The changing face of motion capture - Phil Elderfield, Vicon Motion Systems

The Changing face of Motion Capture

Who is Vicon

• Producing Motion Capture systems for 30 years

• Film and games for 20 years

• Great deal of change and increase in use of motion capture in games

Why Mocap?

In game material

• Walk cycles, crowd etc. - Speed/efficiency

• Sports - Star players, Authentic action

Why Mocap?

Cinematics/cut sequences

• This is where the major change has been

• Focus on story and character - creative

• Enable player to engage with charter and story – to live in the game world

• Requires sense of reality

• Subtly of motion/emotion

Why Mocap?

Productivity & Creativity

Pushing Boundaries

Next gen • Existing tech was pushed beyond its design expectation • The same will happen with next gen

So it is with capture tech • Expectation extremely high

Convergence?

Game and film production processes aligning

• Game production is drawing on more technicians and crew from the film world

• Directors and performers

• Shooting methods to concentrate on the performance & story

• Making the technology recede

• Making the technology work in the most difficult and dynamic circumstances

Performance Capture

• Face & body

• Capturing the Character

• Player interaction and identification with characters

• Face is at the centre of the performance

• Crucial to visual interaction & communication

• It’s with face capture that the current challenges lie

Techniques

2DOptical

Seated

Head mounted

3D points

Markerless

Cara

• Face capture hardware, mechanics and software

• 3D points

Cara

• Head Rig

• Up to 4 cameras

• Body worn logger

• Modular/flexible (single camera 2D option)

Origins

History

Infamous Second Son

Cara

• 60 FPS

• 1 mega pixel

• Global shutter

Software

CaraLive• System setup• Acquisitions• Monitoring• Download

CaraPost• Automated detection &

tracking• High quality fast• Whole volume• Minimise manual work

Future

• Continue to develop based on reaction and feedback

• Improved mechanics e.g. - weight, simplicity, fit

• Improved processing- Better tracking, better quality data faster- Eyes, binks and squints - Audio- Lighting- RT

Cara

Questions & see Cara up close in the Foyer