The visuals and feel of a video game are a lot more complex than even most artists think. It is imperative that your team is on the same page when it comes to communicating with the player through the game's visuals, especially during long and complex game development cycles.

This is why you should make the art direction clear from the start, then be ready when people don't understand or try different things. Having a clear yet evolving vision allows for teams to create better games, learn quickly, and maximize each member's individual strengths. Your team won't get it perfect the first time, and that's ok. They may surprise you!

Tomáš Jech, co-founder of independent studio Tandemi and TEDx speaker, joins us in today's episode to share his experiences in art direction, some of the tools he's discovered over the years, and where he sees opportunities to lead better in making art for games.

After years of creating in the gaming world, Tomáš is still learning about the importance of limitations, the usefulness of having a visual hierarchy, and why you need to understand what ignites the spark of passion within your team—and tap into it!

Tune in for pragmatic advice on how to leverage your team's individual talents and experiences to make a game that not only looks good, but plays well too.

Topics discussed in this episode:

- The importance of a clear art strategy

- Getting on the same page

- Understanding your team makes for better games

- Creativity is an ocean of opportunity

- The importance of limitations

- The idea repository

- The soup is greater than the sum of its parts

- Having clear paths of authority

- Why a visual hierarchy matters

- Protecting your time

- Maximize your team's individual strengths

- Tomáš's latest creative venture: BEGONE BEAST

Check out Tandemi's upcoming project, BEGONE BEAST at begonebeast.com and sign up for their newsletter to help develop the game!

For more tips on how to staff your dev team, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90 minute call!

For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.

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