One-time art assets

JKim3

I'm wondering what people (especially people who have had to do such things) think about having to work on an art asset (model, texture or animation) that is only going to be seen once and for not very long? Like, this is something that you put effort and time into, and is only going to be seen once and not again. Do you refuse to do it unless it's used again, really half-ass it so you can work on more important things, or do it if you think it will have a great effect on how a particular scene turns out? I'm curious because I have kinda pie-in-the-sky game and scenario designs that involve 'throw-away' assets (I guess you could call them), but I want to respect the people who have to create the art.

Also, is it the same feeling as having a project cancelled well into development (ala Ultima X)?

Paolo

well, I'll feel a heckuva lot better about it if I'm paid by the hour

r13

I've been doing throw away assets for the last year in the pre-production of the game i'm working on. I still do the best i can on every single pixel for a few reasons. one, you never know what will make the final game. even if they told you there is zero chance, it might still happen. The other reason is why do a bad job on purpose? sometimes i need to produce something quickly, but i still do as good as i am able.

if something is truly temporary, then it gets a checkerboard patterned texture to show anyone looking at the demo that those assets are temporary. they are usally large cubes, volumes and shapes that simply wouldn't make the final game.

but as for making assets that are only seen "once in a game and for not long", i dont see any valid or professional reason to not do your best in general. we've all got schedules to deal with so something might get less attention, but i never consiously think "gee that fountain will only be seen once, i'll hack that out and spend a few weeks on this wall light." last i checked it wasnt about how much of my art is seen in a game at any one time. i'm still debating whether its about fun or money, but its definately not about my "screen time".

Kevin Johnstone

whether its seen for an hour or a minute,i tend to put pretty much the same effort into it. sometimes I even put more into some throwaway assets as they are ones that I typically get more freedom on and i love that

CheapAlert

One time? Me? Hell no, i'll rig every model I made to as many games as I could fit them in

INTARWEB