Fallout 3: Inside the Vault Q&A

Bethesda’s official blog has been updated with another “Inside the Vault” Q&A, this time featuring producer Craig Lafferty.

Q: What does a producer do?

A: In a nutshell, we make sure a game is completed on time, on budget, and delivers the game experience it is supposed to. What we do on a day to day basis changes as the project goes on. Initially it involves a lot of meetings and scheduling, then it becomes heavy duty tracking of assets and the current state of the game, and toward the end it’s all about making sure everything is in the game and it’s bug free (and doesn’t suck). And throughout the entire thing a producer is responsible for playing the game every day and being aware of the state of things, so to speak. And there are lots of miscellaneous tasks that come up from time to time involving giving demos and things for the press or working with the marketing, sales, and legal departments.