Ultimate Game Design : Building game worlds

Building Game Worlds
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U L T I M A T E G A M E D E S I G N
Marketing Department
The marketing staff is comprised of several folks with specialty contacts in every area
related to bringing a game to market. They are focused on doing everything possible
to help build and inform the playing audience about every single game title released.
The public relations personnel help to build a bridge in a number of ways between
players as customers and a game company. They host special events, try to support
some player requests, and keep developers informed about public sentiment and reaction
to certain issues.
The technical/customer support staff works to support the player base as a game
title is released and then long afterwards. They run the help lines or hint hotlines, web
sites, technical support FAQs, and so forth. They answer questions and assist players
with resolving installation, patching, or compatibility issues. Without their work, a
vital part of delivering a fun play experience to the customer would be lost. If players
can’t get support or help with a game title, they’ll remember the experience the next
time they see your logo on a box.
A QA manager directs all testing services and resources to help insure to the best
degree possible that a bug-free game experience is delivered to the players.
A lead tester is a point of contact on a test team for any particular title. They filter
much of the feedback from their test team, so that developers can get a clear picture
of any outstanding bugs.
A tester works to find game bugs and “break” the game so that bugs can be reported
to and fixed by a game development team.
Breakdown Conclusions
I hope you’ve found the role breakdown for a developer/publisher hybrid useful. It’s
best to keep in mind that many of these roles mean different things in different places.
Much of the role specifics are determined by the size of a company, access to resources,
and many other factors. Many of these roles are common throughout the industry,
so they are worth mentioning here. As you pursue your own goals, you will at
least have an idea about what kinds of positions are available in gaming.
CASE STUDY COMMENTS
ON THE TESTING DOORWAY
It’s important to remember that QA is the doorway to game development for most of
us. Your first week in a test department will probably be a shock, and that’s just fine. It
shocks everybody. You won’t believe that you’re getting paid anything at all to play new
games, and you won’t believe the head-, neck-, and eyestrain. Be sure to take breaks.