What is an environment artist?

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What is an environment artist?

Postby -mrt- on Tue Jan 25, 2011 5:56 pm

Just a simple question:

Is a level designer and an environment artist/designer one and the same?
Or is an environment artist a game art designer?


I couldn't find a definition.

Thanks for an answer!
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby marnamai on Tue Jan 25, 2011 5:59 pm

I think a leveldesigner is responsible for the layout, blocking out and gameplay while the environment artist is responsible for the texturing, lighting and detail passes. Basiclly he dresses up the levels and makes them look pretty.
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby marks on Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:02 pm

Yeah, level designers are typically more responsible for the design, layout, scripting and such whereas environment artists are the ones who go in after the level designers and fill the levels with artwork - models, textures, lighting and such.
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby -mrt- on Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:35 pm

OK, but the process of level design itself includes both, correct?
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby marks on Tue Jan 25, 2011 7:15 pm

Not really. Traditionally yeah that has been the case in the past (and often still is with mods, smaller studios and such) but most larger studios will split the two aspects up, because they are noticeably different. Creating prop models and textures is an entirely different skillset to designing a level with good pacing and well thought out item/pickup placement etc

This thread on mapcore is a pretty good, current, reference point
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby -mrt- on Tue Jan 25, 2011 7:45 pm

At least Wikipedia says, that level design and environment design is the same:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_design

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_artist
So, an environment artist is someone who creates models for the map?

I am confused again, sorry :)
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby Gary on Tue Jan 25, 2011 8:31 pm

Env artist draws out what everything should look like(concept art), then the content artists make it, right?

Or maybe level designer designs the map(concept art), env artist makes the level geometry and conent artists make their respective content(be it models, textures, effects, etc.) based on what the level disigner draws.

I guess, I really don't know...
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby trcc on Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:12 pm

Gary wrote:Env artist draws out what everything should look like(concept art), then the content artists make it, right?

Or maybe level designer designs the map(concept art), env artist makes the level geometry and conent artists make their respective content(be it models, textures, effects, etc.) based on what the level disigner draws.

I guess, I really don't know...


if you don't know, go read marks link
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby DonPunch on Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:12 pm

A level designer draws the map, an environment artist colors it in.
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby Gary on Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:27 pm

trcc wrote:if you don't know, go read marks link


Oh, missed that... I posted from my phone, so I miss some links.
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby Saxon on Wed Jan 26, 2011 2:24 pm

Does anyone know which of these two is a more desirable position to hold in the industry - ie which is better paid and has better promotion prospects?
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby Plague on Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:09 pm

Well both can end in Group Lead positions.

Environmental Artists could expand into more positions, since more skill in terms of content creations is needed.

Down at the level of actually building things your job title shouldn't shift much and the biggest change would be from a group member to a group leader.
(Internally I'm sure you could see things like just being the Level designer who puts crates in the map compared to the guy who builds the layouts.)
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby marks on Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:07 am

Saxon wrote:Does anyone know which of these two is a more desirable position to hold in the industry - ie which is better paid and has better promotion prospects?


Those are not things that should be important to you.
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby Gary on Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:13 am

marks wrote:Those are not things that should be important to you.


Exactly, you should work in a field that you enjoy, not what pays best. Though, on this I am betraying my self... I am thinking of working in field that isn't even near the field that I enjoy, out of convenience and the likely hood of being hired.
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Re: What is an environment artist?

Postby Saxon on Thu Jan 27, 2011 12:09 pm

marks wrote:
Saxon wrote:Does anyone know which of these two is a more desirable position to hold in the industry - ie which is better paid and has better promotion prospects?


Those are not things that should be important to you.


Well I greatly enjoy doing either of the two, but to be honest I'd much rather choose one with better pay or chance or advance. I don't see what's wrong with thinking long term :|
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