Josh Lee

Unity is definitely giving me more control as a designer. Before I had to rely on engineers, but working in it myself now gives me control over the obstacle and collectible placement. Like I said earlier, the controls are similar to Maya. I wish we had been given Maya as a class a semester before, because I would have been able to do much more work in the game at an earlier level rather than just the map and movement design, but oh well. I can now say that I’m comfortable tweaking around in Maya with Level Designs and object manipulation. I have been even taking assets that the artists created and cleaning them up in Maya per Kevin’s request. This is an asset pipeline that allows us to find issues with the art that that might give the Unity engine any problems. For example, I make sure that all of the polygons have proper faces and that there are not any double faces. Stuff like that. Useful skills to have as both a designer and producer and a way for me to analyze problems in future projects that may arise.

Skills I’m actively building while working in Maya:

• Communicating with engineers: While I will never be a programmer, working alongside the engineers in Unity has given me an understanding of how they approach problems. For example as I noted earlier, Anurag approached the development of the track system from a mathematical perspective. Pace looks at the scope of the game design and makes sure it’s something the engineering side can create within our time limits. I would say that Kevin is a technical art engineer and has helped me learn how to place the assets in the game, what to look for, and ways to optimize them for the game engine. Jorge has shown me how the Kinect works and what it looks for on the body.  This has helped give me a solid understanding of what is easy and not easy for the Kinect to detect when playing with the system. By understanding the engineers, I am laying down a framework for future jobs in which I learn how to communicate more effectively with them even though I may have no idea of what they’re talking about half the time when it comes to code, engines, and systems.
• Working with the artists: Since I’ve been learning Maya this semester, I’ve been able to help place the art assets within the game and even take them into Maya to modify them as needed under the guidance of Ashley and Kevin when needed. This frees up time for the artists to create art and the engineers to code. Also, by being within the art of the level, I have a better feel for it and can see problem areas or anticipate how a certain part may be played. By walking the talk with artists, it gives me more credibility in my analysis and input on assets and will be invaluable for future projects within the industry.
• Confidence: Finally, delving into Maya and Unity not only gives me a new set of tools with which to work and talk about in regards to game development, but they also boost my confidence. I feel like a more valuable member of the team beyond just designer. By utilizing these skills, I can help alleviate work for others and put more of my stamp into the game.