How do you build environments for a game set in the late-'80s Wyoming wilderness that evoke the spirit of that time and place, while still being manageable for a small indie team using Unity to produce?

At GDC 2016, Campo Santo lead artist Jane Ng broke down how the studio did just that. In her hour-long talk she detailed the art production challenges encountered in making Firewatch, and explained the methodology behind the team's scene management, asset modeling and world streaming.

It was a great talk that also went into detail regarding the specific tools required to achieve the art style in Firewatch, and offered advice on how small art teams can make the best use of their time and resources.

If you missed it in person, no worries -- now's your chance to watch the whole thing for free via the official GDC YouTube channel.

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its new YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC Next already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

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