Editor's note: Michael conducts an interview with himself (?) in order to explain in plain terms how a technology called MotionScan will dramatically change the way games are made. I think he may be right. -Brett
The Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft’s Kinect, and Sony’s PlayStation Move are currently the darlings of the video game industry. Many critics point to these technologies as the future of video games. But on the horizon is a technology that will truly take gamers by surprise and transform the industry.
“What’s wrong with motion controls and 3D?”
Nothing. But I do object to the attitude that they will change gaming. Nintendo already turned the world on to motion controls four years ago, and Sony and Microsoft are only now catching up. As for 3D, it's nothing more than a false sense of depth. On top of that, people will need to invest hundreds (or in the case of 3D TVs) thousands of dollars simply to be able to use these products.
That said, these are both interesting avenues to explore, and I'm sure they will have their niche in the industry. The Nintendo 3DS in particular blew everyone away at E3 because it gave a solid demonstration of how 3D will work without glasses. This is exciting, but it will not be the catalyst that pushes gaming into the future.
“So, Michael, what do you think is the future of video games?”
I’m glad you asked. It’s called MotionScan, and it will first be visible in the upcoming Rockstar game L.A. Noire. The basic function of this technology is to enable games to produce exceptionally realistic representations of characters. This is accomplished with 32 high-definition cameras that film a human actor at 30 frames per second from multiple angles. The MotionScan software then renders an accurate 3D model from this data that conveys every minute detail of the actor's performance.
“So what makes this so special?”
MotionScan will be able to dramatically improve the the way games present characters. With games like Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins, the dialogue is recorded first, then the animators create 3D models based on that performance. Since the two acts are completely separate (and done by totally separate people), there can be a disconnect between actions and words.
MotionScan, on the other hand, can record a live-action scene and produce final footage at the same time. This means that a conversation between two onscreen characters will be drawn directly from an actual face-to-face interaction.
One feature in particular that will be showcased in L.A. Noire is the precision of facial features. L.A. Noire is at its core a detective game, and the player will conduct numerous interviews over the course of the story. Rather than relying on unnatural "game"-like element to tell whether a suspect is lying, MotionScan will allow players to simply read a character's face, just as they'd do in real life. Tics like avoiding eye contact or contracting facial muscles can accurately be rendered by the technology. That means that development studios can spend less time syncing dialogue and more time crafting realistic scripts and performances. We could be looking at a completely new era of video gaming.
“What’s this 'new era' you speak of?”
We'll finally be able to stop comparing games to movies, because — at least at a performance level — there will be no more difference anymore. And with less time and manpower required to create realistic animations, teams will be able to focus on other aspects of development. Perhaps we will see a total revolution in RPG elements, or perhaps designers will find a way to extend gameplay without relying on more enemies and fetch quests.
“Who’s to say it will work?”
While MotionScan sounds perfect in theory, it has yet to prove itself as a beneficial tool for developers. Test runs and preview sessions are great for showing off its power and capabilities, but wedging these new features into current projects could prove to be detrimental. It will be quite some time before developers are able to master the tools and give us the killer games that we are dying to play.
Even though it's still in its infancy, I feel that MotionScan will prove to be more beneficial for video games than either 3D or motion controls. 3D may give us another dimension, and motion controls may give us additional ways to interact with our software, but MotionScan will provide us with opportunities for better game design and new gameplay concepts. And it's made me very, very excited for L.A. Noire.
For more information about MotionScan, this out this article from GamePro.