Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 1

Ardeshir Mehta

Research Project

The Evolution of Photorealism in the Metal Gear Franchise.

MMDE11-100_143 (Design Communications)

14/11/2014Word Count: 1564 Excluding References

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 2

IntroductionSince 1987, Hideo Kojima has pursed making photorealistic and believable video game with whatever limited technology was present at that time period. With the release of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeros and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Hideo Kojima has pushed the boundaries of Photorealism with the advancement of technology.

When Hideo Kojima started out in the video games industry, technology was very restricted. Three dimensional graphics were introduced only in the 1990s. Hideo Kojima had stated during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in 2009 that there were “barriers of impossibility” when he joined Konami and was assigned to work on the popular MSX2 platform. During the GDC in 2013 he stated that “The advancement of technology and hardware is used as a ladder to make the impossible possible". Hideo Kojima had made this statement when he unveiled his latest creation that would allow him to make the game he has wanted to make since the past 27 years, the FOX Engine, which will be discussed later.

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 3

Metal Gear (1987)Hideo Kojima was tasked by his superiors with creating a combat game in 1987 on the MSX2. At the time the movie Rambo: First Blood was very popular worldwide. The concept of a combat game was not all that complicated. There needed to be a background, enemies confronting the player, and bullets flying between them. This proved complicated as the MSX2 was incapable of rendering sprites in a horizontal line.

Hideo Kojima had thought through several iterations of the game, but ultimately decided on a genre never done in a game before, the stealth genre was born out the limitations of the hardware. The game focused on infiltration and avoiding enemies.

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 4

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990)After the success of Metal Gear, a sequel was to be made on a new platform. Unfortunately a new platform never appeared. None the less, Hideo Kojima wanted to make a “deeper” stealth experience by changing the design of the game. Enemies had their sight lines changed to have a fan shaped field of view. A radar was added to the game for the player to know the position of the enemy. Another feature added was an “evasion” phase, where the enemies will be cautious and look for the player after an alert mode. The enemies can even hear the player in the game, which means the player must be careful.

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 5

Metal Gear Solid (1998)After the completion of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, a three dimensional game was to be made on the MSX2. Hideo Kojima had explained that this was completely impossible on the MSX2 and that it could only do 2D games.

In 1994 an “incident” happened. The Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn was released. This was a major step in the direction of photorealism. In that era, three dimensional polygons were able to only run on super computers. The PlayStation was able to render three dimensional polygons in real time and was able to do it in the comfort of one’s home.

The three dimensional technology created by Kojima and the power of the PlayStation was able to deliver a purer sense of tension as there are more places to hide. In some instances the camera switches to a first person perspective, for example when Snake crawls into a duct.

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 6

Metal Gear Solid 2 (2001)To create a photorealistic stealth looking game was again near impossible. Another “incident” occurred in 2000, PlayStation 2 had come around. A very capable machine for its time, in terms of graphics. The medium was also changed to a DVD format which could hold lots of information.

At this point Hideo Kojima did not want to only make the game look photorealistic, but even feel real. The PlayStation 2 could generate shadows which could be spotted by enemies to add tension to the atmosphere. The game also used motion capture for a more real feel to the characters.

The game had many features like additional hiding places, location based damage on enemies and so on. The game was also presented at 60 frames per second for a smooth realistic feel to the game.

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 7

Metal Gear Solid 3 (2004)The record breaking success of Metal Gear Solid 2 meant that a sequel was definitely happening. This game was to surpass the previous game not just in photorealism, but in every aspect while being on the same platform, the PlayStation 2.

Hideo Kojima and his team had to now change the way the game was designed relying more on software technology instead of hardware.

The game was set in a vast photorealistic jungle environment instead of closed artificial environments. There were many complex systems included in the game such as the food scavenging system, a camouflage system, an injury recovery and cure system and the Close Quarters Combat system.

The game featured characters and vast natural settings so photorealistic, that the game runs at a lower frame rate than Metal Gear Solid 2 at 30 frames per second on the PlayStation 2 to accommodate the enhanced photorealistic visuals and setting of the game and its environments.

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 8

Metal Gear Solid 4 (2008)In 2005 Hideo Kojima had started hearing the buzz and hype around the PlayStation 3 which he jokingly said that it was so powerful that he did not even need game design to make the ultimate stealth game.

The team had to use the actual power of the system to make the game, so they focused on a “new infiltration experience”. This game was based around using advanced technology to get traverse war zones to complete the objectives. The player could wipe out both sides, decide to favour either side or go through undetected.

A special device was given to the player to adapt to the changing environments of a war zone. A suit that has adaptive camouflage technology which can mimic the look of any surface, like a chameleon.

The Blu-Ray disc format was able to hold a huge amount of data on it. Hence this game had cinematics that were closer to photorealism than ever before with some cinematics being close to nighty minutes long. Hideo Kojima also explained that the cinematics were so long and photorealistic, that the game would take up the space of seven DVDs.

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 9

Metal Gear Solid V (2014 & TBA 2015) and the FOX EngineAt the Game Developers Conference in 2013 Hideo Kojima had showcased the proprietary technology that his company, Kojima Productions, has been working on for the game Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeros (2014) and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (both these games together make up the full portion of Metal Gear Solid V, Ground Zeros being the prologue to The Phantom Pain). Hideo Kojima has stated that the FOX engine he and his company created is the ladder to “make the impossible possible” in relation to game design.

The people who create the assets for the game can basically render photorealistic pictures using linear space lighting, and then set the exact shaders by comparing them to real photos. The FOX engine creates three dimensional character models by using a software called PhotoScan on photo-real sculptures, with the help of distinct effects makeup and another software called Softimage.

Textures are generated from the original images, so they are close in resemblance to the three dimensional model. They can be generated spontaneously from the reference photo by PhotoScan, applied and then altered by hand, by the artist later.

The outcome is extremely detailed wireframes that are so true to the original model that the difference is negligible to the images shown in the presentation at GDC from photos of models rendered in the game engine.

Photorealism and lifelike behaviour of light are major areas of emphasis for Kojima Productions; postponed renderings are employed to upkeep a large number of lights and give three dimensional entities and characters a look that is consistent throughout the game.

Hideki Sasaki, who is the CG art director says that rather than simply replicating realism, technology gives us the prospect to comprehend the environment more, and encourages artists to develop a familiar acquaintance with the way physics, light and shadows work in real life.

"The more technology evolves, the more we have to understand our surroundings," Sasaki says. "It's important to understand the physical world; to reproduce the real world, we need to study the real world."

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 10

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 11

ConclusionHenrik Wann Jensen, a researcher at the University of California, San Diego's Computer Graphics Laboratory has coined the definition; “Photorealism simply means that a simulated scene appears indistinguishable from a photograph, or by extension, from real life. The main obstacle to photorealism is processing power.”

Even the boss of 2K games, Christoph Hartmann, has also stated in an interview with GamesIndustry International that games need to become more photorealistic.

His argument revolved around the fact it is very difficult to portray emotions in video games. It can be easily be done in a movie, but with the lack of photorealistic graphics in video games it is not possible to open up new genres. He states that game developers take safe bets with shooters and action oriented games.

In conclusion games have been striving towards reaching certain photorealistic goals to achieve a sense of reality and to become more believable and more acceptable to the general public.

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 12

A visual representation of the evolution of photorealism in the Metal Gear franchise from 1987 to 2014

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 13

ReferencesAlexander, L. (2009, March 26). GDC: How Kojima Defied The 'Impossible' Throughout Metal Gear's History. Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22938

Alexander, L. (2013, March 27). FOX engine brings Kojima Productions one step closer to photo-reality. Retrieved November 2, 2014, from http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/189445/FOX_engine_brings_Kojima_Productions_one_step_closer_to_photoreality.php#comments

Scharr, J. (2013, October 2). The Tech Challenges to Photorealistic Games. Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.tomsguide.com/us/photorealism-ten-years-why,review-1915.html

Brightman, J. (2012, August 1). Games must achieve photorealism in order to open up new genres says 2K. Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-08-01-games-must-achieve-photorealism-in-order-to-open-up-new-genres-says-2k

Brightman, J. (2012, August 2). 2K's Christoph Hartmann: Why Consoles Will Always Matter. Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-08-01-2k-games-christoph-hartmann-why-consoles-will-always-matter

Pictures (USED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY)http://media.vandal.net/i/5000x2500/16666/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain-2014621114815_1.jpg

Picture list

http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11118/111188273/4205497-2786128538-11977.gif

http://www.geeklegacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Metal-Gear-MSX_Metal-Gear.jpg

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 14

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b1/MSX2_Metal_Gear_2.PNG

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110927145330/metalgear/images/1/1c/MG2_Gray_Fox.png

http://static.squarespace.com/static/5036eb98e4b0d30973de4aae/512aa0dce4b099777376dd36/512ab328e4b0dc8d3ddef407/1361752873757/metalgir.jpg

http://www.destructoid.com/elephant//ul/6877-468x-Metal%20Gear%20Solid%20-%20Snake%20and%20Meryl.JPG

http://136589870a6a35f2061a-300fd00344af618df2fc22640adefd09.r37.cf1.rackcdn.com/splash/06-2013/METAL_GEAR_SOLID_2_SONS_OF_LIBERTY_SCREENSHOT_2.jpg

http://199.101.98.242/media/shots/150679-Metal_Gear_Solid_2_-_Sons_of_Liberty_(USA)-8.jpg

http://fronttowardsgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Metal-Gear-Solid-3-01.jpeg

http://geekti.me/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/614-metal-gear-solid-2-7022659-1024-768.jpeg

http://dereklieu.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/oldsnake.jpg

http://www.laserlemming.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mgsv.jpg

http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2367051-mgsvgz_ss_demo_001.jpg

http://starsmedia.ign.com/stars/image/article/106/1060066/big-boss-of-the-day-metal-gears-big-boss-20100111025445242_640w.jpg

http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Games/M/Metal%20Gear%20Solid%204/Bulk%20Viewers/PS3/2008-04-08/UPM100.mgs.nu1--article_image.jpg

http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/scale_small/8/89459/2307973-fox_engine.png

http://ps3.mmgn.com/Lib/Images/News/Normal/E3-2011-39-Fox-Engine-39-revealed-by-Hideo-Kojima-1070279.jpg

Ardeshir Mehta Photorealism P a g e | 15