DMAC’s new Game Art Concentration: Q & A with Andres Del Valle

Digital artists with a passion for video games can now enroll in DMAC’s undergraduate Computer Animation program and choose a special Concentration in Game Art. What prompted this addition to the curriculum? And how does game art differ from art created for TV or movies?  We asked Andres Del Valle, chair of DMAC’s Computer Animation Department, to give us the lowdown.

Q:        Why offer a Concentration in Game Art here at DMAC?
A:         There is a huge demand right now for artists who know how to create digital assets  -- that is, characters, environments, and props -– for video games. The game industry is booming. The total amount of dollars being spent on video games increases every year. You’ve heard of the Call of Duty game series? The latest release, “Modern Warfare 2,” took in $1 billion in sales worldwide in just 2 months. That puts it in the same league as Avatar, which was only the fifth movie to gross more than a billion dollars worldwide. So there is definitely a market for trained video game artists, and DMAC is responding by offering this special Concentration.

Q:        How does the curriculum differ for Game Art Concentration students?
A:         Game Art students will learn Maya, the 3D creation software, just like the regular Computer Animation students do. But they will also learn how to use a game engine. The game engine transfers the student’s artistic creations to the game platform, whether it is Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, a Personal Computer, or a mobile gaming device. We are going to use the Unreal game engine or UDK (Unreal Development Kit) as a base for our classes in Game Art. Unreal is widely used by professionals in the game industry today.

Q:        So what is the fundamental difference between game animation and the type of animation we see in movies, commercials, and TV shows?
A:         Computer animation for TV and film usually tells a story. Scenes are pre-rendered, which is the process of piecing together bits of animated art to create a video sequence. Video games, on the other hand, are interactive and played in real time, which means that the character animation is created in smaller clips. It’s the game engine’s job to display these animated clips in real time so the player can interact with the character and the environment.

Q:        Will students following this track create an actual video game during the course of their studies?
A:         It takes a really long time to create all the art needed for an entire video game. But as they progress through the program, students will create what we call a proof of concept -- a significant “slice” of a video game -- to demonstrate their game’s overall look and feel. This package includes sketches, concepts, animated clips, and more. At the end of the program, the proof of concept is formally presented to a panel of faculty members and game industry professionals.

We've had Computer Animation majors present their final work to similar panels, and the industry people have been impressed enough by the student's work that they hand over their business card and say, “Call me.”

Q:        Speaking of that, what jobs are out there for graduates of this program?
A:         Our graduates are qualified for a variety of positions within the game industry, including Modeling Artist, Texturing Artist, Matte Painting Artist, Concept Artist, Character Animator, and Technical Director. It’s a highly competitive but fun working environment. And for a die-hard gamer, there’s nothing better than helping to create a game they could play one day.