Sony has revealed that Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered used Mockingbird, an internally created artificial intelligence tool to streamline facial animation. The company explained in a corporate presentation that the system generates 3D facial movements from performance capture data, reducing processes from hours to fractions of a second. It's another step in development automation.
How Mockingbird Speeds Up the Facial Animation Process 🤖
Mockingbird works by taking voice and video capture data from actors to generate facial expressions in 3D models. According to Sony, the tool drastically reduces manual work time, allowing animators to focus on fine-tuning rather than repetitive tasks. Although the technology is not new in the industry, its integration into a high-profile remaster like Horizon Zero Dawn shows a practical use for optimizing resources without entirely replacing human judgment.
Now Even NPCs Have Better Faces Than Us 😅
A machine making faces for actors sounds like science fiction, but here we are. Soon we'll see NPCs with expressions so realistic they'll even ask for a raise. The funny thing is that while Mockingbird saves hours of work, developers probably spent that time arguing whether the remaster deserved to exist. At least the characters' faces no longer look like cardboard.