Umm, "game developer" is not the same thing as "3d artist"...
If we're talking art for games, then I'd say the following:
A good 3d character artist should have modelled, unwrapped and textured a full character. Depending on the style and requirements, highpoly should be done too. Rigging and posing would be a plus. Concepting would be a plus.
A good 3d environment artist should have modelled, unwrapped and textured a full area of an environment. Tiling textures for large areas, prop models (inc. highpoly source if necessary) and unique textures for focal points. Lighting would be a plus.
To make those two things above into a good "game developer" then they'd have to do it efficiently, on schedule, and exported into a game engine while bearing in mind technical limitations (eg. triangle count, number of different material surfaces, available texture memory etc.).
A good modeller is not necessarily a good game developer.
some of the best "artists" i've known are just hopeless at developing games
they're easy to spot : they sit in their own little bubble, producing lovely visuals that are all technically spot on, but still being completely oblivious to the project as a whole, and taking no interest in wider systems and how things work beyond their own pipeline. An obvious symptom is constantly asking really fucking stupid questions about the game. And thinking that general requests don't apply to them.
You can say you're good when you're confident in your work. You understand the technicalities of the title you're working on and can work within those limitations and still be creative and motivated.
some of the best "artists" i've known are just hopeless at developing games
they're easy to spot : they sit in their own little bubble, producing lovely visuals that are all technically spot on, but still being completely oblivious to the project as a whole, and taking no interest in wider systems and how things work beyond their own pipeline. An obvious symptom is constantly asking really fucking stupid questions about the game. And thinking that general requests don't apply to them.
something about this post makes me want to hear more.
Why would you even want to know that? To be reassured? To tell your friends? All you need to do is look out there and compare. If you cannot tell if another artist is more qualified or not, then yeah there is a problem!
I don't get it, you just do your stuff or you don't. I am confused by people lately...
When are you a good game developer? When you've...
1. Created a game that is universally praised and considered a classic by the game enthusiast community.
2. Made fat stacks of cash.
This is an either/or scenario, you don't necessarily have to do both. (although it helps)
When are you a good game artist?
Never.
The second you consider yourself to be "good" you become complacent. A truly "good" game artist is his/her own worst critic, and will never consider themselves to be "good" enough. Even if your peers acknowledge you as good, or even great, it will never satisfy. It is the burden that all quality artists must bear.
Edit> Like what pior's saying, man, just work. If you need some kind of reassurance in your abilities, you're not good enough. If you can't see the difference between what is "professional" level quality and what isn't, then you probably aren't "good" enough yet
You'll know when someone tells you. Even then, thank them for the compliment, assume they're lying, and keep working to improve. If you ever get off the train and think you've arrived, you're really being left behind.
I'd say you're not good enough yet if you have to ask about it. It's just like not being able to afford some luxury item if you have to ask for the price
Nah, there's no absolute "good", it's all relative. But I think it's about confidence and understanding and comparing to others. Being good enough includes having an eye for things, and exactly that will allow you judge your own skill level.
Lol , nice replies every one .... I am not a game developer neither a game artist etc but I am just a passionate modder , dunno why tough when I make mods lot of "game users" love what I do , so I wanted to improve myself to become even better and learn the "basic" principles of game artistry to create more professional things especially and mostly on the aspect of performances , when I infact started as modder I had no clue even what was a polygon and a texture , after much time now I think to know a lot but I feel to know so few yet on evertything .... I wich I could have time to learn all couse I love to create this stuff especially environment and landscapes in games ..... I want to try to improve myself .... If someone has any tips here for me I ll drink avidly ......
Never base anything on the critique of modding communities. At its core, modding is amatures doing things for free in thier own time, not really conforming to any real constrictions. You get cock stroked by everyone because you are working for free and the photosourced texture work and 10k poly turbosmoothed models you are doing look better than the existing graphics of the outdated game you are working on.
This is by no means a knock on modders and modding communities, most of us here started off there but you have to bare in mind that the bar is far lower. So obviously, when someone comes along and offers a higher standard work because they actually know a bit about modeling and texturing they get and ego boost from hell. Every character I have made for any game I put it into gets praised by the respective community, hall of fame inductions and the like but note that none of them are displayed here on PC. I know they are technically crap and not my best work so why show them to professionals. I use PC to watch and learn and what I do show here is work that I do trying to raise the bar and get to a point where I could be seen as comparable to the pros, Only to be seen such though because as said by many above, when you believe it of yourself you no longer are.
Maybe its a little offtopic but didnt want to create a new thread.
If you are not good enough in concepting yet and it simply takes you too long to come up with good concepts how do you tackle this as a character modeller?
I am afraid in just copying stuff like modeling something thats already out there and maybe copyrighted like some well known comic heroes.
Do you guys can give me a hint of what would be good to have in a character artist portfolio and how to come up with fresh stuff if you cant concept good enough yet. I simply don't wanna ruin my models with a crap concept.
I think that a good artist will still have the doubt. When you're working for big company you got to be better everyday. So if being better everyday is possible that mean you'll still be bad until tommorrow and after ...
You start to be good when you say to yourself : "Ok i can do that".
Replies
If we're talking art for games, then I'd say the following:
To make those two things above into a good "game developer" then they'd have to do it efficiently, on schedule, and exported into a game engine while bearing in mind technical limitations (eg. triangle count, number of different material surfaces, available texture memory etc.).
A good modeller is not necessarily a good game developer.
they're easy to spot : they sit in their own little bubble, producing lovely visuals that are all technically spot on, but still being completely oblivious to the project as a whole, and taking no interest in wider systems and how things work beyond their own pipeline. An obvious symptom is constantly asking really fucking stupid questions about the game. And thinking that general requests don't apply to them.
I don't get it, you just do your stuff or you don't. I am confused by people lately...
1. Created a game that is universally praised and considered a classic by the game enthusiast community.
2. Made fat stacks of cash.
This is an either/or scenario, you don't necessarily have to do both. (although it helps)
When are you a good game artist?
Never.
The second you consider yourself to be "good" you become complacent. A truly "good" game artist is his/her own worst critic, and will never consider themselves to be "good" enough. Even if your peers acknowledge you as good, or even great, it will never satisfy. It is the burden that all quality artists must bear.
Edit> Like what pior's saying, man, just work. If you need some kind of reassurance in your abilities, you're not good enough. If you can't see the difference between what is "professional" level quality and what isn't, then you probably aren't "good" enough yet
You can say it whenever you want. Just don't expect everyone to feel the same way about you.
Mops got it.
Less chat more splat.
You can never be "good", because that means you gave up trying to be better.
I know the best stuff I've done, even if I've gotten compliments all arround I always had problems with that I wished I'd done better.
Nah, there's no absolute "good", it's all relative. But I think it's about confidence and understanding and comparing to others. Being good enough includes having an eye for things, and exactly that will allow you judge your own skill level.
This is by no means a knock on modders and modding communities, most of us here started off there but you have to bare in mind that the bar is far lower. So obviously, when someone comes along and offers a higher standard work because they actually know a bit about modeling and texturing they get and ego boost from hell. Every character I have made for any game I put it into gets praised by the respective community, hall of fame inductions and the like but note that none of them are displayed here on PC. I know they are technically crap and not my best work so why show them to professionals. I use PC to watch and learn and what I do show here is work that I do trying to raise the bar and get to a point where I could be seen as comparable to the pros, Only to be seen such though because as said by many above, when you believe it of yourself you no longer are.
If you are not good enough in concepting yet and it simply takes you too long to come up with good concepts how do you tackle this as a character modeller?
I am afraid in just copying stuff like modeling something thats already out there and maybe copyrighted like some well known comic heroes.
Do you guys can give me a hint of what would be good to have in a character artist portfolio and how to come up with fresh stuff if you cant concept good enough yet. I simply don't wanna ruin my models with a crap concept.
Any hints welcome.
You start to be good when you say to yourself : "Ok i can do that".
Yup, doing your stuff is great, but getting feedback from other people is great too. Even kungfu monks need feedback in their training