Lead Environment Artist Eric Hartz on using film based production principals and visual effects when creating environment sets for Global Agenda

How did you get into the gaming industry? How did you get to Hi-Rez Studios?

I have been working in the gaming/real time simulation industry for 5 and a half years and have worked various CG artist positions since 1999.

Describe your video game experience; when did you start playing/making games?

I started playing games back in the early 80s with my Atari and who could forget the late nights trying to win Rygar on the NES.

What is your favorite class/character to play in Global Agenda?

Assault

What are you most excited for in Global Agenda?

PvE

What experiences do you draw from when creating content for the game?

I continually draw from my education in  visual effects.  All of the film based production principals apply. You just have to be even more efficient in how you solve a visual problem for games. For instance, tackling building a massive cityscape for an introduction movie, my first thoughts would be - if I was making a miniature set like you’d see on film, how could I stage it so I build the least number of assets to yield a massive shot?  Thats when you get into “tricking” the viewer/player by using greeble pieces and matte paintings for set extensions, atmospherics to separate foreground, mids, and backgrounds,  thrifty choices of set scaling to yield appropriate parallax. The list could go on and on, but in the end all of these approaches are rooted in the old non-digital visual effects techniques used all the back in the 1930s.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to break into gaming?

Get a solid background in art history and theory.  Master your toolset, if it’s Max, Maya, Photoshop, you should know how to troubleshoot. Network and be open to all potential projects when starting off.

Favorite game(s)?

Rygar - Nostalgia

Legendary Wings - Nostalgia

UT99 - Visuals for the time and frantic play

Half Life 2 - Great story

What do you do in your free time?

Sadly, I work.  I try to fill my time with contracts that range from character rigging for commercials to particle simulations for medical animation, I find that contracting in totally un-related fields keeps my mind limber and skills up to date.   When I am not working though, I spend a lot of time walking my dog Blue, he is a big old Husky that needs many miles.

What is on your iPod/MP3player?

James McMurtry - Live, Bob Dylan - Time Out of Mid, Garcia & Grisman, Old & In The Way