The Role of a Videogame Producer During Idea Generation
Blue sky idea generation is one of the best periods of game development. Imaginative minds are given the freedom to come up with potential games and mechanics with zero limitations. The room is bustling with energy and general enthusiasm. Whiteboards are populated with potential level mock-ups and wild phrases like “Portal but with Pizzas?” and “Grotesque Commentary on the Wedding Industry”. Most importantly, everyone involved feels on the same footing — equal explorers communally traversing new waters.
Graduate students at the Southern Methodist University Guildhall spend the summer between their first and second years generating ideas and prototyping our capstone games. These are the team-made titles that serve as the centerpiece of our portfolios. Group buy-in is therefore of utmost importance. During this stage, designers often take the lead as creative catalysts. Software developers explore what’s technically plausible. And artists create character and environment concepts, exploring color schemes and pulling comparative inspiration. But where in all this, one may ask, do the producers step in?
If the designers’ responsibility is to find the fun for the game, a producer’s is to find the fun on the team.
In most studios, initial idea generation (“IG”) is kept to a small team of senior-level creatives who dictate what the game will look like. On student projects (and at some indie studios), a higher percentage of the full development team is involved from the get-go. At Guildhall, for instance, not everyone on an IG team of 8–20 students will hold lead positions during development. This can result in some folks sitting quietly in the back of the room. They may have an internal dialogue asking, “Why should I be involved at this stage since I know I won’t be the game designer or lead artist?” This is where a producer comes in handy.
If a team member appears disinterested or shy, a producer should not hesitate to direct the general conversation their way and ask for input. The key is to go about this in an informed and welcoming way. Avoid blaming language such as, “Hey Gary, you’ve been awfully quiet. What do you think?” This puts the onus on Gary for not engaging. Rather, frame it concerning the individual’s intelligence and skillsets. An alternative may be, “Hey Gary, as a programmer, how feasible do you think some of these mechanics are?” This shows that you are invested in their opinions and give weight to their informed observations. Every time I did this, I noticed a marked increase in subsequent engagement and enthusiasm.
Widespread participation is key to achieving the ultimate IG goal: team buy-in. Regardless of how cool or unique a game idea may be, if people aren’t fully invested and enthused, you’re going to face an uphill battle throughout production.
When there are competing ideas, a producer should help direct their team to the one with the most enthusiasm. When I was facilitating our dialogues, I made notes on a digital whiteboard for the entire team to see while simultaneously jotting down observations on mood and energy. I could use the latter as evidence to the team as to why one idea may prevail over the other. Once finding the fun, I use it to inspire a team culture and identity, providing fun costumes, props, and accessories for our pitches. As I often say, “Commitment to a bit helps foster commitment to an idea.”
A producer is responsible for sculpting a chosen idea into a prototype that sets the foundation for future development.
On my current project, a Bow-and-Arrow FPS, this was initially accomplished by purchasing a Nerf Bow from Walmart and strapping a GoPro to my head. We simulated potential gameplay in a fun, easy-to-grasp manner. Our team used the video in the pitch to the stakeholders. Invested parties were easily able to see where the game was headed. Individuals who weren’t on our pitch picked up on our excitement and felt the potential in our game. When it came time for our full student cohort to select which game we wanted to make, our Bow-and-Arrow shooter was chosen by an enthused margin.
Our initial team of eight had grown to a team of 22 and we had four weeks of pre-production to set the foundation for this game. At this stage, the other producer and I began to shift from “Where is the enthusiasm on this team?” to “What can we achieve with this team?” We identified the key risks that had to be addressed to ensure smooth sailing down the road. I co-developed a list of mechanics Zoos that our programmers and designers would create at each prototype milestone. It was a calculated process that felt restrictive to our more creative designers, but as a producer, it was my duty to ensure the team that these careful steps were creating a necessary launching pad. It’s important to prevent wasted work in late development by ironing out clear rules and metrics and defining technological limits.
As we now head into full production, I am pleased with where the team and the project are headed. Our stakeholders have given us positive feedback and believe in our development priorities. Scope reduction will certainly occur and cuts will be made, but the groundwork is solidly defined. By facilitating enthusiasm and defining possibilities early, I am confident in our direction and velocity.
