Crowd Sim

Once the mo-cap was in place, it needed to be processed to integrate into MPC’s proprietary crowd simulation tool – ALICE. The major difference to the work to be created for Kingdom of Heaven was the necessity for quadrupeds, and subsequently the need for mounted riders on horseback. The challenge facing the R and D team was to find a way for the AI of one agent (the horse) to directly drive the AI of another agent (the rider.) This way, in the final renders, it appears – as in real life – as though the rider inherits motion from the horse.

Recreating Cities

In another departure from traditional animation techniques, MPC moved away from using live action miniature models as the basis of the cities preferring to opt for completely CG versions. To achieve this, MPC developed a yet another new system – this time it was environment based, taking into account the entire layout of the CG cities. Ridley Scott and the team undertook an exhaustive design process taking reference from shots taken on location in Morocco to bring about the recreation of Jerusalem and Kerak. To do this; wide vistas, city/set extensions and one off hero views from balconies were created. The team also adopted a more advanced rendering workflow.