Ninja Theory Boss Clarifies Uncharted 2 Animation Comments
Ninja Theory co-founder Tameem Antoniades gave a BAFTA presentation, in which he spoke about motion capture and animation techniques, and how his team excels in these categories.
In fact, due to the many comparisons between Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Ninja Theory's latest, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Antoniades mentioned Naughty Dog's masterpiece and said the game "overdoes itself" in terms of animation and mo-cap. Initially, here's what the studio boss had to say:
"...in Uncharted 2 [Naughty Dog] captured voice in a booth, then did motion capture to the voices. After that, they hand-animated the faces to match that. So you have three different people working on a single performance, which I don't think is the right way to do it if you want to create a believable [character].
I'm actually amazed at how good their scenes are, considering they've done it that way. I don't think that it's true to the performance of an actor."
But after SPoNG ran the story with with a certain "misleading and inflammatory headline," Antoniades popped up in their forums and clarified his comments, which were later produced by the source in question:
"I actually never said the Uncharted 2 animations were overdone.
I am a huge fan of Naughty dog in all aspects of development. I see them as the setting the gold standard in action adventure game in all areas including animation.
However, I am a firm believer in performance capture (capturing face, body and voice simultaneously for multiple actors). It is a technique we pioneered in games with Heavenly Sword working alongside Weta Digital and gives, in my opinion, the most honest representation of human drama."
Before everyone freaks out, we would like to remind you that Antoniades does actually have a leg to stand on, at least in regards to Heavenly Sword. To this day, we at PSXE have yet to see such perfectly synced voices with facial expressions and mouth movements, and considering the game came out three years ago, that's pretty impressive. However, we're not seeing that same level of syncing perfection in Enslaved, although the performances should once again be top-notch.
Take from that what you will.
Tags: uncharted 2, ninja theory, tameem antoniades
9/28/2010 10:53:24 AM Ben Dutka
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Comments (70 posts)
big6
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:33:41 AM
In fact, they both sort of annoyed me a little.
I'm really hoping this changes, after I play the full game. Hopefully it'll include a comprehensive back-story that will make me like both characters more.
B-RadGfromOV
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 1:48:06 PM
aaronisbla
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 2:23:01 PM
maxpontiac
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 9:13:42 AM
A quote --
“…we have found that it’s usually harder for us to get things working fast on the PS3. It’s a really powerful piece of kit but it’s a little more complex to work with than the 360. So maybe there is slightly more work being done on the PS3 as we can be pretty sure that if we get it working at a decent FPS on PS3 then it’s going to work on 360 too.”
Something is going on here...
maxpontiac
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:15:57 AM
Reply
coverton341
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:20:31 AM
maxpontiac
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:24:03 AM
coverton341
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:40:34 AM
If you're going to complain about someone else's way of doing something you better come with something leaps and bounds above to back up those statements, and in both Ninja Theory's and Turn 10's cases I am not seeing those leaps.
maxpontiac
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 1:31:49 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 2:19:38 PM
Last edited by GuyverLT on 9/28/2010 2:22:28 PM
coverton341
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:35:55 AM
Maybe the game will be longer than Heavenly Sword which was admittedly rather short.
big6
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:36:36 AM
Ideally, they should have just tweaked their Heavenly Sword engine for this game on the PS3, and just use the Unreal Engine for the Xbox version.
But I know doing that will just create more console war mayhem...
coverton341
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:43:14 AM
Jawknee
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:48:58 AM
Jawknee
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:32:52 AM
McClane
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:39:54 AM
Jawknee
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:50:43 AM
Arvis
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 1:22:23 PM
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 1:37:07 PM
McClane
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 2:18:32 PM
Indeed, writers' fault all along...
His character of AC looks like he's in a perpetual state of boredom and half asleep...
Uncharted 2, on the other hand, he's witty, funny, sometimes angry, you know, like a person who shows his emotions, like you and me..
And as someone else gave the example of Sandra Bullock, here's another one, Liam Neeson...Watch his perfomance on Star Wars and his perfomance on Batman Begins and see which one is better...
Yes, it all comes down to a good script...
Jawknee
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 4:04:59 PM
Highlander
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:40:32 AM
Reply
Maybe I'm not seeing the problem here. These are still games, and not motion pictures. If I wanted an actor's performance, I'd see a movie. If I want a game where things happen that can't be reproduced in a movie, I'll play a game.
I think that doing the animation as ND did might give you more flexibility in your game's look and feel and what you can do with the character. Either way, I don't think I'd go around criticizing a game that's damn near perfect, even if I thought I had a crapload of evidence to back me up.
Scarecrow
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:56:33 AM
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The actors are not the ones who produce the games. The producer is the one who knows what kind of emotion and overall performance he/she wants out of a character. The actor is just putting himself into that role. Ultimately the producer and director are the ones who know exactly how it all should be presented.
NT is so clueless. I'm ashamed to even associate myself with them anymore.
I'll just say Heavenly Sword was done by a different Ninja Theory ('cause it was, after HS some of their key members left. Like their lead programmer).
While Naughty Dog is raping the competition, Ninja Theory goes a step backward. Enslaved is a step backward, just wait 'till the reviews start pouring in.
ReecyBoixD
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 12:07:15 PM
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Uncharted 2 animations are currently the best out there in games. I played enslaved demo, the animation was clunky especially when jumping from different platforms.
Another thing as well, games are suppose to becoming more realistic, yet ninja theory say it's over done?
Keep taking those steps back ninja theory, because Uncharted 2 alone has won more awards than your games :)
GuyverLT
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 2:31:01 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 2:40:40 PM
Last edited by GuyverLT on 9/28/2010 2:42:07 PM
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 12:42:22 PM
Reply
Beyond that, watch the backgrounds, effects, detailing, animation, etc. in gameplay when you see Enslaved. I just put HS in the PS3 a few days ago...we really HAVE forgotten. It was great for 2007 and it's still good...but hardly great, anymore.
I think too many people are hung up on the fact that Ninja Theory went multi, and are letting that disappointment unfairly bias themselves against the studio and Enslaved. We should try to be more objective.
Scarecrow
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 12:49:54 PM
Though they also claim they're the pioneers of mo-cap yet Enslaved seems to be inferior to Heavenly Sword in that department. So in that alone they've gone backwards.
Last edited by Scarecrow on 9/28/2010 12:51:43 PM
maxpontiac
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 1:35:33 PM
Jawknee
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 2:08:05 PM
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 3:24:35 PM
ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 3:45:26 PM
Shams
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 4:13:04 PM
I just think Mr. Antonaides should take another example from ND: They let their product do all the talking, so they don't have to...it's the mark of most perfectionists...they're so absorbed and sure of their work and improving it, that they don't have time to talk up a storm.
ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 4:32:28 PM
maxpontiac
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 5:34:49 PM
keo7
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 8:56:06 PM
It just my opinion, as a fan of both Staff combat style game and Journey to the West series, I actually disliking the direction NT took in making of Enslaved.
DjEezzy
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 1:27:06 PM
Reply
Last edited by DjEezzy on 9/28/2010 1:29:10 PM
GuyverLT
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 2:35:43 PM
Last edited by GuyverLT on 9/28/2010 2:36:28 PM
aaronisbla
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 2:36:43 AM
It also stems from the fact that they have been talking an awful lot about why HS didn't sell as well, about how much it cost, and so on and so forth.
Most are just tired of hearing them talk and wish they'd just make a kick ass game and let it speak for itself.
After all, they've only made one game this gen. I really didn't care much for Heavenly Sword, it was decent but not some killer app like some make it seem. Great voice acting and motion cap but extremely short game with some repetitive game play. Hopefully, where I felt HS lacked in the gameplay department, enslaved picks up
Last edited by aaronisbla on 9/29/2010 2:42:32 AM
GuyverLT
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 4:48:30 PM
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 1:44:00 PM
Reply
One quick question: Why was he at the BAFTAs? I mean, I know that games are getting mighty close to movies in their production values nowadays, but... why?
Peace.
Fane1024
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 6:05:53 PM
Nynja
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 3:51:43 PM
Reply
Where Uncharted outshines Heavenly Sword in the mo-cap department is the smoother animation.
Both are great examples of great mo-cap and voice over work.
Nynja
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 3:53:48 PM
NazzyQ
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 4:22:49 PM
Reply
Last edited by NazzyQ on 9/28/2010 4:24:34 PM
DjEezzy
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 4:54:03 PM
Reply
GuyverLT
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 5:11:10 PM
Crabba
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 5:27:34 PM
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So I wouldn't say he's wrong, since they obviously know how to do it properly too as they did in HS, whether they will be able to repeat this in Enslaved I guess we'll have to wait and see, but from what I've seen in early videos/screenshots I'm not that impressed.
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 5:56:59 PM
Reply
Jawknee
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 6:09:19 PM
keo7
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 9:06:43 PM
FxTales
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 6:52:32 PM
Reply
It was that right there that turned me off them however I watched the gameplay demo and I found myself enjoying the game. I don't know if it's a purchase but I can say for sure I'm going to try it out.
Last edited by FxTales on 9/28/2010 6:53:49 PM
GuardianMode
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 8:32:14 PM
Reply
BikerSaint
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 9:31:16 PM
Reply
aaronisbla
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 2:44:21 AM
___________
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 4:12:12 AM
Reply

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves









coverton341
Reply
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:12:34 AM