Advice flows easily.....

.... but that doesn't mean it's any good.

Recently, on several occasions, by several different people, I've been asked for advice. Particularly relating to working in the games industry (less and less questions about coffee... sad times).

And, it's cool - I like sharing my "story" and how I got where I am and giving my advice on things. Makes me feel like maybe I know what I'm talking about - or at least that I can tell people about how I got here; through Uni, after Uni and getting this job and working here. Because really, all I can tell anyone is my own story. I remember doing teacher training and one of the teachers at my first placement saying that everything is storytelling; even teaching. I really took that to heart. It's all about storytelling. Everything (that and everything is a game [or could be]).

Anyway.... back to advice giving. All anyone can really offer is advice based on their own experience. Not everyone's experience is the same. Not every method works for everyone. That and a regurgitation of the advice I've received and worked for me.

This little outburst was inspired by Roxanne Gray's blog here, where she puts things fantastically:

http://the-toast.net/2015/02/10/alive/

</ramble over>

Hardly anyone fell asleep!

SO, a week ago I went to Norwich University of The Arts and did a guest lecture for some first years. I spoke to them about what job I have, what it involves, how I got my job and my experience so far, along with some advice on stuff like portfolios and skills.

As is my wont, I rambled a bit. However, I really enjoyed it and I hope I said stuff that they found relevant and helpful.

I remember 2 game devs coming to give talks while I was at Uni - one a general talk to everyone from some at Ninja Theory and another for the MA group (cohort?) from someone at TT Games. Both talks were really interesting - like a chance to peek in the window at how people work and what they do. Along with some bits of advice.

I find most of the advice I can offer people has come from a mashing up of my experience and the various bits of advice I've collected from here and there - from people at conventions, people at talks, my tutors at Uni, books, magazines, online article and YouTube, tutorials etc etc - all those tiny bits that I've consciously (or unconsciously) collected over time are what come out now, as I attempt to sound like I know what I'm talking about and offer advice.

All in all, very cool and topped off a week that included a visit to another studio in London to meet the Art Lead and see what they're up to, how they work, what their team like.

I love my job :)

Long time in the making.....

It's a bit like how waiting for a NIN album used to be. Sure it will be worth it though..... I hope....

I have been away in the real world getting a job as a Junior 3D Artist - which has taken up my time. Shortly before that, I started on a new project to create a Lego Fire Car brick-by-brick, to scale, and without worrying about polycounts (and it turned out, with no use of textures!) So here are some pics:

I started this project in Maya: I've always used Maya as it's what I learned at Uni, however at work they use 3Ds Max, so I have converted over and I finished off this project (or, did the final rendering and positioned) in Max. I imagine I'll use Max from now on. Although I worry that I will forget how to use Maya entirely, so maybe it would be best to open it up and do something every now and then?

https://oskkir.wordpress.com/2015/01/17/lego-fire-car/

Environment as Character?

So, here's my thought for the day:
Are game environments characters? Are they as much of a character in a game as any other character? A lot of thought, research preparation etc goes in to the design of characters - their appearance, their abilities, their history and their future. How the player will control them, how the player will interact with them. Are environments essentially the same? Can they be?

Great environments might be stunning landscapes, interesting places, light, dark, inside outside, urban, natural.... and if all you do is look at the environment then all it has to be is an interesting or beautiful landscape.

In games, however, we interact with the environment and sometimes it interacts with us. The content of the environment adds 'character'; adds atmosphere – sometimes the obstacle to overcome isn’t another character, but the environment itself.

Can the each environment have a ‘personality’? Can great character design concepts and techniques be applied to designing an environment? Affecting how level designers plan the level, how concept artists envisage the level and how environment artists create the level be creating the ‘character’?

I’ve so far been unable to find and literature on this. My thinking is that there must be something in the theory of film sets/environments as having character if there isn’t any specifically about games.

Resurection:

res·ur·rec·tion  

/ˌrezəˈrekSHən/

Noun The action or fact of resurrecting or being resurrected. (in Christian belief) Christ's rising from the dead.

Synonyms revival - resurgence - resuscitation

.... or something like that. I need to resurrect this blog so I can share ramblings, game related or otherwise (otherwise probably being environment/3D modelling relates ;) )  Rather than focusing on my ongoing work, it will probably be more 'musing' or thoughts... However, to see my work go to www.stefbow.com - it's all kinds of tasty!

Merry Christmas 'n'' all

Not so gray anymore

Time to paint

Tomorrow is Tyr's day

1972

The year the first Baretta Inox was designed/produced and is still made today in different variations and calibres. It is also inspiration for this: