Classifying Credits
Credits Classification List
The purpose of this document is to help contributors correctly classify roles once submitting credits and lower the amount of time that approvers have to spend on verifying and fixing in this area. Document cannot cover every possible case and example, therefore we kindly ask contributors to leave notes in submissions when the role is difficult to classify.
This revised version was started by Mtik333 with the support of various senior contributors, approvers and admins. Submitting questions and ideas to improve the document is highly appreciated. If you are not sure about classification, be sure to read the whole document.
Additional note
Sometimes, role grouping points to different classification than role within it. Let’s take a look at following example:
- Group in credits: "Speech Recording"
- Role in group: "Development Director"
Business
Description
This classification should be selected when the role refers to “business” activity. These are met mostly in credits associated with the publisher. Roles like “President”, “CEO”, “COO”, “VP/Vice President”, “Company’s Executive”, “Managing Director”, “Member of the Board”, "Publishing," "General Manager" fit this classification.
Notes
- If the role points directly to company (so role is simply “Activision”, “Ubisoft” etc.) - this should use classification “Other”
- If role points to Legal/Finance/Sales part of business, role should use classification “Other”
- If role merges Business and Production, like “Vice President of Product Development”, both are fine though Production would be suggested.
“President”, “CEO”, “COO”, “VP/Vice president”, “Company’s Executive”, “Managing Director”, “Member of the Board”.
Production
Description
This classification should be selected in case, when the role has something to do with the game production process. There might be multiple examples: “Producer”, “Senior/Junior Producer”, “Supervisor”, “Associate Producer”, “Production Coordinator”, “Project Management/Assistance”, "Product(ion) Services". Since production can be considered as “project development” in general, roles like “Game Director” or “Project Leader/Manager”, “Production Manager” should also land here.
Notes
- In case of roles duplicating Production and Game Development, like “Producer of Game Design”, “Design Producer”, “Movie Producer”, “Localization Producer” or “Audio Producer” these should use: “Design”, “Video/Cinematics”, “Localization” and “Audio” accordingly.
“Producer”, “Senior/Junior Producer”, “Supervisor”, “Associate Producer”, “Production Coordinator”, “Project Management/Assistance”, “Game/Development Director”, “Project Leader/Manager”, “Production Manager”.
Design
DescriptionThis classification should be used whenever a “Design” word appears in the role. There might be several other cases that can be covered with this classification: “Original Concept/Idea”, “Created by”, “Creative Director”, “Design Director”, “Research”, "Level Building".
Notes
- Roles like “Sound/Audio Designer” – “Audio” classification should be used as a role due to indicating audio work as a whole rather than designing.
- Japanese title “Design” often refers to Graphic Design / Artwork, so this role should use “Art/Graphics” classification.
“Design”, “Original Concept/Idea”, “Created by”, “Creative Director”, “Quest Design”, “Design Director”, “Research”, “Game Design” (Japanese games), “Planning” (Japanese games).
Programming/Engineering
Description
This classification should be used when programming/engineering words are in role title, though “Development”, “Scripter” and any “Technical” role can be also classified this way - this includes roles that sound more production-related like “Technical Director/Direction” or “Software Architect”.
Notes
- Audio/Sound Programming/Engineering – such roles should utilize “Audio” classification as Audio is the direct subject of the programming process in this case.
“Programmer”, “Engineer”, “Development”, “Technical Director/Direction”, “Scripter”, “Software Architect”, “Rendering”, “Physics”, "QA Programmer".
Writers
DescriptionThis classification should be used when we talk about narrative-related roles mentioned in credits. Keywords here include “Writing”, “Plot”, “Scenario”, “Narrative Designer”, “Dialogue”, “Novelist”, “Based on story from”. If you find a more complex role like “Writing and Quest Designing”, you’re likely to split this single role into two roles to make classification be correct.
Notes
- “Editors” (working on copywriting) and “Technical Writers” (Documentation-related work) are classified under “Creative Services”. Proofreading is either part of "Quality Assurance" or "Localization".
“Writing”, “Plot”, “Scenario”, “Narrative Designer”, “Dialogue”, “Novelist”, “Based on story from”, “Scenario” (Japanese games), “Linguistics”.
Art/Graphics
DescriptionThis classification is used for any role that has something to do with artistic work and development of the graphical side of the game. Please notice that by art/graphics we mean mostly static artwork. Covered are both “2D/3D Artist” roles, “UI Artist/Graphics”, “Menu/HUD Graphics”, but also “Art Director”, “Visuals”, “Interface”, “Animator”, “Cinematic/Cutscene Artist”, “Concept Art”, “Character Design”, “Storyboard”, "Rigging", “Modeler”.
Notes
- Promotional Art (like cover artwork, manual artwork or marketing art) should be classified using “Creative Services”. Japanese title “Design” often refers to Graphic Design / Artwork, so then role should use “Art/Graphics” classification.
“2D/3D Artist”, “UI Artist/Graphics”, “Menu/HUD Graphics”, “Art Director”, “Visuals”, “Interface”, “Animator”, “Cinematic/Cutscene Artist”, “Concept Art”, “Character Design”, “Storyboard”, “Illustrationts”, “Modeler”, “Design” (Japanese games), “Environment”.
Video/Cinematics
DescriptionThis classification is used for roles that directly point to any kind of cinematics and videos development for the game. Other keywords that point to this classification are “Movie/Cutscene Director/Producer”, “Camera”, “Costumes”, “Stage Manager” “FMV”, “Capture Motion” or “Cutscenes”. “Post Production” might also fit here.
Notes
- Staff which creates art for rendered or in-game cutscenes is categorized under Art/Graphics. Voice actors are categorized under Audio.
“Movie/Cutscene Director/Producer”, “Camera”, “Costumes”, “Stage Manager” “FMV”, “Capture Motion” or “Cutscenes”. “Post Production”.
Audio
DescriptionThis classification should be used to cover roles that describe sound aspects of the game, so licensed music, voice artists involved in game, voice casting, original score composers, in-game non-music sounds.
Various developers decide to take different ways to list audio - sometimes it will be reported as “Written / performed by”, sometimes however songs names are “roles” - these should also land here. Audio classification covers voice-acting, so any roles under the “Cast” section (or named “Voice Talent”) should be classified using this group, including “Localized” voice acting.
Notes>
- Here we also add roles that speak about Audio directly though could be mixed up with other classifications - “Audio Engineering”, “Audio Producer”, “Audio Director”, “Voice Recording”, “SFX”, “Audio Design” - all should use “Audio” classification
“Vocal”, “Composer”, “Sound Effects”, “Written / performed by”, “<name of song>”, “Cast”, “Voice Talent”, “Voice Localization”, “Audio Engineering”, “Audio Producer”, “Audio Director”, “Voice Recording”, “SFX”, “Sound/Audio/Music Design”, “Lector”, “Speech Script”.
Quality Assurance
DescriptionThis classification should be used when there is something related to testing or QA in the name of the role. Examples of such might be: “QA Team”, “QA Manager”, “TRG Testing”, “Testers”, “Playtesting”, “Quality Control”, “Compatibility”, “Analysts”, "Compliance", "Certification".
Notes
- “Localization QA” also matches this classification as we cover the testing aspect mainly.
“QA Team”, “QA Manager”, “TGR Testing”, “Testers”, “Playtesting”, “Quality Control”, “Compatibility”, “Analysts”, “Localization Testing/QA”.
Localization
DescriptionThis classification should be used when a role describes work focused directly on providing localization services. Keywords include “Localization/Localized”, “Translation”, but also “Localization Manager/Supervisor”. It is important to note that “Localization Testing” belongs to QA, because the main object of the role is to test, not to do localization.
Notes
- Localized voice acting should use “Audio” classification.
“Localization/Localized”, “Translation”, “Localization Manager/Supervisor”.
Marketing
DescriptionThis classification should be used when a role expresses any kind of marketing-related work, including “Advertising”, “Brand Management”, “Media Management” or even “Events Management” and “User research”. All of such roles are likely covering work done in order to promote the game and convince people to buy the product.
Common titles
“Marketing”, “Advertising”, “Brand Management”, “Media Management”, “Events Management”, “User research”, “Product Manager”.
Public Relations
DescriptionThis classification should be used when a role defines work in the area of communication with customers, clients, manufacturers and so on. Most of the time, the role includes “Public Relations”, “Press Relations” or “PR” words. This also covers “Communications” like “Corporate Communications”, “Communications Manager/Specialist”, “Community Manager”, “Social Media Manager”, "Traffic Specialist", "Influencer Relations" or “Publicist”.
Common titles
“Public Relations”, “Press Relations”, “PR”, “Corporate Communications”, “Communications Manager/Specialist”, “Community Manager”, “Social Media Manager”, “Publicist”.
Creative Services
DescriptionThis classification should be used when the role describes “Packaging”, “Manual”/”Manual writing”, “Documentation”, “Cover Art”, “Editor”. The role “Website / Website Developer” should use this classification if the purpose is promotional - otherwise, it should go under the “Technology” classification.
Notes
- For example, in following credits (https://www.mobygames.com/game/playstation-4/watch_dogs-2/credits) there is a “Creative Services” section with developers credited below it - if the role isn’t clearly enough to put it under any of other classifications, the fact that role has been put under “Creative Services” section makes it valid to use exactly this classification.
“Packaging”, “Manual”/”Manual writing”, “Documentation”, “Cover Art”, “Editor”, “Manual Illustrations”, “Promotional Art”, “Package Design”.
Technology
DescriptionThis classification should be used when a role directly points to work in the area of in-house tools, libraries and scripts. This means that roles such as “IT Director/Supervisor” or “Director of Technology” should land here. Roles such as “Website / Website Developer”, “Network”, “Webmaster”, “Management Information System”, "Mastering Lab Supervisor/Technician", "Database Administration/Supervisor", "DevOps", "Installation Program", "CTO / Chief Technical Officer", "Burn Lab Technician" and “IT Group” are also considered as “Technology”.
Notes
- Roles such as “Tools/Systems Programming” should use “Programming” classification, because the main object of work is programming.
For very specific cases like here - https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,157888/ - “Technology” classification should be used, because point of “crediting” is to hint to a technology used in the project development (not the fact that someone programmed something).
“IT Director/Supervisor” or “Director of Technology”, “Website / Website Developer”, “Network”, “Webmaster”, “Management Information System”, “IT Group”, “Mastering”, “Tools”, “R&D Specialist/Manager”.
Customer/Technical Support
DescriptionThis classification should be used when a role directly points to Customer-related work. In fact, examples of roles consuming this group are: “Customer Support”, “Customer Management“, “Technician” and “Representative”.
Common titles
“Customer Support”, “Customer Management“, “Technician”, “Representative”.
Administration
DescriptionThis classification should be used when there is an “Administration” keyword in the role. As of today, it is used for “Studio Operations”, “HR”, “Secretaries”, “Office Manager”, “Recruiter” and “Personal Assistants”.
Notes
- Roles like “Finance” or “Payroll” should use “Other” classification.
"Studio Operations", "HR", "Secretaries", "Office Manager", "Recruiter", "Personal Assistants".
Support
DescriptionThis classification is used very rarely and the most common case is when the role simply says “Support”, “Adviser”, "Contribution" or “With help from” or “General [Game] Counsel”.
Notes
- If a role points to another part of work, it is likely to land somewhere else.
- “Audio Support” should be under Audio,
- “Production Support” - under Production.
“Support”, “Adviser”, “With help from”, “General [Game] Counsel”, “Consultant”, “Cooperation”.
Thanks
Description
This classification is used for “Special Thanks” or “Thanks” roles in credits. Phrases might be longer but if the purpose of the role is to express gratefulness then it is likely going to be “Thanks” classification. Roles like “Dedicated to”, “In Memory of” can also use this classification.
Notes
- “Production Babies” role should use “Other” classification.
- Roles related directly to crowdfunding (“Backers”, “Kickstarter”, “Indiegogo”) are almost always presented to show “gratefulness”, therefore they should use “Thanks” role.
- If a special thanks credit also fits into one of the above classifications, that one should be used instead.
- For example, if a credit says "Special Thanks to Jon Doe for Playtesting", Quality Assurance should be chosen.
“Special Thanks”, “Thanks”, “Dedicated to”, “In Memory of”, “Backers”.
Other
Description
This classification is used as a “last resort” when you decide that none of choices match existing classification.
Notes (examples)
- Credits might contain a role named “Team”/”Game Team”/”Core-Development Team” that contains several developers, but it is not specified, whether they were doing programming, sound mastering or design or anything at all– then “Other” classification should be used.
- License/legal information – technologies used in development of the game, licenses fetched from car manufacturers, global brands and trademarks, “production babies”.
- Roles like “Operations Manager”, “Counsel” or roles that have something related to “Sales” should also land here, because these are far away from the “Business” aspect of a game's production and do not match any role fully.
Companies
Description
This classification is used in cases when the role contains only companies (added as entities, not person). For example, an external company was responsible for providing sound effects, game/audio engines or outsourcing artists.
Notes
Classification must not be used when a person is also listed.
Notes
Titles and groupsSometimes it helps to look at a group to determine the classification of the titles listed as part of it. For instance: if the group is called "QA" and one of the titles is "Manager", "Quality Assurance" is a better classification than "Business". This is however not universal. There are also lots of examples where many different titles and classifications happen to be part of a single group.