Ever since Rockstar played up Team Bondi’s use of Motion Scan technology to capture actors’ performances for L.A. Noire, other developers have been trying one up them with their own facial animation technology. Last month, Quantic Dream’s David Cage said that his studio’s tech allowed for more improvement, calling Motion Scan “an interesting dead end.” Now, Alan Wake developer Remedy Entertainment is showing off its new tech behind closed doors, with the company aiming to be ahead of Rockstar’s setup.
The technology was created by lead animator John Root, formerly of id, Epic Games, and Disney. Remedy’s system uses motion capture as a starting point, but builds on that with a series of adjustable sliders to adjust for different expressions. The original model, accurate to half a millimeter, can then be used to change facial expressions in real time as the animator requires.
Edge was able to see the system in action and came away impressed with the subtlety and nuance shown, but Root said that the tech was still growing. The studio plans to add color mapping, allowing the system to accurately simulate blood flow. With that in place, characters’ skin could lighten or darken realistically as certain expressions are made.
Remedy CEO Matthias Myllyrinne mentioned Rockstar’s game as a benchmark for what his studio hopes to accomplish. Placing one hand higher than the other, he said, “L.A. Noire has set a bar for facial animation, but [Rockstar’s game] is here, we’re aiming to be here.”
4 Comments
April 11, 2011
Now if these companies would just release their games on the PC where this increased animation can actually be seen and enjoyed over the good facial animation seen in PS3 and 360 games out there now. Not saying I believe the current consoles are being pushed to the limit graphics wise, just that more than a couple of the major developers have already claimed they have pushed them to the limit and there is just no more to get out of them.
April 12, 2011
This game is exclusive only to the PS3 where there are plenty of followers.
April 12, 2011
How about gameplay, gents? The "experience", you know? Do you seriously believe a game will be better off if it has facial system with accuracy of half a millimeter? This is a ridiculous pissing contest, while console games still lack mass-market appeal.
April 12, 2011
Maybe developers think that a more realistic looking goatee will sell 2.5 more copies than a non realistic looking one would. And yes, thats "2.5" more, not "2.5 million" more. Because realistically only 2.5 people in the entire world care about more realistic facial hair.