An interview with AK, 3D generalist
Meet Anne-Karina, or AK as we like to call her, our go-to artist and magician for all 3D related things. When she joined Tactile almost 6 years ago, she started off as a 2D artists, but quickly moved on to working on our 3D pipelines. Since then she has worked on a number of projects, starting on Disco Ducks and Bee Brilliant, then moving on to Lily’s Garden, and more recently working on our upcoming project, which we’ve been secretly growing.
We sat down for a conversation with AK for a chat about her background, her approach to creating new assets, and how she stays up to date with the latest trends in the mobile games industry. Don’t miss out on the last part of the interview, in which she shares advice for the artists who are just starting out in the gaming industry.
Tactile: Hi AK, can you tell us about your background and how you became a 3D Artist?
AK: My educational background is actually in 2D animation. After graduating from The Animation Workshop, a long long time ago, I ended up working with 2D game art and animation. I got a few weeks of 3D training but it was never put to use professionally. Later in my career the company I worked for at the time, bought a big IP that had transitioned to mainly 3D assets. So I jumped right into getting my 3D skills brushed up. I modelled, rigged, textured and animated several characters, and really enjoyed the workflow and learning.
When I started working at Tactile Games, I actually started as a 2D artist again, but soon enough we started pre-production for Lily’s Garden. 3D artists were needed, so I offered my skills and after taking over more and more responsibilities, I ended up supervising the 3D character pipeline!
Tactile: How do you approach creating assets and characters for mobile games?
AK: I try to keep a few things in mind other than just my own artistic ambition. Questions I might ask myself would for example be: Who is the typical end user and what would they enjoy? How do I create the best looking asset within time and pipeline constraints? How does this design connect to the story line? How will assets fit in with the UI?
All in all, a game is one big user experience, and I think every team member benefits from reminding themselves of the bigger perspective of that.
On a deeper artistic level, I find all the old virtues of 2D animation design still hold true. Keep the shapes interesting. Have a direction, a purpose with your lines and shapes. Every strand of low poly hair will look so much better when you keep in mind how it fits into the whole shape. Remember the good old ‘straight versus curved’ to give the designs tension. Keep observing the real world – only then do you have enough ‘data’ to caricature it properly.
Put emphasis on the eyes, when making characters. That is often where we as humans look first. Both design and animation that have elements of storytelling and closeups do well with giving some extra love to facial animations. You may only have a few bones in the animation rig to work with, but put all the life you can into it.
Tactile: How do you stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and tools used in the mobile games industry?
AK: Some of it comes from following industry news and tutorial videos. Another very valuable source is my colleagues that have experience with other tools and software than I do. I really enjoy getting new colleagues who have gone through their own journey as artists and have great skills to share. Or the existing colleague that learned something new and is eager to share. That ping pong of sharing skills and creating awesome assets together is pretty fulfilling. That said, it can be pretty hard to keep up with everything, as you also have a job to do and a life outside of 3D art. So I guess we all have to choose carefully where to go into a subject on a deeper level and where it’s enough to just acquaint ourselves with the trends.
Tactile: How do you balance art direction with technical constraints in mobile game development?
AK: It’s an eternal balance between artistic ambition and technical reality so to speak. I personally find it a really interesting intersection. Sometimes you can follow tried and true practices from the industry. Sometimes you have to carve your own path to find the right balance for your game. First of all, you have to investigate what devices your players use. Perhaps you want to cater to both low end and high end devices. Some game engines cater to that and can somewhat simply output different assets. But even if you are making assets for super high end devices that can drag around large amounts of polygons at the same time, there are other concerns. Do the users have slow internet connections, making it wise to keep your app and package size low? How big is the battery drain? If your casual game makes your players run out of ‘juice’ on the go, how long are they going to keep playing it? I find that always thinking of how you can make the nicest looking asset, but as optimised as possible within a realistic time frame, is the way to go.
Tactile: What is the most memorable mobile game project you’ve worked on and what was your role in its development?
AK: Well, the most memorable game is definitely Lily’s Garden. I was on the project from the early beginnings and it was such a fun ride.
Even though I’m on a new game team now, I’m pretty proud to see how successful the game is. I worked with the 3D character pipeline, modeling, rigging, texturing and animating. As we got more team members on the 3D pipeline, I began art directing more as well. One of my fond memories is starting up the production of pets for the game. It was a lot of fun making cute and quirky animals and animations, and seeing how well the players responded. Because of how much it evolved, I had to hand it over to very competent colleagues to have time for everything else. That was both a bittersweet and proud moment.
Tactile: How do you collaborate with other teams, such as game designers and programmers?
AK: Actually, I don’t necessarily see it as ‘other teams’ when we are working at the same game. We are all trying to make the best product possible, and I enjoy working closely with all team members. Having a conversation with a programmer on how to make a functionality work the best way in the engine is both interesting and fulfilling. When you have a holistic approach to game making, you start understanding each other and exchanging ideas that take the product to whole new levels. I enjoy very much working with the joining of art and tech everyday and seeing the awesome work my colleagues do.
I find asking questions an important part of this collaboration. Why does it work like this? What if we did that? Often the back and forth can produce new solutions and change pipelines for the better.
Tactile: What advice do you have for someone just starting out in the gaming industry as an artist?
AK: First of all, welcome to a really fun and rewarding line of work. It can be both hard and frustrating, of course, but I bet you are a game artist for the love of it.
Try to take feedback in a positive spirit. It can be really challenging but take what you can use from it. It is a difficult thing to put your heart into your work and be judged on it every single day. But don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. Seek several opinions on your personal work to get a more well rounded critique – no one opinion is the definitive ‘truth’.
If you are so new in your career that you are not sure what to focus on, keep developing skills in many directions. There is no right answer to ‘should I specialise or be a generalist?’ Both types of artists are much needed all over the industry.
If you can’t catch your dream job right from the start, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are not good enough. There are just so many applying for exactly the same internship or entry level job as you. Don’t be too proud to start in a more humble corner of the industry. All game art production experience matters. Keep learning. You rock!
Are you curious to know what it’s like to work at Tactile Games, but are hesitant to ask certain questions during the interview process? As a candidate, it’s natural to have questions about the company you’re applying to, but it can be difficult to know what to ask, when to ask or even how to ask it.
We have gathered some of the most frequently asked questions that candidates are curious about, but may be hesitant to ask them when the time comes. In this article, we’ll cover questions regarding topics such as the recruitment process, salaries, company culture and mission, team dynamics, career development opportunities, and much more. Read below to find the answers!
What is the hiring process like at your company?
It usually consists of four steps, starting with an initial call with a recruiter, and then followed by an interview with the hiring manager, test assignment and a final team interview. The exact process varies depending on the position you’re interviewing for, but the main goals are finding the best technical fit for the role and also finding someone who will be a great cultural addition to the team. You can find the detailed process here.
What are the career development opportunities within your company?
All Tactilers have the opportunity to advance their careers by taking on new challenges and responsibilities, working on different projects, and learning brand new skills by taking courses. We don’t see titles as “career tracks” at Tactile. The flat structure lets people take their career into many different levels! Sometimes, if you are willing to, you can also grow as a functional Team lead and help with hiring new Tactilers, support your team with managing the workload, implementing new ideas and being the knowledge focal point for the team.
What is the salary range for this position?
The salary we offer depends on the candidate’s qualifications, experience and potential for growth. When we’re setting our salary ranges, we consider current market conditions and Tactilers’ current salary levels, because we deeply care about internal parity within our teams. You’ll have a chance to discuss your salary expectations at the first interview.
Here are some useful links for those coming from outside of Denmark with information on costs of living in Copenhagen:
Expatistan (for comparing costs of living between cities)
Why are you hiring for this position?
There are several reasons why specific positions are open within Tactile. We are still scaling-up as a company and currently have a lot of specialist positions open within our teams. But in general, we open new positions when a current employee is promoted to a new or different position, or due to the general expansion of our teams which is needed to support our business needs and priorities. We also open new positions to backfill the roles when our employees have decided to continue their career journeys outside of Tactile.
What are the company policies with regards to working hours and overtime?
Our working hours are standard office hours (37 hours per week), but we do offer some flexibility within that. Our core working hours are between 9.00-15.00. This means that you can start your working day anytime between 7:00-9:00 and finish between 15:00-17:00. We understand the importance of a good work-life balance, so we have a strong no overtime company policy. There’s a Danish expression “God fyraften”, which means “the work day is over, now go home and enjoy the evening not working”. We encourage all Tactilers to have a good rest after work and on weekends.
Are there any KPIs or metrics that I will be accountable for?
At Tactile, we focus on the overall job performance, feedback and goals rather than specific metrics. One of our core values is that results must be validated, which is why we are very data driven as a company. The KPIs are usually something that we look at as a team, not as an individual, and we generally don’t use KPIs in performance reviews. Instead, we use them to help guide us on the product side.
What is the feedback culture like in your company?
At Tactile, we work hard on creating an open and inclusive work environment. Being open and voicing opinions is one of our core values, so we encourage all Tactilers to constantly share ideas, feedback, constructive criticism and to ask questions. Our Talent & Culture team also regularly runs a workshop on giving and receiving feedback, to make sure that everyone at Tactile has all the tools they need to be able to live up to that value.
How does your company foster diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace?
As a company of 300 employees from over 40 different nationalities, over 42% of which are women, we truly believe that a diverse workforce brings different perspectives and experiences, and therefore leads to more innovative and inclusive products. Our DEI efforts already start in our recruitment processes and extend into the day-to-day life at Tactile. We have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination. It is important to us that all Tactilers are treated with kindness and respect.
How does your company foster employee engagement?
We offer various opportunities for employees to feel involved and invested in their work, such as regular team building activities, workshops, book clubs, opportunities for career advancement and skill development, open and transparent communication, and a supportive and inclusive work environment. Additionally, we gather feedback from all Tactilers through engagement surveys and use it to make meaningful changes in the workplace.
Do you provide relocation support if I’m not from Denmark?
Yes, we provide full relocation support to those coming from outside of Denmark. This includes visa sponsorship, support with navigating the bureaucratic processes in Denmark, flight tickets, up to 3 months of paid accommodation and a relocation budget for both the new employee and their partner, family and/or pets. We also have two Danish teachers at Tactile and offer free Danish lessons to all Tactilers who are interested in learning more about the local language and culture.
What benefits and perks do you offer?
We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes pension, private health insurance, in-house Danish language courses, support with your learning (including books, courses, certifications and attending events) as well as fresh, healthy, organic daily breakfast and lunch prepared by our amazing kitchen crew. We also have flexible working hours and a hybrid work week format with two work from home days.
How does your company foster informal collaboration between teams?
We have several initiatives in place to promote team building and collaboration. These include our Friday bar tradition, team workshops and team buildings, our annual summer and Christmas parties, after-work activities, such as board game nights and movie clubs, and attending game conferences. We also hosted our very first game jam recently, which we hope will become a tradition.
What’s the onboarding process like at your company?
When starting your journey at Tactile, you can expect the onboarding process to be smooth and focused on making you feel comfortable and supported in your new position. We pair up all newcomers with a buddy, who is there to provide you with guidance and support in your first weeks at Tactile. Our team will make sure that you have all the resources and training you need to succeed.
What is your company culture like?
We work hard on nurturing a lean company culture, in which each individual is encouraged to grow and develop. At Tactile, we value trust and openness, and believe in empowering each other to take ownership and to speak up. We firmly believe that everyone counts and so we embrace, respect and appreciate the richness that different experiences bring. As a company, we also have a strong focus on details, which helps us to create fun, quirky and best-in-class games. We are also data-driven decision makers and use data to measure, validate and replicate our success. Technology empowers us to stay on top of our game. We believe in creating effective solutions without overcomplicating things, and we do so by following tech trends in the industry and using a modern technology stack.
Can you share if and how your company has been impacted by the current market instability?
The recent market instability has been challenging for many companies, but we’re happy to say that we’re doing well as a company. We had a smooth growth stage which helped us to build strong and well organised teams and enabled us to adjust workloads accordingly. We currently also have a number of open roles that we are actively hiring for to support our continued growth. The mobile games industry is booming and we’re confident in our ability to navigate through these challenging times.
Please note that the answers might slightly differ depending on the role that you’re applying for. We believe that being transparent and informative is the best way to help candidates understand what it’s like to work at Tactile Games and to make an informed decision. We hope this information will give you a comprehensive understanding of what to expect when before and after joining our team.
Hi there! We’re Aleksandra, Ana, Khrystyna & Vera – Tactile’s very own recruitment team. We have a bunch of things in common, including our love for 80s music, passion for knowledge sharing and the fact that none of us studied HR! Ana and Aleks’ backgrounds are in languages, Khrystyna studied international relations and Vera dove deep into the worlds of media studies, cognition and communication.
So, how can we still work successfully and hire new talents for Tactile without having an education background in this field?
Let’s look into what it actually takes to become a recruiter!
And hey, don’t get us wrong! We’re not saying that you should skip studying if you want to go into HR – if this is your passion, then you should pursue it as early on as possible. We just think that there are many different backgrounds that can lead into the world of recruitment and give you the soft skills that you need to be a successful talent acquisition specialist. Having a strong passion for working with people and loving to project manage are two great starting points!
For example, working in customer support or sales is great for developing a customer-centric approach. How does this play into the world of recruitment? We are the first person that candidates meet when they come into contact with Tactile. In a way, you could say that we act as gatekeepers for the company :). So being very customer, or in our case, candidate-centric, helps us to provide the best possible candidate experience to everyone interviewing for a job with Tactile. Furthermore, our customers are also our hiring managers (typically team leads) – building a relationship of trust with them is vital for having a smooth recruitment process in place.
At Tactile, we hire globally (and currently have over 43 nationalities just within our Copenhagen studio!). This means that we are actively reaching out and interviewing people from all over the world. Have you done an international student exchange before or studied something like international business management or international relations? These experiences can give you a great understanding of the role that culture and language play in human interactions. Understanding that different people communicate differently (in written or spoken communication) can help you to overcome biases and become a better recruiter!
For Vera, who is the latest addition to our team and is still wrapping up her Master’s degree in Cognition & Communication, becoming a recruiter was a way to combine her educational background and passion for people. One way she is doing that at Tactile is by working on her first DEIB initiatives, which amongst other things include writing educational articles on topics such as inclusive communication and implicit bias (you can find these on our LinkedIn page). On a more general note, Vera says that:
“Understanding cognitive processes and how people communicate helps me to better understand the needs and motivations of both candidates and hiring teams. The effective communication skills that I acquired throughout my studies help me to tailor messages to different audiences and communicate in a way that is engaging and personable. And I learned a lot about biases, mindreading and motivated reasoning and try to incorporate that knowledge into my day-to-day when assessing candidates. I also aim to share more of that with hiring teams in order to make our candidate assessment processes even more fair and informed.”
There are many paths that can lead you into the world of recruitment or HR, besides the traditional educational route. Because these roles are so people-centric, there are a lot of skills and knowledge which you can develop in other fields and then easily transfer into the context of HR. And whilst hiring people is not always easy, giving someone an offer for a job they’re really excited and passionate about, and then seeing the impact that this person has within the organisation – this is a truly rewarding feeling and without a doubt the best part of our job! ✨
If you’re curious about getting into recruitment or staying on top of current recruitment trends, take a look at these resources:
Recruiting Daily – News, events and resources for HR professionals
Hired – Reports and events around current recruitment trends
LinkedIn Talent Blog – Weekly newsletter with tips, strategies, and inspiration to help you hire and develop talent
Gem Blog – Recruiting trends
CelentialAI Blog – Trends, hacks and tips on topics such as AI & Recruiting, Customer Experience, Tech Recruitment & DEIB
Feel free to connect and network with our recruitment team on LinkedIn 👋