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.
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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.
