07 ‘Siggraph 2003': The Real Definition of NPR (Non-Photorealistic Renderings)

Keywords: great change, technique and process

Siggraph is an annual conference on computer graphics convened by the ACM SIGGRAPH organization. I was very busy in starting a new project so I was not going to there; however, one of my senior worker asked me to go there. He said to me, "If you asked your boss to go there with me, maybe I can go."

After the producing of 'Tanabata', I was interested in new representation methods of NPR, and also, I was trying to use some NPR methods for the new project. Therefore, I participated the conference mainly focusing on the lectures about NPR. I then encountered a very interesting NPR lecture.

The lecture was mainly divided into two parts. One was 'Artistic Expression' which introduced NPR brushing techniques or textures, and the other was 'Inspiration' which explained how humans captured and understood their seeing image of world in the brains.

For me NPR was, at first, just the copies of drawing approaches, such as brushes, pencils or paints which you use, and textures on whch you paint or draw; however, even deformation or balance which I did not think about they were NPR was the NPR techniques! That is to say, deformation might be an act of distorting but also could be said what humans feel. If you visualized the pictures children draw, you would understand NPR is on the basis of what they see, focus, and understand. Through the lecture, I was able to think that, "If representing an image by hands or tools was one of NPR output methods, the former process by which humans make an image in the brains could be NPR as well." It was great change in me. 'Non-Photo' is literally 'everything but photograph'.

I think that designers seek a key by which they express the direction of graphic representation which they aim at in the future. In may case, NPR had accidentally came to me as the key.

06 Keep Quality: Original Tool 'Tanabata'

Chapter Two: Materialization

I played a part in ‘Venus and Braves’. (2001-2002)

Keywords: limited stuff, retouch work of Seven Project, ‘Tanabata’, Budget and quality, the awareness for NPR,


©Namco Limited

Again, I came back to Seven Project and played a part of ‘Venus and Braves’ was the sequel to ‘Seven’. Our project’s big objective was to hold down its product cost and make profit utilizing our know-how acquired through Seven Project. So there were only two people in the character team excluding a character designer. Of course this is the sequel of ‘Seven’ so we made good use of Seven’s character data for the data of ‘Venus and Braves’, but still, there was too many character data for us two to deal with. Then we considered in which part of character data process we should increase efficiency and came to the conclusion that the retouch process was the problem.

In Seven Project, visual stuff manually retouched every rendered pictures one by one, and the difference of hand-drawn retouch among frames produced an animation an uneasy movement, and it gave the animation an attraction which matched with what Seven Project wanted.

In the Seven retouch process, we added high-lights and shadows for each picture. The number of total character was approximately 50, each character had about 10 actions, each action had 8 frames, and further, we prepared three rendered pictures (normal 3D rendering, toon paint rendering, and toon line rendering) for composite. Therefore, retouch members finally dealt with over 10,000 pictures!

Their professional had gradually heated up with the progress of the project and they finally started to draw furs, blur of eyes’ movement, lights, and even effects. Of course they were nicely finished but it took them more time. The retouch member was at first only two, but finally it amounted to over ten! Increase of the number of member engendered the quality gap among members. Then I asked the art director to have a retouch meeting to prevent it.

Thus, I thought I should avoid the manual retouch work, and at first I tried to use an another rendering method ‘Final Gathering’ by which I tried to represent the characters not hand drawn picture but kind of dolls. However, the resolution of characters on screen was low and the rendered characters could not be distinguished from normal rendering ones. At last we came to conclusion that we should use retouch. Then we asked a person from a technical support department and started making a retouch tool together.

Then I tried to make image samples using Photoshop on a parallel with modeling and motion works. At that time I accidentally met an article on a computer graphics magazine. From the article I acquired a hint of direction how to represent Seven Retouch. We had continued trial and error for about a half year and the number of version-up had been over 200, and at last, we succeeded to complete an original retouch tool, ‘Tanabata’.


'Tanabata' ©Namco Limited
*The articles about 'Tanabata' also can be seen in Japanese Game Graphics (ISBN:0-06-056772-4), Patent Storm

Using ‘Tanabata’ once you complete retouch parameter settings for each character and pushed a button, retouch, composite, and making animation data process could be completed. Then we could finish all the characters’ data with entirely satisfied quality. ‘Tanabata’ enabled us to accomplish a strong strain of visual stuff as we wanted keeping the project’s deadline, and also, it showed us a new method of 3DCG representation and its possibilities. I was able to acquire a lot of things through original retouch tool work. I was very satisfied with the result.

However, I think I could not come to the success without the experience in Seven Project. When you urged to make a tool, there must be like “why you need it” or “how you utilize it” on its basis. The basis for me was made through the experience in Seven Project; therefore, I could successfully complete Venus Project.

In 2004, ‘Tanabata’ was awarded superior patent award in the company celebrated its result.

05 My Conflict: The Importance of Flow and Tools

I played a part in ‘Moto GP 2’. (2000-2001)

Keywords: real, working flow, my conflict


©Namco Limited

After ‘Seven’ was finished, I was invited to a project from other department for supporting them; it was ‘Moto GP 2’and I was involved in the background-graphic team. ‘Moto GP 2’ was a real-oriented race game using the same title as real motorcycle race. So the stuff at first went around the world race courses and survey them to achieve the race’s reality. Courses-making flow was very sound and divided into ‘run-off area’ which was from road to fence and motorcycles can ride, outside ground of the run-off area, buildings, walls and signs, and people and other small objects to increase efficiency. In my case, as I was a supporting stuff, I did all the part making two courses with a junior stuff. They used unpopular Softimage tools, such as Softimage’s ‘Tag2Path’ or ‘Shrinkwrap’ for making courses and original tools for adjusting Texture UV; they lots of tools.

Further, the project had a web page the called data center. And designers who wanted to check their data could convert them by original plug-in into converted Playstation 2 data individually without bothering programmers. After converting, each member then got the convert report via e-mail and the data information, such as user (who converted it), image ( with transparent), data sizes (individual / total data size of a course), number of colors, and even error information, was able to check on the data center. This system later became common system in the company, but at that time it was surprisingly revolutionary.

Also, replay camera’s movement was as if human operating, representation of drips on the shield of helmet on rainy days were beautifully finished by the power of programmers.

Thus, the project had much concern with flow or system and accurate schedule accomplished by sound flow and efficient use of tools. I had never experienced before. Motor sports has season, so the product needed to be on sale fitting to the season. Graphic works needs much time, but the time is limited. In the project, I sometimes felt some kind of businesslike thought for graphics. Honestly I felt I wish we could have additional time to refine graphics, but it must have meant the project would miss a good time to sell. Project producer said, “I don’t like to use the words ‘our works’, but ‘our product’. If you really thought the best way for the product, I think, you would not have felt the conflict which you should choose; quality? or time? However, you don’t need to give up quality. Then, you can consider about more efficient flow to realize what you want.”

04 Pursue, Be Particular: Fun of Having Much Concern With Own Job

I played a part in ‘Seven -The Calvary of Molemoth-’. (1999-2000)

Keywords: encounter with professionals, character team, 2D representation by 3D models, toon rendering, limited animation, attraction of characters making, expectation of me,



©Namco Limited

Project ‘Seven’ was for me a shocking project. All the member had something made me feel “awesome!” Of course, now looking back the other projects’ members I had met before and I can say they are also great. However, due to my narrow horizon I think I could not care about my surroundings. Anyway, with the project members, I experienced several parts of designers works and noticed their great skills, and their great passion as well. We had talked about graphic representation, such as techniques and thought, pursuance, and ideal work staying up all night. I sometime feel that I wish we could get together and make a game again (al though now it is impossible because most the members left the company).

I took part in the character team of the project, and the team was divided into character design, 3D modeling, motion, retouch, and effect part (I experienced all the part). And each core members concentrate their attention on, if they were in the design team, colors, design balance, and a hook, if they were in the modeling team, model desirable silhouette and color balance in monitor, in the motion team, the lure of limited-animation motion control, in the retouch team, drawing out all the characters’ attraction, and in the effect team, the fascinations of hand-writing animation and comfortable timings. I think that we had too much concern with every things! What I learned from the member took deeply root in the basis of my making games.

The representation concept of ‘Seven’ was a picture book which adults could enjoy it. From the picture book-like 2D representation, the background pictures were complete hand-drawn 2D having a lot of energy. We, character team, could also make characters by 2D matching with backgrounds. However, each character had many animations so finally we decided to make them by 3D considering its produce costs and skill balancing in the company. At that time, as game graphics were mostly processed by 3D, there were fewer 2D designers than before looking around the floor.

As the backgrounds were 2D and camera angles did not change (though they had zooming and panning), the 3D characters did not need to be made by real-time polygon. But, instead of that, we wanted to make high quality character graphics. Thus, we decided to make high detailed 3D models and to convert the 3D models into 2D pictures by 3D rendering. Further, as normal 3D rendering stood out its 3Dish appearances, to control it, we used toon rendering which was in fashion in those days and could do anime-like rendering.

However, it was still not enough to represent profound picture book-like graphic. Then we came to think to have retouch on the rendered each 2D pictures and finally we reached what we wanted. Contrary to our pleasure we could find the representation it was very troublesome job. Later I would like to show how we did.

Next, I want to talk about the animation part. We selected limited animation* by which we strongly cared about picking up key-movements from each action more than making smooth animation. And we soaked up anime-like representation. For example, swords are rigid and could not be bend easily, but we bent and scaled them putting 5 to 6 bones (in 3D softwares) into them to show their loci and impacts. Also, when we represented jumping characters heads, we controlled the bones of their heads scaling up and down like a ball in order to show the reaction of jump. By our slogan, “You can move all the place which you think you should move”, we put a lot of bones every place in each character, such as each bulk of hair making use of not real time polygon. Of course motion members inherited the 3D models with lots of bones from modeling team move all the bones.

(*Limited animation is a process of making animated cartoons that does not follow a "realistic" approach born in the U.S. in the 1930s to 40s. Japanese limited animation is basically influenced by it. I am mentioning here is kind of Japanese limited animation.)

Animation data output was 2D so we did not need to worry care about the number of polygons and bones except one thing; this is the memory capacity of Playstation 2. The more you use flames for animations, the more you use the limited memory. Therefore, we were very careful in picking up effective key frames from each action, fewer frames, and timings among frames. Finally we accomplished rich animations which it was hard for then real time 3D models to realize although camera effects might not approach the ones of real time 3D’s.

‘Seven’ was the project by which I considered lots of things about characters, animations deeply, and then by which not only I could grew up my skills and knowledge but also I could acquire a sense which would have improved my balance skills in every field (visual sense, relationship, schedule, and so force).
Also, I came to learn from my seniors but also my juniors. I feel that the more you pile age, the more you lose your pureness as a creator. The existence of my juniors had greatly helped me to keep having such fresh feelings.

Before my joining in Seven Project, I had done a car modeler for a long time so I had lot of knowledge, skills about car graphics; however, outlook for the new field was honestly uncertain. In my case, I played all the processes in character graphics. At first, I wondered if those who got accustomed to inorganic matter models like cars could make organic matter models like human. However, I learned a lot of things from the project, and as the result, I think I could acquire satisfactory results. Since that, I came to have a confidence by which I could feel, “Once I made a schedule, I could manage it”, even if I at first felt about it like “I may not accomplish it”. That was great change.

03 Change of My Perception: “Self-satisfaction” to “For the Team”

I played a part in ‘R4 -Ridge Racer Type 4-’ and ‘Ridge Racer V’. (1997-1998)



©Namco Limited

Keywords: connection with programmers, first patent, adherence to my title, perception for group work, appearance of PS2, senior employee,

When I played a part in R4 project, there still were more 2D visual designers than 3D designers. I had been played 3D part from the first project so I was selected as the car model designer on my own. It was great offer for me because I had wanted to have my own title for closing credits. Therefore, I started to move around voluntarily for my own title. I dealt 3D model data and converted them to Playstation data as well so I often had a talk with programmers. And the talk triggered me to think of hardware system or possibility of representation. Finally, at that time I did not know, though, I gradually came to know that programmers saved room for the final stage of project although they said first that, “The representation would be difficult to process.” Then I came to ask programmers more (smile).

One year before ‘R4’ was released, that ‘Gran Turismo (GT)’was put on sale. And we project member were very surprised to see that GT’s cars had environmental mappings (representation of reflection) on them. It was, at that time, the cutting-edge technology. I asked programmers to adopt the technology and we managed to put environment mapping on cars only when selecting cars and replaying races.

(it is hard to explain in English due to my skills of English)
The mapping method was called ‘sphere mapping’, is a texture has normal data as well, by which mapped-texture on polygon surfaces was decided comparing surface normal with sphere normal pixel by pixel. So if adjoining surface normals had different angles, for example 0 to 90 degrees, pixels between 0 to 90 degrees could be picked up from the sphere mapping texture, and the pixels could be put on the surface between the normals. However, Playstation could not use a lot of polygons so, for example, car spoiler was just a rectangle polygon. Its surface normals (one polygon has four normals on its vertexes) were all same angle so its surface just blinked even if you used environmental mappings. Then I asked a programmer to make a tool so that I could adjust surface normals on polygons, and we were successfully able to put beautiful mapping on even a polygon. Also, with the programmer I realized to represent the beam effect of brake lights, seen in the film of ‘Akira’, offered from art director. I was happy the effect had a good reputation from users, and I could get the first potent by it.

At this time I had a lot of fun doing freely by myself within my position and I thought I did not want to be interfered. Therefore, I did not like my 3D models were to be corrected by a car designer, but I was then shocked seeing corrected 3D models by the car designer. And I noticed my thought was wrong and came to think that I wanted to make ‘our best models’, not ‘my models’ getting many advices. Finally, I think, I discovered the interest in group work, so were communications with programmers. I was able to be aware of the limit of individual power.

I stayed in the project after R4 project was finished, and I made a car model for the announcement party for Playstation 2. And then I joined ‘Ridge Racer V’project. The appearance of PS2 lighted more the fire in my soul of modeling. Also, I had some junior members so I thought I had to do the best work as a senior member. Yet, I could not afford to have time to think about it and was not good at working with leaving things to junior members so I sometimes corrected data of junior members by myself.

In the project, making use of the reflection in R4 project, I exchanged car model data again and again with the car designer; it was like, rough 2D design, low polygon 3D model, detailed 2D design, high polygon 3D model, check stage, and fix 3D model. Cars for the series Ridge Racer were all originally designed so we needed to have several steps to fix a car. “My skills are needed for the image of the car designer to take form”, I thought, and I had a pride and a motivation to it.

Further, ‘Ridge Racer V’was the sequel to ‘R4’so I considered if cars could have some new factors, and realized moving retractable headlights, using two kinds of environmental mappings, shade effect in the shadow of background models. Of course, normals adjustment and beam effect were done. Also, I had a lot of motivation about managing car data because all the process is the important part of a product.

02 Young Recruit Stage: Whatever I did I could feel great satisfaction.

Chapter One: Absorption

I played a part in ‘Ace Combat 2’ and ‘Klonoa -Door to Phantomile-’. (1996-1997)



©Namco Limited

Keywords: curiosity and self-satisfaction, my first closing credits, lots of fun working

I made 3D data of briefing screen, commanding office, 2D radar maps for the project of Ace Combat 2, and made 3D animations of gimmick models or put vertex colors on background 3D models for the project of Klonoa. Operations which young recruits were ordered in a project were mostly simple and easy work which recruits did not need to make consensus with the other members, and so were what I was ordered in those projects. However, I had a lot of fun using 3D software which I had never used before so I did not feel any complaints.

My horizon was narrow and even I did not think I was doing a part of a project. At that time, it was like I finished up which I was ordered, then the product was all up at the other place; therefore, I could not feel that I was making a product among its member. I took advantage of my being alone and I overdid things and later I was cautioned by senior members.

I was very happy that I was surrounded by people who were familiar to me because they were in closing credits which I had played before. And I was very excited when my name was in the credits with them for the first time.

01 To begin with

Motivation for Next-Generation Graphics:

My nine years experience in Namco, Japanese video game company, was studying. As a visual designer I worked for the company. Computer gｒaphics is my favorite field and what I could take the job was my pleasure. However, it is not always fun to work in a field which you like. In my young career I sometimes faced situations in which I had to compromise on a matter which I would like to have much concern with. Nevertheless, the reason why I could carry on my career in Namco was I could keep having higher motivation for not only making games but also working itself. And the reason why I quit there and came to the United States is I became to think that I would like to work on higher level and I thought the U.S. was the best place for the study.

00 My Resume

Akinari Kaneko
___________________________________________________________________


OBJECTIVE:

To contribute utilizing my knowledge and skills acquired through my nine-years’ experience in Namco, Japanese video game company.
To learn and know U.S. game and computer graphics industries.


KEY SKILLS:

Having flexibility in making games (software, system, team, jobs …); broad knowledge, skills, and experience of making games from low-end 2D dotted graphics to 3D high-end graphics, non-photorealistic renderings (NPR).


WORK EXPERIENCE:

3D and 2D software | from Maya, Softimage, Photoshop, Illustrator to original 2D tools, Unreal Engine.
Started up a first in-house RPG project and invented new visual representation methods (Tales of Legendia).
Curtailed visual costs by designing original tools (Venus and Braves: sequel title, but artists member became 1/10).
Visual resource management skills| directing visual image, analyzing or evaluating new representation methods, graphic documents, scheduling, assigning talented people, out-sourcing data management, visual machine and tool environment.
Voluntarily tried to open and share information and resources among creators (produced in-house plug-ins’ portal web, personal web)


GAMES (Chronological Order):

(2D hockey) | (training) 2D environmental artist
Ace Combat 2 | briefing screen 2D/3D object artist
(3D Golf) | environmental artist
Klonoa -Door to Phantomile- | 3D environmental artist (includes objects‘ animation, vertex colors)
R4 -Ridge Racer Type 4- | primal car 3D artist (includes effects design, car data optimization)
(SCE Playstation2 Presentation Party Demo) | primal car 3D artist
Ridge Racer V | primal car 3D artist (includes effects design, car data management
Seven -The Calvary of Molmorth- | 2D/3D character artist (includes modeling, texture, animation, 2D retouch, data management)
Moto GP2 | 2D/3D environmental artist
Venus and Braves | primal character artist (includes modeling, texture, animation, retouch-tool management, data management)
Tales of Legendia | visual chief designer (direction: data management, original tools management, graphic system design, resource management)
(3D Action for X-BOX 360) | 3D environmental artist support
Horisusumu.com (Project Mr. Driller) | primal web designer
Setsugekka (arcade amusement photo maker) | primal 2D environmental artist


PATENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Gained totally nine patents for graphic representation.
Car brake lights’ spectrum effect for Playstation.
NPR brushings rendering tool which acquired 2 patents, winning superior patent award and president award in Namco.
Real-time NPR filter rendering system for Playstation 2.
Cutting-edge NPR color-shade composite system.
Invited as a guest speaker from KGDC (Korea Game Developers Conference) 2004, IDGA (International Game Developers Association) annual regular meeting SIG-ST3, 2004 (later, the speech became an e-mail magazine).


EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Graphic Artist | CT Creator Group, Namco Limited. (Japan 1996-2005)


EDUCATION HISTORY:

Bachelor of Engineering | Industrial Design Major, Takushoku University (Japan 1992-1996)
Associate of Arts Degree | South Puget Sound Community College (Washington 2005-2006)
Awarded a President List and two Dean’s Lists.
EF International School of English at the Evergreen State College (Washington 2005)


VOLUNTEER:

Childcare Center at The Evergreen State College (Washington 2005)


VISA INFORMATION:

Short Term Employment: OPT Card (expires on December 8, 2007).
Long Term Employment: Visa support would be needed.


___________________________________________________________________

REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
(you may need a Japanese translator)

Virginia and Racism

Racism or racial profiling is, we are understanding, a bad thing; however, some American might have their hatred and wariness against South Korean or Asian people thorough the incident of Virginia Tech. But, I am not going to blame them because this might be natural. The fact that the gunman was Korean relieved me; this could be from racism. The incident was caused by an individual and the person who should be blamed is of course who caused the incident. In here you do not need to use racism. However, an individual is a part of images of societies which surround him or her, such as family, friend, or even country. In this case the gunman was Korean and many Korean have their American names so I wonder what the image of the incident would change if he had his American name and was reported like "Steve".

I went to super markets to purchase groceries. Today I felt small so I tried not to face other customers who were mostly American. I thought those who were in charge of casher would ignore me, but their service was the same as usual. I felt relief. Contrary to my worry, I guess they might be attentive to me who seemed to be uneasy.

Fear

I feel strangely dull in these days. Everyday I try to do something, but the day is over when I noticed. I wonder I am repeating it everyday after I graduated a community college. My resume is almost finished; however, I have no idea what I should do next.

I graduated the community college and it came to an end. It has passed one and a half year since I came to the United States. I have just studied so I did not think about my future, but I could get ahead. I thought I would be able to do so after I graduated as well. However, I noticed my life did not move on and nothing was changed after I graduated. I need to take an action.

Of course quitting my job and coming to the U.S. were my decision, but I feel that job hunting is still far away from me - it is not real for me. I had worked for a company so job hunting is not new for me ... but it is long time ago. Besides, the second attempt should be done in the foreign country. I know I have job experience and it would work as an advantage for me comparing to other international students or even American students; therefore, I have some confidence. However, I also afraid that my confidence would collapse by sending my resume because job hunting in the U.S. is uncharted. I realized that job hunting was too hard (it was not even started, though). When I was in schools, all I need to consider was just studying. Now I can feel how easy going schools were comparing to my facing job hunting.

"I have to change this worrying situation somehow." I decided to move out my host family and live by myself. I thought, "Well, I can move on in this new place." But I then fled into my new life , especially cooking. Now I am facing my decreasing time and money and not trying to face my future. I do want to work, I really want a job, and I do have what I want to do ... but I do not know what I have to do. I suppose what I feel now is like kind of what N.E.E.T people feel ...

Basically, I put myself into a corner from outside and I forced and encouraged myself to think that I needed to take an action. But this time I have no idea how I should do. Finally, yesterday I convinced an idea by which I could drive myself into a corner although I do not know if it works.

First Post

Hi, my name is Aki from Japan and I have been living in the United States since April 2005. Unfortunately my English skill is still poor but fortunately, I could graduate a community college. Approximately half of the credits were transferred from Japanese University so I think I need more hard study, but I almost ran out of my savings which I have earned in Japan. So now I need to say good bye to my college life and am going to start looking for a job. And I decided to open my blogger account here so that you can read what i am thinking combining my studying English.