Team Bondi: Motion Scan For L.A. Noire Destined To Impress

It's a game we've all been waiting on for a long time, but the final product should be well worth the lengthy delays.

Team Bondi founder and director Brendan McNamara spoke to OPM about the new revolutionary technology the team is utilizing for the game. It's called Motion Scan and it has been developed by Australian-based company, Depth Analysis. They use 32 cameras that are capable of capturing the full 3D scan of an actor, in addition to color, motion, and sound. McNamara calls it "the end of spandex suits," in that everyone in L.A. Noire will move and respond realistically.

"We wanted to make a detective game and a key part of that is interrogating people. If you're going to see if somebody is lying, you have to be able to look for little poker tells, all that stuff."

Sounds downright cool, no? And McNamara said this will go well beyond what we've seen in other games, like Heavy Rain; while he admitted the characters "look great" in Quantic Dream's masterpiece, he says "you still have to sort of suspend your disbelief and enjoy the game." And compared to Heavy Rain, L.A. Noire draws a "bit of a line in the sand" in terms of this technology. Well, the industry has to continue to advance, doesn't it?

And before you ask, no, we don't have a release date yet. But as far as we know, it's still scheduled to launch this year.

Related Game(s): L.A. Noire

Tags: l.a. noire, team bondi, l.a. noire details

7/28/2010 9:16:56 PM Ben Dutka

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Comments (36 posts)

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Dancemachine55
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 9:44:34 PM
Reply

Wow!!! Nice to see someone talking up their game and having loads of faith in it for once.

Go you Aussies!!! As an Aussie, I thought our gaming, film and some of our music industries were tiny and poor compared to that in America. Poor quality or very little support.

This news restores my faith in Australian game making. I really do hope this game succeeds. With the amount of time it's taken to develop, I really do think it'd be worth it.

I'd love to see as many people on this site plan to buy this game and support these Aussie developers. They certainly deserve it.

7 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 9:53:06 PM
Reply

I read some articles a while back all about this Motion Scan set-up that LA Noire was using.

Needless to say, it was very interesting to this non-techie.

I haven't found find the original article I read yet, but here's a couple others...

L.A Noire's MotionScan tech described as "Most Impressive Thing seen at E3"

http://www.tsumea.com/australasia/australia/news/280610/la-noires-motionscan-tech-described-as-most-impressive-thing-seen-

L.A Noire in EDGE

(WARNING: in telling the Motion Scan technology for L.A.Noire, there may be many spoilers here)

http://www.rockstarbase.com/games/team-bondi/la-noire/l-a-noire-in-edge/

0 up, 0 down

Highlander
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 9:59:18 AM

I'm not convinced by this tech at all. It's a video game, not a movie. The way they are talking and comparing to Heavy Rain (and dismissing Heavy Rain!!!), this doesn't sound like it will look or play like a game. It's all very well capturing an actor's performance to the nth degree, but this isn't a high def straight to video movie. If they can't translate all that data into a rendered character model and end up simply replaying a filtered version of the actor's actual performance, then what separates this from the old FMV games that were - in truth - utter drivel?

I also have to wonder about the capturing of the motion at 30 frames per second. If these performances are going into the game, that kind of locks the game at 30 fps, but since they are shot in HD, I have to wonder how much detail will end up in the game since it has to fit on DVDs for the 360.

All in all, I am not very impressed by the talk, and won't be until I see it.

4 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 9:57:02 PM
Reply

As much as I can't wait for this game I'm afraid they must be talking out of their arses. There is no way the characters in a multiplat can reach or exceed the level of those in Heavy Rain. They will probably be great with this new tech, I am pretty tired of texture stretching, but I expect typical multiplat drawbacks.

11 up, 1 down

Cuetes
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 10:03:16 PM

Im with World on this one, I dont see a multiplat looking better than Heavy Rain.

5 up, 0 down

FxTales
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 10:05:27 PM

I can't help but feel the same way. I would have loved to see how far it could have gone on the ps3, mainly because I want there to be more developers who don't settle for multiplatform titles. Maybe more so in the future then and if so I look forward to it.

Last edited by FxTales on 7/28/2010 10:05:52 PM

3 up, 0 down

mexgeo86
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 10:24:04 PM

Especially when some time back they complained about space issues with a certain medium *cough DVD *cough

3 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 10:30:49 PM

First Crytek and Crysis 2 and now this? When will these silly devs learn. DVD9 is so 2001. :)

13 up, 0 down

dkmrules
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 11:55:19 PM

Maybe It will be on multiple dvd's?...... well one can dream

0 up, 0 down

SmokeyPSD
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 9:46:12 AM

Imagine when we were playing vice city, only replace the loading screen of when you went to the otherside of town with not only loading, but a disc swap. I dont see this being on multiple discs.

0 up, 0 down

kraygen
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 10:49:23 PM
Reply

I won't say that this claim can't be true, because it is possible. However if it is true than the game must only take about 2 hours to beat because that's all they could squeeze onto the dvd.

I smell a skunk.

2 up, 0 down

Kangasfwa
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 11:18:01 PM
Reply

Hmmm. This must mean the xbox game is compressed into near-oblivion.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 11:31:58 PM
Reply

It just doesn't ring true, I don't think one can effectively put an open-world game on multiple discs.

3 up, 1 down

Jawknee
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 @ 11:48:07 PM

We couldn't even get a proper FFXIII on multiple discs this gen. I can't see them making a true sandbox game on mulitple discs.

1 up, 0 down

Snaaaake
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 2:33:42 AM

Maybe they can have 4 DVDs for this.

3 for installing and another one for playing.

0 up, 0 down

SmokeyPSD
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 1:31:54 AM
Reply

I'll like to hear it from someone other than the development team.

My interest in this dropped like a lead balloon as soon as this was going to no longer be fully making use of bluray only, I'm sick of free roam games not. Infamous being the only great exception. It was just a further kick in the balls because I'm such a lover of all things noir and period. the detective angle sounded brilliant.

0 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 2:10:57 AM
Reply

The Saboteur was another pretty good free-roaming multi-plat game too.

0 up, 0 down

SmokeyPSD
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 9:44:12 AM

This shouldnt have just been pretty good though...

A period noir piece, should've been brilliant.

0 up, 0 down

ffyfe7
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 2:12:24 AM
Reply

While I was dissapointed by it becoming multiplat, I still believe that it could still be a fantastic game (look at RDR). I love the detective aspect and all things noir so I hold high hopes for this game.

0 up, 0 down

Snaaaake
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 2:35:32 AM
Reply

How long has this been in development?

If it's 5 years then they MIGHT be able to pull this off.

1 up, 1 down

Lawless SXE
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 2:43:31 AM
Reply

I've been interested in this since day 1, and unless I see some downright dreadful reviews, it's going to a PASAP. I haven't cared about it going multiplatform, I haven't cared about Sony dropping abot 20mil into development, then dropping support, I don't care about the complaints from the producer that took over who said the game was a mess, I firmly believe that Team Bondi can knock this out of the park and give us something truly unique.

That being said, I am of course biased in that I am an Aussie and firmly believe that we produce some of the best music (AC/DC, The Waifs, Hilltop Hoods), movies (Bran Nue Day, Charlie and Boots) and now hopefully games in the world. Yah, I'm full of it.
Peace.

0 up, 0 down

Shams
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 11:33:36 AM

PASAP: "Purchase As Soon As Possible"? I like Highlander's "D1P" coinage. Of course, they don't necessarily mean the same thing, as PASAP can also mean "purchase as soon as financially possible", and it can also mean "Day 1 Preorder with payment in full". A good acronym shouldn't have to take several scans before one arrives at the meaning. It should be self-evident at first glance so as not to interrupt the flow of reading...i.e "it's going to be a purchase ASAP" would work.

0 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 4:36:10 PM

I prefer Highlanders too, but PASAP works better for me. I don't like buying my games here in town when I can get them for twenty or thirty dollars cheaper when I go to the cities every month or two months or whatever. I agree that it was confusing, but I was lazy, can you blame me?
Peace.

0 up, 0 down

Shams
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 5:53:18 PM

I didn't mean to give you a hard time. It's just recently more so than before, I spend a lot more time staring at comments trying to figure out what certain acronyms stand for. It was more of general rant than a specifically addressed response.

-Peace

0 up, 0 down

___________
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 3:58:12 AM
Reply

ahhhhhhhh i cant wait for this, if you think GOW3 or heavy rain were a technological marvel, or even crysis 2 be prepared to have your socks knocked off!
i read up about this tech, and the new rendering system used in alan wake yesterday during my tafe break.
nice to see developers pushing the industry forward, creating new tech!
instead of following the sheep off the cliff and using that dated bleeding sheep UE3!

making games is not where the money is made, most of the money seen goes to the publisher.
the money is made creating tech for games, engines, or face tech like that seen in LA Noire.
or even the advanced light rendering system seen in alan wake.
apparently the group who made it who were helped by remedy spent 48 million USD developing the tech and into research!
48 million buckaroos gone into just a rendering system, i mean jesus christ most whole games cost less than that to make!

0 up, 3 down

Ole_Gunner
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 5:10:52 AM
Reply

Tech sounds really impressive but man multiplats these days arent all that amazing. I mean before RDR (which was bloody amazing) u probly have to look at GTA IV as a benchmark multiplat.
Hopefully they deliver but I doubt I will pick this up

0 up, 0 down

Ole_Gunner
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 5:10:57 AM
Reply

0 up, 0 down

JackC8
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 7:45:20 AM
Reply

I'm kind of losing enthusiasm for this game every time the estimated release date gets pushed back. I thought it was coming out BEFORE the huge pile of great games scheduled for Sept - Jan., but now it looks like it will be right in the middle of them And it doesn't really rise to the top of that list I'm afraid. Probably a "some time next year" purchase for me.

0 up, 0 down

Oxvial
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 9:27:43 AM
Reply

LOL no sorry after talking a lot of how awesome the game was years ago... and in 2009 saying that they didn't have nothing I lose all my faith in them.

0 up, 0 down

Highlander
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 9:53:45 AM
Reply

Well, let's see...

First is was an exclusive PS3 title, and then it wasn't. They had access to technology that could manage what they are talking about, and now they don't. Whatever. I will believe it when I see it. The character models in HR are better than any game I have seen, and they weren't specifically designed for micro-expressions. But then that leads me to ask whether LA Noire has become the "Lie To Me" of video games?

Either way, I've yet to see any multi-platform game that was capable of pushing the PS3 anything like as hard as the exclusives do. perhaps this will be the one, but without actual in-game renders, I will defer judgment.

Unlike Mr Anonymous Cowherd I won't throw a party because someone writes a tech article. I've read articles on such stuff before. Procedural rendering for example sounds fantastic, but in reality it's simply a way to get semi-random looking vegetation in games and hasn't revolutionized anything at all.

3 up, 0 down

Ultimadream
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 12:53:22 PM
Reply

I take it this is a new form of motion capture then, i remember watching the making of Silent Hill 2 (recomend it btw very insightful) they showed how they made the animation, they refused to use the standard way of mtion capture because they cannot capture the musccle structre of expressions. for instance when you smile its not just muscle of the mouth moving but also the temporals; which is pretty much between the forehead and the ears.

I thought this game was cancelled, guess they picked it up again then?

0 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 4:42:32 PM

That's it exactly, a new form of motion capture, far more complex than anything else we've seen thus far (I think). There was also talk of implementing the images captured with this tech directly into the game and skipping over the need for modelling and rendering, but that'd just be odd. Also, as far as this is concerned, as far as I can tell, it isn't about capturing the minutiae of the face, but rather the body.

And no, it was never cancelled, just between publishers for a short spell. Sony to Rockstar. Better trade-off than I would have expected.
Peace.

0 up, 0 down

DeathOfChaos
Thursday, July 29, 2010 @ 2:11:42 PM
Reply

That sounds badass. May have to pick this up. Sounded kind of interesting at first, but hearing how much they're getting into this, makes the game much more interesting...

0 up, 0 down

dante_zero
Friday, July 30, 2010 @ 6:54:46 AM
Reply

i just wish rockstar would put out more media for this game and while were at it i'd like to see some media for the AGENT too. im not sure why they are keeping alot of things hidden. Having said that they didnt really show alot if any media for RDR till about 7 months before it was released.

0 up, 0 down

Newbiezilla
Saturday, July 31, 2010 @ 10:51:51 AM

My guess? They must have more DLC stuff planned for RDR, and so don't want to talk too much about stuff on the pipeline.

Also, they probably want to keep an eye on what the competition is doing. If it was GTA V, the competition would be looking at them. We are talking about new IP which is something that requires timely releases.

This is especially so in the case of LA Noire. People will see Team Bondi. The Agent, well, that'll have a very big push from Sony, I'm sure.

Last edited by Newbiezilla on 7/31/2010 10:52:27 AM

0 up, 0 down

Newbiezilla
Saturday, July 31, 2010 @ 10:48:49 AM
Reply

"Destined to impress"

Hopefully so. For a while there, I was wondering if it was destined to vapour ware.

0 up, 0 down

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