Joshua Jones - Level Design - Portfolio *Student*
New to the site and I got a suggestion from a designer at EA Mythic to ask people to look at my portfolio and of course give thoughts on it. I am looking to enter in as a Intern for Level Design or of course a starting position as such,but I am sure that is not possible, but never hurts to apply...
Thanks Everyone!! and glad to be here!!
http://wolgameclub.org/jj/index.html
Thanks Everyone!! and glad to be here!!
http://wolgameclub.org/jj/index.html
Replies
I've been a level designer for about 9 years now and the one thing I have to say (only looking at the Unreal maps) is that you really need to work on detailing your maps as they seem very bare, as well as realizing that flat square walls aren't what most rooms are made of. A key thing to be aware of is that you want your level to look great even if its not filled with prop models such as barrels, crates or anything else. Make the architecture look good enough to stand out on its own.
I actually suffered from the same problem of trying to change the way I thought about the layout and design of a room when I first started mapping too.
For starters I'd say you just need to do some research into some more interesting design ideas. For example, take a look at some different environment concept art and simply try to re-create in 3D some of the sketches that artists make. A perfect place to start would be Feng Zhu's website. http://www.fengzhudesign.com/
I'd say this piece in particular would be a fairly good one to start with as its not overly complex but its still nice to look at. http://www.fengzhudesign.com/env_25.html
All a potential employer wants to see is that you have an understanding of 3D space and that you can accurately re-create environments from provided concept art. If you can accurate re-create about 4 different concept art pieces, I'd say you'd have a fairly good portfolio to show off. Just be sure to give credit to the artist who's concepts you use.
I'd also suggest you take a look at the levels in other games such as Doom 3, Quake 4, Gears of War, Prey etc. These are all games with some great examples of professional looking level design.
I looked at your props section, and some parts of your objects looked textured and other bits don't seem done yet.
I liked your oblivion mod stuff, I'm assuming you did everything, but after looking at other sections I'm not sure. The unreal map next to it seems empty. It looks like you forgot to add a static mesh pass. I'm not sure if you have played Half Life 2 Deathmatch but in every single map that they have it feels like there is a huge entire world surrounding you. I think you need to add more static meshes to your maps. Some of the sections of the map feel like I'm playing doom 1 due to how the Brushes where used and because several entrances looked square. Also the placement of some of the textures in some sections seem off. By that I mean that there are sections in the map where it looks like you just used the same exact texture on separate walls that are too close together and didn't bother to offset it.
Keep at it man and good luck. I really liked some of the screen shots on their own and I liked the lighting in some of the maps.
I think you need to redesign your site so its simple to navigate. You might want to read this.
Right now it feels a little busy navigation wise.
http://boards.polycount.net/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=73945&an=0&page=0#Post73945
Alex
Broken Shit:
(I am using the latest Mozilla Firefox)
-When I click your Design Test .pdf link, nothing happens.
-When I click on your texture samples in your gallery page, nothing happens.
-Under your textures it says "Apon request"
Website Feedback:
-The giant "GO BACK" link, while helpful, is annoying IMO. It's really large and in your face, so I guess that's why it puts me off
-The Gallery page is a really small link on your page, might want to make this bigger and more noticable since its got alot of content on it.
-I don't understand why it says "Unreal 3 coming 5/08." I would just leave that off since it's clearly an Unreal 2.x level.
-Always give people a choice to view your resume in different formats. HTML, .PDF, or .Doc
Level Design Feedback:
-You need some design documentation on your site to show that you can write and understand game design documentation. A level design document, a concept document for a mod, or a doc explaining scripted sequences would be good starters I think.
-Your Oblivion screenshots are your strongest work by far and I think this is the type of quality stuff you need to be cranking out to get hired. If you have time I would do some more Oblivion work, preferably outdoors + architecture to show you can do more than caves well.
-In your Oblivion videos you are showing the level in night vision. It looks like blue lifeless shit in night vision, to be frank. Your screenshots on the other hand show some good lighting, so I would re-do the videos with regular lighting.
-Your oblivion level overview/overhead shots are really hard to understand. I can't see what all is going on or make much sense of it. I would take better shots without verts showing and then do text over it.
Here are some other level designers' examples that I like
for this type of overhead layout shot:
From: http://vargodesign.com/
And some paper ones:
http://features-temp.cgsociety.org/gallerycrits/262471/262471_1171863636_large.jpg
-Not much going on in your NWN2 "fast view" video. I would either make a new one that shows something compelling gameplay-wise, or scrap the video.
-Same goes for the NWN2 screens, there needs to be more going on in the scene I think. It's really flat and lifeless. Not much of a story going on as to what this place is or what its function is.
-Your Unreal levels suffer from "Box room" syndrome. You really need to enhance those boxy shapes with architectural pieces and props. Look at professional maps (2k3,2k4,UT3,GoW, Half Life 2, etc) to see good examples and mimic them. A first step would be adding structural elements. Wall braces, brackets, pipes, bevels, etc, etc. No matter how fun the level is, you will still be heavily judged on your screenshots and the box room feel makes it feel more like an unfinished piece.
-At this point, I'm not seeing much gameplay or scripting demonstrated in your portfolio. So, your selling point is really pretty much just your images. I think the Oblivion screens are the only ones that are really attention-grabbing and impressive from a visual/artistic standpoint. So, I would either focus on making more badass imagery or getting some gameplay/layout/flow/scripting demonstrated. Preferably both.
Look at this dude's site for a good way to demonstrate that:
http://www.robertbloss.com
He's got design descriptions /role descriptions for each of his levels and even some documentation. Plus, screens with good composition and lighting.
-Don't give up. I can tell from looking at this stuff you have the right foundation to be a good level designer, you just need to keep cranking away at stuff. And get some gameplay shit on there!!!
Hope this feedback helps you dude. Good luck!
Loved all your suggestions, and will clean up some designs that are not finished up texturing wise, I did notice I uploaded two that are not completed, they are done now just uploaded the wrong screen. I loved all the links and suggestions am adjusting to it now...short time to get things done as internships are starting this week..So I guess I should get busy, everyone here is the best and thank you for all your help it really means alot to me...sooo BACK TO WORK...ty ty ty
PS SCRIPTING? How do you document that? I would love an example, I do have level design docs and GDD's I will make a link for download to fix that...but I have no example on how to doc scripting as I do have alot on that.
Josh
Not only that, but you put YOUR name at the bottom of it taking credit for yourself. I have a feeling an artist named Soa Lee might disagree with this content. (The original creator of the girl)
Not trying to make mistakes here...just guidance, new so thats why I am seeking help
Do you want a job as a illustrator/photo editor or as a level designer? Based on the front page of your site, I would say it's the latter. In which case, you can totally remove that section entirely---problem solved. In the future however, if you're going to do something like that, write a brief (and I do mean brief) explanation of the project on your site with the image in question. Most of your external gallery has a bunch of loose/irrelevant (to level design) pieces. Maybe you could scrap that section altogether for the time being?
Also, and this is just something that I've been taught, others can let me know if I'm wrong. But your resume is 4 pages long...I was under the impression that after the first page, there's no need for anything else. The title on your resume says level designer---make your resume have only things relevant to that. Lose your academic history section and the reference from who I'm guessing is a professor. If they wanted your references, an employer can ask. Your resume is also repetitive. You mention that your scripting knowledge twice in pretty much the exact same section.
The Oblivion Mod Fast View section is broken---none of the links work.
As for the page addition, I was told to show, I was well rounded, and not just a script monkey, that knows a editor, to show I am well balanced from what I learned in school, great thought on the brief ..very brief section. i think I will add that....
So I hope that clears that all up, on why I am adding it, but I guess for different companies they want to see different things, so maybe I need to have two sites one with and one without...? Its confusing to have multiple people tell me different things on what is required. What I should and should not add. Then the next day have someone else say...no Josh you goof only this and that..So Its frustrating and I am sure its frustrating for those of you trying to beat my little noodle into the correct postion. I am taking all of your suggestions and adding them as fast as I can..I do enjoy all of your posts, but feel free to beat me up..it only makes it a stronger site..and thats our goal here..thanks to all of you.
I hope maybe that helps people with the resume, couple big time people looked at it and was very happy with the final results, so maybe that helps someone else out? Since you all helped me so much.
From the Suggestions this is my update:
Add LDD and GDD to the front page.
Add Scripting Document.....( need an example of this) was not taught that in school at all, had to learn scripting on my own.... in tutorials.
Fix the buttons Again (damn dream weaver)
Then come back and get some more suggestions....
I keep saying I appreciate it...cause every post I read,I get more data, and compile it..this has been a good site for that...you guys are the best..
As for your gallery, being able to do other stuff is good...if it shows through the work/presentation. Alot of your 3D motion studies are killed by the lighting. Some other pieces aren't textured and rendered on a basic black BG. As for the photo-manipulation section, I'm still leaning towards scrapping that section altogether. I'm not sure, as I'm not in the industry yet, but I'm inclined to say that any photo manipulation is done by a graphic designer, or with photos from the company itself, vs grabbing a picture from the net.
This also may be for person to person and studio to studio. You were taught online, so employers may look for different things from students based on what kind of student they were.
Added GDD and LDD
LDD needs work from example given by forum.
(never had a good example..Now I do !! very cool)
Fixed movie Links...I think I got fixed finally...
In Progress:
Movies need redone and done with nat. lighting not night vision...from suggestion.
Was the texture thing a good Idea to have those in zips so they can see I know how to map and bump map and I don't want to add model maps, cause from suggestion then I am leaning to hard on another field ..and from what I am hearing from all of you, I don't wanna do..Thanks above...for that suggestion.
Updating my Editor movies: Making Unreal more dynamic and showing gameplay for NWN2.
*still need scripting doc example if anyone has it*
Need to change editor views to showcase better. From Suggestion.
Thinking the Firefox issue has been fixed...I use firefox, and its working good on my end now..so good call to check multiple browsers...ty ty..
Ok so we had a good sunday, lots of good suggestions and people kicking my butt for being retarded in a image..but a good learning experience..so tomorrow is another day..and see if I can't get this thing polished up soon as possible everyone!!! your the best!!
If I were you, I'd keep working on some more personal pieces for a while longer, and maybe join some mod teams to get more experience - and THEN update your portfolio with your new stuff.
... But if you're absolutely insistent on trying to get that internship, I would trim a lot of the fat off: remove the NWN2 stuff (it really does look like a pile of props), remove the "emotional events" stills, and have all your textures in full-res as JPEGs on your website (no one is going to bother downloading the ZIP file to look through everything).
Please don't take personal offense - I really don't mean any! There's simply no nice way to put it. Good luck with your job search!
For instance that one single page (if you take out the 'home', 'how I work' and other useless links) could very well be a portfolio site, it's been quoted here before as a great example and I agree :
http://www.ryanchurch.com/04PRO.htm
The guy worked on some of the bggest movies ever made... but everything is still put together on one sleek page, with mere little gifs as separators and a humble 'Miscellaneous' header for the rest. And that looks great!
So here is an easy fix for your page : if you have some images related to a certain project and other pics to another, well make them all available in one click from a starter page and write the project theme/whereabouts in a corner of the image. No need to bury the visitor under loads of information. Also what on earth are a LDD and a GDD.
[and about that 'texture' section... don't link straight to a ZIP, on one will download that. Just link to a fullsize version of the texture, HA!]
Is Westwood Online related to the Westwood College of "tighten up the graphics on level 3" fame? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spSGNMJhWV0)
If it is, you may want to play that down as much as possible and host your portfolio on your own webspace/domain. As it is, your URL is pretty difficult to remember and puts the focus on the wolgameclub rather than your name.
in finals this week, so update will be a bit slower...
adding to designs this week once they are done to get rid of boxy levels.
http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/index.php?p=cogs&s=openings
My 1 big suggestion is that you levels need more static meshes for decoration. They will make your levels ooze with detail and make them a lot more impressive to look at
-For the Oblivion Mod images, you should have a next image option, so that whoever viewing your site doesnt have to go back and forth, frustrating them and taking them out of the mood. Same goes for Unreal assault.
-Your resume is still repetitive. You have Torque Constructor on there twice---you only need it once. Also, 3DS Studio Max9.....either 3DS Max 9 or 3D Studio Max 9.
Keep it up...
Your resume when I looked at it was distressing. You do not have 4 pages worth of experience listed. As a hiring artist, I do not want to read all the fluff you have put in to convince me you have experience. You don't yet. You can model? You can texture? You can unwrap? There's not a lot of reason not to consolodate that. 4 pages is unacceptable. in 10 years when you have 10 shipped titles maybe all 4 pages are relevant. Right now, it is not. The education section is quite simply ridiculous. I can see pretty plainly in your images what you can and cannot do. The classes you have taken tell me absolutely nothing. Take that out.
Your header is at LEAST 1/2 of my viewable web page space on my second monitor. Your art should definitely take up more real estate than a busy header.
I genuinely still do not know what job you would be apply for if this showed up in my in box. Fix that.
I assume you want this portfolio to get you a job at some point in the not so distant future. Stop putting "update coming" and "next updates on xyz" on it. It is most certainly not making me want to come back and see what treasures await me. Make me impressed the first time. Don't expect me to do anything but recycle bin it if not.
I'm rambling on and being very critical. If you wanted anything but honesty, I'm sorry. You need to keep working on this. It's got a long way to go.
I will change those things you have like updates..just a simple minded reaction to show i keep it fresh and updated...will remove asap.
"If it is a level design folio, remove the confusing documents."
I am aiming to be a level designer. The documents I was advised to put on so I can show I understand the documents how to create them and then create the content for what I have read or created....Is this bad advise I have been given?
Josh
Josh