Based on the comedy stage show of the same name, The Dark Room draws upon the punishing text-based adventure games of old. Utilising the facial motion capture the performances of creator John Robertson were distilled into the terrifying (and yet in no way exaggerated) yells, grimaces and cackles of The Guardian antagonist.

GAME SYNOPSIS

Addictive and vicious retro-styled comedy puzzler chock full of profanity, abuse, unfairness and warped logic. Will You: Go North? Find Light Switch? Cower and whimper like a beaten swine? Make your decision and escape The Dark Room! Just remember – YA DIE! YA DIE! YA DIE! YA DIE!

Facial Capture Sample

VIDEO ALT TEXT:

A man with long white hair stands close, with nothingness behind him, and pulls faces of disgust, boredom, & confusion. He wears exaggerated armour on his body and large shoulder pads covered in spikes. His movements repeat over and over, while the image glitches as though it is corrupted.

BEHIND THE SCENES

TEAM:

Studio: Stirfire Studios
Creator: The Fear Corp

HARDWARE/SOFTWARE:

Faceware ProHD Headcam
Faceware Analyzer
Faceware Retargeter (MotionBuilder)
Jira

ROLE: Motion Capture Lead

As Motion Capture Lead, my role was to manage the shoot schedule, mocap pipeline and process facial capture data across Analyzer, and Retargeter. I also provided training and supervision for the Junior Animator in motion capture process.

Screenshot of a white haired man known as The Guardian smiling at the screen, surrounded by emptiness. At the screen edges are four options of what to do next, the are 1. Sleep, 2. Turn on light switch, 3. check pockets, and 4 Czech pockets, but spelt like Czechoslovakia.

Screenshot of The Guardian grinning menacingly. In front of him, the subtitle reads “How will you find the light switch? You in a dark room!”

Screenshot of The Guardian grinning yelling with a wide grin, the words “Ya Die!!” are fill the screen as though flung directly at you.

Type: 3D Animation, featured, Game Dev, MocapTags: 3D Animation, Faceware, featured, Mocap, motion capture