Category: Animation

Valve shocked the gaming world last November when they announced the next entry in the Half-Life series was on its way – 13 years after the release of the last one. And just a few short months later, we have it. Half-Life: Alyx came out towards the end of March and was instantly met with fantastic reviews.

A new Half-Life game has been on the cards for over a decade – since the release of Half-Life: Episode 2. To put that into perspective, it was the year the first iPhone released and the ‘smartphone’ was a crazy concept. In the end, VR was the spark Valve needed to get their creative juices flowing once more, and now we have a game that might well have re-invigorated the VR craze. But will it have any long-term effects or is virtual reality still a flash in the pan?

The rise and rise of VR

Half-Life: Alyx is a monumental release for the VR scene. Very few fully fledged games exist for the medium, at least by the metric of game enthusiasts willing to invest in the technology. This is in spite of the many VR games that received wide praise, be it for their quirky charm, like with Job Simulator, or because they were so addictively challenging, as is the case with Beat Saber.

You can even play some full titles in VR – Bethesda made new versions of both Skyrim and Fallout 4, and Capcom touted Resident Evil 7 as a full VR title from the start. These are all reasons enough to own a VR system (if it’s a luxury you can afford) and set the stage for Half-Life: Alyx. All of them are easy recommendations if you were on the lookout for something new. Without them paving the way, would this game exist? If they weren’t there as proof of VR as a concept, would Valve have taken the plunge? Not likely.

Yet the gaming scene has cried out for something meatier, built solely for the medium. Half-Life: Alyx is different. Valve believe in the technology and wanted their own killer app to prove this is more than a concept.

They even have their own VR hardware: the Valve Index. Now they’ve shown the industry that creating a full game for VR is a viable option. With such a big developer leading the charge, we could be on the cusp of a golden age of VR games, especially if PlayStation continues PSVR support on the PS5.

A bright future

This could be the watershed moment most technology goes through. At the start, you have the light games that explore the gimmick and over time you get deeper experiences that embed the gimmick into the core gameplay. Just look at the Wii – various waggle-happy minigame collections like Wii Sports eventually morphed into classics like Super Mario Galaxy. The iPhone had a similar journey, too.

Some might see Half-Life: Alyx as the peak of VR gaming – the natural conclusion to the trend. But it is just the start. Due this year is Iron Man VR, a PlayStation-exclusive superhero romp that puts you in one of cinema’s most famous suits. And you have the return of a classic FPS brand with Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. It isn’t merely a rushed game with a dormant brand name stuck on it; it has been given to one of EA’s most reliable developers and FPS veterans Respawn Entertainment. The shooting action is sure to be on point.

Even the award-winning mobile gaming series The Room is getting a VR-exclusive entry, proving there is a lot of interest in this format still. Even though its biggest negative has always been the price, it doesn’t seem to be stopping publishers’ belief that this is something worth investing in.

The rich choice of games might be what finally breaks the dam. Those who wouldn’t invest in VR because of the lack of games won’t have an excuse anymore. The user base might be on the brink of blowing up which is exciting for early adopters and the industry at large.

This bout of VR popularity has finally made the dream a reality. VR technology exists and looks amazing, and if we keep pushing, it can reach amazing new heights. What the industry needs are more developers like Valve who are willing to push the boundary and keep VR relevant – to keep that dream alive.

At REALTIME, we’re excited by the prospect of VR and would love nothing more than to see it thrive. It’s part of our love of games. If you have an upcoming project – VR or otherwise – that you would like to discuss, feel free to get in touch at [email protected].

For the vast majority of the modern world’s population, you’d be hard pressed to think of a singular event that has had such a dramatic impact on the way we live our lives as much as COVID-19. Everything that we hold dear – our freedom, family, friendships, working lives, and even our actual lives – have been placed under threat by a pandemic that has become the most pressing and biggest challenge of our time. 

Everyone will have their own stories as to the toll it has taken on them and there is no shortage of rolling news coverage that continues to add to the anxiety. Like most industries, COVID-19 has cast an incredibly long shadow over 2020. It’s important that the games industry remains positive in its outlook. For some segments of the industry it’s business as usual, with many well funded developers, publishers, and suppliers able to work remotely from home. But it’s also caused huge upset for many, with marketing roadmaps thrown into disarray and pretty much all of the conferences cancelled. GDC’s cancellation was a particularly hard blow which has seen many companies unable to pitch their wares and secure much needed funding.

The state of play

Since its inception, the games industry has grown from a humble cottage industry to one that is estimated as being worth $160bn. It has grown up in an era of unprecedented globalisation and technological advances delivering increasingly complex games and experiences. To fuel its growth and ensure its success during this time, it has needed to become reliant on specialist partners, many of whom are often dotted around the world, far away from the main developer’s studio. Localisation, asset creation, programming, audio, motion-capture, and animation are just some of the individual production elements that can be worked on from the other side of the planet. 

Had the pandemic happened thirty-odd years ago when the industry was in its infancy, it could arguably have done a lot more damage. Although games then were far more simplistic, often created in more self-contained environments, they were still reliant on more ‘traditional’ infrastructure to get them into the hands of the players. Duplication factories, printers, packaging, and all before you figure out their physical distribution to shops – traditional infrastructure that has been poleaxed in the wake of the current outbreak. 

Where are we now?

Thankfully, the modern games industry has moved on. Compared to many other entertainment industries such as sport, theatre, or music, the games industry finds itself in a relatively comfortable position. This is thanks, in part, to the digital distribution networks that now exist, at a point when games are enjoying a level of mainstream success far beyond what the industry of thirty years ago could even dream of. 

Games now vie with films, TV, and books as the main sources of entertainment in a world of lockdown and isolation. With the right hardware, the latest blockbuster game is just a few clicks away and can offer as great an opportunity to explore seemingly unlimited worlds and stories. This can only be a positive for the industry – especially for the developers and publishers who have a hit game on their hands at a time when players have more time than usual. But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been roadblocks for the industry.

A mountain to climb

Some developers are well-equipped to thrive, but the vast majority of developers needed to act fast in order to prevent COVID-19 from impacting on their own productions. The fact that the games industry is so well connected and reliant on a global supply chain has proven to have both benefits and drawbacks. 

With many suppliers based in China, some of the bigger western developers in mid-production were rightly concerned about the potential implications. However, they were also arguably made aware of the potential problems that might lie ahead sooner. Until a few short months ago, words like ‘pandemics’ and ‘lockdowns’ seemed to be the preserve of dystopian sci-fi movies; certainly not something that could ACTUALLY happen in the 21st century. 

But with partners and clients not returning to their studios following the traditional two-week Chinese New Year break, it became apparent quite quickly that we were entering a new reality. Receiving such information and hearing of experiences first-hand enabled the industry to take early measures in mitigating any risks. Many of the tools often taken for granted became a real life-line. 

Video conferencing and remote working software allow them to continue with their creative endeavours. According to an XDS report, 94% of suppliers to the games industry have made allowances for their teams to work from home (XDS Special Report). Indeed, REALTIME has also successfully transitioned to this way of working and is thriving in the face of adversity.

Standing strong

It remains to be seen what lies ahead. But it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that social distancing has led to an increase in the demand for video games, with leading online platforms and games enjoying a huge surge in popularity. While, obviously, no one in the industry wants to profit from the situation, it’s one that should help serve the future growth prospects of the industry well. Far from being tabloid fodder for corrupting a generation, this is an opportunity for games to be seen quite rightly as a positive force for good; an entertainment form that allows people to stay connected while practising social distancing.

These are very much uncharted times and it’s important that the games industry remains positive, despite the gravity of the situation for those who are really struggling right now… There will still be many challenges ahead, but perhaps now is a time to reflect on how far the games industry has come. And maybe, just maybe, the industry will be recognised for playing some small part in keeping people connected at a time when they REALLY need to be apart. 

This unprecedented situation has affected us all in some way or another, REALTIME included. But together we can come out of this stronger than before. If you need a reliable, adaptable partner to work with on your next project, get in touch with me at [email protected].

The big winners of the night

Everything is up in the air at the moment, it’s fair to say. That might be a slight understatement. Despite the cancellation or postponement of every event for at least the next few months (including E3 – as we know it, at least), the 2020 BAFTA Games Awards still went ahead.

Long-time host and fan of video games Dara O’Briain took to the metaphorical stage again, though this time it was at his actual house. The show was pre-recorded and nominees were required to submit an acceptance speech ahead of time – whether they were winners or not.

It’s great to see the BAFTA Games Awards go ahead as they serve as a much-needed distraction in these times. What makes them so important to the industry is their focus on the artistry of games. They are (mostly) voted on by their peers and that categories acknowledge the best of what this unique creative output has to offer, eschewing typical categories you might see, such as “best shooter” or “best RPG”. Let’s take a look at some of the notable winners this year.

Games, geese, and ghosts

One of the more higher-budget winners of the night was Luigi’s Mansion 3, which won the award for animation. It’s no surprise when you look at the detail in Luigi’s poor, terrified face. It was also one of many awards lost by Remedy Entertainment’s Control which, despite being nominated for 11 awards, only managed to come away with one for performer in a supporting role – thanks to Martti Suosalo’s efforts as Ahti the Janitor.

Untitled Goose Game – which already might have been the internet’s favourite game – won for best family game. It might not have won the best game of the year (though it was nominated) but it’s great to see such a unique game do so well. When a game has a button dedicated to honking at people, it better get some sort of award.

Closer to home, mystery-sci-fi-thriller-puzzler Observation won best British game, a recognition of what the UK has to offer the gaming community. And Apex Legends won best multiplayer, highlighting it as a worthy competitor in the battle royale scene. But throughout the night, it felt like the race for best game came down to two worthy titans…

The best of the best

Both Disco Elysium and Outer Wilds had a fantastic night, each winning three awards. It’s refreshing to see so much attention put onto smaller games such as these, especially Disco Elysium, which won developer ZA/UM best debut game. It also took home the prize for best narrative, not surprising for a game that’s so dialogue heavy and whose RPG mechanics come through in conversations rather than battles.

Outer Wilds, meanwhile, won for best game design and best original property. What’s particularly funny is both games went head to head for most of the night; they competed with each other five times throughout the night. But only one could be the best. And the award ultimately went to Outer Wilds. It’s a well-deserved win for such a unique game.

In Outer Wilds, you play an astronaut looking for the answers of the universe. Mainly, why is the sun going supernova in 22 minutes and killing us all? You play through this 22-minute loop multiple times, trying to explore the solar system and solve the mystery. If you’ve not played it yet, definitely give it a go.

The best of the rest

In total, 18 awards were handed out on the night – congratulations to all the winners, who we’ll list in full below. Thanks has to be given to BAFTA for giving us this distraction right now; if you want to watch the ceremony for yourself, the link is right here.

Animation: Luigi’s Mansion 3

Artistic achievement: Sayonara Wild Hearts

Audio achievement: Ape Out

British game: Observation

Debut game: Disco Elysium

Evolving game: Path of Exile

Family: Untitled Goose Game

Games beyond entertainment: Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to)

Game design: Outer Wilds

Multiplayer: Apex Legends

Music: Disco Elysium

Narrative: Disco Elysium

Original property: Outer Wilds

Performer in a leading role: Gonzalo Martin (Sean Diaz in Life is Strange 2)

Performer in a supporting role: Martti Suosalo (Ahti the Janitor in Control)

Technical achievement: Death Stranding

EE mobile game of the year (voted for by the public): Call of Duty: Mobile

Best game: Outer Wilds

2019 was a great year for games and 2020 was off to a good start, though given certain recent announcements, we’re not yet sure how the rest of the year will shake out. No doubt various smaller developers will give us plenty to love and next year’s ceremony should hopefully be just as tough a competition!

Congratulations to all of the winners from us here at REALTIME. We love to see creativity thrive in this industry and are always open to working on any upcoming project. If you have something you would like to discuss, feel free to get in touch at [email protected].

The war has begun. From their camps, both Sony and Microsoft have blown the horns of war, and now the battle begins for the next half-decade or so. Following Mark Cerny’s deep dive into the architecture of the PS5, we now have an idea of what both consoles are packing under the hood.

We have yet to see any practical gameplay from Sony – the recent breakdown was very tech heavy and we may have to wait until June to see gameplay from both companies (with the ghost of E3 looming over them). But that doesn’t mean we can’t feast on what information we have, sharpen our blades, and argue over which console is better. Let’s jump into it.

Raw power

With each new video game console cycle, everyone is interested in one thing: how strong are they? After years of development, consumers are hungry to know how they compare not just to one another, but the consoles that came before them. At face value, going on pure power, it looks as if the Xbox Series X wins.

Don’t leave just yet though! It’s not so simple. Here are the details, courtesy of Eurogamer:

The first number most look at is the teraflops from the GPU. The Series X’s is higher, ergo it’s better. Not quite. The PS5’s CPU and GPU are variable, meaning they can adjust how much they use depending on requirements. It can adjust on the fly, so if a game is using too much power, making the console noisier or hotter, it can adjust and bring it back to a normal level. In simple terms, the Series X is going for straight up power and muscle, whereas the PS5 is trying to stay nimble and versatile. The bulky warrior versus the sly rogue, to use RPG nomenclature.

Both consoles are pushing the envelope on next-gen features, with ray tracing being the big buzzword. Microsoft have already shown off the gorgeous feature in Minecraft on the Series X and Mark Cerny let us know just how important it is to the PS5 as well. Ray tracing is a way of implementing realistic lighting into games. It renders paths of light that interact with the world in very real ways. The PS5 showcase also touted its use for audio, allowing it to bounce around the environment, and other elements such as shadows and reflections.

So far, so even, but there is one area that is shaping up to set the two consoles apart.

The solid state of play

Both consoles were proud to show off their solid state drives (SSD). Mark Cerny talked of how he regularly visits game developers to gauge their opinion of what they want from next-gen consoles. The majority said SSDs due to their capability to load resources much faster than regular HDDs.

Looking back at the table above, it would again appear that the Series X is winning, with its 1TB SSD compared to the PS5’s odd 825GB SDD. But we want to pay attention to the IO throughput row as this tells us how fast the SDDs are. As you can see, the PS5’s is much faster – pretty much double. Mark Cerny put it into actual figures: the PS5 can load 2GB of data in 0.27 seconds (that is their target, at least), which makes it 100 times faster than the PS4.

It’s made some developers incredibly excited as it gives them the freedom to design how they wish. It would mean fewer tricks would be needed to hide load screens and remove the need to design levels with tight corridors or elevators, things used to reduce the amount of quick loading the console needs to do. So if there is an aspect that will truly make the next-gen an advance, it’s something like loading times.

But Microsoft may still have the last laugh; many third-party developers will want to develop for both consoles and will develop to the lowest common denominator. In this case, the Series X. The only ones really able to make the most of the PS5’s SSD will be first-party developers.

Also worth noting is storage expansion. Both have said you can add to the storage, but the Series X will require a proprietary SSD and, while yes you can use standard PC SSDs with the PS5, only certain ones will be compatible and will require further testing by Sony.

An even playing field?

If your question is which is better, then the answer is: neither. Both have their pluses and minuses, as is the norm for console wars. It will ultimately come down to your personal preference: which first-party titles will you prefer? We should hopefully find out more about that soon.

Of course, the console you currently have might affect that decision. Both consoles will have some form of backward compatibility, though the Series X seems to be much more substantial in that regard. Anything that is backward compatible with the Xbox One will also work on the Series X and some Xbox One games will even have enhancements on the new console. Conversely, Sony is starting from scratch, though they say most of the top 100 most popular PS4 games will work at launch. As for PS3, PS2, and PS1 games, maybe don’t hold your breath.

Whichever you prefer, you can’t deny this is an exciting time for gaming as we approach the cusp of a new generation. This autumn/winter – current events willing – we should all have our hands on a shiny new console. And if that doesn’t fill you with childish glee, I don’t know what will.

At REALTIME, we can’t wait to see what the next generation will bring. Our love of games bleeds into our work, so if you have an exciting next-gen game you want to talk about, feel free to get in touch with me at [email protected].