3D Animator

You will be part of our Art Team, a group of visionary artists who are the creative force behind the nopixel universe. From the bustling streets of our game world to the characters that inhabit it, our artists ensure every element contributes to an immersive and cohesive world. As an Animator, you'll collaborate closely with character artists, environment artists, and developers to create compelling animations that bring our world to life. Your work will directly enhance the player experience through motion, making this a role with both creative freedom and significant impact.

Role Overview

As an Animator at nopixel, you will be the creative force behind the motion that brings our world to life. Your animations will not only look incredible but also play a crucial role in the gameplay, atmosphere and narrative of the world. A significant part of your role will involve creating character animations, environmental effects, and interactive elements that allow players to experience immersive roleplay. Whether it's a dramatic character interaction, a dynamic vehicle sequence, or subtle environmental animation, your creations will be the heart of the player's visual experience. This is your chance to leave a lasting mark on one of the most popular role-playing platforms in gaming.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality character animations for various scenarios and interactions that enhance the roleplay experience.
• Develop environmental animations and effects that enhance immersion and bring the world to life.
• Collaborate with character artists and environment artists to ensure cohesive visual storytelling through motion.
• Animate vehicles, props, and interactive elements that support gameplay mechanics.
• Work with the development team to implement animations in-game and ensure optimal performance.
• Maintain consistent animation style and quality across all assets while meeting technical constraints.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest animation techniques and tools to keep nopixel at the cutting edge.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in 3D animation, preferably in game development.
• Proficiency in Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max.
• Strong understanding of rigging and weight painting.
• Experience with motion capture data cleanup and enhancement.
• Knowledge of animation principles (timing, spacing, anticipation, etc.).
• Familiarity with game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity, or similar).
• Understanding of character animation and facial animation.
• Experience with procedural animation and physics-based animation.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in a team.
• Portfolio demonstrating character animation, environmental animation, and technical animation.

Pluses

These are desirable skills but are not required to apply for the position.

• Experience with Cinema 4D or Houdini
• Knowledge of Python or MEL scripting for animation tools
• Experience with facial rigging and facial animation
• Understanding of motion graphics and VFX animation
• Experience with real-time animation optimization
• Knowledge of animation state machines and blend trees
• Experience with crowd animation and procedural animation systems