Media Players required for this class: 1) Windows Media Player (free) 2) Apple QuickTime (free)
Pre-rendered 3D computer graphics (as opposed to real time 3D graphics) have been able to "fool" us for a long time now. Need proof? Take the quiz: http://area.autodesk.com/fakeorfoto/challenge
Note: Objects (such as those in the above "fake or photo" quiz) fool humans easier because we're not as senstive to objects as we are human faces. Faces are another story altogether, although pre-rendered synthespians have been able to fool us for a few years now.
The rise of 'synthespians' (Christian Science Monitor): He's spent 2-1/2 years being filmed, but Andy Serkis won't get any face time on screen. Or foot or hand or torso time, for that matter: http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1218/p01s01-almo.html
The Uncanny Valley: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_Valley
The article above talks about the traditional Hollywood approach to creating synthetic humans which will NOT (won't) work in "real time" (it's great for pre-recording high quality digital humans onto film, but not feasible for interacting with them in real time).
This Hollywood technology is quickly
merging with real time 3D technology, however, making it possible to
(in the near future: 3 to 5 years out max) create the same quality in
real time and without all of the up-front work. This means that true,
free form interaction (conversations and shared immersive spaces)
with synthetic humans (digital humans) will be possible. Here are two
examples of how this transition from film to real time is already
happening:
Step 1: Create your synthetic 3D face from a photo using a new breed of software tools, for example: http://www.facegen.com/modeller.htm
Using a tool such as FaceGen modeller
here are examples of how average everyday people can create their own
synthetic face using no more than 2 photos (a head-on and profile
photo): http://www.facegen.com/photofit_samples.htm
Step 2: To make a synthetic human face seem to "be real" in real time technologies such as FaceRobot come into play. The Face Robot videos below show some examples of what can be done to bring faces to life with movement (a cartoonish looking guy is used for these demos, but the technology can be applied to any synthetic face such as those shown above). Notice that Face Robot is no longer a stand-alone software product; it is build into more comprehensive 3D authoring tools. It's still helpful, however, to see the types of things that can be done with digital face manipulation software such as this:
Step 3: Next step? Use artificial intelligence
to let your synthetic character talk and act like a real human.
About mocap: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_capture (skim for 5 minutes)
Mocap in action: Watch this QuickTime movie
About lip synch: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip_synch (skim for 5 minutes)
1) Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) assignment. Download and unZip these VRML characters. Modify the face image texture for the facegen.com "john_hi_vrml97" character (the high resolution version of VRML John). Edit the texture using a tool such as Paint or Photoshop to enhance John's appearance (remove blemishes, give a beard, change eye color, etc.). Blog at least 3 screenshots of your John character shown in a Web browser to show me your version of John from 3 different angles. Note: To open the VRML files you will need a VRML browser plug-in such as the program called BS Contact that you can get from the download area here (warning: don't use blaxxun Contact, as it will not allow you to view the VRML file on your hard drive. Use BS Contact VRML 6.1 OR LATER instead).
2) FaceGen Modeler assignment: Install the trial version of FaceGen Modeler (see "Real-time Synthetic Humans" notes above for the link). Use FaceGen Modeler to create a custom synthetic human head and face; use the Morph options to create interesting expressions. Blog at least 5 screenshots of your work as it takes shape (to show me how you created the head/face).
3) Download and install America's Army (http://www.americasarmy.com/). Run America's Army and complete the basic training so that you're comfortable using this simulator.
To record a game demo (raw 3D scene and commands related to a game in progress):
Enter the game console by pressing the ~ tilde key
Type DEMOREC and then press enter; this starts the demo recording
Press the ESC key to exit (get rid of) the game console window
Play the game...
To stop recording enter the game console again and then type STOPDEMO
Demo files are stored in the C:\UT2004\Demos although you play them back from within the game as detailed below...
To play back (view) the demo or convert a demo into an AVI movie:
Select COMMUNITY from the main UT2004 screen
Click the DEMO button, and then select the name of your demo file
Choose to play back the demo (render in real time) or convert it into an AVI format movie
To play back a movie switch out of the game and open the C:\UT2004\UserMovies folder, then open the video in a media player such as QuickTime, MediaPlayer, etc.
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