Live-action gaming with real objects sounds like a contradiction, and in many ways it is. However, there have been a few attempts to inject live elements into virtual games over the years. For example, full-motion video (FMV) games were an early attempt to use pre-recorded video files rather than animations.
A Failed First Attempt to Create Live-Action Games
While 90s games such as Night Trap and Voyeur were interesting, the overall FMV trend didn’t take off as many hoped. Even more recent offerings, such as Get Even, failed to gain much momentum. As such, FMV technology faded. It didn’t disappear completely, however. Many cutscenes in today’s video games still include FMV elements, so there’s clearly some desire to add a level of realism through pre-recorded video clips.
We also know that, in other industries sharing some similarities, live games are all the rage. Take, for example, the PlayStar NJ casino app. Among its 500+ games is a collection of live games, including Lightning Dice and Crazy Time. These real-time games use webcams and RFID sensors to create a live experience with human dealers. Animated augmented reality (AR) elements are also part of an immersive, real-time casino gaming experience. These live casino games have become increasingly popular over the last decade, which begs the question, why couldn’t live-action elements also take off in regular video games?
Players Want More Realism
There are, of course, distinct differences between video games and casino games. However, they’re all highly technologically intertwined within the entertainment industry, which suggests there may be a place for live elements in virtual games after all.
If there is a place for live elements in video games, the challenge is in how to do it. Photorealistic games are one option. Black State and other games shown in the video above certainly look realistic, but that’s not enough. Even though the characters are almost lifelike, they’re not quite realistic enough to make us believe it’s a real person.
Mixing Reality Could Fill the Gap
Virtual reality (VR) could help in this regard. The Unreal Engine 5 demo shown below looks incredibly realistic, and the effect is even better if you watch it while wearing a VR headset because you’ll feel part of the scenery.
Therefore, it’s clear that we’re moving towards a point where graphics are so photorealistic that we can’t distinguish them from a live video. The real future for video games could thus be found in mixed reality technology. Fusing augmented and virtual reality with physical objects seems to tick all the right boxes. Players can lose themselves in virtual worlds while keeping one foot in reality.
Does that limit the scope of a game? Quite possibly, which is why mixed reality games are a niche in their own right. Players who want to escape reality and explore fantasy worlds can play traditional video games. Players who want real-time entertainment in a virtual world anchored in reality can play mixed reality games.
It’s an interesting time for gaming. The task of combining live and virtual elements into a seamless product isn’t easy. However, technology never stands still. If players want it and developers can dream it, innovations will follow. That’s why live-action video games could become a reality.
