You're developing a game with artists. How can you ensure their creativity meets technical needs?

I learned it the hard way but whenever you're working with an artist or designer it's always good to give them some sketches or doodles rather than just explaining verbally or in writing. One picture can say a thousand words, even if that picture doesn't look that good it can still transfer your idea to other people. Also deciding the style of art before working on anything is also important, like if you make Pixel art but game needed polygon or vector then your art won't be in any use?? And one more thing i would suggest is that while going over iterations of new Art and design, don't delete the old Art because you might still need some part of that art in future. So keep it saved somewhere.

Ensure you have a robust Game Design pipeline with ample guard rails keeping the artists within the bounds of the technical requirements for the gaming engine used. If this is in place, let them go wild, so you get maximum creativity. Solving any new technical challenges as they arise, thereby increasing your studios knowledge of what is possible and creating great looking games at the same time. ;)

1. Involve artists it the process. They are experts of their craft as much as you are of yours. Have an initial conversation with them about what you are thinking and let them help you uncover any unknowns. 2. Collect visual references. They don't have to be one-for-one on what you are going for but saying "I would like a contrast similar to this", "I would like the weapon's design to be comparable to this". Having a clear picture is way better then them trying to guess what's in your head. 3. Have a multistage submission process. Depending on how technical the art is "concept vs animation vs material design". Have multiple check-ins before the final can help you avoid costly reworks and realign if things need to change.

1. Make sure to have a clear vision, and goal. Do not procrastinate telling your artists what you need. 2. Ensure that the art produced is going to reasonably fit inside the game. Too many polygons/assets and your game is going to lag and be unprofessional. Too little, and your game won't feel immersive. Find that delicate balance, but without too much chaos. 3. Obtain, and give proper feedback where warranted. Don't make your artist(s) feel like they are wasting their time, but don't pressure them with unreasonable deadlines. You want to again, find that delicate balance, but do not provide bad criticism. 4. Iterate, rework, and iterate. Done is better than perfect. Make sure that seams are not visible, no clipping or glitchy texture

Documentation and a healthy pre-production process would be an ideal way to mitigate against artwork that would otherwise work against the project's technical requirements, e.g. - running in frame and in memory. It's important to recruit principal talent in a development studio to help set the technical and artistic benchmarks for the rest of the team to follow. This is why you see new studios focus recruitment on lead and principal levels of seniority, as the pre-production phase sets the tone of the production cycle, which can last anywhere from 3 to 6 years in AAA development.

Este tópico diz muito a respeito de documenta??o e de como é necessário que o time de arte tenha acesso e consciência do que foi definido na hora de criar assets. Muitas vezes um time cria coisas incríveis sem se atentar à premissas iniciais do trabalho, principalmente na área indie. Quase t?o importante quanto a diretriz em si é o acesso rápido a ela quando alguém do time de arte vai criar algo.

Everyone involved into the creative process should at least have a fundamental knowledge of the technical limitations. Only by knowing what is possible, you can try to achieve what seems impossible.

C'est important que les artistes et développeurs soient sur le même niveau d'information concernant le workflow des ces 2 thématiques. Ce sont des p?les différents qui doivent avoir un cohérence technique de début jusqu'à la fin de la cha?ne. Cela crée également un sentiment d'équipe entre ces 2 p?les et une bonne communication par la suite, ce qui est très agréable.

Travailler de manière itérative est primordial dans le jeu vidéo. Malgré des contraintes techniques bien communiquer et une direction artistique (D.A) bien définie, il est important de tester le vite possible les productions artistiques. Cela permet : 1. De vérifier que les contraintes techniques soient bien respectées 2. Qu'il n'y a pas d'imprévu au niveau de l'intégration par exemple 3. De valider la DA ou de l'améliorer avant d'avoir créé beaucoup d'assets 4. De commencer a donner vie au projet 5. D'inspiré l'équipe en visualisant l'avancée du projet

Regular feedback meetings will help artists understand the concept correctly and manage time efficiently during the production process.

Creating an effective feedback loop involves diversifying feedback sources, implementing structured frameworks, and utilizing technology to balance creativity and technical constraints. Regular iterative reviews and milestone check-ins, combined with training on constructive criticism, foster a culture of continuous improvement. Action plans and follow-up reviews ensure feedback is implemented effectively. Encouraging creative experimentation through dedicated innovation time and small-scale prototypes allows for innovative solutions within technical boundaries, ultimately enhancing project quality and team cohesion.

Version control and collaboration spaces should not be a bureaucratic hindrance, especially for artists. On the contrary, they should be structured to support their productivity and efficiency.

D'après mon expertise, les solutions de partage de fichiers simplifient drastiquement les interactions artistes / développeurs. Cela crée une autonomie pour l'intégration toute en permettant de faire des retours si besoin. Travailler avec des technologies de versionning est également essentiel pour une évolution itérative du projet : - Tester la fusion assets/code rapidement sans craindre un downgrade chronophage. - Vérifier si un souci vient de l'update actuelle ou non - Comparer facilement un avant après sans avoir à dupliquer et tester manuellement la différence

Create early prototypes to test how the assets created by the artists work within the technical framework of your game. This helps you identify potential issues, such as performance bottlenecks or visual inconsistencies before the game is fully developed. You can assess not only how each style fits with the game's theme, but also how it impacts performance and player experience.

Acredito que artistas experientes também possam contribuir com a exigência de projetos com informa??es mais sólidas a respeito das defini??es iniciais do projeto. Portanto ter artistas participando do pré projeto sempre é uma estratégia boa para reduzir problemas futuros com escopo, defini??es técnica e desenvolvimento de assets que conversem bem com o enredo e a narrativa do jogo

If you can, involve artists in your development environment, ensure they are comfortable importing assets/rigs from Maya and Blender. Give them the opportunity to play with their creations in the engine. This kind of pipeline can help artists understand performance impacts and technical limitations.

Sometimes the artist creates art that’s too special not to be included in the finished game, even if it doesn’t fit your technical vision for how it should look/feel. This is where cutscenes, a splashscreen or starting/ending credits can come into play. These can really enhance your game and make it beautiful as well as play well!

It’s all about finding that sweet spot between artistic freedom and the platform’s limitations. Start by clearly communicating the constraints and encouraging innovative solutions that work within them or around them! Here’s a few more: 1. Employ a Single Point of Direction: Keep things simple by having one person—like an Art Lead or Art Director—give directions. This avoids potential burnout, mixed messages, unnecessary delays and keeps the team focused. 2. Leverage a Skilled Technical Artist: Bring in a Technical Artist who can bridge the gap between creative and technical needs. This specialist serves as an interpreter between artists and engineers, ensuring the art vision is realized within constraints and frees up artists creativity.