Teamwork in game development

How does teamwork affect game development?

If you have a dream of getting into the game industry, what is required of you? What are your responsibilities? We all might have a dream to pursue, but how much effort is needed from you to achieve it?

In the game industry you will find that the employers or freelancers have specific tasks, depending on which companies. Some may have more than one task to accomplish, while others focus in one specific area. When a game is in production you will be assigned to a specific role or more to fulfill the game you and your coworkers want to create. Be aware though that a lot can occur while working in a team.

 

Youngson (n.d.)

When you are working in a game company or studio, you are given most likely a specific role in which you are experienced and talented in to ease the workload for others to complete their tasks for a good contribution to the game you are creating (pluralsight, 2014).

“Starting a game is easy, it’s finishing one that takes a lot of time and dedication” (MaybeLaterx, 2014).

As mentioned in the quote, a game is indeed something that will require a longer period of worktime, but is it really applied to all game developers? According to pluralsight (2014), they are mentioning a lot about problems interfering with the game production process which can affect the employers morale and motivation for the game (para. 1-2). BitMascot (2016, para. 13) states with supportive and relevant information that “as all the processes are intertwined in game development and simultaneous adjustments are required for any problem, the entire team is to exhibit unison in commitment for resolving issues”.

This clarifies the logical amount of time consumption which is expected to be affected in the game production extensionally regardless of problem that may potentially arise.

Another very important side of a good and effective teamwork is communication. “The more closely you work together, the earlier you will catch a misunderstanding between your teams, which can save lots of time, money and grief in the long-run” (MaybeLaterx, 2014). BitMascot (2016) also describes the importance of good communication. “Team members who can openly and articulately communicate with each other, are more effectively able to share ideas and visualize concepts, which is a must for a game development team”. These statements can be compared to real life situations, for example a child refusing telling the parent what is wrong. Problems are not fixing themselves, good communication is.  

As a minor conclusion of what makes a good game development team is positivity, communication, passion, motivation, and above all, being a good team player.

 

Rawpixel (2018)

Reference list:

BitMascot. (2016, November 07). What Makes a Winning Game Development Team? [Blog post]. Retrieved November 14, 2018, from http://www.bitmascot.com/what-makes-a-successful-game-team/

Healy, J. P. (n.d.). Teamwork in Game Development. Retrieved November 14, 2018, from http://www.academia.edu/20541552/Teamwork_in_Game_Development

MaybeLaterx. (2014, November 14). Working in a Game Development Team: The Pros and Cons [Blog post].Retrieved November 14, 2018, from http://mentalblockgaming.com/blog/teamwork/working-in-a-game-development-team-the-pros-and-cons/

pluralsight. (2014, May 02). There's No "I" in Team: The Power of Teamwork in the Indie Game Development Pipeline Series [Blog post]. Retrieved November 14, 2018, from https://www.pluralsight.com/blog/film-games/theres-no-i-in-team-the-power-of-teamwork-in-the-indie-game-development-series

rawpixel. (2018). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/team-team-building-success-computer-3373638/

Youngson, N. (n.d.). Video Game Developer [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.thebluediamondgallery.com/tablet/v/video-game-developer.html