Navigating the Challenges of Project Management in Gaming
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Chapter 1: A Day in the Life of a Project Manager
The phone rang.
— "Hey, about your trip to visit us in Hungary tomorrow?"
— "Yes, the tickets are booked, our dancer has finally sorted his paperwork. We’re ready to go, but we’re running late, so it needs to proceed seamlessly."
— "Regarding that... it’s best to postpone your trip."
And thus, the chaos continued.
A few years ago, I was involved in developing a console game based on a popular television show. I had taken on the role of producer, which meant ensuring that the project was completed on schedule, within budget, and met acceptable quality standards. Being relatively new to this role and under immense pressure led to numerous avoidable errors.
Experience, as they say, is built from our mistakes. Hopefully, you can glean wisdom from my experiences.
The television show that inspired our game was a massive hit in France, blending elements of reality TV with talent competitions. Contestants lived together, honing their singing and dancing skills, and each week, one was eliminated based on their performance.
The game concept seemed straightforward: develop a dance game, akin to Dance Dance Revolution, featuring songs from the show. Players would follow on-screen characters dancing, using a gamepad or a dance mat. Given our background in complex simulations and war games, I assumed this would be a simpler endeavor.
The plan was to select music tracks, choreograph dances, and record them. I had a choreographer friend who could design the dance routines, and I knew a motion capture studio that could help us with the recordings. How could anything go wrong?
The answer: nearly everything. Here are three vital lessons I learned from my missteps.
Section 1.1: The Importance of the Critical Path
Before commencing, we hadn’t mapped out the necessary steps for completing a single level, which included:
- Selecting music tracks and obtaining approval from the production company.
- Securing licenses from the record label and artists, including their legal teams.
- Having the choreographer create dances and instruct the dancer.
- Traveling to the motion capture studio to record the performances.
- Cleaning up the motion capture data before sending it to developers for integration.
- Finally, designing the game level based on the animations.
This project taught me the hard lesson about the significance of the critical path.
Each of these steps had to follow a specific order, and the project timeline hinged on the duration of this sequence. Compounding the issue, many steps were out of our control and required third-party involvement. We had no direct communication with the artists or the record label, which slowed the process significantly.
As if that weren't enough, we decided to consolidate the motion capture phase to save costs, necessitating travel to Eastern Europe. This decision intertwined our critical paths, making them not only lengthy but also complex.
Murphy's law was in full effect, and naturally, the project fell behind schedule. Now, whenever I kick off a new project, I instinctively assess the longest critical path, identify potential bottlenecks, and strategize on how to mitigate them. In this instance, I should have prepared contingency plans for the choreography and motion capture phases to adapt if needed.
Section 1.2: The Perils of Mixing Friendship with Business
I sought a choreographer for the dance sequences and, in a moment of convenience, hired a friend. Initially, this seemed wise—she was talented, reasonably priced, and her style matched the project. However, complications soon arose.
Halfway through the project, my boss expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of one of the dances. Naturally, it fell short of expectations, especially under tight timelines. When I asked my friend to revise it, she declined.
This left me torn between loyalty to my friend and meeting my boss's expectations. The mounting pressure already present made the situation unnecessarily complicated. We eventually reached a compromise, but the lesson was clear: avoid hiring friends for positions where you have to manage their performance.
Today, I might recommend a friend for a role if I believe they are qualified, but I would distance myself from the hiring process and any direct oversight. I cherish my friendships too much to jeopardize them over work-related issues. While this may seem like common sense now, it wasn't something I fully understood back then.
The Main Lesson: Growth Through Adversity
This entire experience was a nightmare; everything that could go wrong did. I found myself facing intense scrutiny from upper management and battling panic attacks, although I didn’t recognize them for what they were at the time.
Ultimately, I learned to step back, reconnect with myself, and find calm amidst the chaos. By focusing on the present moment and managing my stress, I emerged stronger and more aware of my vulnerabilities.
While I wouldn’t wish to relive that experience, it undeniably shaped who I am today.
In the insightful video, "Author of 'The Qualified Sales Leader,' John McMahon: The Five-Time CRO," John shares his experiences and strategies for success in leadership roles, providing valuable lessons for aspiring project managers.
In "The Patient from Hell Ep 38: Am I making the right decision?" Dr. Glyn Elwyn and Danielle Schubbe discuss decision-making processes and the importance of self-reflection, which resonates with the challenges faced in project management.