Ubisoft Barcelona backs EMotion FX

The Netherlands-based MysticGD has recently updated its EMotion FX character animation SDK for enhanced Wii compatibility, with the move prompting a ringing endorsement from the lead animator at Ubisoft Barcelona.

Version 3.8 of EMotion FX employs new techniques to allow for compression rates of up to 25x, which the firm claims is of a particular benefit for developers working on projects for consoles with low memory, such as the Wii.

And Ubisoft Barcelona’s Todd Kelley, the lead animator on the recent Wii fitness title Your Shape, claimed that Emotion FX was central to the project.

“We needed to include a large amount of motion capture and environmental animations, each exported from different 3D packages, in addition to incorporating real-time lip synching,” he said.

“For these reasons we chose EMotion FX, and MysticGD has been a great partner to work with. They gave us great support throughout our project, working closely with us to adapt their engine for the Wii platform."