How gameplay animations and cutscenes were created in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart / ITech content

Contents:

• Brief Information about the Speaker and Her Contribution to the Game
• Cutscene Production
• New Heroine
• Gameplay Animations
• Choosing to Use New Technologies: Advantages and Challenges
• How We Made It All Come True
• Afterword

At GDC 2022, Lindsay Thompson, Senior Cutscene Animator at Insomniac Games, presented a talk about creating cutscenes and gameplay animation for Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. In her presentation, she detailed how her team successfully achieved its goals during the development of this ambitious project. Lindsay also highlighted important aspects of collaboration with other departments, the nuances of the production process, and sources of inspiration that helped bring the idea to life. Skillbox Media's Gamedev editorial team presents the key takeaways from her talk.

Brief information about the speaker and her contribution to the game

With over 15 years of experience in the film and gaming industry, a specialist Lindsay studied the fundamentals of 3D animation at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. She has worked on such renowned films as Alvin and the Chipmunks, Avatar, The Avengers, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Her professionalism and skills in 3D animation make her a valuable asset in the design of high-quality visual content. Working on the animated film Wreck-It Ralph was an interesting experience for Lindsay, which she considers a unique introduction to video game animation due to the many game elements and characters in the story. After creating Wreck-It Ralph, Lindsay decided to expand her horizons and joined the Insomniac Games team, eager to explore new creative directions. Lindsay's first gaming project was an adventure third-person shooter called Sunset Overdrive. On this project, she was responsible for the production of cutscenes and also participated in the voice acting of the characters. Lindsay went on to create animations for such acclaimed games as Ratchet & Clank on PlayStation 4 and Spider-Man. These projects helped her develop her animation and voice acting skills, which positively impacted her career in the gaming industry.

Development of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart began with Lindsay already managing her own team. She was keen to exploit the capabilities of PS5 technology and collaborated with lead animator Kevin Grow to achieve a highly cinematic look for the game, comparable to a full-length animated film. The main goal of the project was to create an immersive experience for players that would combine a gripping storyline and high-quality graphics.

Cutscene Production

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart features two main types of cutscenes, varying in length and content. These cutscenes play an important role in the development of the plot and help deepen the game's world. Long cutscenes provide detailed storytelling and reveal character traits, while shorter scenes serve to dynamically advance the plot and maintain the game's tempo. Both categories of cutscenes complement each other harmoniously, creating an engaging gaming experience.

Cinematic transitions are short scripted scenes that are integrated into gameplay. The main purpose of these seamless cutscenes is to temporarily slow down the action, focusing the player's attention on key moments. This technique allows for more effective narrative development by seamlessly moving the player to new areas of the level, and also highlights certain mechanics or environmental elements while maintaining the overall tempo of gameplay. Cinematic transitions enhance the user experience, making the game more engaging and spectacular.

Cutscenes differ from transitions in that their duration can vary. They play a vital role in revealing characters' emotions, actions, and thoughts, as well as creating unexpected plot twists. During cutscenes, gameplay pauses, allowing the player to focus on the plot development and perception of the story. This strengthens the interaction between the player and the game, making the story more engaging and memorable.

Creating cutscenes in video games requires not only animation skills but also deep directorial and cinematography skills. Lindsay clearly demonstrates this process by showing the heroine Rivet recovering Clank's communicator. This example highlights the importance of synergy between story and visual elements to create an immersive gaming experience. A professional approach to creating cutscenes can significantly increase the emotional engagement of players and make the narrative more captivating.

The cutscene team carefully reviewed the script and held discussions with the narrative designers to identify key ideas for the episode. Following these meetings, the team began working on previs—a visualization of shots based on the scene's plot. The main tasks at this stage include choosing a location, placing cameras, determining angles, and timing. This approach allows for efficient planning of the filming process and ensures high-quality visual storytelling.

After agreeing on the initial elements, the animators further refined the scene. The updated version of the previs includes additional frames for pose transitions. In this sequence, Rivet approaches a table, casually tossing a repair part into the air. This animation emphasizes the character's enthusiasm, as according to the plot, the Lombax has just defeated the pirates in the arena.

The team carefully checked the presence of all the props and assets needed by the animators before starting development of the final version of the cutscene. This is a mandatory step that ensures high-quality animation and project compliance. Preparing all necessary elements avoids delays and ensures the animators' efficiency.

Unlike Spider-Man, where animation relies heavily on motion capture, in Rift Apart, virtually all objects are animated manually using keyframes. Scenes in the game were created almost from scratch, due to the unique nature of the characters, which are robots and anthropomorphic creatures. For such characters, human motion capture is ineffective.

At this stage, character animations and accents were finalized. Lindsay notes that this is the most creative process, as animators have the opportunity to contribute their ideas and suggestions, which helps achieve the best possible animation result.

In the next phase of development, the team focused on refining minor elements, such as ear and tail rigging, as well as improving the characters' facial rigs. To achieve this, pre-made blendshapes were created, significantly increasing the expressiveness of facial expressions compared to the previous Ratchet & Clank game. This made it possible to make the characters more lively and realistic, which adds depth and emotion to the gameplay.

In the final stage of the project, lighting, sound effects, and fabric and fur simulations were integrated onto the character. These elements combined allowed for a quality comparable to high-budget animated films. The background was designed using a game location with animated characters, which added dynamism and realism to the scenes.

New Heroine

The creation of Rivet, a new key character in the series, was one of the most important stages of development. From the very beginning, the team paid close attention to her image and character, striving to create a unique and memorable hero who would capture the attention of players and become an integral part of the narrative.

Rivet was designed as a strong, tough, and determined character with a touch of eccentricity. Although she belongs to the endangered Lombax race, her personality is different from Ratchet's. The main difference is that Rivet has spent her entire life battling an unkind world alone, without a trusted friend and sidekick like Clank. This shaped her personality and approach to life, adding depth to her image and uniqueness in the game world.

The work on the creation of Rivet was carried out by a large team, and in order to accurately convey her image, it was necessary to deeply understand her nature and determine how the heroine would react in different situations.

Despite her brutal exterior, Rivet isn't cynical, gloomy, or cruel. Deep down, she's kind, determined, and resourceful, but she always keeps a cool head. She may lack social skills, which can lead her to act a little out of the ordinary in conversations. However, this doesn't bother her. Rivet remains true to her principles and continues to act in accordance with them, making her an interesting and multifaceted character.

Lindsay designed the rig for Rivet's face herself. She experimented with facial expressions throughout the process, allowing her to create a variety of emotions typical of modern animated films produced by Pixar and Disney. The result was state maps similar to sprites used in 2D animation. These cards have become an important tool for conveying the emotional expressiveness of the character, which significantly enriches the animation and makes it more realistic and attractive to viewers.

The animation team used the collected data as a reference during production, ensuring that all facial animations matched the character's original look. Without a reference, the animations could become overly expressive, creating dissonance for the player. Lindsay's hand-crafted pose library, created using keyframes, became an essential tool during previs, helping to better convey the context of a scene that is difficult to capture through standard facial expressions alone.

During the early stages of development, it is essential to invest sufficient time in developing a deep understanding of the character's look to effectively convey it to the player. Lindsay notes that, over her fifteen-year career, Rivet has become her favorite character she has worked on. Understanding a character's personality and motivations is crucial to creating a compelling gaming experience, allowing players to better identify with the protagonist and become immersed in the gameplay.

Gameplay Animations

Creating gameplay animations begins with developing character concepts and asking key questions. What creatures inhabit the world of Ratchet & Clank, including enemies and NPCs? What is their history prior to the events of the game? What environments do they inhabit? Why are some characters hostile while others remain neutral? These aspects help create a deep and engaging game environment, enriching the player's interaction with the world. Properly crafted animations help to better convey the characters' personalities and motivations, making gameplay more dynamic and exciting.

Using PS5 technology, Insomniac Games was able to develop a unique and diverse cast of characters that is unmatched in its games. One of the main goals of the animators was to make the battle scenes more spectacular and exciting. To achieve this, they focused on the diversity, personality, and humor of the characters, which significantly enriched the gameplay. Innovative technology allowed for the implementation of new animations and effects, adding depth and dynamism to each battle. This makes the game not only more engaging but also memorable for players.

The world of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is home to a variety of creatures, encountered both singly and in large groups. These creatures not only bring life to the game's environments but also lend them a sense of everyday life, whether the player pays attention to the details or not. Their diversity and activity create a unique atmosphere, immersing players in the bright and dynamic world of the game.

The animation depicts an event on the planet Sargasso, home to Rivet. Unless the player moves the camera upward and simply walks through a stone arch, they might not notice the giant dinosaur hunting its food with long tentacles. It's small details like these that give the world of Ratchet & Clank its uniqueness and depth, highlighting the richness of the game's environments and its attention to detail.

Insomniac Games aimed to introduce unique elements to each planet. As a result, players can observe a variety of mechanisms and fauna, each with unique animations. Each creature moves exclusively in its natural habitat, allowing the team to take the specifics of the environment design into account when creating animations. This attention to detail makes the gameplay more immersive and engaging, creating a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere.

The mission in Nefarious City features a sequence in which Ratchet pursues the Phantom. This sequence utilizes the NPC-following mechanic, which serves several important functions. First, it teaches the player new moves, furthering their understanding of the gameplay. Second, this element serves as a narrative component, deepening the storyline. Thirdly, this episode effectively demonstrates tricks, which adds visual appeal and variety to the gaming experience.

In Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, the world is more alive thanks to intelligent and interactive NPCs. An expanded set of animations for supporting characters increases the variety of their behavior and reactions to the environment. Improved movement paths allow NPCs to interact more naturally with the game environment. Local residents actively react to the appearance of the main character, and in situations where shootouts are taking place nearby, they begin to panic, which creates an immersive effect and makes the gameplay more exciting.

One of the key features of the new Ratchet & Clank is the ability to ride Rivets. Lindsay shares memories of how exciting it was to work on this mechanic. The team not only worked on the animation, but also carefully designed the speed of these "vehicles", as well as how Rivet would hold on to the Rivet while riding and control it. This detailed work adds dynamics to the game and makes the gameplay more interesting.

When the Rivet runs at top speed, the shape of its paws becomes blurred. This effect was achieved by creating animated maps of blurred textures. Special attention was also paid to Rivet's character: his ears, tail, and fur fluttering in the wind enhance the impression of rapid speed. The use of such animation technologies adds dynamism and realism to the gameplay, making it more engaging for players.

In Insomniac Games' game, enemies, whether they're brutes or robots, become real characters. Each opponent stands out not only by their appearance but also by their unique moves, highlighting their uniqueness. The variety of unfriendly factions adds depth to the gameplay and makes every battle memorable. Players can feel how each encounter with an enemy requires a different approach, which significantly enriches the gaming experience.

Small creatures like toads and robodogs are some of the simplest enemies in the game. They attack exclusively in groups and can be destroyed with a single shot, making them easy for players to deal with. These creatures have a limited set of abilities that don't require complex animations, and their primary function is to add variety to battles. Including these enemies helps create a dynamic in battles and allows players to try out different tactics.

The remaining enemies are divided into three factions. Each faction has its own unique characteristics and features. They differ in fighting style, tactics, and strategies, making every encounter with them unique. Understanding their strengths and weaknesses is crucial to successfully combating them. Pay attention to their behavior and reactions in battle to develop effective countermeasures. Learning these factions will help you become more prepared and confident.

• The penny thugs, for whom Insomniac Games chose the image of muscled gym rats who, for some reason, always skip leg workouts. They handle massive guns and melee weapons with ease, and if they defeat the player, they will not pass up the opportunity to take a selfie.
• The pirates, whose appearance turned out to be the most extravagant and cartoonish. They are animated using one of the principles of Disney animation, squash and stretch: the character's body deforms with each movement in accordance with inertia, which creates a sense of flexibility and adds comedy. Pirates are armed with cutlasses, so most of their movements consist of various fighting stances and swings.
• Nefarious's soldiers are mechanical patrolmen of the city who search for members of the Resistance and suppress attempts at rebellion. Some of them are more mobile and can transform into drones to fire from the air if they detect a target. They move around on the surface using walkers that visually resemble octopus tentacles.

Unlike smaller hostile creatures, faction characters have more varied animations. When struck in the legs, they stumble, and when struck from the side, they can sway left or right. These animations are created using keyframes. Actions such as walking, running, attacks, and counterattacks also use squash and stretch techniques, making movements more natural and realistic. The diversity of faction character animations adds depth to the gameplay and increases player engagement.

Lindsay's team was especially passionate about creating knockout animations, where Brutes dramatically fly apart, pirates suddenly fall backwards and disappear in an explosion, and Nefarious's soldiers disintegrate into a multitude of pieces. These dynamic and spectacular elements make the gameplay more immersive and visually appealing, adding a unique and vibrant feel to the overall atmosphere of the project. Knockout animations have become an important part of game design, highlighting the creativity and skill of the team.

The game's enemies require special attention thanks to a variety of weapons with unique and unusual properties. The usual weapon models that players often encounter in shooters are absent here. For example, the Sprinkler attack turns the enemy into a bush surrounded by sprinklers; after a few seconds, the sprinkled bush blooms, and butterflies begin to flutter around. Unique attack mechanics and enemy reactions to them, as well as their recovery after exposure, are all the result of the creative work of the animators. In this context, the game offers players an engaging and unusual experience, different from traditional shooters.

The animators' task was to create unique traits for both Lombaxes. Each character has their own distinctive reactions and movements, allowing them to perform the same actions differently. This variety is achieved through the different tools they are equipped with: one uses a wrench, and the other a hammer. This makes each Lombax's animation more expressive and engaging for viewers.

New companions, Clank and Glitch, have been added to the game, offering unique challenges. Clank solves puzzles involving anomalies using special spheres that grant him or objects on the map unique properties, such as levitation or increased mass. These mechanics add variety to the gameplay, as Clank's movements change depending on the activated spheres: he can hover in the air, transform into an electric charge, and move along wires, and when near a fan, he can comically flutter in the wind, flapping his arms. This approach makes the game more dynamic and engaging, adding a strategic element to puzzle solving.

Glitch infiltrates infected terminals, clearing them of viruses. During her hacking missions, she navigates the complex surfaces of system nodes. It was crucial for the team to create the most realistic animation of her spider legs. The team worked closely with programmers to develop procedural animation that changes the bend of the legs depending on the terrain, making the movement natural and believable.

The team focused on customization didn't overlook the importance of conserving resources by reusing certain assets. Lindsay notes that this practice is inevitable in the production process, as it allows for the rapid creation of proven elements, such as animations. This allows for more time and resources to be devoted to refining key aspects of the project. For example, the same rig can be effectively used for different enemy types with unique appearances. This approach not only speeds up the development process, but also improves the quality of the final product.

Choosing to use new technologies: advantages and challenges

The capabilities of the PlayStation 5 not only made it possible to implement a variety of ideas in games, but also forced the developers to seek innovative solutions to improve the gameplay. The technological advances of the PS5 open up new horizons in game design and mechanics, which contributes to the creation of a more engaging and immersive experience for players.

• To take full advantage of the 60 frames per second frame rate, Insomniac Games developed the mechanics of moving through portals and came up with a sequence with spectacular dodges from Chinila's attacks.
• Technology made it possible to place many more animated objects in scenes, thanks to which the team was able to add a wide variety of characters and creatures with unique animations to the game.
• During the process, it turned out that, due to real-time reflections, Clank's small head acted as a mirror for the entire environment. And at times, it was noticeable how it reflected stationary parts of models left off-screen. The animators had to go back to some scenes and rework them so that all the details were reflected believably on the metal surface.

Working on such a large-scale game presented a significant challenge for the team. The specialists had to animate hundreds of objects, including heroes, enemies, NPCs, various creatures, fauna, and spaceships. This process required a high degree of skill and precision to ensure realistic interaction and immersion of players in the game world. Each animation played a key role in creating the atmosphere and dynamics of the game, which emphasizes the importance of high-quality work of animators in the gameplay.

How did we manage to bring all this to life?

A customized approach to tasks is a key aspect of animation development. To maintain the game's unique style, many animations were created manually using keyframes. This method ensured high precision of movement and added a cartoonish effect to the characters. When the process needed to be expedited, the team resorted to using mocap for heroes, enemies, and NPCs. Animation recording was outsourced to the Sony VASG team, which streamlined the workflow. During the pandemic, mocap recording was supervised via Zoom, demonstrating the team's flexibility and adaptability in challenging situations.

Iteration and rapid content implementation play a key role in the development process. The team was not afraid to experiment with new ideas that went beyond the established guidelines. Lindsay emphasizes that many interesting and even bold concepts that became part of the game arose spontaneously. If someone proposed an original idea and it received the team's approval, it was highly likely to become part of the gameplay. This approach not only fosters creativity but also improves the quality of content, which ultimately increases the game's appeal and market success.

Afterword

Working on Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart brought Lindsay Thompson immense pleasure. Every day, she and her team developed and tested innovative ideas, implementing new solutions into the project. These efforts were rewarded: in 2022, Insomniac Games received two BAFTA Awards for Best Animation and Technical Achievement, and also won Best Character Animation in a Video Game at the 2022 Annie Awards. This success confirms the high quality of the team's work and their commitment to excellence in video game creation.