How to make the Levels the Two Towers Way

Art & Design

by Tom McGuire  |  on November 30th, 2007  |  0 comments

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Have your Environment Artists build the final geometry over the block out

1. Art Director gives Environment Artists all the concept art and reference materials
   This is pretty elf explanatory. The AD gathers together a book of all the concept art, storyboards, and photo reference (in this case photos from the Lord of the Rings set) the team needs to do the art.
2. Environment Art Team then dives up tasks between them
   The EA team has a lead and he and the other two members decide how to divide up the tasks. For example Andy is the EA team lead. His team has been assigned three levels to do in sequential order. He assigns Josh to build the buildings and trees, and he assigns Ed to create the textures for the landscape geometry. And he himself will do the landscape geometry. They all sit next to each other and work together. They use the level storyboards to guide them.

If they want to make a change to the level, then they make a change to the level storyboard and get that approved by the Art Director and if necessary, the game designer and level designer. If approved, then they can go ahead with the change. For example, what if the frame rate is taking a hit in this area, so one of the Environment Artists says ‘add a cliff to the back of the stable so it blocks the view outside the wall (see figure 7)’. He can take the sketch and draw in his idea. Then we can show this to whoever needs to approve it. This is simple and quick and easy to understand.

Figure 7

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