Hi, I've been recently got alot of interest in the field of gaming industry. I have an electrical engineer degree with some experience in programming. However, I have an interest in the field of modelling, artistry and just drafting. However, I would also like to apply some of my technical skills to this field as well. I have heard that Artist guy only creates model but the programming guys are the one who animates them? Is there any way where I can apply my art/modelling skill with my technical to do both, conceptually creating a design while programming it in order to create rough animation. Please provide some advice. Here are a list for my other questions if you dont mind, 1. DOes having a degree or diploma at an Arts Institute worth it or are recruiter looking more for portfolio in this artistry/modeling field? 2. Is there any technical skills needed for this field. Atleast a little when it comes to draft/conceptual creation? 3. Can you provide a general idea or advice about this field? Is it fun, do you enjoy it, hows the workign atmosphere. Is the pay good (I know its personal) 4. What do companies seek for this field? 5. Is there any difference between a modelling/artistry in a game industry compared to one who works for CGI movie effect? 6. Any general advice on how to get started on this field? ANy info you want to tell is great too. With much appreciation. Thank you all so much.

0. You have been wrongly informed. Artists are responsible for the full pipeline of graphical work. Concept, modeling, texturing and animation. In rare cases a particular engine may use procedural systems to take care of one or more of these areas, but thats still rare.

1. Whatever displays your skill and experience more affectively will be the most relevant to the recruiter. A degree might get you into the interview more easily but if you've no other experience to show, you'll be looking for a very basic position.

2. Most of the advanced 3D modeling packages require some fairly good knowledge of the platform to get the most out of them, if you have skills in MaxScript, for example, that will naturally raise your worth within a department.

3. I enjoy it, but I'm not working 9-5 on it.

4. see above.

5. Yup lots of differences. Perhaps someone else can answer this in detail?

6. Firstly decide if you like it, build some models, you'll know soon enough. Then look for some qualifications.

(see DogCity's response for your paragraph's question)

1. DOes having a degree or diploma at an Arts Institute worth it or are recruiter looking more for portfolio in this artistry/modeling field?
>>This was something that I was curious about a year ago as well (when I didn't want to finish school). Ultimately, a portfolio is more important, but the two have become vital. A degree means you were able to make a long-term committment to a project, which is very important. A portfolio shows them your skills. Both are essentially required. A long-term project you completed can take the place of a degree in some sense, but you'll still need an even stronger portfolio (And some companies dont' except non-college-grads anyway). But once you get a few years in the industry it doesn't matter.

2. Is there any technical skills needed for this field. Atleast a little when it comes to draft/conceptual creation?
>> Yes and no. Computer artists are naturally more inclined to learn the 'technical' side of things. This will range from something like knowing how a normal map works, to MEL/MaxScripting, to actual C programming. Technical skills help, and will definately help you understand game development, but they aren't so required (especially in larger studios).

3. Can you provide a general idea or advice about this field? Is it fun, do you enjoy it, hows the workign atmosphere. Is the pay good (I know its personal)
>>If you enjoy making the art, that is what is important. Programming pays better, but if you are doing what you want to do, then it doesn't matter. If you look forward to going home and doing game art, instead of going out with friends, its probably a good fit.

4. What do companies seek for this field?
>>A college grad with a strong portfolio. If you want I can discuss what makes a good portfolio, but there are probably other sources for this (also check out the Buisness forum here).

5. Is there any difference between a modelling/artistry in a game industry compared to one who works for CGI movie effect?
>>Yes, lots of differences. In both skill set and mindset, I've found.
Firstly, CGI artists usually will be an 'expert' in one thing. Production is completely compartmentalized, from concept to maquette to tools to model to rig to shaders to light to texture to animate to render. So most people are an expert in one thing.
Usually the cross-industry skill would be modelling and texturing (the rest are too different or specific only to movies). There is a somewhat hefty difference between game and CGI in this aspect. I won't get into it in such detail unless you'd really like, but a hi-res CGI model (ie NOT a Zbrush model) is alot different from a lo-res model. Its alot more detailed and takes far longer. Game textures, on the other hand, are far more detailed than CGI textures, because less is done through shading and plugins and lighting and rendering, so the texture needs more detail.
With mindset, game artists are usually harder working and better equipped than CGI artists, IMO. This is a completely personal opinion, btw. There is more competition and a higher entry requirement in the games field, and the vast majority of CG graduates go into films. You really have to be at the top of your class and very dedicated (and have a great portfolio) to break into the game industry right out of college.

6. Any general advice on how to get started on this field? ANy info you want to tell is great too.
>>Well, you can enroll in an art school. Or, you can just take drawing courses and art courses, and teach yourself the 3D art programs. The fundamental art programs are very important. The best way to learn to model is to practice, and look at other game models for reference. That last point is very important to teaching proper modelling.

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Original post by fredgt18 However, I have an interest in the field of modelling, artistry and just drafting. However, I would also like to apply some of my technical skills to this field as well.

At any large studio, these tasks are going to be fairly segregated. If they hire you as a modeller, they're not likely to ask you to do scripting. Smaller studios are more likely to want a broader range of skills, but they don't pay as well. (At least this is the impression I get. I've only personally worked at one (small) company.)

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I have heard that Artist guy only creates model but the programming guys are the one who animates them? Is there any way where I can apply my art/modelling skill with my technical to do both, conceptually creating a design while programming it in order to create rough animation.

Again, this is unlikely in a studio of any signficant size. And FYI, most animation is done with tools, not code, and then imported as data into the game engine. For example, an artist would animate a character walking in place, as if on a treadmill, using animation tools. Only the character's general forward movement would be controlled by the game engine.

I'm sure there are roles for people with technical skills in the artistic pipeline, but since my background is in pre-rendered CG rather than actual game development, I don't know the details. When I'm wearing my "technical director" hat, it's mostly been dealing with renders.

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1. DOes having a degree or diploma at an Arts Institute worth it or are recruiter looking more for portfolio in this artistry/modeling field?

A degree won't save you if your portfolio isn't good. And if your portfolio is good enough, you don't need a degree. There's probably a gray area in the middle where it helps. But do your research. I haven't looked into it myself, but I've heard that some of these schools are effectively diploma mills. Maybe not even intentionally -- it's possible that they're just not informed enough or skilled enough to teach students what they need to know.

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2. Is there any technical skills needed for this field. Atleast a little when it comes to draft/conceptual creation?

Depends on your specialization. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "conceptual creation," but... probably not, honestly. The closer to conceptual work you are, the less technical it gets, for the artistic stuff.

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3. Can you provide a general idea or advice about this field? Is it fun, do you enjoy it, hows the workign atmosphere. Is the pay good (I know its personal)

I work at a small studio. The atmosphere is great (when we aren't stressing out over deadlines), the pay is low (and we all get laid off about once a year, when there's too big of a gap between jobs), and the work is... work. Sometimes interesting, sometimes boring, sometimes very stressful.

I would guess that stress and (relatively) low pay are pretty much universal, in this sort of field. How much you enjoy the work is more of a personal thing, I think -- I recommend you spend some time pursuing game art as a hobby, and try to figure out what specific aspect of it (if any) you really enjoy.

Bear in mind that you aren't going to have much in the way of creative imput. I think that's something that draws a lot of people to this field -- the idea that they'll be doing something creative. You're going to be creating something, yes, but it's going to be someone else's idea. Or, more accurately, a small piece of someone else's idea.

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4. What do companies seek for this field?

Depends on the company. I think there's a certain tendency in the game industry to want people to work excessive hours for not-so-excessive pay, so if you don't have (or want to have) a family, that's a plus.

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5. Is there any difference between a modelling/artistry in a game industry compared to one who works for CGI movie effect?

The gap is narrowing, but yes. Game models are lower-poly than film models, and make use of various tricks that aren't necessary in film. Of course, creating models that can stand up to film resolution, and be realistically integrated into live action, is an entirely different sort of challenge. I respectfully disagree with Professor420's statement that game-oriented CG artists are more skilled than film CG artists.

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6. Any general advice on how to get started on this field? ANy info you want to tell is great too.

Pick up some software and start playing around with it. Save often, and save multiple versions; 3D software is notoriously crash-prone. And expect to spend some serious time. You can do just about anything in CG, but you can't do it quickly -- especially as a beginner.

Good luck.

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Original post by Logodae I respectfully disagree with Professor420's statement that game-oriented CG artists are more skilled than film CG artists.

I should have mentioned I meant at the entry level. Otherwise, that would have been quite a broad derogatory statement.