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Author: Lauren Brady

Making a CGI trailer for your video game

So you are developing a game. Years of passion are coming to fruition. Your heart and soul – your vulnerability – laid out for the world to see. The time to show your hard work to the general public draws near. It’s a moment you both dread and gleefully anticipate. It’s time for the marketing to begin as you only get one chance to impress.

Like anybody else, you want your game to sit on a pedestal for the world to see. But in a market rife with so much competition, it can be so easy to fade into obscurity. Kickstarting your campaign with a CGI trailer can be an ideal way to attract the attention your game deserves. But putting trust in someone else to deliver on your vision is a big leap. How does that process work?

 

The start of the journey

There is no paint-by-numbers roadmap that works for everyone. The first thing to understand is the journey is pretty much different for everyone. And that’s a good thing.

Producing a high-quality trailer is only half the battle. What separates the good from the bad is the level of dedication to accurately representing your IP and key USPs. This only comes from a company that cares about working collaboratively with you; as part of you.

You need a studio that maintains a constant line of contact. Whether this is through in-studio meetings or more convenient over-internet communication, what matters is they listen to you. Worried you don’t have your own in-house creative available? That shouldn’t get in the way; a good production company should mould to your situation and should be able to help with any script development and suggest creative solutions that won’t blow the budget.

The initial discussions should help outline the direction of the CG trailer. Working with you, the production company should pin down which characters or assets you’d like to feature in the trailer that can get across the USPs and distinctive brand of your game. If you have these ready to go then great. If not, then a good partner should be able to make these assets in-house, carefully updating you with their progress as the pre-production process begins.

 

Producing brilliance

The length of time a production may take will vary, depending on the scope of the piece. A typical pre-rendered trailer can often take several months, so planning on your side will be an essential element to the success of the piece. Even with this in mind, it is crucial to keep the studio up-to-date with your plans, allowing enough time for the studio to produce the trailer and apply the specialist resources to accommodate the project. 

Also, be wary of when you want to enlist their service. In the run-up to any major industry event, such as E3, many studios will be fully booked up. With this in mind, you should look as far down the road ahead as possible to avoid disappointment. What matters most is that the final trailer is a creative testament to your game and an open line of communication can go a long way to help with this.

 

Collaboration

A consistent and collaborative attitude to communication throughout production will inevitably help you arrive at a CG trailer that all stakeholders are happy with. So having a permanent point of contact within the production company is key. The studio’s Head of Production should be your day-to-day contact who keeps you informed of any changes and respond to feedback. 

Over the course of the production cycle, you should be privy to many milestones, initially beginning at the pre-production stage with concept art. Storyboards and rudimentary animatics are intended to give you insight into the direction of the trailer. These are created with the intention of providing your team with an opportunity for feedback. Over time, you should see the final product start to form, as the production company sculpts a work of art before your eyes.

If you have stayed communicative throughout, you should have a final product that trumps every expectation. A cinematic tour de force sure to capture the attention of any audience. Something that encapsulates your game with ease.

It seems like an almost impossible task; how can you find someone who can deliver on your expectations? How can a company ever truly understand your product? A specialist CG studio that understands games can – if you allow them.

RealtimeUK is that company. We aren’t just a production company; we are an extension of your studio. We work intimately with our clients from the start, working with a focus on open communication. If you would like to discuss your next project, get in touch with me at [email protected].

TV VFX for dummies

Welcome back to part two of our ‘VFX for dummies’ series! We know you could be a veteran of the industry but still be unsure about this rapidly changing field of TV production. What CGI and VFX are might not be immediately obvious to you. So if you’ve ever tried to research the topic to gain a clearer understanding, you might have left more confused than before.

Like any highly technical specialisation, VFX has its own dictionary of industry terms that can – on the surface – appear confusing. But we’re here to demystify some of the most common terms and break them down for you.

TV VFX

8-bit/16-bit

This refers to the bit depth of your footage, i.e. how much colour information is stored in your imagery. The more colour information it has, the more colours you have available. The higher the bit depth, the more colours it can store. This term is common when discussing concepts like ultra-high-definition (UHD) or high dynamic range (HDR).

 

Assets

These are your 3D models – what you might think of when you think ‘VFX’. They can be as large or small, or as noticeable or inconsequential as you want. It can be anything from a plane to a three-legged war machine, a tree to an animal, or a box to an even smaller box.

 

CGI

Computer-generated imagery. As the name suggests, these are the visual elements of your production that are created on a computer. Often used to refer specifically to 3D Computer Animation or as another term for Visual Effects or VFX. CGI and VFX are not the same though. CGI – and its integration – can be considered part of the VFX process.

 

Compositing

The combination of at least two source images to create a new integrated image. Compositing happens  when you put all your different ‘elements’ together – your 3D assets, your backgrounds, your particle effects, and your actual on-set footage.

 

EXR

See OpenEXR.

 

High dynamic range (HDR)

This is a common term used in relation to next-generation TV’s which can deal with a larger than normal dynamic range. Dynamic range relates to the brightness values in a scene or image, from brightest to darkest, often expressed as a ratio. In a digital image, it also relates to the total number of different colours in the image. Streaming content providers like Netflix and Amazon have spearheaded the drive in the industry to deliver films and series to HDR standards. 

 

Keying

Keying is the process of algorithmically extracting an object from its background and combining it with a different background. To help with this process, productions use a ‘green screen’ or ‘blue screen’ to shoot against. This is used so, during the keying process, you can cut out the green or blue colour and insert your own background digitally. Ideal in situations where a location does not exist so needs creating (such as an alien planet) or where it is too dangerous to have the actor in that situation (such as in a special effects explosion).

 

Matte painting

From the small to the large, sometimes you need to create entire landscapes. You may be able to use a matte painting, which is a 2D, digitally drawn background that can be added to your scene. Before digital production became the industry standard, matte paintings were painted onto glass. The paint techniques used now are created using software like Photoshop, Nuke, Mari, and ZBrush.

 

OpenEXR

This is a specific image file format designed for use with High Dynamic Range (HDR) imagery.

 

Parallax

Parallax is defined as the perceptual difference in an object’s location or spatial relationship  when seen from different vantage points. Parallax is an effect which can be used to add more depth to 2D shots. You can adjust focus and depth of field to make certain elements appear closer to or further away from the camera, adding depth to a 2D shot.

 

Particle system / particle effects 

A 3D computer graphics technique that is used to create a large number of objects that obey well-defined behavioural rules. Useful for controlling multitudes of discrete objects, such as asteroids or flocks of birds, but also as a tool for creating natural phenomena such as fire, smoke or water. Particles are small 3D elements that add tiny details to a shot. If there’s a fire, you’ll need rising embers and smoke. If there’s rain, you’ll need small droplets.

 

Pipeline

A pipeline is the generic term used to describe a set of processes for achieving a certain result. It is most commonly used to describe the VFX pipeline. The VFX pipeline covers all the processes from pre-production through to post-production and delivery. It involves many things in this glossary, including previz, matte painting, and tracking. Creating a robust and efficient pipeline is a key part of developing a successful VFX company.

 

Previz (abbreviation for previsualisation)

Previs is a collaborative process that generates preliminary versions of shots or sequences, predominantly using 3D animation tools and a virtual environment. Previs is used by filmmakers to explore creative ideas, plan technical solutions to shooting, and to help the whole production team visualise how finished 3D elements will look in the final project ahead of final animation being completed.

 

Rotoscoping

A rotoscope was originally the name of a device patented in 1917 to aid in cel animation. It is now used as a generic term for ‘rotoing’. This is the process of cutting someone or something out of a more complex background to use them in another way. For example, you might want to put a VFX explosion behind your actors as they walk away from it towards the camera. You would need to rotoscope them out of the shot so you can place the explosion behind them but in front of the background scenery.

 

SFX

Special effects. While these aren’t visual effects, it’s worth defining how the two are different. While visual effects are digitally created assets, special effects are real effects done on set – for example, explosions or stunts. It can also include camera tricks or makeup. People often confuse SFX and VFX.

 

Texturing

When 3D models are first created, they are just blank shapes with no realistic details on them. Texturing is a process which is akin to painting the model – giving it a skin or surface.

 

Tracking

Tracking is the process of determining the movement of objects in a scene (relative to the camera) by analysing the captured footage of that scene. 2D tracking is dependent on tracking points in the image. These can be tracking markers placed there or points on objects being tracked. 3D tracking  – also referred to as match moving – is the process of extracting the camera move from a live action plate in order to replicate it in a computer generated (CG) environment. A match move is often created by hand, whereas 3D tracking is done with specialist software. 3D tracking is used to recreate the movements of a camera in a digital space. So, for example, you have a shot that pans from left to right. When you add in your 3D asset, it needs to move from left to right in the same way at the same speed so it looks as if it was actually there.

 

VFX

VFX stands for ‘visual effects’. It is a very broadly used term used to describe just about anything that cannot be captured through standard photographic capture

 

Speaking of which, it’s time to end another entry in our VFX for dummies series. We hope this has helped you understand the often complex world of VFX. There’s more to come in the series so check back regularly. Next time, we’ll discuss how to plan your CGI elements to make filming your TV show that much easier.

We know VFX can be confusing to even the most experienced industry veteran. But at REALTIME, we make the process as stress-free and easy as possible. If you need CGI elements in your upcoming project, get in touch with me on [email protected] to see how we can help.

Meet Jaroslaw Blahuta

We love to give you an insight into who we are at REALTIME and we are our people, so say hello to our new automotive artist Jarek.

 

Tell me a little bit about yourself?
My name is Jarosław but people call me Jarek. I come from the beautiful city of Rzeszów, Poland but I spent most of my life in Reczpol. My first experience of 3D was projects I did in high school and I am also a big fan of Star Wars! So the R2D2 and Storm Trooper in the studio are pretty cool 🙂

 

What made you want to go into CGI?
When I saw Star Wars for the first time I knew that I wanted to create something from my imagination, I was always drawing spaceships when I was younger and was told by my teacher I had a really big imagination. When I saw the behind the scenes feature from Star Wars and realised the spaceships were created in 3D, that was it – I just had to be a 3D Artist.

 

What’s your role at REALTIME?
I am a 3D Artist in the automotive department and my role is quite technical. I work on the development of car configurators, using unreal and blueprints.

 

What have you learned since you’ve been working in the industry?
I have been working in the industry professionally for 7 years and every day I push myself to learn something new. But the biggest thing I’ve learned recently is a programming language and to code using blueprints.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced and how did you get around it?
Around 2 years ago I was working UE4 project, the engine wasn’t as advanced as it is now. My manager wanted me to create a soft shadow and it just wasn’t possible, there wasn’t any ray tracing or anything like it. I tried and tried and then I got lucky, Unreal released a new function and I managed to make it work. My manager was so impressed  even the TD came over to ask me how I had figured it out. I was quite proud!

 

What has been your favourite project to work on?
At the moment my favourite project to work on is my personal project. It’s based on the Tesla power receiver engine and it’s inspired by the conspiracy story of the creation of the engine by Nikola Tesla.

 

Did you know about REALTIME before you joined?
Yes, I heard about this company many years ago, it’s great company and quite well known, and I’ve always wanted to work here.

 

Are there any upcoming things in the industry you think people need to keep an eye out for?
I think real-time ray tracing technology is the future and it will be standard for every CGI company. Some software like UE4, Unity or Project Lavina from Chaosgroup have great potential be standard tools in the industry.

 

What’s the best thing about working at REALTIME?
Working with amazing artists who challenge and help each-other, we also get to work on some really cool projects with world class brands, who I can’t mention…

 

Tell me a fun fact about yourself?
Believe it or not, the first 3D software (3dsMax 6) I ever owned was bought for me by my grandmother 🙂

Here’s something I’ve been working on the last few days…

 

Why the cars of the future aren’t coming from the brands you expect

There was a time when the mere suggestion of starting your own car company would single you out as an amateur in the industry. But that was some 30 years ago. Today, the notion of an automotive “startup” (for lack of a better term) is a widely accepted concept.

Look no further than the world-famous Tesla. It’s the brainchild of Elon Musk, whose prior experience was PayPal and SpaceX. Now they create one of the leading ranges of electric vehicles on the market. But they are far from the only example, with many exciting projects on the horizon.

 

Rivian

Rivian’s mantra was to create something that doesn’t exist. Founded in 2009, they now have locations across the US and here in the UK. At the helm is CEO Robert “RJ” Scaringe who created the company after graduating with a PhD from MIT. The two electric vehicles currently on the table – the R1T (a pickup truck) and the R1S (an SUV) – are built for exploring nature, a passion of many of its staff.

In their own words: “It’s a pickup truck that performs like a sports car, does well off-road, and has a range of a gas vehicle.”

They aren’t a small company either. They have over 750 employees, many of whom have come over from the likes of Tesla, Ford, and McLaren. Their Chief Technology Officer is even ex-Apple Mike Bell, who helped bring the iPhone to the masses.

 

NIO

Chinese auto manufacturer NIO has already made an impression on the market. They came roaring onto the scene with electric supercar the EP9 which broke records. Now their consumer electric SUV model, the ES6, is rolling out to early adopters.

Founded in 2014, the company has thrived in a short space of time. They now have over 9,000 employees working across Asia, Europe, and North America. Early signs look good, with the company leading in EV quality amongst its Chinese competitors.

 

Rimac

Rimac Automobili – named for its founder Mate Rimac – have set their sights on something more extreme. Their first car, the Concept_One, was built to be the best electric sports car around. Its focus is on sheer power, with a powertrain that can deliver the performance you would expect from a supercar.

Now, with the C_TWO, hypercar is a more accurate term. 0-60 in 1.85 seconds. Top speed of 412km/h. Still electric. Rimac’s technology is mind blowing. The current rumour is that Bugatti is looking to use Rimac tech for its own electric SUV. They deny it, of course, but you know what they say about smoke and fire.

 

Dyson

Holding their cards close to their chest, Dyson has at least admitted they are entering the automotive arena. There is no car yet – not to the public’s knowledge at least – as it’s all behind closed doors at their £200m restored hanger in Hullavington.

Recently revealed patents are all we’ve seen of the elusive electric vehicle, with many now speculating it’ll be an SUV. They’ve also been busy bringing veterans of the industry on board. This includes former BMW and Infiniti executive Roland Krueger. The car isn’t expected to launch until 2021 but surely an official reveal can’t be too far away?

 

The future

This is what makes the auto industry so electric in my opinion. That companies can spring up from almost nowhere and bring world-class concepts to challenge the status quo straight off the bat – exciting for any auto fan. But if these companies want to thrive, they need more than an excellent car and an unwavering passion. They need the marketing chops to break through to the wider market, as Tesla did.

They might not consider their CGI assets, both for internal and external use. Advertising renders for posters. Car configurators for their website. These ideas can be pushed aside in favour of making the launch. But this isn’t an either/or scenario. They can do both.

 

At REALTIME, we have worked with many well-known automotive brands to deliver startlingly accurate CGI models for a variety of uses and several launches. We are an extension of your company, sharing in your passion. If you would like to discuss a future partnership, contact me on [email protected].

The rise of free-to-play games

We recently discussed the new trend of autobattler games such as Auto Chess, Dota Underlords, and Teamfight Tactics. All are showing signs of becoming the next big genre in games to follow in the footsteps of MOBAs and battle royales. What one thing do they all have in common and indicative of a wider trend? They’re all free to play.

In the age of the internet, there’s never been greater access to a plethora of games that can be played almost instantaneously. With such immediate access, many have seen the potential for games that can be distributed for free and monetised in a variety of ingenious ways. 

 

Free to a good home

While you could argue the genre goes back to early PC shareware, most credit South Korea as the home of free-to-play (F2P) at the turn of the century. Across South Korea and Russia, these games gained significant prominence. They continued to spread across the world and, in the mid-2000s, games like MapleStory, RuneScape, and Neopets grabbed the attention of many cash-strapped kids and adults alike.

Games that were once paid for moved to a F2P model. Games such as Team Fortress 2 and MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic reached new heights of success. The stars of the current  F2P market include Fortnite, League of Legends, and its aforementioned autobattler spin-off Teamfight Tactics. All three currently enjoy being amongst the top five most viewed games on Twitch. Heavy-hitting  ‘AAA’ titles are making the switch too – most notably, Destiny 2. 

So why have F2P games become so widely adopted? While they will cost more upfront to produce and distribute, in the long-term, they have the potential to enjoy greater levels of revenue than if they had been a ‘traditional’ full-priced game. Their appeal lies in their ease of access and free availability. Committing to these games costs nothing but the player’s own time and most in-game purchases are merely cosmetic or completely optional. But therein lies the issue – if there are so many high-quality F2P games, what separates yours from the rest?

 

Watch and learn

The biggest F2P games have one thing in common – they know how to foster a community. Most of the dominant F2P games on the market were once newcomers themselves and had to build their community from the ground up. While word of mouth works wonders – you’ll struggle to find a man, woman, or child who hasn’t heard of Fortnite today – how do you convert those people to regularly playing – and paying – customers?

What can help attract more attention is a cinematic trailer. Cinematic trailers grab the imagination of the audience, weaving a story filled with intense action that plays out in a matter of minutes. It’s even more important in the mobile gaming market. Competition is fierce as you vie for the limited time of the average smartphone user.

What people crave is a community they can feel a part of. With a F2P game, you’re expected to update regularly, and people search for the in-jokes and easter eggs that reward their time investment. Look at the way Fortnite holds its audience with a changing map and sly winks to those in the know.

So if you’re looking to enter the F2P market, ask yourself what your community will be – why is it worth joining? It’s all too easy to fade into irrelevance. So how are you going to make your mark? The best way to do it is through a trailer that lets people know you’re here to stay.

At RealtimeUK, we have perfected the art of creating cinematic trailers that deliver on all fronts. We have worked with free-to-play games in the past, including Paladins and RuneScape. If you would like to discuss your trailer needs, get in touch with me today at [email protected].