Pipeline Artist
A Pipeline Artist is a key part of the Technical Art team. You'll be working alongside the Technical Artists and Art team to get assets into game, ensure work is done correctly and help teach people about new and existing processes. As team sizes increase and more work is done by outsource partners, it's important that the flow of work is checked and integrated correctly and that our partners understand the requirements on them. As a Pipeline Artist, you will work to ensure that assets are moved smoothly between delivery branches into the main game and that the work meets the requirements set out. To do this, it's key that you understand source control procedures and basic Technical Art issues.
The role works closely with Technical Art although is led by the Pipeline Lead on a project. You'll be expected to report issues with the workflows or pipelines and in some cases, communicate and action responses. This means you'll be actively participating in helping to build these pipelines and in some cases, the assets for the game. A solid technical basis is key and the role offers a unique chance to really understand how games are made and what procedures are used. Like all Technical Art roles, communication is paramount and candidates need to demonstrate their ability to proactively raise issues and form good relationships with their close team members. The role can be a springboard into Technical Art or onward to a Pipeline Lead.
Responsibilities
- Asset integration. Getting the authored assets into game correctly is your primary focus. Ensuring everything ends up where it should be both geographically in the game and physically in terms of folder structures is of paramount importance.
- Review work from external and/or internal teams. It's your role to ensure the work being done meets the requirements given.
- Check the technical validity of work. It's important that the work done is technically correct as well as aesthetically pleasing. The game’s performance relies on team members understanding and following the technical constraints. You are uniquely placed to look for assets which don't meet these requirements.
- Become a knowledge base of assets and procedures. You'll be working with the project’s pipelines day in and out. You will therefore become an expert in the processes and procedures which will enable you to explain these technicalities to those less familiar.
- Dealing with merging assets across source control. You are charged with merging assets across different branches of source control, taking work done by our outsource partners and moving it to the main trunk/branch.
- Report to and work with the Technical Artists and Pipeline Artists. You'll be reporting to the Pipeline Lead on the project and will be working with the Technical Art team to ensure the work is efficient and that all relevant pipelines exist and are well documented.
Skills
- Strong communication skills.
- Strong desire to understand game pipelines and workflows.
- Ability to understand and assemble complex technical requirements.
- Understanding of source control and its concepts.
- Understanding of Technical Art concepts like topology, UVing, Loding etc.
- Experience with 3D software Maya/Max etc.
- Self-driven/proactive attitude to problem solving.