If you wanted to make a game featuring original;

• Mapping
• scripts
• Writing
• Sprites\Icons
• Tile set
• Sound
• database

But you could only choose ten members what do you think would be the best way to distribute them?

This is what I think.

• 2 Mapping
• 1 scripts
• 2 Writing
• 1 Sprites\Icons
• 2 Tile set
• 1 Sound
• 1 database

BTW, if there were more members, I would add one more to Sound and one more to Sprites/Icons

Jens

10 people? Depends on your own skillset.

Mapping someone can do themselves, and just ask for feedback or things like that. 2 mappers at most i'd say, and I'd still say even then the project leader should be doing a lot of the maps themselves or at least have a good idea of what they want.
Scripts I would get 1 person or 2 if the workload is really high, or ask people for requests if needed instead if it's not too many.
Writing should be done yourself, though 1 person to assist / bounce off ideas from would be nice.
Sprites... depends on the style, size, and quantity of it. 1 if you can plan for a small amount or pay someone nicely for it, 2 might be better especially if you can get their styles to fit in well.
Tileset only requires 1 unless again you can match the style with someone else.
Sound can be downloaded or purchased if needed, but Music you may want 1 composer. I've seen 2 to a project and you'll just need to coordinate it a bit so they work well together.
Database... can be done by themselves, or 1 person to assist if you're really clueless.
1 character artist may be needed too.

Depends on a lot of things, such as budget (what, you want them all to work for free? It's possible but... good luck.), quantity of work, quality of work (An amazing spriter can cost you a huge amount, whereas someone who has only editted sprites before may be free or near free), and other factors too. Teams having even only 1 or 2 members can pull out an all original game if they are well rounded!

You may even want to count on not having all the members you will ideally want, and settle with having maybe half of that. Less if you're really non-convincing. People want to work for a good project, so you'll want to have a good idea and even some of the game in the works before you get to hiring people. Basically, showing people that their work won't go to waste!


Bastions full time team for example has 8 people.

Here's how I would allocate the ten members:

1-2 on Mapping (depending on time constraints)
1 on Scripts (as Ocean said there's plenty of resources available here, and people who are talented at this are usually really talented)
1 on Writing (preferably the project leader; the tale's motifs, direction and ideological aims should be your ideas)
2 on Sprites\Icons (original and high quality sprites just seem intrinsic to a good game)
1 on Tile set
2 on Sound (Its a big ask to demand a single person orchestrate your entire game, especially under a time constraint)
1 on Database

You've gotta consider though that the more jobs you allocate the more likely you are to lose whatever your vision of your game is; others have their own vision or simply wont understand what you want as well as you do.

I see all three of you would dedicate 2 people to mapping, why is that?
And... one whole person completely dedicated to databasing?

Well I put two in case of time constraints, but mapping is important as its the bulk of the graphics that the player is going to see onscreen, also you simply can't go anywhere if there isn't a map for it (in terms of sidequests, etc.)
In general I put two people to each of the more 'creative' elements as they can only be accomplished if and when you have an idea (put it down to inspiration or whatever) whereas databasing can always be chipped away at.
Also all the aspects of the database are so intricate and reliant on one another (creating a balanced battle system through the characters and enemies stats, and then all the items, weapons and skills that won't mess this up) that it seems better left to one guy, much like the writing (too many cooks spoil the broth and all that jazz).
Ultimately I wasn't trying to establish that any one part of a game is more important than any other (a game wouldn't even be worth playing without a well developed database) just that that seemed the most efficient way to manage ten people.

I see.
I've never considered mapping that much of a thing that I couldn't do myself, though I'd agree it's very important because it's what the player will spend hours looking at while playing.
As for databasing, I think it's a bit redundant, usally the leader knows what he wants to do with items, skills, equipment and monsters, so it would be more complicated to explain another person exactly what you want than doing it yourself, no?

Also, I give for granted the team manager would be the writer and ideas man that only occasionally would need help in the writing section. I don't really count the manager among the 10 members though.

mapping=2
scripts=1
writing=1
sprites/icon=2
tileset=2
sound=1
database=1

i think the writer should be the one to manage what other member makes, otherwise it wouldnt fit with the story.
yeah, artist are on demand on making it original .
where as for difficulty , its scripting thats way harder to make seems strange no?

You haven't seen my database then. Over 200 different common events (anything that makes a page too long/laggy and is likely to be repeated qualifies), roughly 11 pages for an average monster party, 52 conditions, and hundreds of items, monsters, and skills.

2 database (to keep someone from being overwhelmed)
3 writers/coders (one as a backup for writing sidequests, one for coding stuff, and the last to write a coherent story that combines everything
1 sprite artist (color swapping, and adding stuff like wings or tails helps alot)
2 mappers (one to place all events, one as the artist
1 sound/art expert
1 debugger/playtester

btw, i'm doing all this myself...

Yeah it may be tedious (or rather I know it's tedious, Paradise Blue had quite a bit of common event/monster code stuff too) but it's not really a "skill" I'd say, except something like enemy AI design and skill design and things which I think would fall under general gameplay design. But I dunno, I always do those things by myself so I've never thought it necessary to have another person helping in that regards, other than again gameplay planning. I'd personally think that the other people on the team should be able to do well the stuff you cannot (or have very little skill in), not so much to lighten your workload. Personally as a project lead I'd say you'd still have a ton of work to do. Again like you, I'm used to working solo so that's just my view on it!


I said the person should do it themselves, but I would say up to 2 in case of time constraints or if you're really a clueless mapper, which in that case you'll want to learn from them as well. 2 is sort of arbitrary but I have seen it and also it's easier to find mappers than it is for other positions. You can ask for 4 mappers and 1 tileset artist, you'll be more likely to fill the mapping positions.


Plus it's not just for "looking" at. Good mapping involves more than thinking a map looks good because you tossed your entire 2nd layer of tiles onto the map and you can't see the ground tile. It involves level design, progression, environment/puzzles, creativity, world building, accessibility, a bunch of stuff. But yeah I do think it isn't something a person isn't able to do, but yeah they may want someone to at least guide them in any case.