Geneviève Routhier
@genrouthier.bsky.social
Studio Art Director @EA DICE
• making games since 2003 •
✨Thoughts on game dev, leadership & the pastries of Sweden✨
🗣️ fr/en/lätt sv
Opinions mine (especially the smart ones) & don't represent the views of my employer
• making games since 2003 •
✨Thoughts on game dev, leadership & the pastries of Sweden✨
🗣️ fr/en/lätt sv
Opinions mine (especially the smart ones) & don't represent the views of my employer
I'm sorry :(
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November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I'm sorry :(
💙
💙
Communication: Good at articulation, adapting their messaging to the right audience, actively communicate vision, goals, etc.
Vision: Being able to build a pertinent, salient, compelling, strong vision requires good intuition/taste/culture (to clarify: it's a buildable skill)
(4? 🫡)
/x
Vision: Being able to build a pertinent, salient, compelling, strong vision requires good intuition/taste/culture (to clarify: it's a buildable skill)
(4? 🫡)
/x
November 12, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Communication: Good at articulation, adapting their messaging to the right audience, actively communicate vision, goals, etc.
Vision: Being able to build a pertinent, salient, compelling, strong vision requires good intuition/taste/culture (to clarify: it's a buildable skill)
(4? 🫡)
/x
Vision: Being able to build a pertinent, salient, compelling, strong vision requires good intuition/taste/culture (to clarify: it's a buildable skill)
(4? 🫡)
/x
Global mastery/understanding of game development: Expert in their craft but not limited to it, including non-creative stuff on operational/strategic awareness of topics such a resource management, prioritization etc.
Leadership: including being able to influence, inspire, grow/build their team.
1/
Leadership: including being able to influence, inspire, grow/build their team.
1/
November 12, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Global mastery/understanding of game development: Expert in their craft but not limited to it, including non-creative stuff on operational/strategic awareness of topics such a resource management, prioritization etc.
Leadership: including being able to influence, inspire, grow/build their team.
1/
Leadership: including being able to influence, inspire, grow/build their team.
1/
Have you checked your drive? google or onedrive, I'm not sure.
November 12, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Have you checked your drive? google or onedrive, I'm not sure.
I would be strongly tempted to wiggle my finger between those lil toe beans should I be within close proximity of this adorable feline
November 12, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I would be strongly tempted to wiggle my finger between those lil toe beans should I be within close proximity of this adorable feline
I'd kicked off a fake solarpunk, pixel-arty project to start with a high level/global approach, that I could then use to cut into more specific topics like faction building, or shape language, or env storytelling, or whatever else.
but maybe a smaller perspective could be an easier bet for starters
but maybe a smaller perspective could be an easier bet for starters
November 12, 2025 at 9:15 PM
I'd kicked off a fake solarpunk, pixel-arty project to start with a high level/global approach, that I could then use to cut into more specific topics like faction building, or shape language, or env storytelling, or whatever else.
but maybe a smaller perspective could be an easier bet for starters
but maybe a smaller perspective could be an easier bet for starters
So I'm pretty drained at the end of the day and it's hard to spontaneously think of things to talk about or feel easily inspired as a result.
So I appreciate the questions, now and in future :)
A little bit of external stimuli can't hurt!
/x
So I appreciate the questions, now and in future :)
A little bit of external stimuli can't hurt!
/x
November 12, 2025 at 9:11 PM
So I'm pretty drained at the end of the day and it's hard to spontaneously think of things to talk about or feel easily inspired as a result.
So I appreciate the questions, now and in future :)
A little bit of external stimuli can't hurt!
/x
So I appreciate the questions, now and in future :)
A little bit of external stimuli can't hurt!
/x
I don't get to do a lot of fluffy/creative stuff in my day to day. I have to handle a high load of conversations with many people, from different teams, different disciplines, facing different kinds of challenges. Lots of active listening, coaching, problem solving & measuring one's communication 1/
November 12, 2025 at 9:11 PM
I don't get to do a lot of fluffy/creative stuff in my day to day. I have to handle a high load of conversations with many people, from different teams, different disciplines, facing different kinds of challenges. Lots of active listening, coaching, problem solving & measuring one's communication 1/
The other thing is, and it's probably too energy-hungry and ambitious, but maybe streaming again and try live building + explaining my process as AD on a fictional project.
but I have to start small so maybe not something to contemplate short term.
but I have to start small so maybe not something to contemplate short term.
November 12, 2025 at 9:05 PM
The other thing is, and it's probably too energy-hungry and ambitious, but maybe streaming again and try live building + explaining my process as AD on a fictional project.
but I have to start small so maybe not something to contemplate short term.
but I have to start small so maybe not something to contemplate short term.
One thing is I notice a lot of people, even vets in the industry, that seem to conflate the role of art director with that of concept artist and purveyor of pretty illustrations.
And that's 1. reductive at best and 2. not the role
So I'd like to inform more on this (and hopefully have chats).
And that's 1. reductive at best and 2. not the role
So I'd like to inform more on this (and hopefully have chats).
November 12, 2025 at 9:05 PM
One thing is I notice a lot of people, even vets in the industry, that seem to conflate the role of art director with that of concept artist and purveyor of pretty illustrations.
And that's 1. reductive at best and 2. not the role
So I'd like to inform more on this (and hopefully have chats).
And that's 1. reductive at best and 2. not the role
So I'd like to inform more on this (and hopefully have chats).
So I'd create annexes and/or topic-specific docs to supplement and give more specific guidance to production teams.
There you can include a global overview of the project, to give context, then delve into the tangibles like: "this is the faction, they are defined by these key visual codes", etc.
There you can include a global overview of the project, to give context, then delve into the tangibles like: "this is the faction, they are defined by these key visual codes", etc.
November 12, 2025 at 8:55 PM
So I'd create annexes and/or topic-specific docs to supplement and give more specific guidance to production teams.
There you can include a global overview of the project, to give context, then delve into the tangibles like: "this is the faction, they are defined by these key visual codes", etc.
There you can include a global overview of the project, to give context, then delve into the tangibles like: "this is the faction, they are defined by these key visual codes", etc.
it depends on the project or the mandate given to externals.
I mean, a highlevel/main art direction document is meant to give clear articulation for the whole of a project's visual identity. As a result, it cannot be detail-oriented or specific enough to outline tangible, brief-like info.
I mean, a highlevel/main art direction document is meant to give clear articulation for the whole of a project's visual identity. As a result, it cannot be detail-oriented or specific enough to outline tangible, brief-like info.
November 12, 2025 at 8:55 PM
it depends on the project or the mandate given to externals.
I mean, a highlevel/main art direction document is meant to give clear articulation for the whole of a project's visual identity. As a result, it cannot be detail-oriented or specific enough to outline tangible, brief-like info.
I mean, a highlevel/main art direction document is meant to give clear articulation for the whole of a project's visual identity. As a result, it cannot be detail-oriented or specific enough to outline tangible, brief-like info.
That's the mechanical side of things anyway.
But maybe you wanted another kind of answer/different lens to the question? Let me know - happy to expand.
But maybe you wanted another kind of answer/different lens to the question? Let me know - happy to expand.
November 12, 2025 at 8:34 PM
That's the mechanical side of things anyway.
But maybe you wanted another kind of answer/different lens to the question? Let me know - happy to expand.
But maybe you wanted another kind of answer/different lens to the question? Let me know - happy to expand.
I like having one easy, shareable, discoverable doc, that is well put together so there is no additional friction that can muddy the messaging/articulation.
So... I like Powerpoint because it's a good enough layout tool and you can export as pdf if you want after.
And it's easy to navigate.
So... I like Powerpoint because it's a good enough layout tool and you can export as pdf if you want after.
And it's easy to navigate.
November 12, 2025 at 8:33 PM
I like having one easy, shareable, discoverable doc, that is well put together so there is no additional friction that can muddy the messaging/articulation.
So... I like Powerpoint because it's a good enough layout tool and you can export as pdf if you want after.
And it's easy to navigate.
So... I like Powerpoint because it's a good enough layout tool and you can export as pdf if you want after.
And it's easy to navigate.
I don't think you're missing much.
Sure, some topics can be interesting in the general sense, but one can only take so many recurring waves of outrage and angst before they become negatively affected by it.
Sure, some topics can be interesting in the general sense, but one can only take so many recurring waves of outrage and angst before they become negatively affected by it.
November 12, 2025 at 8:16 PM
I don't think you're missing much.
Sure, some topics can be interesting in the general sense, but one can only take so many recurring waves of outrage and angst before they become negatively affected by it.
Sure, some topics can be interesting in the general sense, but one can only take so many recurring waves of outrage and angst before they become negatively affected by it.
what is this, precious?
November 12, 2025 at 6:03 PM
what is this, precious?
Aaaah those bulbs had secret special powers too: they emit UV light!
Ask me how I know and how that worked out for the flowering orchid I’d set up next to one.
I’m glad we’ve moved on from those, at least.
Ask me how I know and how that worked out for the flowering orchid I’d set up next to one.
I’m glad we’ve moved on from those, at least.
November 11, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Aaaah those bulbs had secret special powers too: they emit UV light!
Ask me how I know and how that worked out for the flowering orchid I’d set up next to one.
I’m glad we’ve moved on from those, at least.
Ask me how I know and how that worked out for the flowering orchid I’d set up next to one.
I’m glad we’ve moved on from those, at least.