Task 2 - Job Roles

Creative Development

Game Designer - Game designers are responsible for how the game plays, and what it consists of. They plan and create all of the components of the game:
The setting, rules, story, characters, objects, vehicles and other props.

An example of a game designer would be Todd Howard. He has worked on video games such as Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, and Fallout 3.

Level Editor - A level editor is a person that creates the game's landscape, buildings, and objects. They must stick to the overall specification, and use the characters and story elements that are defined by the designers. Other than this, they have the freedom to vary the look and feel of the level.

An example of a level editor would be Richard Gray. He has worked on games such as Duke Nukem 3D and SiN.

Lead Artist - The lead artist is the person that is responsible for how the game looks overall. They work with the game designers to create the visual style for the game, and direct the other artists throughout development.

An example of a Lead Artists is Ken Rolston. He has worked on games such as Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Morrowind and Oblivion.

Technical Artist - A technical artist ensures that drawn art assets can be easily put into the game without sacrificing the overall vision of the artists, or exceeding the limits of the console/platform that the game is being developed on.

Artist - Artists create the visual assets of the game such as characters and their clothing, the scenery, surface textures, objects and props, and even some user interface components.

Animator - Animators are responsible for bringing characters and creatures, and sometimes things like objects, vegetation and scenery.

Audio Engineer - The audio engineer is responsible for creating the game's soundtrack. This can include the music, character voices, gunshots, explosions, and ambient background noises such as crowd chatter, vehicles and rain.

Technical Development

Game Programmer - Programmers write the code for the game. They also test the code and fix any bugs. They work together with QA testers to find bugs in the game.

Lead Game Programmer - The lead programmer leads the programming team and gives tasks to them. They create all of the code that makes the game run, and able to control.

Project Implementation

Project Manager/Producer - The project manager oversees the production of the game and is meant to ensure it's completed on time and within the given budget. Before production, the project manager does a detailed analysis of the design specification and sets targets for when things are meant to be completed.

Assistant Producer - The assistant producer helps to ensure that the game is completed on/before the deadline, and that it is the highest possible quality. They typically focus on a specific part of the development process, and assist with communications between publisher and developer, or co-ordinate work with the team.

External Producer - The external producer makes sure the game is successfully delivered, while working externally from the developers. They are almost always employed by the publisher, and work out of their head office. They communicate with the publisher's sales/marketing department and the developers, who could be located many miles away. The external producer is like a consultant, and advises the developer instead of dealing with any day-to-day issues. They help the publisher get all the relevant information they need to make the game as successful as possible.

Creative Director - The creative director oversees all high-level decisions that affect how the game plays, looks or sounds in any way. Not all companies hire creative directors. Sometimes their duties are split between the lead artists, programmers, designers and producers. They are responsible for how the game looks and feels. The position is relatively new, it evolved from the producers role, which is more focuses on time and budget management. The creative director ensures a good quality and style of the finished game.

Quality Assurance

QA Tester - QA testers play through incomplete builds of video games and try to find as many bugs as possible. Bugs that are found are then reported and sent to the developers to be fixed.

Business Development

Public Relations Manager - The public relations (PR) manager is responsible for helping the developers/publishers communicate with the general public. They inform the public and try to persuade them to hold a certain view of the company and their decisions, or the product. 

Product Manager - The product manager assists with the creation and implementation of the game's marketing campaigns, to ensure maximum sales of the game. They work with the marketing team and support the senior managers who organize the campaigns. They may also work with the brand manager, who is responsible for developing long-term plans for games. Product managers usually work for the publishers, or independent marketing companies who work with the publishers.

Marketing Executive - The marketing executive researches the market, helps create the marketing campaigns, placing adverts in newspapers, magazines, TV and radio, and make sure campaign deadlines are met.

Marketing Manager - The marketing manager directs all marketing activity and plans the best ways to promote the game. They research market trends, find out how to reach certain markets, and come up with marketing strategies.