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Reverse the Verse ·
Published on this date.2016-11-04
· 9 Q&As

Star Citizen: Reverse the Verse 2.12 - Austin

Developers discuss NPC animation, including NPCs reacting to each other, character-specific animations and emotes, plus creature mocap trade-offs. Lighting covers room mood, performance budgets, color reflection onto surfaces, and destructible lights once Item 2.0 arrives.

Transmission log

Full answers

What ideas do you have for NPC animations in areas like the Gloc or Arc Corp in general?

Cloud Imperium

Generally, how an NPC reacts to the player, is how an NPC will react to another NPC. If an NPC walks into Astro and there's a greeter, he'll greet them just like a player would be greeted. David talks about a couple being animated where they're debating on a ship and you can tell their story about how they want "this" but they need "this" by their animations.

Reverse the Verse·
Published on this date.4 Nov 2016
NPCs & AIArt & graphics

Do you plan on doing different animations based off their character? Pirate, security, or based off location?

Cloud Imperium

Definitely. They're working on trying to get the base in now, but they're excited to work on those types of things where you can create some unique animations based off their character whether its wealthy areas and how they act or in the slums, you'll notice a difference.

Reverse the Verse·
Published on this date.4 Nov 2016
NPCs & AIArt & graphics

Will there be more emotes?

Cloud Imperium

There's so many emotes that he wants to do personally. They have a base set in there now and they'll likely add more, but that's up to design.

Reverse the Verse·
Published on this date.4 Nov 2016

What is the weirdest animation that has been requested for Star Citizen?

Cloud Imperium

Probably toilet animations. They shot A LOT of toilet animations in Austin. They also have an emergency exit animation for toilets.

Reverse the Verse·
Published on this date.4 Nov 2016
Art & graphics

What are you plans for creatures? Do you mocap animals?

Cloud Imperium

It depends. There's many different ways you can do it. Traditional animators say its better to do everything by hand, especially if you're going for a stylized look, but on a project like this you have to take a look at practicality and what works best time wise. If you wanted to mo-cap a centipede that would be fascinating to watch, but you just have to take some shortcuts that look the same, but underneath allow you to create less work for yourself.

Reverse the Verse·
Published on this date.4 Nov 2016
Art & graphicsNPCs & AI

How do you go about setting up the lighting?

Cloud Imperium

They take cues from the environment and each room has its own mood so you can tell where you are based off where you are without having to see a sign.

Reverse the Verse·
Published on this date.4 Nov 2016
Art & graphics

What has been your biggest challenge with lighting since joining?

Cloud Imperium

Performance, making everything efficient as possible. They have a budget and have to stick it. Making sure that shadow calls don't overlap or are too many for one object.

Reverse the Verse·
Published on this date.4 Nov 2016

Will the environment lighting be affected by our character? For example if wearing red armour would it affect the colour of the room based on reflections?

Cloud Imperium

Eventually yes, if you walked into a white room, it would reflect onto the surfaces around you.

Reverse the Verse·
Published on this date.4 Nov 2016
Art & graphics

Will the lights be destructible?

Cloud Imperium

He's not 100% sure. The goal is to have it, once item 2.0 comes online they'll really overhaul the lights in how they function among other things. So if you know enemies are in a room you can through an EMP to shut off the lights and disrupt their Night vision or thermal goggles.

Reverse the Verse·
Published on this date.4 Nov 2016
Art & graphicsFPS combat