| Starting a career in the video game industry used | | | | different jobs in the industry and what software |
| to a difficult thing; there were very few options | | | | tools they would use. |
| and very few schools that could teach the | | | | If you like drawing and painting with traditional |
| required cutting edge skills. If you wanted to | | | | tools you might want to consider being a concept |
| choose this path you had to be self taught. Today | | | | artist. They do all their work with off computer |
| this dilemma has been turned upside down. You | | | | art tools. They would conceptualize and draw the |
| now have a plethora of schools to choose from | | | | scenes and the creatures in a game. |
| and lots of programs and specialties to decide | | | | If you think you might like computer designing |
| amongst. Here is some advice on what the | | | | worlds and scenes in a video game you should |
| industry has to offer and what you can do to | | | | consider being a 2-dimensional artist. They create |
| prepare yourself. | | | | all the structures, textures and backgrounds in |
| The video game industry has changed over the | | | | game worlds. Photoshop is the de-facto program |
| past ten years. It has matured and is now a | | | | for this job. If you can afford a copy of this |
| full-fledged industry. This means that there are | | | | program you will get a definite insight into this |
| plenty of opportunities to find a rewarding career | | | | career path. If you cannot afford Photoshop you |
| without being a hot-shot game programmer. As a | | | | should consider getting Paint Shop Pro. It is less |
| matter of fact, the days of the hot shot | | | | expensive and very similar to Photoshop and it will |
| developer are pretty much over. In today's world | | | | give you a good foundation into the world of |
| the creation of a state of the art video game | | | | 2-dimensional artwork. |
| now requires a dedicated team of employees | | | | If Characters and models are what you are |
| with a wide range of skills and interests. | | | | enthusiastic about you should consider becoming a |
| What does this mean for you? It means | | | | 3-Dimensional Model Artist. This type of artist is |
| opportunity in a lot of different disciplines and it | | | | concerned with making the characters, monsters, |
| means that you have to specialize within a | | | | creatures and objects that inhabit a video game |
| subgenre of the big picture of "Making Video | | | | world. In this area of game art the choice of |
| Games". But before you pack off and go to a | | | | software is not as straight-forward as in the 2d |
| video game school or dish out the dollars for an | | | | art. The most accepted software is 3D studio |
| online school there are some things you should do | | | | Max. Two other popular programs are Maya and |
| and some things you need to know. | | | | SoftImage. If you are looking for a free 3d |
| 1. Learn the basic concepts of game design | | | | modeling tool that will get you started you may |
| Have an understanding of video games, how | | | | want to get Milkshape. It is a tool designed for |
| they're played, and what they're all about. You | | | | the game Half-Life. |
| should have a feel for the game industry; know | | | | The concepts of modeling are universal so the |
| what games are out there, what styles of play | | | | skills will transfer from one tool to the other. You |
| they have, and how they handle the game playing | | | | will just have to learn the specifics of the new |
| experience. Chances are good that you already | | | | tool which will be easy enough. |
| fulfill this requirement. | | | | Animator - This is the person that makes the |
| Have an understanding of the underlying principles | | | | characters and objects in the game move. It is a |
| of game design. There are several ways that you | | | | very specific skill and it takes good understanding |
| can do this. I recommend one or both of these | | | | of animation to get things right. There are many |
| methods to get you started in this: | | | | software programs that are used for animation |
| Build Mods - Mods are modifications of existing | | | | and they include Macromedia Flash, Alias |
| games. Quake is a famous game for this | | | | Wavefront, 3D Studio Max and Lightwave 3D. |
| approach. You use the mod builder software and | | | | Programmer - This is something that is a little |
| you build levels or worlds that can be added right | | | | more traditional when we think of video game |
| into the game itself. The Mod sub culture is very | | | | making "Programming" and it is a very wide field |
| vibrant and you can find a lot of support and help. | | | | that can find you doing almost anything in the |
| To gain even better experience that translates | | | | video game making arena. A programmer could |
| well into a corporate environment you should join | | | | be called upon to do any number of things from |
| a volunteer Mod development team. This gives | | | | managing a database to designing the artificial |
| you good teamwork experience and gives you | | | | intelligence within a game or creating specialized |
| insight on how a video game project is broken | | | | software tools that other designers use to create |
| down into pieces. | | | | the game. |
| Get a free or inexpensive Game engine | | | | Other Opportunities in Video game design - There |
| development suite and build your own games. You | | | | are many other jobs in the video game industry |
| can build adequate and fun to play games on your | | | | ranging from Script and story writer to even |
| own this way. I recommend you do this with the | | | | network administrator or computer maintenance |
| Genesis 3d Game development software. It is | | | | and repair technician. |
| completely free. | | | | Today there are many different career paths |
| 2. Get familiar with some of the professions in the | | | | that can be taken into the video game industry. |
| industry and the tools that are used. | | | | This requires you to specialize in a set of skills. |
| There are a whole host of tools that game design | | | | Understanding what these different skills are and |
| teams use. And the tools you would use are | | | | getting a head start now will increase your |
| dependent on what role you would play on the | | | | marketability in the very competitive video game |
| team. Here is an overview of some of the | | | | industry. |