General Information about Computer Generated Imagery

What is Computer Generated Imagery?

Computer Generated Imagery is where they use computer generated imagery to computer graphics to create images in art, printed media, video games, films, television programs, shorts, commercials, videos, and simulators.

When was Computer generated imagery first used?
CGI was used in WestWorld in 1973, that consisted of a cowboy and western themed setting but this was only used in 2D. Whereas the first 3D CGI was used in 1976 in FutureWorld what was a sci-fi movie featuring cowboys and robots.

Computer Generated Imagery In Games?

CGI (Computer Generated Graphics) this uses computer graphics to be able to create or contribute in Video games.

CGI doesn’t tend to be used to be much in games but it’s used in many of the trailers of the games.

CGI within games will always be behind Movies. This is because a game is interactive meaning that movies have a lot more time making their frames and games will have 30-60 frames per second meaning that there will be a lot more frames that will need to be drawn out rather than movies.

The difference between videos and movies is that Movies use something called ray-tracing which means that they’re able to get higher quality imagery whereas games use real time rendering. Ray tracing is a technique that will generate images by tracing the path of light through pixels in an screen space( image plane) and simulating the effects of its encounters with visual objects, this allows movies to create high quality images within the movies. Real time rendering is when a program will render an  image when the

A reason that CGI may not be used in games is that is a lot of money that could be used somewhere else. Games would need to spend a lot more money on CGI as they will still need to pay for everything that they had in games before and this would be most of their budget taking not taking in account for CGI that costs millions.

First Video Game Made?

The first game that was ever made is very basic and was Tennis for Two that was created in 1958 that simulates a game of tennis. This was a very basic game but was a big change for Games.

First ever movie in 3D?

The first ever movie in 3D was confirmed as The Power Of Love that was played in 1922 on 27 of September.

Stop Animation

This is created by having a frame by frame which means that one frame is captured at a time to create the video. It basically means that you’re able to take 60 pictures of a toy boat moving but you just push it a little bit at a time and then it makes the image look like its moving. This method is very long but shows a good image of something moving for example the episodes and movies of Wallace and Gromit had used stop motion.

This would use characters that they would have  built in person and then they would have slowly moved these and put this into a editing software and when they’re all playing at once it makes it look they’re moving and they put audio over the top of this. This will take ages for the editors to do this as they may have to go back and redo a scene as they don’t look like they’re talking so  they might have to take another 300 images. Furthermore if they dropped the characters or moved anything by accident they would have to do this again as they might not look the same as it did when they where earlier in the scene, meaning that trying to make it look like they’re moving it would just look like two separate pictures. This was used in many movies but isn’t used as much because this is a lot longer method and many people are preferring computer generated imagery as more viewers are wanting this because it provides high graphics and good looking movies.

Also many backgrounds and buildings in movies will be created by using a green screen which means that they use this and then when coming to the editing software they will have to make the perfect setting for this but some objects like rocks or railing they may actually use as a prob in a movie as its lot easier and of the actor is holding this railing then they cant use a animated railing.

What computer will you need for CGI to be in games?

As games use real time rendering which means that the game will render imagery as the player loads the game. This means that it will be easy for games to be able to put CGI into cut scenes but not actual the playing of the game as they render the game it spawns items in as the player moves which means that if they used it in games then they will have to draw thousands of frames for seconds of game play meaning that this will take so long for the game to come out and if the computer is going to have to do real time rendering and also be loading in thousands of frames and scenarios meaning that this computer is going to have to run this and this isn’t as easy as watching a movie as there is no interaction for a movie meaning they can do frame by frame where as a game is interactive they will have to make thousands of pictures for every movement that the player makes making this extremely hard to do and will take too long to make. They will be able to use CGI in cut scenes of games as there is no interaction within the cut scene or there is very little. If CGI was every used within a game where you were able to interact as well then this will be step forward for using the CGI in games and will be a test whether it will work with interacting and rendering at the same time.

My Personal Opinion on Computer generated imagery in games?

To me having Computer generated imagery in games isn’t necessary and I’m not too fused if this isn’t put into games when interacting. I prefer to have a good game with game play that makes me want to play more and more rather than games with good graphics for example No mans sky, that was hyped up to be the best game of 2016 and turns out to be one of the most hated game in 2016 for the bad game play but they provided good graphics. This is one of the best example that graphics don’t mean everything and game and personally the games that I have found to be the best don’t have good graphics but have good game play and has shown to have 69% negative comments on steam.

Computer Generated Imagery

Computer Generated Imagery  will be created in a program were it will allow the user control what they want to do to the object for example adding in complex imagery to the backgrounds and they’re able to do certain movements on objects for example moving eyes of an animated bird so this will mean that Computer generated imagery allows you to do animating easily by moving objects with a program and they will be able to see what they have created by using play buttons on the animation programs. It will allow you to play stop rewind and see what you have created with in the program so that you’re able to review what you have created like making a small video of a bird movie so it’s like editing a video and controlling movements of certain imagery.

By Alexander Clarke-Irons