Detailed Job Research

I have researched into environmental 3D Modelling jobs in an effort to identify key skills that are specific requirements to work in this area of the industry.

Blizzard

Fast and efficient 3D Modeller

This suggests a fast output time is needed from the 3D Modeller. This would mean that they would need sufficient knowledge of the tools to avoid any hindrances, and a workflow that was tried and perfected to produce a professional, consistent outcome each time

Superior eye for light, shade, and detail in creating texture maps and materials

This requirement outlines some skills that are needed from the artist. Firstly, knowledge and ability to texture and use materials with different maps. This would mean that this job isn't outsourced to another department, and so the qualities of a texture artist are needed. Attention to detail gives some indication of the quality they expect, probably not looking for stylised, hand drawn textures. More towards the photo-manipulation method of texture art.

Experience in Unity3D and Substance Painter

Both of these tools are capable of rendering PBR systems, so its likely this is a required skill. 'Superior eye for light, shade and detail' may also have been calling for a PBR workflow. Substance Painter is also used to bake different maps to lower poly meshes as a workflow for games.
(Blizzard, 2017)

Id Sotware - Bethesda

Create Models, textures and set pieces based on concept art

The artist will be working from reference material, and need to display the skills to interpret concepts that are most likely 2D Imagery into 3D models. It may also require communication between the modeller and the artist to achieve their vision, or to clarify aspects of the concepts that they may not be clear on.

Work closely with the lead, designers and other artists to model props and world builds

This ties back in with the previous skill of communicating between members of teams and different teams. It also suggests that your work is going to be transferred to different departments, and so needs to maintain consistent naming conventions and a clear, understandable workflow for members besides yourself. This responsibility also gives some scale to the projects you'd be undergoing, modelling on a world scale.

Familiarity with working on futuristic Hard surface Modeling

This gives the type of modelling that you'll be undertaking in this position, and the style and theme that you'll be emulating ; albeit a vague style and theme. Although it may be testing the modeler to display their skills in researching and informing an idea, demonstrating a wide variety of types of 'futuristic' themed assets. 

Solid experience with world building, texturing and lighting inside a game editor such as Radiant, Unreal or comparable editor

From my research in the different 3D Modelling workflows, this sounds similar to a Level Design Workflow, making sure the assets are game ready, and replacing assets from greybox builds. Although not familiar with Radiant, I found that Unreal uses a renderer capable of rendering PBR systems, and this would be consistent with their statement at the top of the listing.

Comparison of DOOM gameplay, the final verison using id tech 6 with Dynamic lighting and Physically based rendering

Understanding of modern 3D Modelling packages/ Familiarity with the id software family of engine, tools and material creation

This assumes the applicant has researched the company itself, but also gives some idea of what software is expected. Through some research, I found that the engine they use is: id tech 6, which uses a Physically based rendering system. (Bethesda, 2015) One of the skill requirements states: 'Solid experience in environment asset creation using contemporary, real time rendering methods' which shows what quality of work they are expecting, and how their company has designed their engine around this system.
(Zenimax Careers, 2017)

Criterion Games

Create high quality 3D environment art based off of concept art and photo reference
This requirement calls for the artist to actually be able to 3D Model geometry using concepts. This would mean working to a set scale, and an attention to detail. Possibly working with the concept artists tot achieve this goal. Again, this requirement calls for the ability to work from concepts, and explicitly states: from photo reference. They expect a photo-realistic appearance, that has the level of detail that a physically based rendering workflow would achieve.

Production techniques - High- low poly baking, modular asset creation, white boxing, physically based rendering, sculpting etc.
The company lists techniques they expect you to be familiar with, indicating that you would be working with sculpting and 'high poly' modelling, then baking to a lower poly mesh. This requires a knowledge of this workflow, and the individual skills that make it up.

Knowledge of tools

The company requires certain tools that are professional standard, which it is worth me investigating if I am not familiar with them.

A strong sense of composition and eye for lighting, colour and detail
Attention to detail, and detailed modelling methods are needed with an artistic perspective in mind. Therefore, some knowledge on colour theory and using high quality images for textures to provide detail. This skill suggests the applicant should be able to demonstrate a knowledge of using these theories to design an atmosphere in an environment. To demonstrate that they an manipulate the mood of a scene, or render.
(Criterion Games, 2017)

Guerilla Games

Create Lush, compelling and immersive worlds
This requirement suggests that the company is using an engine that can handle the rendering/running of organic environment modelling, which generally requires high amounts of polys. This may also require detailed textures, using photo realism, or high poly-low poly baking.

Mockups, detailed sculpts, game meshes and texture bakes
This states the specific techniques expected of the modeller, which tallies with what the previous requirement calls for. The typical workflow they are expecting is also suggested, as high-poly to low-poly baking requires a specific order of work.

Mountain peaks, river rocks and everything in between/ natural set pieces
This shows a realistic style, using organic modelling, requiring sculpting knowledge. The engine capabilities are, again, hinted at, an 'Open World experience' meaning that the engine can obviously handle processing large, open world environments, so attention to detail is necessary. So maps like normal maps and grime maps may be required, or a knowledge of producing them.

Managing a library of both sources and game content
Not only is the prospective employee responsible for knowledge in these techniques, they are also expected to work professionally, and to have collated a collection of resources, both secondary and primary, to work with. Such as photo reference and photo manipulated textures they have produced themselves.


Ubisoft

Assist with optimisation and debugging
Shows optimisation techniques and knowledge is expected, so workflows using high poly to low poly baking is expected. Common XView Checks would also be expected in the workflow, and conserving the poly count.

Applicants should, again, have an eye for detail, which means they should be able to demonstrate this ,in their 3D Modelling and renders, showing high resolution texturing, that has used photo reference to maintain a consistent quality of assets, and uses PBR Systems to replicate real life lighting, and surfaces


Conclusion

Evident in all of these listings is the need for applicants to have knowledge of PBR Systems. Therefore, this is a definite skill that I need to display in my final project, and also need to go away and research extensively into.

Sculpting is another skill that is prevalent throughout the listing, which indicates the workflow that I should research and follow for my project. In some listings it explicitly states that the workflow of baking a high-poly mesh to low-poly mesh is necessary. So this is another absolute requirement for my final project that I need to be displaying.

Optimisation is cited a few times, particularity in the listings that pertain to open world, large environment construction. It doesn't state the exact constraints and limitations in place, so this is something I will need to explore further using my findings from: Optimisation in 3D Modelling However, this is definately something I need to convey in my final project, and consider throughout.

'Attention to detail, lighting and colour' was repeated a lot in these listings, which I found very vague and could have applied to many different aspects of 3D Modelling. However, I have chosen to interpret 'attention to detail' as Using photo-realistic images, and shading techniques, such as PBR shading, and sculpting/organic modelling to produce assets that are suitable to be used in a First-Person environment, maintaining geometry shape and texture resolution when viewed close up from this perspective. For 'lighting and colour' I intercepted this to mean that a 3D Modeler should knowledgeable in the theories of lighting and colour, and be capable of displaying assets that demonstrate this capability. For my final project, this could be achieved through market renders, or in-game renders that light scenes or assets in a variety of ways to achieve specific moods and atmospheres.

Sources: 

Bethesda Softworks (2015). Powering DOOM with id Tech 6. [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16&v=R6itJ19T99c [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].

Careers.blizzard.com. (2017). Environment Artist, Unannounced Project - Art/Animation/Sound. [online] Available at: https://careers.blizzard.com/en-gb/openings/opS25fw8 [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].

Criterion Games. (2017). Environment Artist – Contract. [online] Available at: http://criteriongames.com/environment-artist-contract/ [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].

Guerrilla-games.com. (2017). Environment Artist. [online] Available at: https://www.guerrilla-games.com/join/environment-artist [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].

Ubisoft.com. (2017). Ubisoft - Careers / Search for Jobs. [online] Available at: https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/careers/search.aspx#sr-post-id=743999660515827&is-redirect=true [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].

ZeniMax Careers. (2017). ZeniMax Careers - Environment Artist - id Software. [online] Available at: https://jobs.zenimax.com/requisitions/view/1039 [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].