Are you looking for a time-saving and budget-friendly solution to create the magic of digital reality? There is no one better to open the doors to the fascinating world of virtual reality craft than a game art outsourcing studio. Choosing the agency to partner up with is a challenging task. Yet with a bit of guidance and tips on what you should expect from such collaboration, you can find the best-suited studio that matches your energy, vision, and technical requirements.
How to choose a game art agency?
There is no need to mention that one has to pay attention to the reviews, previous collaborations, and projects the studio has done when searching for a partner. However, here are some moments to keep that will make the recruiting process way faster.
- Game development is not the same as game art.
One digital studio can provide both services. Otherwise, be careful when reading the description of the agency you found. Developers take care of the technical part helping you design and code the product. On the other hand, artists are responsible for creating magic with visual art technology. Clarifying the differences will save you time in the game art studio search.
- Check the price tag
Price is one of the reasons for outsourcing in the first place. The game art market is quite expensive in Nothern America. And that’s how many caught themselves looking toward Asian and Eastern European companies that offer significantly cheaper services. Outsourcing overseas doesn’t mean bad quality as there are plenty of world-acknowledged agencies. Before you get seduced by attractive prices, check their credentials, the technology they use, and what type of services they provide. You should not miss out on quality if you want to achieve success with your upcoming product. No matter where the studio is, always verify the cost for additional services, final price, and hidden fees.
- “Red flags” to be aware of
In the initial stage of getting acquainted with the company, one needs to play a detective to check the company’s good reputation. Game art is a pricey investment, so you don’t want to be involved with frauds or low-quality production studios. Watch out if:
- They tell you the price quote right away without knowing the project;
- You can’t find any legitimate reviews from previous parents;
- They don’t ask follow-up questions while estimating the cost of your project idea;
- The company aggressively tries to sell its services by offering low prices and quick deadlines.
- A game art studio is not the same as a freelance.
There is no doubt that the freelance market is booming with talented and skilled game artists. Those in need of a small project might consider going with an independent artist without losing in quality. Yet studios provide you with complex service with an innovative and experienced team. For an elaborate project, you should only outsource an agency with a better professionalism level and guarantee of top-level results.
- The professional game studio will have a dedicated project manager.
A luxury you cannot afford with a freelance artist is having someone control the project progress and reporting it back. At the beginning of cooperation, you can establish the regularity of process updates and feedback, ways you’ll organize the communication, and possible support of your project after the launching stage.
What to know about the working process?
The estimation brief takes a lot of time.
There is no such thing as an immediate quote in the game art industry. Each project is unique, with different levels of complexity, technological requirements, and time frames. Therefore project manager needs time to read through your file and list the requirements. Depending on how detailed your project guide is, the cost estimation can take a while. Expect many follow-up questions for clear specifications. Consider adding the following to your file to speed up the estimation process:
- Brief description of the game concept, art style, and mechanisms;
- Reference for the level of detailing work you require;
- List of all services you would need for a studio;
- The list of graphic and visual effects assets;
- For a 3D design, mention the number of polygons you require and prepare a concept art reference.
Sign an NDA agreement
A professional game art studio will always agree and even initiate the signing of a Non-Disclosure Agreement. It protects your idea and art from plagiarism and early reveals that can sabotage product sales in the long run or even game presentation.
They would ask you for a Style Guide.
An art style guide is a reference and details explanation of the game visuals. It’s a crucial tool for comprehending what direction you’re heading. The art style guide won’t be a necessary document to have. Yet it’s helpful instruction for the artists to understand your vision better. That way, one can guarantee there won’t be wasted time fixing out-of-style details, characters, or objects. If, for some reason, you can’t come up with the art style guide before partnering up with a studio, you can take time to create with the team.
Wrapping up
The best game art outsourcing studio you can find on the market should be fired by the idea of expanding the video game industry. If you see passionate artists about their work and your vision, that’s how you know you found a hidden gem. Those are the magical artists you should trust to transfer your ideas to the virtual world. The video gaming market has been getting competitive in the past years with the worldwide demand for new original games. And yet, with a professional game art studio by your side and a high-quality product to present to the audience, you will reach the top. Don’t know where to start? Trust the top-rated digital art and game development studio https://wallawallastudio.com.
