Exploring Advances in Photorealism and Related Technologies - Research Paper

Introduction

Background

The idea that the world may just be hyper-realistic simulation continues to gain traction with the advancements in technology. The world has already seen unfathomable advancements in technology, which has enabled improved communication through mobile telephony and the Internet. There is also the aspect of high definition images that draws humanity closer to bridging the gap between virtual systems and real-world environments. The last two decades have seen a shift in mobile device technology, marked by enhanced processing capabilities and image clarity. There is also the aspect of improved storage, which enables the scalability of features. The graphical differences between gaming devices of the mid-90s such as Nintendo 64 and today's high-end computers borders on ingenuity (Das, Zhu, McLaughlin, Bilgrami, and Milanaik 2017). A review of the advancements in gaming technology over the years shows how much significance the present technologies carry, and why they would compel anyone to consider them as the last frontier in video games.

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There has been consistency with regard to the advancement of technology itself. Continuously, gaming consoles exhibit new iterations that show improvements. Presently, leading players in the industry, Sony and Microsoft have already released version2.0 of their current generation systems. As with Xbox One, customers can already enjoy the experience of Xbox One S. Alternatively, there is the PS4 Pro for the PS4 customers. These advancements reflect an overall shift in technology. For instance, the older systems are not compatible with current 4k/HDR television picture modes. The fast pace of technology in the gaming industry perhaps reflects on the short-lived euphoria that followed the release of Pokemon Go (Serino, Cordrey, McLaughlin, and Milanaik 2016). It was an exhibition of augmented reality that became an instant success. However, one of the learning points from the short-lived craze is just how long it takes before people start to think about the use of such technologies beyond the gaming industry, and how much that pushes the industry to seek even more advanced game technologies.

Video games have undergone a massive transition as regards improvement in their graphics. The current multi-core processors and graphics chipsets already allow players to discern with clarity the humanity of the characters in the games. The near-reality of this phenomenon referred to as the uncanny valley by Professor Masahiro Mori, already appears like an exaggeration of the potential of human creativity. Professor Mori posited in 1970 that as human reproductions neared authenticity, the tiny inaccuracies became increasingly disturbing (Kuo, Hiler, and Lutz 2017). This view may hold going by the recent trends in the industry. Whereas video game characters look real, there is an element of uniqueness in their realness which makes humans recoil from them. One thing that must be noted, however, is the level of detail and investment needed to actualize the near-reality of video game settings and characters. Naturalistic simulated characters and environments require lighting and achieve global illumination. So far, game developers have been able to achieve the details that help to simulate natural environments to near-reality. Issues of lighting, shadows, and environments that respond to character actions have already been realized. The simulation of objects has so far been near-perfect. However, game developers admit that simulating the details of the human skill remains a major challenge.

Significance of the Problem

Video games are a dynamic niche that continues to evolve in terms of their fusion of technology and entertainment. Presently, all game developers are trying to ensure that the element of reality is captured in video games as much as is possible. Focus is therefore not in the traditional mechanics and gameplay but on the visual style and aesthetics. When video games first premiered in the 1970s, it was not immediately conceivable that they would reach a point when developer discussions would be centered on how to naturalize and make games look realistic (Jett, Sacchi, Lee, and Clarke 2016). This is however understandable because, at the time, there were technological limitations. These limitations were evident as such features as consoles had limited storage capacities and processor speeds were very low.

Over the years, the world has seen advancements in key aspects of technology that calls for a continuous relook to the designs and interoperability of devices. The overbearing challenge for game developers has been in trying to realize a balance between realistic graphics and stable performance. This balance has helped, in part, in the design of consoles and screens that run games with realistic graphics while maintaining stable performance. Game development is a tasking experience that depends on multiple devices. So far, it has succeeded in enabling near-realistic simulations. However, with the unimaginable potential of futuristic technologies that may be built out of such innovations like artificial intelligence (AI), it is worthy to ask whether photorealism marks the apex of graphical advancement in video games.

Problem Statement

Beginning in 1985, technology has advanced, culminating in such technologies as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), photogrammetry, and raytracing (DiPaola and McCaig 2016). All these advancements in game development technologies have been an attempt to create realistic graphics in games. These technologies have enabled the incorporation of realistic nuances into video games. It is no wonder that video game developers have already succeeded in achieving the desired level of realism in graphics courtesy of raytracing technology. Hence, it has been possible to render realistic lighting and generate high-quality textures on objects with small amounts of effort than was previously achievable. Game developers appear to have stopped at the level of graphical excellence projected in the video by Quixel Team on photorealism. However, even with what may be considered the holy grail of video game graphics, ultra-realistic texture quality and detail remain elusive. It is expected that photorealism will soon get adoption in animation and movie production. When it finally becomes possible, it is expected that new possibilities will be opened. Hence, it is likely that it might not define the peak of photorealistic graphics in video game development.

Research Questions and Hypothesis

Research Question

Has technology achieved a final level of realism or is there more behind the wall of photorealism that can be used to enhance it even further?

Hypothesis

Hypothesis 1: The application of photorealism in multiple areas such as animation and film production will create insights for more possibilities in graphics towards naturalistic video games.

Hypothesis 2: Whereas photorealism has helped realize near-realistic simulations of characters and video game settings, they fall short of helping achieve the desired ultra-realistic graphical qualities, and this deficiency may motivate further developments.

Hypothesis 3: If photorealism does not find mass adoption in other areas such as animation and film production, game developers may not note new possibilities that may help to draw closer to the ultra-realistic character and setting nuances that continue to be elusive.

Literature Review

Photorealism is no doubt the closest that video game development has gotten to realizing naturalistic and realistic characteristics in characters and settings. It is a step closer to what has always been desired. Kuo, Hiler, and Lutz (2017, p.104) provide an explanation as to why the pursuit of real-life simulations in video games remains at the heart of its continued transformations. They note that, unlike other forms of entertainment media such as novels and movies, video games derive their uniqueness from their "ability to provide immersion, agency, and transformation (IAT) during their consumptive experience". Hence, developments in video game development consoles have fundamentally seen the increased complexity of the IAT component. Video game developers are inspired by the desire to offer a framework for the seamless intersection between the narrative, the player, and the gameplay. Increased development in the video game world has seen greater integration of these domains. However, despite the efforts, creativity, innovation, and investments that have been made over the years and the visible gains, there has always been an element of conflict between these domains that remains unsolved.

In light of these conflicts, improvements have focused on specific aspects of characters and settings. Voice control is one aspect of simulation that game developers have worked on over the years. It, however, remains to be determined if further developments will enable actual conversations between game players and characters. As regards motion control, much has been achieved after years of development. Present versions of video games offer proper motion dimensions. Further, augmented reality and virtual reality have been leveraged to enable players to have better control of character motions. There is also the aspect of portability. Improved device storage and processor spee...