LO3 Task 4 Contribution to a Production Role

Unit 22 LO3 Task 4 My Contribution to a Production Role

Roles and Responsibilities

My role in the gaming unit was production designer. The role of production designers in gaming is to think up the idea for a game on their own or in a team. It is their responsibility to see that the product looks and feels like they want it to, it is one of the key creative roles in the production of a game.  They must work directly with most departments to visualise and see that the game is produced to their vision.

Contribution to Media Products

My contribution to the game was thinking of the concept of the game. I visualised the sort of game I wanted and brainstormed how I would like it to play and look as well as thinking of the many different features it would have to offer. I wrote up a full document explaining the concept and the main game mode so that my team could read it and see the idea behind it. I had to think up what the game would look like in game and on the menus as well as the many different game types that the user can play. Once the idea was thought up, I had to go into detail on what is possible on that game mode. I thought up all the attributes that will make the players perform how they do as well as thinking up the story behind separate game modes. To the group I brought my vision, leadership and team working skills, this allowed me to explain my ideas properly, as well as discuss roles with my team and then help get the best out of my team.

Interaction Within my Team

I had to write up a full concept document that included an explanation of the main game mode, which enabled my team to see what it is that the game was about, therefore my communication skill when writing had to be very good so that nothing was misunderstood. I went above and beyond the necessary needs here and composed a document of more than 1000 words, and went into specific detail about everything from the games to the individual stats of each player and how they could be increased. In the team I had to work with my lead designer. His job was to make sure all the ideas I thought up were brought to life through illustration. I had to communicate with him when designing everything from what the kit would look like to how the menus would look. My communication skills had to be excellent so that no time was wasted with poor designs. I had to communicate with my team when working on the pitch so that we got the correct points across quickly and fully so that curiosity to points we have raised were kept to a minimum. Our team meetings occurred on Friday mornings to discuss progress and make points that have arisen over the past weeks, in this meeting the group had a chance to make improvements that they felt were needed too.

Development of Skills

As the production designer my ability to communicate my ideas with others and listen to their was very utilised, as this was very important for brainstorming how the finished product would look when playing the game, as my artistic talents are lacking, I needed to communicate with the artist well. However, a few of my pre designs gave my artist ideas, and a few technical drawings of mine were used, so that is where my practical skills came into use. My ability to think up fresh ideas was utilised well in the team as it was my idea that we used to develop the game, so my originality in my ideas was perfect for designing the product.

My leadership skills improved over the course of the project, by the end I was able to fully cooperate with my team with a necessary amount of control, as I was still happy to take constructive criticism from my team. My skill in idea development came along very well, as I was able to develop the new idea, learning lots of development techniques along the way, and still being able to allow my team to help and suggest changes to get what is best for the product.

Areas for Further Development and Action Plan

To work in this role permanently I would need to further develop my communication skills so that I can communicate to a much larger team, so that everything can still run smoothly. I would also need to improve my time keeping skills so that when in charge of a larger group of people I can keep track of the team without having to panic that everything is getting done. I would need to learn how to use design software such Photoshop and 3D Studio Max to help the artists in a company when getting my points across, and also to make designs. I would also need to be able to use a game engine like Unreal so that I can help the level designers and programmers make the game as the team have agreed.

To develop the skills I need to be a Production Designer for a company, I will need to take a course at university. The course will be at Sheffield Hallam and will take 3 years, or 4 years with a work placement. The course provides a strong foundation for art and visual design, which would allow me to get my ideas down on paper so visual learners would be able to see the styles I would want in the game. The work placement would also allow me to get real life experience in the gaming world so I would also be able to develop my communication and time keeping skills. With all this I would be a suitable candidate to be a production designer at any place of work within gaming.

I feel I have the necessary basic skills to be in the role I worked in, as the game was made well and in time, with the team working well together. However my skills would need to be heavily developed if I was to go into a job in this role. My skills with people would need to be improved a small amount, as well as my time keeping. However it would be my technical skills that would need the largest amount of improvement as I would need to be fully competent in using the software.

The Images below are a selection of things I did as a production designer. There is a concept slide from a presentation that I made. The Moodboard is one I made to show the target audience for my game. The production schedule is something I made so our group knew what they were doing over the weeks. And I drew one of the visuals, and the rest I helped my lead artist to draw through my influence.