The technology of motion capture has enables game developers and designers to produce high quality graphics. Over time, advancements in this technology has resulted in greater precision of capturing objects and movements, leading to a higher realism of characters. The process of motion capture involves the use of a myriad of camera angles, lighting effects, and dozens of stuntmen to digitize a character's physical features and movements. Ever since its launch in the mid 1990's, it has grown to become one of the most preferred methods of game development.

In this blog post, we explain how motion capture is indeed the future of 3D gaming.

How does motion capture work?

In motion capture, an actor or stuntman is required to wear a skintight bodysuit, which is covered with a number of sensors and markers to enable motion capture designer to capture movements onto a screen. The actor's movements and stunts are captured by cameras from several angles for a full three-dimensional view of the character. This is then used to develop a basic outline of the character onto a screen, which then allows designers to experiment with multiple settings.

For example, a designer may create a 3D stick-based character on to their screen and apply multiple variables, such as standing on top of a building or in a forest, to generate a finished animation.

In many games, an actor's physical attributes, such as facial features, are required to mimic it exactly onto the screen. In such cases, the actor is asked to sit very still and use his facial features to signify different emotional states, such as anger, happiness, and dazed, to create a graphical representation accordingly.

What makes motion capture the future of 3D gaming?

So what makes motion capture so significant for 3D gaming. Firstly, motion capture is useful for producing high quality images and animations. Since the mid 90's, the technology and process of motion capture has undergone considerable developments. Many equipments and features today allow game developers to reproduce the minute details of a character like never before. Game characters today can reflect different emotional and mental states within a particular scene with higher precision.

The image capturing technologies can gather enough details on a character to show how it behaves under different situational and environmental contexts. For instance, a character eyes will enlarge upon sensing danger and give the warmness of a smile when feel relaxed and excited.

Secondly, motion capture enables developers to achieve real-time virtualization. Through advanced imagine and lighting capabilities, players can interact with game characters in a much more comprehensive manner. Many of the games today are adapting the facial and body features of real actors within games to give a much more realistic interpretation of movements and interactions.
It can be said with great confidence that, in the future, Hollywood actors will play a much bigger role in game development than they do currently.

Enhances user experience

The effectiveness of motion capture can also be described from the players' point of view. Multiple game consoles have launched separate systems to enable characters to interact with the game through their own physical movements. While this feature may be a little out-of-date, newer technologies are allowing players to insert their own visual depictions in games, akin to a photo booth.
Motion capture is thus playing a pivotal role in blurring the distinctions between reality and fiction. Through it, both developers and gamers can experience gaming in a much more realistic manner.