The roles and teams listed below are in order of iterative process. The foundation team creates lots of odd little AR Toys that the gameplay teams take and iterate into mechanics and then games. The god team ensures the entire game experience flows. We must build games around working toys, toys that are intrinsically fun to screw around with (most AR Games suck because there is a fundamental flaw in their core mechanics being too complex, clever, and unreliable).
This is role-based game development but the roles are not as separated as they are in most development teams. Roles are more interdependent and redundant. There is no "level designer" for example. The levels emerge from the challenge crafters working together with the context and mechanic crafters. There is no "art director" role either. The feel and vision of the game emerges from the content and context teams cooking up collaborative content recipes together.
The reasoning behind this kind of team and role configuration is based on my experience working on augmented reality projects and based on the unique character and strengths of this team. For example, we have an abundance of really strong programmers but not an abundance of artists. The best way to come up with the coolest looking and most appealing AR Games and Toys is to foreground procedural content and dynamic, creative uses of instantiated content. Using a non-traditional team structure may appear like a large risk, but this structure actually mitigates risk by playing to our team's unique strengths and character.
Toycraft: Ted Molinski, David Laskey, Paul Brom
Mechanicraft Team: Majdi Badri, Ted Molinski, Robert Polzin
Contextcraft Team: Majdi Badri, Brian Gabor, Joe Scalzo
Challengecraft Team: Paul Brom, Joe Stramaglia, Ray Tan
Flowbridge: Brian Gabor, Phil Tibitoski
Trollmaster: Ray Tan
Procedural Shaman Team: David Bayzer, David Laskey, Brian von Kuster
Surfacecraft Team: David Bayzer, Robert Polzin, Ray Tan, Joe Elsey, Michael Langley
Volumecraft Team: Brian von Kuster, Joe Elsey, Michael Langley
Soundcraft Team: Joe Scalzo, Logan Wright, Joe Stramaglia
Devcraft: Brian Schrank
ARcraft: Brian Schrank
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Folks listed alphabetically:
- Mechanicraft and Contextcraft
Mechanicraft
Designs core game mechanics - the verbs that player performs most often in the game. Works closely with Toycrafters to come up with mechanics that best leverage the affordances and unique quirkiness of the AR toys.
Contextcraft
Designs and devises cool contexts that allow the game mechanics to feel relevant and integrated with the game world. Crafts the implied narrative and context through which players make meaning in the game. Works closely with Mechanicrafters to iteratively craft contexts so that the game mechanics have the strongest appeal and cognitive framing for the player. Works closely with all four Content Teams so that the context and implied narrative is as clearly and evocatively conveyed through art and sound. |
- Surfacecraft and Procedural Shaman
Surfacecraft
Iteratively develops a singular art vision for all the instantiated 2D and 3D game content (works closely with Procedural Shaman to do this). Designs 2D imagery such as sprites, textures, buttons, etc. Devises simple, slick, and appealing user interface and visual feedback mechanisms. Works closely with Contextcrafters to develop imagery and surfaces that inform the implied narrative in the most salient ways.
Procedural Shaman
Designs and devises the coolest ways to procedurally generate content and use all the instantiated 2D and 3D content, sound and music that the other Content Teams create. Jerryrigs the art pipeline when it grumbles and breaks. |
- Toycraft and Challengecraft
Toycraft
Designs and implements code that gets simple, clear, and reliable reactivity working in AR. Comes up with lots of novel, playful, and intuitive ways of interacting with AR on mobile devices. This is the most important position on the team because everything will be built up from the little toys you create.
Challengecraft
Designs and devises
algorithms that manifest moments of flow in the gameplay. Designs and devises algorithms that control enemy or world challenge logic and behavior. Works closely with Contextcrafter to iteratively develop these challenges so that they reinforce the game context and implied narrative. |
- Surfacecraft and Volumecraft
Surfacecraft
Iteratively develops a singular art vision for all the instantiated 2D and 3D game content (works closely with Procedural Shaman to do this). Designs 2D imagery such as sprites, textures, buttons, etc. Devises simple, slick, and appealing user interface and visual feedback mechanisms. Works closely with Contextcrafters to develop imagery and surfaces that inform the implied narrative in the most salient ways.
Volumecraft
Models and animates simple mesh geometry and characters that thrive in the game's context and implied narrative (working closely with Contextcrafters to do this). Works closely with Procedural Shaman to iteratively develop models and animations that can create the most stunning looks and effects in game. |
- Flowbridge and Contextcraft
Flowbridge
Pays special attention to the clarity and pacing of the experience from the moment players launch the toy or game to the moment they close it. Works closely with Challengecrafters to ensure the game flows. Polishes and refines the overall difficulty curve of the game. Interjects ideas and feedback to any teammate at anytime if they see any opportunity to improve the overall player experience. Advocates for the player - represents and pushes for an experience that satisfies the players' inner idiot. Runs playtests, analyzes results, and communicates to team his recommendations for the next round of iteration.
Contextcraft
Designs and devises cool contexts that allow the game mechanics to feel relevant and integrated with the game world. Crafts the implied narrative and context through which players make meaning in the game. Works closely with Mechanicrafters to iteratively craft contexts so that the game mechanics have the strongest appeal and cognitive framing for the player. Works closely with all four Content Teams so that the context and implied narrative is as clearly and evocatively conveyed through art and sound. |
- Surfacecraft and Volumecraft
Surfacecraft
Iteratively develops a singular art vision for all the instantiated 2D and 3D game content (works closely with Procedural Shaman to do this). Designs 2D imagery such as sprites, textures, buttons, etc. Devises simple, slick, and appealing user interface and visual feedback mechanisms. Works closely with Contextcrafters to develop imagery and surfaces that inform the implied narrative in the most salient ways.
Volumecraft
Models and animates simple mesh geometry and characters that thrive in the game's context and implied narrative (working closely with Contextcrafters to do this). Works closely with Procedural Shaman to iteratively develop models and animations that can create the most stunning looks and effects in game. |
- Toycraft and Procedural Shaman
Toycraft
Designs and implements code that gets simple, clear, and reliable reactivity working in AR. Comes up with lots of novel, playful, and intuitive ways of interacting with AR on mobile devices. This is the most important position on the team because everything will be built up from the little toys you create.
Procedural Shaman
Designs and devises the coolest ways to procedurally generate content and use all the instantiated 2D and 3D content, sound and music that the other Content Teams create. Jerryrigs the art pipeline when it grumbles and breaks. |
- Toycraft and Mechanicraft
Toycraft
Designs and implements code that gets simple, clear, and reliable reactivity working in AR. Comes up with lots of novel, playful, and intuitive ways of interacting with AR on mobile devices. This is the most important position on the team because everything will be built up from the little toys you create.
Mechanicraft
Designs core game mechanics - the verbs that player performs most often in the game. Works closely with Toycrafters to come up with mechanics that best leverage the affordances and unique quirkiness of the AR toys.
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- Surfacecraft and Mechanicraft
Surfacecraft
Iteratively develops a singular art vision for all the instantiated 2D and 3D game content (works closely with Procedural Shaman to do this). Designs 2D imagery such as sprites, textures, buttons, etc. Devises simple, slick, and appealing user interface and visual feedback mechanisms. Works closely with Contextcrafters to develop imagery and surfaces that inform the implied narrative in the most salient ways.
Mechanicraft
Designs core game mechanics - the verbs that player performs most often in the game. Works closely with Toycrafters to come up with mechanics that best leverage the affordances and unique quirkiness of the AR toys. |
- Contextcraft and Soundcraft
Contextcraft
Designs and devises cool contexts that allow the game mechanics to feel relevant and integrated with the game world. Crafts the implied narrative and context through which players make meaning in the game. Works closely with Mechanicrafters to iteratively craft contexts so that the game mechanics have the strongest appeal and cognitive framing for the player. Works closely with all four Content Teams so that the context and implied narrative is as clearly and evocatively conveyed through art and sound.
Soundcraft
Designs and devises
the entire soundscape of the game from the moment the player loads the game to the moment they close it. Works closely with Contextcrafters so that the music, sound effects, and synesthetic blips and wooshes are all iteratively developed so they push the implied narrative of the game in the most evocative ways. |
- Devcraft and ARcraft
Devcraft
Devises the development process so that some cool AR Toys and Games actually get finished and are polished.
Helps teammates thrive on the project. Pays special attention to mitigating project risks.
ARcraft
Communicates to and guides the team so that we leverage augmented reality in the most fruitful ways.
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- Challengecraft and Soundcraft
Challengecraft
Designs and devises
algorithms that manifest moments of flow in the gameplay. Designs and devises algorithms that control enemy or world challenge logic and behavior. Works closely with Contextcrafter to iteratively develop these challenges so that they reinforce the game context and implied narrative.
Soundcraft
Designs and devises
the entire soundscape of the game from the moment the player loads the game to the moment they close it. Works closely with Contextcrafters so that the music, sound effects, and synesthetic blips and wooshes are all iteratively developed so they push the implied narrative of the game in the most evocative ways. |
- Challengecraft, Surfacecraft, and Trollmaster
Challengecraft
Designs and devises
algorithms that manifest moments of flow in the gameplay. Designs and devises algorithms that control enemy or world challenge logic and behavior. Works closely with Contextcrafter to iteratively develop these challenges so that they reinforce the game context and implied narrative.
Surfacecraft
Iteratively develops a singular art vision for all the instantiated 2D and 3D game content (works closely with Procedural Shaman to do this). Designs 2D imagery such as sprites, textures, buttons, etc. Devises simple, slick, and appealing user interface and visual feedback mechanisms. Works closely with Contextcrafters to develop imagery and surfaces that inform the implied narrative in the most salient ways.
Trollmaster
Wishes to surprise and tease the player in the most pleasurable ways (for the player). Works closely with Flowbridges and challenges them so that the game has quirkiness, character, and vitality. |
- Flowbridge
Flowbridge
Pays special attention to the clarity and pacing of the experience from the moment players launch the toy or game to the moment they close it. Works closely with Challengecrafters to ensure the game flows. Polishes and refines the overall difficulty curve of the game. Interjects ideas and feedback to any teammate at anytime if they see any opportunity to improve the overall player experience. Advocates for the player - represents and pushes for an experience that satisfies the players' inner idiot. Runs playtests, analyzes results, and communicates to team his recommendations for the next round of iteration. |
- Volumecraft and Procedural Shaman
Volumecraft
Models and animates simple mesh geometry and characters that thrive in the game's context and implied narrative (working closely with Contextcrafters to do this). Works closely with Procedural Shaman to iteratively develop models and animations that can create the most stunning looks and effects in game.
Procedural Shaman
Designs and devises the coolest ways to procedurally generate content and use all the instantiated 2D and 3D content, sound and music that the other Content Teams create. Jerryrigs the art pipeline when it grumbles and breaks. |
- Soundcraft
Soundcraft
Designs and devises
the entire soundscape of the game from the moment the player loads the game to the moment they close it. Works closely with Contextcrafters so that the music, sound effects, and synesthetic blips and wooshes are all iteratively developed so they push the implied narrative of the game in the most evocative ways. |
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