Just like in movies, games rely heavily on visual effects these days. It requires a lot of work & talent to implement such complicated elements into a game and to enhance the experience without crossing the technical limitations. We are going to show you what exactly a Game VFX Artist does and which skills you need to start working in this particular field.
What is VFX?
VFX stands for so called visual effects that is used to describe imagery created, manipulated, or enhanced for any sort of moving media that doesn’t take place during a live-action shooting. Effects that are in fact recorded on set are so called special effects (SFX) and are different from VFX. VFX uses computer-generated imagery, in short CGI, to create fictional worlds, to fake SFX like explosions or add other elements that later gets integrated into the game.
There are a lot of different types of VFX, here you have just a few of them:
- Gameplay FX (Particle effects, explosions, magic,..)
- Environmental FX (Fog, rain, snow, water,…)
- User Interface (UI) FX (Graphical elements, transitions, highlights, transparency,..)
- Movie FX (Greenscreen, Motion Capture,…)
- …
What does a Game VFX Artist do?
A Game VFX Artists job is to enhance the visuals of the game and to optimize everything according to the technical limitations of the games engine.
They are involved in a wide spectrum of tasks, like:
- Implementing weather effects (Rain, snow, fog,…)
- Creating various particle effects (Fireflies, magic, explosions,…)
- Simulation of liquids (Water, blood, beverages,…)
- Character effects (Hair, skill effects, cloth…)
- Generating procedural environments (Vegetation, mountains,…)
- Working with motion capture suits & greenscreen
- …
Depending on what kind of project you’re working on, the tasks can vary greatly in size and complexity. In AAA games it’s not uncommon to hire actors to record certain scenes. Those motion capture takes also have to be polished and implemented into the final product so you will work closely with animators and developers to make sure everything runs smoothly.
What kind of skills do I need as a Game VFX Artist?
Due to it’s very complex nature, a VFX Artist has to have an affinity for both the technical and artistic aspects of video game creation, so you need to have:
- Great knowledge of the law of physics, natural phenomena, lighting etc.
- 3D Modeling & sculpting skills
- Coding & programming skills
- Good organizational skills
- Excellent collaborations skills
- …
In VFX, optimization and efficiency is key. Creating complex particle systems, huge environments and detailed textures can quickly overload your system if you’re not careful. This can create crashes, frame drops and other problems that make a game less enjoyable if not unplayable in the worst cases. So knowing how to optimize a scene while also working fast and efficiently is one of the biggest perks a VFX artist can posses.
How do I get a job as a Game VFX Artist?
Because this job is very technical, a lot of companies require you to have a degree in Game Art, Animation, Computer Science or something similar. As for now, the position of a VFX Artist often doesn’t offer a lot of entry level opportunities. So it is worth looking at a broader field first like game artist or animation in general before looking into specializing in VFX.
You’ll also need a proper portfolio to show of your skills to your future employer, so here are some useful tips:
- Go for quality of work, not quantity
- Include demo reels of your work to stand out
- Make sure everything works properly and that it’s easily accessible
- Build your portfolio around the company you want to apply to
- Make sure it looks professional & up to date
- …
Furthermore, it’s very important to consider what kind of studio you’re aiming for: Is it photorealistic or stylized? Is it specialized in 2D or 3D? Build your portfolio around your dream company. Not only are they able to see what you can do, but also how you can aid them in their future projects.
What kind of programs should a Game VFX Artist look into?
Lastly a VFX Artist needs to have a proficiency in many different programs to be able to create stunning visual effects like:
- 3D DCC Tools ( Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, Houdini, Marvelous Designer…)
- 2D DCC Tools (Photoshop, Illustrator,…)
- Texturing Programs ( Substance Designer/Painter,..)
- Video Editing Softwares (After Effects, Premiere,…)
- Game Engines (Unreal, Unity,..)
- Project Management Software (Trello, Nuclino,…)
- …
VFX is a very fast growing industry that constantly changes and evolves. To keep up to date with the newest programs and workflows is mandatory to stay ahead of your competitors. Expanding your horizon while also learning new softwares and tools is as much part of your job as creating new VFX.
How much money does a Game VFX Artist make?
Those numbers can vary greatly depending on the company, genre, style, experience, skills etc. but according to Comparably a Game VFX Artist makes between $73k – $136k and the average income is around $97k per year.
If you want to look work as a VFX artist but aren’t sure if you want to animate for games our movies, look at this blog to see how close those fields truly are:
From Game to Movie – The Success of Five Nights at Freddy’s
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