Welcome to the TentuPlay People series where we introduce our teammates and their roles at Sentience, Inc.
Today, we will be meeting Seokjong Song, the art director, who leads artworks of game development team at Sentience. With over 15 years of experience in graphic design, he has created games such as SNG, Racing, RPG, and TPS for both mobile and PC platforms.
Q. Please introduce yourself to our subscribers.
Hi, I am an Art Director who's passionate about our game, "South Pole Bebop".
Currently, I am responsible for creating and overseeing all of the visuals, including character and background graphics, for our game.
Q. There are various fields in design, so what made you specifically choose to become a game artist?
I became interested in game art because of my love for character design. I started my career by participating in various character-designing contests when I was still a student. When I discovered the game industry, I was fascinated by its technology-intensive platform and interactive features. Unlike webtoons or movies, games are dynamic and offer real-time interactivity.
Moreover, the characters I create continue to exist and be "played" in games, not limited by space or time.
Q. And now you are an Art Director of our game team. What qualities are required for an Art Director?
As an Art Director, it is crucial to effectively communicate the visual tone of the project to the team in a detailed and easily comprehensible manner. This entails having confidence in all the visual resources, both internal and external. While this confidence may not be absolute, it sets a baseline for the project's initial steps.
Q. When designing game characters, what factors do you emphasize the most?
Collaboration is a key aspect of game development, as it involves individuals from various fields. To ensure successful collaboration, it is crucial to identify intersection points in the process. I strongly believe that the “game universe” is that intersection, which helps understand the narrative of the characters. Once the universe of the game is understood, even small design elements can lead to incredible ideas.
Q. Which character from our game "South Pole Bebop" is your favorite? And please tell us what makes the game unique.
Okay, my favorite. Although all of the main characters and zombies from the South Pole are attractive, I am specially attached to Josh the sardine. He is a living weapon that Mahana the penguin carries with them at all times. Josh is a spectacle to watch as he uses his entire body as a blunt weapon. However, he's going through a tough time seeking revenge for his lover, who was sacrificed by the zombies.
You know, it's challenging to create a game with a meaningful message, as it's often difficult to blend the two seamlessly. Nevertheless, I believe that the connection between the 40,000 baby penguins that died due to global warming and the universe presented in 'South Pole Bebop' can create a powerful synergy. Despite the heavy subject matter of the climate crisis, the game has an eerie and intriguing vibe that appeals to a wide audience. This is what makes our game unique and captivating.
Q. Let’s talk about our company. Could you share with us your reason for becoming a member of Sentience?
I found Sentience intriguing because it gave me a chance to start fresh. Despite not knowing who I will be working with or what my tasks will entail, I'm drawn to the idea of starting from “zero”.
Q. As a member of Sentience, what are your thoughts on the culture within Sentience?
At our company, everyone's roles are transparent, from the CEO to the newest team members. This fosters an environment where we can easily identify who is working on what and resolve any problems that arise. As we grow closer, we feel a sense of camaraderie and support within the company. (I really love my workplace!)
We also have a fun culture of playing games together. While it's not a frequent occurrence, we have board game matches once a month and VR game gear available in the lounge. We even play small games during Thursday teatime or while waiting for a lunch delivery. On Fridays after work, we unofficially go on monster hunts with colleagues. Although we haven't found a game that everyone loves yet, I believe that day will come!
Q. Do you have a career roadmap for your future?
The first priority is to release our game to the public safely and successfully, ensuring long-term success. Then, our IP will be known globally, leading to various cross-media applications. I hope to dream up our next project around that time.
Thanks to Seokjong, our Art Director, for taking time to join the interview. Stay connected with TentuPlay to learn more about our teammates and their roles.
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