Does CAD experience count as 3d Modeling Experience?

Ashren

I am in a difficult position. Currently I work retail and have started my own game development team. Myself and three other individuals. Progress is going well, but I have been made a job offer as a CAD Drafter with a local company. I have sent out at least 50 applications as a 3d Environment Artist/Level Designer, but have yet to hear back from any of the aforementioned prospects.

The pay increase isn’t a dire need at this time, but I am unsure as to if experience as a CAD Drafter would help me towards my goals at all. In my mind CAD Drafting experience is “okay” but I feel as if a game studio would want prior experience with other game studios, not a CAD Drafter. The new role would definitely take away from the time I currently have to pursue my indie project. I am currently our Environment Artist, Level Designer and Game Designer. Any insight you could provide would be tremendously helpful.

Thank you

Swaggletooth

In my time working as a 3D artist I've head so many people grumble about CAD files they've been given to work with (basically the files aren't optimized for real time).

But - and this is a big but - there's still a lot of useful principles it could teach you (scale, form, composition etc), and CAD files are quite often used as the basis for guiding some real time 3D models (eg cars).

In balance, I'd say take the job and maybe stick out for 6 months while you work on your portfolio. It'd still look good on your CV.

Ashren

Thank you! This provided some good insight to help me make a decision.

Aabel

Working as a CAD drafter is more relevant towards your long term goals than working in retail. You are going to have spend that time at work somewhere, and CAD > retail. Don't let perfection be the enemy of improvement.

ZacD

Swaggletooth said:

In my time working as a 3D artist I've head so many people grumble about CAD files they've been given to work with (basically the files aren't optimized for real time).

I'm curious if cad files would work with the boolean style workflow, just import the mesh into zbrush or whatever, and use dynamesh to smooth it, and retopo how ever you want.