KOENIGSEGG_COP_CAR

Fig. 1 Electronic Arts, Need for Speed Rivals (2013), Video game.

One vital part of the Art Direction process is the creation of a Visual Target (VT). A Visual Target is a sample of work that has been taken to final quality and represents how the entire game should look like. The VT represents the desired quality and many of the visual features that should be present in the entire project (Fig. 1); for example, the cars had to react to changes of weather and show a wet surface. This is just one of the things that a VT should communicate.

E3-Cop-HUD

Fig. 2 Electronic Arts, Need for Speed Rivals (2013)

But a VT tells more than just visuals; it tells personality and mood. As a User Interface Artist I did not work with the cars or the environments directly, but I had a good understanding of the game’s mood and cars’ personality; thanks to the Visual Target. This allowed me to ask myself –if I was inside this car, what would I see?. It allowed me to create the right imagery to match the attitude of the car and the game.

I believe that creating a Visual Target is essential. It does not matter how big or small is the team or the project, a Visual Target is a compass that will save valuable time and help create a consistent output.

List of Images

Fig. 1 Electronic Arts, Need for Speed Rivals (2013), Video game. [image online] Available at: Need for Speed [Accessed 9 May 2015].

Fig. 2 Electronic Arts, Need for Speed Rivals (2013), Video game. [image online] Available at: carlosvk.info [Accessed 9 May 2015].