Meet the sages - Samara fouché

This week we're sitting down with Samara Fouché, our Art Director here at Humble Sage Games. Samara’s interview focuses on how she came into the gaming arts industry, what interests her outside of work, and what excites her most about creating art for this industry. 

Tell us about yourself 

I am the Art Director here at Humble Sage Games (HSG), where I oversee a team of artists who create all of the graphics for our games and company. Outside of work, I have a diverse set of hobbies that keep me occupied. From adventure based activities to going to dance classes and playing piano.

What excites you most about this industry? 

I find it exciting that there is always something new to learn and experiment with in the games industry, most recently I have been intrigued by the idea of using more advanced AI in games, specifically NPCs, which would make games more immersive and unique to each player. I also enjoy figuring out solutions to the challenges that arise that provide an opportunity to learn, not just in terms of abilities, but also about each other and how we collaborate as a team. 

What led you into joining this industry and HSG?

I’ve been fascinated with animated films from an early age, watching all of the bonus features on the making of each movie and seeing how technology has grown the industry making it possible to achieve many new styles and effects. This was the start of a love for technology and art that continued to progress through my childhood and young adult years and was therefore a natural place for me to land in my career. 

I had finished my Bachelor of Animation, worked for a few small studios in a variety of creative roles and was looking for my next opportunity when Dean, our CEO, contacted me on Linked-In. It wasn’t too long before I was being offered a position here at Humble Sage Games and this was a dream come true for me. I've always wanted to be an art director and work with a passionate team, as well as create by combining technology and art.  

What does your average day look like as Art Director? 

As the Art Director, I lead the arts team and the overall visual look and feel for the projects we work on, ensuring that it not only communicates the story of the project, but also draws players in, encouraging them to grow a connection with the game. This involves discussing and planning with the team, creating concept art and building and assembling the visual elements in the game engine.

What have you learned on your journey to get here?

I have learnt a lot about the industry, myself, and the game development pipeline on my journey to get here. Recently, I've learnt that having a good workplace with an encouraging team and having each person feel valued is so important. It not only makes the team want to put the time and care into their work but it also helps them see the importance of their role and that they’re adding to the team. I believe that if a team member isn't feeling valued then motivation and collaborating becomes much harder and I am very grateful to work in such a wholesome team environment.

What kind of games would you like HSG to work on in the future, where do you see HSG going in the future? 

With our passion for games, excitement for growing skills, and teamwork, I feel like there are a lot of possibilities for the direction we could go in. But ultimately, I would like to see HSG grow into a major game development company that is known for bringing people together.

I think it would be interesting to make more VR games and experiment with AR. We enjoy the technological side of things and are interested in researching game innovation in various systems and technologies. I think it'd be amazing to build games with more interactive environments, where you're not just looking at a screen but are fully immersed in the experience.

What game would you say is the most memorable game from your childhood? Would you say that it has influenced your career? 

The most memorable game from my childhood would be “My First Amazing World Explorer” which is a simple point and click game where you travel around the world to deliver a parcel to a fellow explorer. It makes me realise how games inform and teach as well as inspire and bring entertainment all at the same time. The other game that influenced me would be Portal. This was later into my teens, however it massively influenced my career choice. It was the first game that made me consider going into game development.