wasteyouryouth
Verified
I thought interest in this might be best directed to a single thread rather than taking up the other one.
I've only used the AO Tennis Tools available on Steam and, as of starting this thread, for less than a week. I think at this stage we're all assuming it's going to be in the new game though.
I'm certainly not claiming to be an expert on it after a few days. It's VERY new to me. I know @Llewelynf has used the AO Tools for a lot longer so he might want to share his thoughts on it. He might be more optimistic about the possibilities than me.
That's not to say I don't see how it can have benefits but they might not necessarily be those that were intended when the play face tool was added to AO.
First thoughts. If you are expecting to find a picture of your favourite player on Google images, upload it into the game and see a near perfect recreation, then think again. If you want great results you need a photogrammetry suite and access to multiple players. If you want good results you're going to need to find a way that works well and/or put in a lot of time to it. Frankly, more time than I'd be willing to invest. I'm trying to figure out a quick way of getting results that I'm happy with. If others don't like those I create, they can find other versions or bloody well go and make their own!
Joking aside, I do think if you have a decent camera of your own (probably a good smartphone camera would do) and take at least three pictures of yourself, or someone else, from straight on and either side, you could then create a good image from those. So, I think putting yourself into the game will be easier than famous cricketers, unless you can get them to agree to a photoshoot with you or stalk them photographing them at all angles. Good luck if you do attempt those.
AO still has the similar editing to Ashes where you manipulate the head shape and facial features. Personally, I think that's great. It isn't a set of standard head shapes where a template can be pasted onto that - which is how I think the WWE system works. This does make the play face system more complex and maybe more restrictive in terms of what is possible.
The image you upload wraps, around the head and neck. So a the 2D image is covering the 3D head. If you're using images off the internet (which I'm going to assume most people will be) you need to make sure the whole face covers the template, if it doesn't you'll see the obvious issues.
So, how do you do cover the template with a 2D image? Your guess is as good as mine. I don't think it's possible to get something that is good enough to not draw attention to it, unless you are a wizard at Photoshop or as I said above can piece together at least three separate images. I know there are good examples of ones that people have created in AO Tennis but I can't imagine that they aren't at least 80% dependent on adjusting the facial features and head shape to get them to look good.
Things that are changed:
The draw back on this is the skin tone does not match the rest of the body (but this would likely be an issue if you were putting in a more detailed photo representation anyway). I think on Ashes you could upload tattoos or at least add logos to arms, you can't do this (as far as I know) in AO but perhaps they will include it in C19. This might mean you could have a matching skin tones put onto an arm - as well as recreating tattoos for real players. Or there are the undershirts that we've seen Ben Stokes sporting in the promo images - depending on how they work it could be a way to disguise obvious differences. OR you might not be bothered if someone's arm and head are different skin tones.
If you've not fallen asleep reading all that I've put a couple of examples below of faces I've done using the method described above. They're both supposed to be players who are international captains.
I've only used the AO Tennis Tools available on Steam and, as of starting this thread, for less than a week. I think at this stage we're all assuming it's going to be in the new game though.
I'm certainly not claiming to be an expert on it after a few days. It's VERY new to me. I know @Llewelynf has used the AO Tools for a lot longer so he might want to share his thoughts on it. He might be more optimistic about the possibilities than me.
That's not to say I don't see how it can have benefits but they might not necessarily be those that were intended when the play face tool was added to AO.First thoughts. If you are expecting to find a picture of your favourite player on Google images, upload it into the game and see a near perfect recreation, then think again. If you want great results you need a photogrammetry suite and access to multiple players. If you want good results you're going to need to find a way that works well and/or put in a lot of time to it. Frankly, more time than I'd be willing to invest. I'm trying to figure out a quick way of getting results that I'm happy with. If others don't like those I create, they can find other versions or bloody well go and make their own!
Joking aside, I do think if you have a decent camera of your own (probably a good smartphone camera would do) and take at least three pictures of yourself, or someone else, from straight on and either side, you could then create a good image from those. So, I think putting yourself into the game will be easier than famous cricketers, unless you can get them to agree to a photoshoot with you or stalk them photographing them at all angles. Good luck if you do attempt those.
AO still has the similar editing to Ashes where you manipulate the head shape and facial features. Personally, I think that's great. It isn't a set of standard head shapes where a template can be pasted onto that - which is how I think the WWE system works. This does make the play face system more complex and maybe more restrictive in terms of what is possible.
The image you upload wraps, around the head and neck. So a the 2D image is covering the 3D head. If you're using images off the internet (which I'm going to assume most people will be) you need to make sure the whole face covers the template, if it doesn't you'll see the obvious issues.
So, how do you do cover the template with a 2D image? Your guess is as good as mine. I don't think it's possible to get something that is good enough to not draw attention to it, unless you are a wizard at Photoshop or as I said above can piece together at least three separate images. I know there are good examples of ones that people have created in AO Tennis but I can't imagine that they aren't at least 80% dependent on adjusting the facial features and head shape to get them to look good.
Things that are changed:
- It adds eyebrows - as far as I can tell this is the only part where you can't add them after putting a play face on. For example you can put in game stubble over a play face image.
- It changes the skin colour (the image wraps around, so the default in game skin colour is covered).
- It changes the lip colour (if lips are on the template this will change the lip colour)
- Facial features - Along with the skin and lip colour it will keep freckles, moles, scars and facial hair (but not a thick and lustrous beard). I've also managed to add some ear studs.
- Eyes (the in game eyes override anything you might have on the image, if you include eyes on the image you upload and they aren't positioned correctly you might end up with the eyes being shown on the forehead or cheeks.
- Nose - this has to be tweaked in game so only the visible 2D features of the nose will be shown (like freckles, shadow, redness). I'm sure you can adjust the nose in game to match the outline you upload, I've not tried that yet.
- The face shape - it's a 2D template so it doesn't adjust the shape of the head, you need to do this yourself.
The draw back on this is the skin tone does not match the rest of the body (but this would likely be an issue if you were putting in a more detailed photo representation anyway). I think on Ashes you could upload tattoos or at least add logos to arms, you can't do this (as far as I know) in AO but perhaps they will include it in C19. This might mean you could have a matching skin tones put onto an arm - as well as recreating tattoos for real players. Or there are the undershirts that we've seen Ben Stokes sporting in the promo images - depending on how they work it could be a way to disguise obvious differences. OR you might not be bothered if someone's arm and head are different skin tones.
If you've not fallen asleep reading all that I've put a couple of examples below of faces I've done using the method described above. They're both supposed to be players who are international captains.
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