Comments on: How to manage game development http://www.bruceongames.com/2009/01/20/how-to-manage-game-development/ A veteran's view on marketing games Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:01:38 +0000 hourly 1 By: Harrison http://www.bruceongames.com/2009/01/20/how-to-manage-game-development/comment-page-1/#comment-4035 Harrison Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:23:58 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1289#comment-4035 I find it interesting that you would essentially limit the marketing involvement to the sphere of marketing communications when I've seen so many marketing insights about target audiences, emerging tech trends etc, competition, make such a difference in end product. Or are you just assuming that these types of marketing requirements are established at the outset of the development process. Also...slightly surprised that you would rely on focus groups, especially those that might be run by non-professionals. In general though, we've lost faith in that kind of "research" and I think it has paid huge dividends. I find it interesting that you would essentially limit the marketing involvement to the sphere of marketing communications when I’ve seen so many marketing insights about target audiences, emerging tech trends etc, competition, make such a difference in end product. Or are you just assuming that these types of marketing requirements are established at the outset of the development process. Also…slightly surprised that you would rely on focus groups, especially those that might be run by non-professionals. In general though, we’ve lost faith in that kind of “research” and I think it has paid huge dividends.

]]> By: Tom http://www.bruceongames.com/2009/01/20/how-to-manage-game-development/comment-page-1/#comment-4034 Tom Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:37:09 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1289#comment-4034 So it doesn't end with a Boss Fight then? So it doesn’t end with a Boss Fight then?

]]> By: Vince http://www.bruceongames.com/2009/01/20/how-to-manage-game-development/comment-page-1/#comment-4032 Vince Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:29:23 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1289#comment-4032 This is all pretty standard. Some companies do make the mistake of combining the executive producer role and creative director, but most teams I know of these days are run like this. There may be some differences at the edges but the core principles are the same. Obviously bigger teams have more structure than smaller ones - you simply don't need this kind of overhead on smaller games. The crazy thing is I've seen teams run like this succeed, and I've seen them fail. Structure is necessary but you need skilled people across all disciplines who work well together and are pulling in the same direction to pull it off. The human factor is often more relevant than the structure. This is all pretty standard. Some companies do make the mistake of combining the executive producer role and creative director, but most teams I know of these days are run like this. There may be some differences at the edges but the core principles are the same.

Obviously bigger teams have more structure than smaller ones – you simply don’t need this kind of overhead on smaller games.

The crazy thing is I’ve seen teams run like this succeed, and I’ve seen them fail. Structure is necessary but you need skilled people across all disciplines who work well together and are pulling in the same direction to pull it off. The human factor is often more relevant than the structure.

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