UI artists, what does it take to be a ui artsit
polygon
Hello, I was just wondering if we have any ui artists here who could give me the low down on the skill set normally expected of a ui artist, game or otherwise.
just feeling out all options and explore a field i am pretty unfamiliar with.
my brother is a ui programmer but id rather talk to an artist who has or plans to work game dev.
thanks for any input.
just feeling out all options and explore a field i am pretty unfamiliar with.
my brother is a ui programmer but id rather talk to an artist who has or plans to work game dev.
thanks for any input.
Replies
It would be worthwhile to have scaleform examples in your portfolio if you don't already. The UDK comes with it now as well as it's own UI system to tinker with. Scaleform is pretty hot for UI right now.
Visual heirarchy - Organizing data visually, so the user catches all the important elements at first glance. A good UI has to be Informative, but that doesn't mean slapping help text and popup hints all over the place. Clear, simple phrasing and visual metaphors can get the job done more effectively with less clutter.
Usabilty - How does it feel to use the UI? On-screen, and with the input devices the game will have. The best way about this is to test often, and have other people test your designs often. Prototype, and try to design for people picking up the game for the first time. Resist the temptation to make your UI complex or obscure. This is the possibly the trickiest area of UI design, since everyone thinks their own taste is best.
Graphic design - This is the de facto skillset, but I would say the least important of the three. The graphic design helps to brand the game and set the tone just as much as the in-game art direction does, but can easily be tasked out once the skeleton UI has been built.
And like with all other types of game art, try to get as most visual bang for buck without bogging down the UI with heavy graphics and whatnot. The best UI's load fast, respond fast, and get out of the way when they need to. Gameplay always takes center stage.
On the technical side, Flash, Illustrator and Photoshop are mostly the only tools you need. Scaleform's a pretty popular UI middleware, so knowing a bit of Actionscript is a huge bonus. If nothing else, it'll let you come up with prototypes that feel final and are easy to showcase online as a plus.
If you're already a decent graphic designer and want to become a UI artist, definitely brush up on the first 2 points on the list, since these skillsets are a lot less common and what sets apart a good UI designer candidate from the typical graphic designer who wants to make games.
They had a podcast about what it takes to make it in VFX and UI jobs,
It has 2 pros giving advice,
Its worth a listen,
http://gim.acanaday.com/?p=162
Few other comments:
Being a UI artist is a unique beast, and subset of talents. A few things that I'd look for in a ui artist:
Be and avid gamer
This doesnt mean you need to play world of warcraft 80 hours a week, but instead enjoy all types of games. Study all types of methods of interaction, inventory management, online presence options, finding games to play with friends, communicating with friends, how information is displayed to the user in game & out, etc etc. Understanding, knowing, and realize what works and what doesn't work is a huge part of being a UI artist, which ties into some of Snowfly's points. I can't say how much time i spent staring at the awesome the Assassin's Creed 2 pause menu, or scratching my head during demon's souls wondering wtf was going on with their UI.
Be an thorough planner/be organized
Most of the time, UI scope seems small to start, then balloons. being able to assess everything, organize data & concepts, and communicate that well helps. Also, planning ahead for localizations, possible polishes and cuts due to time constraints, problem areas for UI complexity, and keeping a cohesive design/layout/mood for stuff.
Have at least a basic understanding of technical items (webdevelopers have an up on this)
While you do not need to be a programmer, understanding what actionscript (flash), and other basic script/code does is useful - but definitely not a requirement. Knowing simple things of being able to make a flash movie do what you want, or set up multiple frame labels is great, undrstanding concepts of texture memory, localization, variables & unique naming conventions(especially in flash), screen resolutions, texture sizes, font rendering/drawing, mass-creation of assets (icons), and a slew of other random things, will all aid you in being successful. - in that you can operate on a team with programmers, and be able to understand/talk to one another without having to have a deer-in-headlights look when someone mentions "classes," or "variables." Again, being a programmer is not my point here - as an artist your art comes first and foremost. However, having a general, or at least loose base technically with your art - in understanding how & why it works can only make you stronger.
Be an excellent communicator, and have some thick skin
Being able to communicate & work with others, especially technical and non-artist types, is very important. You'll most likely be talking to Designers, Art Directors, Leads, Level guys, Fx guys, modellers, concept artists, programmers, producers, and even as high up as localization team managers, product managers, HR, etc. Being able to convey the UI to all these people (and trying to appease most of them) can take some crafy wording and placement of pretty-temp art in some cases. Everyone has an opinion about UI
(btw *cough* Epic is looking for a UI artist *cough*)