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OK, so I have no experience at all. I have a couple questions and things I'd like to get advice about before I dedicate time to something. I really like to play video games and especially appreciate the graphics of games. I'd like to create these graphics. I really like animation and probably even more so concept art. What would be a good first step is pursuing this? I really don't know ANYTHING. Is animation more clicking around where concept art would be using once of those pen and pads for a computer? Whats the difference between the movement in characters in a video game compared to like a awesome cut scene in a game? Just trying to understand the different elements of this area before I choose to concentrate on one, or should I practice a bunch of different things?! xD I'm lost... I've always loved making images on pain, but never enjoyed photoshop. Am I wanting to get into a wrong thing? Lots of random questions so thanks to who ever wastes their time to respond.

Thats a heap of questions right there... Ill try to help, but Im gona simplifiy things a bit:

1. 3D video games require 3d models, these models are created using software like Maya, ZBrush, or 3DSMax, where 3D artists (modelers) will create polygons in 3D space and connect, push, pull, and distort these polygons into complete models of characters, weapons, and entire worlds. These models then need to be textured (the process of "painting" the models) by a texture artist, typically using software like photoshop (certainly NOT paint) or ZBrush.

2. If these models are going to be animated (a player running, a building collapsing, a gun recoiling as it fires, etc. ) then these models need to be rigged by a Rigger. This is a time consuming process where virtual "bones" are constructed inside of the 3D model, and through a process called "skinning", different portions of the model's polygons are constrained to different bones. This is typically done in animation software such as Maya, 3DSMax, Blender (free), or Softimage XSI. Once rigged, animators can then come in and begin the very long process of animating the various bones of the model (animation at it's most basic level is accomplished by using a time slider in the animation software, and "keying" the bone's location / rotation / scale along this timeline. The software then interpolates between these keyed positions to create a fluid animation).

3. There are typically two branches of animation; in-game animation and cut-scene animation. There are several key differences. In-game animation usually consists of creating animated looping cycles of various mini-animations (a character running, a character jumping, a character crawling, etc.). These cycles of animation are then continuously looped in the video game (if the user moves forward, the program will play the animation for moving the character forward for example). Along with this, in-game animation tends to be relatively constricting, as any animation or effects created must be able to play inside the game engine, while maintaining a consistent frame rate.

Cut-scene animation is a little more lenient in that cut-scenes are essentially videos rendered out from an animation package. Because of this, animators can work with higher definition models, advanced animation techniques, and high quality effects.

4. Concept art has many different forms, but generally speaking, in the industry, yes, you're going to need some sort of experience with a digital art package like photoshop. Concept artists usually have some form of illustrative background and/or education, and from my experience also tend to have at least some experience in the modeling / rigging field so they can better structure their concept art for the modelers and texture artists to work with.

What should YOU do? Well, it seems right now that you haven't really tried anything, and so you have no clue what you enjoy. The only way to figure it out is to get out there and start learning one of the fields. Try modeling, it can be very rewarding after a few months of practice. There are plenty of free packages out there, look into Wings 3D for getting started. Blender is another free package with a bit of a higher learning curve, but it also has the benefit of being able to rig, animate, and render very high quality animation if you've got the chops for it.

One thing I can say is you're definitely going to need experience with an art package other than paint if you plan on doing any sort of artistic-related work in the industry. Its going to take time, and it will be very frustrating no matter which field you choose, but if youre interested in it its all worth it.

One last thing to note is there are plenty of other jobs in the industry that you might not realize, that may interest you. Things like lighting artists, where the artists are solely responsible for setting up the lights in the video game / animation to help emphasize the environment through shadows, colour, and reflections. Or maybe youd rather try your hand at the opposite side of things and learn how to program.

Hopefully that kind if sums things up, obviously theres a tonne more to be said about all of the different fields, but this is a basic overview.

Wow, u've been such help. I really appreciate u clearing thing up. Thank u! I have another question though xD
so, usually u have one person do rigging, and another do modeling, and another do shading instead of having one person do it all?
but a programmer does all the programming?
thanks again, ur pretty awesome!

If you keep your graphics low key, yet unique so they still look appealing and don't offend the senses, you could do it all. That is if your project is a reasonable sized one.

If you want, you can work with me Sam. I'm new to game making too

not necessarily, in a small company, perhaps, but in the bigger there are probably loads of programmers.

3d Game King, I'm still trying to figure stuff out xD thanks for the offer anyways, and thanks for everyone's responses! maybe see ya around ^_^

Ok. Hook me up when you figure everything out, K? What kind of 3d modeling program and programming program do you have?

None really. I'm just trying to figure out what things are about before I try things. It may sound silly but I don't have time to try the things out right now because I'm so busy. I have some compiler on my computer and plan to download Maya to mess around with it over the summer which starts soon.

I understand

Try downloading the ac3d demo, I got my friends making tanks in under 30 minutes.

I recommend wings 3d for beginners. It's really easy

Programmers have the same kind of specializations that any other discipline has. You have AI programmers, graphics programmers, UI programmers, animation programmers, programmers working on tools, web development -- tons of different disciplines. On console projects (for Xbox360 or PS3, for example) you also have specialized programmers working with low-level code that communicates directly with the hardware and translates the game engine's instructions to specific machine-ready code.

About 3D programs, I recommend choosing a program you have access to and then sticking to it. Learning any program really well is what you need to do. In this sense, any program will do. People will advocate their personal favorites, but in the end, it's all about your own skills with the program. How comfortable you are with it.

I'd personally recommend Blender, as I use it for all my hobby modelling, but if you're at a graphics school some day you may have access to Maya, 3D Studio Max and similar, far more expensive, programs.

Blender can be downloaded from here: http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/

Understand that all of the 3D programs available take some getting used to. Blender, being a free program, has tons of readily available tutorials in both video and text form.

But again, no matter which program you use, make sure to stick with it. Learn its ins and outs and learn them well.

I use Blender, at first it can be frustrating, but after awhile it's really worth it, especially being a game programmer too, when you see graphics come together in a game in the way that you like, then it's too satisfying. I'm not trying to force you to use Blender, but it's most likely the best Free 3D Modeling package out there, at the cost of difficulty. Use any one of the ones suggested, they're all great packages but i reccomend that you get a Free one first, because if you come to find that you don't want to model anymore, then the only thing that will be lost is time.

If you want to know where to start, click on the link in the forums FPSC MODELS AND MEDIA, and scroll down to the one that says BLENDER TO FPSC, this is probably the best place for a novice modeler, it has tutorials from blender interface buttons to UV/Mapping in animation. if you are serious about wanting to learn it can be achieved rather quickly by watching these tutorials by GamerX.