What do gameplay producers do?

[SpellAndShield]

Anyone know?

[CommanderCrazy]

Producers advertise, or show it off, designers / developers make it.

[SpellAndShield]

Producers advertise, or show it off, designers / developers make it.

 

So producers have no real skill? They are just PR guys?

[Nadimos]

actually nvm me. Edited February 10, 2011 by Nadimos

[Fatalmasterpiece]

The term "producer" can mean a lot of things depending on the type of industry. It often varies however on the company and the producer.

 

Generally they will lead the project ala getting financial backing by attaching their name and endorsement. They often have a direct role in the general direction of the project, making judgment calls on major overtures such as theme, look, composition and span. Advertising is only a small part of their role in the creation of a product. In general they make sure the project actually happens and does so with cohesion and planning.

 

So in a video game a producer might help sell the idea to financiers who's money is staked on the reputation of the producer, directors, and all around team. He will often be present in the conception of the game's planning and help make the decisions like will it be single or multiplayer, will they get some big name voice actors or unknowns, ok concept art... I mean, the list goes on and on.

 

A producer is like the owner of a store. He doesn't actually do all the work but without him none of it would probably happen. Each departments director is like the managers in the store. Then the designers and coders are like the guys stocking the shelves and checking people out. So when the owner of the store decides they are going to sell discounted clothing and advertise in the local paper, and having the backing of several local business people, that's all the work of the producer.

 

You could call the owner of a store just the guy who makes advertisements for the place, but it wouldn't be very accurate.

 

Of course a producer doesn't normally own the product created in this circumstance. That ownership actually comes down to the financiers, and the company backing the product.

Edited February 10, 2011 by Fatalmasterpiece

[WastelandAssassin]

if that is true (that they are making advertisements), it doesn't mean that they have no skill

they may not have programming skill, but properly advertising and selling a game isn't that easy

you need to make a trailer, that in less than 2 minutes blow your mind away, and convince you to get the game

i don't know about you, but i think that's quite a skill :biggrin:

[brokenergy]

Usually, they are in charge of the overall project. They sit down with the leads from various departments and discuss about the overall direction. In BioWare's Dragon Age department for example (might work differently in different departments or even different companies) the heads of every major departments sit down with the producers and discuss with the direction of the IP they wish to take. After that, they'll allocate the resources and in sure that everything goes according to the timechart and keep taps with the department leads. Gaming producers have a pretty active job within a game and no PR is the marketing departments job (and that's the publisher's problem).

[SpellAndShield]

Usually, they are in charge of the overall project. They sit down with the leads from various departments and discuss about the overall direction. In BioWare's Dragon Age department for example (might work differently in different departments or even different companies) the heads of every major departments sit down with the producers and discuss with the direction of the IP they wish to take. After that, they'll allocate the resources and in sure that everything goes according to the timechart and keep taps with the department leads. Gaming producers have a pretty active job within a game and no PR is the marketing departments job (and that's the publisher's problem).

 

Doesn't seem to require as much skill as developing or art...

[csgators]

Usually, they are in charge of the overall project. They sit down with the leads from various departments and discuss about the overall direction. In BioWare's Dragon Age department for example (might work differently in different departments or even different companies) the heads of every major departments sit down with the producers and discuss with the direction of the IP they wish to take. After that, they'll allocate the resources and in sure that everything goes according to the timechart and keep taps with the department leads. Gaming producers have a pretty active job within a game and no PR is the marketing departments job (and that's the publisher's problem).

 

Doesn't seem to require as much skill as developing or art...

 

It takes different skills, dealing with many different types of people and getting them all working in the same direction is not an easy thing to do.

[urbex]

Similar to the music industry, they're basically the coach of the dev team.