USATODAY "How NBA Live captures an NBA Star's Moves"

[Hiteshom]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/08/damian- ... interview/

These days, NBA video games don’t just create likenesses of players. As motion-capturing technology grows more sophisticated, it has become easier for game companies to capture the signature moves, shots and even facial expressions that NBA fans are familiar with from their favorite players.

This fall, EA Sports is relaunching the influential NBA Live series with NBA Live 14. Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving will grace the cover, but he isn’t the only star whose moves will be featured in the game. Portland Trail Blazers point guard and 2013 Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard was recently in Orlando for a filming session, and spoke to For The Win about the experience.

“It was fun,” Lillard said. “Everybody doesn’t get the opportunity to have themselves imitated perfectly on a video game, so the fact that I was able to go through all my moves and all my facial expressions, and they captured all my movements for this game was a cool experience.”

EA took the same approach to determining Lillard’s go-to moves as opposing scouts, utilizing the video scouting service Synergy to determine the drills and sets through which to put the Blazers star.

“They had a chance to get on Synergy and see some of my main go-to moves,” Lillard said. “They sort of let me flow into what I was doing. It was natural, and that’s what they want it to be on the game, is me just playing.”

Even Lillard’s facial expressions were captured for the game: “They tell you the faces to make and I’ve made them all. It was pretty simple.”

The suits players wear for the “mocap” sessions are fitted to their bodies and feature meticulously placed reference markers.

[Andrew]

Interesting that they put Synergy to use there. From the sounds of it, mo-capped players will have their own facial expressions while everyone else will use some generic facial animations.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Hiteshom]

yeah no prob!