A technical artist collaborates with a game development team to ensure that technical specifications and art are seamlessly integrated into the final product. This job combines an artistic background with knowledge of game design and the limitations that gaming engines, software, and platforms may impose. Some technical artists have degrees in related fields, while others learn their craft on the job. Lead positions on development teams typically require three to seven years of experience.
When a game is in development, the technical artist can meet with the team’s technical members to talk about the platform and its limitations. The developers do not want the game to overwhelm platforms, resulting in lag, slow rendering, and other issues, so there may be concerns about processing power. On the artistic front, the team debates how the game should look and feel before beginning to create mockups. The technical artist works to reconcile the needs of both sides throughout the development process.
It’s possible that part of the job entails planning and sticking to a schedule. Tasks can be assigned to technical artists, and they can work on streamlining development. They might, for example, assign critical tasks to a lead artist and then distribute work to the rest of the team. The lead actor may create a character while assistants work on fine details to bring the character to life, allowing the actor to move on to the next role. Technical artists also collaborate with the creative team in charge of developing the game’s stories and challenges, bringing the needs and concerns of all members of the team into the development process.
As the project progresses, the technical artist can ensure that certain requirements are met. If planned features, for example, are likely to overload processors, it may be time to make some adjustments to compensate and address the problem. Technical specifications, on the other hand, may be so restrictive that the technical artist will need to meet with the development team to discuss other options for overcoming processor limitations. This could include, among other things, redesigning the underlying engine to make it more efficient.
A technical artist must have excellent communication skills as well as a thorough understanding of game development. A successful project may necessitate balancing competing ideas and priorities, which can be stressful in some cases. It’s crucial to be able to communicate across technical, artistic, and creative divides, as well as to understand the roles of different team members.