Sunday, September 26, 2010

Design Chemistry

Not only in gaming but most industries you have the “team” concept.  Outside of sports, I have rarely to worked with a real team in my employment.  If you don't get along with your coworkers you will have a harder time. Whether your are designing a game or hot dog cart the product will reflect those internal struggles.  At my current position, in the cellphone business,  I have to deal with coworkers that do not work responsibly and leave same people are left to straighten out the mess.  Management does not help. Our new store manager has never worked in the cellphone industry and is clueless.  In the end, not only will we suffer as a team but customers will suffer as a result. 

Now on the other hand if you had a really great group, losing the egos (but not ideas), that effectively communicated and shared information you would end up with something wonderful.  It's just like a soup, if you use poor ingredients the results won't be tasty.  I would like to clarify that working with other people will occasionally lead to butting of heads or different ideas.  Working through these issues and combining efforts will take your game to the next level.  My ideal design group would have programmers, artists, sound engineers and designers all working on the open.  By this I mean having meetings on a regular basis to cross check what is going on, make sure ideas work or share new ideas. 

Now coming together in meetings would make sure all sections are at the same pace .  The sections would be cohesive and no one should feel left.  Who knows, someone in programming might have a good level idea and discuss it with a designer and a great multiplayer level could form.  Just keep on open and honest dialogue going between everyone and work won't seem like a chore.  No one wants to come to work when they dread it.  Also late nights will go by a lot faster when you get along and sometimes you just might have fun while at work. Imagine that!  A good design group will come together and make a game that they are proud of.

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