Activision R&D Unveils Eerily Realistic Facial Animation Technology

[Mr.Squishy]

This is so gonna get hijacked for porn, I just know it.

 

[Kmadden2004]

Well, it's as impressive as any other tech demo.

But it's all just a flashback to that Alfred Molina demo back when the PS3 was revealed. When it comes to graphics in games, actual gameplay footage is what matters, and I doubt we'll see many (if any) games in the next five years that'll come close to matching that level of detail and "emotion".

 

[Not Lord Atkin]

I call fucking shenanigans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5d1ZOYU4gpo

Nvidia's tech. Not Activision's.

 

[PrinceOfShapeir]

Ah, excellent! More polygons, and with these polygons we can achieve true emotion in gaming!

 

[TKretts3]

Hmm... What was the term again? Oh yes... Uncanny valley.
Burn it, please. Burn it with fire, lest you wish for this abomination to haunt my endless nightmares to come.

 

[Domogo]

I will be impressed when they can get the damn teeth right its always the inside of mouths that really get me they look terrible always with the nasty teeth strips and no texturing on the inside

 

[Product Placement]

Goodness, that's allot of polygons. This must be what porn looks like for someone like David Cage.

 

[DugMachine]

The facial expressions are impressive but they'll never get the eyes right. No matter how realistic you can make the textures and muscle movements I don't believe we'll ever capture that 'focus' that real eyes have. It's always as if they're looking right through something and never at it... if that makes any sense.

 

[TemperHoof]

Why is Activision getting all of the credit? They are clearly using nVidia's powerful new FaceWorks technology, they are even using the exact same model and facial animations used in the nVidia Tech Demos. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/20/gurnaphics-card-nvidias-face-works/

 

[Biodeamon]

Now entering the Uncanny Valley, enjoy your stay

 

[Denamic]

That needs a disclaimer?

I mean it's very impressive and all. When it's not moving.

But that's not a smile. And unless you've got some sort of growth on your inner cheek that's not how you talk. The whole thing just doesn't move right. Animation-wise that thing is still very firmly in the uncanny valley.

All this really demonstrates is that whomever made this thing simply doesn't understand what makes things look lifelike. It's not the graphical fidelity. It's movement and animation. Things have to move naturally, organically. Then they'll appear life-like. I've seen robots, the ones that are nothing but a metal frame, that appear more life-like than this thing, because the motions they go through are simply right.

I've seen smiles that are deeper in the uncanny valley than that in real life.

 

[weirdee]

it's more like a strange leather mask that doesn't quite have the flexibility of an actual face yet

i'm sure they can resolve that issue easily using current technology though

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

we have almost achieved emotional gameplay...

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I agree it's not perfect, but it's still pretty bloody impressive. And yeah, it'll be expensive, but surely eventually it'll be relatively affordable for most devs? Progress has to be made some time.

 

[SomebodyNowhere]

things look ok and then it opens its mouth and BOOM we're in the uncanny valley

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

That looks pretty cool. But what is Activision gonna do with it? Use it in their 4 hour long CoD campaign?

 

[FogHornG36]

good, but how does this help in the next call of duty game?

 

[PirateRose]

Wow, they recreated an angry, white, privileged, male yelling at employees in a McDonalds about his first world problems. Truly amazing.

 

[VanQ]

Stop wasting time and resources on crap like this. We don't need super realistic character models to make a good game. Just pick a good aesthetic and roll with that making sure the game mechanics are fun and functional.