Building Blocks of a Believable World

Who are the prop makers of our digital worlds?  Who produces a multitude of objects so each environment looks like a believable and functional space?

From the largest skyscraper, to the smallest scraps of garbage strewn about an alleyway, game worlds are populated by an enormous number of assets which are used to create a living, breathing world.  I sat down with Nicolas Dunbeck, Environment Prop Artist for Trion Worlds to see what it takes to accomplish this task.

Nic describes himself as a digital Lego craftsman.  Not so much that he creates virtual plastic bricks, but the objects he creates are building blocks that can be turned into complex environments.  They can be snapped together and reconfigured in a multitude of ways allowing for a large variety of sets to be created without the need to make lots of very specific props.


Each person on a game development team serves an important role. If one aspect is noticeably weaker than the rest, it can negatively affect the players overall experience. Why are prop artists integral to the success of a game?

My job, along with other artists, is building all the props and pieces that get put together to build the game.  Everything the player interacts with, it could be something that you shoot at and it blows up, or it could be something you walk inside of like a building.  It could be objects used for cover if it's a shooting game.

It's really important that these pieces get created properly because they will be used all over.  Ours is a large game, so you will be running around this world and objects will be re-used.  If you don't do a good job it will be seen in many places.  It's much easier for the designers when they are laying out the different areas to create what they want if they have the right building blocks.  They fit together just right if they're modular.  The possibilities are endless with what they can create.  We'll make props and the designers will end up using them in some totally different way.  It's satisfying to see that the props we make are versatile.


So is that true for all objects, from a piece of trash all the way up to explorable buildings?

Definitely.  A few months back I made piles of junk (the actual objects, not quality of work), but now I'm working on big buildings. The small stuff is probably what you see more often than the big stuff.  If you take something like a light pole for example, those sort of things are all over a game. There might be a hero set piece, or a big boss, but the things you see more often are the environments and trash mobs.  Simpler characters or props get arguably more screen time than some of the hero pieces.

When it comes to being a prop artist, you have to be ready for anything they throw at you.  It's always a surprise what I'll be working on next.


You mentioned some trash piles and buildings you've worked on recently.  What work, past or present, are you most proud of?

I'm really excited about what I'm working on now, even though I can't go into too much detail.  I'm working on a set of buildings which will go in a specific area.  They may be reused, but right now I'm just focusing on one area.  It's really exciting because typically as a prop artist you are just working on small pieces that can be put in random places around the world.  I get the chance to work on a single area's props all by myself.  I'm building all the props, and designers will lay them out.

I'm really proud to get to that point where my boss trusts me to do that.  Its like a sink or swim sort of thing.  It's all me in this area.  Its great to have a fire lit under you to see how you respond.  I'm learning a lot.  Because I'm working on this area it's been evolving, going back and forth with the concept artist, designer, and terrain artist.  It's exciting to nail the concept artists look and make the designer happy because the props enable him to make the gameplay flow the way he wants.  Finding that balance has worked out very well.


So when you are given an assignment like this how much input and direction are you given to produce the props?  How much of your own artistic interpretation are you allowed to inject into the process?

It depends what stage of the project we're in.  We're in a "full steam ahead" mode right now.  I wouldn't call it crunch mode, but we're moving at a good pace.  We don't want to be taking steps backwards or sideways on asset production, we want to keep moving forward.  When you're in that sort of situation you often find you aren't going to get a fully rendered design.  You're trying to produce as much as you can as fast as you can without rushing so you don't have to go back to fix everything later.  At the same time you can't take as much as you'd probably like to.  The same can be said of the concept artist.

Sometimes I'll receive a sketch, sometimes it will be in color.  Most of the time it's taking a line drawing and interpreting the silhouette and shapes.  I'll talk with the concept artist if I have any questions and get any reference images they may have used to produce the art.  Sometimes you will get a fully rendered concept and that can be really simple to implement.  Right now I'm better at working with that than at the design end of it and using my own creative license, but I'm learning!  I keep the lines of communication open with the concept artist and my leads to ensure I'm meeting their expectations for the prop. Its fun to see designs evolve.

It's always a challenge.  I'm not as seasoned as some of the leads so I'm always trying to figure out how to build something, keep it under the budget, make it look cool and maintain silhouette.  What if a character walks around the backside?  The concept only has one angle!  It can be stressful at times, but it's also fun.  If it's too easy it isn't pushing you to get better.


It sounds like you have to stay pretty flexible to thrive in that environment!  It's nice that each prop comes with its own unique challenges, which helps keep things fresh and continues to challenge you.

So in addition to those things (and obviously the paycheck) what makes you want to come into work every day?

It's really easy to work here because it's an awesome project. It doesn't feel like work because I'm getting to contribute to something I'm very excited about.  The co-workers are awesome too.  If you weren't surrounded by such cool people, you wouldn't want to go to work.  I spend more time here than I do at home during the week.  There are a lot of knowledgeable, talented and fun people to be around.

I sometimes feel dwarfed by all the talented artists I've met at the studio, but for me I feel lucky that I'm working with them.  I'm in shock when I get a paycheck, I'm actually getting paid to do this!

I've found that learning from your coworkers is key.  Don't feel like you have to learn everything in school because you learn so much on the job.  Don't be afraid to ask your peers to learn new techniques.  Everyone has a strength or skill that can help another's workflow process.  Don't be afraid to ask, and don't be afraid to share!


So while working at your current job, or anywhere along your professional career were there any techniques or best practices you have learned or developed that have served you well?

Always get feedback from your peers.  Never work in a vacuum.  During the development of an asset you don't want to get too far along only to learn major changes need to be made.  You can really shoot yourself in the foot and lose a lot of valuable time.

I completely agree.  You'd think in such a collaborative that would be something you naturally do, but I can remember times when I would get so focused on a task I'd just forget to look up and see what else is going on around me.  You have to be disciplined to not get too wrapped up in what you're doing and remember to confer with your friends and co-workers from time to time.


Lets shift the subject to you, why don't you tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to be where you are today.

After high school I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.  I got into music and wanted to do sound engineering.  I found a school in the San Francisco bay area.  During some of my early coursework I met some cool people who exposed me to the 3D Animation program the school had to offer.  I found I didn't really mesh with the folks in the sound program.  I always enjoyed drawing when I was young, but never pursued it as I got older.  As a kid I'd stay up late playing the original Civilization on my dad's Macintosh LC II computer.  So I switched programs and have been a 3D artist ever since.

I took a short hiatus to teach English in Japan for a little over 2 years. I felt a need to travel.  I'd never gone outside the country except for random trips to Mexico as a kid that I don't really remember. I got a strong feeling I needed to get out to see the world. Japan sounded like one of those places that I'd always heard about, but never expected to go there.  I realized I had to do this. In the game industry you get really consumed by your work and it's sometimes hard to break away.  It's kind of like your parents have to kick you out of the house, they don't want to let you go, but you're never going to leave sometimes if they don't do it.  It was like I had to kick myself out of my own metaphorical house.  I was in a comfort zone in San Francisco.  It was one of the best decisions I've made.


While you weren't explicitly growing your 3D skill set during this time period, did you feel your experiences in Japan teaching gave you new perspective or tools that helped you professionally now that you are back in the game industry?

Well, it was fun traveling, and it gave me a needed break.  Long hours can burn you out over time.  I was probably not taking care of myself well enough when it comes to getting enough sleep or eating healthy.  Moving abroad really opened my eyes to another culture and another way of life.  It made me learn a lot about the US itself.  I got married!  That changed my life more than anything.  It made me realize I enjoyed teaching.  I could have done it longer, but it also made me realize I felt like I was missing out on the game industry, the making and the playing.

Even in though I was in Japan where some consider one of the birthplaces of videogames from companies like Nintendo, SEGA, and Sony, I probably played less video games during that time than in my entire life!  So I was definitely deprived but it confirmed what I really wanted to do.  I needed to get back to what I was passionate about.  I loved teaching because of the interaction with the students, but it didn't feel like what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.  It was a great learning experience.  I had to come out of my shell.  In the past I wasn't outgoing enough, I wasn't comfortable speaking in front of people.  Being a teacher you're forced into the spotlight, you're forced to have to talk to people, to teach them and lead them.  It had a big impact and really helped me out a lot.


So you went to school and learned your 3D skill set, worked for awhile in the game industry, and then traveled abroad and taught for a couple of years.  Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself when you were just starting out?

I was very shy in school.  I would have pushed myself to be more outgoing.  There were times when I was too reclusive and not as social as I could have been.  That goes back to getting input and feedback from your peers.  I would have been more comfortable asking for critiques and criticisms which could have helped me improve faster.

I should have quit my job so I would have had more time to focus on school.  The first year of digital art education was like a blur because I worked so much, both at a job and my schoolwork.  When I'd get to school my brain would already be fried so I didn't get as much out of that first year as I could have.

Don't get attached to your work.  Make a lot of mistakes.  Don't be afraid to start over.  There were plenty of times where I spent too much time trying to salvage some work and it ended up being complete crap.  I should have just started from scratch.  Learn from those mistakes so you can start fresh.

Most importantly: Learn from your classmates and peers!  You can get a lot of input and inspiration from them.


Great advice!  I can remember plenty of times wandering around class to see what others were working on and getting inspired to push my project further.  I also recall many problems being solved while discussing them with co-workers over a coffee break.  Sometimes a small suggestion or a change is all it takes to launch your progress forward.

Since you've come back from Japan I imagine you're catching up on your game time, what are you playing right now?

I'm really into Borderlands right now.  I play co-op with my wife.  It has a cool story, and I love all the expansions.  I love getting new loot.  I have some awesome guns right now.  It can feel easy sometimes after finding some powerful weapons, like a hot knife through butter, but it's very gratifying.

We (my wife and I) also played through Lara Croft: Guardian of Light, we loved the co-op puzzles and challenges.

Dead Nation is a really cool one too.  It's a top-down, co-op shooter and you get to kill a lot of zombies.  So if you like zombie killin', check it out.


I can still remember panic-filled shouts when my wife and I played Lara Croft: GoL as we tried to outrace the multitude of deathtraps the game had to offer.

Well thank you for taking some time to chat today Nic!  Before we go, is there anything you wanted to talk about that we didn't go over?

- Drink a lot of water, don't get into the habit of drinking/eating stuff that has a lot of sugar.
- If you're not passionate about games, don't go into the industry.  The people you work with will recognize it.  Keep looking for what you're passionate about.
- Edit down your portfolio to have your very best work.  Better to show too little good quality, than too much mediocre quality.


Thank you Nic for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights!

It takes a lot of work and careful attention to be a successful prop artist.  The assets they create are used to populate entire worlds.  The next time you find yourself in a game environment you find particularly compelling, stop and take a look around.  You'll more than likely notice many carefully crafted and well placed props that help to make up the games gestalt.

If you'd like to see some of Nic's personal work and the current title he's working on, check out the links below.

www.nicolasdunbeck.com
www.defiance.com