team roles, but not necessarily with any depth of understanding.

Some limited examples are given

Markgrid – AO1

MERITCandidates give detailed descriptions of

most of the of the key game development team roles, showing some depth of understanding.

A range of examples are given.

Markgrid – AO1 DISTINCTION

Candidates give comprehensive descriptions of all the key game development team roles, including the differences between individual levels and job titles.

A wide range of examples are given.

Task 2: The Big Cheese

When you see the credits in the movies, do you ever wonder what the Producer actually does? Well in games production you are about to find out!

Go through – in detail – each of the following elements of the role of the Producer…

Task 2: The Big Cheese

The Producer’s role includes: schedulingbudgetingformulating technical and creative strategydevising work pipelines and proceduresmanaging human resources and resourcesfacilitating team communications

Markgrid – AO2

PASSCandidates list a producer’s (or project

manager’s) responsibilities without necessarily covering any detail or depth of the different components of their job.

Markgrid – AO2

MERITCandidates show a good awareness of

the producer’s roles and responsibilities in game development.

They list the qualities and skills that a producer needs in order to do the job effectively.

Markgrid – AO2

DISTINCTIONCandidates show a comprehensive

awareness of the producer’s roles and responsibilities within game development.

They describe the qualities and skills that a producer needs in order to do the job effectively.

They highlight differences that may exist from one company to another, giving examples

Task 3: Taking it step by step So everyone has a job – but how do

they work together? What are the stages in creating the work? Look for four main stages, each with about four sub-stages, as I’ve put on the next slide, as a good foundation…

Task 3: Taking it step by step Typical project stages:

initial conceptpre-productiongame designproduction planning

Prototype:art developmenttools developmentprogramminglevel design

Task 3: Taking it step by step Prototype production:

full productionart productionlevel buildingprogramminglocalisation plan

Alpha and Beta builds:testing, tuning, debugginggold master

Markgrid – AO3

PASSCandidates identify the main stages of

game development and show an understanding of the basic logical order of production, but deeper understanding of causal relationships may be lacking.

There may be some gaps in the understanding of underlying concepts.

Markgrid – AO3

MERITCandidates identify all the stages of

game development and show a thorough understanding of the order of production.

Dependencies and relationships between the stages are briefly explained and analysed.

Some examples from their research will be used.

Markgrid – AO3 DISTINCTION

Candidates exhibit an in-depth knowledge of the game development process and can accurately map the stages of game production, even indicating likely variations to the stages with different types of title development.

Dependencies and relationships are briefly explained and analysed.

Many examples from their research will be used.

Task 4: Behind the scenes…

But the producer doesn’t know everything – there’s still a role we’ve not really reviewed, and without this person the whole product would be toast.

Who? The publisher! Explain their role in:financingcommissioningstrategic managementmarketingdistribution

Markgrid – AO4

PASSThe role of the publisher is described in

outline terms by the candidate.

(But more than my comments on the last slide, OK?)

Markgrid – AO4

MERITCandidates show a sound understanding

of the role of the publisher in game development.

They illustrate this understanding through reference to an existing game publisher

Markgrid – AO4

DISTINCTIONThe publisher’s role is comprehensively

described, showing an in-depth and accurate understanding of the industry and the way the different sectors interrelate.

They illustrate this understanding through reference to one or more existing game publishers.

Task 5: Cunning Master Plan So. Now it’s your turn to create a

production plan in all its glory for your new game.

You can use specialist project planning software, such as MS Project, but this is not essential, & as part of U2 you’ll have seen other online and free products that are just fine.

Task 5: Cunning Master Plan Project management and planning skills:

analysing a project into component tasksschedulingbudgeting and resource allocation

Project management tools and techniques:risk analysiscritical path analysisreporting structure

Use of Project Management software tool (e.g. MS Project)

Markgrid – AO5 PASS

The production plan is complete for the most part, with simple project management techniques successfully applied to the basic scenario.

More advanced tools and analysis may be omitted.

In presentation, when tested against different scenarios and slippages, candidates have developed awareness of the issues but may not have developed sufficient techniques in order to accommodate them within their production plans.

Markgrid – AO5

MERITThe production plan is well developed,

with good application of the project management tools and techniques applied.

The plan proves to be robust when tested against various possible scenarios and slippages.

Markgrid – AO5

DISTINCTIONThe production plan is detailed and

comprehensive, with extremely thorough application of project management tools.

The plan proves to be extremely robust when tested against possible slippages and project pitfalls.

Candidates demonstrate that they have developed an almost instinctive flair for project problem solving.