How Do I Become an Interactive Producer?

Game Producer mainly refers to the person in charge of the game project who has comprehensive knowledge of the entire system from R & D to operation, and realizes the integration of game R & D and operation under its management. Currently, the most mainstream and most popular producer system in the world (such as Hideo Kojima, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Yuzu Suzuki). China is also following such a trend, and its representative companies are Shanghai Shanda, Shenzhen Tencent and Jiuyou.com. In Giant Network is the business department, a producer system in disguise.

Game producer

The word "production" is a bit too broad and general, and it also makes the position of "producer" cast a mysterious color. During the game development process, programmers continue to produce program code, art designers continue to produce pictures and models, and planners continue to produce rules, values, and files. What role do producers play in such a clear division of labor and a three-legged R & D team? Meat shield tank, field control assist, nursing care healing, damage

Before the game enters the substantial development stage, the most important role of the producer is the decision of options and game framework planning. Such decisions must be based on extensive investigations and understanding of market demand, as well as in-depth analysis of competitors. The entire investigation and analysis activities and the final decision on the overall value orientation of the game including the incentive mechanism should be made by the game producer and directly responsible for it. It is a pity that many domestic game producers pay too much attention to imitation and plagiarism, often simply use the best-selling games as examples to modify things, and do not pay attention to details and overall planning. Japanese companies generally invest a lot of planning manpower and time to plan the selling points and details of the entire project in detail before the start of project development, to ensure that there is no logical and targeted conflict between the details before they start investing in full development. Therefore, rework due to poor design considerations or incomplete design details during the development process is rare.

When the detailed planning of the game passes the detailed demonstration and enters the development stage, the role of the producer increases the function of organization and execution. Of course, in some project groups, these roles will be the responsibility of the project manager, but it is not uncommon for game producers to be responsible for "what" and "how to". A good game project must be both well-received and well-placed, or it must be both popular and profitable. The main condition for profitability is open source plus throttling. For game projects where labor costs account for the majority of project expenditures, and the time to market has a significant impact on revenue, how to comprehensively consider and balance cost, schedule, content, and quality constraints is the most necessary homework and development stage for producers. Important responsibility.

As game development enters the testing and market preparation stages, producers increase the role of sales and liaison. For the marketing, operation and maintenance, and customer departments who do not know the game content well, and often have more than one project in their hands, they need to communicate with the game producer to understand the selling point of the game in the most effective way and in the shortest time. Potential technology, design issues and risks, and relevant information such as corresponding measures, and determine how to collaborate with the development team to optimize the product's text and image introduction content, promotion methods, advertising slogans, and information release channels. After the combination, it will be brought to the market at the most appropriate time.

After the product is put on the market, the producer's task is not over. It is also necessary to screen and filter one by one according to the market information and player feedback, and continuously optimize and improve the game content around the defects in the incentive mechanism. In the various conflicts between the needs of players and the corresponding development costs, the needs of players and the concept of game management, the need for project improvement, and the tolerance of project resources, producers also need to coordinate and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of all parties. Figure 4-8 summarizes the various tasks completed by the producer on the game incentive mechanism during the game project life cycle.

Figure 4-9 summarizes the roles that game designers need to play when facing different objects. In the entire project development system, producers are the hub of communication and the brain of management. In this structure, there is not only vertical management, but also more important parallel management, that is, how to exert influence on departments and individuals without direct jurisdiction so that they can cooperate with the team to achieve the project goals.

In project management practice, the theory and principles of the incentive mechanism are not only applicable to game design, but also to the management of project team members. They have different goals, processes, and targets, and have different incentive policies purposefully formulated. And mechanisms can effectively improve development efficiency and morale, reduce error rates, and improve product quality. Similarly, to achieve the best results, the producers need to have a full understanding of the needs of each member of the entire team, and encourage them to actively participate in the project planning work, so that everyone involved feels This is a "my" game, so as to maximize the creativity of the team and the superiority of 1 + 1> 2. Of course, such creative democracy must eventually be unified by the producers into the previously agreed project values.

For game producers, their roles are more like Xu Da than Han Wudi

Xu Da was a well-known founder and veteran of the Ming Dynasty. He was both civil and military and resourceful.

"How is the game producer made?" I believe this is a topic that many people care about, not only the senior management of game companies, but also ordinary developers, and even every gamer.

Over the years, I have seen the development of many game companies, such as Blizzard, Nintendo,

[Several characteristics of being an excellent game producer]

1. The age of success is not low, and most of them start exerting force at the age of 28-30, and the proportion of people over 30 is very high.

2. The social experience is rich. It has experienced ups and downs, life history has gone through bumps, or experienced the lowest level of society, Xu Bo was born in customer service, and Zhu Yuanzhang is also a monk!

3, personality differentiation is obvious, publicists and moderate parties, but most of them are perfectionists, have a strong personality.

4. Most have experienced more than 1-2 complete projects, and it is best to have project failure experience.

5. Personality in common: extremely resilient! Can't be killed or fried. Any setbacks and difficulties, or troughs in life, will not be overwhelmed.

6. Have a clearer understanding of yourself, know your personality characteristics, your expertise, and your weaknesses.

7. Find out the gap with the target, keep consolidating your own advantages, and make up for your own weaknesses.

8. In the process of progressing toward the goal, we will continue to analyze and adjust. No matter what kind of setbacks we encounter, we can maintain self-confidence and firm ideals. I believe that we can finally achieve our goals.

At present, most of the game producers from domestic programs are purely technical, lack of training and growth opportunities in various aspects, have not experienced the brutal collision of product testing and competition in the market, and their thinking is relatively stable and conservative. If only from a professional point of view, program thinking is generally considered to be more rigorous and logical, but this is also the disadvantage. Some programmers cannot think outside the frame of thinking when considering many issues, such as like from the beginning Consider whether to achieve. From the side caused domestic game development, mostly plagiarism. Being a game producer does nt have to be like

In 2009, by the famous game website

Take a look, this is not like the list of big-name directors of various companies in the film and television industry. Some are pure development, and some are integrated development and operation.

The origins are also different, there are elites with good origins, and elites made step by step. There is a planning background, art, procedures, management, and operations.

In short, there is everything. There are many ways for producers to grow, and some have nothing to do with them. There is no fixed way for producers to grow.

At present, the basic threshold for domestic producers is more than 5 years of employment, and even more demanding companies require more than 8 years. Emphasis on execution and perseverance.

The author of the following article believes that the game industry will eventually adopt the film and television industry producer method, and the film and television company bets the producer. The producers form their own team and choose actors, scripts, etc. Planning is like screenwriting, similar to the core master planning and so on. It is a set of system operation of the creative and management team. Just as Tencent is currently searching for excellent music producers everywhere, the expressiveness of the game depends on the special effects and sound effects. The core of the company's future commanding heights lies in the "producer", similar to Hollywood with many big-name directors. Therefore, Shanda's plan for Tencent's angle-digging plan is to choose the producers it owns. Interested students can check their own opinions published on Shanda and Tencent.

Game Makers Domestic Camp

[Grand Party]

1. Chief Producer of Shanda Games: Zhang Xiangdong (former director of Product Management Center, core backbone of Chen Tianqiao's entrepreneurial team. Product origin.)

2. Producer of the grand game "Eternal Tower": Li Yu (former Microsoft XBOX fast elite, Miao and Zhenghong, truly global elite. Management background.)

3. Shanda Group "Star Change" Producer: Tan Qunzhao (The president of Shanda Group personally took the lead in the project. Technical origin.)

4. Producer of Shanda Game "Shushan Online": Chen Guang (Vice President of Shanda Games and producer of "Dragon Nest" "MFO". Origin of market operation.)

5. Producer of Shanda Game "Kung Fu World": Wu Yimin (Head of Tencent's "Crossing the Fire", now general manager of Shanda Game System, and producer of "Hero Company" and "Swallow World 2". Product Origin)

6. Producer of Shanda Game "Superstar": Zhao Yurun (formerly Jiucheng Public Relations Director and operational background.)

[Tencent Pie]

1. Producer of Tencent Mutual Entertainment QQ Journey to the West: Lin Yongqing (formerly the general manager of the Stone Age operator Huayi Group Company and an operational management background.)

2. Producer of Tencent Mutual Entertainment QQ Fairy Tale: Liu Zijian (Tencent Mutual Entertainment s largest studio, Quantum Studios, brings together top-level expert planning and fine arts of former QQ, QQ games, QQ hall, QQ pets and other projects , R & D and engine team. Product origin.)

3. Tencent Interactive Entertainment R & D producer: Zeng Yu (currently the general manager of the Interactive Entertainment R & D Center and personally creating the QQGame game platform. Technical background.)

4. Tencent Mutual Entertainment Executive Producer: Steve Gray (Chief Technical Officer, Musician, Writer, Game Designer, known to the outside world for developing the famous Lord of the Rings series of games. Technical background)

5. Producer of "Xuanyuan Legend" of Tencent Mutual Entertainment: Sun Hongyu (general manager and producer of Xuanyuan of Northern Light Studio of Tencent, management background.)

[Giant Pie]

1. Giant Network "Zhengtu" Business Division: Ji Xuefeng (former Zhengtu Numerical Director, later replaced Ding Guoqiang, responsible for the Zhengtu Business Division. Numerical planning background.)

2. Giant's "Giant" Division: Ding Guoqiang (originally planned by the heroic age of the heroes, Shi Yuzhu dug it out to become the main project of the journey project, planning origin.)

3. Giant Network "King of Kings" Division: Zhang Zhihong (formerly Huacai Department, a hardcore player in the game industry. He has an operating background.)

[NetEase Party]

1. The original producer of NetEase's "Journey to the West": Liang Yuxuan (producer and planning originator of the current Western-style turn-based fantasy 2.5 game "Legend of the Brave").

2. Netease "Fantasy Westward Journey": Xu Bo (Graduated from high school. The original fantasy master planner, now the general manager of the Douyi Network. GM turned to plan after his birth.)

[Other factions]

1. Langang Online "Journey to the West" Producer: Zhang Yuyu (CTO as producer and technical background)

2. Jinshan game "Swordsman Fate 2": Wang Wei (Veteran of Jinshan, producer and technical director of Xishanju swordsman series games. Founded the game peak company, developed and produced "Fantastic Love" series of online games. Joined in 2008 Langang Online, technical and management background.)

3. The original master plan of "Xian Jian Qi Xia Biography 3": Wang Shiying (Leader planning, later joined North Soft, now Deputy Chief Tengwu. Planning origin.)

4. Perfect Time and Space: Li Qing (Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Chief Design Officer, Group VP, One of the core of the entrepreneurial team. Fine arts.)

5. Producer of Firestone Software "Game of Life": Wu Yufu (formerly known as Wu Xisang was officially renamed Wu Fisherman in April 2010, CEO of Firestone Software, producer of "Water Margin Q Biography", and technical background.)

6. Producer of Shanghai Jiuwei "Wuling Heroes": Song Chen (former Jiuwei President, creating web games "Three Kingdoms of Wulin", "Wuling Heroes", "Thirty-six Strategies", golden finger in the field of web games. He came from market operation management ,)

7. Chengdu Qiankemeng Network Producer: Liang Qianwen (formerly Zhengtu Shiyuzhu Game Assistant, currently the Vice President of R & D of R & D Network, operating and planning was born, developed and produced the mobile game "Hot Sky Fate" and PC online game "Myth World" , "The Emperor", etc.)

8. Cai Junsong: Now working for Kongwang, as the producer of "Project-L" and "Kung Fu Heroes". He has worked in Yuquan International for 14 years, and has served as Deputy General Manager, Production Director, Creative Director, and Game Producer of the Game R & D Department. He has also participated in the production of many well-known masterpieces, including "Swordsman Online" and "Meteor Butterfly Sword" series, and " Shenmu "and so on.

European and American camp

Origin "Genesis Online" Producer: Richard Garriott (Richard Garriott)

EA The Sims Producer: Will Wright

WeChat Producer: Civilization: Sid Meier

Producer of Age of Empires: Bruce Shelley

Game Makers Japanese Camp

Nintendo Super Mario Producer: Shigeru Miyamoto (Nintendo Company Pillar)

CAPCOM Producer: Yuko Kobayashi

Producer of Sega's "Samaki": Yu Suzuki

Producer: Sega "Sonic"

KONAMI "Metal Gear" Producer: Hideo Kojima

Producer of SCE "GT Racing": Noriyuki Yamauchi

SCE "ICO", "Wanda and Colossus" Producer: Ueda Scholar

CAPCOM "Resident Evil" Producer: Mikami Mikami

Capcom "Devil May Cry" Producer: Hideki Kamiya

CAPCOM "Street Fighter" Producer: Okamoto Yoshiki

CAPCOM "Onimusha" Producer: Keiji Inaba

ENIX "Dragon Quest" Producer: Yuji Horii

BANDAI "Super Robot War" Producer: Terada Terada

SQUARE · ENIX "Romantic Shaka" Producer: Hejin Qiumin

SQUARE · ENIX "Final Fantasy" Producer: Hiroyuki Sakaguchi

SQUARE · ENIX "Frontline Mission" Producer: Toda Toshiro

Konami: Castlevania Producer: Takaji Igarashi

Former President and Producer of KOEI's "Three Kingdoms" and "Nobunaga's Ambition": Eigawa Yoshikawa

President and producer of KOEI "Warriors of the Three Kingdoms" and "Decisive Battle": Komatsu Kiyoshi

TECOM "Dead or Alive", "Ninja Dragon Sword" Producer: Sakagaki

LEVEL-5 President and Producer of Galactic Ranger and White Knight Story: Akira Hino

"Royal Knights" and "Final Fantasy 12" Producer: Matsuno Taiji

Game Producer Korean Camp

Blueside's "Blazing Empire" and "Ninety-Nine Nights" Producer: Li Changrun

Former producer of Paradise at NCsoft: Song Zaijing

NCsoft Corporation "RO", "Sword of Excellence" Producer: Jin Xuegui

Produced by NCsoft's Guild Wars: Mike and Jeff

Producer of "Legend" and "Legend 3" of WEMADE: Park Ye Ho

T3's "Dance Company" Producer: Yoo-Ra Kim

Neople's "DNF" Producer: Kim Yun-Soo

NEXON's "Karting" Producer: Zheng Ben

Former producer of Webzen's Miracle: Cho Ki Yong