A technical artist combines artistic skills with knowledge of game design and technical limitations to integrate artwork and technical specifications into a final product. They work with both technical and artistic teams, assign tasks, ensure specifications are met, and communicate effectively across different departments. Good communication skills and experience in game development are essential.
A technical artist works with a game development team to integrate technical specifications and artwork into a perfect final product. This career combines an artistic background with a familiarity with game design and the limitations that can be presented by game engines, software and platforms. Some technical artists have training in related subjects, while others can gain experience on the job. Typically, three to seven years of experience are required for leadership positions on development teams.
When games go into development, the technical artist can meet with the technical side of the team to discuss the platform and limitations. There could be processing power concerns as the developers don’t want the game to overwhelm platforms, resulting in lag, slow rendering, and other issues. On the artistic side, the team brainstorms how the game should look and feel and starts developing templates. Throughout the development process, the technical artist works to reconcile the needs of both sides.
Scheduling and sticking to a timeline can be part of the job. Technical artists can assign tasks and work on streamlining the development. For example, they can assign a lead artist to critical tasks and then distribute the work to other team members. The leader can create a character, while the assistants work on fine details to bring the character to life, allowing the leader to move on to another character. Technical artists also work with the creative team responsible for generating stories and challenges within the game, bringing the needs and concerns of all parts of the team into the development process.
As development progresses, the technical artist can ensure certain specifications are met. If planned resources can overwhelm processors, for example, it might be time to make some adjustments to compensate and resolve this issue. On the other hand, the technical specifications can be so limiting that the technical artist may need to meet with the development team to discuss another way to resolve the processor’s limitations. This may include redesigns of the underlying engine to make it more efficient, in addition to other measures.
Good communication skills can be important for a technical artist, along with an intimate understanding of game development. Making a project successful can require balancing conflicting ideas and priorities and can be stressful in some situations. The ability to communicate across technical, artistic and creative divides is key, as is understanding the positions of different people on the team.
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