/3D Industry General/ - No hobbyists allowed

[Anonymous No.756561]

Le 3D memedustry general, only Emmy / Oscar / Game award-winning 3D pawns are allowed to write in this thread... Ok, this time everybody else working in the industry can write here as well, BUT NO HOBBYISTS ALLOWED.

Jokes aside, how is it working in the industry for you? Tell us something about your workplace. Me first:

>game industry
>props / environments
>about 6 months of experience, still a noob
>salary is actually really good

Negatives:
>I got into 3D somewhat late, I'm self taught and in mid 20s, I realized almost everyone is younger than me and has more experience than me, which is somewhat depressing, not gonna lie
>sometimes it does start feeling a bit like a grind and doing certain things like optimizing shit and unwrapping is pretty boring and mindless
>also, sometimes hands and fingers start hurting from all the mouse clicking

All in all, working in the industry is pretty much what I thought it would be, it isn't the best nor is it the worst. Honestly, I'm not sure if I imagine myself doing it for a long time though, I just happened to get a job opportunity without asking for it and have been doing 3D as a hobby. When the project is big, you're just a small barely significant wheel in a system, and I definitely feel replaceable. I guess it will be a nice feeling once I see my work in a finished game for the first time.

And again, realizing I'm maybe too old and seeing younger people with better skills than mine feels bad. That's what happens when you focus on a one thing in life I guess, I'm more of a generalist and pursued different interests in different times, though. Now I don't know if I should feel bad about it or not.

[Anonymous No.756579]

>>756561
Bit late for that but get out while you can.

[Anonymous No.756584]

>>756579
At least provide some explanation why you think that way. As I said, who knows how much I'll stay here, but honestly, I'm earning more than a senior programmer in my country, and all of that as a junior, so... For now I think it's good.

[Anonymous No.756588]

>>756584
Your career will go nowhere - especially as generalist - and they will outsource your job to people doing the same for scraps.

[Anonymous No.756591]

Where's your game, retard? You said you wanted to make your own games in the beginning now where is it? Oh? You never made one? ha...Ha....Haha....HAhaHaa..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHDFFHFHAWFUAHAQUWFHQAUFHFUHWEFHEFOHEFIEFHWE(*RF

-ahem-

Where is your game? Where is your short film? Where is your awesome creation? :(

[Anonymous No.756612]

>>756561
What software are you using? I would like a job in the industry too, I wonder how good do you have to be to get the same position you are in?

[Anonymous No.756620]

>>756612
Unironically Blender for modeling + Substance etc. How good you have to be depends on the studio I guess. There are some studios that work on low poly indie games and some that produce AAA content (I'm in this one) - they most likely won't have the same quality standards.

I think I've been very lucky with how all of this played out t b h. Not many studios use Blender, so it would be a wise idea to know at least Max or Maya as well.

Don't focus so much on software, focus on creating a high quality work. I never gave a fuck about software, started with Autodesk, but then at some point switched to Blender, although I'm using industry standard programs for everything else.

Quality wise - IMHO your work has to be at least on the level of those that are featured on websites like 80lv or Experience Points. I think that's a decent way of telling if you're good enough to get a job in AAA.

[Anonymous No.756630]

>>756620
Thank you for the information, now I wonder how were you able to self-learn all this, only youtube tutorials?

[Anonymous No.756635]

>>756630
YouTube sure does have some good content (started with Arrimus 3ds max tutorials), but it's not enough. I basically went through everything I could find which means lots of torrents. CGMA, Gnomon Workshop, LevelUp Digital and ArtStation tutorials are the best resources now when I look back at it. But all of those courses are paid and some can get very expensive, therefore, CGPeers and similar are your friends.

Also, joining Discord communities and especially reading / watching feedback videos on other people's art, that was really useful as well.

Ya know, once I got noticed on the internets because of my work, I felt confident about my skills, but now when I'm surrounded by great 3D artists, I feel like a noob again, I'll have to upgrade my skills in certain areas.

But from what I see, most people doing this are self-taught, it just requires time and a lot of effort.

[Anonymous No.756881]

>>756561
>>also, sometimes hands and fingers start hurting from all the mouse clicking
Be careful with this. If they hurt, this means you must stop for a while. You might disable yourself if you don't. Trust me, it sucks to be for months on the mend because you were too impatient to work at a sensible pace.

[Anonymous No.756971]

>>756881
I use dog fur wristbands for that, very good

[Anonymous No.756972]

>>756881
>>756971
fuck, how fragile and faggy can one person be?

[Anonymous No.756980]

>>756971
>>756972
>what is RSI?

[Anonymous No.756984]

>>756980
Pushing pens and mice since 1988 and never had that. How does one get so limp-wristed?

[Anonymous No.757006]

>>756984
>i can't comprehend anything outside my immediate experience
based egocentric retard

[Anonymous No.757013]

>>756972
>>756984
internet tough guy please

[Anonymous No.757020]

>>757006
>>757013
Man up you insufferable faggots.

[Anonymous No.757024]

>>757020
how do you have a child's brain if you've been doing 3d since 88? is it senility?

[Anonymous No.757034]

>>757024
Why are you such a limp-wristed faggot?

[Anonymous No.757041]

When I got in this industry, I came to the realization that doing this professionally for someone else is more like a craft and it doesn't feel like making art at all. When I saw how the actual production looks like, I also stopped seeing stuff like making props as an art, nor does it make sense now to me that somebody would call themselves a 3D prop "artist". At least when you're doing photorealism.

It's more about understanding technical aspects and understanding how something was built, how materials work etc. and then your task is just to recreate it as close as possible to a reference. Kinda soulless t b h. I never focused on props because of that.

[Anonymous No.757080]

>>757041
That's a semantic or linguistic problem. In the English speaking world the usage of the term artist is incorrect as it often applies to craft.
Europeans have a little-bit more nuance when applying the term depending on language.
For example in Germany the English term 3D artist is used, the translation 3D Künstler doesn't sound right in a case like your (or at all).
It's complicated.
Recreating something exactly with mostly technical means is not considered real art, its craft.

[Anonymous No.757158]

>learning to code
>get bored
>pick up a blender course on Udemy for the hell of it
>having an absolute blast

Yeah I really like 3D Modelling & Animation A LOT more than programming

Gonna stick to this from now on.

Any self taught anons here work in the industry?

[Anonymous No.757159]

>>757158
I see you didn't even read the OP

[Anonymous No.757173]

>>757159
I did. I assumed his "no hobbyists" claim was a joke, and even if it wasn't a joke (as he claims), I still feel I belong in this thread due to my aspirations of eventually finding work in the industry.

As for OP providing a story of working in the industry, I read through it, and still felt the desire to read more stories from other people who have experience.

[Anonymous No.757175]

>>757173
Ok then, it's just that OP mentioned being self taught, which is what you asked.

[Anonymous No.757176]

>>757175
>>757173
And just to say this - lots of people in this industry are self taught, if not majority. I know people that even went to school for it, but schools were shitty so they still had to learn everything properly on their own. I don't see any benefits you can get from school other than feedback and just being surrounded by people interested in the same thing. But if lecturers are trash, than you don't even have that.

[Anonymous No.757264]

>>757175
>>757176
Ah yeah, and now that I read my post, I asked the wrong question at the end, lol.

I meant to ask if any self taught anons had stories of working in the industry, instead I asked if anybody here simply was self taught, silly me

All good though. I'm only curious about self teaching because when I took college courses, the professors would literally make us buy a program and teach ourselves everything we needed to know. We would only show up to class to hand in assignments and take tests.

I was worried about not having a degree/certifications, since I assumed that most companies would want to see some type of certified validation, but that's unnecessary.
Having a good portfolio/showreel, and having good people skills seem to be enough.

[Anonymous No.757274]

>>757264
Yeah, pretty much. Nobody asked anything about my degree at all, they just looked at the portfolio.

I had only one 3D class and it was ridiculously bad. Lecturer hasn't been doing 3D for like 15 years and had laughably outdated views on the industry. Imagine somebody like that teaching and misinforming noobies.

[Anonymous No.757321]

>>757274
Damn. So did you end up teaching yourself everything by playing around with Blender and using free bits of information you could find on the internet?

I bought a $15 Udemy course, and I'm honestly having a great experience with it so far.

Sucks you had a bad class though.

[Anonymous No.757322]

>>757321
To add to this though, despite taking an online course, I have taught myself quite a bit of information on my own just from googling stuff.

I can definitely see how taking formal courses aren't necessary in the slightest.

As long as you're improving.

[Anonymous No.757713]

>>757321
>>757322
Yeah I pretty much went through everything I could find, be it paid or free courses. I wrote about this recently in some thread but I can't find a reply so I'll repeat it:

YouTube has some great channels, but I think to reach a high level you're gonna need to go through some professional paid courses. Since these can get pretty damn expensive, I just got all that shit from CGPeers. God tier places IMO are CGMA, Gnomon Workshop and LevelUp Digital. I learned a lot from those. But all in all, it kinda was a struggle, because when you're on your own, you have to figure out where to find info you need, how to even google it and somehow discern good from bad tutorials without an experience. So I probably wasted some time on certain things.

Either way, it's totally possible, and again, sooo many people are self-taught, so if they could do it, anyone else can do it too.

[Anonymous No.757769]

>>757713
Gnomon BFA student here, this post is 100%
I will however say that if you have the money, the in person classes are worth it. There are some good art schools out there.
Not only are you getting top level instruction, and critique, but you are surrounded by people interested in the same things, and have the ability to network like crazy. Specifically at Gnomon, there are mini gdc talks given every month, and a large social event for Zbrush Summit is held

[Anonymous No.759117]

>>757769
I don't have the money for the in person stuff at Gnomon unfortunately, but do you know if the professors are open to getting emails and interviews from people learning outside the institution?
I've always wanted to go, but I figure being able to reach out to them is the second best thing to moving out to Hollywood and taking out some loans.

[Anonymous No.759448]

>>759117
I'm not really sure with what you mean about reaching out to the profs,
if you are learning from the workshop and looking to get into contact with someone, I would email Max Dayan first and just let him know whats up, what you're looking for, etc. He's a really chill guy, but very down to business

I totally get not being able to do in person classes, hell it costs more than an arm and a leg... But the next term will also be held online, so you could take what are normally only in person classes from wherever you are.
If you can drop the money for 1 or 2 classes, I would reccomend it, they are exactly the same as in person ones, just hosted over an online meeting

Ignore this if you would be taking any of the beginning/low intermediate classes, you will get MUCH more bang for the buck with the advanced classes, given you are at that level, and can actually take advantage of them

[Anonymous No.762466]

so many good information here. thanks anons.