Wednesday 29 Aug 2007 - 11:27
Bioshock is the PC game of the moment, garnering ecstatic reviews for its its thought-provoking plot, deep levels of interactivity, and mind-blowing graphics. CG/design studio EyeballNYC was given the task of crafting the pre-launch commercial for the August 21 release of the game, which is being shown on UK TV currently.
Working in collaboration with ad agency RDA International on behalf of its client 2K Games, EyeballNYC has crafted a compelling visual story to entice those anticipating the game's release. Challenged to distill Bioshock's visual and graphic complexity into a 60-second spot, Eyeball set out to create a commercial that would entertain general viewers, tantalize fans, and do justice to the ground-breaking nature of the game.
"This isn't just a commercial -- this is an interpretation, a foreshadowing of the epic story told by 2K Games and developers 2K Boston and 2K Australia," said Eyeball's creative director and founder Limore Shur. "We wanted to thread together dramatic snippets that would give a real sense of what players will actually encounter in the game."
Forsaking the usual game trailer conventions -- linear story arcs or all-out action -- Eyeball takes the viewer on a cinematic romp through the mean streets of Rapture, the undersea city at the core of Bioshock's plot.
Creating suspense through erratic pacing and the power of suggestion, the Eyeball team took a nuanced approach befitting a game inspired by the likes of George Orwell and Ayn Rand. For example, in one of the spot's early action snippets, the viewer is pulled face-to-face with a towering menace known as the "Big Daddy."
Without a trace of gore or violent spectacle, a well-timed fade to black communicates everything
about what it's like to tangle with one of these bio-mechanical monstrosities.
"This spot is more about surprise and grappling with the unknown than it's about shock value or any overt attempt to be creepy," Shur explained. "It's really more dramatic when you leave something to the imagination."
Animated from scratch, the scenes in the spot were essentially built around 2K Games' wish list -- specific features they hoped would be highlighted in Eyeball's 3D visual summary of the game.
Because the developers put so much effort into constructing a gaming environment that would "behave" in a realistic manner, the Bioshock commercial was expected to follow suit. Whether meticulously color scripting, fitting mannequins with clothing to accurately depict the movement of a character's garments, or tracing light rays, Eyeball's design team went to great lengths to achieve a level of realism seldom seen even in gaming commercials.
Lead Animator Rick Vicens said, "This was all about collaborative effort -- with all the talent here, everyone brought something to the table. We really pushed the boundaries of 3D on this one -- I hope people will want to watch this spot again and again."
Digital Arts Staff
For more information see the EyeballNYC Web site.
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