There are many, many first-person shooting games. Doom was the ship that launched a fleet of thousands fifteen years ago and, since its release, a lot has changed in the genre. Engrossing narratives (Bioshock), ever evolving team play (Team Fortress, Counterstrike, etc.), the capacity for sociopolitical commentary (Call of Duty 4). But, as the old folks say, the more things change, the more they stay the same. First-person shooters are still about shooting and, like their ancestor Doom, are very pre-occupied with blood. Loathe as I am to admit it, I’m still pretty engaged by it myself. I find bombastic, gory violence deeply satisfying in my entertainment, often as much as a perfectly portrayed human relationship or an honest, unsentimental depiction of emotion. Like anything else in fantasy, it’s the heady experience of the unreal that satiates. Blood’s just another type of icing.
Mark Wood, developer Monolith’s FX artist extraordinaire, has written up a short essay on the process of creating blood effects for Project Origin, the poorly-titled sequel to F.E.A.R. It’s a fascinating read that shows off the art in an expert craftsman’s work. Regardless of whether or not blood’s your thing, good work is always interesting. Wood walks us through the whole process, from using the first game’s assets to gathering artist Dusty Peterson’s physical references on to finally implementing the new blood in game.
F.E.A.R. was something of a mixed bag that married tired horror clichés (spoooooOOOOOoooky little girls!) with some of the best artificial intelligence I’ve ever seen. If everyone on Project Origin is as devoted to their craft as Mark Wood, it could turn out a bloody success.
Our thanks to Joystiq for pointing us to the piece.