R&D; staffers at Call of Duty publisher show off series of images and video depicting what next-generation games could look like.
Today during a GDC panel, Activision technical director Jorge Jimenez offered a glimpse into what next-generation characters could look like.
The developer's technical talk focused on the processes of creating realistic-looking characters without reaching the uncanny valley. Jimenez explained that the product of better visuals will be the capacity to tell stories with greater emotional impact.
The images are the result of years of work, Jimenez explained, though he's not satisfied yet. He said future work needs to focus on creating more realistic hair, teeth, and eyebrows.
In addition, Activision research and development director Javier von der Pahlen showed off a next-gen character animation video during the talk. The video (below) is rendered in real-time on current video card hardware.
The images and video reflect research and development initiatives that Activision is exploring and do not represent actual game assets, the developers said.
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
This looks incredible but I hope ultra realistic graphics don't kill the artistic value of games.
@fizzledwarDon't get me wrong, i like beautiful graphics as much as the next guy but i think it will be very boring if every game looks like a film...if developers do manage to maintain some level of design diversity, i will be ok with it.
And yes like someone said...Warfighter is a prime example of how good graphics won't save a garbage game..if all the attention is put to the graphics...I fear we will get games buggier than Skyrim and AC3 combined and campaign length as big as 45 mins....
These beautiful visuals are more then welcomed but if its going to have a bad effect on the gameplay then I don't need it...
1 Like I wonder when we'll get to the point where graphics are so realistic that killing someone in game could give you PTSD.
Like, when its seamlessly "real-life" quality, won't action games basically be snuff movies? Or do you think you'd be able to still rationalise it as "just a game" like we do nowadays...
Creepy... This realism technology has just surfaced at the right time. PS4 & next-gen Xbox, we are waiting for this visuals to be in he confines of our home. ;)
@febrymaulana11 Cause realism is the next level of enjoying games, do you want to see pixelated faces on you next-gen console? hmm.
So Im supposed to be impressed that Cod will be higher definition and detailed models? is this the big jump??? From 1 Steaming Hot Turd to a Steaming vaporing, effervescent, Glowing hot turd???? If this is what people want to play then count me out......
2 Like "images and video reflect research and development initiatives that Activision is exploring" in other words we are just trying to get you excited about the next xbox and PS4. But the truth is we will not be increasing our production budget to create those beautiful visuals. But please feel free to believe we will.
2 Like Haven't we learned that graphics doesn't make a game better? MOH: Warfighter and many others have proven this.
1 Like Wasn't this what Nvidia presented? which gamespot covered few days ago. I remember the whole yogurt parfait rant in the beginning.
@eternal_man101 Yeah, I'm confused, in the Nvidia presentation I don't recall seeing Activision, the only names I recall are Nvidia and some university I believe it was.
@hystavito @eternal_man101 it could be a joint project but u can find out more!i have seen the nvdia project too!company share ideas and that is good for the industry!and to answer doubters!visuals are really important for immersion into the game world!its not the graphics that sells a game!but what rich content a game has to offer!cod has proven that over the years!there are memories etched from the various cod games over the years!but now visuals is neede more than ever!
That's cool an all......
Now how about actually showing COD some serious innovation? :)
Wow , more realistic explosions and captain price detail in COD with same old gameplay mechanics and mindless action . Cool .
When I see Activision make a GTA with these visuals on every civilian than I'll give a damn. Till I see these graphics in full swing in actual gameplay footage, my care factor at the graphics are all but 'meh'.
With this next-gen visuals the next walking dead game is going to look awesome......but is probably going to have bad gameplay sigh.
@Crystal_McGhee Holy crap dude these ....these are real people damn I thought these images were real time DIGITAL looking people not REAL people :( (sarcasm)
6 Like Yet Call of Duty will continue to use a heavily modified Quake 3 engine for next-gen consoles.
FAIL!!!
@emgesp Because Call of Duty can totally run on a life-like graphics engine and still retain the 60 FPS that is key to the series... That's like saying that Battlefield 4 should have extra-fluid animations and no clipping at all. I'd ask you to have fun playing on 15 FPS, but considering you referred to Call of Duty as a company, how would you know better?
1 Like Someone needs to explain to me why graphics are so important. I think it has to end. This is why so many developer studios went out of business this gen. When are people going to realize this?
@ballermat982 This is why there are research and development departments so that they can create the tools and technologies to produce better looking graphics with less effort. These types of advances makes the artist's job easier, not harder. The technique they're using here with full facial scanning and performance capture is actually less labor intensive than modeling by hand and doing facial rigging the old way while providing vastly superior results. The end result is better looking games made by smaller teams in less man-hours.
1 Like @ballermat982 That is because graphics is the one thing even the dumbest and youngest of people can appreciate. Being able to appreciate anything else requires a brain, and current gen sheep lack that.
I don't even think they appreciate the graphics. lol. It's only for wooing them in and let them shoot some enemy soldiers and they're a happy camper. Easy money.
4 Like Better hardware creates both better visuals and gameplay.
Have you've tried to play an Atari 2600 game recently? They just don't hold up anymore.
1 Like Atari had crappy graphics when I played it as a kid, and that hasn't changed but it was FUN. Period.
Ballermat makes a valid point to which only some will understand. I got it.
1 Like @emgesp @ballermat982 Better visuals while sacrificing everything else due to budget issues. work load, and time constraints. But then again, what would you know?
Although all these tech demos are pretty impressive, i'm not getting excited about this at all. I doubt we'll see this level of details for character's faces continually in games any time soon. After all, it is quite telling to only be shown bald people, and then only from the neck up. My guess is, rendering hair and faces both with this level of detail is pushing beyond the limits of real-time processing on current high-end generation graphics hardware. Let alone rendering entire screens filled to the brim with people and action galore...
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