Xbox One exclusive Quantum Break will make use of a nifty piece of face-scanning technology known as DI4D, created by Scottish middleware company
Dimensional Imaging. As explained by the latter's CEO Colin Urquhart in
the latest issue of OXM, DI4D allows developers to scan actors in three dimensions while they perform, and thus represents "the highest fidelity of facial motion capture that's available on the market".
The tech eschews older techniques such as make-up markers and structured light; instead, performances are captured by way of nine cameras arranged around the capturing area, and operating at 60 frames a second. Accordingly, Remedy is able to "really capture the detail and subtlety of the performances" you'll see in Quantum Break, a photo-realistic shooty-puzzly endeavour in which players can stop time.
Remedy's creative director Sam Lake has said a little more on the subject to
Develop. "Quantum Break is a hugely ambitious project that combines action and narrative components in a unique way to bring the characters to life," he told the site via press release. "The only way to achieve the high quality of performance was to create highly realistic digital doubles of talented actors.
"By using Dimensional Imaging's DI4D facial performance capture solution combined with our Northlight storytelling technology, we can ensure that every nuance of the actors' performances are captured on screen."
Lake also had a bit to say about
Quantum Break at large over the weekend. "It feels to me that we have passed that dreaded uncanny valley in many ways," he mused. "Suddenly, it is the real actor and what really matters is the actor's performance." The game will feature live action performances alongside in-game cinema - I wonder if we'll be able to tell the difference?
