Specific requirements for this role:

OVERVIEW:

Artists must possess a good grounding in artistic skills and exhibit the ability to make good artistic judgements coupled with robust tool skills and an all round ability to autonomously create high quality game art assets.

Specifically, the visual effects artist is primarily concerned with the creation, implementation and optimisation of visual effects assets into the game. These effects include but are not limited to particle, geometry, full screen, rendered and shader effects. Developing in all areas of the role is expected and supported with any training and/or mentoring as required.

DIRECTLY REPORTING TO: Art Manager

DUTIES:

Particle Effects - The main focus and majority of time will be spent creating, implementing and optimising particle visual effects. Examples include fire, smoke, explosion trails and sparkle bursts.

Geometry Effects - Many effects include textured and animated 3D geometry. Examples include shockwaves and explosion debris.

Full Screen Effects - 2D ‘screen space' effects require special attention and specialist texture treatments. Examples include blur, vignettes and screen impact effects.

Surface Shader Effects - The ability to envision and implement special effects at the surface shader level will become ever more necessary. The ability to create shader materials and their associated textures as well as a willingness to learn these new skills is crucial to the role.

Create and iteratively develop game assets from inception to final review on the target hardware within the game engine using appropriate tools (BlitzTech Tools).

ESSENTIALS:

Reference Sourcing

The visual effects artist is expected to have the ability and willingness to source and retain visual reference materials for use in the production of visual effects.

Specialist Asset Creation

• Textures - Visual effects artist are expected to create all necessary texture maps for the visual effects needs of a project. The ability to generate textures from scratch or from source images is a minimum requirement as is a thorough understanding of texture files formats, memory overheads and blend modes. Colour optimisation and animated texture production are core skills.
• Geometry - Visual effects artists are required to model, texture and animate in 3D all necessary models for geometry based visual effects.

Analytical Skills

• Observation -The ability to view visual reference of an effect, deconstruct it and subsequently re-create it in a real-time game engine is essential.
• Optimisation - Strong skills in reducing the processing and memory overhead of the effects whilst maintaining overall visual fidelity is key.

Visual Style - Games are produced in any number of differing visual styles. Visual effects artists must be able to produce effects in keeping with the overall project art style.

Motion Dynamics - The ability to reference, perceive, re-create and embellish the signature movement patterns of visual effect elements is absolutely essential.

Ingenuity - Visual effects artists are required to use whatever approach is necessary to achieve a good final effect by combining the use of software packages, BlitzTech, great art skills and superior reference.

Traditional Art Skills
• Appreciation and ability to make good artistic judgements on form, colour and composition.
• An understanding of the basic principles of lighting.
• Ability to develop and communicate ideas and concepts in a visual manner - both digitally and using traditional media.

Self Management and Organisation
• Ability to work to a brief, adopt working practices and work within the stated bounds including art style, technical specifications, scheduling and overall spirit of any given project.
• Ability to identify production issues and communicate them appropriately.

Teamwork and Communication - Strong communication skills and a willingness to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team environment.

Professional attitude and work ethic
• Needs to be comfortable working to deadlines
• A willingness and ability to learn and progress is essential
• A consistent professional approach to naming, filing, backing up and archiving of all work in accordance with company and team policy. 

BENEFICIAL QUALITIES:

Pre-visualisation - The ability to rapidly prototype visual effects using industry standard packages such as after effects is a distinct advantage.

Hardware - An understanding of and experience with hardware accelerated visual effects systems such as GPU driven particle systems.