Meet the Team: Emily Opel

September 5, 2021

What’s your role on the Third Pie Studios (TPS) team and what all does this entail?

I am a 3D Animator/Rigger for TPS! This primarily entails taking models of our characters, and setting up a virtual bone structure (rig) that will allow them to be posed and moved around. I then use the rigged characters to create the animations we need for them, be it walk cycles, watering plants, a waving emote, etc. My favorite projects so far have been the animals because I haven’t worked with creatures much before so its a fun challenge to rig and animate them.

What interested you in game development?

Originally I had wanted to be an animator for children’s shows. I didn’t truly consider animating for games until taking a class for fun my senior year of college where I fell in love with the workflow and new challenges that it presented. Animating for film and TV is fun, but the projects always felt once-and-done. Where animating for games is full of tiny separated animations that allow the characters to move however you feel like. There's no final script to their acting, you have to anticipate what hundreds of players are looking for the character to do and how they should move. Plus, the feeling of seeing the same scene you’ve worked on for the past 3 weeks finally get rendered, is still pretty cool. But its nothing to being able to play as your character in game, exploring and fighting with the animations you’ve created and seeing them all come together. It really feels like your work is coming to life.

What are your favorite video games, and why?

110% Pokemon, I will likely be playing the 57th generation when I am 80, and arguing with my grandchildren that Cyndaquil is still the best starter. I also love playing the Fire Emblem series and narrative RPG games. Anything that allows the player to really dive into character backstories and the story of the world.

What are your favorite non-gaming things to do?

I tend to be a workaholic so I don’t save time for much else lol. But when I can I love spending time with my family, binging anime with my fiancé and our fur baby, listening to true crime and ghost story podcasts, and working on old stories and characters.

What about Ages of Cataria are you most excited about?

I’m just so excited to play the game! Everyone on our team is so talented and truly cares about this game. We’re all putting our best work into it, and I just can’t wait to see it all come together, and see how other players will react to it.

Beyond TPS, where can we find you?

You can check out my website or find me on Instagram (@em3ryville)!