ICAGAM526A
Create complex 3-D characters for games
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to create complex 3-D characters for games.
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. Clarify work requirements | 1.1 Identify design requirements based on a project brief and documents 1.2 Using the design requirements, conceptualise appropriate characters for the game environments, design, level specifications and genre 1.3 Gather and analyse reference materials to help with design and visualisation of 3-D character models 1.4 Fill in any missing requirements |
2. Conceptualise 3-D character design | 2.1 Document design decisions that are made before and during the design conceptualisation 2.2 Outline the key attributes for the character 2.3 Discuss design considerations and generate concept art for 3-D characters |
3. Identify software tools that can be used to create 3-D characters | 3.1 Identify texturing tools, including painting, shading and texturing software |
4. Create complex 3-D characters | 4.1 Create base 3-D character models 4.2 Refine and polish the character models to a near finalised state 4.3 Create and map textures to apply to the 3-D character models 4.4 Refine the textures and apply shaders 4.5 Check integrity and modify the 3-D characters until they meet design requirements 4.6 Present model to relevant personnel |
5. Present the finished 3 | 5.1 Present the finished 3-D characters to relevant personnel 5.2 State how the design decisions have met the 3-D character's design requirements |
Required Skills
Required skills
analytical skills to:
interpret briefs, work instructions, and technical and conceptual information
analyse documentation and images to inform design of environment specifications
initiative and enterprise skills to visualise and develop concepts
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 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
realise a unified game-play vision
translate design requirements into specifications
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 and desktop research into design requirements and software tools
learning skills to accept peer feedback and make improvements
technical skills to:
resolve basic hardware, software and other technical issues associated with game production
use correct file formats and archiving procedures.
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: plan and manage the design process for creating 3-D character models incorporate design specifications and create complex 3-D character models produce and deliver documentation showing evidence of concepts creation and design decisions. |
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 candidate’s work samples, such as 3-D models or simulated workplace activities written or verbal questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of interactive 3-D environments review of: 3-D design documents concept art logbooks presentations storyboards textures. |
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 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. |
Game environments may include: | alien fantasy foreign historical naturalistic, for example: arctic desert jungle mountainous post-apocalyptic urban. |
Game design may include: | background story: full motion video (FMV) sequence storyboard for potential introductory concept illustrations or graphics that enhance the comprehension of the document design for all level missions game mechanics 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. |
Level specifications may include: | 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. |
Game genre may include: | 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 turn-based strategy tactical combat. |
Reference materials may include: | 3-D animations 3-D movies games magazines media movies people TV shows. |
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 Z Brush. |
3-D modelling tools may include: | 3ds Max Blender Cinema 4D Houdini Lightwave Maya Modo XSI Z Brush. |
Shaders may include: | Art style Blinn-Phong Comic Cook-Torrance Drawn look Gouraud Lambert Oren-Nayar Phong Toon Ward anisotropic. |
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. |
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.