What does a gameplay animator do?
Gameplay animators use key-framing and motion capture to give life to digital characters, creatures, props, and vehicles in a game engine. They focus on character performance and gameplay, ensuring that the movements and behaviors are seamless and realistic. Additionally, they are responsible for implementing AI-controlled NPC movement, performances, and behaviors.
To maximize gameplay and interactivity, a gameplay animator must utilize the game engine's technology to its fullest potential.
Gameplay animator job description
Gameplay animators work closely with game programmers and designers to generate character movement and implement final animation.
Game developers must ensure that their games utilize a game engine's technology to its fullest potential, while also maximizing opportunities for gameplay and interactivity. They must take into consideration that the animation can change depending on how the character is moved by a player and how camera angles are controlled, whether 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
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
Unreal Engine
Unity
3DS Max
Experience with scripting languages (Mel, Python, Lua)
