PPP3 - 'Get started in Video Game Art'

Found an article with insight from Jason Pickthall, a concept artist working in the game industry. He gives a quick run through of key software skills that people are looking for in artists and briefly explains some pros and cons to different software depending on the job. (Link)

2D Software

- Photoshop 

Programs like Photoshop CS6 are used in a multitude of ways in the gaming industry.

"It could be visualising concepts in the early stages. Or, if you are working on a real-time 3D game, then a 2D art package may be used create the texture maps that wrap around your model to give it colour and detail.

Texture maps are usually created by manipulating photographic reference, or painted from scratch. "

3D Software

- Autodesk 3DS Max

- Autodesk Maya

Surfacing Tools

- Zbrush

- Mudbox

"Think of the process like moulding with clay. It’s here that all the fine surface detail is added. When you’re done, texture maps of various types can be exported out to be used with the original 3D model.  Sculpting tools are essential for any character artist.

The industry standard is Pixologic Z Brush and Autodesk Mudbox."

Game Engines

- UDK

- Unity

Interesting to note that ZBrush/Mudbox are the industry standard for surface details on established meshes imported from other software. I can think of another program that works very similarly Zbrush's material painter; Surface Painter. I'd argue Surface Painter does a better job too as it is a dedicated piece of software with the sole purpose of being for surface painting/sculpting on pre-existing meshes.  

An example workflow from what Jason Pickthall has recommended combined with Surface pAinter might look like:

Idea > Photoshop (Concepts) > 3DS Max (Base Mesh) > Zbrush (Detail & Topology) > Surface Painter > Maya (Animation) > Unity