Senior games artists skills for the next 5 years

littleclaude

Hello

I need to know what core software skills a Senior Games Artists and Games Designers need in the games industry for the next 5 years.

I have to write a paper on the subject so I thought I would ask the professionals.

While I am confident I can document all the basics I need to know what will be happening five years in the future even if it’s just guess work. For example Houdini will be used to create real time particles. Also if there are any new job roles that you may think might emerge such as particle hair and fur artists. Also if you could tell me anything that you find useful such as quixel DDo that would be great.

For example

Rigger
Software – Maya, 3DSmax,

Skills - Rigging, Pipeline Development, Animation Tool Creation, MEL/Python/Pymel/PyQt/API

Character Artist
Software – Maya, 3DSmax, Zbrush, Mudbox,

Skills - Edgeloop flow, DirX 11 pipeline, Displacement maps, an understanding of SSS shader creation and so on

Games Designer, I guess just list everything? What do you think or should the skillset be broken down?
Software – Unity, UDK, Source, Maya, 3DSmax,

Skills, Game play design, level design, prototyping, play/testing, 3D modelling, Modding and scripting, Basic programming, Kismet

Job Titles Designer
Lead Designer
Object planner
Games Designer
GUI Designer
Script writer
Storyboard Artist
Map builder
Illustrator
Level Editor
Graphic Designer

Job Titles Artist
Creative Manager
PreVis Artist
Art Director
Technical Artist
Lead Artist
Artist
Concept Artist
Animator
Environment Artist
3D Modeller

Please add any roles that are missing

Also any links on the subject would be great like this one by Skillset
http://www.creativeskillset.org/games/careers/article_4724_1.asp

Thanks again.

Shrike

Many game designers work more in documents than in an actual engine. You describe more of a dedicated leveldesigner.
Its a lot about concepting things. You may want to add software like perforce, MS office, and things like mindmapping tools, and I heavily suspect articy draft to become a big thing in the next time because its just simply amazing and gives nearly all a gamedesigner wants.

Dylan Brady

Character Artists: in the future I would say MARI or Substance designer/dDO will become essential. I also think knowing how to work with scan data will become more and more important.

littleclaude

Fantastic points, thank you both very much

Kwramm

Physically based shaders, ZBrush (env + characters), Substance/dDo, linear workflow/gamma correct workflows.
Being thorough and organized as the assets you'll handle will be bigger and more detailed than current ones. Tip: look at how they organize stuff in film - strict pipelines, strict naming conventions, more rules - but that's what's needed when you make a Lord of the Rings or Pacific Rim. Expect more of the same in games. The days where you could work however you want are (and should be!) numbered.

Tech art wise: Substance, Houdini. Python and PyQt. Databases and web-apps (e.g. Django, jQuery). Usability focus - let's not just make more powerful tools, let's make them easier and faster to use too! Interoperability focus - let's make all those powerful tools like Mari, Substance, dDo, Max, ZB work together nicely! Personally I just don't want to see MEL any more.
Get used to employ proper software engineering methods as tools become bigger and more sophisticated. Document, use unit tests, plan your tools instead of hacking away!

littleclaude

Hi Kwramm

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.

Some great areas of expertise to research into.