Level designer vs. environmental artist, whats the difference?

[Bond394]

Hey everyone I'm a noob to the industry and I just need some clarification on what is the difference between a level designer and a environmental artist. Also when applying to game companies what types of art pieces should you have in your portfolio for each of those positions?

[thanoz]

An Environment artist models the objects of the environment and generates textures for those objects (in modeling and texturing programs such as Maya/Max/Photoshop). An Environment Artist's work is more about what is created than how it is arranged.

The Level Designer takes the objects and textures created by the Environment Artist and arranges them (usually in a game engine). The level designer's job is to arrange the assets to create a level that is interesting for the player as well as aesthetically pleasing. The Level Designer also must know a lot about the role of a Game Designer (and possibly take up both roles), as many levels must be designed with elaborate traps and puzzles that require a good deal of planning and thought.

To become an environment artist one would want to learn how to generate many models of buildings, objects and other scenery that could be used together to make a level. A strong proficiency in 3D Max or Maya and strong understanding of Photoshop would be mandatory. This means no use of other people's models and textures. A good environment reel can show the models alone on turntables and also in the game engine (proving that they're ready for games).

To become a Level Designer is easier to start, but no easier to master. It requires using level building software such as the Unreal Editor to arrange interesting and fun levels, and hopefully to display inventiveness and creativity in the process. The ability to model and texture could be a nice backup ability to have with this job, but all portfolio pieces should probably remain as in-game renders and overhead layout drawings/renders. Level designers might have a cheaper road ahead of them as their software tools are a lot easier to learn than the 3d modeling and animation programs (many of which inspire people to take college courses to learn).

The real questions you have to ask yourself are these -

Do I want to sculpt and paint what goes into a level? or Do I want to direct the player's actions and experiences by creating the shape, feel, and purpose of the level?

There's no one right answer for everyone.

[DaveW]

Environment artist is doing stuff like props, whereas a level designer actually builds the levels.

Edit: And Thanoz beat me to it with a much more informative post!

[Pankake]

Also, Level Designers are in charge of a lot of design elements for the game as a whole, as a level designer, you have your foot in the door for game design, if you're not interested in design aspects of game development, then it's not for you. Environment artist is just that - artist that works on the game environment.

[rascal]

As a level designer do you actually should have a good understanding about modeling/photoshop too? Or is this not necessarily required as he just throws everything into the map and combines it to a level.

[Shadow71]

Originally Posted by rascal

As a level designer do you actually should have a good understanding about modeling/photoshop too? Or is this not necessarily required as he just throws everything into the map and combines it to a level.

Any extras skills is always a bonus, and with modeling/texturing being so relevant to level design you can only imagine it can't hurt. I don't think there is a definitive answer if you need it since every company has a different idea of what they want out of their level designers etc.

[benclark]

UT3 (1)
UT3 (2)

from the last minute of the first video onwards

[Bond394]

thanoz, DaveW, Pankake- First off thanks a lot for your responses, that helps immensely.

thanoz- when you said

Do I want to direct the player's actions and experiences by creating the shape, feel, and purpose of the level?

Do you or anyone else feel that designing a level is easier for a single player game, lets say Resident Evil or a multiplayer game like Unreal tournament?

[Talon]

They're both very different styles of gameplay.

I'd say that SP level design is harder as there's more you need to take into account by way of guiding the player through a preferred route without letting them feel limited, where things like that are naturally accepted in MP levels (although there's a lot more balancing and such needed in MP levels - for the fast-paced deathmatch games especially).

[Bond394]

Talon- Thanks for the wisdom.

So for someone who is trying to break into the game industry for level design and I wanna show off a level how big should I go in terms of scale, should one start off with small scenes and work their way up or should one focus on one level as a whole. What do employers look for?