Week 3 Lab Task - Industry Skill Research

 

Professional development task:

Now you have an idea of which direction you would like to take your career, please search for 5 job listings in your area of specialisations.

Use the websites gamesindustry.biz, indeed, LinkedIn, and Artstation (artists only).

What are the essential qualifications and skills listed?

What are the desired skills?

Artefact Task:

Using the list of skills above, how can you showcase these in your artefact? Note down some ideas on your blog.

1

Company: Rockstar North
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Position: Entry Level Prop Artist
Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Link: https://boards.greenhouse.io/rockstargames/jobs/4951259003?s=LinkedIn&source=LinkedIn

Job Description:

“Rockstar North is on the lookout for talented Prop Artists who possess a passion for creating a wide variety of props for video games. This is a full-time permanent position based out of Rockstar's unique game development studio in the heart of Edinburgh.”

Must-have Skills and Qualifications:

• Excellent 3D game art creation skills.
• Strong with 3ds Max (or similar), Photoshop, Substance painter/designer.
• All-around artistic expertise and flair.
• The technical ability to grasp new programs and systems quickly.
• Ability to work with a high degree of self-direction and motivation.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable working in a team setting, under deadlines and time constraints.
• Strong communication and time management skills.
• Able to prioritize and multi-task.
• *Relevant games industry experience OR relevant project experience at a University Level*

Noteworthy Additions to Job Listing:

• ·       Experience with ZBrush , Maya, Marvellous Designer, Blender
• ·       Keen interest in the design, engineering and mechanics of the various objects around us in the world.
• ·       Passion for Games.

 

2

Company: Ubisoft
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Position: Entry Level Prop Artist
Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Link: https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/Ubisoft2/743999804605899-prop-artist

Job Description:

“You will join the project's Art team, you will participate in the modelling of "props" and the creation of their textures according to the guidelines of the Lead Props Artist and / or the Artistic Director while respecting the artistic, technical and gameplay constraints.”

Must-have Skills and Qualifications:

• Control of constraints related to real-time geometry
• Mastery of realistic style
• Excellent knowledge of modeling tools such as 3DSMAX, Autodesk Maya, Blender, Zbrush (UV layouts, retopology) 
• Mastery of the PBR Pipeline for the creation of textures (Substance Painter/Photoshop, baking tools)
• Model and texture realistic, modular, and hard-surface assets that meet the global art direction needs
• Work from photo reference and concepts during production of assets.
• Good understanding of balancing quality standards and game performance in a game engine
• Comfortable creating 4k resolution game assets
• Good artistic ability and observational skills
• Versatility, responsiveness, autonomy and initiative
• Ability to work in a team, good communication skills
• Open to feedback and adaptable
• Ability to work under constraints of quality and time 
• Good understanding of game mechanics related to objects and environments
• *No necessary qualifications. Ubisoft focus on experience and portfolios as opposed to a degree*

Noteworthy Additions to Job Listing:

“Skills and competencies show up in different forms and can be based on different experiences, that's why we strongly encourage you to apply even though you may not have all the requirements listed above.

3

Company: Cloud Imperium Games
Location: Manchester, England
Position: Entry Level Prop Artist
Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent

Job Description:

“The Props team produce a variety of foreground assets for locations, features, cinematics, and marketing. Our staple is intricate hard-surface props such as furniture and dressing assets, but we also produce a variety of soft furnishings and organic assets - as well as complex interactable objects. Many of the assets we create are used by players and AI so need to be highly detailed, functional, and beautiful!”

Must-have Skills and Qualifications:

• Ability to produce highly detailed, well optimised hard surface models.
• Solid understanding of the artistic and technical fundamentals of game art production.
• Good knowledge of material creation, high poly modelling and texture baking.
• Fundamental understanding of soft furnishing or organic asset creation.
• Work within and help to define metrics and technical setup on assets.
• Be highly self-motivated and show initiative, being able to rise to challenges and problem solve when required.

·        *Currently developing a Crowd-funded game – Qualifications preferred but not necessary*

 

Pluses / Noteworthy Additions to Job Listing:

The company seem to care greatly about their employees as all perks are listed at the side of the page, including medical, gym memberships, and paid leave. 

4

Company: Deep Silver Volition
Location: Champagne, Illinois, USA
Position: Entry Level Hard Surface Artist
Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Link: https://www.dsvolition.com/job/hard-surface-artist/

Job Description:

“Volition is seeking a talented Hard Surface Artist to join our Team creating 3D models for AAA games! This position specifically focuses on creating weapons and vehicle assets. You could be creating game assets for the well-known game franchise Saints Row! Your help will support in-game thematic, and gameplay needs. You’ll need the technical skills for this position, and the ability to communicate with Design, Tech Art, and other disciplines.”

 

Must-Have Skills and Qualifications:

• Strong communication skills
• Attention to detail, scale, quality, and style
• Ability to work within technical limitations such as vertex counts and materials limits
• Fluent knowledge of at least one major 3d package
• Experience with game engines (Unreal, Unity)
• Well-versed in PBR workflow (Photoshop, Substance or equivalent)
• Detail work in setting part pivots, assigning collision proxies, etc.
• *Portfolio should demonstrate the ability to build fully realized Vehicle, Weapons and Prop assets.  Including samples of model and texture quality*
• *2+ years of experience in game development (weapon and or vehicle art focus preferred)*

 

Pluses / Noteworthy Additions to Job Listing:

• Traditional art knowledge, including but not limited to drawing and sketching
• Ability to quickly draw out ideas for iteration, concepting, or feedback purposes
• Self-motivated with a desire for learning
• Review or critique skills for your works as well as others

5

Company: AtomHawk
Location: Newcastle, England
Position: Entry Level 3D Artist
Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Link: https://www.artstation.com/jobs/yro6

Job Description:

“We are looking for a talented 3D Artist who has a passion for Hard Surface modelling covering anything from Armour & Weapons through to Vehicles and Prop design. You’ll be working on an exciting new AAA video game title alongside our concept team, helping take initial ideas through to functional in-game assets.”

 

Must-Have Skills and Qualifications:

• Quality at all stages of the process – Creation of 3D models that are cleanly modelled, organised workflow& files, well presented and defined from initial blockout through to final model & maps.
• Design thinking – Solving creative problems when adapting 2D concept, balancing form and function, always being aware of the whole pipeline and the requirements
• Technical skill – Max/Maya/Blender, Zbrush, Substance, Marmoset, Photoshop and an understanding of the usual development software & tools. An understanding and interest in real world mechanics would also be a benefit.
• Art fundamentals – A strong grasp of proportion, silhouette & anatomy.
• Variety and iteration – The ability to provide multiple creative options, then iterate upon them as projects progress.
• Adaptability – Switching quickly and fluidly to new requirements and processes when required.
• Working to a brief – Understanding creative briefs, then considering elements such as context, timescales and creative constraints when solving tasks.
• Time management – Creation of high-quality work within allocated timescales.
• Collaboration – Receptive to taking feedback and working together with team-mates and clients.

Pluses / Noteworthy Additions to Job Listings:

·        Looking for someone who is friendly, easy to talk to and will fit into our collaborative studio culture. So try to relax and be yourself, it will help make a good impression.

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Artefact Task:

Using the list of skills above, how can you showcase these in your artefact? Note down some ideas on your blog.

From the lists above, i can tell that i need to showcase quite a lot of things in a presentation piece for my portfolio. The most common is a general ability to use the software that is industry standard, followed by having an artistic flair. This, of course, will be showed through the scene itself, and my ability to use a PBR workflow consistently and to a high standard. I can further this by including wireframe shots of my assets, and by showing more development work.

It's also important that I am able to show my ability to work to a deadline, and to work towards a brief, which I am showing by documenting on this blog, along with the ability to adapt when or if problems arise. 

It's noted in a few of the job listings that a knowledge of how to use Unreal or Unity is needed, which I am also going to be doing by presenting my asset in engine. I'm not very competent at it at the minute, but I can use it to present a piece if given time.