Skinner? what?

#1 It's an essential job. Without a skin the models are at best wireframes, no skins = no graphics.

For an example look at world of warcraft. To make the game run on slower computers they kept the poly count low on all the models and scenery, but then splurged on the skins. As a result, it looks nice even running on low end machines.

#2 It is a mod name for creating UV maps. It came about when people would create different "skins" for 3D characters and the name stuck. Much in the same way it is used in the user interface industry, when you can change the "skin" of your interface.

#3 The term "skin" when referring to a texture is really only used in said "mod communities" though.
Otherwise textures are called, textures. And "skinning" is the process of hooking up your geometry to your rig/bones. So, basically the bottom line is; it is indeed all very confusing. =)

#4 Cheers for info. It was more about the use of the term. This has cleared it up for me alot thank you.

Basically i couldn't actually accept that is was a recognised job title within commercial game development. Thanks again

Sean:)

#5 Pretty much, yep, and to make things painfully clear; nope, you would most likely not find a job ad that says "skinner". Your job title in the mod-skinning sense would most likely be "Texture artist" and in the "professional game developer"-sense something along the lines of "Technical artist" (unless you would have other responsibilities too that is).

And to expand a bit on Davids post; skinning (again, in the mod-sense) isn't setting up the UVs but the act of actually painting the textures. (as he said though; usually painting said textures over an already layed out UV-set for a model that most likely already had a texture, i.e. "reskinning" the model).

#6 Great clarification, Magnus!

#7 Thank you. Magnus!!!!!!!!! :)

#8 It should also be mentioned that when people are using 3d studio max, they often refer to weighting the model -- that is, applying a skeletal rig to the model -- as "skinning" because the modifier to do so in 3dsmax is called "skin"

#9 @John

Its not a "Max" thing but a general industry term that refers to rigging a mesh to a set of bones. You will see Maya, XSI and Lightwave users use the same terminology... well except from people who come from mod communities and use the term incorrectly.

#10 Cheers lads, the advice is appreciated! :)