Developer Blog - Compare Cena & Kelly SvR 2011 models to WWE 12's models

"Hey everyone, Jeff Godfrey back again with another WWE '12 Developer Blog installment. I am the Character Art Director for the THQ CORE Fighting Group, essentially all of our WWE and UFC fighting games. On our WWE games I direct the look of the game and the Superstar likenesses. Each year I strive to improve the Superstars’ likenesses and to make the models look more realistic. This year, with our new "Predator Technology" (you gotta love that name), we were able to take the Superstar models to a new presentation level more consistent with WWE TV, we're getting closer! Witness the difference below and learn more about the nuances in modeling this year.

One of the greatest difficulties in character modeling is being given a 2D picture and being asked to make a 3D model from it. To help ease this problem we have photo shoots several times a year at WWE events and shoot the Superstars and Divas from many angles. The more angles we shoot the Superstars from the better information the modeler will have on the Superstar’s shape. Then we give the photos along with a style guide to a character artist. The style guide is a combination of text and photos explaining to the character artist what we want the finished model to look like. I have a team of reviewers to help me direct the character artist to get the anatomy and likeness correct. This process can take anywhere from 1 to 3 months per Superstar. Once we are happy with the model we send it to the WWE for approval.

Each year we try to make the models look more lifelike and realistic. Improving the look of the models for WWE ‘12 was made easier by the new engine. The new engine increased the resolution and detail as well as gave the skin a more lifelike quality. For WWE ’12 we tried to add more detail to the skin and make the body shapes more accurate while still showing the Superstars in their best light." THQ.com