14 DAY TRIAL // Developer Ninja Theory has released yet another diary video for the upcoming action-adventure video game Hellblade, this time around the focus being on creating cutscenes through the use of motion capture technology.
The makers of Heavenly Sword are currently working on what they call an indie AAA title, a gorgeous video game with high production values but a much smaller scope than traditional blockbusters, emphasizing fast-paced sword combat, the thing for which the studio is known best.
The project has nowhere near the budget of the studio's previous endeavors, but the developers are falling back on the experience gained while working on Enslaved and DmC: Devil May Cry and putting it to good use in order to create stunning visuals and engrossing story sequences on a shoestring budget.
The video below explains how the developers are aiming to achieve the same level of quality gamers have come to expect from them, showcasing some of the in-house solutions it's using in order to shoot and produce high-quality cutscenes with a total of only 13 people.
A pretty impressive effort
The video shows some of the various hardware and software prototypes used by the studio, including experimenting with GoPro cameras, 3D printing, and photogrammetry, in order to capture the finest levels of detail, including wrinkles and minute facial expressions.
Photogrammetry is a very interesting technique that uses actual photographs of real-world environments and people in order to create detailed and rich 3D maps.
It was used in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, among other titles, contributing to the unique and beautiful aesthetic, and to the believable and varied world, due to the fact that it doesn't require artists to recycle textures, which makes the game world come to life and feel much more immersive and believable.
The video is definitely a very interesting watch for everyone keen to find out what goes on behind the scenes of video game development, and adds to the growing knowledge base available on the Internet, being a testament to the resourcefulness of the people involved in the industry.
Hellblade is expected to land on the Windows PC and PlayStation 4 platforms sometime later this year.
