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 Features
Keeping
Up with the Sims:
Managing Large Scale Game Content Production
Project tracking
and Team Management
All the good plans in the world won't help you to manage large numbers
of assets if you don't have some sort of tracking system. New Pencil's
system is a simple but effective Microsoft Access database. The project
database allows the project manager to list assets individually, define
a series of states that the assets can pass through on their way to final,
track which artist is assigned to these assets, and timestamp the asset
for when it was submitted and when feedback was returned or when it was
finalized. Furthermore, the system allows the generation of particular
reports, such as project overviews by state or artist, or reports of assets
that are blocked and what is blocking them. While these reports are invaluable,
it's important to make sure that the system is easy to use and not overly
detailed. Too many reports are a sign that you may be confusing the asset
database with the project itself; ideally, you'll be spending as little
time on it as possible, so don't burn too many hours setting it up.
The project manager who manages the tracking system is also the person
who serves as the exclusive technical liaison with Maxis. The project
manager notifies Maxis of files that are needed, of evaluations posted,
and of requests for technical support. Likewise, the project manager also
notifies the New Pencil art team of arriving feedback, priority assignments,
predictions of bottlenecks or chokes, and any technical changes that have
arrived from Maxis.
Keeping a single contact for these kinds of matters ensures that Maxis
always knows whom to contact in case of some snafu or concern; on projects
like The Sims expansion packs, time is of the essence. One of the
most important things an art team can do is adopt the nosurprises rule
when dealing with its clients or individual team members. While being
the bearer of bad news is never pleasant, providing a heads up early enough
for a solution to be formulated builds confidence and acclimates the team
to problem solving and avoiding panic.
Schematic of the production pipeline that exists between Maxis and
New Pencil.
Some simple but solid personnel management techniques will be needed to
stay on the plan that you've worked hard to create and make sure that
the work is of the highest caliber. First and foremost, the team needs
to understand the task set before them and be motivated to achieve it.
Make sure that everyone gets a chance to review all of the art materials.
While you don't want to bury artists working on one asset group with the
minutiae of references that doesn't relate to their assignments, it's
important that everyone understand the broad context that relates to all
the work.
Make time for questions from all team members, both individually and in
a group setting, and make sure that questions are answered fully. Some
of the most important technical challenges will be spotted not by the
management but by the people on the ground who actually have to take the
hill. Get feedback from the artists as to the usefulness of the reference
material at hand and make clear action items to supplement the reference
in places where artists clearly are not getting the concept. Where possible,
give artists the opportunity to choose assets to work on for themselves
instead of just being assigned their workloads. A sense of ownership will
do wonders in helping the artist bring his or her own vision to the work
in service of the existing aesthetic.
Allnighters and sevenday weeks are a fool's game. Nothing superb ever
gets done by overtired people whose lives have been turned upside down.
Sure, the game business requires the occasional supreme effort, but the
smart manager does everything he or she can to avoid such excesses. Put
your artists first. If they feel you are behind them, they'll be more
than capable of providing the exceptional work that you've guaranteed.
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