Reinventing the Game
Although not directly related to financial markets and software, if you have an appetite for innovation and entertainment, this post is for you. I’ve never before been so excited about a video game. I’ve officially pre-ordered my copy of Rockstargames’ “L.A. Noire.” What’s all the fuss about?
Take a look at the video on the technology behind the game.
Let me paraphrase: The creators of Grand Theft Auto have made a leap forward in technology that will enable players to exercise their skills in the detection of dishonesty. The story is set in crime solving in L.A. with an emphasis on interrogation. What’s interesting here is the increasing capability of modeling technology and it’s application to real world world problems. For the production of the game, they go beyond traditional motion capture, introducing a new visual modeling ability referred to as “motion scanning.” In the “depth analysis room,” they shoot two dimensional video from many angles. This media can then be applied to 3D models. It is a new form of facial motion capture that provides the players with significantly increased realism. So, much so, that a core theme of the game is to understand whether people are lying. Watch out Dr. Cal Lightman!
Rockstargames is not alone in applying the technique of mapping 2 dimensional videos to 3D models. Take a look at this video from Microsoft Research:
For those of you who will be playing, it may be time to brush up on your applied psychology: interpreting microexpressions, through the Facial Action Coding System, and body language.
