Developer at Play360.ai, developing games for TV and Steaming devices.
develop and test yourself outside of employment
the industry is embracing AI
generalist vs specialised
middleweight – more responsibility and trust
career can give the opportunity to expand existing skills and learn new ones
how to communicate directly across disciplines, having more skills make you more employable
allows you to discover what you want to specialise in Communication
to a direct senior, someone who doesn’t share your discipline, project manager, etc
team lead
same discipline therefore easier
a mentor, but won’t hold your hand
different disciplines
might not know terminology
how to explain constrictions to others
branch out and research
management
might not have the same technical knowledge
when to be direct or not
how to translate, need-to-know
mostly wants to know reasonable time scales etc Portfolios
up to date LinkedIn
online presence you can easily link (portfolio website, ArtStation/GitHub etc)
networking (LinkedIn is flooded with AI, so ensure you meet real people)
Game Jams, communities servers etc
Connect with people big in your industry, learn who the artists are in media you like
ask seniors for portfolio advice
you’ve made portfolios before
developer portfolio
GitHub
good, clear documentation, readme
make sure it’s accessible, make sure you can explain it, it’s interview ready
can include university work, present it as just another game you’ve worked on
3D artist portfolio
ArtStation, amongst other artists, a lot of competition, hard to stand out, ideally you want a pro account (unlimited quality uploads)
showcase you can draw to a competent level
get the idea across through sketches, moodboards, photobashing
follow-through
present in a way that leans into your style, but also make sure everything is clear
you can work from reference
wireframes and 3D layouts, polycounts, texture sizes, Texel density, understand optimisations, LODs and Mipmap textures, showcase different maps
baking
angles
different softwares
in engine screenshots and footage
different lighting configurations
unreal, unity etc
overuse of detail, don’t add it just for the sake of it. How does it fit with the whole fit, use research and think b=about the context of your model
don’t add try to ‘fill up’ your portfolio, use a handful of strong pieces. Show inspiration, don’t plagiarise. Show it professionally and in the theme of art
learn the software (3DS Max, Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Photoshop)
courses (Udemy, Gumroad, ArtStation) more tailored and higher quality than YouTube
Soft Skills
more important at junior level
excellent communication
willingness to try
push yourself out of comfort zone
show dedication and hard work
know how to collaborate with people don’t be reactive, defensive, needless pushback
interviews
come with examples of work
eye-contact
engage with interviewer
think of it as a conversation
interviewing well can surpass the need for skills
interview process can be six rounds
do you fit the culture, how do you get along with existing team, etc
be aware of more general terminology
technical tasks in interviews
make an asset store environment multiplayer, couple of days
limited, not part of the interview, can ask for clarification, if you can’t succeed, explain, reflect, give solutions, etc
Adam Mould (ArtStation)
manage a bosses expectations
communicate with a project manager, ask for help, don’t waste time
don’t compare yourself to co-workers
everyone has imposter syndrome
communicate when out of your depth
you’re always learning
be honest
might be official stand-ups (explaining where you are with you work)
boss might monitor Jira etc
most companies have small team sizes and scale with having more teams
can pivot roles maybe (junior level is more flexible)