Hellblade is Ninja Theory's latest game in development. Just recently, they have shared the 10th episode of their Development Diary which demonstrates how they are able to make the characters in the game look so real.
Fans of the game should know that in terms of the plot and actual gameplay, information is still very scarce. Nonetheless, this reveal on the technology and technique that they use will certainly astound awaiting players; and they will understand that the game itself will be worth waiting for.
Ninja Theory is an independent and relatively small game developer, as noted by AttackOfTheFanBoy. However, with previous titles such as DmC: Devil May Cry as well as Heavenly Sword, they managed to make a reputation for themselves considering how they incorporated Performance Capture in their work.
One thing that sets apart this game developer from the others would be the fact that they only utilize a single actor to depict a particular character. Whereas in other bigger studios, the motion capture actor would be different from the voice actor.
Ninja Theory made this possible through a rigorous process of piecing together homebrew equipment used for capturing motion, according to SiliconEra. After some struggles, eventually, they used Vicon's "Bonita Capture System," which comprises of a dozen tiny cameras used to capture motion.
Getting facial data, on the other hand, was managed through resourceful techniques. The brainchild made use of affordable LED Panel Lights for lighting and they homebrewed their own facial capture camera as well.
Aside from these strategies being used, Ninja Theory also disclosed that Hellblade will be using the Vertical Slice mechanic. It is still unclear what this exactly is, but the developer characterized it as a "small section of the game we are taking to a finished, polished state."
While Hellblade will still a long way before arriving for PS4 and PC, players will be rewarded for their patience because the graphics quality will surely be superb. Stay tuned for more updates and Development Diary logs from Ninja Theory. Pretty soon, it would be the actual gameplay features and settings which would be tackled.
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