Remedy: Alan Wake Animations Will Be Fixed in DLC
Won't say whether the work was outsourced.
Remedy can't catch a break with Alan Wake, it seems. If it's not phony spoilers going around, it's kneejerk complaints of 'resolution' on the studio's community forums. Now attention has changed focused to the facial animations of the game, with reviews commenting on the 'stiff' character models leading fans to voice their disappointment.
Using a picture of Alan's wife - looking 'tipsy' - as an example, community members asked whether, like most things, the facial animation was outsourced. Enter Remedy's Markus Maki to settle the score.
"We have a few different methods of doing facial animation - in-game using FaceFX and motion capture used in cinematics. While I think it'll always be possible to get "fugly" single frames out of any game we definitely learned a lot doing Alan Wake, and will try to improve the way we do things to get best possible looking facials. In fact, we're using some of the improvements in the DLC production already."
Maki continues, "It's not alone a matter of the method how or where the facial capture is done, it's about the run-time animation techniques available, skeleton setup and so on. It's a complex problem trying to dodge the Uncanny Valley."
So, no confirmation or denial of the use of outsourcing then. But some insight there as to the causes of the wonky eyes and silly head action, along with an assurance of a fix. What about those who enjoy the Uncanny Valley though?
Using a picture of Alan's wife - looking 'tipsy' - as an example, community members asked whether, like most things, the facial animation was outsourced. Enter Remedy's Markus Maki to settle the score.
"We have a few different methods of doing facial animation - in-game using FaceFX and motion capture used in cinematics. While I think it'll always be possible to get "fugly" single frames out of any game we definitely learned a lot doing Alan Wake, and will try to improve the way we do things to get best possible looking facials. In fact, we're using some of the improvements in the DLC production already."
Maki continues, "It's not alone a matter of the method how or where the facial capture is done, it's about the run-time animation techniques available, skeleton setup and so on. It's a complex problem trying to dodge the Uncanny Valley."
So, no confirmation or denial of the use of outsourcing then. But some insight there as to the causes of the wonky eyes and silly head action, along with an assurance of a fix. What about those who enjoy the Uncanny Valley though?
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