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A Reusable Scripting Engine for Automating Cinematics and Cut-Scenes in Video Games. M. McLaughlin and M. Katchabaw Department of Computer Science The University of Western Ontario. Outline. Introduction Story Scripting and Scripting Languages Reusable Scripting Engine Design - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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A Reusable Scripting Engine for Automating Cinematics and Cut-Scenes in Video Games
M. McLaughlin and M. KatchabawDepartment of Computer ScienceThe University of Western Ontario
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Story Scripting and Scripting Languages
3. Reusable Scripting Engine Design
4. Prototype Implementation
5. Results to Date
6. Concluding Remarks
Introduction
Storytelling is widely recognized as an important element of modern video games
For games that are dependent on their story elements, the level of quality required for their story at least equals the need for quality in graphics, audio, and other aspects of the games
Consequently, it is important to ensure thereare sufficient supports for storytellers to beable to effectively and efficiently tell theirstories with games
Introduction
The current state-of-the-art typically requires programming background or expertise to provide story elements to games– This is usually outside the realm of most storytellers
As a result, implementing stories in games tends to require storytellers to rely on programmers– Can be costly, prohibitively so in some cases– Possibility of communication and programming errors– Potential loss of direct and total control of the story,
affecting the creative process and overall story quality
Introduction
To assist storytellers, tools and supports arenecessary to allow them to tell their stories with minimal, if any, programming required– The storytellers are given a simple and natural
way of expressing their story– Automation prepares this content for presentation
within the game with little or no human intervention This is the intent of our current work, a
Reusable Scripting Engine– Our current focus is on story content for cinematics or
cut-scenes, as opposed to in-game story elements
Introduction
Screen shot from Trauma Center: Under the Knife
Story Scripting and Scripting Languages
To automate the presentation of story elements from a story, the original story needs to be scripted in such a way that it can be easilyacted out on-screen– This scripting must identify characters, dialogue, stage
directions, setting, and other elements common to traditional dramatic pieces
– This scripting will also need to be precise and formal enough for it to be easily processed and understood by the software automating the presentation
Story Scripting and Scripting Languages
Fortunately, the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) has developed an XML-based specification for marking up all different kinds of texts, including dramatic pieces
Since XML is not necessarily the most natural platform for storytellers writing stories, several tools have been developed according to TEI guidelines for importing existing works or writing them from scratch
Story Scripting and Scripting Languages
In the end, we could not completely follow TEI guidelines, and had to derive something with some modifications and extensions– TEI guidelines are incredibly detailed and require
information that does not quite make sense in ourtarget application
– Several elements in the TEI guidelines are not formal or precise enough yet for our purposes
– We needed additional elements to link content and assets into story scripts
For example, consider the following …
Story Scripting and Scripting Languages
<performance title="Battle of Wits"> <!--Information about the graphical elements of the play--> <header> <!--Cast of characters and props--> <castList> <character id="vizzini"> <name> Vizzini </name> <!--Character models defined for this character. The first model is designated the default model--> <availModelList> <model id="defaultViz" location="c:\performances\bow\models\vizzini\default.bmp"/> <model id="vizziniDrink" location="c:\performances\bow\models\vizzini\drinking.bmp"/> <model id="vizziniLaugh" location="c:\performances\bow\models\vizzini\laughing.bmp"/> <model id="vizziniDead" location="c:\performances\bow\models\vizzini\dead.bmp"/> </availModelList> </character>
… </castList> …</header>
Story Scripting and Scripting Languages
…<dialogue speaker="vizzini">
<line>Well, I- I could have sworn I saw something.</line> <line>No matter. First, let's drink.</line> <line>Me from my glass, and you from yours.</line> </dialogue> <stageDirection> <costumeChange characterID="vizzini" model="vizziniDrink"/> <costumeChange characterID="westley" model="westleyDrink"/> <pause duration=“3”/> <costumeChange characterID="vizzini" model="defaultViz"/> <costumeChange characterID="westley" model="defaultWest"/> </stageDirection> <dialogue speaker="westley"> <line>You guessed wrong. </line> </dialogue> <stageDirection> <costumeChange characterID="vizzini" model="vizziniLaugh"/> </stageDirection> ...
Reusable Scripting Engine Design
DirectorDirector StageManager
StageManager
ScriptReader
ScriptReader
AuthoringTools
AuthoringTools
ScriptScript
UserUser DisplayDisplay
StorytellerStoryteller
Reusable Scripting Engine
Reusable Scripting Engine Design
Director– Manages script reader and stage manager to
oversee the entire production– Provides playback control to the user, which could
be the application the engine is embedded in Script Reader
– Reads in the script and processes it– Verifies correctness and completeness of script– Generates a collection of stage actions from the script,
creating a performance, and gives this performance to the director
Reusable Scripting Engine Design
Stage Manager– Responsible for generating the actual on-screen
performance of the script– It receives its direction on what to do and how
to do this from the director– It also reports back to the director on the status
of the production
Prototype Implementation
Based on this design, a prototype has been implemented for Microsoft Windows XP, written in C++ in Microsoft Visual Studio .Net
XML processing was implemented usingMicrosoft’s XML libraries
For visual rendering of the cinematic or cut-scene, Ogre3D was used– Allows both 2D and 3D support– Chosen to support easy integration with other
on-going research projects at Western in this area
Results to Date
So far, we have been able to stage some simple productions using our prototype– There is still the odd glitch here and there, but
things generally work pretty well– Development is continuing …
Integration into some of the other gameprojects under way at Western is currentlyin progress
Homer: Well, time to go to work.
An Example from the Simpsons
An Example from the Simpsons
Little do they know I’m ducking out early to take theDuff Brewery tour …
Roll in at nine, punch out at five, that’s the plan.
An Example from the Simpsons
An Example from the Simpsons
Heh heh heh … They don’t suspect a thing …
An Example from the Simpsons
An Example from the Simpsons
Well, off to the plant!
Then to the Duff Brewery …
An Example from the Simpsons
An Example from the Simpsons
Uh oh! Did I say that or just think it?
An Example from the Simpsons
I’ve got to think of a lie fast!
An Example from the Simpsons
Marge: Are you going to the Duff Brewery?
An Example from the Simpsons
Homer: Ahhhh!
An Example from the Simpsons
Concluding Remarks
Storytelling is a very important aspect tomodern video games
Tools and supports are necessary to enablestorytellers to directly produce story contentfor games, without requiring programmingbackground and expertise
Our Reusable Scripting Engine provides a stepin this direction for cinematics and cut-scenes– Results to date have been quite promising
Concluding Remarks
Directions for future work include the following:– Support for audio, including spoken dialogue,
background music that changes, and sound effects– Support for animated characters and background
elements and effects– 3D cinematics and cut-scenes (which would require
the addition of new stage directions)– Support for dynamically generated story elements– Support for in-game storytelling sequences
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