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Real World Game Design

Archive: 13 posts

Video games are amongst the most successful forms of media; basically we all grew up on them, playing Atari (or Nintendo/Sega) as kids. Then Nintendo 64 & Sony Playstation 2 came along and now most of that generation is older and wants to get behind the process; like film fanatics wanting to direct. However, to get into the game industry; and succeed once you?re in, means you should develop a range of skills, and master one (the saying ?the power of one? means there is more strength in one main skill then in skimming multiple) that is to your liking. Today?s employers are looking for a strong portfolio of work from game artists and designers alike.

The twist to the entire concept of making it into the industry is that it's not all about your portfolio or even your work experience. Video games are mostly developed in intensive team environments, and so increasingly every year employers are looking for excellent communicators, both in writing and verbally. To stress this, you have to understand the power of teamwork, since you have to work well with others if you want to create a breakthrough game or any game at all by that matter.

Also, it's very common to see people who want to get into the industry because they ?just love video games?. There are a lot of people in the ?love? category, but you also should have a deep understanding of game genres and can knowledgeably express yourself about the nuances of either the gameplay or art direction.

So some general qualifications recruiters are looking for in top candidates:

Game Artist:

-Handle different art styles & have a strong portfolio that could showcase a few strengths.
- Be familiar with 3d production tools like 3DSMax or Maya.
- Got to have an eye for lighting, surface detail, and color if your interested in texture art.
- Be ready to handle criticism; giving or taking, and prepare yourself (if not already having) the ability to work in a team environment.

Game Designer:

- Be organized and communicate well (both written and verbally)
- Have a good knowledge about game genres, and design philosophy, and constantly educate yourself about it.
- Of course have a passion for games, but also a vision and passion for the process of making them.
- Any kind of previous contribution to an already existing product, this could range from a ?mod?, school project, or (if already in the industry) a previous retail product.

Knowing your audience and console will make or break your game, so 3 key questions to keep in mind if you want to be a professional Game Designer: What does the player do? Who?s this game designed for? What platform is this game going to run on?

In short, the Game Industry is booming, but like any other industry your longevity and success ultimately comes down to who you are as a person, networking with other individuals, and ?what else can you contribute to the team, studio, and industry?? If you want to succeed be passionate about video games and art/design for itself and not for big money or fame.		2010-04-13 16:18:00

Author:
nicknite86
Posts: 4

you can find more information here:
http://hourences.com/book/book2procon.htm

written by a friend of mine called Sjoerd de Jong.
One of the best level designers I know.
I learned from the best 		2010-04-15 17:27:00

Author:
Luos_83
Posts: 2136

you can find more information here:
http://hourences.com/book/book2procon.htm

written by a friend of mine called Sjoerd de Jong.
One of the best level designers I know.
I learned from the best

you can tell at the name that he is Dutch		2010-04-16 14:26:00

Author:
Unknown User

actually no, he is from Belgium, worked a few years in the netherlands and now lives somewhere in east europe.2010-04-16 14:43:00

Author:
Luos_83
Posts: 2136

Game design, yes. If you want to actually make games though you'll need programming knowledge.2010-04-16 15:59:00

Author:
Ayneh
Posts: 2454

not really, you need code for the engine and scripts,
but there are more and more companies focussing on WYSYWIG engines.
Its all click and place, some even provide materials and objects for you.
for some you need 3dsmax/maya skills, for others you need photohop/sprite skills.

So not for all engines you need coding experience.
Though, having knowledge or fellow employees/friends who can code.. is always a plus.

But at its deepest core, you will allways need coding,
the coders are the heart pumping the 0101010101's trough the pipeline.
we enviroment artists/gameplayartists/concept artists/music artists are the organs/body/limbs that get fueled by this heart.
so basically.. if your heart is rotten.. no matter how good the limbs work.. itll fail.
*looks back at the company he had his internship at*		2010-04-16 16:12:00

Author:
Luos_83
Posts: 2136

Uhm bro,
I did the games and animation course, and If my arms wherent fubar after, id be working in either canada, America or australia and looking at the editors being used by squaresoft I could have been the one who created pulse for ff13. (EA/Rockstar/Squaresoft)
so from now on, you have met the person who would have gone from a degree in gamedesign into the buisness.



(The one and only exception to this is the Master's program at Carnegie Mellon, but you would need a Bachelor's degree in something else from a very good college to be able to get into that program.)

sure, why dont you mention a very very expensive costing program,
while there are some that are near free that could be just as good, if the one working with them is willing to expand his knowledge.

personally, best way to spend money, is just to play games.. and lots of them.
work in your free time with either coding or photoshop/3dsmax/storywriting and spend more time in it that you ever wanted.
I agree that probably 99% of all game related education is wrong and created for the wrong purpose.

In the netherlands alone there will be about 200 - 400 students finishing their game related education,
there arent enough companies in and around the netherlands to get them all to work.



Not a single person. That tells me that these programs are absolute crap, and to be avoided at all costs.

so not a single person tells you that these programs are crap?		2010-04-20 11:46:00

Author:
Luos_83
Posts: 2136

not really, you need code for the engine and scripts,
but there are more and more companies focussing on WYSYWIG engines.
Its all click and place, some even provide materials and objects for you.
Wow, my knowledge of game development must be really out of date.


I did the games and animation course, and If my arms wherent fubar after, id be working in either canada, America or australia and looking at the editors being used by squaresoft I could have been the one who created pulse for ff13. (EA/Rockstar/Squaresoft)
I find this hard to believe.		2010-04-20 15:01:00

Author:
Ayneh
Posts: 2454

Why would that be hardto believe?
I was quite known in the enviroment artist industry between 1999 and 2007 and I didnt even have to mail people to ask for a job,
They mailed me.
Furthermore I teached the teachers of that course instead of them teaching me.

want visual prove?


(New to old) (TrialsHD/N+/ images are still on my banned xbox so cant access them)

http://www.doupe.cz/Files/Obrazky/art2/s/spellborne/prev/spellborn_03.jpg

http://spellborn.acclaim.com/images/pic-638.jpg

Above two images are copyrighted by spellborn inc.

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/128/8/e/8e65d36d4ad8eaec2077db8be492880e.jpg
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs43/f/2009/132/4/2/42ea3f6b8fbc32a61e8dfa75a3936c49.jpg

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs39/f/2008/362/6/d/6d5dd8a8e5420bc8d22d6c965dfacfb7.jpg

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs38/f/2008/362/b/5/Broken_by_cursed_soul.jpg

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs38/f/2008/362/2/1/CS_Model_002_by_cursed_soul.jpg

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs21/f/2007/269/5/3/Got_Guts__by_cursed_soul.jpg

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs7/i/2005/236/d/9/DM_Sirea_UT2k4_LevelDesign_by_cursed_soul.jpg

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs7/i/2005/199/b/d/DM_Drathi___UT2k4___08_27_04_3_by_cursed_soul.jpg



Few shots from my very outdated portfolio, and a good portfolio it was.		2010-04-20 15:39:00

Author:
Luos_83
Posts: 2136

I was quite known in the enviroment artist industry between 1999 and 2007 and I didnt even have to mail people to ask for a job,
They mailed me.
You were contacted in this time by EA/Rockstar/Squaresoft/Square Enix to work on their blockbuster titles such as FF13? You could have been the one to design Pulse, right?

Are the last two images made in Unreal like the first two are?		2010-04-20 22:19:00

Author:
Ayneh
Posts: 2454

Guys, aaron.adley is a spam-bot. Let it go... 2010-04-21 02:34:00

Author:
comphermc
Posts: 5338

yea, shots of my first ut2k4 level.


You were contacted in this time by EA/Rockstar/Squaresoft/Square Enix to work on their blockbuster titles such as FF13?
I had a friend working at EA who was willing to do some good words for me, I was able to get a tour trough the main building in Vancouver Canada but after my arms got fubar this was out of the question, also hearing all the crap about how EA treats their employees was and still is a good reason not to work for EA.

Squaresoft (esepcailly the guys that left square and created mistwalker) are using the unreal engine a lot,
And looking at their recent visual work I was better 5 years ago than they are now.
Same for Last remnant.. I could have created much much better enviroments than they proveded you.

Looking at FF13 I could have created a visually even more stunning pulse than the one you have seen in ff13.
(and it was the only real memorable part in ff13 imho)
That was what I meant.

I also knew the mother from someone who worked at Rockstar Canada, and trough that I had a way in as well,
and that way I had friends working in Australia, Spain, Italy, England and now some of my friends even have contact/relations/work for Epic.
So if my arms wherent fubar I had so many places I could have worked.

The "Boss" from the comapany that brought you some of the "Deer hunter" games also regurlarly emailed me to ask when I would be done with my education for a chance to work there (in america).

Looking at the average games now, and my average talent 4 years back..
most companies are visually slacking the past few years.. squaresoft being one of them.
though naughty dog did an awesome breathtaking job as did SCE Studios Santa Monica with god of war.
Especially their enviroment design is something I could still learn a lot from,
while I could easily recreate pulse in a few weeks in 3dsmax if my arms would allow it.

k almost 4 am, i need sleep,
might be back in a day or 2, arms need rest as well.

@ comph,
1. LOL
2. This spambot is now friends with me on myspace, being my 2nd friend EVAR.. be kind to him 		2010-04-21 02:42:00

Author:
Luos_83
Posts: 2136

That'd be cool to do music for video games.2010-04-21 15:01:00

Author:
Voodeedoo
Posts: 724


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