It’s really all about getting everything looking juuuuust right
Photoreal is just as much an art direction decision as any other style, and there’s a lot of room to play around in that
Photoreal requires a lot of creativity, it’s not easy, very difficult to achieve
“cinematic photoreal” -> beautiful and visually distinct images
-Every film has its own unique look, and you can pick out a shot from films even if you have no contextual information at all
Photoreal can be achieved through proper application and use of:
- Textures
- Lighting
- Post Effects
Art Director’s Job
- Figure out what is most visually important
- Design a look for your game you can call your own
- Focus on the big-picture first, then start getting down to details
Good visuals/reference lead to a game that “looks good!”
Visuals support and enhance gameplay
How are your art direction choices making the game more fun?
Night doesn’t have to be, and usually isn’t, black
Your eye is attracted to brightness and contrast
Your goal is to create visual interest through:
- A dynamic image
- Directing the eye with contrast or color
Find great reference -> photography (not pictures)
Use reference daily, use it in reviews, use it in context, always have it up, look at it on-screen
Quick-glance test to get the color and contrast looking right first
Maybe make a photo-wipe tool to view reference and game side-by-side
Textures
- Higher texture resolution doesn’t not mean photoreal
- Get these right FIRST
- Use a MacBeth Munsell Color Chart to color-correct your photoreference and phototextures
- Best light to take textures is on an overcast dry day with a fixed White Balance on your camera
- Pair your MacBeth with the digital version (have a digital version in your engine, too!)
1. Shoot in RAW on an overcast, dry day w/ camera set to sRGB
2. Shoot your MacBeth for EACH texture, or lock down your settings
Light changes every time you move the camera, depending on your angle to sun etc.
3. Lock exposure settings
4. Bring into bridge and click White Balance Tool
Make sure curves are set to linear
Exposure slider a lot until your numbers line up with the digital macbeth
Resources –
Chromoholics
Save areas of base image and adjusted to see difference
Goal-> In unlit mode your scene looks like a really realistic overcast day
Lighting
Bring your color chart into your game, make sure that’s lined up correctly
Use grey diagnostic spheres to make sure your lighting is looking right
Filmic tone mapping!
Ambient lighting should match sky, sky not always blue
Shadows should reflect the sky
Avoid flatly-lit areas
-Bounce and AO help define the shape
Need darks and lights, but don’t have to go to full extent with JUST lighting, you’ll push them out with post effects
Contact shadows sell the world
Post Effects
Atmosphere color and horizon color
Color Grading Lookup Tables
-Can use multiple to define different areas
-Treat a base LUT in photoshop, apply those treatments to color strip, plug in that LUT
What techniques do films use, and how can they be applied to games?
-Bleach Bypass
Squint-test -> Do you know what you’re looking at?
Desaturate Scene Test -> Are you maximizing your value range?
Use Histograms to check your scene
Do the basics REALLY well
Have a clear visual direction
Does the art make the game more fun?
-Get textures right
-Linear lighting and filmic toning