The Business of Art Direction:7 Critical Precepts.

Rick StringfellowExec. Art Director & EA Sports

Art Directing a game is not easy!Art Directing games is getting harder!

Because timelines are shorterPlatforms are more diverse

User expectations are growingThe range of skills required is increasing

So how do you increase your ability to succeed?

The Business of Art Direction

The Business of Art Direction

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2012 - Almost any platform!

FIFA Soccer

Madden Football

NCAA Football

NBA

NBA JAM

SSX

UFC

NHL Hockey

Tennis

NFL Blitz

Tiger Woods

+ Several New IP Titles

Each ‘Franchise’ can have many gamesWe make a lot of games every year!

FIFA

Approximate figures:

x 12 games = 2,700,000 data files in source.

= Millions of assets!

x 3 Textures per model

x 3 misc files

25,000 3D models

= 225,000 pieces of Source content

We’ve been building sports games for 20 years!

• Keep in mind that players appearance changes over time. • We evolve their image and store the changes.• For each cycle we branch and archive.

• It’s Millions of assets – per year!

Most Sports titles are on a 12 month cycle.

Typical game 2 yr dev cycle.

2011 2012

And that cadence is increasing with DLC

2011 2012

Working in at least 6 time zones!

With an average of 5 artists per game.And keeping the visual quality of 80+ metacritic.

Simple Solutions.

Big Game Small Game

Same rules apply!

1.Clarity

Visual Targets are the key to clear art direction.

• There should be only one visual TARGET!• Reference and concept art can be plentiful –

but it’s not the target.• Visual Targets should be put in the game if

possible.

2.Iteration

IterationReviewEdit

This process should be as fast as you can think!

BuildIntegrate

Feedback

Iteration is key to quality & efficiency.

• Fast enough to allow visual exploration.• Safe enough to allow experiments.• Should not require others to initiate.

3.Feedback

Feedback

Peers

Consumers

Visual

Feedback Timeline

Concept Phase

Entering Production Pre-Alpha

Feedback should be early and frequent. Not too late!

• Create your trusted group of reviewers.• Feedback should be honest.

4.Standards

Head 1.0, 2.0, 3.0….

Game A Game B Game C

Standards will change organically over time if not owned and maintained by a group or

individual.

Standard topology

Standards need to be maintained and upgraded to keep pace with technology.

• Formats• Methods• Vocabulary

5.Systems(Workflows & Pipelines)

Modeling

Texturing

Integration

lighting

Review

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• Make sure pipelines are complete – end to end.

• Systems are hard to build / maintain without standards.

• Don’t build systems as you build the game.• Before trying to outsource make sure

everything works locally.

6.Organization

Organization

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Visual appearance of the Content

7.Services

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Always hire an expert!don’t try to do everything yourself.

• Audio• Motion Capture• Video & Post Production• QA• AV Support (Calibration)

Precepts:• Clarity• Iteration• Feedback• Standards• Systems• Organization• Services

Questions?