Figuring out my responsibilities has been an interesting process. I've mentioned before that I've had trouble deciding exactly what it means to be a producer in the EAE: MGS (I imagine that many of the other producers are experiencing the same thing). Part of that process has been a fair bit of trial and error, and I'm trying a few new things as we begin work in new teams on our second prototype.
During our initial planning meeting, I asked the group what their expectations of me are. This was fairly successful, as it allowed all of us to come to an understanding of what I'd be responsible for throughout the development of our game. We established some communication norms, such as email turnaround expectations, as well as how often I will check in on each of them personally. This has helped alleviate the feeling of being micromanaged--since they understand and expect me to update their progress occasionally, they haven't felt like I've been hovering over them incessantly. Beyond that, they now also understand the expectations of me from the Production class, and they are willing to help make sure that I apply what I learn there (not to mention successfully complete the assignments I receive).
This meeting was also great for structuring a manageable backlog and giving everyone a sense of ownership over the tasks in their department. I am confident that the process will run smoothly. I hope I can keep up with the level of work my new team exhibited in their previous groups.
Since everyone loves lists, here are the duties and accomplishments I took care of during this past week:
- Designed and planned many of the game features for our new prototype
- Created the pitch materials (except the art--the talented Ashley created the Prince and Princess)
- Gave the pitch presentation to the cohort and our mechanical engineering contacts
- Headed up planning and process meetings
- Researched freshman mechanical engineering concepts (as suggested by our ME contacts)
- Established a correspondence with an external content area expert to ensure accuracy and relevance in the educational aspects of our game
- Created and distributed the Sprints and task schedules (and updated them as necessary through the end of the Sprint)
One last personal note: While I wish I were in more of a position to work on the game itself (rather than just managing process), I feel more qualified to fill the producer role than to fill a dedicated artist or engineering role. On the other hand, I have been somewhat of a creative director on both the prototypes so far, which is exactly the job that I hope to land as my career. Plus, I'm sure there will still be plenty of opportunities to lend a hand to my teammates.
I guess, then, there's really nothing to complain about, now is there?
- Troy
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