Oxford, July, 2010.
We were really lucky to meet NaturalMotion the computer games designers responsible for the Euphoria engine that powers such games as GTA 4 and Red Dead Redemption as well as their first title BackBreaker. The Euphoria engine does not rely on canned animation techniques but is a series of rules that teaches the animation how to comply with the laws of physics. When you see it in action, which you will if you’ve played Red Dead Redemption, you’ll know this means that the gameplay feels real, the characters can surprise you and move like humans.
Matt, Chris and CEO Torsten Reil talk us through the importance of physics in creating realistic game worlds and enhancing the games playing experience. Torsten Reil started the company following some academic research into the bio-mechanically accurate modelling of animals. When we first approached Torsten to take part in this film, his motivation for saying yes was that he was fed up with young graduates applying to his company for jobs with the wrong qualifications. To work in the gaming world you need a degree in maths or physics.
Matt and Chris show us the power of their physics engine, and to prove how effective it is, they switch off some aspects of the physics world to see what its like if the gravity doesn’t work. We see first hand the hilarious results when you adjust the laws of physics.
This film has animation created in-house explaining the physics of forces and motion.
Filmed on Canon 7D & 550D with Sigma 30mm, Tokina 11-16mm, Canon 18-135mm.