Game Developers Now Only Need an iPhone to Apply Facial Motion Capture Techniques

Epic Games has a new toy for fans developer as well as filmmakers who use the Unreal Engine in their work. They just released LiveLink Face, an iPhone application designed for the needs of motion capture, specifically the facial movements of an actor or actress (facial motion capture).

The app leverages iOS' built-in ARKit technology as well as the iPhone's TrueDepth camera system. The way it works is basically not much different from the Animoji and Memoji features, it's just that on the Live Link Face the facial animation data will be forwarded automatically. real-time to a running computer for mobile devices to report the UnrealEngine.

Just like technology facial motion capture In general, all facial movements captured by the iPhone's front camera will be translated by the application into the same facial expression on a CGI character. The result will certainly not be as accurate as the method facial motion capture traditional involves multiple sensors affixed to the face of the actor, but at least the Live Link Face can be very useful for small-scale productions.

Indie game developer for example, they can use this app to improve facial animations on characters in game made. Previously they needed equipment facial motion capture which is quite expensive and complex, thanks to Live Link Face they only need an iPhone equipped with Face ID features (iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro) only.

This is important considering the Unreal Engine already free since 2015 then, and lately Epic has too change the royalty system so that developer no need to pay a dime before game his creations brought in $1 million in revenue, making it even more affordable for developer from various circles.

The Live Link Face can also be seen as Epic's first step in its mission to ease a number of aspects game development through U. Thanks to this app, at least one difficult area of ​​development – facial motion capture – they have managed to thwart using a solution that is both simple and affordable.

Epic Games' interest in innovating in the field facial motion capture actually not too surprising, because before this they had already acquired two companies that do have specializations in the field of facial animation and facial rigging.

Sumber: Epic Games.