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Hello Stalkers!
We have repeatedly discussed the process of scanning the buildings within the Zone, as well as their interiors. However, we don't recall ever mentioning how we transferred the people themselves into the game. So it's time to catch up. We will describe step by step how a person existing in reality gets into Chernobylite.
To scan the character we use a device commonly called a RIG, which consists of:
- 114 Canon cameras with zoom lenses
- a stable rack of aluminum tubes, forming a circle with a diameter of 4 meters
- flash lamps
- devices responsible for controlling the scanning process, i.e. hubs, automatic synchronization
- computers that collect and process data
Why do we need so many cameras? By mounting them on a rack, we can fine-tune the field of view and overlap of each camera's images. This allows us to pinpoint areas of interest within the frame for a specific pose. Based on the collected data, an accurate 3D model can be obtained for further processing. This process is what we call photogrammetric scanning.
The scanning process itself differs depending on whether we are scanning the whole figure or the face alone. We position a female or male model at a designated stand within an installation consisting of aluminum tubes and cameras. The individual can stand in the middle of the facility in their regular attire....
...or in full costume, as our primary models did.
The models differ in their physiques, so care must be taken to properly frame the cameras under each person. The next step is Focus, which means sharpening the image and triggering all the cameras at once while flashing.
After a single "firing", the process of downloading the data to the computer's disk begins - these are images from each camera and saved in RAW format. Then graphic processing takes place (for example, in a Lightroom). The processed and saved images (as JPG) are then imported into a photogrammetric application that allows the creation of ultra-realistic 3D models from a set of images (RealityCapture or Agisoft Metashape). This is where the magic happens: based on the collected materials, the program is able to create a HiPoly mesh, a dense detail mesh with a faithful representation of the image.
At this stage, the 3D scan is taken over by the graphic designer responsible for the game's characters, who optimizes the mesh to a simpler form so that it can be more easily used, for example, when creating animations.
This is how it’s done. Stay tuned next week, and we'll show you how the unusual mask of one of the companions was created.
That's it for today!
Take care, Stalkers!
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