Really cool articles "Game Artist's Perspective"

# 1 17-08-2003 , 06:45 PM

The Maya Mountain
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Really cool articles "Game Artist's Perspective"

https://3d.cgworks.com/gap.php

I really laughed out loud at the accurateness of his articles! The things he describes are EXACTLY some of the kinds of things I'm experiencing myself in my infant game artist career. user added image

Highly recomended!

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 2 17-08-2003 , 07:30 PM

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Anyone interested in getting into the game industry (or are already in, like me and Mike) *needs* to read these articles. Unbelievably accurate. user added image

Danny Ngan
Animator | Amaze Entertainment
my website | my blog | my job

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# 3 17-08-2003 , 07:40 PM

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>>>"So this is your payoff? This is what you worked so hard for all those years? Crunch time?" These are the thoughts that plaque your conscience as you unlock the door to your studio apartment and collapse on the futon or air mattress.<<<

I had to laugh at that! lol I've got an air mattress I sleep on right now! user added image

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 4 17-08-2003 , 07:58 PM

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>>>"The grass is always greener on the other side", so goes the popular phrase. Usually following the initial realization that a job is not the life altering positive experience one had expected the newly hired artist will embark on an incognito job search behind the back of their employer. They figure they must have just gotten a rotten apple. The dream job must still be out there somewhere, perhaps at the studio up the road. The grass will be greener there.

Eventually the realization is made that it's all brown grass. The green grass was a myth created partially by yourself as fuel for your ambitions, and partially by those already in the industry to disguise their own disappointment. A job, is a job, is a job.<<<

This is my favorite part out of all of the articles so far. :p

Danny Ngan
Animator | Amaze Entertainment
my website | my blog | my job

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# 5 18-08-2003 , 08:15 AM

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im trying to work as a cameraman in advertising production facility (i already freelanced as camera assistant).
why?
Cause "Youll never find bluer skys nor a greener grass nor "gorgeouser" gals than in an ad...." user added image

(also the pay is ****ingly good and you get to travel to exotic places...)

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gorgeouser exists as a word? or you just cant torture the grammar that way? user added image

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# 6 18-08-2003 , 08:24 AM

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on a more technical side dannygan and mt: what kind of engine your work is run in? and can you point me to the best tutorials on the part of: "ok, i alrready have it modeled and textured... now what?" (think that what im trying to say is: "how does one animates for particular engines and export to them...")

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yeah yeah i know each engine is a world by itself but give me a taste... user added image

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# 7 18-08-2003 , 12:29 PM

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In my case, we're using a custom engine built by us with our own process of exporting.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 8 18-08-2003 , 06:01 PM

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I'm working with 2 different engines: RenderWare and Torque Game Engine.

RenderWare is a massive commercial game engine that is used on many big budget titles. If you go to the website, you'll a list of games it is used for. However, due to the cost of licensing the engine (so high they don't list on the website), it's unlikely you'll be able to work with it without being in a large studio.

The Torque Game Engine from Garage Games is much more accessible, since it only costs $100 per programmer seat. Artists don't need to spend anything (the exporter is free), but you'll still need a project to work on to see your work. Garage Games has a great online user community, so it isn't too hard to find a project to join. The only downside is that there is no Maya exporter at the moment. It is currently in development, and I am not sure when it is supposed to be done.

Danny Ngan
Animator | Amaze Entertainment
my website | my blog | my job

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# 9 20-08-2003 , 06:16 PM

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I can see those articles putting alot of people off becoming a game artist. However i had always expected to have to put in alot of overtime and be told what i thought was a great piece of work is not how it should look to your boss and in five or six years time would still like to be looking for a job in the industry.

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# 10 21-08-2003 , 12:17 AM

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to much crying...

look at it like this: a certain degree of overtime and crunch is ineludible part of all "project focused" works.... (it shouldnt be but it is...) so, if youre gonna get screwed anyways, better to get screwed doing art than "licking stamps" or "in the mine".

Also project focused work is more gratifying than a 8 to 5 "i always do the same" work (believe me I know... and if you dont you should get a job on a mcdonalds or at pccity...)

If you dont like any of those options make an opposition and get to be employed by the state... (im not saying that they dont work if they please, but if they dont there are plenity of opportunitys to dont move a finger all day long...)

The last option is the "hope tax": lottery...
.................................................. .......................................
will i win the lottery?

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# 11 21-08-2003 , 12:22 AM

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also i read a novel a year ago called "13,99€" where the author told "the 10 principles for the successful creative", reccomended reading, he was fired from Young&Rubicam for publishing it user added image

, (but anyways thats why he wrote it user added image

)

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# 12 21-08-2003 , 01:05 AM

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the only people who should be put off by what he's saying is those who thought making game art was just screwing around all day, playing Battlefield: 1942. While it is a fun job, it's also a very demanding one, and for those unprepared for it, or perhaps unwilling to meet those demands, the game industry can be a harsh mistress.

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-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 13 21-08-2003 , 08:04 AM

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because a job, is a job, is a job...
And it will happen everywhere yo go asking for a job...
CG, Fx, Camera, whatever... and also applys for other industrys...
dont expect nothing and youll be not dissapointed...

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I really need to win the lotery.... user added image

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# 14 21-08-2003 , 08:30 AM

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i wonder what 3Dgurl has to say about gametesting...
I can picture her all burnt of playing the same game a week or two from 8 to 5 while writting a comprehensive report... and then again for another build... ´n again ´n again... and then not wanting to play a game again in years...

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