Optimization vs Artistic ability

John Warner

so. you're hiring an artist... like, a prop or character artist or something like that.. you've got two applicants.

one of them is a great artist but has no real understand of polygon limits or appropriate texture sizes.. building things in a modular fashion, that sort of thing.

the second one isn't as good art wise, but can build a really clean mesh and knows game pipelines well.

they're both open to learn.. which one do you pick?

I tend to think that the second quality can be taught a little easier than the first, so i'd pick the more artistic candidate myself..

basically I'm just wondering how appropriate everyone thinks this 'optimization' value is in today's industry.

ZacD

I'd pick the artist first, its hard to develop an artist eye. Tri limits and becoming more and more relaxed, and with all the tools that we have today, its easier to make things low poly with decent edge flow.

Vonklaus

Picking between such linearly defined people is not something that I would easily come to a decision on. I think the best option is a mix. I have known some incredibly talented artists that just can't seem to grasp how their work interprets to a game ready object; and other artists that reach the entire other end of the spectrum. I like a balanced mix!

adam

Option 3 - Pass and find someone who can do the job in its entirety.

Autocon

Option 4 - Create a simple program that can handle both jobs at the same time.

greenj2

Adam called it.

Personally I couldn't make a choice on the two applicants unless I knew more specifics about what level position they'd be entering at, what their day-to-day tasks would be, the studio's infrastructure and it's upcoming projects.

Generally the optimizer sounds more reliable for work that just involves building off of set concepts, he can hit the ground running and probably won't need much supervision. The artsy guy sounds like more of a visionary type, which can be a great help if your project allows for that creative input. Though he may drive you batshit during a tense production cycle if you're having to constantly clean up his work.

*Edit: Fuck it. Hire both and get them to mentor each other in their respective shortcomings, call them 'ying' and 'yang' around the office, give yourself a pay rise and go home early.

Tulkamir

That depends entirely on what other resources you have avaliable. If your team is already strongly bent in either the artistic or technical direction, hire in the other.

It only makes sense to hire to try to fill whatever holes you may have in your team. :P

Especially if the person your hiring is both willing and capable of learning, putting them in a situation where the environment is bent to the opposite direction that their skills are currently inclined will probably find them quickly learning the other side.

Muzzoid

option 5: offer both half salary and get the artist to do his work and get the tech guy to fix it for the game.

:poly142:

Flynny

Option 6: phone both applicants up and have them race to the studio on a wim, quickest obviously wins.

(i in no way condone the above ;P)

Ah, the joys of being a lead/senior, no way i could decide tbh..

MoP

I agree that it's easier to teach optimisation and techniques like that, rather than artistic skill.

Obviously it would depend on the applicant's personality too.

eld

I've seen people grow artisticly without any problem, and seen people having a real hard time understanding the meaning of optimizations.


I'd see if the person actually shows a growthcurve in the area he is less good in.

Xoliul

I'd say candidate nr 2 could be a lot more suited to become a tech artist.
I've worked with people who aren't the best artists (they can hold their own though) but were great at technical stuff, solving things like lighting issues, rigging, optimizing, particle systems.
On the other hand I've heard stories of people who were great artists but eventually even got fired because of their inability to perform effective, usable work.
Just pointing out that there is no obvious one good choice here, it has to depend on other factors. How well a person can learn and adapt, their personality, etc...

dejawolf

hire the artist for concepting, or throw Zbrush at him, and have the tech artist create the lowpolies. or if you can't afford to hire both, find someone who can do both things.
there's still a financial crisis going on, so there's probably lots of talented people around looking for jobs.

Cybroxide

i agree with adam's option 3, but if that isn't really an option what tulk says makes the most sense.

JacqueChoi

I've worked with high poly modellers who did not have any low poly work in their portfolios, because they honestly believed it was beneath them.

Arrogant to the point where they felt it was some other person's duty to take their work, and turn it into low poly. And if they were given the task to make the in-game asset, they would literally mail it in (giant red spots on the normal maps, no touching up the photo-reffed textures, and the smeariest unwraps you've ever seen).

Then they'll complain all day about how they should be in film.

Mark Dygert

The question is who do you give the knife too and who gets the net.

RyanB

You can ship with bad art.

bounchfx

RyanB wrote: »

You will ship with bad art.

probably :P