{"data":{"id":12979,"title":"Motion Capture & Behaviour Visit","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/transmission\/12979-Motion-Capture-Behaviour-Visit","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/12979","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/12979","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"None","images":[{"id":474,"name":"Hom_vicon_facilities_002.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/z206ykmtnqsukr\/source\/Hom_vicon_facilities_002.jpg","alt":"A Vicon system in use at House of Moves.","size":403149,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2013-07-19T05:20:45+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/474","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/474\/similar"},{"id":475,"name":"2013-05-01_bhvr_team_photo_02.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/r3u2nguoh2jxfr\/source\/2013-05-01_bhvr_team_photo_02.jpg","alt":"Behaviour's pre-production team: Corentin Chevanne, Mig\u00fcel Caron, Christian Lavoie and Mathieu Beaulieu.","size":222425,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2013-07-19T05:20:42+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/475","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/475\/similar"},{"id":476,"name":"Stanton-Arccorp01_thumb.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/6lcm59h3dze5ur\/source\/Stanton-Arccorp01_thumb.jpg","alt":"","size":179368,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2013-07-19T05:20:48+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/476","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/476\/similar"}],"images_count":3,"translations":{"en_EN":"Wow \u2013 $9.1 million and climbing! The team at Cloud Imperium is glued to the site watching the counter; we simply can\u2019t believe the response to the Aurora sale. There are three days left to get your Aurora LX, so please pledge if you are interested\u2026 and spread the word if you\u2019re already a backer!\n\nMocap Stretch Goal\nToday we\u2019d like to talk more about our $10 million motion capture stretch goal. Some backers have noticed that this isn\u2019t so much a reward as it is a statement. That\u2019s the point: we want to share the development process with you in a mature fashion. There will be rewards for our longtime supporters, but we also want to tell you exactly what we\u2019re doing with the additional money. In this case, that\u2019s building a motion capture studio, something that will significantly enhance Star Citizen!\n\nFor those unfamiliar, motion capture is a process of recording motion. Actors are fitted with sensors and recorded with special cameras to gauge how they move. Films like Avatar use this technology to allow their CGI characters to act just like humans. Actors wearing sensor suits are filmed as though they were acting regular scenes, then overlaid with their computer generated characters. In gaming, the process is much the same, although not always so linear: the data is provided to the animation team so they can create more lifelike characters.\n\nGames have been using motion capture for years: Origin Systems pioneered the process in the mid-1990s, utilizing \u201cFlock of Birds\u201d technology to build Bioforge. Since then, it has become a standard for serious game development that requires \u201cactors\u201d (largely supplanting the live action shoots that Chris Roberts popularized with Wing Commander III.) For a game like Star Citizen, motion capture would be used both to record cut scenes and to decide \u201cmoves\u201d \u2013 how your interactive characters will react to various inputs and stimuli.\n\nThere are essentially three levels of mocap: body and motion movement capture, facial capture and then full performance capture which combines the two. In body capture, we record movements. In facial capture, nuanced facial expressions (including lips, to match voice actors.) The third captures all of this at once to make for the best possible high end performance.\n\nWe haven\u2019t done any mocap yet; the team is currently using reference moves that will need to be replaced before the game is finished. We did do a reference shoot to get a baseline early in the process, though. This was a much less complicated process, using a model to generate footage we can refer to when building our characters. Here\u2019s a Wingman\u2019s Hangar segment explaining that shoot:\n\n\n\nUnfortunately, motion capture is expensive. Very few studios have their own motion capture rigs: typically, development teams rent out the technology, studio space and talent for a limited amount of time. A day of motion capture costs between $25,000 and $50,000 and provides roughly 200 \u201cmoves\u201d; simple gestures, limb movements and so on. More complex shoots which require props, additional actors, finger movements and other factors are significantly more expensive. Still more expensive are shoots that capture audio and facial movements. This expense-to-benefit ration means that there\u2019s a great deal of preparation required for a mocap shoot\u2026 and that messing up or deciding you want something more in the game later means another chunk of money.\n\nWhat we want to do is build our own studio. We want to dedicate an area for mocap and purchase our own mocap system outright. It would cost more than we have currently budgeted for mocap leasing to do this to start\u2026 but the result would improve the game significantly. With our own mocap system we could generate cutscenes and moves as we determine they are needed, which will be especially valuable for the Star Citizen live team charged with feeding the game constant content! It\u2019s even conceivable that we could rent it out when not in use, ultimately funneling more money into Star Citizen\u2019s development!\n\nLead Animator Bryan Brewer is currently looking at two potential mocap systems for body movement. The first is the Vicon system, which he calls the Ferrari of mocap rigs. We would purchase sixteen of their 2.0 megapixel T20S cameras and sixteen of their 1.0 mexapixel T10S cameras for roughly $230,000. A second option is OptiTrack, the \u201cPorsche\u201d of mocap systems, which would be 24 4.1 megapixel Prime 41 cameras and 2 Prime17 cameras for significantly less: $150,000.\n\nThis hardware is just the start: it would track body motions, but an additional system would be needed for the game\u2019s facial animations. For this, we are looking at a product called FaceWare. Other money would go towards a physical space to install the system and various pieces of rigging. Finally, some of the additional million would go to professional actors. While team members and other volunteers are suitable for simple motions, real actors are needed for some captures!\n\nWe genuinely believe our own mocap studio would significantly improve Star Citizen. The team is very excited about the possibilities for expanding the game beyond what our original budget allowed. We think this is a great example of how we can be responsible with additional money\u2026 and a way to continue showing our backers that we\u2019re doing the right thing with their pledges!\n\nFinally, we asked Bryan a few questions to clarify issues that we felt fans would like to know:\n\nWhy Vicon Motion capture system?\nVicon offers the latest in Motion capture technology. The Cameras shoot at over 120fps and can capture large volumes with multiple actors. The cameras also have a high resolution. This means we can use smaller markers and small markers produces more accurate data. The Vicon Solution also works with FaceWare Head cams. The same technology used in movies like Avatar. The data produced by a high end system like this much cleaner with less cleanup in the solving. Other systems data is usually much more difficult to work with causing longer solves and editing animations to make game ready. The Motion Capture stage we are wanting to build is very similar to the one Naughty Dog built for doing their Uncharted games. This will offer us the ability to capture body, fingers, face, props and audio. Being able to do this in house rather than outsourcing to a Motion Capture Studio will afford us the ability to create animations whenever we want and not be forced to hold off because of someone else\u2019s schedule.\nAre cheaper unconventional solutions possible?\nI have looked into other capture solutions like setting up 2 Kinects. The problem with that is limited capture volume and only being able to capture one character at a time. Also, there is heavy cleanup needed on the data produced with those type of systems. It is good tech for prototyping but not good for production.\n\nBehaviour in the House!\nThe other big news at Cloud Imperium Games this week is that our partners from Behaviour Interactive are making their first visit to Austin! A pre-production team has made the jump from Montreal to the increasingly-crowded Austin facility to see how we\u2019re working and to get their first big assignment: building one of the game\u2019s hero levels!\n\nThe Star Citizen design team sat down with the group on Tuesday morning to discuss their task: building out the Stanton System as an example for how future star systems will be built! Stanton was one of the pledge systems, a collection of corporate worlds deep in UEE space. Our designers discussed how the game experience will work: what should it be like for a player when he or she lands in the Stanton System? What can they buy, visit, explore, discover?\n\nThe Behaviour team had already done this preliminary sketch of the system. This artwork, the first step in the process of creating Stanton, was done by Corentin Chevanne, who was responsible for the very first \u201clanding pad\u201d concept artwork you saw during the pledge campaign. His work has become synonymous with Star Citizen and we\u2019re thrilled that he\u2019s going to be continuing to work on the project.\n\nThe plan is to let the Behavior team, which includes a number of decorated MMO and FPS veterans, to prototype this system as the beginning of their work on Star Citizen\u2019s planetside gameplay. The Behaviour team includes a number of ex-Funcom, Ubisoft and Eidos employees that have built award-winning AAA titles. Now they\u2019re going to show us what they can do for the game! Stanton System\nOwnership: UEE (Corporate) Planets: 4 Planetary Rotation: MicroTech (350 SEG), Hurston Dynamics (588 SEG), ArcCorp (730 SEG), Crusader Industries (1554 SEG) Import: Raw Materials, Manpower Export: Weapons, Electronics, Computer Tech Crime Status: Low Black Market: None UEE Strategic Value: Purple The Stanton System is a corporate business park writ large: a series of four massive SuperEarth planets terraformed for their resources. Though built by the UEE proper, they have since been sold off to the highest bidders support construction of the Synthworld. Some of the largest corporations in the galaxy purchased rights to the worlds, at a cost of trillions of galactic credits.\n\nDespite the ridiculous corporate names, the transfer of the SuperEarths was initially largely ceremonial; the population of MicroTech did not suddenly belong to the corporation and each world had its own dynamic economy. Since that time, however, the corporations have begun consolidating power and generally moving to bleed the planets dry.\n\nThe planets do act as corporate headquarters for the companies in question and they are home to wholesale production facilities where an eager merchant might find a good deal. MicroTech produces electronics, including handheld sensors and computer software upgrades for starships. Hurston Dynamics is a serious weapons provider for the civilian market, ArcCorp builds fusion engines and Crusader Industries constructs and operates slowboat colonies.","de_DE":"Wow - 9,1 Millionen Dollar und steigen! Das Team von Cloud Imperium ist mit der Seite verklebt, die den Tresen beobachtet; wir k\u00f6nnen die Reaktion auf den Aurora-Verkauf einfach nicht glauben. Es bleiben noch drei Tage, um Ihre Aurora LX zu bekommen, also versprechen Sie bitte, wenn Sie interessiert sind.... und verbreiten Sie die Nachricht, wenn Sie bereits Geldgeber sind!\n\nMocap Stretch Ziel\nHeute m\u00f6chten wir mehr \u00fcber unser 10 Millionen Dollar Motion Capture Stretch-Ziel sprechen. Einige Geldgeber haben bemerkt, dass dies nicht so sehr eine Belohnung, sondern eine Aussage ist. Das ist der Punkt: Wir wollen den Entwicklungsprozess mit Ihnen auf eine ausgereifte Weise teilen. Es wird Belohnungen f\u00fcr unsere langj\u00e4hrigen Unterst\u00fctzer geben, aber wir wollen Ihnen auch genau sagen, was wir mit dem zus\u00e4tzlichen Geld machen. In diesem Fall ist das der Aufbau eines Motion-Capture-Studios, das Star Citizen deutlich verbessern wird!\n\nF\u00fcr Unge\u00fcbte ist die Bewegungserfassung ein Prozess der Bewegungsaufzeichnung. Die Akteure sind mit Sensoren ausgestattet und werden mit speziellen Kameras aufgezeichnet, um ihre Bewegungen zu messen. Filme wie Avatar nutzen diese Technologie, damit sich ihre CGI-Charaktere wie Menschen verhalten k\u00f6nnen. Schauspieler in Sensoranz\u00fcgen werden gefilmt, als w\u00fcrden sie regul\u00e4re Szenen spielen, die dann mit ihren computergenerierten Charakteren \u00fcberlagert werden. Beim Spielen ist der Prozess \u00e4hnlich, wenn auch nicht immer so linear: Die Daten werden dem Animationsteam zur Verf\u00fcgung gestellt, damit sie lebensechtere Charaktere erstellen k\u00f6nnen.\n\nSpiele verwenden seit Jahren Bewegungserfassung: Origin Systems leistete Mitte der 90er Jahre Pionierarbeit bei diesem Prozess und nutzte die \"Flock of Birds\"-Technologie zum Bau von Bioforge. Seitdem ist es zu einem Standard f\u00fcr ernsthafte Spieleentwicklung geworden, der \"Schauspieler\" erfordert (und die Live-Action-Shoots, die Chris Roberts mit Wing Commander III popularisiert hat, weitgehend ersetzt). F\u00fcr ein Spiel wie Star Citizen w\u00fcrde Motion Capture sowohl zur Aufnahme von Schnittszenen als auch zur Entscheidung \u00fcber \"Bewegungen\" verwendet werden - wie Ihre interaktiven Charaktere auf verschiedene Eingaben und Reize reagieren werden.\n\nEs gibt im Wesentlichen drei Ebenen von Mocap: K\u00f6rper- und Bewegungserfassung, Gesichtserfassung und dann vollst\u00e4ndige Leistungserfassung, die beides kombiniert. Bei der K\u00f6rpererfassung zeichnen wir Bewegungen auf. Bei der Gesichtserfassung werden nuancierte Gesichtsausdr\u00fccke (einschlie\u00dflich der Lippen, passend zu den Sprecherinnen und Sprecher.) Die dritte erfasst all dies auf einmal, um die bestm\u00f6gliche High-End-Performance zu erzielen.\n\nWir haben noch keinen Mocap gemacht; das Team verwendet derzeit Referenz-Z\u00fcge, die ersetzt werden m\u00fcssen, bevor das Spiel beendet ist. Wir haben jedoch einen Referenzschuss gemacht, um zu Beginn des Prozesses eine Grundlinie zu erhalten. Dies war ein viel weniger komplizierter Prozess, bei dem wir ein Modell zur Erzeugung von Filmmaterial verwendeten, auf das wir uns beim Bau unserer Charaktere beziehen k\u00f6nnen. Hier ist ein Segment des Hangars eines Wingman, das diesen Schuss erkl\u00e4rt:\n\n\n\nLeider ist die Bewegungserfassung teuer. Nur sehr wenige Studios verf\u00fcgen \u00fcber eigene Motion-Capture-Rigs: Typischerweise vermieten Entwicklungsteams Technologie, Studiofl\u00e4che und Talent f\u00fcr eine begrenzte Zeit. Ein Tag der Bewegungserfassung kostet zwischen 25.000 und 50.000 Dollar und bietet etwa 200 \"Bewegungen\"; einfache Gesten, Gliedma\u00dfenbewegungen und so weiter. Komplexere Aufnahmen, die Requisiten, zus\u00e4tzliche Akteure, Fingerbewegungen und andere Faktoren erfordern, sind deutlich teurer. Noch teurer sind Aufnahmen, die Audio- und Gesichtsbewegungen erfassen. Diese Kosten-Nutzen-Relation bedeutet, dass es eine Menge Vorbereitung f\u00fcr einen Mocap-Shoot gibt.... und dass das Verwirren oder Entscheiden, dass man sp\u00e4ter etwas mehr im Spiel haben will, einen weiteren Batzen Geld bedeutet.\n\nWas wir tun wollen, ist, ein eigenes Studio zu bauen. Wir wollen einen Bereich f\u00fcr mocap einrichten und unser eigenes mocap-System komplett kaufen. Es w\u00fcrde mehr kosten, als wir derzeit f\u00fcr Mocap-Leasing geplant haben, um dies zu tun, um zu beginnen.... aber das Ergebnis w\u00fcrde das Spiel deutlich verbessern. Mit unserem eigenen Mocap-System k\u00f6nnten wir Cutscenes und Moves generieren, wenn wir feststellen, dass sie ben\u00f6tigt werden, was besonders wertvoll f\u00fcr das Star Citizen Live-Team ist, das f\u00fcr die Zuf\u00fchrung von konstanten Inhalten des Spiels zust\u00e4ndig ist! Es ist sogar vorstellbar, dass wir es bei Nichtgebrauch vermieten k\u00f6nnten, um letztendlich mehr Geld in die Entwicklung von Star Citizen zu stecken!\n\nLead-Animator Bryan Brewer untersucht derzeit zwei potenzielle Mocap-Systeme f\u00fcr die K\u00f6rperbewegung. Das erste ist das Vicon-System, das er den Ferrari der Mocap-Rigs nennt. Wir w\u00fcrden sechzehn ihrer 2,0 Megapixel-T20S-Kameras und sechzehn ihrer 1,0 Megapixel-T10S-Kameras f\u00fcr etwa 230.000 Dollar kaufen. Eine zweite Option ist OptiTrack, der \"Porsche\" der mocap-Systeme, das w\u00e4ren 24 4,1 Megapixel Prime 41 Kameras und 2 Prime17 Kameras f\u00fcr deutlich weniger: 150.000 Dollar.\n\nDiese Hardware ist nur der Anfang: Sie w\u00fcrde K\u00f6rperbewegungen verfolgen, aber ein zus\u00e4tzliches System w\u00e4re f\u00fcr die Gesichtsanimationen des Spiels erforderlich. Hierf\u00fcr betrachten wir ein Produkt namens FaceWare. Anderes Geld w\u00fcrde in Richtung eines physischen Raumes gehen, um das System und verschiedene Teile der Takelage zu installieren. Schlie\u00dflich w\u00fcrde ein Teil der zus\u00e4tzlichen Millionen an professionelle Schauspieler gehen. W\u00e4hrend Teammitglieder und andere Freiwillige f\u00fcr einfache Bewegungen geeignet sind, werden f\u00fcr einige Aufnahmen echte Akteure ben\u00f6tigt!\n\nWir glauben wirklich, dass unser eigenes Mocap-Studio Star Citizen deutlich verbessern w\u00fcrde. Das Team ist sehr gespannt auf die M\u00f6glichkeiten, das Spiel \u00fcber das hinaus zu erweitern, was unser urspr\u00fcngliches Budget zulie\u00df. Wir denken, dass dies ein gro\u00dfartiges Beispiel daf\u00fcr ist, wie wir mit zus\u00e4tzlichem Geld verantwortlich sein k\u00f6nnen.... und eine M\u00f6glichkeit, unseren Geldgebern weiterhin zu zeigen, dass wir mit ihren Versprechen das Richtige tun!\n\nSchlie\u00dflich stellten wir Bryan ein paar Fragen, um Fragen zu kl\u00e4ren, die unserer Meinung nach die Fans gerne wissen w\u00fcrden:\n\nWarum das Vicon Motion Capture System?\nVicon bietet die neueste Motion Capture-Technologie. Die Kameras nehmen mit \u00fcber 120 Bildern pro Sekunde auf und k\u00f6nnen gro\u00dfe Mengen mit mehreren Akteuren aufnehmen. Die Kameras haben auch eine hohe Aufl\u00f6sung. Das bedeutet, dass wir kleinere Marker verwenden k\u00f6nnen und kleine Marker genauere Daten liefern. Die Vicon L\u00f6sung funktioniert auch mit FaceWare Head Cams. Die gleiche Technologie, die in Filmen wie Avatar verwendet wird. Die Daten, die von einem High-End-System wie diesem erzeugt werden, sind viel sauberer und weniger bereinigt in der L\u00f6sung. Andere Systemdaten sind in der Regel viel schwieriger zu verarbeiten, da sie l\u00e4ngere L\u00f6sungen verursachen und Animationen bearbeiten, um das Spiel fit zu machen. Die Motion Capture Phase, die wir bauen wollen, ist sehr \u00e4hnlich derjenigen, die Naughty Dog f\u00fcr ihre Uncharted Spiele gebaut hat. Dies wird uns die M\u00f6glichkeit geben, K\u00f6rper, Finger, Gesicht, Requisiten und Audio aufzunehmen. Die M\u00f6glichkeit, dies im eigenen Haus zu tun, anstatt es an ein Motion Capture Studio auszulagern, gibt uns die M\u00f6glichkeit, Animationen zu erstellen, wann immer wir wollen, und nicht gezwungen zu sein, sich wegen des Zeitplans eines anderen zur\u00fcckzuhalten.\nSind billigere unkonventionelle L\u00f6sungen m\u00f6glich?\nIch habe mir andere Capture-L\u00f6sungen angesehen, wie z.B. die Einrichtung von 2 Kinects. Das Problem dabei ist, dass das Aufnahmevolumen begrenzt ist und nur ein Zeichen auf einmal erfasst werden kann. Au\u00dferdem ist eine gr\u00fcndliche Bereinigung der mit diesen Systemen erzeugten Daten erforderlich. Es ist eine gute Technologie f\u00fcr das Prototyping, aber nicht gut f\u00fcr die Produktion.\n\nVerhalten im Haus!\nDie andere gro\u00dfe Neuigkeit bei Cloud Imperium Games in dieser Woche ist, dass unsere Partner von Behaviour Interactive ihren ersten Besuch in Austin machen! Ein Pre-Production-Team hat den Sprung von Montreal in die zunehmend \u00fcberf\u00fcllte Austiner Fabrik geschafft, um zu sehen, wie wir arbeiten, und um ihre erste gro\u00dfe Aufgabe zu erf\u00fcllen: einen der Heldenlevels des Spiels zu bauen!\n\nDas Designteam von Star Citizen setzte sich am Dienstagmorgen mit der Gruppe zusammen, um ihre Aufgabe zu besprechen: den Aufbau des Stanton-Systems als Beispiel daf\u00fcr, wie zuk\u00fcnftige Sternensysteme gebaut werden sollen! Stanton war eines der Pledge-Systeme, eine Sammlung von Unternehmenswelten tief im UEE-Raum. Unsere Designer diskutierten, wie das Spielerlebnis funktionieren wird: Wie sollte es f\u00fcr einen Spieler sein, wenn er im Stanton-System landet? Was k\u00f6nnen sie kaufen, besuchen, erforschen, entdecken, entdecken?\n\nDas Behaviour-Team hatte diese erste Skizze des Systems bereits erstellt. Dieses Artwork, der erste Schritt im Prozess der Erstellung von Stanton, wurde von Corentin Chevanne erstellt, der f\u00fcr das allererste \"Landing Pad\"-Konzept-Artwork verantwortlich war, das Sie w\u00e4hrend der Versprechenskampagne gesehen haben. Seine Arbeit ist zum Synonym f\u00fcr Star Citizen geworden und wir freuen uns, dass er weiterhin an dem Projekt arbeiten wird.\n\nDer Plan ist, das Behavior-Team, zu dem eine Reihe von dekorierten MMO- und FPS-Veteranen geh\u00f6ren, dieses System als Anfang ihrer Arbeit am Gameplay von Star Citizen auf dem Planeten zu prototypisieren. Das Behaviour-Team besteht aus einer Reihe von ehemaligen Funcom-, Ubisoft- und Eidos-Mitarbeitern, die preisgekr\u00f6nte AAA-Titel entwickelt haben. Jetzt werden sie uns zeigen, was sie f\u00fcr das Spiel tun k\u00f6nnen!\n\n\nStanton-System\n\nEigentum: UEE (Corporate)\nPlaneten: 4\nPlanetendrehung: MicroTech (350 SEG), Hurston Dynamics (588 SEG),\nArcCorp (730 SEG), Kreuzritterindustrie (1554 SEG)\nImportieren: Rohstoffe, Arbeitskr\u00e4fte\nExportieren: Waffen, Elektronik, Computertechnik, Computertechnik\nKriminalit\u00e4tsstatus: Niedrig\nSchwarzmarkt: Keine\nUEE Strategischer Wert: Purple The Stanton System ist ein gro\u00dfer Gesch\u00e4ftspark f\u00fcr Unternehmen: eine Serie von vier riesigen SuperEarth-Planeten, die nach ihren Ressourcen terrassiert wurden. Obwohl von der UEE selbst gebaut, wurden sie inzwischen an die H\u00f6chstbietenden verkauft, die den Bau der Synthworld unterst\u00fctzen. Einige der gr\u00f6\u00dften Konzerne in der Galaxie erwarben Rechte an der Welt, was Billionen von galaktischen Credits kostete.\n\nTrotz der l\u00e4cherlichen Firmennamen war die \u00dcbertragung der SuperEarths zun\u00e4chst weitgehend zeremoniell; die Bev\u00f6lkerung der MicroTech geh\u00f6rte nicht pl\u00f6tzlich zum Konzern und jede Welt hatte ihre eigene dynamische Wirtschaft. Seitdem haben die Konzerne jedoch damit begonnen, die Macht zu konsolidieren und sich generell zu bewegen, um die Planeten auszubluten.\n\nDie Planeten fungieren als Konzernzentrale f\u00fcr die betreffenden Unternehmen und beherbergen Gro\u00dfhandels-Produktionsanlagen, in denen ein eifriger Kaufmann viel finden kann. MicroTech produziert Elektronik, einschlie\u00dflich Handheld-Sensoren und Computer-Software-Upgrades f\u00fcr Raumschiffe. Hurston Dynamics ist ein ernstzunehmender Waffenlieferant f\u00fcr den zivilen Markt, ArcCorp baut Fusionsmotoren und Crusader Industries baut und betreibt Slowboat-Kolonien.","zh_CN":"Wow \u2013 $9.1 million and climbing! The team at Cloud Imperium is glued to the site watching the counter; we simply can\u2019t believe the response to the Aurora sale. There are three days left to get your Aurora LX, so please pledge if you are interested\u2026 and spread the word if you\u2019re already a backer!\n\nMocap Stretch Goal\nToday we\u2019d like to talk more about our $10 million motion capture stretch goal. Some backers have noticed that this isn\u2019t so much a reward as it is a statement. That\u2019s the point: we want to share the development process with you in a mature fashion. There will be rewards for our longtime supporters, but we also want to tell you exactly what we\u2019re doing with the additional money. In this case, that\u2019s building a motion capture studio, something that will significantly enhance Star Citizen!\n\nFor those unfamiliar, motion capture is a process of recording motion. Actors are fitted with sensors and recorded with special cameras to gauge how they move. Films like Avatar use this technology to allow their CGI characters to act just like humans. Actors wearing sensor suits are filmed as though they were acting regular scenes, then overlaid with their computer generated characters. In gaming, the process is much the same, although not always so linear: the data is provided to the animation team so they can create more lifelike characters.\n\nGames have been using motion capture for years: Origin Systems pioneered the process in the mid-1990s, utilizing \u201cFlock of Birds\u201d technology to build Bioforge. Since then, it has become a standard for serious game development that requires \u201cactors\u201d (largely supplanting the live action shoots that Chris Roberts popularized with Wing Commander III.) For a game like Star Citizen, motion capture would be used both to record cut scenes and to decide \u201cmoves\u201d \u2013 how your interactive characters will react to various inputs and stimuli.\n\nThere are essentially three levels of mocap: body and motion movement capture, facial capture and then full performance capture which combines the two. In body capture, we record movements. In facial capture, nuanced facial expressions (including lips, to match voice actors.) The third captures all of this at once to make for the best possible high end performance.\n\nWe haven\u2019t done any mocap yet; the team is currently using reference moves that will need to be replaced before the game is finished. We did do a reference shoot to get a baseline early in the process, though. This was a much less complicated process, using a model to generate footage we can refer to when building our characters. Here\u2019s a Wingman\u2019s Hangar segment explaining that shoot:\n\n\n\nUnfortunately, motion capture is expensive. Very few studios have their own motion capture rigs: typically, development teams rent out the technology, studio space and talent for a limited amount of time. A day of motion capture costs between $25,000 and $50,000 and provides roughly 200 \u201cmoves\u201d; simple gestures, limb movements and so on. More complex shoots which require props, additional actors, finger movements and other factors are significantly more expensive. Still more expensive are shoots that capture audio and facial movements. This expense-to-benefit ration means that there\u2019s a great deal of preparation required for a mocap shoot\u2026 and that messing up or deciding you want something more in the game later means another chunk of money.\n\nWhat we want to do is build our own studio. We want to dedicate an area for mocap and purchase our own mocap system outright. It would cost more than we have currently budgeted for mocap leasing to do this to start\u2026 but the result would improve the game significantly. With our own mocap system we could generate cutscenes and moves as we determine they are needed, which will be especially valuable for the Star Citizen live team charged with feeding the game constant content! It\u2019s even conceivable that we could rent it out when not in use, ultimately funneling more money into Star Citizen\u2019s development!\n\nLead Animator Bryan Brewer is currently looking at two potential mocap systems for body movement. The first is the Vicon system, which he calls the Ferrari of mocap rigs. We would purchase sixteen of their 2.0 megapixel T20S cameras and sixteen of their 1.0 mexapixel T10S cameras for roughly $230,000. A second option is OptiTrack, the \u201cPorsche\u201d of mocap systems, which would be 24 4.1 megapixel Prime 41 cameras and 2 Prime17 cameras for significantly less: $150,000.\n\nThis hardware is just the start: it would track body motions, but an additional system would be needed for the game\u2019s facial animations. For this, we are looking at a product called FaceWare. Other money would go towards a physical space to install the system and various pieces of rigging. Finally, some of the additional million would go to professional actors. While team members and other volunteers are suitable for simple motions, real actors are needed for some captures!\n\nWe genuinely believe our own mocap studio would significantly improve Star Citizen. The team is very excited about the possibilities for expanding the game beyond what our original budget allowed. We think this is a great example of how we can be responsible with additional money\u2026 and a way to continue showing our backers that we\u2019re doing the right thing with their pledges!\n\nFinally, we asked Bryan a few questions to clarify issues that we felt fans would like to know:\n\nWhy Vicon Motion capture system?\nVicon offers the latest in Motion capture technology. The Cameras shoot at over 120fps and can capture large volumes with multiple actors. The cameras also have a high resolution. This means we can use smaller markers and small markers produces more accurate data. The Vicon Solution also works with FaceWare Head cams. The same technology used in movies like Avatar. The data produced by a high end system like this much cleaner with less cleanup in the solving. Other systems data is usually much more difficult to work with causing longer solves and editing animations to make game ready. The Motion Capture stage we are wanting to build is very similar to the one Naughty Dog built for doing their Uncharted games. This will offer us the ability to capture body, fingers, face, props and audio. Being able to do this in house rather than outsourcing to a Motion Capture Studio will afford us the ability to create animations whenever we want and not be forced to hold off because of someone else\u2019s schedule.\nAre cheaper unconventional solutions possible?\nI have looked into other capture solutions like setting up 2 Kinects. The problem with that is limited capture volume and only being able to capture one character at a time. Also, there is heavy cleanup needed on the data produced with those type of systems. It is good tech for prototyping but not good for production.\n\nBehaviour in the House!\nThe other big news at Cloud Imperium Games this week is that our partners from Behaviour Interactive are making their first visit to Austin! A pre-production team has made the jump from Montreal to the increasingly-crowded Austin facility to see how we\u2019re working and to get their first big assignment: building one of the game\u2019s hero levels!\n\nThe Star Citizen design team sat down with the group on Tuesday morning to discuss their task: building out the Stanton System as an example for how future star systems will be built! Stanton was one of the pledge systems, a collection of corporate worlds deep in UEE space. Our designers discussed how the game experience will work: what should it be like for a player when he or she lands in the Stanton System? What can they buy, visit, explore, discover?\n\nThe Behaviour team had already done this preliminary sketch of the system. This artwork, the first step in the process of creating Stanton, was done by Corentin Chevanne, who was responsible for the very first \u201clanding pad\u201d concept artwork you saw during the pledge campaign. His work has become synonymous with Star Citizen and we\u2019re thrilled that he\u2019s going to be continuing to work on the project.\n\nThe plan is to let the Behavior team, which includes a number of decorated MMO and FPS veterans, to prototype this system as the beginning of their work on Star Citizen\u2019s planetside gameplay. The Behaviour team includes a number of ex-Funcom, Ubisoft and Eidos employees that have built award-winning AAA titles. Now they\u2019re going to show us what they can do for the game! Stanton System\nOwnership: UEE (Corporate) Planets: 4 Planetary Rotation: MicroTech (350 SEG), Hurston Dynamics (588 SEG), ArcCorp (730 SEG), Crusader Industries (1554 SEG) Import: Raw Materials, Manpower Export: Weapons, Electronics, Computer Tech Crime Status: Low Black Market: None UEE Strategic Value: Purple The Stanton System is a corporate business park writ large: a series of four massive SuperEarth planets terraformed for their resources. Though built by the UEE proper, they have since been sold off to the highest bidders support construction of the Synthworld. Some of the largest corporations in the galaxy purchased rights to the worlds, at a cost of trillions of galactic credits.\n\nDespite the ridiculous corporate names, the transfer of the SuperEarths was initially largely ceremonial; the population of MicroTech did not suddenly belong to the corporation and each world had its own dynamic economy. Since that time, however, the corporations have begun consolidating power and generally moving to bleed the planets dry.\n\nThe planets do act as corporate headquarters for the companies in question and they are home to wholesale production facilities where an eager merchant might find a good deal. MicroTech produces electronics, including handheld sensors and computer software upgrades for starships. Hurston Dynamics is a serious weapons provider for the civilian market, ArcCorp builds fusion engines and Crusader Industries constructs and operates slowboat colonies."},"links_count":5,"comment_count":199,"created_at":"2013-05-01T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"13 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-15 20:39:17","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":12978,"next_id":12980}}