What next?

Target_Renegade

So, i'm still looking to land a dream job within the games industry, currently finishing on the polycount mod facade challenge. My question is what next? I'd like to be an environment artist.

What would employers really like to see modelled to gurantee at least an interview? do they want to see someone's own concept modelled from scratch? How about a stand out, one piece prop vs. a whole environment?

It seems the strength of a portfolio is the only admittance for someone with no experience in the games industry. Currently I'm working on a mod that will be released soon, but in all honesty do employers value this experience that much?

A lot of questions I know, and pretty subjective in areas, but any information is something learned.

danr

there's nothing that will ever guarantee an interview, but this is what i watch hawk-like for in portfolios :

- a solid understanding of the basics that 3d game artists have built up over the past couple of decades but so many entry-level portfolios completely fail to grasp : every last polygon, pixel and UV co-ord used as it should be, and not pissed away. The very worst crime is trying to build on a crap model, diffuse and UV layout with a load of extra maps "cos that's what modern graphics are all about". Do that and your portfolio will be binned

- convincing environments, stuff that just looks "right". You need to show that you walk around planet earth with your eyes open. One way of showing this on your portfolio is to get a load of relevant photo-reference and pull them together into a scene of your creation. Replicating an entire photo scene as closely as possible is another option, but shows less creativity than the first.
This is not to say all the env work on your portfolio should be real-world - eye catching fantasy and sci-fi is fine, but it'll help if you ground your stuff by the laws and details that you see around you every day. If you fill your portfolio with complete flights of fancy, it may show imagination and an understanding of aesthetics and some skill, but for a really good entry-level portfolio, show that you're alive in this world and that your brain acknowledges it. So many applicants come in with their head frankly somewhere else entirely, full of fevered imaginings and boundless enthusiasm ... but hell if they get to their twenties and don't know where the council like to place fire-hydrants on a pavement, they're not gonna get far down the application process

- don't show off, keep things simple, let your content show through. Above all you need to show potential - you need to show that you fully understand the basics but that you've got the nous to take it a step further. I like to read a few notes of explanation on what people have done and why, employers don't want to have to scratch their chins working out why you've done something they way you have. If there's an engine or restriction you're working to, point it out and explain it (target_renegade, there's a couple of pieces on your current portfolio that could do with that)

Oh, and ... Employers DO value mod work, oh goddamn yes. On some CVs, someone's mod work has occasionally been placed in higher value than their last professional job - it shows a level of commitment and love for games that's second to none. Get as much of this on your CV as you possibly can without being boring with the details, and be prepared to talk at length about it in an interview

Armanguy

Im not in the industry so take this with a grain of salt!


Working on games is a well sought after job that many people want and have a passion for,
and because of this the competition is stiff, I have yet to even to hear back from anyone here except for when they reply with: your works not good enough.

You need to step up your game when it comes to level Art. There alot of Junior artist looking to break into the industry as level Artists and depending where you are you need to know what the companies in your area are making. me for example live in Vancouver so because of this theres alot of companies im able to choose from.

like threewave they usually work on the multiplayer portions of games such as Army of two, Turok, Doom III. if you wanted to apply to them i would make two different environments a street environment and a sci-fi environment.

luckily most game companies have art tests on there sites like next level games.

and remember its always good to join a mod team as you'll see how a game comes together. even then you might have to really push yourself to make some quality art. it also helps to get an art degree so you can get an internship one thing that sucks about not going to school is i cant get an internship but hey im not 35,000 in debt :P

anyways thats what i think you should do and by no means do you have to listen to me.

- Arman

pliang

You can still get in if your work really shows promise in credentials...the thing with fine arts is that they usually won't let you out until you have a good foundation with it in the first place...

There are prolly few people who work 9-5 on a job and then spend roughly few hours overnight churning out a decent portfolio I think.

One important thing about mods is that they help to get your name on the map...I had a friend who was a "level designer/artist" and he did some great environment work and design on Red Orchestra that helped him to get the job...he also knew how to use Hammer engine as well...

If you are familiar moding with mainstream editors like UT3 it will always help.