[QDream]

Not much is known about Quantic Dream’s latest project, entitled Heavy Rain. All the info thats been released on it thus far is a trailer called “The Casting” and a movie poster - neither of which are even necessarily representative of what the game will actually be.

While details on the actual game are fuzzy, Quantic Dream has been more liberal when talking about the technical aspects behind the game. In all of their previous projects, Quantic Dream has aimed at achieving a theatrical experience that could compete at the same level as a Hollywood production. They have always put strong emphasis on using motion capturing technology , which they believe delivers the best sense of realism. Over the years, they went from working with outsourcing studios to developing a specialized in house motion capturing system. With Heavy Rain, they’ve further upgraded their motion capturing system, able to capture even small facial movements.

What this means is that Quantic Dream has moved beyond just needing motion capture actors - they need real actors, people capable of delivering a Hollywood quality performance. Thus, Quantic Dream has been in contact with several A ranked actors, most notably Leonardo Di Caprio. Heavy Rain could very well set the bar for theatrical performances in video games.

As is the case with just about every PS3 exclusive game, many are wondering why QD has chosen to remain with the PS3 exclusively. Outside of the fact that Sony is publishing the game, there are a few other reasons. One of the main factors seems to be that the Cell processor is extremely good at the number crunching mathematics used by the physics system of the game. Guillaume de Fondaumière, co-founder of QD, also mentioned in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz “it’s extremely difficult to create games of the same visual quality on both platforms[360 and PS3]. Even from an economical standpoint, if you really want to give the best shot on both platforms you have to invest far more money than just spending the money on the one platform. Or you have simple ports, which are of less quality”.

As for details in regards of the game itself - its expected to have a noire atmosphere, and will also not have any of the criticized sci-fi elements of Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy. Beyond that, details are slim. Quantic has stated they are working on something playable, so the possibility of demo is there, but they maintain that its up to Sony.

Heavy Rain is due out sometime in 2008, although its doubtful this deadline will be made. Surfer Girl told us that Heavy Rain is “shaping up to be nothing short of astounding”, and from what we know, we are with her. As big fans of both Omikron and Fahrenheit/Indigo, we are heavily anticipating this title, and hopefully we will have some more information soon!

[Ninja Dodo]

I have to ask: Do you work for Quantic?

Cage's love of motion capture is hugely misguided. I greatly respect his quest to bring different kinds of emotion and subject matter to gaming, but his insistence on mocap being the magical ticket to performance wonderland is a problem.

Heavy Rain could very well set the bar for theatrical performances in video games.

Like Polar Express and Beowulf did for CG film?

Seriously, motion capture for facial expression has *never* worked convicingly without heavy modification by skilled animators... Do you think Gollum and Kong or Davy Jones came straight from the minds of Serkis and Nighy? There were armies of animators working on those characters. Most of the mocap on Kong was only used for reference...

Cage doesn't get this. Until he does, expect more noticably mocapped characters.

[nrvllrgrs]

The Uncanny Valley

[QDream]

No I dont work for them, I found this on a gaming news site I loved Fahrenheit so I can't wait for this to be released.. the only worth checking out game besides Uncharted for PS3 for me ..

[Terramax]

Surfer Girl told us that Heavy Rain is “shaping up to be nothing short of astounding”, and from what we know, we are with her. As big fans of both Omikron and Fahrenheit/Indigo, we are heavily anticipating this title, and hopefully we will have some more information soon!

I say make Heavy Rain with Jim Henson puppets. They tend to give out more emotion than the average Hollywood actor

Seriously though, this talks of A-list actors, revolutionary graphics and 'this computer is better than that' insults me.

I don't care what actors are brought to the forefront. Call me a sceptic as always, but I don't like the idea of A-list actors in games. It’s just another way of plugging the actor's faces in another medium.

As soon as that starts happening, games become even less of an art form and more about selling sexuality and forwarding an already overpaid actor's career (after all, no-one watches Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie because they think they're good actors).

Pre-emptively speaking I know this already happens with the franchise games, but this is just another step closer to games being a gimmicky way of blanket marketing and money going to the wrong people in the industry.

Furthermore, the reason why Fahrenheit was a terrible letdown IMO was because Cage tried to make it more like a film. If Cage likes Hollywood so much, he should change jobs.

I play a game instead of watching a film when I try to exit the constraints of a film. When I don’t want to have to see Al Pacino put on another hard man acts, Julia Roberts with her smiley façade. When I want to believe in the characters I'm watching, not play and say "oh look! there's that bloke from Lord of the Rings" or whatever.

That's not to say I don't agree with actors helping make games more believable and powerful. Real actors were used in one of my fav games:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7f6EWqCscyc

Using celebrities and stars is just going to close more doors than open new ones, which is what the statements made by the original poster is trying to make out.

Cage spent so much time trying to imitate Hollywood drivel, he ended up with a rip-off plot that even casual gamers scorned and lack of interactivity, despite all the hoo-har that this was a move forward.

I won’t touch on graphics though as this debate will be on-going until the test of time. I’ll just say what most agree on – give all the best graphics you like, but that doesn’t make a game, or even a film for that matter.

“shaping up to be nothing short of astounding”? Tell me that after we’re given some evidence of what really matters in plot driven games. A exceptional plot!

[Ninja Dodo]

Originally Posted by QDream

No I dont work for them, I found this on a gaming news site I loved Fahrenheit so I can't wait for this to be released.. the only worth checking out game besides Uncharted for PS3 for me ..

I was gonna say... it reads like a press release. That and your username...

nrvllrgrs: \o/

Originally Posted by Terramax

after all, no-one watches Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie because they think they're good actors

Um, yeah they do. Fight Club is ace. I'm temporarily lost on Angelina, but she's not a bad actress. Mr and Mrs Smith was entertaining to watch just for their chemistry, despite having no plot.

That aside I agree with you that big-name actors are not what games need.

They need more explosions. Preferably on the boxart.

[QDream]

Well I took this username cuz Fahrenheit is my fav game and I have huge expectations for other projects from QD...

and to Terramax: I don't think that by stating that they want A-list actors for their roster they mean that they will use them to create character models or faces for the game or whatsoever. What I think they meant was their usage for things like motion and voiceovers which would help to push the game. Even though I consider this a good idea I think that QD is good enough with their current roster of motion and voiceover performers because they proved it with Fahrenheit.

And with the current situation in adventure game scene I think it would be a wise move to try something different and maybe change the direction of the adventure games as we now know them. Because I don't think that any company can make a simple 3rd or 1st person point & click adventure which would be interesting for the majority of 'adventurers' any more.

[Terramax]

Originally Posted by QDream

and to Terramax: I don't think that by stating that they want A-list actors for their roster they mean that they will use them to create character models or faces for the game or whatsoever.
What I think they meant was their usage for things like motion and voiceovers which would help to push the game.

To me, it's the same thing. Using an actor's name in any way, to mean, gives the implication that a game hasn't got anything good to go by.

Although there are the acceptions, from what I'm aware of, Pixar films rarely use sellable names. At least not shamelessly in the same way other companies have with their animated films, like 'Over the Hedge' and 'A Shark's Tale' which heavily boasted the fact they had A-list actors and celebs.

Same with Studio Ghibli. Never tooting using famous voice actors in their English dubs. Then they used Christian Bale, Emily Mortimor and others to cover the fact that Howl's Moving Castle was the worst Ghibli film yet.

Even though I consider this a good idea I think that QD is good enough with their current roster of motion and voiceover performers because they proved it with Fahrenheit.

Exactly. Couldn't agree more. If Heavy Rain really is such a great game, it doesn't need these actors other than to increase sales, as it'll suffer without [the famous stars].

And with the current situation in adventure game scene I think it would be a wise move to try something different and maybe change the direction of the adventure games as we now know them. Because I don't think that any company can make a simple 3rd or 1st person point & click adventure which would be interesting for the majority of 'adventurers' any more.

I like the idea of moving on to, but not without maintaining the quality of a game. But as stated, using actors is a heavy implication there isn't anything revolutionary going on here other than a game that's slightly more pixel perfect than the last.

[MoriartyL]

Originally Posted by Terramax

Although there are the exceptions, from what I'm aware of, Pixar films rarely use sellable names. At least not shamelessly in the same way other companies have with their animated films, like 'Over the Hedge' and 'A Shark's Tale' which heavily boasted the fact they had A-list actors and celebs.

Same with Studio Ghibli. Never tooting using famous voice actors in their English dubs. Then they used Christian Bale, Emily Mortimor and others to cover the fact that Howl's Moving Castle was the worst Ghibli film yet.

I'm not going to get into this argument because I don't particularly care one way or another about any of this. But there are factual mistakes here. Pixar has almost always used famous actors. I distinctly remember advertisements for Toy Story 2 with "Tom Hanks" and "Tim Allen" in big letters. Monsters Inc. had Billy Crystal and John Goodman. A Bug's Life's villain was Kevin Spacey, Ratatouille's villain was Peter O'Toole. And so on. Likewise, most of Studio Ghibli's English dubbings from the past few years have had famous actors: Patrick Stewart, Billy Bob Thornton, Minnie Driver, Shia LaBeouf, Uma Thurman, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Hamill, etc. etc. etc.

[Terramax]

Yes, you're right. I think my definition of big names is different. I never thought Billy Crystal or Mark Hamill were big names.

Can I reword it and say that, besides Toy Story, I've not seen them hype their films with famous voices the same way the creators of A Shark's Tale and Ice Age did?

[Ninja Dodo]

Tom Hanks and Tim Allen may have been some part of the hype around Toy Story, but I do not remember seeing any other Pixar trailer emphasizing, even mentioning the voice talent. A lot of the time they have little known actors and when they do use A-list stars, it's because they have a distinctive voice that fits the character, not because their name will rake in the cash at the box office. There was, what, one celebrity actor in The Incredibles? (Sam Jackson)

[QDream]

E3 2008 is just about done, but before that, there's a few more bullets left in its clip. One good example of that is Heavy Rain by French-based devs Quantic Dream. The game is a PlayStation 3 exclusive and it was shown to a crowd with one little catch.

The catch is that there's an NDA in effect that means those who saw what was there to be seen can't talk about it. Well, at least not on mass media channels. TwitterBerry reported that the Heavy Rain demo "wowed the crowd" and they left a little hint by adding "we can't say more other than if you liked Indigo Prophecy, you'll 'love' this."

[nomadsoul]

http://whatifgaming.com/whatifgaming...-awards-2008/9

Best Non-Playable Presentation:
Heavy Rain

Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date: TBA 2009
Show at E3 on: PS3

As we have already broken the news here, Heavy Rain was shown in real time at E3 2008. All we can say about this title is, it’s unbelievably impressive and unlike anything you’ve seen before. It was a different scenery than the one in the kitchen, and it had hearts pumping with the bitter struggle that took place.


Biggest Surprise:
Heavy Rain Gameplay

Developer: N/A
Publisher: N/A
Release Date: N/A

We weren’t expecting this at all. Once again, we know that it’s a struggle scene in a garage, and it’s undeniably suspenseful and thrilling. We’d love to show you all the video snippet we have, but we can’t! We can say one thing though, focus on the Tokyo Game Show and more importantly Liepzig.


sony ftw

[Fantasysci5]

I liked "Indigo Prophecy", and I'm sad this new game won't have some of the sci-fi elements.

And YAY for Jim Henson Puppets!!!!! Bring in the Muppets!!!! lol

[QDream]

huge props on the update nomadsoul!!!

[Melanie68]

Originally Posted by QDream

damn it stop moving my threads, this is an adventure game and I posted it in the proper section.. this is fresh news and I want people to notice it so i created a new thread..

I didn't move your thread from adventure. I merged it with one of your existing Heavy Rain threads. I don't like having a multitude of threads that are about the same game that are started every time someone has something a little different to say. If you find something to say later about this game, try to bump one of your other threads (which will have the same effect of people noticing it - especially since this thread is title 'Latest News...').

[Thorn]

So that must mean that the "demo" weren't just any random casting/testing? I'm sooo happy! I really adore the whole "revenge, hate, despair" type of thing, especially when there's a loooot of things unravelling and all, since it adds so much depth and that makes you lose yourself in a game! <3

I'm so happy a studio with a very good motion-capture isn't only using it to capture fighting moves for a "ninja/war/whatever" game like so many others are, but that it's actually used to set up a realistic struggle between two people in an adventure game (or "adventure-ish" atleast. It hasn't been confirmed that it's an adventure game and all...).

...Right, I'm rambling and I don't even know what I'm saying except that I really love Quantic Dream. Especially for putting in so many resources for a genre that isn't well-known for stunning graphics and all that. I'm just really excited!

Originally Posted by QDream

" if you liked Indigo Prophecy, you'll 'love' this."

Gimme. Gimme now!

The movement in the tech demo, does this just represent the kind of detailed animation and emotion for pre rendered scenes only?

Also, someone pointed out to me that Mass Effect is already employing the same motion capture technology. I took a look at it, it does look good, but nothing stood out to me the same way this tech demo does.

[orient]

I can't wait to see this game.

I agree that modelling real actor's faces into games is going a bit too far, but I seriously doubt that will start happening. It doesn't really happen that much in animated films.

Mass Effect, Yakuza and Oblivion all have hollywood actors doing voice work (and facial capture in some cases, I think) but none of them use the actor's actual faces or even promote the actors involvement that much.

I don't even care if a game is sold with an actors name on the box in big bold letters, as long as it's a good, quality game.

I need to go back and play Fahrenheit because I didn't finish it the first time round. From what I remember, the story became more convoluted the more I played and by the end I was growing tired of their poor excuse for "action" sequences. Those coloured buttons were too visually obstructive for my liking, too frequent and payed little relevance to what was actually going on, on-screen. A lot of games have copied the "quick time event" cutscene from Shenmue but unfortunately most abuse it. However, I didn't mind it in God of War because it was better implemented into the gameplay. I don't think Resident Evil 4 gained much from it but it wasn't exactly a detractor either. In Fahrenheit it felt over-used and poorly implemented to me.