Going back into your project with the knowledge you have now, are there things you would have done differently?
Eilan: Going back, I would have done a few things differently. I think it would take me far less time to get everything to work in-engine. My technical skills are far better now, and it doesn’t take me as long to create the assets as it did when I worked on this project. Another thing I would do is to organize everything in Unreal right from the start, putting everything in its right folder in the Content Browser and keeping the World Outliner clean with folders, too.
What tips would you give other students who are starting out with Unreal?
Eilan: The best tip I can give to anyone who is starting out with Unreal is: don’t be scared! Getting into an engine that has so many possibilities and options can be a little overwhelming. I think if you put your focus on one thing at a time, it can help a lot. Start by getting something in-engine and just explore. Ask questions and get yourself comfortable—you will learn a lot as you go.I found it very helpful to ask my peers who studied with me how they did something I liked or was interested in and I also found an abundance of incredible tutorials online that are free for everyone. I also highly recommend using the official Unreal Engine documentation; it helped me a lot to get a deeper understanding before going into a new subject I was not familiar with.
What are you doing now that you are out of school? What projects or skills have helped you get this position?
Eilan: I am now working as an Environment Artist at Ember Lab on Kena: Bridge of Spirits. I am working with three other team members and with our lead, Julian Vermeulen.
I am mainly creating assets for the environments, taking them from start to finish and also working on collision, asset optimization, and bug fixing.
What really helped me when I started working was that I was already familiar with Unreal Engine, the texturing packages, and optimizing assets. I learned a lot while working, too, but I wouldn’t have the knowledge I started out with without completing my personal project.
Source: Unreal Engine Blog