About a month and half into my junior year as a student of game production management, my team and I brought a project idea two weeks in the making before an audience comprised of the every game major in our class, to be judged by all of them and slid through a filter. A filter to see whether it would be pushed forward and be granted the rest of the semester's worth of development time, or be poofed away with a snap of Thanos's fingers, gone but never forgotten.
(I used this still because it shows the stone with the green light, get it)
First of all, I just want to say how proud I am of my original team for delivering such a kickass presentation in front of everyone. I am confident in saying that we had one of the best ones that night. We were had fun, good pacing, and an endearing concept in Gnome Depot to show off. I was part of the deliberation team and I got to hear many wonderful things about my team, which made me feel really great. I also witnessed how much passion people had for their projects that did not pass, and I was heartbroken for my friends that had put so much of their energy into a game that meant a lot to them.
OK, so maybe the selection process wasn't quite as random as the snap was, which is why I'm glad to report that the project I presented, Gnome Depot, was pushed forward! Now, alongside two other game concepts in my class, my team has gained new members distributed from the dissolved teams that did not go through. In this blog post, I'll report on how my team management skills have been tested, improved, and (in some cases) exposed in the transition to a bigger team with new members from each discipline, including my own.
The Specifics
Originally, Infinite Jab Lock was comprised of myself, one artist, one designer, and two programmers. After Greenlight we acquired a part-time UI artist, a part-time level designer, a full-time QA Manager, and a co-producer. These roles were all jobs that, since being filled, will allow us to do so much more great work in the same amount of time. Now, we number 9 in total.
The Good
So first of all the onboarding process went way smoother than I anticipated. Every new team member we took on is motivated, passionate and ready to give their all, even for a team that wasn't theirs in the beginning. I was able to create a great atmosphere for them to enter into our already-developed space without them feeling too foreign or secondary.
Having a second producer has meant that he and I can play to our strengths; I like leading meetings and presentations, and communicating between the team and the stakeholders, while he would rather work on documentation and budgeting. This dichotomy in skillsets allows us to thrive.
The Bad
One of our team members in particular does not have the best reputation in my class of game students. In the past they have delivered subpar quality work, driven outside of their lane by telling other team members what they should be doing, and known to say odd and discomforting things that put the rest of the team off. This person is our QA Manager. Initially they were going to come on as a designer, but knowing of their knack for detail and particular manner of doing things, I decided to onboard them for a position where they could lead, and sift through data.
The harder part has been getting the other team members to accept their existence on the team. It's not like they'll refuse to work with them, but one glance at the look on their faces when the person speaks during a meeting and it's visible how much contempt is in the air. But, this person has spoken to me and showed signs of personal improvement, so I'm optimistic they'll figure themself out. I have also made clear to the rest of the team that we all work together and everyone matters, so holding contempt about one of our members just...perpetually, is not conducive to a functional team. By the looks of it so far, it is not an issue that will break the team. However, after some bad scheduling and neglect to clarify expectations by our QA manager, they really need to step up the bar of their work.
What I've Learned
Through this process, which was, might I add, the first time I'd gone through anything like it before, I learned that I REALLY like working with a larger team. I feel needed and challenged! I also learned how to put the interests of the team above any individual's. But I think overall, what I really learned was respect.
Because of some conflicting opinions on team members, and onboarding people from teams that became dissolved, I had to work harder to watch what I say and provide support and feedback (positive and constructive) to everyone when needed. I now have a deeper understanding of how to be a leader. And it feels empowering.
Personally, the thing about leadership that always frightened me was that you never know you're ready until your abilities are put to the limit. This hasn't changed, and it never will. But now, I'm starting to be less afraid of taking the leap of faith.
I am excited to see my game become a full-fledged product I can be proud of, and I can't wait to see the contributions of my team members come to life.