Screen Shot 2013-05-08 at 10.31.54 AMA press release from Artec touts the use of their 3D scanner in the creation of Elizabeth in the Bioshock Infinite.  Attached to the press release is a great video showcasing how she was created through combinations of body scanning, motion capture, and some amazingly clever AI.

Creating Elizabeth was a multi-stage process, where Artec 3D scanner Eva was used to create the 3D model of Elizabeth for its high production value television commercial and marketing campaign. Anna Moleva, a Russian cosplayer who endowed Elizabeth with her appearance in this commercial, was asked to express different emotions with her face. Each expression was precisely scanned and post-processed. The whole process of scanning and processing took 1 hour and then the 3D data was engaged in creating an official commercial of the game.

Having played Bioshock Infinite myself, I personally found Elizabeth an amazing addition to the game.  Not your typical “escort” NPC, but a real living-breathing character within the world that had a vested interest in your success (and her own freedom), and actually helped to push that goal forward without getting in the way. Definitely something to check out, and I’m sure there will be some great talks at GDC next year on the AI involved.


via Eva and Elizabeth: Artec scanners help create official commercial of Bioshock Infinite — Artec 3D Scanners.