Character Artist (Activision) Katie Luetge, 2nd period

Job description Design characters for video games Usually only needed for very complex characters, such as in extremely detailed shooter games Crosses over into several different types of jobs- includes concept art, animation, illustration and game art. Sketch out initial character designs, place in context of game’s story; use computer software to create and animate your character. Collaborate with animators and game designers to help design a character that fits the best with that particular game

Qualifications Vary on level (can range from entry level to senior positions) At least a bachelor’s degree Detail-oriented Reliable Diligent Willing to take on challenges Imagination and creativity Skills in modeling, texturing, rigging, FX and animation Good communication skills

Outlook + $ potential Market fluctuates wildly On average, has been steadily increasing Expected to further increase $34,000 - $100,000 This includes entry level and senior positions

Why character design? Artistic and technical elements I love animation and 3D modeling I also like designing my own characters (usually around specific concepts)

In the game I’m working on currently outside of school, this is one of the roles I think I would describe myself as having on our dev team. There are only four of us, so we’re all having to do multiple things at once

colleges Texas A&M UT Dallas Laguna College of Art and Design

Companies Vicarious Visions Skydance Interactive Activision

Founded in 1979, Santa Monica, California “Success is built upon shared dedication of great people whose sense of mutual respect and teamwork drives our performance” First third-party developer (software not made by the same people who created the console) Tried to develop business software in addition to video games for a brief time in the late 80’s

In 2007, the company became known as Activision Blizzard after its merger with Vivendi Games Some of their games include Pitfall, Ice Hockey, the Transformers game series, Civilization: Call to Power, the Tony Hawk series, the Call of Duty series, the Spyro the Dragon series, Goldeneye 007 Reloaded and Destiny 1 and 2.

Sources gamasutra.com glassdoor.com insidejobs.com gameindustrycareerguide.com https://www.animationcareerreview.com/articles/top-50-animation-schools-and-colleges-us-%E2%80%93- 2015 activision.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activision https://www.tamu.edu/assets/images/icons/home-social.jpg