Go Back

My achievements

at

Sabarasa Entertainment

  • Versatility and Collaboration

  • Fostering Innovation

  • Pioneering User-Centric Design

  • Soft skills on seeing a company go down

  • Transition to User Experience (UX)

What I learnt

Unexpected Promotion, Daunting Task

I joined Sabarasa as a Game Designer, but quickly rose to Creative Director (only my second game job). My diverse background (TV advertising, 2D/3D animation) proved valuable, but leading a cross-functional team was daunting.

Building the "Stages" System

A key challenge was creating the "Stages" system, a foundation for future games. It demanded unifying diverse creative input, managing departmental expectations, and ensuring flexibility for future concepts. Strong problem-solving and communication were crucial.

Leading Diverse Teams

The gaming industry requires leading a team with varied backgrounds (developers, sound designers, artists of all types, animators, VFX). Navigating these differences and fostering collaboration were ongoing hurdles. My success stemmed from finding a unified vision that aligned everyone's efforts. This step-by-step, collaborative approach built a cohesive and productive team.

Are you interested? Keep reading below!

About

Sabarasa Entertainment

My experience there:

2007-2011

Category

Video Games

Related link (opens a new tab)

Visit Site

In 2007, I joined Sabarasa, Argentina's leading video game studio at the time, as a Game Designer. My vision and dedication were quickly recognised, leading to a well-deserved promotion to Creative Director within the first couple years.

As Creative Director, I shouldered a broader set of responsibilities:

  • Project Oversight: I oversaw the entire creative development process for all studio projects, up to 6 at a time.

  • Team Leadership: I led a team of 10 creative professionals, including game designers and a game scriptwriter.

  • Streamlining the Creative Process: Recognising the need for improved efficiency, I led the development of a staged system for managing both Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from external clients and our internal project ideas. This system prioritised the creation of prototypes over mockups and deck presentations, demonstrably increasing the success rate of our pitches.

Actively attending industry yearly events such as the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and Game Connection (GC) at San Francisco, USA, became a cornerstone of my role. This allowed me to network with potential clients and immerse myself in the latest gaming industry trends, ensuring Sabarasa remained at the forefront of the Argentinean video game development scene.

Check the video below for a summary of some of the published titles:



0

%

Studio efficiency improvement

Studio efficiency improvement

+

0

Titles launched

Titles launched

Game Designer, Producer

Game Designer, Producer

Versatility and Collaboration at Sabarasa

My diverse skillset allowed me to contribute to various aspects of Sabarasa's projects. Leveraging my experience in marketing and television advertising, I provided valuable insights and guidance on storytelling elements, cinematics, and in-game slideshows.

Demonstrating my commitment to teamwork, I actively sought opportunities to support colleagues across the studio. This included tasks such as:

  • Storytelling and Creative Input: I offered consultations on narrative development, cinematics, and in-game slideshows.

  • Project Management Support: I assisted with organising translation, level design, in-game rules, progression math documents in Excel spreadsheets or proprietary tools.

  • Idea Generation: I actively contributed by sketching concept ideas, proposing new ideas for original IPs or understanding the focus and needs of RFPs.

  • General Support: I was always willing to tackle additional tasks, no matter how routine, to ensure project success.

My willingness to go the extra mile and my adaptable skillset fostered a collaborative and supportive work environment at Sabarasa.

Game Designer, Producer

Versatility and Collaboration at Sabarasa

My diverse skillset allowed me to contribute to various aspects of Sabarasa's projects. Leveraging my experience in marketing and television advertising, I provided valuable insights and guidance on storytelling elements, cinematics, and in-game slideshows.

Demonstrating my commitment to teamwork, I actively sought opportunities to support colleagues across the studio. This included tasks such as:

  • Storytelling and Creative Input: I offered consultations on narrative development, cinematics, and in-game slideshows.

  • Project Management Support: I assisted with organising translation, level design, in-game rules, progression math documents in Excel spreadsheets or proprietary tools.

  • Idea Generation: I actively contributed by sketching concept ideas, proposing new ideas for original IPs or understanding the focus and needs of RFPs.

  • General Support: I was always willing to tackle additional tasks, no matter how routine, to ensure project success.

My willingness to go the extra mile and my adaptable skillset fostered a collaborative and supportive work environment at Sabarasa.

Creative Stages Procedure

Creative Stages Procedure

Fostering Innovation at Sabarasa

As part of the creative team at Sabarasa, we employed a rigorous process known as the "Stages System" to ensure we focused development efforts on the most promising ideas. This system, emphasising the concept of "Fun Factor" – still relevant today – aimed to identify and refine game concepts with strong entertainment value.

The Stages System prioritised the rapid evaluation and potential elimination of weaker ideas, allowing the team to concentrate on more viable and developed concepts. In a nutshell, here's how it functioned:

  • Stage 1: Initial Spark: The process began with a simple one-pager document outlining the concept with sketches and a brief explanation. This low-fidelity approach allowed for cost-effective exploration of numerous ideas.

  • Stage 2: Prototype and Mockup: Concepts approved by the studio heads (Technical, Sound, Creative, etc.) progressed to stage two. This stage involved the creation of a rough prototype and a basic mockup, sometimes utilising the expertise of a developer and artist.

  • Stage 3: Refinement and Iteration: Promising concepts from stage two underwent further refinement and iteration.

  • Stage 4: Polished Pitch or Production: Stage four resulted in a highly polished project prototype suitable for client pitches or, in cases where the studio held strong belief in its potential, internal production.

This staged approach fostered a culture of innovation at Sabarasa, ensuring we efficiently developed engaging game concepts with a high likelihood of success. Leading this process was a top priority for me, guaranteeing its successful execution.

Creative Stages Procedure

Fostering Innovation at Sabarasa

As part of the creative team at Sabarasa, we employed a rigorous process known as the "Stages System" to ensure we focused development efforts on the most promising ideas. This system, emphasising the concept of "Fun Factor" – still relevant today – aimed to identify and refine game concepts with strong entertainment value.

The Stages System prioritised the rapid evaluation and potential elimination of weaker ideas, allowing the team to concentrate on more viable and developed concepts. In a nutshell, here's how it functioned:

  • Stage 1: Initial Spark: The process began with a simple one-pager document outlining the concept with sketches and a brief explanation. This low-fidelity approach allowed for cost-effective exploration of numerous ideas.

  • Stage 2: Prototype and Mockup: Concepts approved by the studio heads (Technical, Sound, Creative, etc.) progressed to stage two. This stage involved the creation of a rough prototype and a basic mockup, sometimes utilising the expertise of a developer and artist.

  • Stage 3: Refinement and Iteration: Promising concepts from stage two underwent further refinement and iteration.

  • Stage 4: Polished Pitch or Production: Stage four resulted in a highly polished project prototype suitable for client pitches or, in cases where the studio held strong belief in its potential, internal production.

This staged approach fostered a culture of innovation at Sabarasa, ensuring we efficiently developed engaging game concepts with a high likelihood of success. Leading this process was a top priority for me, guaranteeing its successful execution.

UX Curiosity

UX Curiosity

Pioneering User-Centric Design

From the outset of my career at Sabarasa, I held a deep fascination with how video games (and apps) establish a common language of intuition. This concept, akin to the user expectations and conventions, has become universally understood by players.

In my role overseeing the studio's diverse projects, I actively compared and analysed them. This unwavering focus on clarity and a positive user experience (UX) – even before UX was formally established as a design discipline – allowed me to champion these principles within the team.

UX Curiosity

Pioneering User-Centric Design

From the outset of my career at Sabarasa, I held a deep fascination with how video games (and apps) establish a common language of intuition. This concept, akin to the user expectations and conventions, has become universally understood by players.

In my role overseeing the studio's diverse projects, I actively compared and analysed them. This unwavering focus on clarity and a positive user experience (UX) – even before UX was formally established as a design discipline – allowed me to champion these principles within the team.

Working with big brands

Working with big brands

Soft skills on seeing a company go down

My tenure at Sabarasa, while ultimately cut short by the company's unfortunate bankruptcy in 2010 due to an unfavorable investor-client cycle, proved to be a period of significant professional growth and industry exposure. By the end, we were collaborating with major players in the gaming industry.

In my role, I had the privilege of engaging in discussions with highly talented individuals at companies like Nintendo of America, Sony Playstation's South American Incubator Platform, and liaisons from industry giants such as THQ, Televisa, and Electronic Arts. This experience honed my communication skills, not only perfecting my English but also prompting me to learn French, further expanding my professional reach.

This network of valuable contacts, including Ryan Peterson (Co-Founder of Finger Food Studios, who later became a mentor), proved instrumental in opening doors to numerous exciting career opportunities. These experiences underscored the importance of effective stakeholder communication and laid the foundation for my continued professional development.

Transition to User Experience (UX)

My journey in the video game industry has been phenomenal. The ever-evolving field of UX design has broadened my horizons, allowing me to explore fascinating and challenging applications beyond the realm of video games.

Working with big brands

Soft skills on seeing a company go down

My tenure at Sabarasa, while ultimately cut short by the company's unfortunate bankruptcy in 2010 due to an unfavorable investor-client cycle, proved to be a period of significant professional growth and industry exposure. By the end, we were collaborating with major players in the gaming industry.

In my role, I had the privilege of engaging in discussions with highly talented individuals at companies like Nintendo of America, Sony Playstation's South American Incubator Platform, and liaisons from industry giants such as THQ, Televisa, and Electronic Arts. This experience honed my communication skills, not only perfecting my English but also prompting me to learn French, further expanding my professional reach.

This network of valuable contacts, including Ryan Peterson (Co-Founder of Finger Food Studios, who later became a mentor), proved instrumental in opening doors to numerous exciting career opportunities. These experiences underscored the importance of effective stakeholder communication and laid the foundation for my continued professional development.

Transition to User Experience (UX)

My journey in the video game industry has been phenomenal. The ever-evolving field of UX design has broadened my horizons, allowing me to explore fascinating and challenging applications beyond the realm of video games.

Alejandro Luna | UX/UI Designer & Producer

Alejandro Luna
UX/UI Designer &
Producer

©2024 ALE LUNA DESIGN/

BACK TO TOP

©2024 ALE LUNA DESIGN/

BACK TO TOP