 Nat Stein
Modeling Supervisor & CG Artist, Anzovin Studio
Sessions Class Author and Instructorhor
3D modeling is the first step in creating the graphics in today's video games. Every character and object in a game like Gears of War is modeled, textured, lit, and even animated using a 3D package such as Autodesk Maya or 3D S Max (in conjunction with digital imaging programs and game engines).
Working in game development and mastering a 3D tool like Maya can be complex and exciting. To find out how it's done, we talked to Sessions Faculty member Nat Stein, a professional game artist and co-author of Peachpit's Visual Quickstart Guide to Maya 8.
How did you first become interested in 3D art and video games? Were you a game fanatic as a child?
I wouldn't say I'm a fanatic, but I sure did like them. We had an old Macintosh, and my dad would bring home game demos from conferences for my brother and me to play. My parents would only allow us play the demo games for an hour a day, and then we would do something else. I think it was a good balance, and it made the games last longer.
Your main focus as a game artist is modeling. How does your role fit into the typical production workflow for a game?
Well, modeling is (hopefully) an early stage. The concept art or character design people will send you a design, and you have to put it together. It often helps to find out from the other team members what the requirements and practical restrictions are. You have to decide how to marry the designers' wants, with the programmers' needs. After I'm done with a design, I'll hand it off for texturing and rigging (or do the texturing myself, though I enjoy it less).
What are the most rewarding aspects of your job? What kind of skills or attributes does it require?
I love creating something from nothing. After a day's work, I have an object that didn't exist before. Art from thin air.er, bits. The job requires problem-solving skills. Things will go wrong, and you are constantly making new strategies and improving your workflow. Attention to detail and patience are key, too, as is lots of patience.
Aside from working on video games, you worked on animation for TV shows and movies. Is there a different approach in 3D modeling for broadcast media?
Definitely. Games have low resolution objects, TV higher, and films, even higher. At the same time, the technical restrictions of games are higher than those of film. In film, if you have a creative solution, you can generally apply it. In games, you have a limited toolset, which means changing the way you work. So it's an inverse relationship: More work, but more freedom; versus less work but more restrictions. Sometimes, that's fun. Other times...
Looking back at your art education, which kinds of classes were most helpful to your development as an artist? Do fine arts such as drawing and painting have a place in game art education?
Practical courses with hands-on software time were crucial. You had to get started on your skillset as soon as possible. For games, taking courses in Flash and Director, as well as some programming, was helpful to me. These classes let me get a sense of what's going on at the technical end. This knowledge helps me interface with programmers on projects and know what a reasonable proposition is from a technical perspective.
Fine art is super important. Drawing and painting are skills that will never let you down, in any media. Do what you like, but try to cover all the basics first.
In 2006, you co-authored the Peachpit Visual Quickstart Guide to Maya. How did you get involved in that project?
My current boss writes history textbooks and software manuals. He was approached with the project, but couldn't do it, so he approached me and a co-worker and put us in touch with the publisher. I think between the two of us we had a pretty good handle on the project. It's good to have two different approaches, as there are so many ways to do things in Maya.
What advice would you have for aspiring game artists? Where would a beginner who just loves games start?
If you *just* love games, stick to playing them. Making your hobbies your work is not always a good idea. If you want to make games, takes the time to get balanced skills. Most entry level companies aren't looking for a modeler. (There are more modelers out there than anything else, as it's the thing most amateurs learn first.)
Do animation, texturing, and some programming. Build a few Flash games to work on design. Draw, paint, and learn several kinds of software: Photoshop, a 3D package, a 2D package. Ideally, try starting a project with some friends. You learn so much faster when it's your problem to solve, and you often encounter issues that never come up in classes. To start, pick the thing that inspires you the most and work on that. It'll be frustrating at times, but motivation helps you carry through.
Your favorite game/game artist de jour?
Wow, unexpectedly hard to answer. My favorite game is probably Might and Magic: II. It's ancient, but playing that game with my brother is probably more responsible for where I am today than any other experience. Currently, I really respect companies, such as Blizzard and Valve, who always put out quality products. I think Blizzard's approach is really interesting because they do very little invention, but are kings of innovation. They take a tried and true game and make a super polished version of it. It's very hard to see "what is fun" in games, versus your own pre-conceived notions of "what will be fun," and they are quite good at engineering fun.
Q: Look into your crystal ball. What will games be like ten years from now?
This is something I debate often with a friend. I feel games are rewarding, because of two things: 1. Fun of input and 2. Reward of output. Press a button, see a result. It's a loop. I think output in games is reaching a peak. Graphics are good enough to be immersive. There isn't any real point to cranking them much more (though surely they will). I think the future isn't what you see is input changing. How people play-games. User input, on the other hand, could change quite dramatically, and in turn, change how people play games. I don't think this means true VR or virtual reality (not in 10 years, at least) but we will see more arcade like features making it home. Also, I think social aspects of become more important. Humans are the most fun game of all, so I think many games will be incorporating aspects that require human input of some sort, even if they are "single player." I just got a Wii, so we'll see if this holds up a few months from now, right?
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