Art From Concept to Completion

Mike Bates, one of our very talented concept artists and modelers, agreed (i.e. was forced) to take us through the grueling (yet fun) process of creating art assets for Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword.

The art asset development cycle for our games begins with the game designer's creative process. The designer defines the basic characteristics of each graphic entity relative to its purpose and function in the game as a whole. Usually, at this early stage, it is more of a general idea rather than a specific definition. Based on these guidelines the artists create rough concept images that fit the basic criteria, and take them in several different directions. It's a good practice to present numerous rough concepts from which to choose at the start, rather than focus on one polished idea.

The designer then selects the concepts that best suit their needs, which allows the artists to continue with further refinements of the chosen images. The artists and designer continue to work very closely to produce a finished concept, usually involving a good amount of back-and-forth. Once each concept is polished and complete, the actual in-game asset production begins. A modeler will take the completed concept image and create a game ready asset. Once the asset is complete, it's placed into the game world and evaluated by everyone (and their brother) who is playing the game for functionality, performance and appearance. As the feedback rolls in, minor tweaking is made, and the asset is then re-evaluated. For asset pipeline efficiency, larger changes to the assets are normally made at the beginning of the production process and smaller changes at the end. The last thing you want to do is overhaul an in-game asset a week before your delivery date.

Pencil and paper? Stylus and tablet? When doing concept work, I like to use a tablet and stylus over paper and pencil. Photoshop or other 2D art programs that enable you to scale, distort, change brush styles, etc. provide a considerable advantage over conventional mediums. It also seamlessly merges into digital painting, as most finished concepts are in color. Have you ever tried to "scale" an object in a pencil drawing, or change the color of an object in a watercolor painting? It usually involves a lot of eraser marks, some tears, and a large heaping of frustration.

One of the more interesting pieces of concept art I was asked to create for Civilization IV: Beyond The Sword is the new spaceship design (the result of a Space Race victory). It was to be a ground launched, very large vehicle capable of carrying several hundred passengers (and tiny bags of peanuts) to the next planetary system. For something like this, a bit of research goes a long way. It's fairly easy to research a concept that's based on existing technology; such as a spaceship, vehicle or building. I looked at the current state of spaceship design and technology, then tried to project where it might go in the future. Incorporating what I learned through my research into the design of my spaceship gave the "look and feel" some credibility. One consideration in a ground launch rocket was good aerodynamic properties and tremendously powerful engines in order to breach the atmosphere. If it were built in space and only traveled in space, it could be shaped like a brick. I submitted three rough drawings that I thought captured what we were looking for, and one was chosen. From there, I began to mock up the in-game spaceship building screen where the player can keep track of the construction of their craft (starting with a skeletal frame), and know what is still needed as the game progresses. Again, I used current airframe design as a basis for how the frame of the ship should be built. The end result is a very believable futuristic kick-in-the-pants spaceship.

I'm often asked what it's like to work at Firaxis. One thing is certain; there's never a dull moment. The broad scope of our game content means one day creating a space station and the next a grass hut. Variety is good for your sanity - it keeps things fun and interesting.

We've really expanded the scope of content for Civ IV with Beyond the Sword. It's the biggest expansion pack we've ever created for a Civ game. Some of the cooler units I've worked on are in the game scenarios set in the near future. It's been challenging and fun creating nukes, mechs and dreadnought tanks - for a Civ game no less.

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is conceptualizing an original design and then working with a team of modelers, animators and programmers to turn it into a visually compelling part of the gameplay experience. It's a dream job for an artist.

Mike Bates has worked in the game industry since 1992 and joined Firaxis in 2000. A graduate of the Maryland Institute, College of Art with a degree in illustration, Mike developed an early career specialty in box covers and technical illustration. He then launched his career in computer games at MicroProse Software where he was a lead artist on legendary games like Gunship and Sid Meier's Civilization.