L.A. Noire
Full Title: LA Noire
Developer: Team Bondi
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Platforms: Playstation 3/Xbox360
Release Window: Spring 2011
LA Noire an IP that will raise the bar in game development this generation, initially announced as a PS3 exclusive back in 2004 developed by Team Bondi which you might remember were behind THE GETAWAY series on PS2. Not much was known about the game other then as the name suggests it draws heavily from both plot and aesthetic elements of film noir stylistic films from the 1940s and 1950.
After 3 years of development it looks like the team had some very ambitious plans for the IP and needed a bigger development cycle so that’s when the exclusivity with PS3 ended. The IP’s development cycle had taken a new route as now it would get support from Rockstar Games. Take 2 later announced the game had been delayed but saying we would see a ground-breaking,innovative game both in terms of the game’s design and the amazing new technology to support it, we will see an in depth reveal of the game soon.
GameInformer’s March 2010 issue finally revealed everything gamers wanted to know about LA Noire. The in depth cover story revealed the game to be a linear single player fused with sandbox GTA experience, game set in a world straight out of the classic movie LA Confidential,
with a full recreation of 1947 LA, the game’s structure would revolve around an open-ended challenge to solve a series of murders. Most of the information however was about the technology behind the game’s design.
Unlike other games where developers have to have animators and character designers for creating a cutscene, this game uses brand new groundbreaking technology called MotionScan where the actors goes into an all-white room where 32 cameras surround him and record his performance from every angle, giving a 3D rendition of the actor’s face. The scene is recorded then 100 percent recreated in polygon form on the spot with all it’s detail, which are optimized via Lightsprint’s real-time global illumination technology.
Team Bondi are making sure to make the performances are a huge part of the game, they announced L.A. Noire is going to have over 20 hours of voice acting but don’t worry this isn’t MGS4 most of that will be in game related. The game features and element of interrogation to it where you will literally need to see if a character is lying to you as you try to get answers from about investigation, LA Noire features Aaron Staton from Mad Men as he lends his likeness for the main character Cole Phelps.
As you can see this game’s development is not like any other game ever created, Team Bondi are going for the most realistic performances ever in a video game, this game will blur the line between film and video games. If you were shocked by Heavy Rain facial animations or you thought those characters portrayed a realistic performance then LA Noire’s character performances and facial animations will blow yours mind, Rockstar Games released the first in game trailer this November showcasing exactly that, LA Noire could truly be the first game to blurs the line between film and video games.
