Founder-Game Director Workshop (Session 2)

A workshop about video game directors who are also studio founders.

1. FOUNDER-DIRECTOR
Leading Game Development Teams
Amir H. Fassihi

2. 2-EXECUTON

3. HOW TO MAKE A GAME?

4. Based on the Desired Experience
Look and sound?

5. Based on the Desired Experience
Look and sound?
Behavior in time?

6. Based on the Desired Experience
Look and sound?
Behavior in time?Software creation?

7. Based on the Desired Experience
Look and sound?
Behavior in time?Software creation?
How should people work?

8. Based on the Desired Experience
Look and sound?
Behavior in time?Software creation?
How should people work?
ART

9. Based on the Desired Experience
Look and sound?
Behavior in time?Software creation?
How should people work?
ART
DESIGN

10. Based on the Desired Experience
Look and sound?
Behavior in time?Software creation?
How should people work?
ART
DESIGNTECH

11. Based on the Desired Experience
Look and sound?
Behavior in time?Software creation?
How should people work?
ART
DESIGNTECH
PRODUCTION

13. Production Process Loop
1 - Define what to do.
2 - Breakdown the work
3 - Assign work to people
4 - Asses the work
5 - Provide feedback
6 - Repeat step 1

14. Director and Game Design

15. Design
Level Design
Combat Design
Puzzle Design
Narrative Design
Gameplay Design
System Design
Economy Design
UX Design
Writing
AI Design
Accessibility Design
...

16. IS THE DIRECTOR A GAME DESIGNER?

17. NO!

18. Game Design has
solutions to your problems

19. What is your problem?

20. Creating the Player Experience!

22. ENGINE CODE

23. ENGINE CODE
CHARACTER ASSET

24. ENGINE CODE
CHARACTER ASSETSENVIRONMENT ASSETS

25. GAMEPLAY CODE
ENGINE CODE
CHARACTER ASSETENVIRONMENT ASSET

26. GAMEPLAY CODE
ENGINE CODE
CHARACTER ASSETENVIRONMENT ASSET
LEVEL DESIGN

27. GAMEPLAY CODE
ENGINE CODE
CHARACTER ASSETENVIRONMENT ASSET
LEVEL DESIGNGAMEPLAY DESIGN

28. GAMEPLAY CODE
ENGINE CODE
CHARACTER ASSETENVIRONMENT ASSET
LEVEL DESIGNGAMEPLAY DESIGN
STORY &
CONCEPTS

29. GAMEPLAY CODE
ENGINE CODE
CHARACTER ASSETENVIRONMENT ASSET
LEVEL DESIGNGAMEPLAY DESIGN
STORY &
CONCEPTS
GAMER EXPERIENCE DESIGN

30. GAMEPLAY CODE
ENGINE CODE
CHARACTER ASSETENVIRONMENT ASSET
LEVEL DESIGNGAMEPLAY DESIGN
STORY &
CONCEPTS
GAMER EXPERIENCE DESIGN
Director

31. Director
Holistic Understanding of Game Design.
An awareness of how design decisions impact user experience.
Knowledge of the industry and player expectations.
Ability to foresee how different elements of the game will be received and
interpreted by players.

33. Director Responsibilities:
Overall vision for the game's story.
Deciding the tone, style, and major narrative arcs.
Ensuring the story aligns with the game’s broader goals.
Designer Responsibilities:
Implementing the narrative within the game through level design, dialogue,
and quest design.
Working with writers to create engaging plot points and character dialogue
that fits the narrative structure.
Crafting scenarios and environments that support and enhance the
storytelling.
Example 1: Narrative Development

34. What the Director Should Know
Narrative Coherence
Player Engagement engagement and gameplay experience.
Cross-Discipline Collaboration

35. Director Responsibilities:
Setting the core gameplay vision and goals (e.g., should the game be
challenging, accessible, etc.).
Deciding on key gameplay features that define the game's unique selling
points.
Overseeing the balance between innovation and accessibility in game
mechanics.
Designer Responsibilities:
Detailed design and tuning of game mechanics as specified by the director.
Prototype testing and iteration based on player feedback to refine gameplay.
Integrating mechanics with other elements of the game such as story, art, and
sound.
Example 2: Gameplay Mechanics

36. What the Director Should Know
Mechanics-Story Integration
Player Psychology
Feedback Loops

38. Example: Metroidvania Side-Scroller Game
Game Director Responsibilities:
Vision and Concept:
The director should define the overarching theme and goals of the game.
For a Metroidvania, this might include a focus on exploration, gradual
power accumulation, and backtracking with new abilities to access
previously unreachable areas.
Setting the tone, whether dark and mysterious or bright and
adventurous, and ensuring it's consistently applied across all game
elements.

39. Example: Metroidvania Side-Scroller Game
Game Director Responsibilities:
Player Experience and Journey:
Ensuring the game provides a continuous sense of discovery and
accomplishment, which are core to Metroidvania games.
Overseeing the creation of the game world in a way that encourages
exploration but also guides the player to avoid frustration.

40. Example: Metroidvania Side-Scroller Game
Game Director Responsibilities:
Integration of Story and Gameplay:
Deciding how the story unfolds through the gameplay without excessive
exposition. For example, using environmental storytelling or finding items
that provide backstory.
Making sure the narrative complements the gameplay mechanics,
enhancing the immersive experience without overshadowing the
gameplay.

41. Example: Metroidvania Side-Scroller Game
What the Director Should Know:
Non-linear Gameplay Design: Understanding how to design game worlds that
are non-linear yet intuitive to navigate, ensuring players enjoy exploring
without getting lost.
Progression Systems: Knowledge of balancing character progression with the
challenge level of the environment and enemies to maintain a satisfying
difficulty curve.
Engagement Mechanics: Familiarity with keeping players engaged over time
through mini-goals, hidden secrets, and gradually unfolding story elements.

42. Example: Metroidvania Side-Scroller Game
Game Designer Responsibilities:
Level Design
Mechanics Development:
Feedback and Tuning:

43. Example: Metroidvania Side-Scroller Game
What the Game Designer Should Know:
Player Psychology: Understanding how players react to challenges and rewards,
optimizing level and enemy designs to be engaging but not overwhelming.
Usability Testing: Proficiency in evaluating gameplay flow and identifying areas
where players may struggle or become bored.
Dynamic Content Creation: Skills in creating content that enables re-visitation,
which is vital for a game that encourages backtracking.

45. Designer Director
Narrow Scope Wide Scope
Tactical Strategic
SpecializationLeadership
Key Differences

46. A game director doesn't need to be an expert in every technical detail of
game design, but they should have a comprehensive understanding of how
different aspects of the design contribute to the overall player experience.
This broad yet detailed knowledge enables them to lead the project
effectively, ensuring that the game's vision is realized while meeting the
expectations of its target audience.
Director and Game Design Summary

48. Director and Programming

49. Implementation

50. Implementation
Requirements

51. Requirements?

52. Functional Requirements

53. Functional Requirements
Non-Functional Requirements

54. Non-Functional Requirements
Scalability
Reliability
Availability
Usability

55. Non-Functional Requirements
Scalability
Reliability
Availability
Usability
Maintainability
Portability
Readability
Reusability

56. Non-Functional Requirements
Scalability
Reliability
Availability
Usability
Maintainability
Portability
Readability
Reusability
Security
Testability
Interoperability
Flexibility

57. Non-Functional Requirements
Scalability
Reliability
Availability
Usability
Maintainability
Portability
Readability
Reusability
Security
Testability
Interoperability
Flexibility
Compliance
Recoverability
Backward Compatibility
Localization

58. Non-Functional Requirements
Scalability
Reliability
Availability
Usability
Maintainability
Portability
Readability
Reusability
Security
Testability
Interoperability
Flexibility
Compliance
Recoverability
Backward Compatibility
Localization
Performance!

60. Technical Director

62. Technical Director Questions
Which platforms?

63. Technical Director Questions
Which platforms?
Is this a prototype?

64. Technical Director Questions
Which platforms?
Is this a prototype?
Should we support gamepads?

65. Technical Director Questions
Which platforms?
Is this a prototype?
Should we support gamepads?
What genre is our next game?

66. Technical Director Questions
Which platforms?
Is this a prototype?
Should we support gamepads?
What genre is our next game?
Will the scope increase?

67. Communication!

69. Technical Judgement

70. Technical Judgement
1 - Understand Basic Technical Concepts
Software Development Lifecycle
Programming Fundamentals
Game Engine Architecture
Graphics and Rendering
Hardware & Platforms
Networking
AI in Games
Performance Metrics
Quality Assurance

71. Technical Judgement
2 - Rely on Technical Leads and Feedback

72. Technical Judgement
2 - Rely on Technical Leads and Feedback
3 - Use Quality Assurance Teams

73. Technical Judgement
2 - Rely on Technical Leads and Feedback
3 - Use Quality Assurance Teams
4 - Leverage User Testing

74. Technical Judgement
2 - Rely on Technical Leads and Feedback
3 - Use Quality Assurance Teams
4 - Leverage User Testing
5 - External Technical Audit

75. Technical Judgement
2 - Rely on Technical Leads and Feedback
3 - Use Quality Assurance Teams
4 - Leverage User Testing
5 - External Technical Audit
6 - Benchmarking against Standards

77. Director and Art

78. What should a director know?

79. Art Styles and Genres
Character Design
Environment & World Building
Animation Basics
UI/UX Design
Concept Art
Collaboration with Artists
Asset Pipelines

80. Art Judgement

81. Art Judgement
1 - Understand Art Fundamentals

82. Art Judgement
1 - Understand Art Fundamentals
Composition
Color Theory
Lighting and Shadow
Texture
Perspective and Depth
Anatomy and Proportions
Typography
Motion Principles
Symbolism
Visual Storytelling

83. Art Judgement
2 - Define and Communicate the Artistic
Vision

84. Art Judgement
2 - Define and Communicate the Artistic
Vision
3 - Collaborate Closely with the Art Team

85. Art Judgement
2 - Define and Communicate the Artistic
Vision
3 - Collaborate Closely with the Art Team
4 - Leverage Concept Art and Mood Boards

86. Art Judgement
2 - Define and Communicate the Artistic
Vision
3 - Collaborate Closely with the Art Team
4 - Leverage Concept Art and Mood Boards
5. Utilize Playtesting and External Feedback

87. Art Judgement
6 - Stay Informed About Art Trends and
Technology
7 - Benchmark Against Other Games

88. Ask your Art Director:

90. Kim Swift
Amy Hennig
Jade Raymond
Robin Hunicke
Siobhan Reddy
Shannon Studstill
Carol Shaw
Bonnie Ross

91. How do you see your artistic vision supporting
the narrative and gameplay mechanics
of the game?
Vision

92. Can you describe how the art style
enhances the game’s themes
and player experience?
Vision

93. How will you ensure consistency in the
art style across all game assets,
including characters, environments,
and UI elements?
Consistency

94. What are the potential technical challenges
with your proposed
art style, and how do you plan to
address them?
Technical Feasibility

95. What are the resource requirements for your
art department to achieve the desired quality
within our current timeline and budget?
Resource Management

96. How does the proposed art style set our game
apart from competitors in the same genre?
Innovation

97. What is your process for incorporating
feedback from playtests and other
departments into the art development cycle?
Feedback

98. How will you communicate ongoing art
developments with the rest of the team,
especially programming and game design
departments?
Collaboration

99. Can you provide examples of how visual
elements have been specifically designed to
improve user experience or gameplay clarity?
Player Engagement and Experience