"Everyone's a Designer"
The mere thought of that phrase makes me cringe! It's generally thrown out by Prodouchebags and Chowderheads that know nothing about what they're doing and certainly nothing about what a good Designer does. Anyone who utters those magic words wouldn't know a good Designer, if they came in and sat on their face, squirting "million unit seller juice" all over the place.
That said, it's not all their fault. I've been around this block for quite a while and seen a lot of different people with the title "Designer", even ones that call themselves "Design veterans" and yet they are pariah making real Designers look bad.
I don't believe Designers (especially Leads) are just "idea channelers" who sit back and have "wouldn't it be cool if..." sessions, write some crappy "document" that is little more than a combination of bulletpoints, say, "we'll figure that out later," which really means *you'll figure it out later*, and critique things only when someone else has implemented.
That said, it's not all their fault. I've been around this block for quite a while and seen a lot of different people with the title "Designer", even ones that call themselves "Design veterans" and yet they are pariah making real Designers look bad.
I don't believe Designers (especially Leads) are just "idea channelers" who sit back and have "wouldn't it be cool if..." sessions, write some crappy "document" that is little more than a combination of bulletpoints, say, "we'll figure that out later," which really means *you'll figure it out later*, and critique things only when someone else has implemented.
Designers are people who are vision holders, make definitive decisions and know every aspect of the game, from top to bottom. They've played the game a thousand times in their head, from top to bottom and will play it a thousand more times during development. And when I say, "play the game," I don't necessarily mean actual hands on. I spend a lot of time actually imagining the game, as if it already existed, even though you don't have pixel-one on the screen. Honestly, any "designer" (especially "Lead" or "Creative Director") who can't do this, needs to turn in their card.
I akin a good Game Designer to a movie director that has a distinct style. They may not have written the screenplay, lit the set, or acted out a part, but their presence is felt throughout their productions and people trust them when they hire them. They know the product they're getting, because it's "what they do".
I personally write documentation that's quite thorough. Not because I enjoy being a text jockey, but because I hate open questions to simple answers. I hate people working on things that are "soft" where there's no need for "creative input for buy in". It's amazing to me how many productions go without defining the core mechanics of gameplay. I mean, if you're making a fricken racing game, you should define the basics and make them stick. Some say, why define it, if it is indeed basic? Because for some stupid reason, everybody's got a different view of "basic" and as a leader/vision holder, you should at least be able to let someone know where Point-B is, so people can get from Point-A to...
I also believe in "lead by example", so in addition to writing a bunch of stuff that gets marketing/producers jazzed and somehow is still useful to the team, Designers should dive into editors, script, whatever... I figure, if you can't show someone how to make something great, you can't expect them to respect your opinion when it comes time to make a hard decision about the game.
As for "Programmers make great Designers"... well... hmm... I've found most Programmers who really are Programmers to be best as Programmers. I think Designers should have some art, programming, writing, psychology and sociology background, but saying a Programmer is a great Designer means you don't understand/respect what a great designer does. I can program, draw, model, texture, write music, write box copy, etc...etc...etc... but I am a "Designer", not an Artist, not a Programmer. I focus on Design and respect the other disciplines enough to know that I am not them.
Anyway, enough of my rant, to the original post... here's my thoughts...
Just like people driving fast on the freeway aren't race car drivers, just because someone has an idea, that doesn't make them "Designers". No, "everyone" is not a "Designer", Designers are Designers, especially when they're good. Empowered, a team can thrive with a good Designer or weed out crap Designers quickly, since they won't actually be doing their job. So, realize everyone has ideas and opinions but only "Designers are Designers".
I akin a good Game Designer to a movie director that has a distinct style. They may not have written the screenplay, lit the set, or acted out a part, but their presence is felt throughout their productions and people trust them when they hire them. They know the product they're getting, because it's "what they do".
I personally write documentation that's quite thorough. Not because I enjoy being a text jockey, but because I hate open questions to simple answers. I hate people working on things that are "soft" where there's no need for "creative input for buy in". It's amazing to me how many productions go without defining the core mechanics of gameplay. I mean, if you're making a fricken racing game, you should define the basics and make them stick. Some say, why define it, if it is indeed basic? Because for some stupid reason, everybody's got a different view of "basic" and as a leader/vision holder, you should at least be able to let someone know where Point-B is, so people can get from Point-A to...
I also believe in "lead by example", so in addition to writing a bunch of stuff that gets marketing/producers jazzed and somehow is still useful to the team, Designers should dive into editors, script, whatever... I figure, if you can't show someone how to make something great, you can't expect them to respect your opinion when it comes time to make a hard decision about the game.
As for "Programmers make great Designers"... well... hmm... I've found most Programmers who really are Programmers to be best as Programmers. I think Designers should have some art, programming, writing, psychology and sociology background, but saying a Programmer is a great Designer means you don't understand/respect what a great designer does. I can program, draw, model, texture, write music, write box copy, etc...etc...etc... but I am a "Designer", not an Artist, not a Programmer. I focus on Design and respect the other disciplines enough to know that I am not them.
Anyway, enough of my rant, to the original post... here's my thoughts...
Just like people driving fast on the freeway aren't race car drivers, just because someone has an idea, that doesn't make them "Designers". No, "everyone" is not a "Designer", Designers are Designers, especially when they're good. Empowered, a team can thrive with a good Designer or weed out crap Designers quickly, since they won't actually be doing their job. So, realize everyone has ideas and opinions but only "Designers are Designers".
