Re: WE/PES 2008 Next Gen - Discussions Thread (Last Update 08/03/07)
NickSCFC, what people are saying looking at that picture with the green outlines is that they're using bog-standard mapping. Which means it cuts the middle of the picture out and slaps it onto the model. It doesn't "detect" where anything starts or ends, I don't know how you think a game will do that (they're not going to spend months programming something to "know" when your nose starts and ends", that's practically impossible and it's definitely not foolproof)!
You will have to resize the nose etc. yourself, otherwise if you have a big nose with a mouth right below it in real life and you choose a small one in the game with the mouth a few centimeters down, you'll have a 3D nose and then a nose texture on the top of your lip, with the nostrils making it look like you've got two big holes in your face (I don't know if you look at the editing forums here, but you see things like that when a beginner/really bad face-maker tries to make a face - especially with the eyes, if you don't get them right then it will look like you've painted your eyelids white to make it look like you're awake when you're asleep, Homer-style). So once you've took the photo you'll have to spend five minutes fiddling with eye size, nose size, lip size, all that crap.
Either that, which is the easier/lazier method for them to implement (and judging from the screenshots they have), or it will work like it did in the latest Sony Formula 1 games (which is a lot more accurate):
+ The game has a "take photo" function where you plug in the cam and video is shown on the screen. You're told to position yourself within a black outline as accurately as possible (like when you have a passport photo done), looking straight at the camera. Then a still image is taken.
+ The same thing happens again except you're told to move your head to the left and the right (like in police mugshots).
+ You're then asked to draw an outline around your face on the first picture, with specific instructions (e.g. "click on the bottom-left of your chin as illustrated, click on the bottom of your left ear as illustrated, click on the top-left of your forehead as illustrated" etc.), so that the game "knows" the outline of your face.
+ You're then asked to draw an outline around your eyes, your nose and your lips, so that the game "knows" where to "cut" holes - as if you'd printed it out and you were going to use it as a mask (Seabass masks, anyone?).
+ Then you're asked to draw an outline around the second/third pictures, around the chin area, the nose, the forehead and the ears.
+ A model is then produced based on the input you just gave to the game (so it knows e.g. where your nose texture comes from, and how long it is, so that you shouldn't have to alter anything).
+ Then at the end (at least in the Formula 1 game) it ruins it all by asking you to choose from a list of hairstyles which look nothing like your hair and so your "character" looks nothing like you, unless you happen to be a punk and Konami keep the mohican in.

I mean, look at that Seabass pic, he must have chose that hair himself...