050CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS – COLD WAR
like Atomic Blonde or Narcos; they
took that approach of looking at
vintage through a modern lens in
a cool way.”PERFECT COCKTAIL
It’s a tone that requires careful
balancing. The studio’s whiteboard
had Miami Vice and Red Dawn at
one end, and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier,
Spy at the other. Discovering Cold
War’s feel took time, particularly as
the ’80s were relatively recent.“[Because] we’re not in the future
any more, you can actually get these
things. And that’s been a huge thing.
You can go out and say, ‘What did a
guy look like in the ’80s?’ Well, we
can go and build that, which means
that it’s going to look even better,
down to the stitching, down to the
gear that’s there,” says Treyarch’s
creative
specialist Miles
Leslie. “So the
characters are
really going to
pop and I think
players are going
to be pretty
satisfied [to go]
from Modern Warfare to ours in
terms of that level of detail.”
The visual fidelity has been aided
by Infinity Ward’s work on last
year’s Call Of Duty, particularly the
use of photogrammetry to scan
people and objects into the game for
heightened realism. “We’re reallypushing photogrammetry. [...] I
think going into the ’80s in the Cold
War era has really invigorated and
excited all the teams, about going to
a place where you can feel it and see
it. That’s allowed a [new] level of
immersion and detail.
The team can see what Reagan
looked like, they can go see how
many wrinkles
he has on his
face. “Hey, you
know he had
one little
wrinkle here,”
says Leslie,
rubbing the
corner of
his eye. “Let’s get that in.”
There’s a level of realism in Cold
War that means, according to Leslie,
you can’t even tell when you’re
playing the game or experiencing a
cinematic. Leslie explains: “Am I in
the game? Am I not in the game? To
us that’s really exciting, because I“I DON’T THINK WE
WANT THE PLAYER
TO KNOW THEY’RE
IN A GAME.”
It wouldn’t be Call Of
Duty without gripping
cut-scenes and
explosive set-pieces.Ronald Reagan is just one of a number of real-life,
historical figures set to appear in the game.050
CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS – COLD WAR
likeAtomicBlondeorNarcos;they
tookthatapproachoflookingat
vintagethrougha modernlensin
a coolway.”PERFECTCOCKTAIL
It’sa tonethatrequirescareful
balancing.Thestudio’swhiteboard
hadMiamiViceandRedDawnat
oneend,andTinker,Tailor,Soldier,
Spyattheother.DiscoveringCold
War’sfeeltooktime,particularlyas
the’80swererelativelyrecent.“[Because]we’renotinthefuture
anymore,youcanactuallygetthese
things.Andthat’sbeena hugething.
Youcangooutandsay,‘Whatdida
guylooklikeinthe’80s?’Well,we
cangoandbuildthat,whichmeans
thatit’sgoingtolookevenbetter,
downtothestitching,downtothe
gearthat’sthere,”saysTreyarch’s
creative
specialistMiles
Leslie.“Sothe
charactersare
reallygoingto
popandI think
playersaregoing
tobepretty
satisfied[togo]
fromModernWarfaretooursin
termsofthatlevelofdetail.”
Thevisualfidelityhasbeenaided
byInfinityWard’sworkonlast
year’sCallOfDuty,particularlythe
useofphotogrammetrytoscan
peopleandobjectsintothegamefor
heightenedrealism.“We’rereallypushingphotogrammetry. [...] I
thinkgoingintothe’80s in the Cold
Warerahasreallyinvigorated and
excitedalltheteams,about going to
a placewhereyoucanfeel it and see
it.That’salloweda [new] level of
immersionanddetail.
Theteamcanseewhat Reagan
lookedlike,theycangosee how
many wrinkles
he has on his
face. “Hey, you
know he had
one little
wrinkle here,”
says Leslie,
rubbing the
corner of
hiseye.“Let’sgetthatin.”
There’s a levelofrealism in Cold
Warthatmeans,according to Leslie,
youcan’teventellwhen you’re
playingthegameorexperiencing a
cinematic.Leslieexplains: “Am I in
thegame?AmI notinthe game? To
usthat’sreallyexciting,because I“I DON’T THINK WE
WANT THE PLAYER
TO KNOW THEY’RE
IN A GAME.”
It wouldn’t be Call Of
Duty without gripping
cut-scenes and
explosive set-pieces.Ronald Reagan is just one of a number of real-life,
historical figures set to appear in the game.