Specific requirements for this role:

Directly reporting to: Art Manager

DUTIES:

• Modelling - Creating 3D models using Maya and Z-Brush.
• Texturing - Creating and applying textures.
• Surfacing - Creating and applying shaders within BlitzTech.
• Integration - Integrate and test created assets autonomously on the target hardware via BlitzTech, ensuring all scene elements are working correctly and within the preset scene budget.

• To create all aspects of environment artwork where required producing all level models, textures and surfaces within specification and within the allocated time.
• To implement game design elements and special effects when and where applicable.
• Required to produce animated scene elements when required.
• Produce and revise environment paint-overs as and when required.

ESSENTIALS:

• 3D modelling

• Excellent skills in creating 3D models including environments and props to the specification and art style as set by the Art Manager using Maya.
• Understand and apply good working practise with regard to geometry resolutions, modelling for deformation (animation) and modelling for texture placement.
• Optimise existing 3D models to fit within the specification and produce multiple levels of detail from low polygon through to high resolution models whilst still maintaining the highest visual quality possible.
• Create and iteratively develop game assets from inception to final review on the target hardware within the game engine using appropriate tools (BlitzTech Tools).

• Texturing

• Create and apply texture maps to the specification and art style as set by the Art Manager using Maya and Photoshop / Painter.
• Good UV texture placement and mapping with effective texture page use and a uniform distortion free texel density.
• Creation of texture maps at all applicable cross-platform resolutions.
• Proficiencies in the creation (also sampling and baking) and adjustment of texture stages for high quality, current gen in-game surfaces. This can include normal maps, specular maps, ambient occlusion, environment maps, cube maps etc.

• Sculpting - Creating high resolution sculptures in Z-Brush of architectural and organic elements and extracting (baking) out high resolution topological details to texture maps (where applicable).

• Lighting - Ability to apply good lighting principles to all artistic output by lighting geometry to the required quality and artistic specification within the primary art package.

• Surfacing - Good working practices in the accurate simulation of surfaces using hardware shaders including the following: -

• Texture map creation (normal, specular, diffuse, ambient occlusion, cavity etc.)
• Implementing, parameter adjusting and editing using BlitzTech.
• Testing and iterative improvement on the target platforms.
• Optimisation.

• Genuine passion for creating in game environments and worlds.
• Excellent polygon modelling skills in realistic, fantasy/cartoon and abstract styles as required by the art style of the project.
• Excellent photoshop skills including photo manipulation and hand-painted texture creation techniques.
• A strong understanding of lighting and shadowing, how it connects with story and the flow of the game as well as its effect on mood, atmosphere, composition and immersion. Also an understanding of the different styles of lighting and how it can be used with different art styles.
• A solid understanding of different lighting and shadowing technologies and pipelines including both static and dynamic solutions on all current gen platforms.
• An appreciation of game level design, how it fits with the art pipeline and all relevant level design requirements. Also, how they impact or tie into the visual style of the game.
• A solid understanding of surfaces and how to re-create them in digital form. This includes the creation and adjustment of textures, alphas, material and/or shader parameters to create specific surface types.
• To be able to search, collate and prepare reference and source materials as required for the creation of in game environments.
• Ability to interpret 2D environment concepts to capture their essence while resolving their forms in 3D. This interpretation must be strong with both realistic and stylised concepts.
• An understanding of special effects and how they can be used within a game environment and the impact on performance that these effects will have.
• The ability to do paint-overs to visually communicate the iteration of game environments.

BENEFICIAL QUALITIES:

• Excellent traditional art skills.
• Basic rigging, skinning and animation skills.
• Familiarity with adjusting surface shaders and materials.
• Mentoring skills to pass on experience to team and interested juniors.
• Scripting - Skills in the use and application of art centric scripting languages such as Python, Mel and CGI.
• Ability to produce conceptual artwork