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Gameplay Animator

Everything you need to know about the job of a gameplay animator including required skills, responsibilities and salary.

Copyright Image: Microsoft Games 

What does a gameplay animator do?

Using key-framing and motion capture, gameplay animators bring digital humans, creatures, props, and vehicles to life in a game engine, focusing on character performance and gameplay. They are also responsible for also implementing NPC (non-player character) movement, performances, and behaviors, which are controlled by AI (artificial intelligence).

A gameplay animator must work in a way that makes the most of a game engine’s technology and maximizes the opportunities for gameplay and interactivity.

Gameplay animator job description

Gameplay animators help to bridge the gap between compelling animation and responsive gameplay. They work closely with game programmers and designers, from generating the initial design of character movement and technical constraints to planning and implementing the final animation.

They must work in a way that makes the most of a game engine’s technology and maximizes the opportunities for gameplay and interactivity, taking into consideration the animation can change depending on how the character is moved by a player and how camera angles are controlled (either by the player or through AI).

Because of the cyclical nature of a lot of game character movements, game animators also maintain large libraries of all the movements they create, so they can be reused as animation cycles for each character. 

Role & responsibilities of a gameplay animator in the video game industry:

  • Use animation fundamentals to craft game motions ranging from stylized to hyper-realistic using both motion capture and hand-keyed techniques
  • Work with game designers to ensure that they achieve responsive and immersive gameplay that feels rewarding to players
  • Design animation systems with gameplay team members
  • Coordinate and direct motion capture shoots
  • Edit and clean up motion capture data 
  • Work with other depts. to improve character visuals, such as mesh deformation, facial animation, and cloth and hair dynamics.
  • Work together with other animators and riggers to establish both core and secondary functionality of a game's characters
  • Contribute to efficient pipelines and procedures across the animation team
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How much does a gameplay animator make?

Video Game Animators in America make an average salary of $83,000 per year, ranging from $63,000 to $116,000 per year (USD). 

To learn more about this field, check out:

$63k Jnr. Animator
$116k Snr. Animator

Skills required to become a gameplay animator

Gameplay animators will need to have excellent 3D animation skills as well as some game development and programming knowledge.

Video game studios may look for the following skills in gameplay animators:

  • A great understanding of realistic body mechanics as well as animation principles.
  • Ability to execute hand-keyed animation
  • Highly proficient in Maya
  • Demonstrate a strong understanding of camera animation and cinematic framing, as well as shot continuity and facial animation
  • Familiarity with the animation integration process and animation state machines
  • Knowledge of cinematic and motion capture editing and cleanup
  • An interest in participating in live previs shoots to help clarify tone, choreography and pacing for mocap actors
  • Familiar with the game production pipeline process
  • Knowledge of animation implementation and debugging techniques
  • In-depth knowledge of human and animal anatomy, body language, and emotions
  • Experience with combat system animations

What software and tools do gameplay animators use?

Along with having proficiency in a 3D animation program like Maya, gameplay animators must be able to work within a game engine. Scripting experience is also useful.

Gameplay animators may need knowledge of a combination of the following software:

maya
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Maya is a comprehensive 3D animation software used for creating detailed models, animations, and visual effects. It's popular in film, TV, and game development for its powerful tools.

3dsmax
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3ds Max is a professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations, models, games and images. It is developed and produced by Autodesk Media and Entertainment.

motionbuilder
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MotionBuilder is a 3D character animation software produced by Autodesk. It is used for virtual cinematography, motion capture, and traditional keyframe animation.

unreal
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Unreal Engine is a 3D computer graphics game engine developed by Epic Games, first showcased in the 1998 first-person shooter video game Unreal

unity logo
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Unity is a cross-platform game engine developed by Unity Technologies, first announced and released in June 2005 at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference

godot
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Godot is a cross-platform, free and open-source game engine released under the permissive MIT license

A day in the life of a gameplay animator

The daily responsibilities of an animator vary depending on the type of job you are working on. As with every other step in the pipeline, once you receive your assignment, research is key. For example, Disney artists working on the film Zootopia spent time at animal wildlife reserves studying the behavior and movements of the animals in person. Following research, the artist then decides what techniques to use and starts blocking out the main poses of the object they're working on. Techniques include things like placing keyframes and choosing between IK and FK, which are different ways to have the bones move when animating. The main poses will include the starting pose, ending pose, and some poses in between. Once these poses are in place, the artist gets feedback from a supervisor and moves forward with perfecting the movements of their model.

An animator’s responsibilities vary due to company size. Smaller companies may be more likely to hire artists that also have the ability to rig models. The company saves time and money by having one person do both tasks. A larger company may hire specialized artists who focus on one specific task so that when more high-profile projects come through, they are handled as efficiently as possible.  

Zootopia Progression Reel from Shaofu Zhang on Vimeo.

How to become a 3D Animator

Practice makes perfect. When you are first learning, it takes some time to get your animations as smooth and precise as you would like. Repetition will eventually make the tedious aspects quick and natural, which will then let you focus on the more in-depth nuances and personality of your animations.

Download some free rigged models (such as this free tiger rig) and practice animating characters, vehicles, and moving props. This will give you a reference as to how to work with soft vs hard objects as well.

As mentioned before, research is key. Prepare yourself for a career in this field by spending time gaining knowledge of:

  • The motion of humans, bipedal creatures, quadruped creatures, and animals
  • Facial movement and portraying different moods
  • Mechanical design
  • Mechanical operations
  • Weight and physics

As technology improves, artists are expected to understand how motion capture works. Once the motion capture data is imported, animators will often have to tweak the keyframes to perfect the facial and body movements of the character.

One recent example of a successful use of motion capture tools is War of the Planet of the Apes. The actors who played the apes wore motion-capture suits, which were filmed by a series of cameras. The data was then sent to animators who made creative choices to enhance the personalities of the 3D modeled apes that would replace the actors. This process is becoming more commonplace by the day in both the film and games industries.

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Tips to break into the animation industry

Spend as much time as you can on your best pieces of work. Pick a few and perfect them the best you can for your 3D animation portfolio or demo reel. Show versatility in the types of animations you complete, and demonstrate your ability to portray true emotions through facial animation and accurately emulate weight and physics.

Use the networking opportunities available to animation artists to build up your contacts. This can be one of the best ways to get a job. Searching online, you can find many industry meetups and events, which often include guest speakers like professional artists and software creators. The knowledge gained by listening to these types of guest speakers talk about their personal experiences is irreplaceable.

Read more on creating an animation portfolio or demo reel that stands out or how to get 3D animation projects.

3d-animator-industry-pathways-03

Industry Pathways

Mark Pullyblank, Department Head of 3D Animation at CG Spectrum, shares how he broke into the industry later in life, and what strategies he used to quickly move forward in his career. This episode is chock-full of actionable tips for artists starting out in the industry - don't miss it!