How Mass Effect’s Lip Sync Worked With Every Language
The Mass Effect series utilized quite a selection of impressive animation techniques, including an entirely systemic lip-syncing technology.
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The storytelling devices implemented in BioWare’s iconic Mass Effect franchise have inspired plenty of similar games and prompted a host of sequels, spin-offs, and remasters, but something that’s often overlooked is the fact that Mass Effect’s animation had an equally significant impact on the world of game design. One of the more stand-out elements is the game’s unique lip-syncing process, which was fully localized in all languages. How exactly did BioWare manage this feat?
Recently, the Mass Effect trilogy has seen a new surge of publicity thanks to the release of Mass Effect Legendary Edition, an all-in-one package that remasters the original three games of the series along with almost every DLC. Visual improvements, gameplay alterations, and major bug fixes have made the series more accessible than ever for both new players and returning fans alike. On top of that, Mass Effect 4 has finally been confirmed to be in development and seems poised to take the franchise back to its roots by bringing back familiar characters and potentially continuing Shepard’s story.
As a result of all the newfound attention on the series, BioWare artists and developers have taken to social media to discuss the Mass Effect trilogy and their work on the original games. Jonathan Cooper is one such artist, having worked as an animator on the Mass Effect series in the past. In 2017, he presented fans of the franchise with ten behind the scenes glimpses into the production and development of the series, providing such fun facts as Mass Effect’s connection to Gone with the Wind and even the animation and rigging tool that was responsible for creating many of the series’ alien creatures. In his thread, he also revealed the secret behind Mass Effect’s lip-sync process, and how it broke boundaries in the world of game design.
Mass Effect’s Lip-Sync Is Procedurally Generated
In what Jonathan Cooper speculated may have been a first for the game industry, Mass Effect’s lip-sync animations were fully localized, meaning that each speaker’s mouth movements were almost exactly matched with the audio line being spoken regardless of what language the dialogue was in. The reason behind this was that Mass Effect’s lip-sync was entirely system-based, animated completely through procedural generation rather than being done directly by animators for each different translation. This would have significantly reduced the work that needed to be done by hand, making it more feasible to focus on Mass Effect’s complex story and worldbuilding.
Entire conversations were also procedurally generated in regards to aspects like facial expressions, body language, and camera work, leaving cinematic designers with only the responsibility of improving and retouching the majority of Mass Effect’s many conversations. According to Cooper, around 70% were touched-up by hand, leaving the remaining 30% as entirely computer-generated. It’s a testament to BioWare’s ingenuity and the amount of innovation that can be achieved thanks to procedural generation when used appropriately.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/mass-effect-lip-sync-every-language-procedurally-generated/