Discussion on Computer Game Development Friday, February 6, 2004 DePaul University Jason Compton

A Brief, Incomplete Overview of the Video Game Industry Real Businesses Real Businesses In-Demand Talent In-Demand Talent Real Work Real Work

History: The 1960s Gaming history begins in academia Gaming history begins in academia Mainframes Mainframes Open source Open source Academic, sideline projects Academic, sideline projects Action games, AI experiments (chess) Action games, AI experiments (chess) First head-to-head: Spacewar First head-to-head: Spacewar Distribution: tiny universe, donated paper tapes Distribution: tiny universe, donated paper tapes

History: Pong! Pong! Crude hardwired consoles Crude hardwired consoles Mainframe gaming: getting more sophisticated Mainframe gaming: getting more sophisticated Still largely academic Still largely academic Play via screen or printer Play via screen or printer

History: Dawn of personal computers and consoles Dawn of personal computers and consoles One-man teams One-man teams Programming = research = programming Programming = research = programming Largely self-published, direct sales Largely self-published, direct sales Birth of publishers (Activision, Sierra, EA) Birth of publishers (Activision, Sierra, EA) Birth of franchises (Ultima, Zork) Birth of franchises (Ultima, Zork) Distribution: paper tapes, cassettes, floppies, magazine type-in Distribution: paper tapes, cassettes, floppies, magazine type-in

History: Personal computers go mass-market Personal computers go mass-market First signs of design teams/studios (Free Fall, Ozark Softscape, etc.) First signs of design teams/studios (Free Fall, Ozark Softscape, etc.) Console crash (E.T.), rebirth (NES) Console crash (E.T.), rebirth (NES) Studio->Publisher->Retail model starts to take hold Studio->Publisher->Retail model starts to take hold More franchises (King’s Quest, Castle Wolfenstein, Donkey Kong/Mario) More franchises (King’s Quest, Castle Wolfenstein, Donkey Kong/Mario) Distribution: Cassette, floppy, type-in Distribution: Cassette, floppy, type-in

History: Gaming computers get better (Commodore Amiga, DOS EGA/VGA) Gaming computers get better (Commodore Amiga, DOS EGA/VGA) Projects get bigger (larger, cheaper disks, consumer hard drives) Projects get bigger (larger, cheaper disks, consumer hard drives) Teams get bigger, but still occasional “bedroom millionaire” Teams get bigger, but still occasional “bedroom millionaire” All-text dies All-text dies

History: Start to see specialists (artists, musicians, etc.) Start to see specialists (artists, musicians, etc.) Consoles: closed systems from here on out Consoles: closed systems from here on out Still more franchises! (Police Quest, Final Fantasy, Wing Commander) Still more franchises! (Police Quest, Final Fantasy, Wing Commander) Distribution: Floppies (and lots of them), type-in Distribution: Floppies (and lots of them), type-in

History: 1991-present “Wintel” PC crowds out the desktop pack “Wintel” PC crowds out the desktop pack Studios spring up all over Studios spring up all over “Cinematic” gaming comes, goes, comes, goes... “Cinematic” gaming comes, goes, comes, goes... Publishers merge, submerge, re-emerge, re-invent... Publishers merge, submerge, re-emerge, re-invent... Mass retailers take charge Mass retailers take charge

History: 1991-present Arcade gaming peaks, declines as PC/console catches up Arcade gaming peaks, declines as PC/console catches up A few independents find refuge online A few independents find refuge online Fade of gaming “rockstars”—for most, game creation is a salaried job Fade of gaming “rockstars”—for most, game creation is a salaried job Distribution: Floppies give way to CDs, DVDs, and direct download Distribution: Floppies give way to CDs, DVDs, and direct download

The Business of Games 2003: $7 billion in sales 2003: $7 billion in sales More for the money ($40 in 1983 = $73 today) More for the money ($40 in 1983 = $73 today) Big-time companies (multiple publishers >$1 billion market value) Big-time companies (multiple publishers >$1 billion market value) Big-time budgets (6 figures and up per game) Big-time budgets (6 figures and up per game)

How Games Get Made Concept Studio Publisher Distributor Retail

Jobs In Gaming Programmers Programmers Code graphics engines Code graphics engines Code rules engines Code rules engines Code AI Code AI Code design tools Code design tools Pays to be able to think small Pays to be able to think small Designers (Writers) Designers (Writers) Create story Create story Create world Create world Create characters Create characters Create levels/quests Create levels/quests Write dialogue Write dialogue Use design tools Use design tools

Jobs In Gaming Producers Producers Build teams Build teams Keep project on deadlines Keep project on deadlines Manage budget Manage budget Coordinate teams Coordinate teams Coordinate between studio, publisher, licensor Coordinate between studio, publisher, licensor Artists Artists 3D: work in major 3D environments 3D: work in major 3D environments 2D: Portraiture, texturing 2D: Portraiture, texturing Sketches, storyboards Sketches, storyboards

Jobs In Gaming Audio Directors Audio Directors Coordinate with designers Coordinate with designers Hire voice talent Hire voice talent Direct recording sessions Direct recording sessions FMV Directors FMV Directors Oversee production of cinematics Oversee production of cinematics Coordinate live-action production, post- production FX, 3D, etc. Coordinate live-action production, post- production FX, 3D, etc.

Jobs In Gaming QA QA Test, test, test Test, test, test Test some more Test some more Troubleshoot, report, repeat Troubleshoot, report, repeat Other Roles Other Roles Webmaster Webmaster Community Managers Community Managers Marketing Marketing Simulations Simulations Journalism Journalism Education Education