How and why to work with outsource game design

What the talk is about

Sasha Protasenya explains how and why to outsource game design, mostly from the client's point of view. Content is the easiest thing to hand off: narrative, scripts and levels. Other options are a project design review with help fixing the problems found, concept development (it is better to ask for three rough concepts and pick one), and full design, where the specialist joins the team. The speaker advises structuring the task in advance, trying to do it in-house first, checking contractors with a small test rather than a portfolio alone, and staying involved without micromanaging every step. In the Q&A he distinguishes a screenwriter, a narrative designer and a game designer, suggests telling designers the project's business goals, and touches on paying for time spent learning internal tools. Useful for producers, studio owners and game designers.