Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of these is a genre of video games?
Which of these is a genre of video games?
The video game industry has a smaller market than the film industry.
The video game industry has a smaller market than the film industry.
False
Name one role in the video game industry.
Name one role in the video game industry.
Designer
The revenue generated by Grand Theft Auto 4 in its first week was ________ million.
The revenue generated by Grand Theft Auto 4 in its first week was ________ million.
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Match the following video game genres with their descriptions:
Match the following video game genres with their descriptions:
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Which country had the highest game revenue in 2015?
Which country had the highest game revenue in 2015?
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Video games are classified into genres based on their interactivity and gameplay.
Video games are classified into genres based on their interactivity and gameplay.
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What distinguishes video games from other art forms?
What distinguishes video games from other art forms?
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What is NOT a responsibility of an external producer?
What is NOT a responsibility of an external producer?
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A video game publisher is responsible for manufacturing and marketing.
A video game publisher is responsible for manufacturing and marketing.
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Name three essential skills needed to be a video game developer.
Name three essential skills needed to be a video game developer.
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To be a successful game designer, one must possess creativity and excellent ______ skills.
To be a successful game designer, one must possess creativity and excellent ______ skills.
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Match the role to its required skill.
Match the role to its required skill.
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Which of the following skills is essential for a game audio engineer?
Which of the following skills is essential for a game audio engineer?
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All game team members must have excellent programming skills.
All game team members must have excellent programming skills.
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What is the primary passion required to enter the video game industry?
What is the primary passion required to enter the video game industry?
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What is a key document created during the pre-production phase of game development?
What is a key document created during the pre-production phase of game development?
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QA (Testing) is only concerned with the game's functionality and does not involve localization.
QA (Testing) is only concerned with the game's functionality and does not involve localization.
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What does the role of a producer in game development involve?
What does the role of a producer in game development involve?
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In the game development process, the _________ phase includes tasks such as maintenance and customer service.
In the game development process, the _________ phase includes tasks such as maintenance and customer service.
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Match the following roles in the video game industry with their descriptions:
Match the following roles in the video game industry with their descriptions:
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Which of the following roles is considered one of the best entry points into the video game industry?
Which of the following roles is considered one of the best entry points into the video game industry?
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Game Art only involves the creation of character designs and does not include environments.
Game Art only involves the creation of character designs and does not include environments.
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What is typically involved in the audio phase of game development?
What is typically involved in the audio phase of game development?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of indie games?
Which of the following is a characteristic of indie games?
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Indie games have diminished in popularity due to changes in distribution methods.
Indie games have diminished in popularity due to changes in distribution methods.
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Name one platform where a video game can be published.
Name one platform where a video game can be published.
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Indie games often rely on __________ for distribution.
Indie games often rely on __________ for distribution.
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Match the monetization strategy with its description:
Match the monetization strategy with its description:
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Which of the following games originated as an indie game?
Which of the following games originated as an indie game?
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Banner ads are an example of selling additional content in a game.
Banner ads are an example of selling additional content in a game.
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What type of item might an indie game developer sell as merchandise?
What type of item might an indie game developer sell as merchandise?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Game Development
- Game development is a large industry, surpassing the film industry in revenue.
- A video game is interactive content played by manipulating images on a computer program/application display. Examples include mobile, web, console, and PC games.
Agenda
- What are video games?
- What are video game genres?
- How big is the game industry today?
- How is a video game developed from start to finish?
- What are the roles in the game industry?
- What are the career paths for each team member?
- How do you enter the game industry?
What are Video Games?
- Video games are interactive content played by digitally manipulating images produced by a computer program on any display.
What is the Difference?
- Interactivity distinguishes games from movies and other art forms.
- Game content makes it unique and more engaging compared to other software.
What are Video Game Genres?
- Games are categorized into genres based on common characteristics, like perspective, gameplay, interaction, and objective.
What are Video Game Genres (Examples)?
- Adventure
- Action
- Action-Adventure
- Platform
- Fighting
- First Person Shooter (FPS)
- Real-time strategy (RTS)
- Turn-based strategy games
- Role-playing game (RPG)
- Rhythm games (music games)
- Puzzle games
- Traditional games
- Massively multiplayer online
- Stealth games
- Survival horror games
- Simulation games
- Racing games
- Sports games
- Educational games
How Big is the Game Industry Today?
- Avatar and GTA V, for example, generated roughly equal revenue.
- The video game market is the largest in the entertainment industry (more than the film industry's revenue).
- The Dark Knight film grossed $239 million in its first week.
- Grand Theft Auto 4 grossed $500 million during its first week.
Top 100 Countries by Game Revenue (2015)
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Global games revenue 2015: $91.25 billion
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China, the United States, and Japan were the top 3 countries in revenue.
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Source: Newzoo Game Market Research
Game Companies
- There are numerous game companies globally.
- Source: gamedevmap.com
How to Develop a Video Game from Start to Finish
- Game development process includes pre-production, production, post-production
- Pre-production: Pitch, Game Design Document (GDD)
- Production: Game Design, Game Art, Programming, Audio, QA
- Post-production: Maintenance, Customer service, Patches, Updates
Game Design
- Genre, Design Documents—describe game rules, content, visuals, and gameplay.
- Crucial for success and requires experience/knowledge.
Game Art
- 2D and 3D artists create visuals, including landscapes, buildings, and characters.
- 2D: Concept Art, Sprites, Texture Art, UI Art
- 3D: Concept Art, Modeling, Texture, Animation
Programming
- Game Engine
- Gameplay Programming
- AI Programming
- Graphics Programming
Audio
- Recording, designing, editing sound effects.
- Creating music, sound effects, dialogue, and overseeing voice performance.
QA
- Testing game functionality, gameplay, localization (foreign languages), bug reporting, fixing, and retesting.
- QA is a good entry point for first-time job seekers.
Postproduction
- Maintenance, Customer Service, and Patches/Updates.
Roles in the Video Game Industry
- Producer: Project manager, overseeing internal/external team, schedules, reports, hires, assigns staff, handling contracts, PR and budget
- Publisher: A company publishing games, including manufacturing, marketing, market research, and advertising.
- Development Team: Designers, Artists, Programmers, Sound Engineers, Testers, and various other specialists.
Career Paths
- Career path diagram shows progression from Junior to Senior roles within various development teams
- Also includes roles like Middleware programmers (internal/external) and Outsourced (e.g., 3D artists, animators) and localization.
How to Get Into the Video Game Industry
- Passion and skill are crucial.
- Key understanding of gaming, trends, and game design principles.
Skills for Video Game Developers
- Knowledge of programming, math, physics, AI, graphic design programming tools (OpenGL, XNA), algorithms, data structures, problem-solving, networking, game engines.
Skills of a Game Designer
- Creativity
- Practicality
- Problem-solving and analytical skills
- Excellent communication
- Ability to collaborate in teams
Skills of a Game Artist
- 2D and 3D art software proficiency
- Design and animation software proficiency
Skills of a Game Animator
- 3D packages (Maya, 3DS Max, Lightwave)
- Specialty packages (e.g., Animator)
- 2D/traditional animation formats
- Game studio animation expertise
Skills of a Game Tester
- Bug-tracking software skills
- Excellent communication (written and verbal)
- Team player
- Detail-oriented attention
Skills of a Game Audio Engineer
- Excellent communication
- Detail-oriented approach
- Audio editing software proficiency
Where to Find Jobs
- Gaming Companies
- Indie Game Studios
Indie Game
- Independent games produced by individuals or small teams.
- Rely primarily on digital distribution.
- Increased during the 2000s due to new online distribution and development tools.
Publishing Your Game
- Digital publishing platforms like Playstore, Appstore, and Xbox store.
- Game websites
- Social media including Facebook
Monetization
- Advertising (banner ads, inter-level ads, games exit button)
- Selling content; premium versions
- Wallpaper/ringtone/themes
- In-app purchases
- Removing limitations; removing ads, more energy/time/turns
- Virtual economy (double coins, discoverable items).
- Merchandising: t-shirts, lunch boxes, branded cases
References
- Web links for further research (various game industry sites).
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Description
Explore the exciting world of game development and its significance in today's digital landscape. This quiz covers fundamental concepts, including game genres, development processes, industry roles, and potential career paths. Ideal for those interested in entering or expanding their knowledge of the game industry.
