I was just wondering... - Lip sync

[Wilsonator]

-will you be fixing the rather dodgy lip synch during the game's cutscenes? It'll help it seem a lot more up to date without those strange mouth animations. =P

EDIT: Mr_Cyberpunk "please be more specific with the subject when posting"

[Iki]

Probably not without a big rewrite, which I'm not even sure is possible. More likely that it will just play an animation whilst the person is talking.

[Mr_Cyberpunk]

There isn't a single game on this planet apart from metal gear solid 2, 3 and 4 that uses proper lipsync. (there may be others)

but for most of the time, they use a method where you just make them all talk random sayings (usually its a long 20second animation comprising of various words that are common, various expressions as well.)

Therefore a re-write isn't really neccessary. Just good animation.

[metche_steele]

-will you be fixing the rather dodgy lip synch during the game's cutscenes? It'll help it seem a lot more up to date without those strange mouth animations. =P

Hi there! I am pleased to tell you the answr is YES. Phasmatis our lead animator has made the mouth movements better than the original. Its no half life 2 as you can imagine as the build of DX puts a lot restraints on things. But its a massive improvement !

[Jonas]

There isn't a single game on this planet apart from metal gear solid 2, 3 and 4 that uses proper lipsync. (there may be others)

ROFL, I love your phrasing. "THIS IS THE ONLY GAME IN EXISTENCE THAT'S DONE IT RIGHT (except any others that may have...)"

Anyway, ever played Half-Life 2? FEAR? Even Doom 3 IIRC?

Also, I may of course be wrong, but I do believe Deus Ex had actual lip-synch, not just a random mix of various animations, only problem is it didn't work extremely well, and the animations were rather crude (a single frame for each of 4 vowels, as I recall).

[Mr_Cyberpunk]

I meant by games that use Motion capture for sync. Doom3, fear and HL2 used hand made (though i could be wrong.. i haven't much of a source on this)

Well anyway, cinematically, MGS has it deadon.

[Jonas]

Well that's a slightly odd comparison, Deus Ex's animations are ALL hand made, so what does mocap have to do with anything all of a sudden?

[Mr_Cyberpunk]

I just stated, its deadon... Which means it is Exact. Because if you push circle (on the PS2 versions) of MGS2 and 3 you'll see a mocap actor. They made the actors act out exactly what scenes the characters would be doing and saying. Thus it is deadon mocap lipsync.

Anyway, its irrelevant. Hand doing it is the best way, and I'm trying to state that we're aiming for Hand made animations that could be done by our tallented animators. I was trying to make it clear, re-writing the code is just not worth it. We can acheive the same result without editing code.

Also, I may of course be wrong, but I do believe Deus Ex had actual lip-synch, not just a random mix of various animations, only problem is it didn't work extremely well, and the animations were rather crude (a single frame for each of 4 vowels, as I recall).

yeah it is in there you are right.. its just really bad! thats why we just need good animators.

[Phasmatis]

Nothing can be done about the lip syncing, I tried putting more than one frame for each letter but it doesn't make a difference, personally I think my animations look a little better but because more of the face can move but it's still limited by DX.

[Mr_Cyberpunk]

Thanks for looking into it phas.. It sux we can't do anything about it. Ah well..

Unless we feel like coding im affraid it can't be done then.