DOCSLIB.ORG

Role Playing in Role Playing Games

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Role Playing in Role Playing Games 2013-2014 Role-Playing in Role-Playing Games Master Thesis submitted to obtain the degree of ‘Master of Arts in Art Science’ on 8 August 2014 By: Michaël Oosterlinck (00802623) Supervisor: Prof. dr. K. Pewny 1 2 Acknowledgements I would like to thank everyone who made this thesis possible and supported me. My supervisor Professor Pewny for the time spent on answering my mails. My family, and especially my parents and sister, who had the patience and the energy to give me advice and to keep my moral high during stressful moments. My friends who were always willing to pick up the phone when I called them, supporting me when I needed their opinion about more formal aspects of my thesis. 3 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................3 List of Abbreviations ..............................................................................................................6 Introduction ............................................................................................................................7 1. Situating Role-Playing Games as Game and as Genre ....................................................... 10 1.1 The Medium of Videogames versus Games as Games ................................................. 10 Narratology versus Ludology: competition between media ? ......................................... 16 1.2 The Role-Playing Game Genre and Subgenres: a Conundrum ..................................... 19 Motivation, Player Types as key to the Conundrum. ..................................................... 24 2. Role-Playing Games as Interactive Content. ..................................................................... 28 2.1 Remediating other Media: a matter of two forces ........................................................ 29 Transparency and Interactivity for the sake of Immersion ............................................. 30 2.2 Implied Gamer ............................................................................................................ 35 2.3 The Set of Quests and the Set of Items ........................................................................ 43 3. Camera and Focalisation ................................................................................................... 53 4. Sound and Music .............................................................................................................. 58 5. Visual Aesthetic and Representation ................................................................................. 63 6. From Imagination to Embodiment .................................................................................... 65 7. The Performed Virtual Self ............................................................................................... 77 7.1 Inventing an Self: the Act of Self-Myhtologising ........................................................ 77 7.2 Acting as the Self ........................................................................................................ 85 7.2.1 The Hybrid Anatomy of the Role-Player .............................................................. 85 7.2.2 Performance Style and Emotions .......................................................................... 91 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 98 4 Bibliography....................................................................................................................... 101 Books and Articles.......................................................................................................... 101 Web ................................................................................................................................ 104 Videogames .................................................................................................................... 105 Film ................................................................................................................................ 106 Appendix ............................................................................................................................ 107 Cases: ............................................................................................................................. 107 Dishonored ................................................................................................................. 107 Guild Wars 2 .............................................................................................................. 108 Witcher 2 .................................................................................................................... 109 Mass Effect ................................................................................................................. 109 Pictures ........................................................................................................................... 111 Picture 1 character creation ......................................................................................... 111 Picture 2 dialogue options ........................................................................................... 111 Picture 3 skill tree ....................................................................................................... 112 Picture 4 the windowed mode ..................................................................................... 112 Picture 5 Narrative Network or Story Tree .................................................................. 113 Picture 6 Communication Model ................................................................................. 114 Picture 7 Games as a Set of Objects and as a Set of Quests ......................................... 115 5 List of Abbreviations AI: Artificial Intelligence D&D: Dungeons & Dragons GUI: Graphics User Interface HUD: Heads-Up Display MMO: Massively Multiplayer Online MMORPG: Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game MUD: Multi-User Dungeon NPC: Non-Player Character RNG: Random Number Generation RPG: Role-Playing Game POV: Point-of-View 6 Introduction Recently a trend concerning the videogames has been taking place. Gaming becomes more and more popular. And besides the ever increasing popularity, the medium also receives more attention from the artistic world. The manner of looking at videogames changes, from games as some form of entertainment to a more serious expressive medium or even an artistic discipline. The art exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum1 and the London City Hall2 prove this trend. In addition, Stuart Brown was invited for a Technology Entertainment and Design, in short TED talk. He witnesses that not so long ago research for serious play was not taken seriously. But as the years passed by this excluding attitude towards play changed. The talk was nothing short of an ode to play: the importance and the many advantages that play gives for the development of a human being. Play is a state in which people have the ability to explore and to be curious in a safe environment. Play has also an idealistic ring to it. In this state of play the activity has no purpose. To summarise Brown’s talk, play is equal to transformation, to adaptability.3 It is valuable to add insights of other disciplines to the field of ludology or the study of videogames. Not only does a multi-disciplinary approach strengthen the actual research. It is also logical due to the dual position of the player. His position exists out of the role-taker and the role-player. In narrative heavy games the player not only takes over the perspective of the role, he also plays the role. The role-taking coincides with the viewer of a motion picture or theatre piece. The role-player on the other hand overlaps with the performer, the actor. The gamer has the information processing task similar to audiences. And he possess the executive task similar to the artist. In this thesis different concepts from disciplines such as literature, theatre, film are used to shed light on the creative process of playing. Role-Playing Games demand from the gamer to play a character (acting) and traverse the narrative (literature) by controlling the virtual avatar and camera (film). 1 “The Art of Video Games,” accessed 21 June 2014, http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/. 2 “London City Hall to host video game art exhibition,” accessed 21 June 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2012/sep/18/video-game-art-city-hall. 3 Stuart Brown. “Play is more than just fun,” TED video, 26:42, filmed May 2008, posted May 2008, http://www.ted.com/talks/stuart_brown_says_play_is_more_than_fun_it_s_vital#t-897515. 7 The aim of this thesis is to explain the effect of the strategies used by RPG’s to sort out the wished effect. The tactics used by the developers range from experience to level up, character creation, dialogue options, open world, statistics of gear, quests, camera to sound and music. By focussing on the creative role-playing process and the strategies enticing this process we can move away from the violent4 and sexist5 dimension sometimes connoted with videogames. The effect of immersion can be explained by mirror neurons, the functionalistic approach of emotions and imagination. The role-play process takes place in many genres of games though not always to the same extent. Of all the genres the roleplaying-games, also known as RPG’s, are
Load more

Recommended publications
  • BUSINESS NAME BUSINESS ADDRESS CITY ST ZIPCODE Tax1 Tax2 Tax3 Tax4 Tax5 Tax6 Tax7 Tax8 Tax9 Tax10 S & a CAB CO 3203 W
    BUSINESS NAME BUSINESS ADDRESS CITY ST ZIPCODE Tax1 Tax2 Tax3 Tax4 Tax5 Tax6 Tax7 Tax8 Tax9 Tax10 S & A CAB CO 3203 W. BERWYN AVE., Apt./Suite 2.W CHICAGO IL 60625 7595ACO S & A CONSTRUCTION AND REMODELING CORP 3804 BRETT LN. GLENVIEW IL 60025 8402CO S & A LIMOUSINE INC 1133 E. 83RD ST. CHICAGO IL 60619 7595 S & A TRANSPORTATION 4118 W. LAWRENCE AVE. CHICAGO IL 60630 7595ACO S & B CONSTR & REMOD CO INC 3657 N. LUNA AVE., Floor 1 CHICAGO IL 60641 8402B S & B FINISHING CO INC. 3005 W. FRANKLIN BLVD. CHICAGO IL 60612 7540 S & Bros Ventures Inc. 105 W. MADISON ST., Floor BASEMENT CHICAGO IL 60602 7525 S & C ELECTRIC COMPANY 6601 N. RIDGE BLVD. CHICAGO IL 60626 7525 7540 7550 7590 8402B S & D AMUSEMENTS, INC. 1109 MONROE , Apt./Suite 1ST EVANSTON IL 60202 8402B S & F CAB COMPANY 1816 S. INDIANA AVE. CHICAGO IL 60616 7595ACO S & G CONSTRUCTION & PAVING INC 675 PHELPS , Floor 1ST ROMEOVILLE IL 60446 8402CO S & H ELECTRIC CO. INC. 3125 N. WILKE RD., Apt./Suite F RLINGTON HEIGHT IL 60004 8402CO S & H SERVICES INC. 4000 N. WESTERN AVE. CHICAGO IL 60618 1904 S & J AUTOMOTIVE SALES AND REPAIR, INC. 5475 W. LAKE ST. CHICAGO IL 60644 7540 S & J CAB CO. 2353 W. BELMONT AVE. CHICAGO IL 60618 7595ACO S & K FAST FOOD INC 238 W. DIVISION ST., Floor #, Apt./Suite 2 CHICAGO IL 60610 7525 S & K INC 1657 E. 87TH ST. CHICAGO IL 60617 7525 S & L ENTERTAINMENT, LLC 52 W. ELM ST., Floor 1 CHICAGO IL 60610 7525 S & L FOOD & LIQUORS INC 4958 W.
    [Show full text]
  • Soil + Water = Mud It’S Soft, Sticky, Cold, and Probably the Easiest Thing on Earth to Make
    The DIY MudMud LayersLayers Soil + water = Mud It’s soft, sticky, cold, and probably the easiest thing on Earth to make. You can play with it in so many creative ways: build a mud house, bake mud pies, and — best of all— squish it between your toes on a hot summer day! But what is mud really made of? This simple experiment will show the different types of soil that makes mud. Materials Instructions • Dirt or mud 1 3 • Water Scoop Mud into container Shake Fill a glass or plastic container • Glass or plastic container Shake the jar until all the about half full of mud. with lid mud and water are mixed. 2 Fill with Water 4 Let Sit Fill the remainder of the jar Leave the jar untouched for with water, nearly to the top, several hours or overnight. but leave room for shaking. The soil sediments will Close tightly with a lid. separate to reveal what your mud is made of. After your jar has settled, you’ll see four distinct layers: water, clay, silt, and sand. Age Level: 3-7 (elementary). Duration: 10 minutes (minimum). Key Definitions: Clay, silt, sand. Objective: To learn and identify different soil layers in mud. 1 Good Mud or Bad Mud? Mud is judged by its ability to grow plants. Most plants thrive in a soil mixture of 20% clay, 40% sand, and 40% silt. If your mud has too much or too little of each type of soil, you can amend the soil with WATER It can mix with soil to organic material, such make mud but the soil as compost, to help your won’t dissolve.
    [Show full text]
  • A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Gamification Features in Exergames
    Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences | 2017 How Effective Is “Exergamification”? A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Gamification Features in Exergames Amir Matallaoui Jonna Koivisto Juho Hamari Ruediger Zarnekow Technical University of School of Information School of Information Technical University of Berlin Sciences, Sciences, Berlin amirqphj@ University of Tampere University of Tampere ruediger.zarnekow@ mailbox.tu-berlin.de [email protected] [email protected] ikm.tu-berlin.de One of the most prominent fields where Abstract gamification and other gameful approaches have been Physical activity is very important to public health implemented is the health and exercise field [7], [3]. and exergames represent one potential way to enact it. Digital games and gameful systems for exercise, The promotion of physical activity through commonly shortened as exergames, have been gamification and enhanced anticipated affect also developed extensively during the past few decades [8]. holds promise to aid in exercise adherence beyond However, due to the technological advancements more traditional educational and social cognitive allowing for more widespread and affordable use of approaches. This paper reviews empirical studies on various sensor technologies, the exergaming field has gamified systems and serious games for exercising. In been proliferating in recent years. As the ultimate goal order to gain a better understanding of these systems, of implementing the game elements to any non- this review examines the types and aims (e.g. entertainment context is most often to induce controlling body weight, enjoying indoor jogging…) of motivation towards the given behavior, similarly the the corresponding studies as well as their goal of the exergaming approaches is supporting the psychological and physical outcomes.
    [Show full text]
  • Mass Effect 2 Unofficial Guide
    SuperCheats.com Unoffical Mass Effect 2 Guide http://www.supercheats.com/guides/mass-effect-2 Check back for updates, videos and comments for this guide. Table of Contents Introduction 2 Character Creation 3 Hacking 5 Getting Started 6 Normandy Prologue 7 Intro 8 Freedom's Progress 15 The Normandy SR2 19 Omega 23 - Recruit the Veteran 24 (DLC Character) - Recruit Archangel 25 - Recruit Professor 35 Mordin Solus Omega Side Quests 43 Recruit The Convict 48 Recruit The rogan 52 Save Horizon 59 Illium 68 Illium Side-Quests 79 Recruit Tali 84 The Collector Ship 91 Loyalty Missions 94 - Miranda: The Prodigal 95 - Jacob: The Gift of Greatness 99 - Jack: Subject Zero 102 - Garrus: Eye for an Eye 105 - Mordin: Old Blood 108 - Grunt: Rite of Passage 113 - Thane: Sins of the Father 117 Samara: The Ardat-Yakshi 119 - Tali: Treason 121 - Zaeed: The Price of Revenge 123 page pnb / nb SuperCheats.com Unoffical Mass Effect 2 Guide http://www.supercheats.com/guides/mass-effect-2 Check back for updates, videos and comments for this guide. Reaper IFF 128 Recruitment: Legion 133 Legion: A House Divided 134 IFF Installation 138 Suicide Mission 139 Normandy Assignments 151 Downloadable Content 169 DLC: Normandy Crash Site 170 DLC: Firewalker MSV Rosalie 172 DLC: Firewalker: Recover Research Data 173 DLC: Firewalker: Artifact Collection 175 DLC: Firewalker: Geth Incursion 177 DLC: Firewalker: Prothean Site 178 DLC: asumi Goto 179 - asumi: Stealing Memory 181 The Citadel 185 Tuchanka 187 Romance 190 Planetary Mining 192 Xbox 360 Achievements 196 page 2 / 201 SuperCheats.com Unoffical Mass Effect 2 Guide http://www.supercheats.com/guides/mass-effect-2 Check back for updates, videos and comments for this guide.
    [Show full text]
  • MUD CREATURE STUDY Overview: the Mudflats Support a Tremendous Amount of Life
    MUD CREATURE STUDY Overview: The mudflats support a tremendous amount of life. In this activity, students will search for and study the creatures that live in bay mud. Content Standards Correlations: Science p. 307 Grades: K-6 TIME FRAME fOR TEACHING THIS ACTIVITY Key Concepts: Mud creatures live in high abundance in the Recommended Time: 30 minutes mudflats, providing food for Mud Creature Banner (7 minutes) migratory ducks and shorebirds • use the Mud Creature Banner to introduce students to mudflat and the endangered California habitat clapper rail. When the tide is out, Mudflat Food Pyramid (3 minutes) the mudflats are revealed and birds land on the mudflats to feed. • discuss the mudflat food pyramid, using poster Mud Creature Study (20 minutes) Objectives: • sieve mud in sieve set, using slough water Students will be able to: • distribute small samples of mud to petri dishes • name and describe two to three • look for mud creatures using hand lenses mud creatures • describe the mudflat food • use the microscopes for a closer view of mud creatures pyramid • if data sheets and pencils are provided, students can draw what • explain the importance of the they find mudflat habitat for migratory birds and endangered species Materials: How THIS ACTIVITY RELATES TO THE REFUGE'S RESOURCES Provided by the Refuge: What are the Refuge's resources? • 1 set mud creature ID cards • significant wildlife habitat • 1 mud creature flannel banner • endangered species • 1 mudflat food pyramid poster • 1 mud creature ID book • rhigratory birds • 1 four-layered sieve set What makes it necessary to manage the resources? • 1 dish of mud and trowel • Pollution, such as oil, paint, and household cleaners, when • 1 bucket of slough water dumped down storm drains enters the slough and mudflats and • 1 pitcher of slough water travels through the food chain, harming animals.
    [Show full text]
  • Are You a “Mudologist”? MARVELOUS, MUSHY
    MARVELOUS, MUSHY MUD It’s early spring, and as the ground thaws and the MUD IS A WINTER HOME rain falls, there’s bound to be LOTS of MUD! Some freshwater turtles burrow into mud at the bottom of the pond each fall and stay mostly A scientist might describe mud as a mixture of water inactive until spring. and any combination of different types of soil. Different types of soil? You bet! Soil can be sandy or more like clay, and depending on your soil, the mud MUD IS A PLACE TO HIDE it makes can be gooey, sticky, or smoosh-y. Dragonfly nymphs camouflage themselves on or in the mud at the bottom of the pond as they wait for Mud is cool and fun, and it’s also very useful. prey to swim or crawl by. DID YOU KNOW? MUD IS A PLACE TO EAT MUD IS A BUILDING MATERIAL “Mud-puddling” is a common behavior in which Beavers move logs and sticks into the mud to form butterflies seek out mud (and other gooey, brown a strong base for their dam. Then, they carry even things found on the ground) and suck up the liquid more mud with their front paws to build up and and salts. make the dam even stronger. American robins build their nest with twigs, dry MUD IS A SAFE WAY TO TRAVEL grass, mud, and more. The mud helps give the nest If you’re a worm, a wet, muddy surface its round shape, keeping the eggs and hatchlings gives you a chance to move above safe and warm for several weeks.
    [Show full text]
  • Film Flight: Lost Production and Its Economic Impact on California
    I MILKEN INSTITUTE California Center I July 2010 Film Flight: Lost Production and Its Economic Impact on California by Kevin Klowden, Anusuya Chatterjee, and Candice Flor Hynek Film Flight: Lost Production and Its Economic Impact on California by Kevin Klowden, Anusuya Chatterjee, and Candice Flor Hynek ACKnowLEdgmEnts The authors gratefully acknowledge Armen Bedroussian and Perry Wong for their expert assistance in preparing this study. We also thank our editor, Lisa Renaud. About tHE mILKEn InstItutE The Milken Institute is an independent economic think tank whose mission is to improve the lives and economic conditions of diverse populations in the United States and around the world by helping business and public policy leaders identify and implement innovative ideas for creating broad-based prosperity. We put research to work with the goal of revitalizing regions and finding new ways to generate capital for people with original ideas. We focus on: human capital: the talent, knowledge, and experience of people, and their value to organizations, economies, and society; financial capital: innovations that allocate financial resources efficiently, especially to those who ordinarily would not have access to them, but who can best use them to build companies, create jobs, accelerate life-saving medical research, and solve long-standing social and economic problems; and social capital: the bonds of society that underlie economic advancement, including schools, health care, cultural institutions, and government services. By creating ways to spread the benefits of human, financial, and social capital to as many people as possible— by democratizing capital—we hope to contribute to prosperity and freedom in all corners of the globe.
    [Show full text]
  • Mass Effect 2 Insanity Guide Version
    MASS EFFECT 2 INSANITY GUIDE VERSION: 1.0 WALKTROUGH BY SYED RUBAYYAT AKBAR AKA KOSHAI Contact: [email protected] LEGAL INFORMATION This guide cannot be reproduced under any circmstances except for personal, private use. It cannot be used in any form of printed or electronic media involved in a commercial business. This guide may not be placed on any website or otherwise distributed publicly without my express written permission. The follow websites are authorized to use this guide: www.noobfeed.com Use of this guide on any other website or as part of any public display is strictly prohibited and a violation of copyright. Lets start!! As I finished Mass Effect 2 on Insanity and I basically remember some of the tactics that I used during the game, I thought why not I share it to you all, since I know most of you have played Mass Effect 2 and some of you want to play on insanity. I have not written any walkthroughs before so I don’t know how I am going to write so let’s see. SPOILER WARNING: This article is only for those who already finished Mass Effect 2 once. Introduction Mass Effect 2 is an Action RPG game centering on the character Sheppard with a sci-fi setting. The story is set where the Mass Effect 1 left off. If you played Mass Effect 1, you can import your character to Mass Effect 2 and there will be slight changes in the storyline based on how you progressed in the first Mass Effect. In order to play insanity mode, I would rather advise you all to play Mass Effect 2 in normal or easier difficulty mode.
    [Show full text]
  • The Expanding Storyworld: an Intermedial Study of the Mass Effect Novels Jessika Sundin
    Stockholm University Department of Culture and Aesthetics The Expanding Storyworld: An Intermedial Study of the Mass Effect novels Jessika Sundin Master Thesis in Literature (30 ECTS) Master’s Program in Literature (120 ECTS) Supervisor: Christer Johansson Examiner: Per-Olof Mattsson Spring Semester 2018 Abstract This study investigates the previously neglected literary phenomenon of game novels, a genre that is part of the increasing significance that games are having in culture. Intermedial studies is one of the principal fields that examines these types of phenomena, which provides perspectives for understanding the interactions between media. Furthermore, it forms the foundation for this study that analyses the relation between the four novels by Drew Karpyshyn (Mass Effect: Revelation, 2007; Mass Effect: Ascension, 2008; Mass Effect: Retribution, 2010) and William C. Dietz (Mass Effect: Deception, 2012), and the Mass Effect Trilogy. Differences and similarities between the media are delineated using semiotic theories, primarily the concepts of modalities of media and transfers of media characteristics. The thesis further investigates the narrative discourse, and narrative perspectives in the novels and how these instances relate to the transferred characteristics of Mass Effect. Ultimately, the commonly transferred characteristic in the novels is the storyworld, which reveals both differences and similarities between the media. Regardless of any differences, the similarities demonstrate a relationship where the novels expand the storyworld. Keywords: Drew Karpyshyn, William C. Dietz, Mass Effect, BioWare, storyworld, video games, digital games, intermediality, transmediality, narratology, semiotics 2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………….…. 4 1.1. Survey of the field …………………………………………………………...………..… 5 1.1.1. Novelizations …………………………………………………………….…….……. 5 1.1.2.
    [Show full text]
  • Conference Booklet
    30th Oct - 1st Nov CONFERENCE BOOKLET 1 2 3 INTRO REBOOT DEVELOP RED | 2019 y Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned Warmest welcome to first ever Reboot Develop it! And we are here to stay. Our ambition through Red conference. Welcome to breathtaking Banff the next few years is to turn Reboot Develop National Park and welcome to iconic Fairmont Red not just in one the best and biggest annual Banff Springs. It all feels a bit like history repeating games industry and game developers conferences to me. When we were starting our European older in Canada and North America, but in the world! sister, Reboot Develop Blue conference, everybody We are committed to stay at this beautiful venue was full of doubts on why somebody would ever and in this incredible nature and astonishing choose a beautiful yet a bit remote place to host surroundings for the next few forthcoming years one of the biggest worldwide gatherings of the and make it THE annual key gathering spot of the international games industry. In the end, it turned international games industry. We will need all of into one of the biggest and highest-rated games your help and support on the way! industry conferences in the world. And here we are yet again at the beginning, in one of the most Thank you from the bottom of the heart for all beautiful and serene places on Earth, at one of the the support shown so far, and even more for the most unique and luxurious venues as well, and in forthcoming one! the company of some of the greatest minds that the games industry has to offer! _Damir Durovic
    [Show full text]
  • Enabling the Localization of Large Role-Playing Games Four Recorded Languages: French, Italian, Ger- Is to Put Together As Complete a Localization Man and Polish)
    In order to achieve total immersion in the game world, TRANS · núm. 15 · 2011 DOSSIER · 39-51 increasing therefore player’ satisfaction, localization should ideally aim at creating complete suspension of disbelief. However, time constraints and constant design and script changes mean that localisation is sometimes forced to trade quality in favor of speed, because missing release dates can mean multimillion losses. This article explains the strategies BioWare has developed internally to counteract the problems provoked by long-established game development practices with the ultimate goal of supporting quality localization from the start, and so guaranteeing players’ suspension of disbelief whatever the language version they play. key words: multiplayer, localization, role-playing, video game, online, MMO, RPG Enabling the Localization of Large Role-Playing Games Facilitando la localización de videojuegos de rol masivos Con el objeto de lograr la inmersión absoluta en el mundo virtual del videojuego, aumentando así la satisfacción del jugador, la localización debe conseguir el ideal de la total suspensión de la incredulidad. Sin embargo, los cortos pla- zos así como cambios constantes de diseño y guión a veces obligan a que la localización tenga que cambiar calidad por velocidad, porque el cambio de las fechas de lanzamiento suele provocar pérdidas multimillonarias. Este artículo explica las estrategias que BioWare ha desarrollado inter- hris hristou C C namente para contrarrestar los problemas provocados por Lead Localization Tools Programmer, BioWare las prácticas tradicionales en la industria del videojuego. Jenny MCKearney El objetivo es facilitar un proceso de localización de alta Localization Producer, BioWare calidad desde el principio del desarrollo, de modo que se ryan warden garantice la suspensión de la incredulidad de los jugadores independientemente de la lengua en la que estén jugando.
    [Show full text]
  • Hello, and Welcome to Producer Bootcamp!
    Hello, and welcome to Producer Bootcamp! Silence phones, fill out surveys, email me instead of taking pictures of the slides. I’ll leave lots of time for Q&A at the end, so please keep track of anything you want to know more about! Hi, I’m Ruth Tomandl and I’ve been a producer/PM for 10 years (and 3 days!), on 8 different teams at 5 companies. I started in the Games industry at Gas Powered Games as a Level DesiGner workinG on the DunGeon SieGe Games, and I really liked schedulinG and coordination so I looked for a Producer job and joined a small independent game company, Snowblind Studios, which was acquired by Warner Brothers soon after and merGed into Monolith Productions. In 2013 I joined a mobile game startup, and in 2014 it shut down and I helped Uber Entertainment start a backend startup called Playfab. I’m currently at Oculus Research, and we are GrowinG really quickly. Lately I’ve been doinG a lot of interviewinG, hirinG, manaGinG, and mentorinG, and fiGurinG out which skills are needed on which teams. In this talk, I want to share some things I’ve learned about strengths that I wish I had known 10 years ago: what I’ve learned about producer strengths in general, my own strengths and how they’ve fitted the teams I’ve been on (for better or for worse), and how our strengths and weaknesses affect what kinds of producers we are. So today, I’m going to talk about: • The job of a producer: what even is it? • Different types of producer strengths • Different types of teams (and what kinds of producer skills are needed on which kinds of teams) • How to debug your own skills to better fit the needs of your team and build your strengths.
    [Show full text]