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SOEmote mixes webcams w ingame avatar expressions
video and E3 interview at link
SOE is adding new facial recognition tech to EverQuest 2 that lets the game track your movement and facial expressions and replicate them on your avatar in real-time. Voice chat is also built into the feature so that your character will animate naturally while you talk.
We have a full demo video of the tech below, and the inside scoop on how it works and why the devs think MMO players will love it from EQ2′s Director of Development David Georgeson and the CEO of the company that developed the technology, Robert Gehorsam.
Comments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRo2z6LtyJo
Here is the SoE video in the PC Gamer article. The article has a lot more information though so I would suggest giving it a read.
I was not expecting this, at all. I knew it was coming to EQNext but had no idea it would grace EQ2. I love it and adds further depth to what I think is the best PvE game on the market. Now all I need is a 3DTV...
If this is what is being leaked I'm pretty excited to see what they are showcasing at E3. My first MMO was EQ and then moved to EQ2 back in '05. Coming back recently with a new graphics card I'm amazed how good it looks at max. I don't have things like Sunshafts turned on yet.
Just not worth my time anymore.
Does look quite good even using the EQ2 engine, the EQnext game is using Planetside 2's "Forgelight" Engine and the faces in that are pretty incredible so can't wait to see this tech on that engine.
Along with the voice modulation this is quite a bold move towards greater roleplaying elements.
now thats what i call innovation.
That guy reminded me of Mr. Rogers. Great addition though lol.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
indeed. very cool. my kids would love this.
BigCountry | Head Hunters | www.wefarmpeople.com
This is really going to be fun.
Life is Short, Read a Book.
And some rather cool innovation, too.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
This is... actually really, really cool. I honestly never expected innovation like this from SoE. Bravo!
Awesome. One more step in the right direction. I suppose someone is still going to say that it's not innovative.
I just saw the video on youtube most viewed. I was like damn that's some new technology.
Kinda agreed. Even if it is effectively useless for most people at least it's good for laughs and roleplayers could make good use of it combined with voice morphing options. I just hope SoE doesn't do something stupid like charging for it as premium service or something.
Good idea, clever.
But a waste of time and resources when the render/engine is incapable of displaying animations smooth enough to show a blink.
On paper this sounds cool, but in reality this feature is going to be a nightmare. EQ will turn into chatroulette.
WoW that looks so bad.
Don't see why these are good things? You can get software to change your voice anyways and that head tracking not only looks bad but is pointless.
Lol it didn't take the negative Nancy's long to wade in with detractions, took longer than average though.
Man that is TIGHT! With voice modulation, this takes roleplaying to the next level.
I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back.
Perhaps, I would guess however that EQ2 is more a test platform for this and EQnext and possibly even planetside 2 will be the games using this primarily.
That was freaking sweet.
The camera's that you buy for 39 dollars have this technology (With their own avatars) So I am glad to see a gaming company say, Hey, if you can do this on skype, why can't it translate to our MMO. Good job, I hope more gaming companies decide to do this, it is a step forward for gaming.
(Just be careful all you bored gamers who play with one hand and do naughty things to your body with the other hand, watch that facial expression!)
I for one am not much of a roleplayer and even I thought it was cool. It is a great addition to the tools in an mmo for fun player to player interactions. I salute SOE for their innovation yet again.
There was something almost creepy about that guy, in a "won't you be my neighbor" kinda way.
Well innovative in that they've bothere to add it but I don't see it being used, how many here know that WoW for example has built in voice chat? it's had it for ages but no one uses it as they prefer their teamspeak etc, this system will only work if people use the built in voice chat in EQ2, thats the stumbling block and probably the reason why it's not been done before in other games.
Not to put SOE down, it's great they're adding it but will it realy be used that much once the novely runs out and every one goes back to their teamspeak?
this works without voice too - giving facial expressions to your character
I agree its fluff but it still enhances the game experience
EQ2 fan sites
I'll be using it. In fact, I was looking at webcams because of it yesterday. I like to RP in games, I think this will add a lot to that. It'll make having a character in game more interactive and that's never a bad thing!
At the end of the day, most people in EQ2 have figured out that we've become the test dummies for EQNext. This webcam integration is something that they talked about doing (without going into any detail or specifics at all) for EQNext. When it popped up the other day as being SJ's (and yes, my husband and I also thought he was creepy as crap in that video) 'big announcement', I wasn't surprised at all.
While I love EQ2, play the crap out of it too, I still feel like they really should have a larger team working to fix the bugs and the itemization issues they have going on. I know that there are several departments, so I'll never say, "They should have been working on bug squashing instead!" but I wish there was more of a FOCUS on that, rather than the fluff/SC items they keep rolling out. They seem to be able to put out new marketplace items weekly, but can't seem to squash many bugs...
heh yeah, I had given up on SOE, but... PS2 and now this kind of thinking...
Not saying I would play EQ2 again for it, but sure makes me pay a bit more attention to EQN