A symphony of staccato blinds filled the air. Xenon gas flashed dozens of camera flashes. Capcom was visiting a meat processing plant with a mine of photographic equipment. Iron-footed photographers snapped photo after photo of wild game, ivory bones, and blood. Then they ordered tofu and pizza, but not to cleanse their palates. These were also photographic fodder. Flesh, bones, blood, and gore were turned into zombified meat in their recent remake of Resident Evil 2. Photographs of tofu allowed them to create the tofu character from the game's eponymous Tofu Survivor mode. Regarding the pizza, it's actually one of the first images audiences saw in the E3 2018 gameplay trailer when a rat slithered onto it. The ability to scan objects and then collect texture data separately has been around for a while, but photogrammetry captures them simultaneously. Simplifying this process allows us to create accurate, texture-correct 3D models faster than ever before.Members of the RE2 development team. The process used by Capcom to convert a multitude of photos into what players have seen reflected in their world of non-death called photogrammetry. Capcom has been exploiting the art and technique of this process since 2017's Resident Evil 7. "The photos we take are capable of capturing fine details, such as the texture of an object, allowing us to create high-quality, realistic 3D models." ", the members confide to us. Resident Evil 2 development team in an interview. "The ability to scan objects and then collect texture data separately has been around for a while, but photogrammetry records both at the same time. Simplifying this process allows us to create accurate, texture-correct 3D models faster than ever before." Optimizing processes, such as rendering, is essential when you want to build big-budget games: this reduces costs, saves you time, and ultimately creates a better product, in this case, one of the best games ever. Listed in 2019.
Photogrammetry 101
The field of photogrammetry uses photographs to take precise and advanced measurements and has applications ranging from mapping to archaeology. In recent years, the gaming industry has embraced the science of photogrammetry to create highly detailed 3D models, such as those found in the Resident Evil 2 Art Deco Museum and the sanitized white lab stained with Arterial Jetting Sternal Reliefs. blood This process involves first taking a series of overlapping photos of a subject from all angles to create a complete set of measurements of the subject in 3D space. The photos are then assembled with the help of specialized software that takes into account size, angle, and perspective. In this way, a series of 2D images is converted into a transparent 3D reconstruction. Image 1 of 4
Aerial aerial photography can be used to create topographic maps, while 3D modelers get closer to their subjects with this technique. Photogrammetry is also remarkably scalable. A quick look around the internet reveals tutorials on rudimentary photogrammetry with a smartphone camera. Of course, the technology used by AAA development studios is a bit more advanced than that.
A match in heaven (or... hell)
This versatile approach to creating high-fidelity 3D models has allowed Capcom to push the boundaries into literally photorealistic territory. It can be applied not only to architecture and organic materials, but also to facial capture and details as fine as wrinkles and creases in clothing. "For Resident Evil 2, we hired live models that matched our character descriptions, put them in the right costumes, and then used photogrammetry to capture the data from which we built the 3D models. "Very similar to the live-action movie . Action film. Many objects in the game were created using the same process," the developers told us. "One of the issues we had to deal with in this game was the difference in size between the stunt players and the face model actors, and we had to find a way to unite them by making the first facial scans to be used as a target. "Photogrammetry to capture the contortions that appear on the actors' clothing as they move and on their faces as emotion."
To achieve this, Capcom's 3D scanning studio houses 141 commercially available single-lens digital SLR cameras in two booths. One of the kiosks is dedicated to creating extremely detailed full-body scans, made up of photos taken with 103 cameras, while the other 38 are in another kiosk dedicated to face scanners. According to Capcom, the number of photos needed per object or per person is directly proportional to the desired quality. They took on average about 100 photos for each model in the game, for example...
Is the future of the game perfect?
According to the Resident Evil 2 development team, there are some drawbacks to using photogrammetry: some objects can be very expensive to purchase or produce, while other objects are constantly in motion (such as trees and foliage). that could influence under the effect of the wind). ) can introduce noise into the 3D data during conversion if it moves during the scanning process. It also does not mention the cost of installation, which is quite considerable when you consider a digitization study and include the purchase of equipment. "However, assuming the desired item can be easily delivered, the quality of the final product compared to what is possible with traditional methods is well worth the additional cost," Capcom said. "We also take into account the investment and operating costs of the photogrammetry studio, but we believe that it is an extremely effective way to create assets, especially in the field of photogrammetry, in terms of quality required by most contemporary games." Image 1 of 5
This is the reason why photogrammetry has continued to make a mark in the game development industry and Capcom has stated that they will continue to use it for future projects. Furthermore, Capcom tells us that they envision a future where it's not something extraordinary, but rather a common tool on the belt of creators. "Photogrammetry will eventually stop being special, and in a way you've already caught up with it. The important thing is to have a type of author mindset that aims to always have superior quality and bring even more value to the title. Photogrammetry is fine, just a part of the base used to create games and images."