NBA 2K16 Video - Steph Curry with Mouth Guard - "Beyond the Shadows" Video on Monday

[Sundown]

Quote: Originally Posted by iLLWiLL

Agreed. But I think that, if the players being scanned are being overlit with light and thus flooding out the details, then I think that would be a problem with 2K's scanning process And I don't think that would replicate what we see when watching real games on TV or in person, where we can see all of the details on a player's face and body.

Actually you want to "overlight" and flatten the tones to create a proper albedo (surface color only) layer. I imagine the scan data can also be used to create an ambient occlusion (soft shadowing) layer, though maybe it's all baked into a traditional diffuse map in one scan. Basically that's computer graphics gibberish for getting textures that look correct in flat lighting so they can be consistently and correctly lit by the lighting functions. Then you use dynamic lighting to actually light the surfaces in game.

So it's not really a problem with the scan-- there should be little lighting information outside of ambient occlusion, and I'm sure 2K has their scan data adjusted correctly. It's more about how the characters are actually lit and shadowed and how the specular response brings back depth as it does in real life.

An additional difficulty is that basketball is played on a shiny hardwood floor that does tend to reflect back much of the arena light and flatten out some areas of figures. You don't really get harsh shadowed areas that help with definition. You get a lot of occluded soft shaded areas which 2K has done well simulating in realtime for a long time (even on last gen). This is what sometimes feels "real" vs. crappy graphics from the 90's. Notice how much 2K players do feel like they belong in their environment-- and notice how in the comparison shot the tones aren't THAT off from the actual video capture/photo even in areas not facing towards the arena lights. The rendering of shading under legs and between limbs is also quite well done.

But what's subdued or missing in comparison to real life are the bright highlights (adjustable through gloss and specular fresnel maps or lighting functions), and the self-shadowing. Notice how Curry in game doesn't have any highlights that reach white compared to his photo. Also notice how Curry's brow doesn't cast a shadow on his cheek in 2K nor his bottom lip on his chin.

The former can be improved in a number of practical ways. The latter is actually quite a difficult problem to get running fast and looking good in real time. That's probably more than you wanted to know.

At any rate, I'm more concerned about the fact that the scan process sometimes produces bulbous heads with facial features that are too small in proportion. Curry looks good, but when compared to a photo, he looks like he has a mild case of encephalitis or had a minor nose job to celebrate his NBA ring.

[23]

Im not going to over analyze the scan. Sure his skin could stand to be more yellow, but all in all that looks like Steph Curry

Doesn't look like his eye lids are taped to his forehead or anything

I hate that people have to nitpick stuff but when you hold back things like a new government secret project then when its released people are going to look harder.

[23]

Quote: Originally Posted by ojandpizza

Curry's real ankle braces are grey, the straps are white. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bruh.... stop it man, and thats no excuse for grey off white leg sleeves

[dubcity]

Steph looks mildly disturbing, lol

[ojandpizza]

Quote: Originally Posted by 23

Bruh.... stop it man, and thats no excuse for grey off white leg sleeves

Well if you watch the video the grey/off-white coloring on his leg sleeves actually moves, and it's the same grey/off-white coloring that's on the shadow of his jersey..

It is a shadow


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[23]

Thats not grey, its still white, and its not a shadow

That grainy pic you just posted is a bad reference because the lighting is all messed up.


Anyway, whatever. Like I said i hate to nitpick here because there are alot of nice details, just wish it was more to see

[BA2929]

Quote: Originally Posted by ojandpizza

Spoiler Well if you watch the video the grey/off-white coloring on his leg sleeves actually moves, and it's the same grey/off-white coloring that's on the shadow of his jersey.. It is a shadow

Quote: Originally Posted by ojandpizza

Curry's real ankle braces are grey, the straps are white.

What colors do you see in this picture?

Spoiler

The brace is white. It only looks grey because of the black padding bleeding through.

[SportsGamer94]

Yo, his eyes moved!!