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Kara aka Valorie Curry Thanks Fans For “Amazing Feedback”

And who is the actress in that stunning Quantic Dream tech demo ?

You may have recognized her: it's Valorie Curry, well known for her role as Charlotte in the "Twilight" series. She has also been in "Veronica Mars" and "CSI: New York." You can catch more photos of Valorie over at OPM UK , along with an appreciative comment from her Twitter page:

"Thank you to everyone for the amazing feedback on the Kara project! You all made my day."

I think you got that backwards, Valorie. You all made our day. You and David Cage and the rest of the team at Quantic Dream, who are quite clearly working on an amazing, potentially revolutionary product. Or if not revolutionary, how's about evolutionary…kinda like their last masterpiece, Heavy Rain . There's no doubt that now, their new title is right near (or possibly at) the top of our priority list.

Just amazing. But you know, I just thought of something: Would these developers be better off with that awesome Motion Scan technology from L.A. Noire ? If we're going to put such a heavy emphasis on faces, I can't think of a better tech. Of course, that's Rockstar's tech so it's probably not feasible…just a thought.

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TheHighlander
TheHighlander
12 years ago

I don't think that mo-cap is the way to go with this. the simple reason is that mo-cap only works when the motion captured is for a reaction that is scripted in the game. For a truly flexible character that is believable in a situation the motion, and emotion in a scene must be generated live. So instead of using extensive motion capture for an actress, the game needs to have a model of the actress (or actor) that is sufficiently flexible and realistic that the game can exhibit emotions and moods in the facial expressions and body language of the character in a live and interactive manner. If the game is simply replaying a motion capture script for a given expression I don't think that will be as flexible or believable as a game that can generate the appropriate expressions and motions.

Beamboom
Beamboom
12 years ago

Correctomundo, Highlander. I agree. They need a data model that can "think by itself", to put it a bit tabloid, and not just repeat a stored pattern.

It's like pre-defined animations as opposed to rag doll physics. Still, this is an interesting step towards that goal of "live emotion", imo. The industry need to learn how to recreate something before they can take the next step in mastering it.


Last edited by Beamboom on 3/8/2012 12:42:45 PM

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
12 years ago

Excellent point, I hadn't even though of it.

jimmyhandsome
jimmyhandsome
12 years ago

Is it confirmed that they are working on a new game? The disclaimer at the beginning of the demo made it clear that this is just a demo and not an actual game.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
12 years ago

yeah they are working on a new game, the disclaimer is there because this is a tech demo and not scene from the game.

maxpontiac
maxpontiac
12 years ago

They should have used those blue eyes. Yes, I know that isn't Valorie's original color, but they are nice.

Ludicrous_Liam
Ludicrous_Liam
12 years ago

I don't think face mo-cap is the way to go. When you see it in L.A Noir, it wasn't that perfect straight away. The animators had to 'clean it up' to get to that stage, and in the end, it takes just as much – if not MORE so – the time it takes to animate the facial features by hand. Not to mention when your doing it by hand, your getting the exact emotion your trying to create, rather than trying to manipulate a pre-animated face to get it to the point you want it.

However, I gunna put myself forward for some hate, and say that the facial animations in Heavy Rain were really 'rigid' at times, and felt kind've awkward-looking. So maybe they could have done with the Motion Scan technology, who knows?

Beamboom
Beamboom
12 years ago

Ps, Ben: The tv series is called "CSI", not "CSY". 😉


Last edited by Beamboom on 3/8/2012 12:36:00 PM

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
12 years ago

Ha, her site actually ha CSI spelled wrong with a Y too, so I'm guessing that Ben never watches that show, LOL

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
12 years ago

I think the face tech works great for an open world game like Noire but in this case where we have major close-ups and a need for the face to always be in concert with the body for the proper emotional effect (as QD games are big on the feel of things).

Also there appears to be no need for it, her face is very dynamic as is.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
12 years ago

"Kara was made a year ago, so the technology has evolved a lot since then," the Quantic Dream head told … at GDC. "We've worked a lot on the cinematography, we've worked a lot on lens flares, on diffraction and how the light plays on the optic… We're playing with all these things, so I think that the next games – whatever they are – are going to look much better than Kara."

So, it's not a game, but it was made a year ago, and already they say it would look better today. Better.

Good lord, just make a game already!


Last edited by TheHighlander on 3/8/2012 12:59:44 PM

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
12 years ago

I'm sure they are working on one and just won't talk about it.

I007spectre
I007spectre
12 years ago

She was on Psych last night.

jaynet333
jaynet333
12 years ago

No idea why you got a thumbs down. I was going to post the same thing. I don't watch any of the other movies/shows she's been in, but I knew she looked familiar. Then I realised she was in the episode of Psych I just watched.

Anyway, I thought the demo was interesting, and also looked pretty good. If the tech QD is working with for the actual game has improved since the demo, then that's just all the more better. Can't wait for the actual game!

Jed
Jed
12 years ago

Ben's right you made our day. That demo was just wowsers

Naksy
Naksy
12 years ago

I was watching the video… I was speechless… QD is back! Just when Ubisoft said they got next-gen like stuff…. 😀

Jed
Jed
12 years ago

Is anyone else having trouble with the PSN?

Crabba
Crabba
12 years ago

That was by far the most stunning tech demo I've seen, and not just because of the visuals, but the emotions and potential for such an awesome story from this!

Unfortunately it seems this demo is not what the actual game will be about, at least that's what Cage said in an interview, which is not only too bad, it's a travesty!! This story NEEDS to be done into a full game, and reading the comments on the PS blog it seems a lot of people are thinking the same thing!

If this is really not the story they're working on for the new game Sony REALLY needs to give them the funds to start working on THIS game ASAP!!

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
12 years ago

Cage just did an interesting interview about the tech demo in which he stated that the Kara demo was actually done a year ago.

I sent the article & video to Ben, but if he doesn't use it, I'll post the link here after Ben's done all his other threads tonight.


Last edited by BikerSaint on 3/8/2012 9:22:42 PM

Kai200X
Kai200X
12 years ago

She's even cuter in person! Her digital self in Kara is nice too!

bentl78
bentl78
12 years ago

Is it just me ? I found the faces in LA Noire a bit scary.. i did finish the game.. but.. the mo cap for the faces.. look a bit scary to me.. john noble rocks though, as he does in fringe.

___________
___________
12 years ago

disappointed its not actually their new game.
i hope they will reconsider, ive always said the robot genre has so much potential that really has not been tapped yet.
if anyone could bring the genre to its heights its QD!
theres been a few games like that but none have really been story driven and emotional as what QD are known for.
id love to see them do a game like LA Noire, but first i really want them to do a game based off this.
a rouge robot who thinks its human.
binary domain had such a awesome concept, it was such a shame its as story and character driven as a michael bay film!

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