FOCAL POINTS

VIRTUAL CINEMATOGRAPHY ALSO MAKES USE OF LENSING, LIGHTING AND COMPOSITION TO DIRECT THE EYE OF THE VIEWER…

“From a cinematic perspective, we researched film to try and understand what are common cinematic traits in the samurai genre of films,” states Jason Connell, art/creative director at Sucker Punch. “This actually spans into modernday movies that have taken inspiration from oldschool samurai films. We looked for patterns and then looked for ways to employ those tactics or shots inside our game. We have a saying, ‘look for breathing moments.’ Oftentimes, drawing out a shot a little longer can do a lot for the mood and in some cases is the difference between a shot working or not. Don't be afraid to hold on a shot!”

“When setting out to make a game about a wandering samurai it seemed natural to keep the camera in a third-person perspective, watching as Jin gets in sword fights and gallops across fields of flowing grass,” notes Nate Fox, creative director, Sucker Punch. “Also, by using the camera to frame the action we could present it in a more cinematic fashion, helping the game feel more like a classic samurai movie.” Lenses and depth of field varies from shot to shot. “For gameplay, we have to consider how far we can push the cinematic feeling but also make the game enjoyable, fun and provide enough visual information around you to play,” remarks Connell. “For cinematics, we explore a bit with 35mm, 50mm and in some cases a longer lens style. Our depth of field works somewhat similar to a camera with F-stop, focal distance and lens length all having an effect on the look.”