L.A. Noire Motion Capture

I'm going to be totally honest with you. When I'd first heard about Bondi's latest project L.A. Noire, I really didn't care. It was going to be yet another Grand Theft Auto. I then heard that it was to be published by Rockstar which had shut me down even more. Yep, another Grand Theft Auto. Apparently, it was believed that it was to be a PlayStation 3 exclusive that Sony Computer Entertainment was funding but somehow became a multiplatform title. The game doesn't in fact look, feel and play very much like Grand Theft Auto. But, in a lot of ways, its not really Grand Theft Auto.

I was one day was talking to a friend of mine who explained the game to me and gave me a little more information on the game which had peaked my interest enough to look into the game but still didn't really care. It was going to be just another Grand Theft Auto but, I'd finally taken the time to really look into it I discovered there were two big aspects of the game that separated it entirely from Grand Theft Auto.

The first thing I noticed is how much like Heavy Rain the game is. It doesn't quite have that cinematic pizazz that Heavy Rain has but the choices you make throughout the game effect the outcome of the game. You ask certain questions and look for certain clues to help you along in your investigation. You begin the game as a rookie cop in 1947 L.A. and throughout the game progressively move up the promotional ranks to a detective. Its basically like being a cop in L.A. The crimes and murders you investigate are all events that had taken place in L.A. at that time and are still unsolved. Basically cold case files. You meet up with people, ask them questions, read their body language through interrogation and make critical decisions based on what you find, hear and learn. The game can be as deep or as shallow as you wish depending on how impatient you on are how quickly you want to get through the game. Its really my sort of game.

The other aspect to the game is its method of motion sensing technique. Granted, this is nothing new to the gaming world and many whom have played through the Ninja Theory PS3 exclusive Heavenly Sword, the games big claim to fame was in fact facial animation and the attention to detail and realism of that. Similarly is Quantic Dreams PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain both games excellently done. Bondi have simply taken this method and built upon it with their own take on the matter. 

L.A. Noire Facial Capture (PS3/360)

While this is amazing technology, it had occurred to me while looking through a Eurogamer article how this process was done. All of the animation of L.A. Noire's technology places their voice actors in chairs and shoot the needed footage of the actor. The characters look like the actors as a result. The downside to this interestingly enough, is that the actor is never really 'in the moment.' What this means is that like other motion captures where the actors are moving around the voice work is recorded while doing so, you're able to pick up a lot of the more subtle-type ad-lib's that give the voice acting a more natural feel. The plus side however to this method, is that you get all the tiny nuisances of those facial features which in interrogation sequences  to me seems where the game would most shine.

Heavy Rain Facial Capture (PS3)

Its definitely going to be an interesting and unique experience and a dang fun game at the end of the day. The videos of gameplay I have seen have been stellar and drive me even more to want to see this game in action in all its glory. Thankfully, we won't have to wait much longer until it hits retail stores and right into the disc drive.

Heavenly Sword Facial Capture (PS3)

The PlayStation 3 version it seems will be getting additional content with a bonus mission it would seem but, from what we've heard so far the games should be identical. We'll see this game in just a short while so keep checking back as we continue to bring out all the newest and latest greatest news keeping you inside the X-Gaming Zone right here.