Motion capture in games (Batman)

                                                            Batman Arkham origins

The type of animation in which I have chosen to write about is motion capture, however I am specifically applying this type of animation to one particular media sector which is gaming. In gaming the purpose of motion capture is to portray a story between characters this is most likely done in the “mini movies” between gameplay. This allows to add depth to the character and it allows to game to progress. The genre of motion capture can most defiantly differ as it can be used for various things. There is no exact age range in which we can specify or categorize it in. If I was to make a estimate in which age range motion capture would fall in I would say roughly around the teens area. The reason for my choosing is because it’s now mostly used in games, games in which incorporate a tremendous amount of violence such as Batman Arkham Origins therefore it is safe to say that its for teens in the 16-18 area.  

Motion capture suit with
retro reflective markers

Motion capture is the process of recording the movement of objects and most likely people. Essentially it records the movement of human actors. To be able to capture the movements of the actors they must wear a special motion capture suit. It is often or always made out Velcro as it is easy to carry as well as take on or off, you can also have motion capture accessories such as gloves and hats (beanie style) that is also used. Retro reflective markers are placed variously on the suit. The markers are used to outline the subject (actor)

In the game the motion capture is being recorded in a studio with lights placed all around it these lights are most likely infra. The motion capture is being recorded and pre-recorded voices are being used instead of the characters actually speaking. In the game the facial emotion is not being recorded as it is not always a necessity however it is used such as in movies a prime example would be dawn of the planet of the apes.

Once the motion capture is recorded and is on the computer the editors digitally enhance the characters and put on whatever it is that they want whether it be certain clothes as well as colour.

The purpose of why motion capture was used for this particular game was because that in Batman there are a lot of fighting and using motion capture would be the easiest as well as quickest way to document that fighting unlike CGI animation which uses a longer process. Furthermore, motion capture allows that sense of realism and can be used to make the characters seem as real as they may want. In certain scenarios even as real as an actual person which just goes to show the power of motion capture.

Motion capture example

Due to the sudden boom in technology motion capture has really been brought into popular culture. This is because computers were evolving we were able to do more things with it and motion capture were one of those things. It started however in 2002 with the second lord of the rings film.

The process in making motion capture has more or less stayed the same as it has only been used more frequently recently.

This animation has changed the way characters are seen in movies and gaming. It now allows the production process to be easier as there is an actor already on set and now the editors don’t need to put in the characters digitally all they have to do is change the way they want it to look. It can be used to make the characters seem extremely realistic and in games it gives the graphics a nice glossy finish in my opinion.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYIcjB3klZ8 (Batman Arkham Origins motion capture trailer)

CGI animation in movies (Frozen)

                                                       CGI animation (Frozen)

A particular type of animation which I would like to expand on is CGI animation which stands for computer generated imagery. CGI animation has been around for many years but it was not introduced to the world officially until Toy Story came out which was the very first full CGI movie. The media sector in which CGI appears the most in is movies therefore I have chosen CGI within movies. A specific movie that is CGI that I have selected is the smash hit frozen. The purpose of CGI is story telling its frequently used to convey a story mostly in movies and in some TV shows. The genre of this animation is mainly family as the CGI movies are made for family viewing pleasure. Once again the audience that it is aimed at is little kids. This is because CGI is very cartoon like therefore it has a certain relationship with young kids as that is what they find entertaining.

CGI is the application of computer graphics. It is also commonly known as 3D computer graphics used for creating special effects or scenes in movies or TV shows 

The process of Frozen is the same as any other CGI movie. CGI animated movies take years to make and is VERY expensive. The process of it all is incredibly slow even slower than motion capture with motion capture the character’s movements are already recorded with CGI the characters have to be made move on the specialised computer starting from scratch. Before actually animating the movie 2D storyboards are created for each scene roughly showing what is going to happen in that scene and the dialogue is often put in at the bottom. This process results in a mountain of drawings some of which are not even used in the movie. However, it is a vital step as it gives the animators a rough idea what is going to happen if it was not done then it could end in a mess and a catastrophe.

 
The next step is called the layout step, which is when the characters as well as the backgrounds are rendered in 3D. The animators use a special computer to build a 3D model of the character. Once the characters and background are made a rough scene is produced to see how cohesive everything is with one another. Now the basic models of the character are moved to their finalized movements. Then each frame is created and tweaked ever so slightly in the frames.

Wire frame model

 

 Now what must happen is one of the most complicated parts, which is why, it is saved for last. These are animating hair lighting and textures. Applying texture to human characters are extremely difficult this is why in most CGI animated movies most of the main characters are in animated objects. Lighting is also a key factor, which must be done, but once again it is EXTREAMLY difficult EG: applying a shadow to every character. It has to be carefully rendered. This gives off the illusion that it is real.

Furthermore, due to the boom in technology CGI’s popularity also took a significant increase. This is mainly because for CGI to occur it must be done all using a specialist computer and because computers were evolving CGI can be used more frequently, the graphics could be more realistic creating more pleasure for the viewers.

The process of creating CGI has predominantly remained the same solely because it has just recently been used properly. However, who’s to know that in the future a new process will be created, a process which is less demanding.

The animation changed movies forever as CGI is now one of the most popular types of movies ever and most certainly one of the most iconic and recognizable. The animation gives of a warm and wholesome vibe in my opinion. I don’t think there will ever be a type of animation in movies to surpass CGI as it is extremely popular with kids and as long as there are kids CGI will always be around.

Chicken Run

If we were to compare the difference between the animation in frozen and another kids animation movie such as Chicken Run we can see that there is a significant difference. Chicken Run uses the animation that is known as Stop Motion. For Stop Motion the object/model are photographed, moved a little and then photographed again. All the images are then later uploaded to a computer and put all together digitally. If you were to make a movie with Stop Motion the content in the movie would have to be quite simplistic as you are photographing every move. Because every movie is documented and put together digitally the end product does come out quite rough and not as refined. Whereas with CGI the animation is very sleek and does have a glossy touch and look to it opposed to Stop Motion which looks more hand made. CGI allows more in the content within movies simply because it is all done digitally.




CGI allows you to add complex textures to your characters or backgrounds. The characters can have more depth added to certain features such as the cheeks to create a more life like effect. Also lighting in CGI is a lot more simpler to add compared to stop motion. If a character was to have a shadow in CGI it can be added digitally whereas with stop motion the process to create shadows is a lengthy process. You would have to obtain various light sources and use a side lighting to create a certain shadow. Furthermore CGI allows you use a complex palate of colours to add to your characters and backgrounds. On the other hand with stop motion you are limited to the colours of the material in which you are working with. This will limit you as if you don't have a particular colour for a certain item then you cannot use it and will have to be replaced or brought in which does waste filming time. Especially since stop motion is a extremely lengthy process.