Questions forTexture artists
polycounter lvl 18
Hi,
I have a few questions about some techniques for texture artists working in the industry.
1. How much do you get to paint diffuse maps these days on the current generation of games? I really enjoy this aspect of texture creation, but have been wondering if more and more has turned to photography manipulation.
2. I have noticed that Zbrush is a requirement in many postings for texture artists job descriptions. What responsibilities do texture artist have using ZBrush? I mean what would be most beneficial to learn in Zbrush as someone interested in textures?
3. How much shader creation does a texture artist do? I have noticed that there are few options for creating textures for artists such as render monkey and FX composer. Do you use these tools or others if creating shaders? Could you recomend what would be best to learn to create shaders.
I am not opposed to learning technical aspects of textures, but the artistic side is the foremost in my mind. I would just like to be the best rounded artist I can be for creating textures.
Thank you in advance to your replies.
I have a few questions about some techniques for texture artists working in the industry.
1. How much do you get to paint diffuse maps these days on the current generation of games? I really enjoy this aspect of texture creation, but have been wondering if more and more has turned to photography manipulation.
2. I have noticed that Zbrush is a requirement in many postings for texture artists job descriptions. What responsibilities do texture artist have using ZBrush? I mean what would be most beneficial to learn in Zbrush as someone interested in textures?
3. How much shader creation does a texture artist do? I have noticed that there are few options for creating textures for artists such as render monkey and FX composer. Do you use these tools or others if creating shaders? Could you recomend what would be best to learn to create shaders.
I am not opposed to learning technical aspects of textures, but the artistic side is the foremost in my mind. I would just like to be the best rounded artist I can be for creating textures.
Thank you in advance to your replies.
Replies
You can still handpaint a lot of stuff even in a photorealistic game, but you will usually end up using a lot of photos as bases, overlays and details, just to fit the theme.
2. Not sure. Again it depends on the company - I assume some companies do use ZBrush for making textures (especially for character work), but if you're talking about environments then I'd usually see Crazybump or the NVidia filter used a lot, along with some highpoly modelling for source normal-maps. Zbrushing on these highpoly sources is also likely for more natural or weathered looks. Again, it depends on what type of game you're making. A perfectly sharp, flat and clean futuristic style wouldn't call for any ZBrush use, I'd imagine, even if it was meant to be photo-realistic.
3. Again, depends on the company. I'd assume most game engines will have a fairly solid pipeline for shader creation in place already, usually using internal tools or specific methods which would mean you probably wouldn't need to use something like Rendermonkey or FX Composer.
Usually that type of thing is fairly easy to pick up if you have to use it for work anyway, so I don't think a lack of knowledge of shader creation would stop you getting a good job as a texture artist - then again, as with most job positions, the more stuff you can demonstrate knowledge and skill with, the better standing you will have as an applicant.
In many cases (but not all cases) Rendermonkey or FX Composer are used by FX artists, technical artists and graphics programmers to create shaders and material types for the entire team. A game team doesnt see 'too many' shaders, in our game we have less than 10. Too many shaders displayed at once time is very costly for all the per-pixel (aka 'next-gen') lighting engines I have seen out there.
Shader types and programming abilities will change fairly quickly as the industry moves forward, while the fundamentals of art are always important, whatever you're making.