Spectrofon #19 31 марта 1996

Программирование

Warm greetings - "A team of your dreams" about how "in an adult" are computer games.

   Today we have again a guest e-magazine "PC-REVIEW". At this 
time it will focus on how to create a team to

production of game software, who are part of the team, as
better to pick up people, etc. We think that
sinkleristam and it will be interesting to read
the following articles. Of course, some
points reflected in it, relate exclusively to the major 
software vendors, who invest millions of dollars in develop a 
single game, but overall the place for sinkleristov perhaps 
also relevant, as for all other ... 



(C) Sergey Simonovic, 1996



           DREAM TEAM



   Computer games make real people.
Once one person could write a terrific game from start to 
finish and immortalize his name. Today, alas, is not so. Today 
the game (at least commercially successful) at-alone are not 
written, now over the entire work team. And now, dear readers 
of these lines, Confess frankly, who among you would not dream 
to work in a team? Probably many. So why did it get here? Do 
not take? Do not need? So no need to create a team themselves.

Do not know where to start? And here's what we
You and tell you.



   Let's imagine a "perfect" team. It's a few people, producing
per annum from 1 to 3 programs and working in
6 a 24 (twenty-four hours,
then six o'clock sleep, etc.) a week. Neither of which wages it 
is not goes and can not go, because that

to get something, you must have something to sell, and
to sell something, be it something to do with their hands. The 
main products power of such a team include coffee and 
Pepsi-Cola with breadcrumbs (the first stage) and sandwiches, 
and when it will succeed. 


   No salary and no
benefits to persuade people to work in this mode is impossible, 
so the team is very soon will be only dedicated and

love with business men, namely, such and need for an "ideal" 
team. Here are some of them and formed the first four, which 
will become the backbone of a powerful company. 


   Subsequently, the firm may be twenty and fifty and two 
hundred, but the very first four will remain the core of all 
case. And when something is broken in the coordinated work of 
the kernel and some of it leaves, it must affect the quality of 
programs produced by this company (Though not always for the 
worse). 


   Here on the work of the main four, we
and stopped. This is a game designer, producer, lead programmer 
and chief designer. 



         Inscrutable are the ways ideas.


   Everything starts with an idea. Someone at some point makes 
the sign of an idea to make the game on such a topic in which 
to so-and something else. Typically, the ideas come in four 
ways: two ways to go "inside" and two ways - "outside".



   The first way: the idea is born in my head
game designer. The results of such projects
usually give us the most-best games.
Designer - is the man who must bear the idea to the state in 
which it can be realized in the form of finished

program, and he, like all other people
much nicer to do it with my own idea, rather than with a 
stranger. That is the way born Civilization, Master of Orion, 
Doom and Wing Commander. Examples can result in hundreds, but 
the most successful Games were held in this way.



   The second way - with the idea of ​​coming producer. "So so" 
- he says. - "Our Russian Tycoon enjoys great popularity in its 
third year. Buy it and will buy, but in that time has changed 
many requirements for the design of games. Today, all who are 
not lazy, released games a full schedule SVGA. So I think that 
even old program and provides income to sell it impractical. 

   It indirectly causes damage to the reputation of the firm. 
We need exactly the same game, but the new GUI. We call it the 
"Russian Tycoon de Luxe". Ask approve the budget for the 
project ... " 


   This is the normal working version. Producer - one of the 
most important people in the team. Go to a meeting with new 
projects - One of his duties, keep a hand on

Market Pulse - too, and now on the market
full of games, it was initialized producers. Typically, this is 
the most games in the extension of something. 


   If someone of our readers remember, the two
years ago, we brought in a PC-Review interview with Sid Meier, 
which he admitted in a special dislike to the company 
Microprose all kinds of extensions. From an organizational 
standpoint, this means that in his company's game designers much

more producers, which is not surprising,

because designers of such a class myself as Sid
Meyer - a rarity. He brings Rail Road
Tycoon, Civilization, Colonization, etc.


   Third way - the idea comes reseyler (one of the ultimate 
salesmen production): "Today has unexpectedly grown

Sales of games with fist massacre,
why could not you make a program that was as Wing Commander, but
which will have the opportunity of taking a spaceship Ratslayer 
boarded after which pilots are fighting one on one without

weapons, only with hands and feet. "


   All the major publishing companies must follow the tastes 
and predilections of the public. They carefully evaluated the 
information "from their seats," watching the debate in computer 
networks, and when orders are handed out to small firms 
programmer, be sure to take into account the trends of fashion. 
Yes You yourself, dear reader, you can catch

these developments and trends.

   And because for every trend is some material cause.


   For example, the 1993rd year could
would be a year of role-playing games - then was
surge of interest in this genre. The reason -
that it was last year when
More were produced something that can work on the 282nd and 
382nd weak machines, and RPG, probably one of the best 
achievements for the technology of that generation. 


   1994th year was marked by a broad offensive space "letalok 
and games Class 3D-Action. The reason - a massive shift in the 
482nd technology, allowing developers to start implementing the 
most ambitious projects. 


   1995th - the year of enhanced penetration
arcade combat. The reason - the beginning
the process of mass "transfer" of arcade games
with videopristavok and arcade at
IBM PC, since now the IBM PC platform
became powerful enough for such purposes
for graphic and sound media.


   Our forecast is that in 1996, this
process will continue, and the year will be held under
flag avtogonochnyh a wide variety of programs.


   Path Four: A letter from
passionate fan of games, which says something like: "I thought
the idea of ​​this game, which has never and nowhere else
was not. This game will make your company famous throughout the 
world. And to me the idea of ​​personal not necessary. If you 
want, I'll give it to you. Email me if my proposal will 
interest you ... " 


   Such letters and suggestions coming in
all computer companies of the world in hundreds, but we
with deep regret to inform you
that sent them to the Trash. This is the most
a hopeless way to move ideas.


   Once upon a time, five or six years ago,
when computers were weak and realize that it may be little 
that, firms Conversely hunted for valuable ideas. They

organized competitions, eagerly read
letters from consumers who responded even
for vague hints.


   Today, those days are gone. In any decent teams in line for 
implementation worth five times more promising

projects than it can afford to release a year, and today the 
company is not only not looking for ideas on the side, but on 
the contrary, in many cases they have them running at breakneck 
speed. They are not allowed on the threshold of human come up 
with the idea, and disrupt phone conversation after a few 
words. May be, it sounds unpleasant, but it is

so. Do not be offended if you are somehow
hurt, but we need to know the causes of this phenomenon ...



   Over the many years of work in firms pumped hundreds of 
thousands of ideas. Ideas flit from person to person, from desk 
to desk. Once these ideas were unenforceable and remained rosy 
dreams, but gradually with development of computing power they 
open and available. And there a high probability that the random

people who came from the street with his idea,
fall into one of these long-debated concepts were waiting in 
the wings. If he even touches her passing, it will

close.


   Particularly afraid of the firm, that someone will come and 
tell them the concept of those things it is already working or 
planning to work. In this situation, firms are "Guilty without 
guilt," since such a "well-wisher" and if you can not apply for 
them court for "stealing his ideas, then at least give them 
such a scandal in the network conferences, from which will not 
be easy wash:


   "I invited them to the original idea, do not ask for it, and 
they shoved I was out the door. A year later I can see how they

used my best thoughts in your
program. This is not the company, and gathering
crooks! .. "


   There is a method of unfair competition when you need to 
advance the year before finals, learn, over which the idea of 
​​working competitor. This is usually done in espionage.

After that, from a private person should send him to outline 
the development of over which he long ago by the sweat of 
working. Many people panicked in such cases, all abandoned. The 
strongest and most persistent advocates are beginning to 
prepare in advance so that they began gather factual evidence 
and materials for a possible court hearing. A prove its right 
for an idea oh how difficult, even if you have a very large 
firm. 



Especially because in the West, in contrast to
Russia, the courts are often willing to stand up for rights of 
the little man "the street" in the face of capitalist sharks. 
Often, to avoid scandal, lawyers even completely honest team 
recommends better pay off than wag a good company name in the 
press. 


   That this is the case today with the ideas.
A prestigious company and their lack of ideas and
reputation risk to seek other people's ideas on competitions, 
or in some otherwise no one no longer dares. True, there are no 
rules without exceptions. There are trips to hunt for ideas 
somewhere in the wild edge, such as ... Russia. We do not know 
as it is today, a few years ago, such emissaries to us out of 
town on a regular basis, and about the competitions for the 
best idea we have not heard many times. Maybe they heard you,

dear readers. Is not it? But on
West, such contests are no longer happens. Why would it?

      Number one - a game designer.


   So, on the board of directors of the company decided to 
begin work on the project "X". The first person who takes it in 
the elaboration - This is a game designer. This is the most 
interesting work, which only can think of. If

You think that the designer is engaged in artistic design, it 
made a mistake. Design - not the question. This will artist. 
Vzhivshis in the idea, the designer must imagine a game 
entirely. At this stage it is not concerned with issues related 
to programming. He did not now think about the code. He just 
represents the game head the way he wants to see her.



   From the Russian language better translation of the term 
"game designer" would be the word "designer." He is "designing" 
future game. They usually have a good designer to develop a 
project takes 2-4 weeks. These days he was locked and no one 
takes or goes on vacation.


   At the exit, he gives a hundred pages of paper covered with 
writing an ordinary pencil or pen. Here you can find everything 
about future games, but software code, graphics and music. It's 
like a game description words normal human language.



   The first document that lets the designer - is the structure 
of the game. It painted the entire menu structure, when and how 
available to the user. 


   The second document - the data structure. She
must be consistent with the structure
program.


   The third document - a system of rules. That
can do and what - you can not. When the Pawn
can become a queen, and when - no.
Who is stronger - the weak or strong legion
fortified Phalanx? What should
happen if the fighter landing gear at a speed of 800 km / h? 
Etc. etc. 


   In general, a system of rules must be finalized utryasena 
before start programming.



   The fourth document - the description of the decision-making 
mechanism. Roughly speaking - it is what guided the program when

meet you in your move. No matter what it is
- Adventyura or aviaimitator. Always every game must somehow 
react to your actions. This mechanism must must be consistent 
with the structure of the program (when it happens to appeal) 
and data structure (that stays). In principle, at this stage, 
the designer can not slip anything, even though roughly to 
develop decision-making mechanism. This will be done much 
later. But provide such a unit as "a black

box he has to, because that will be here
Then set point adjustment, by which then the game will be made
"Playable" (neither easy nor difficult, nor

fast or slow, in general, balanced).


   Fifth document - the interface specification. It is not 
necessary to draw, it will make an artist, but to describe what 
should be on the screen in a particular game mode, which opens 
one or another menu option, as is management game that remains 
hidden to the user and for how long - that's objective of this 
document. There should be lists and describes the words of all 
the interface screens. 


   Sixth document - specification screens.
Starting from the title and ending with the final,
describes all the screens. If
adventyurnaya game, most of the screens will be linked with the 
scenario of the game (image locations, which you may receive a 
hero). If this aviaimitator, then there is a conventional 
screen: the scene briefing, the scene of the launch, view of 
the dashboard, the scene of landing, debriefing, demonstration 
of an explosion if dropped, etc. In Overall, this is a list of 
screens that can be prepared for any game of any genre.



   Work the game designer is probably the most important. 
According to its complexity contribution to the game are often 
less than 1 percent of the total labor input, but in the future 
success or the failure of his share of games at least a third. 
This people spend a penny and do not spend anything more 
valuable than plain paper, but if successful could bring 
millions, and not rubles and dollars.



   To thoroughly "lick" the project, the designer will spend 
more days, maybe weeks. But if he does everything really well, 
then programmers will save many, many months of work. Designer 
as "decompose" the entire project on the shelves that 
programmers can easily parallelize the work in advance to 
schedule future docking point code of one programmers the one 
with the other, and thus avoid trudnoispravimyh errors and 
ensure ease of debugging. 


   If a month after the program in it are "beetle", then blame 
the programmer, but if it all starts to crumble in difficult 
situations are found dozens of mistakes, it's a designer's 
mistakes. And emergency remedial you can only hurt the cause. A 
terrible scandal shook the summer of 1995 all world, and we 
have already mentioned in PC-Review N17 on how was falling 
apart in front of tens of thousands of customers a long-awaited 
program Frontier: First Encounters. 


   Is it easy to be a game designer? Be
just as well be - no.


   First, the game designer should be
a very erudite man. It must
have the breadth of views on a variety of
Science, art and literature.

   He has a lot to read, as an artistic and popular scientific 
literature. He has a lot to play computer games, and must love 
them well. Not so that I love Wing Commander, and the rest - 
not for me. He must love and to understand everything. He must 
feel that What a game, an achievement that has been done

the first time, and that - Loop location, filling the disc due 
to the lack of ideas for excess of Finance. He should not play

only in computer games, but in all sorts of other - desktop, 
arcade, electronic, role, etc. etc.



   When designing games and adventyurnyh
RPG highly desirable that a game designer and scriptwriter 
would have been one and the same person. This gives the best 
results. 


   It is desirable that a game designer would have a good 
artistic taste. This not necessarily have anyone to replace 
him, but desirable in principle.


   But the game designer must
be excellent programmers with several years of practical work, 
although he himself programming is not necessary. Just his 
experience and understanding of the programmer features of the 
algorithmic structure will help it expand next project so that 
programmers will save months of work and will work with a 
minimum of algorithmic errors.



   How can become a game designer? Apparently come to a running 
team and say: "I want you to work the game designers, agree on 
minimum wage '- impossible. There is only one way. If you feel 
that you have everything for this job is, then create yourself 
a team. If your friends will believe in your abilities (and 
they know them), then you will be the who want to become - if 
not, then you do not assemble a team, and finished firm you for 
this position are unlikely to accept. 


   Then there will be only to increase gradually from a beta 
tester for the programmer and beyond. 


   All the most famous designers to create his own company and 
now hold them managerial positions, while remaining designers 
of games and in part-time programmers. This Sid Meier 
(Microprose), Roberta Williams (Sierra on Line), John Romero 
(iD Software), David Breben (Frontier Development), Steve 
Leopard (SimTex), Van Kanegm (New World Computing) and many 
others Examples can be brought by the hundreds. 


   So become a game designer at the same time both simple and 
complex. For this you need "from scratch" to do themselves. 



         Number two - producer.


   This is a very important figure in the team, from
It depends on the success and prosperity of the whole company. 
If by game designer will depend on whether a good game, it 
depends on the producer, whether it will do, and if released, 
would give there some kind of income that would work on new 
projects in the future.



   On the role of producer is often forgotten or
generally not aware of it, because
team of two or three people had no place. But if the number of 
fighters in the team closer to ten, to work without a producer 
- is like playing the fifth concert of Tchaikovsky, without a 
conductor. 


   So, we settled on the fact that the council has decided to 
start developing games game designer returned from a month 
"vacation" and brought with him the finished project a future 
program. 

   Now she goes to the producer.


   After reading the draft, he reported on the council:


   - This work will cost 150 000
dollars and will require three artists and
three programmers.


   - How long does it take?


   - It's a question for the lead programmer.


   - And will there be animated inserts?


   - Another 50 thousand dollars plus two artists, and they 
will be. 


   - A video sequence?


   - Yes, for fifteen minutes at 100 thousand,
or 30 minutes one hundred and fifty.


   - A live actor's speech?


   - Yes, but you need more sound, plus
assistant sound engineer, plus six hundred thousand dollars. 
And I need an assistant producer to work with actors.



   - We do not have the equipment to record the actors.


   - I have in mind a few recording studios.


   - What are the possible assessment of the volume
sales for each of the options?


   - Here they are.


   - And what would like to see reseylery?


   - Data collected, analyzed and
attached.



   - A known whether the position of the closest competitors?


   - Exactly.


   - But we have so many artists.


   - I have a file on a few dozen people working at home, they 
all tested in similar projects and will

work, lying down in our time.


          ...................


   So begins the work of a producer. From
this dialog you must have realized that
This person is responsible for everything. His work
begins from the moment when the
Project allocated money. How much
allocate the money depend on the financial position of the 
firm, but how would he get, producer must do everything to make 
the program released just in time. 

   Modern computer game - a product of collective creation, but 
is responsible for its release, only one person. This producer. 
Someone in the team should be "Pusher". Someone needs to be 
customized remedial replenish cadres did not sleep at night, 
and not allow others to sleep, when to release program is a few 
months. He negotiates cares about advertising

monitors the activities of competitors, prepares print books 
and the accompanying packaging, hires actors and sound 
engineers and even thought about where these actors will

sleep when coming to write.


   Producer integrates and links all
project participants in a single command. Actually, the 
command-and holds not only on the idea, but also an 
irrepressible energy producer. 



   And after all that we said, we must also remember that even 
the most very small firms at the same time do not work

on one, and on several projects, and
Producer simultaneously leads them all.


   How to become a producer? In contrast, game designers, 
producers do not create programmer firms themselves. Simply to 
very early stage of development programmer of the producers 
have not yet needed. They become necessary when the first

project has already been released, and developers are beginning 
to be torn between what to do further - to start a new project 
or to build a ready sale? And he and the other choice would be 
a mistake. Everything should be done simultaneously, and for 
this and need a producer. 


   Producer may not be a programmer
but he has very fond of computer games, he is obliged to have a 
good understanding, Although his love for them is somewhat 
different than a game designer.


   If the designer likes to play and explore
explore deeply, the producer loves
cover the game surface, but over and over.
He oversees all new products, trying to
seize every new game one of the first, but can not delve into 
it, because that tomorrow is a new left.



   Producer and many long talks with
people, discussing the problems of computer
games. All those with whom he meets, he asked what they played 
last time and what they liked, and that - no. Their attitude 
towards new games coming out, he makes only among his team, in 
all other contacts, he listens and absorbs. 


   Produced by more than any other team members work with 
newsgroups. For him, this is one of the most important sources

information.



   There he learns about the attitude of buyers
to the results of his company and how to
what direction should be started
planning studies.


   Who can become a producer? Talented and capable programmer 
is likely to will never be able to become one. It's

different way of thinking. In most cases, producers - they are 
people "from outside". 


   Good producers are derived from advertising specialists, 
they have much in common. Often, producers become managers, 
which showed itself in trading computer games. Another source 
of recruitment of producers - Editorial various computer 
magazines and newspapers. There accustomed to dealing with 
teamwork, understand what a "red line" in the timing of the 
project and knowledgeable in computer games and their 
development trends. 


Often obtained from different producers
Retired officers - those they know what
discipline and how to organize the collective work. In this 
case, only important to a retiree knew, loved and understood 
the game, a lot of games, however, is far not uncommon.



   If game designers can in principle
graduates to be (if it is from childhood
has been programming, experience in
ten years he had already
is), then the producer can only be a person with sufficient 
work experience. 


   In short, find a producer among the graduates will not 
succeed. It should be person who has behind him a sufficient

work experience, at least 5-10 years.



   Number three - lead programmer.


   He began working with producer at the moment when the 
designer came the development of the project. But if the 
producer provides economic reckoning project, the lead 
programmer are assessing possible. He appoints the time and 
represents their leadership, and the producer must be placed in 
the approved time and money allocated. 


   Now let's look at the lead programmer in more detail. If the 
designer himself a programmer and competently conducted

study of the project, the lead programmer for there will be no 
white spots at the outset. And the first thing he could do - to 
sketch a roadmap of the above individual components of a future 
program. For example, the installer program - a completely 
independent unit, which can be submitted to the side.



   Immediately possible to isolate a number of procedural 
blocks associated with the interface. Separately, delayed 
decision-making unit. Separately developed the necessary 
graphic procedures related to the object's fill, to move them 
to a three-dimensional space, etc. 


   Thus, the lead developer "parses"
structure of the program into separate unrelated or loosely 
coupled modules, then establishes a logically necessary 
sequence of their development, the longest chain of parallel 
branches takes over "Critical" and it puts the control points. 
It turns out like this: 


   - Three months - a willingness to procedural (training 
required libraries); 


   - Six months - a prototype;


   - Nine months - a balanced prototype;

   - Twelve months after the program
enters the beta-testing;


   - Fifteen months - to send in
circulation.


   After that, he can estimate the need for programmers and 
report deadlines of the project. 


   When work on the project started, the main task of the lead 
programmer - providing three types of communications and 
docking. 


   The first type of communication - communication between 
programmers working on the project. Each working on his block, 
but the point of joining, date of joining and matching 
conditions appointed a senior programmer, it is for this and

monitors .. kabF 9 But it's not all. Today, all the programmer 
teams use their "special" library procedures. Of course, they 
use "standard" commercial purchased at the library, but

this value are exactly
its own procedures, algorithms, methods and tools developed for 
themselves. Lead Programmer is the lord keeper of the treasure. 
He is constantly increasing, and corrects comments on "special" 
libraries and controls their use by ordinary programmers. If 
someone has to correct those or other procedures and functions 
in the libraries, it is through facilitator.



   Thus, the lead programmer links the work of different 
programmers in the environment of a package of libraries. But 
not only. He ensures the most efficient use of code.



   All that can be used in new
project from the old one, should be used. Everyone understands 
that Wing Commander III occurred by borrowing code from

Wing Commander II, but do you know where the code was borrowed 
for the first series Wing Commander? Not sure? And it was 
borrowed from the famous aircraft simulator Srike Commander, 
although the appearance of this and not say. 


   The second type of communication, which is responsible for
Lead Programmer - link to other
groups - with artists from entertainers,
with an audio engineer, with a game-designer.
Organizational issues these bonds is responsible producer, but 
on a purely software Questions docking performs lead 
programmer. Especially valuable if he has long been works 
closely together with the designer. In this If the project goes 
most smoothly because the designer has provided for a

project, all that can help lead
programmer.

   The third type of communication, which is responsible for
Lead Programmer - for communication with the hardware of the 
future buyer. He must know how the program will communicate 
with every conceivable and inconceivable hardware 
configuration, which thinks of to put itself to the user. Lead 
Programmer must be at the level of machine code know how to 
operate all conceivable kinds of video cards, sound cards, 
modems, LAN, CD-ROM-drive, etc., etc. This is a huge knowledge 
and a very large responsibility. Entrust this very critical 
issue to ordinary programmers to more than a few - it means 
very much risk because of possible inconsistencies.



   Lead programmer could never take in their hands some exotic 
joystick, but to provide it that the user must. His service 
capabilities of computer networks through that can monitor the 
issue of new 

hardware devices and get to learn and use the drivers of these 
devices from all over the globe. All he

Can not find, explore, learn and use, fits into the "brand" the 
library. 


   Of course, besides all this leading
programmer at any moment is
aware of what to work ordinary programmers. It can replace 
anyone in any place at any time, but does not use this too 
often. In non-critical areas (And such a program, 99 per cent), 
does not interfere in their work and did not mention them

"How to do something." Rather, he
only occasionally shows "how not to." K
critical places are procedures requiring high speed operation. 
Often they follow from the results of special

experiments and related to some undocumented features of 
hardware funds. Here, senior programmer can

actively participate in the programming code.

   What should know the lead programmer?
Briefly, we have already said. It must
completely free to program
C + +. Typically, senior programmer
know several different languages, and
ASSEMBLER own so that the reading
hex memory dumps as artwork and at any time
can duplicate any of its code
functions of DOS (though this is not necessary).


   In this case, it is so in love with his
work that will not even notice the lack of salaries for several 
months, and the work load so that a cup of coffee to drink he 
had no time. 


   If you feel like a programmer and
able to live and work, and close to
You have another two or three friends, such as
enthusiast, you can start with them. After two or three years 
you will know no worse than iD Software.


   Number four - the main artist.


   Ninety-nine percent of the information
person receives from the outside world through the eyes, so the 
question of how a computer game looks like, perhaps the most 
important. 


   For the look of the game in chief
artist. And he also included in the new
project on the first day and tightly interacts with the 
designer. As a leading programmer, he is responsible for 
communications and personally developing two things: interface 
screens and sketches of the main characters. Work seems to be 
not very much, but leading artist at the same time is not

one project, but several. In particular, if the company one of 
the leading artist, he conducts all of its projects.



   Following the development of these core elements of future 
games, leading artists working with the grassroots. 

   In the past, artists were generalists and does all the 
graphic work from beginning to end. Today it is not

well, at least in firms in which
With more than seven people.


   Besides the usual artists involved
Game design and development of flat screens, there are artists 
and animators working on the phases of the movement the main 
characters of the game. When they work, leading a would be 
standing behind them and continually monitors, if they did not 
deviate from the set image.



   In the past few years stand out
A new group of artists - 3D-designers.
This is a special team that uses the work of graphic-animation 
package 3D-Studio and some other tools. Formerly a computer 
three-dimensional graphics can be developed only on the graphic 
stations Silicon Grefiks "and only 

rare and a very rich company could not
to have such a machine, but at least rent it for some time. 
Today, with the the advent of 3D-Studio package situation has 
changed dramatically. Cheap it will not name (he costs about 4 
thousand dollars), but firms producing the game, is quite 
capable. C It can help you do almost anything.



   Package quite difficult to learn (perhaps this is one of the 
most difficult of modern tools), so not all artists are able to 
work in it. In addition to purely artistic qualities package 
requires the artist ingenuity and sophistication. Then produce 
unusual finds. For example, in Playing Rebel Assault 2 is the 
scene when the spacecraft flies through the narrow winding 
tunnel, but it catches up bystrorasprostranyayuschayasya volume 
blast. Hard to believe, but this effect was also made in the 
program 3D-Studio. 


   In fact, after the ship moves through the tunnel at a given 
speed circular disk, which is like a flat screen TV, and on it 
like a movie projected image space, varying

time of the explosion.


   Over the past few years, several
times varied technical equipment of artists engaged in computer 
graphics. Once, when the screens were CGA and EGA, they

fully treated drawing directly on the screen in any graphics 
editor simple enough. It is not easy, but a few months of 
practice will do it quickly and gracefully.



   A little later, with the advent of VGA-graphics,
draw on the screen was noticeably harder.
Then came the so-called graphics tablets. They are allowed to 
draw as would be "on the table, and the image at the same time

appeared on the screen.


   Lapping graphs again made
a photo editor.


   With the advent of SVGA-graphics work with
screen or the tablet has become impossible.
In the case went scanners, which by this time both have fallen 
in price, made possible put the scanner in front of each 
artist. Painters are excited to come back to the old style of 
working with paper and brush. But ... already the first 
projects showed the graphics lost juiciness and became

faded. Still, scan color
image does not have the expressiveness,
which has the image on the screen. AND
Today artists have again refused to hand. Today, they only work 
with pencil and paper, and then the image is scanned into a 
computer, where he and painted.




   This division of labor has allowed a few times to raise the 
productivity of the most essential artists - charts. A painting 
by modern graphics package is performed industrially, and can 
not be entrusted to the most talented artists. That's the way 
graphics are produced adventyury, requiring a large number of 
graphic works such as Full Throttle from the company LucasArts.



   Depending on the direction of the firm
Leading artist can organize the work of their subordinates 
differently. If the firm is working on strategic games,

Air and avtoimitatorami, RPGs,
logic games, etc., the proportion
works about the artist and programmer
equal. In this case the artist or artists usually come in 
groups working on this project.




   They are placed together with other
team members, working together with them,
drink coffee together, talking together in general.
As you work, they can enrich the initial draft, and maybe vice 
versa programmers prompt them something interesting. May be by 
such artists and homeworkers, connecting to the team during 
creative workshops, eg once per week. 


   If the firm is working on a graphic
adventyurami, where their share of work in
four to five times more than the programmers, the artists do 
not join the creative team as well as a separate group. It 
employs artists, leading different projects. Here there is one

by the spirit of mutual support and mutual aid, but on the 
other hand, an atmosphere of healthy competition. 
Proizoditelnost work of artists working in this medium - high.




   Differently selected and you connect artists to the project. 
Lead begins to work on interfaces and images as soon as the 
designer put the project on the table. But ordinary artists 
connected simultaneously with the programmers. For games with 
non-graphical content generally programmers gotovyat prototype, 
then artists begin his "dolizyvat. For

games such as graphic artists adventyur
can begin to work together with the programmers, or even 
earlier. Program Full Throttle, for example, programmers do not 
write a single line of code, while artists do not produced the 
entire project is 100 percent, including not only all the 
screens, but all phases of the movement of characters. But 
this, as says, an extreme case.



   So, for all the nuances of the organization of work
Artists in the team is responsible leading artist. However, he 
has another pleasant duty.



   As a leading developer and kept
software libraries firms, so leading
artist and kept video library company.
For example, in a video library can be
staff of hundreds and thousands of various explosions.
When it is necessary to depict an explosion in the game, the 
artist looks at a video library and "Inspired" by finding what 
he needs. Leading replenish it with new explosions.



   In this video library to store multiple
ordinary and customary human actions
which from time to time seek animators. For example, a video 
sequence showing how a person gets into the car. 



              Sound and music.


   A few years ago worked on the music as well as on the 
graphics. For sound and music were special people. Today, 
computer software and hardware already stepped so far forward 
that to keep the man in the team is not necessary. Of course, 
the music someone writes or acquired the right to use the 
ready, but it's usually people "from outside". And to cope with 
the sounds and programmers. 



      Something about the poor relatives.


   We are told seems to be about all the people
involved in the development of computer games. Of course, we 
did not stop the processes of filming and sound recordings, but 
this is controlled producer, and the technology there is the 
same as in a normal cinema, ranging from makeup and costumes 
and ending with the stage design and scenery.



   But what we forget, it's about a professional mathematics - 
the man who could breathe into the game AI. But it something in 
the current structure and has no place.


   It turns out that he was "lean"
the project is almost nowhere. Before
have a working prototype that has nothing to balance out and 
it's no work. After how the prototype came out, already included

counter.


   Producer in June announced at each
corner, that such a program will appear in
sale January 28 at the day of the Super Bowl in football, when 
all of America cling to their televisions. Already beat hooves

beta testers, eager to break the game on
part. On balancing the game with
stability coefficients, the feedbacks of various handicaps, 
etc. More still time, but the fact that to implement, debug and 
rebuild serious Artificial Intelligence - alas, it no longer. 
Large firms have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in 
game development, which asked Millions of shoppers will not 
wait months until a bespectacled build in 

game simulation own gyrus. This is not an industrial approach.


   So why should we be surprised that a year from
, the games become more beautiful, all large, all sonorous and 
yet stubbornly unwilling "umnet! Why should we be surprised if 
almost every game of strategy, claiming the possession of an 
artificial intelligence, there are ways and tricks

allow "cheat" her intelligence, as
little baby! And it is we have nothing
surprising that almost every game (except adventyur) today go 
to network capabilities so that we can replace the sickly 
artificial intelligence to live a normal opponent. 


   On the problems of AI in computer games, we
in PC-REVIEW written already as much as, perhaps, no other 
magazine in the world. But Now, here's a secret becomes clear.



Iskusstvennny Intelligence in games such
weak because of staffing patterns
companies do not have a Senior Mathematics and
engaged in this business programmers. Balance the game, they 
believe that make Artificial Intelligence. Maybe

this is so, but it is very limited, he obtained, though there 
are firms that he better, and with whom he has none at all.