From Pixels to Polygons: A Technical Art Journey through the Game Industry Evolution

It has been 18 years since I first witnessed the transformation of the game industry, from the development of perfect pixel art to high-poly mesh with amazing real-time rendering. The experience has been nothing short of amazing, allowing me to see how the game market evolved from consoles to mobile gaming. I still remember spending entire nights perfecting renders, encountering challenges due to render setup errors and spending hours on texture creation, only to go back and change UV maps for minor additions to the concept. Thankfully, with the introduction of new tools, rendering has become much faster compared to the old Scanline render days. The transition from console to mobile gaming has been a significant milestone, offering players the flexibility to enjoy their favorite games anywhere, at any time.

We all have cherished memories of playing console games with two remotes, competing with friends to secure the top spot, despite the imperfect art and distorted mesh. Games like Contra, Mario, Tomb Raider, and Prince of Persia have left a lasting impact. Watching the evolution of Tomb Raider's character from super low-poly to highly detailed living characters has been fascinating, especially considering the limitations of graphic cards during that era. The transition from the early 2000s to 2010 brought significant changes, with game engines being optimized to achieve great quality games and open up new possibilities for bold character designs and endless environments.

As game engines evolved, artists and designers found themselves embracing the technical side of the process. During 2012, mobile games started gaining popularity, offering the convenience of playing on cool phones with faster internet connectivity. I remember how working on console games felt more exciting than mobile games at the time. However, mobile games did pose challenges, particularly due to memory limitations. Nevertheless, as engines continued to improve, programmers were able to optimize them and introduce new features, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

The integration of art and technology has been a game-changer. Artists now have the freedom to work not only with Photoshop and 3D software but also explore the technical aspects. Creating their own prototypes and manipulating elements in the engine, has become an exciting process. The emergence of technical artists, with their understanding of art, engine, has further accelerated the creative process. With just a few lines of code or the right tool, artists can efficiently build cities and achieve remarkable outputs.

The technical artists are now looking beyond the possibilities and exploring the unlimited access to asset libraries, considering what is needed and what can be easily tweaked. Since 2017, we have become much faster, thanks to artists embracing the tech and using helpful tools. Tech artists can now go beyond relying solely on art and build their own designs in the engine using various existing tools. Designers have the freedom to think about the user experience (UX) flow, which helps players understand the game faster and feel a sense of success. There are now many freedoms in art, tech, and design, allowing for complex mechanics and amazing UX flows. With a standard engine, everyone can understand the game in its early stages of development, and the Art serves as a bridge between design and developers, making communication much easier. Thanks to the engine and tools, asset reusability has improved significantly. This not only reduces the workload but also cuts costs and meets deadlines more efficiently.

The future holds exciting possibilities, with AI tools poised to revolutionise the gaming market. Consolidating various departments and offering agility and flexibility, these tools are set to transform content creation. While there might be challenges for those hesitant to embrace change, the potential for infinite AI-generated content is fascinating. The idea of a metaverse, though still early to ponder, holds immense potential with the support of AI and advanced engines.

Embracing the new AI tools will undoubtedly remove limitations in game design, streamlining the creative process across departments. The possibilities are immense, and once these AI tools become standardized, the transition will be evident. The gaming industry is on the cusp of a new era, one where Creative developers can envision an infinite world of content, pushing the boundaries of player experiences. The future is bright, and the blend of art and technology will lead to extraordinary gaming adventures for players worldwide.

In the old days, games were pixelated and simple. But now, we're diving into exciting and immersive adventures. And guess what? AI is already shaking things up! So, get ready, gamers! We're in for a wild ride into the metaverse and beyond. It's going to be a pixel-perfect blast with some AI hilarity!

This Ai will definitely impact the industry in some other way as well, but that 'something' can be explored in another article.