another ? for the pros......drawing and 3D?

[keyth]

how often do game companies hire people just for concept work? i mean, do you HAVE to know how to do 3d? i'm just finishing an animation degree....i know how to do 3d/animation to a certain degree. but trying to learn 3d for job stuff takes away a lot of time that could be directed towards drawing. and to be honest(while i've gotten compliments on some 3d) i don't think it's my bag. i mean all that time spent on maya...it's hundreds of man hours that could be draw time....:eek: i'm just wondering if most game dev companies have artists that don't do 3d? thanks

ps. i know i've got a long way to go but (whew!) i've been working at it

[Stonepilot]

Man, Its just depressing. Some of the guys that I've spoken to say that most companies are not willing to train anymore so they assume that who ever they hire know 3D. But than I have a friend that was doing comics and he got hire out of the blue with no 3D experience and they trained him. And I just spoke to some guy and he mentioned that his company just hire three animators right out of school. And they have to train them as well. So there are those few occasion from what I hear. But as far as the 3D thing. I personally feel that Maya like any other 3d package is just another pecil. A pencil that does allot off cool crap. I would say to stick with maya and manage your time. In the long run you'll benefit.

[jezelf]

well, I started as a concept/storyboard artist with no 3D experience. I got in because they were hiring for that position. I was from a comic strip background and didn't really think much about going into the game world - and haven't looked back.

Once you're in as long as you produce good work, you are seen as a bit a of a resource (well that's my experience). I've been keen to learn new things. from concept art to texturing then modelling, and now trying my hand at some animation, and onto hi-res FMV stuff is my plan.

It depends on the company you approach. My first industry job was with Acclaim Entertainment - pretty large company were they could afford to have just an art department. Now I work for a much smaller company, and I think my experience in other areas helped me get the job.

I wouldn't say a small company wouldn't take a concept artists - if you time it right they could do with you at the start of a project. basically the more skills you have to offer the more value you *could* be.(depends on the standard of your work)

Smaller companies have less of a budget and so have to be more picky. That's not saying that larger companies like EA don't look for great talent, just that they can train up people on the job more than smaller companies.

At the company I work for, we've had people in from degrees and no 3d backgrounds and trained them up. For us it's down to the individual. Is there potential? enthusiasm? have they got a good personality? or worse...do they have an inflated ego?

People with excellent portfolios have been turned away simply because we thought they were an arse, personality wise. When you're almost living with these people, working out if they will be a benefit or just a pain is sometimes the bottom line.

To get back on track, I would say it's getting more and more difficult to get in. No you don't have to know your 3D stuff. I've always found everyone knows something that someone else can learn from. it will improve your chances of being hired if you did know 3D...and I wouldn't worry about if you use Maya/Max/Lightwave/SoftImage etc - as Stonepilot says - it's just a tool. Anyways everything's the same other than a few little differences, building from a primitive is just the same. principles are the same.

Having knowledge of 3D is definalty a plus, because you can think about how the object, character, environment you design will be implemented in the game. Here, everone works in 3D at the end - because we are a small company, once all the concepting is done, we cant have the concept artist twiddling his thumbs - we get him onto helping out in the game - 'many hands make light work' as the probverb goes. If you want to do just nothing but concept work, I guess you could go freelance, or find a larger company as I did, with just a 2D art division with plenty of games on the go.

dunno if I've been any help!
good luck
Jez