What does a games animator do?
Animators take the objects created by 2D and 3D artists and breathe life into them by making them move. Working from the designer’s storyboard, they create the movements for characters and vehicles. They add personality, emotion and realism to the game.
Animators also have a good understanding of programming and game engines. As game animation is often a complicated combination of different types of movement, animators make libraries of the movements, so they can reuse them for each character. They work in a way that makes best use of the game engine’s technology and maximises the opportunities for game play and interactivity.
What’s a games animator good at?
- Art: draw and reveal attitude, emotions and mood through a character’s movement, have spatial awareness and a feel for movement over time
- Knowledge of gameplay: understand how movements will appear when played within the context of the game
- Knowledge of games engines: understand how to create an animation that works within an engine’s technical constraints
- Communication: be able to respond to direction and share ideas with other team members
- Organisation: work within the production schedule, manage files and meet deadlines
