Home For Players Player Profiles DLA Member Now BioWare Character Artist - Interview with Francis Lacuna

DLA Member Now BioWare Character Artist - Interview with Francis Lacuna

Profile by Jay Watamaniuk

Much as we would like to hatch super-talented and passionate gamers right here at BioWare headquarters in a big vat of science goo, we usually have to go about finding those certain people the old fashioned way - looking to groups where people of talent gather. One of these groups is DLA, who have been working with BioWare for quite some time now on the recently released Pirates of the Sword Coast premium module. Character Artist Francis Lacuna began working at BioWare in June 2005. He comes from a background with DLA and his work there helped get him the skills BioWare needed. We chatted with Francis about his experience and how he did not need to be created by cackling men in lab coats screaming at misshapen assistants.

Can you tell us about your education and background?

My background has been more or less similar to any other kid from the 'burbs. I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario and coasted through high school, doing the graphic and web design thing. Although it didn't quite have the same appeal as game design, the thought of working at BioWare was only a dream. I held a few small jobs and even a short-lived stint at a local newspaper. In 2001, I enrolled in the Digital Media Arts (DMA) program at Seneca's Animation Arts Centre at the York University Campus.

With the support and guidance of the teachers there, and the help (and competition) of my class, I was able to climb my way to the top and land a job working in the television and film industry at an Animation Studio in Toronto. I did the studio thing for two years, on and off, but I knew all the time that BioWare was where I wanted to be.

What is your involvement in the Neverwinter Nights community?

I've been very low key. I played on several small role-playing servers, and have only made three releases to vault since I joined the community. They are the DLA Ogre, Treant, and a mouse. Yes, a mouse. Don't ask. It was my first attempt at getting a critter in-game and working. It's still on the vault, if I remember correctly.

However, the brunt of my work is tied up with DLA and Digital Distribution, and is mostly unseen by the community...for now, anyway!

I do still check the Custom Content forums and help answer questions where I can, although the likes of Ragnarok_m4 and Tiamiat normally beat me to the punch.

BioWare has just released Pirates of the Sword Coast with new game content created by DLA. Were you involved with that?

I sure was. I modeled the Mako and Hammerhead sharks. They turned out extremely well and are fun to fight against, thanks to the wonderful animations done by Ragnarok_m4.

How did you come to work at BioWare?

I took off from work to spend more time in the Neverwinter Nights Mod Community and work with the DLA Team on their projects (definitely not a career choice I'd recommend, unless you're nuts, like me!). I learnt as much as I could about game design, low-poly modeling, and texturing in a game environment. It was and still is a great place to grow and develop game designing skills. There's such a vast pool of talent and personality there.

When the Digital Distribution project kicked off, I knew that was my opportunity. I toiled for months on a variety of things from...oh right, I can't say J. Well, when the project was over I noticed a position opened for a character artist on the BioWare jobs page, and applied that very same evening. Luckily, BioWare liked my work enough to give me the chance of a lifetime!

What are you working on right now?

Boy would I love to tell you! Everyone will just have to wait and see.

Although, just between you and me, I'm working on characters. ;)

What does a 'character artist' do?

Character Artists take the drawings and illustrations of creatures and characters from the Concept Artists, and create them three dimensionally. We work with programs, such as 3dsmax and Photoshop, to model and texture the characters as accurately and as closely to the concept as possible, while maintaining the highest level of quality and keeping within the style of the game. When our models are complete, we hand them off to the animators to work their magic.

Are there other areas of computer game art you would like to explore as a professional?

I'm happy with where I'm at. I haven't left out the possibility of trying my hand out as an animator, but for now, I'm doing what I love doing and I can't imagine doing anything else.

Related Links

• From Talented Community Member to BioWare Staff
• Dragonlance Adventures Update, Part 1
• Dragonlance Adventures Update, Part 2
• Pirates of the Sword Coast
• BioWare Jobs Page
• Custom Content forums

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