In recent years, with the vigorous development of the game industry, the demand for game-related talents in China has been increasing. In the field of game design, what was once a general term for "game design" is now becoming more refined and diversified. In a typical game development team, there are seven broad categories of positions. However, there are three key roles in it, namely art, planning, and development, which are the direction that art students can focus on. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the demand for these three King Kongs, in the hope of helping future game practitioners choose their learning direction more wisely.
Game Art: Shaping a visual feast
First, let's focus on the field of game art. Game artist positions cover a wide range of areas, including concept art, UI design, modeling, rigging, animation, and special effects. Different positions play a key role in this field. For example, according to the text provided by the plan, the original artist presented the characters, scenes, props and other elements in the game as two-dimensional images, which provided an important reference for subsequent art production.
Art positions at companies such as Perfect World and Riot Games require candidates to have an understanding of user experience and the ability to provide real-world ideas in addition to professional skills. In the modeling role, the artist is required to accurately translate the 2D effect from the original art into a 3D model, which will determine the tone of the game's overall visual style. Both Tencent and Ubisoft Shanghai have very high requirements for modelers, requiring job seekers to be familiar with the whole process of game production, especially the development process. In addition, Ubisoft Shanghai also tends to look for people with management skills.
The job of an animator is to design the actions of creatures or items in the game to give life to the characters. Whereas, the special effects artist is responsible for creating various special effects in the game, such as fights and explosions. In these two areas, companies such as Tencent and R-Star emphasize knowledge and product awareness related to user experience in addition to professional capabilities. In general, in addition to traditional drawing skills, the field of game art also requires knowledge of programming basics, brand design, architectural design, user experience and other aspects.
If you're interested in pursuing a career in game art, consider exploring an interactive entertainment major, such as the Interactive Entertainment M.S. program at the University of Central Florida (UCF). This major includes project management, technical art, technical design, etc., which is highly consistent with the needs of the game industry at home and abroad.
Game Development: Weaving Virtual Worlds
The field of game development is probably the most familiar and is often referred to as "programmer". The development team is divided into front-end and back-end, the former is responsible for the construction of the game interface, and the latter is responsible for the development of the game interface and server. Specific positions include engine development, tool development, client development, server development, and AI development.
In this field, it is necessary not only to have a computer related background, but also to have the ability to use game engines. Companies such as Perfect World, NetEase Games, and Ubisoft Shanghai require candidates to have the appropriate animation, art, and user experience skills for these development positions. Because the core task of the development post is to finally present the designer's creativity to the player, a certain design foundation is required to better understand the designer's intention.
However, there is currently no major specifically for game development in China, so the development of students with computer-related backgrounds in this field is more common. Abroad, such as the University of Southern California, Carnegie Mellon University, and New York University, they have world-class game development programs that focus on technical implementation, gameplay, and storyline, respectively. Choosing a major that suits your needs is a crucial step.
Game Planning: Shaping the meaning of the game
The game planning position is relatively close to what was previously referred to as "game design" and is the core of the entire game creation team. Planning is mainly responsible for the setting of game content, including copywriting planning, numerical planning, level planning and system planning. Domestically, this field is widely known as game design.
The job of a copywriter is to design the story background of the game, including the plot, level introduction, and character backstory. The numerical planner is responsible for adjusting the various stats in the game, such as health, experience, and mana. The task of the level planner is to design the gameplay and map of the game. Whether it's Tencent or Perfect World, these companies' planning requirements are mainly focused on design and user experience, emphasizing iterative and creative thinking.
As with game development, most colleges and universities in China do not provide specific majors for game planning for the time being, so many positions are still based on the standard of "unlimited majors". But for the better companies, the ability to design values and levels is still required.
Conclusion: Find a path that suits you
No matter what field of gaming you're interested in, you'll need to choose your path of study based on your personal interests and career goals. The requirements vary from field to field, but they all require solid expertise and a constant spirit of learning. Whether you're passionate about creating visual feasts of game art, game developers who are eager to weave virtual worlds, or game planners who are good at shaping the connotation of games, there's a path for you. Most importantly, your passion and dedication to the gaming industry will be the key to your success.