Ninja Theory, developer of the upcoming game Hellblade, has released a new Developer Diary detailing their progress. The video discusses how the main character, Senua, had a face redesign using new face-scanning technology. The team at Ninja Theory originally scanned one of their own member’s face for the character using their own small scanner.
They then decided to consult a company called 3Lateral in Serbia, which exclusively deals with character design in games. The company used an “experimental scanner” so large it can’t fit in their studio, instead being housed in a nearby apartment. Ninja Theory was asked not to film the scanner itself, since it is a very closely guarded secret. “Getting into the scanner felt like entering a giant space ship,” says team video editor Melina Juergens.
The results are breathtaking. The tracker records the face at an extremely high resolution. You can check out some samples in the video above. The developer says the resolution and complexity of the scans is an order of magnitude higher than anything they’ve done in previous games.
Before working on Hellblade, Ninja Theory developed games such as DMC, Enslaved, and Heavenly Sword. Their newest title is being independently published, but will appear first on PlayStation 4. The developer has stated previously that they want to focus on their character’s struggles with mental illness in the game. The depiction of hell in the game is the manifestation of her mental illness.
Hellblade will be released for PS4 and PC in 2016.
