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Where games are these days?

polycounter lvl 14
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octokitty polycounter lvl 14
I really hope this hasn't already recently been discussed... but i had sort of a realization today that is really disappointing for some people (like me!).

So, I graduated last year with a bfa in 3d modeling. Most of my learning was in low poly modeling and texturing. Since I've graduated I've had one full time job (that I was just laid-off from unfortunately due to the fact that the game wasn't bringing in enough money for the whole company...). That job was for a facebook game called "PopSugar's Retail Therapy." I did 3d models for that game, which was awesome for me, but I was always a little confused about why we didn't just go with 2d vector like almost everyone else. I guess it was just to be a little different though, which was cool.

Anyway, where I'm getting at is it seems like these days low-poly 3d is almost obsolete. Most facebook/phone games are flash now, and console/pc games are all high poly (8000+ tris), normal mapped and really high quality... there's barely a place for low poly modeling (when i say low poly, i mean less than 1000 tris or something around there). It really sucks, cause in school i never even learned normal mapping. I'm actually really surprised my teachers didn't get into that, I like I said I just graduated last year... Anyway, I just want to start a conversation about this and see what other people think?

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  • Rico
    What about cell phone games and handheld?
  • octokitty
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    octokitty polycounter lvl 14
    yea i guess there are still a lot of those that are still 3d... but still doesn't it seem like they're slowly fading away? i just feel like those games are even getting too advanced to use low poly models anymore. maybe im just feeling a little discouraged trying to find a job in what i've been doing the past 5 years, but i dunno... i feel like more often you need to know a lot more than just low poly modeling/texturing to get a job
  • Ferg
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    Ferg polycounter lvl 17
    so learn normal mapping... problem solved
  • DerekLeBrun
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    DerekLeBrun polycounter lvl 11
    I would imagine even browser based games will be powerful enough to support normal mapped 3D models soon. The only option is to build your skill-set to be current with the technology. I doubt the need for low poly will disappear entirely anytime soon though. Most 3D iphone games I've seen are low poly.
  • Bibendum
    This is really the nature of the industry, technology advances and the old ways of doing things become obsolete. If you aren't moving forward, you're getting left behind. Learn and adapt.

    That said I don't think diffuse painted styles will ever go away, they'll just have more geometry.
  • octokitty
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    octokitty polycounter lvl 14
    im learning it, i just don't get why i didn't learn it in college? i feel kinda jipped. i mean, besides just normal maps, i didn't learn anything except diffuse maps. i also didn't get many classes in high poly modeling. the point isn't what i learned or didn't learn though, the point i guess is more is low poly modeling becoming obsolete...? haha, maybe i'm being stupid though.
  • Bibendum
    To put it very bluntly, you didn't learn it because your curriculum sucked. Formal education is rarely forward thinking.
  • Ferg
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    Ferg polycounter lvl 17
    Unfortunately most 3d colleges are for-profit and won't really train you "properly"

    most people who get a 3d degree get jacked... best you can do is stay motivated and teach yourself. Luckily you are on the single best site in the universe for that.
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 18
    MMOs! I've been doing hand painted lowish poly stuff for a while now. Even studios that are using normal maps prefer people with texturing skills over artists with portfolios full of grey high poly models. For some inspiration, look at Allods Online.
  • MainManiac
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    MainManiac polycounter lvl 11
    Iphone apps seem to be a pretty good standard, step up your polys a bit and try and get landed with an indie studio there?
  • Permafrost
    the only thing I can think of is to learn the different forms of mapping and practice high poly modeling and sculpting. But my thoughts on the school would be that you should've learned as much as possible outside of your classes instead of relying on the school to completely walk you through everything. Just work your ass off to learn the things you need to know and you will be fine.
  • octokitty
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    octokitty polycounter lvl 14
    i guess my curriculum did suck! mang... money down the drain! sort of. i did learn good topology and texturing at least. but it just sucks that people aren't learning what they need in colleges... what are they paying for??

    It does seem like iphone apps are the only way to go for what i learned in school. But those can still be really hard to get into. I also see a lot of those companies looking for 2d people more than 3d
  • Rico
    If it makes you feel any better, my school didn't teach me shit. Barely taught me how to model! Didn't even learn how to unwrap anything....seriously.

    I did all my learning from Riki and his DVD's at Eat3d.com
    (Not a paid spokesman)

    Where I work we focus a lot on handheld...and even then we're doing a lot of normal mapping.

    You should like...learn it. It's not that hard....well, SubD modeling is challenging, but it's fun if you think of it as a puzzle and try to figure out where your loops should go.

    I do understand your frustration though, about school not teaching you...If I could go back I wouldn't have gone to school and just bought some DVD's from Riki at Eat3D. (not a paid spokesman)

    Looking at your portfolio. I'm not sure if you're a character artist or an environment artist, or if you do mainly do 2d or 3d?

    cougheat3d.comcough
  • octokitty
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    octokitty polycounter lvl 14
    hah, yea my portfolio is a little crazy at the moment. i did consider myself a 3d character artist, but im trying to broaden my skills. so now im trying to be more of a 2d/3d artist in general. but im definitely learning a bunch of stuff with my time off now, like right now im making a normal mapped character and a semi-photo realistic car. im just really lucky i have to time do this cause it takes a lot!

    tutorials/dvds are the way to go. actually now that i think of it, i wonder where i would be if i wouldn't have gone to college... i learned a lot just doing tutorials a year before i started school.
  • Rico
    Ohh, you're the one making the 350z? Saw that thread earlier today. Remember to add windshield wipers! Nothing says realistic like windshield wipers!
  • octokitty
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    octokitty polycounter lvl 14
    haha, thanks! i was planning on making those, i just hope i have time!!
  • ceebee
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    ceebee polycounter lvl 14
    MMOs! I've been doing hand painted lowish poly stuff for a while now. Even studios that are using normal maps prefer people with texturing skills over artists with portfolios full of grey high poly models. For some inspiration, look at Allods Online.

    Yeah these days a lot of people are working backwards. In my case I started off as a 2D guy but then made the transition over to ZBrush and picked that up. I only had experience making abstract 3D wallpapers in Max but I started learning how to poly model in Maya to help with my sculpting basemeshes. Now I'm going back to the roots and learning low poly stuff and hand painting techniques. It's pretty ass backwards but it's definitely essential if you want to be a good game artist that can complete a variety of styles and within certain technical limitations that still hold up today for various platforms.

    Just like any artist and other crafts, the day you stop learning is the day where somebody is going to take your job and do it either faster and/or better.
  • octokitty
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    octokitty polycounter lvl 14
    wow i totally missed that comment! oops, well it's good to know that there's still definitely a place for that stuff somewhere. haha, but the thing that also sucks is that SO many people are going for these jobs now and that just makes it crazy! i know everyone already knows that finding jobs is hard though and there's so much competition and everything though. We have to work really hard to stand out... it's a lot of work, but it has to be done! I don't know why I'm just realizing some of this... Sorry if i'm sounding really strange all of a sudden, i think im having a sugar crash :S
  • eld
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    eld polycounter lvl 18
    Becoming a skilled artist is the longest road, learning new tools or methods is just a fact of progression.
  • Ace-Angel
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    Ace-Angel polycounter lvl 12
    Polycount Wiki + Tech Talk Forums + Eat3D = Deity of 3D.
  • acc
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    acc polycounter lvl 18
    Low poly 3D is going to be in big demand soon with Flash Player 11. All those social games running in Flash? A lot will switch to 3D over the next couple of years. They're not going to want to jump into high poly normal mapped styles too quickly as their target audience has old hardware.

    Flash is also starting to become an MMO and multiplayer gaming platform. Even I'm moving into multiplayer Flash games now, albiet 2.5D at first.
  • blankslatejoe
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    blankslatejoe polycounter lvl 18
    wow acc-that's an addictive little game!
  • gsokol
    I see what your saying. I mean, mobile games are low poly now...but that is changing. PS Vita is probably a little beyond what you are looking for now, and even some Iphone games are growing out of the low poly era...and hardware will only get better. Browser games, while they are low poly...that will change too.

    You just have to move with the technology...You don't really see people making pixel art much anymore, for example.

    While you can certainly still find platforms that embrace low poly work, you will need to move along with technology. Any industry like ours will routinely shake up everything with emerging technology.

    It sucks that your school didn't teach you much for current gen type work. My school's curriculum was balls too. There's plenty of resources on the internet though to help you out.
  • octokitty
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    octokitty polycounter lvl 14
    technology!! always changing... haha, but it is awesome that things are progressing so fast. But just makes it harder to keep up with. dang it, now i sound like an old person.
  • Habboi
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    Habboi sublime tool
    PopSugar's Retail Therapy

    What a weird name :)

    But you have to admit, how do people expect these type of games to sell well? They're basically just mini games sold as full games. The trouble is they don't know this market at all, I'd set them straight!

    Anyway I hope you land on your feet, always a shame to lose your first job :(
  • octokitty
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    octokitty polycounter lvl 14
    haha, well it was doing well for the type of game it was, it was one of the top fashion games on facebook. but it just ended up not working for the overall company. it's too bad though cause we were about to introduce a bunch of cool stuff to the game, then it was just shut down :( thanks for the support though! hopefully i'll get something within the next few months.
  • nordahl154
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    nordahl154 polycounter lvl 9
    MMOs! I've been doing hand painted lowish poly stuff for a while now. Even studios that are using normal maps prefer people with texturing skills over artists with portfolios full of grey high poly models. For some inspiration, look at Allods Online.

    Hah, Allods was a great game. Stunning visuals too...
    Too bad they had a disastrous FTP model. :(
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