An IP must take this all into account, but ultimately the prime directive is releasing the best game possible. It's his or her name on the line, and a good name will ensure another job with another game, another company, and another development team.

The IP must be an expert in all facets of development. He or she must share in the vision from conception to birth, keeping an eye on every little detail. For example, he or she must discern when too much money and time is being spent on the graphics and defer that expense to improve physics. When an actor is not believable, the dialogue must be redone until it's perfect or a more competent actor hired. Should prerecorded music or an original symphonic score be used? The IP has to delete the boring parts, fix the broken parts, and find the missing parts. Being ruthless for the sake of the game is for the consumer's benefit. The IP has to know when something sucks and make it known.

You're only as good as your last game, so you've got to make it good, which is not always possible. There are an amazing amount of variables to coordinate. As such, there is no love lost for the IP. He or she is likely to be the most despised person on the project. That's because the IP doesn't have to worry about shattering fragile egos. The IP doesn't have to be friends with the development team. After a great game has been released, the IP moves on to terrorize another team. Afterward, the company can send the employees for therapy, or buy them ice cream.

Not everything is going to be a masterpiece. But at sixty bucks a pop, somebody else should have to pay for a crap game.

By Cole Smith Contributing Writer Date: July 13, 2012

*The views expressed within this article are solely the opinion of the author and do not express the views held by Cheat Code Central. This week's is also purely a work of fiction*