In an interview with 4Gamer, Square Enix detailed what goes on behind the scenes in its studio when it came to motion capture for FFVII Remake. Not only are all of the props handmade, but all of the sets are as well. What the team did when it came to motion capturing for FFVII Remake is standard practice for all of the company’s games when it comes to mocap. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]
Square Enix has a huge stock of various fake weapons that it uses for its games. The team uses a combination of purchased models and toys, and handmade fare. However, for Final Fantasy VII Remake, the team had to make a lot of the props by hand because of how unique they are. Examples include Sephiroth’s long Masamune and Yuffie’s giant shuriken. However, some of the weapons’ early designs are difficult to recreate in a manner that would guarantee endurance. So the mocap actors couldn’t use them.
Although Cloud’s Buster Sword canonically does not have a sheathe, the model version of it does. This is to re-enact the motion he has where he removes it from his back and then returns it after a fight. When mocapping for Cloud on his motorbike, the box-like structure that the actor rides on has sticks on it, and it’s resting on a yoga mat. The yoga mat makes it easier to move around.
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All of the props in the motion capture studio are put together very quickly. It took two members of the staff about five minutes to put together the aforementioned wooden box. To create an entire set, it takes about an hour or so. Sometimes, the staff come up with new ideas on the fly to make things easier. An example would be the yoga mat under the box. Despite how simple the sets look in real life, they’re far more complicated and impressive in-game.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is readily available on the PS4. FFVII Remake Intergrade is available on the PS5 and Windows PC.
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