NBA 2K18

NBA 2K18 Captures So Many Details, This is How it Gets Done

Published on August 8, 2017

Brian Tong, from C|Net, has written some detailed information on how NBA 2K18 has drastically improved the graphics in the game this year. It starts with a self-powered mobile scanning RV from Pixelgun Studio, to capture player likeness. The RV has 146 Canon cameras, that continuously gets updated to the latest model. These cameras help capture the highest quality face scans and tattoos, with up to 16,000 textures.

I’ll list a few bullet points below, but make sure to read the full article here, as it contains quite a few interesting bits of information you might not be aware of.

2K captures many different facial expressions, including a “scrunch face” to maximize compression of every wrinkle.
If a certain player has a signature expression, 2K will get it.
The art team completely rebuilt player faces, with a higher resolution base mesh to handle more detail for rounded forms on the face like the ears, or the side of the nostril.
Faces were not the only thing rebuilt. Bodies, uniforms and accessories were as well.
2K created a new body system that makes every player model unique, with no fixed template. The number of body types is infinite.
Handheld laser scanners were used to capture perforations in the jersey, the size of the jersey font, the size of the number, the stitching, the thickness of the piping and how much border there is from the stripe to the edge of the jersey.
They also did separate scans to capture jerseys’ true colors. Infinite body types means infinite jersey types as well. Over 200 shoes and signature accessories have also been scanned.

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Showing comments 1-35 of 35 comments

23 08-08-2017 07:43:52 PM (EDT)

Steve_OS

2K created a new body system that makes every player model unique, with no fixed template. The number of body types is infinite.

Okay
I have to go bible on yall with this one

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this."

Can you please tell me more on this 2K... When do we hear more concerning this body type system?
BTW, the only camera better than those Canon's are the Sony A series DSLR's

Geolink 08-08-2017 07:43:59 PM (EDT)

I would love to see a mini-doc done about this process.

XxKnicksRules215xX 08-08-2017 07:54:14 PM (EDT)

Pretty good article.

FerdBrown 08-08-2017 07:55:19 PM (EDT)

The number of body types is infinite! Yes!
Continue reading...

youvalss 08-08-2017 08:04:15 PM (EDT)

I think the problem with getting uniform colors right, is that even if you have the jersey in your hands, you can't actually compare the colors to what you see in the game/TV. Comparing the colors vs. TV, PC monitor, internet photo or video will (probably) never be accurate. Each TV has tad different colors plus TV broadcast colors are not what you see in real life. Add to this that not all TV cameras are calibrated exactly the same (so when you're watching an NBA game, it happens that some cameras' colors look different than others), and add to that that your TV is probably not calibrated to real-life colors nor is your PC monitor (probably).
What I'm trying to say is that unless your TV/PC monitor and every TV cameras (and broadcast) can match real-life colors 100%, there will always be a difference when comparing uniform colors. You might have to go to the 2K studios (assuming their screens are calibrated correctly) to be able to get the real picture.

CujoMatty 08-08-2017 08:10:25 PM (EDT)

So if 2k made the colours right they should still match the real NBA game each individual watches on the same tv no? Even if yours and mine are different they will still match what my "normal" is. I don't see the problem.

The 24th Letter 08-08-2017 08:12:38 PM (EDT)

I remember discovering signature expressions in 2K16...one of the more impressive details I've seen man..
BG and Russ ugly dunk faces, the way Bron exhales after dunking etc.
Crazy man...
Sent from my SM-G955U using Operation Sports mobile app

Rockie_Fresh88 08-08-2017 08:13:11 PM (EDT)

The art team showed out this year .

youvalss 08-08-2017 08:16:59 PM (EDT)

CujoMatty
So if *2k made the colours right they should still match the real NBA game each individual watches on the same tv no? Even if yours and mine are different they will still match what my "normal" is. I don't see the problem.

If this same TV is calibrated to match real-life colors and the broadcast matches real-life colors (which I doubt), then yes. But either way, I don't think sport broadcast matches real-life colors. It's always more saturated and colors are too perfect. It's basically like trying to match CMYK colors (print) to RGB colors (screen), which is between extremely difficult to impossible (much closer to impossible). You'd have to bring a "cordless" TV with you to the stadium and try to calibrate it to what you see in real-life.
The question is, do we want colors to match real-life colors, or TV broadcast colors (which are, again, different from one TV to another).

CujoMatty 08-08-2017 08:35:17 PM (EDT)

I see what you are saying but you are over thinking it. I think the purpose is so that the colours are "right". Different tvs of course will add variations but it's more about avoiding situations like MLB the show where slot of the teams who are red were maroon in game and it wasn't because of tv variations it was simply the wrong colour.

LeBronistheKing 08-08-2017 09:23:10 PM (EDT)

The 24th Letter
I remember discovering signature expressions in 2K16...one of the more impressive details I've seen man..
BG and Russ ugly dunk faces, the way Bron exhales after dunking etc.
Crazy man...
Sent from my SM-G955U using Operation Sports mobile app

2k16 introduced Bron's "dunk face" as well. Go to Google images and type in LeBron dunkface and you will see multiple real life picture examples.

Trackball 08-08-2017 09:23:13 PM (EDT)

Okay...in all seriousness, I owe that Harrypotheadd guy (or however you spell his username) a HUGE apology.
I did NOT expect 2K and Visual Concepts to go this far in a single year with body types.
Harry, if you're reading this, I'm sorry. I didn't think this much would get done. You were right. I was wrong. Looks like they devoted just as much, if not more, resources this year into this aspect as you asked for.
Now to see if the on-court gameplay holds up.

Hustle Westbrook 08-08-2017 09:26:53 PM (EDT)

Shocked. I knew they would improve the graphics but I didn't think they would go this far.

Smirkin Dirk 08-08-2017 09:36:25 PM (EDT)

This looks as big of a leap as from 2K13 on old gen to 2K14 on current gen.

zizoux 08-08-2017 09:41:13 PM (EDT)

The 24th Letter
I remember discovering signature expressions in 2K16...one of the more impressive details I've seen man..
BG and Russ ugly dunk faces, the way Bron exhales after dunking etc.
Crazy man...
Sent from my SM-G955U using Operation Sports mobile app

Yes, they're great but you only notice them in replay mode yourself.
It would be cool to see them in slow motion in action replay.It doesn't have to be right after the dunk.It could be during dead balls as they show stats
from time to time.

youvalss 08-08-2017 10:46:24 PM (EDT)

CujoMatty
I see what you are saying but you are over thinking it. *I think the purpose is so that the colours are "right". Different tvs of course will add variations but it's more about avoiding situations like MLB the show where slot of the teams who are red were maroon in game and it wasn't because of tv variations it was simply the wrong colour.

Understood. There is a level of error that should show up on any screen, got you. That's what I always struggle with when it comes to uniforms in video games. If they have the real ones available to match and (theoretically) they have every color available for them to pick and mix, how can they still get the colors wrong (as you said - "universally" wrong)?

The 24th Letter 08-08-2017 11:06:10 PM (EDT)

zizoux
Yes, they're great but you only notice them in replay mode yourself.
It would be cool to see them in slow motion in action replay.It doesn't have to be right after the dunk.It could be during dead balls as they show stats
from time to time.

I actually noticed the first one through an action replay "backboard view"
I think actually focusing in on them would kill that subtle effect they have.
Found these from the 2K16 Thread:

MontanaMan 08-08-2017 11:51:18 PM (EDT)

They really listened. That guy with the Bucks avatar who was obsessed with them getting the colors and body types right is somewhere smiling.
I hope they were able to get the branded accessories (Nike, Jordan, UA) I've been campaigning for all these months.

Black Bruce Wayne 08-09-2017 02:45:35 AM (EDT)

I guess I will be getting a Xbox One X and 4k TV just to fully appreciate this games graphical update. I'm not sure I can afford all of this though
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MarkWilliam 08-09-2017 04:22:15 AM (EDT)

I just remember the jokes and scrutiny the art team was put under last year when the Team 2K pics were releasing. Lots of "they look bloated" etc. etc.
Call it what it is.
But credit where due. They have done (what looks like) an amazing job this year. It's apparent that the noise was heard and they responded..... WELL.
Meanwhile I can't stop thinking about how this is going to look when I stop to appreciate it during my first game on a broadcast camera.
CAN. NOT. WAIT.

cthurt 08-09-2017 05:49:30 AM (EDT)

I am just loving that the 2k team seems to have pride in their product again, compared to last year where info basically had to get leaked for us to get something official from 2k, it's already night and day marketing wise and usually that transfers into a good year of 2k gaming for the consumer.

MarkWilliam 08-09-2017 05:52:27 AM (EDT)

cthurt
I am just loving that the 2k team seems to have pride in their product again, compared to last year where info basically had to get leaked for us to get something official from 2k, it's already night and day marketing wise and usually that transfers into a good year of 2k gaming for the consumer.

No blogs from OG and Czar was telling IMO aswell. Czar was on YT just before launch showcasing some things. But 2K17 really did feel different as launch approached to me.

cthurt 08-09-2017 05:57:08 AM (EDT)

MarkWilliam
No blogs from OG and Czar was telling IMO aswell. Czar was on YT just before launch showcasing some things. But 2K17 really did feel different as launch approached to me.

That was very telling, it was very obvious things were off last year even outside of the graphics but glad they bounced back this year, I will appreciate 2k18 because you never know if 2k19 could fall off the sameway 2k17 did can't just assume things will get better every year.

Goffs 08-09-2017 06:58:51 AM (EDT)

Let's not speak of 2k17 again as that game was a rushed mistake.
I share your fears about 2k19 as well. Its like the team skips a year lol 2k19 will be mediocre and 2k20 will be awesome.
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trekfan 08-09-2017 09:16:42 AM (EDT)

Extremely impressive work done by the art team. Looks like they heard the community on that one.
But we need gameplay to confirm whether this is better than 2K17 or merely better looking ...

thechef128 08-09-2017 10:54:45 AM (EDT)

lol but somehow EA cant even do 1/4 of this. 2k does an amazing job with presentation every year. just hope the gameplay is up to par

Peninc 08-09-2017 04:17:43 PM (EDT)

As someone who couldn't stand 2k17, none of this means anything to me until I see the gameplay videos and/or play the game or prelude myself. I'm pretty sure 2k touted this "we took thousands of pictures and stuff to make sure we got things right" thing before.

The 24th Letter 08-09-2017 04:23:24 PM (EDT)

All due respect- this particular thread is about art though, there are a lot of threads to express gameplay concerns in....
Sent from my SM-G955U using Operation Sports mobile app

Trackball 08-09-2017 04:38:50 PM (EDT)

Goffs
Let's not speak of 2k17 again as that game was a rushed mistake.
I share your fears about 2k19 as well. Its like the team skips a year lol 2k19 will be mediocre and 2k20 will be awesome.

I slightly disagree with that last bit. 2K11 was awesome, yes, but I really didn't like 2K12. It was one of those "good ideas on paper that didn't work in execution" games, though I admit the era filters were AWESOME. Plus it introduced the revamped post controls that are in the game to this day--I HATED how post offense controlled in 2K11, my only big gripe with that game.
I had a lot more fun with 2K13, and PS3 2K14 was, in my opinion, the pinnacle of on-court gameplay that the series is still trying to get back to.
I had fun with 2K15, though not as much, but I ADORED the undrafted MyCareer story--seriously, it's my favorite of all the story modes thus far.
2K16 was the best it's been this console generation, though not without its own flaws, like insane stats when player-locked. And 2K17 did introduce league expansion in MyGM/League, my favorite feature of that whole dang mode, but it had so many on-court issues that it was their first misstep since 2K12.
However, since I came back to this series in 2K11, I have NEVER had bad games two years in a row. That means 2K learns from their mistakes, and tries to fix them. I respect that.
This is why I'm hopeful for 2K18...but I'm still waiting for some more MyGM/League info before I pre-order.

SteveQ 08-09-2017 05:04:22 PM (EDT)

Slightly off topic but to my surprise I go on twitter and see a lot of people bashing 2K still. Some think 2K17 is better looking (crazy right) and some still thinks 2K steals all their ideas. As much as I've gotten on 2K and felt they did certain things wrong the one thing I can always say is that they at least try to fix things at some point. 2K18's graphics are a testament to that. There will always be something to fix but as long as 2K is willing to try then I'm willing to purchase.

renome 08-09-2017 07:35:51 PM (EDT)

Damn, all that work put in! Kudos man.. as everyone here is echoing, I hope the game play stacks up.. have to say though: 2K appears to need somebody breathing down their necks (live) for them to step-up and learn from their f*ck ups... and they shouldn't, ideally. I'm all for competition, sure, but to have to wait to step up (in our case a whole year) is not a good look, in my opinion.
This year, and in this moment though, I appreciate the huge leap and effort. Much props 2k, can't wait til release day

Dr. Banner 08-09-2017 08:34:21 PM (EDT)

I'm just gonna wait and see. Every year 2k fanboys post videos like these and say and pretend the game feels so different and this and that, i buy it, and it's basically the same game as the year before. I skip last year, just to hope a two year break makes this game feel and look different. The graphics looks good though. And i hope they show create a player more love. I should be able to add tats to my CAP.

LeBronistheKing 08-09-2017 08:52:10 PM (EDT)

Yes but the graphics don't just look "good" the textures, colors and likenesses are the best 2k has ever had. Some of those screengrabs could be mistaken for actual photos.

Rockie_Fresh88 08-10-2017 12:12:42 AM (EDT)

I hope the game looks just as impressive from a 2k camera angle

lilkoolaid 08-10-2017 04:35:04 AM (EDT)

can any of the devs read this and answer if the art director from 2k17 still working with you guys?? and if so please slap him for approving that awful graphics from 2k17. im not being rude here but if im the one made that graphics form 17 and another colleague made the one for 18. i will resign immediately. this is why i always have respect for artist whose perfectionist coz they will not release an artwork until they themselves is proud of it.