Application
This unit applies to concept artists, game designers, games programmers, animators and other personnel working in the game development industry.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Obtain design documents for the 3-D environment | 1.1 Conceptualise design requirements based on project brief and other relevant documents 1.2 Identify requirements for the design of the 3-D environment 1.3 Discuss design considerations and generate concept art for the final environment design 1.4 Fill in any missing requirements |
2. Identify software tools that can be used to create 3-D environments | 2.1 Identify texturing tools, including painting, shading and texturing software 2.2 Identify audio tools 2.3 Identify 3-D modelling and animation software to be used |
3. Document and justify the design decisions | 3.1 Clearly document design decisions 3.2 Explain and justify design decisions 3.3 Make changes where necessary |
4. Create the 3-D environment | 4.1 Implement basic geometry, flow and layout 4.2 Separate each section of the environment into key parts and choose a focal point for the environment 4.3 Incorporate detail into the focal point of the level 4.4 Use the focal points level of detail to set a target for the rest of the environment 4.5 Integrate the geometry, texturing and place the models 4.6 Carry out a detailed pass of the entire environment 4.7 Set up exterior lighting and then interior lighting 4.8 Incorporate any sound and particle effects, and perform optimisation if required 4.9 Perform a final pass, finalising any elements |
5. Present the finished 3 | 5.1 Present the finished 3-D environment to relevant personnel 5.2 State how the design decisions have met the 3-D environment design requirements 5.3 Justify why certain design decision where made 5.4 Accept peer feedback and incorporate in final design |
Required Skills
Required skills
analytical skills to:
analyse documentation and images to inform game specification creation
interpret briefs, work instructions, and technical and conceptual information
communication skills to:
check and confirm design requirements
collect, interpret and communicate in visual and written forms effectively for various audiences, including engineers and artists
communicate clearly using speech and text
communicate complex designs in a structured format drawn from industry standards, styles and techniques
communicate technical requirements related to software development, graphics requirements and code development to supervisors and other team members
contribute to and work in a collaborative team
give and receive constructive feedback
provide practical advice, support and feedback to colleagues and management
planning and organisational skills to:
appropriately refer decisions to a higher project authority for review and endorsement
delegate tasks and responsibility appropriately
establish clear roles and goals to achieve required game development outcomes
meet project deadlines
organise equipment and resources to achieve required outcomes
organise own time to meet milestones
prioritise work and meet critical milestones and deadlines
problem-solving skills to recognise and address potential quality issues and problems at design development stage
research skills to undertake practical, technical or desktop research into design requirements and software tools
technical skills to:
realise a unified game-play vision
resolve basic hardware, software and other technical issues associated with game production
translate design requirements into specifications
use correct file formats and archiving procedures
visualise and develop concepts.
Required knowledge
budgeting and scheduling considerations for game design
capabilities and constraints of game engines
computer game development, including specific terminology
current game-play hardware and software products
human resources required in the process of creating a game and their respective skills and technology requirements
technical constraints that hardware imposes on software development, graphics requirements, code development and creative visual design.
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: implement design requirements into a working 3-D environment create interactions between the user and the environment manage design requirements with technical requirements deliver a 3-D environment with working interactions. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: computer hardware, software, games engines and file storage copyright and intellectual property legislation OHS legislation and enterprise policy appropriate learning and assessment support when required modified equipment for people with special needs. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: evaluation of: production of a 3-D environment with interactions response to fault-finding exercises simulated workplace activities work samples written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge of interactive environments review of: logbooks presentations reports. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support. In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Project brief and other relevant documents may include: | concept drawings designer’s notes development environment description level design document storyboard style and design principles style and medium target market information technical design document technical design review process. |
3-D environment may include: | characters and environments, such as: backgrounds environments lighting scenery terrain textures environment profiles, such as: alien fantasy foreign historical naturalistic: arctic desert jungle mountainous post-apocalyptic urban game design, such as: concept illustrations or graphics that enhance the comprehension of the document design for all level missions game mechanics that affect level design decisions illustrations of level with all significant points of interest introduction and overview (one page synopsis) key selling points, including intended audience, genre and platforms production details scripts required for level synopsis and scripts for each level title and cover art (art must be colour and of a reasonable resolution for high quality printing) walk through for at least one mission or level game genre, such as: adventure alternative reality ancient casino cyberpunk educational edutainment fantasy first person shooter flight shooter flight simulation futuristic god simulation massively multi-player online game massively multi-player online role-playing game medieval modern multi-player post-apocalyptic puzzle racing shooter racing simulation real-time strategy role-playing game science fiction side-scrolling shooter single player sports strategy, including action strategy and turn-based strategy tactical combat game mechanics, such as: lists and illustrations of: actions of a particular object (object dynamics) environment actions (environment dynamics) game objects organised into classes of object possible environment and object interactions possible object-to-object interactions specific game-play elements that provide uniqueness and key point of difference overview of the key factors influencing core game-play experience game physics, such as: collision combat: blood spots debris explosions footprints salvo smoke and fire sparks water wreckage movement: creaking floors footfalls puddle stepping wading wind game-play elements, such as: buildings game flow switches terrain objects transformations transportation traps level specifications, such as: level-specific components: allies base building and location cinematic, such as cut scenes colours enemies graphics health lighting non-player characters resources and their harvesting sounds and music weapons location stages transportation devices: buttons doors keys teleporters tunnels and passageways. |
Design considerations may include: | aesthetics cultural context genre resource limitations and constraints target market. |
Concept art may include: | illustrations models settings sketches storyboards. |
Painting, shading and texturing software may include: | 3-D paint Illustrator Mudbox Photoshop ZBrush. |
3-D modelling and animation software may include: | 3ds Max Blender Cinema 4D Houdini Lightwave Maya Modo XSI Z Brush. |
Personnel may include: | animators concept artists game-play designers graphic designers instructional designers modellers motion capture technicians other specialist staff other technical staff producers programmers project manager sound engineers team members technical director writers. |
Feedback may involve: | accepting and responding to comment, critique and suggestions from: clients colleagues target audience representatives. |
Sectors
Game development
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement but users should confirm requirements with the relevant federal, state or territory authority.