In real life, I love people watching. It’s so fun to laugh at weird looking people as they walk by – and I have no problem being gawked at either. But in video games, I rarely (if ever) even notice the looks or details of NPCs. Unless they are really interesting or important, they’re just people for me to kill/avoid/use for missions/buy stuff from/completely ignore. But that’s not how game developers see it, at least not anymore!
In two separate games, there is a distinct focus on pedestrians. First, we have inFamous: Second Son. In three days, they scanned 75 people’s faces – friends, family, possible hostages. These souls were captured and will be forced to wander the streets of Seattle in the upcoming title… as pedestrians. Seems like an awful lot of effort for things most people won’t notice, but the technology is still pretty cool.
Second, Ubisoft is offering 15 people the possibility of having their essence used for pedestrians in the upcoming open-world adventure Watch Dogs. Contestants enter on Facebook by providing their name, birthdate, occupation and three interesting facts about themselves (entrance only available to US residents). I actually really hope we get some hilarious trolling out of this – I’d love to see some bizarre interesting facts that show up in the game. These pedestrians won’t look like you, though – just have the same job and interesting facts.
While the technology is interesting, this seems like such a gimmick to try to “reach out” to gamers. And in such a fake way! What do you think? Do you even notice the pedestrians in games? Would you like to be one?
Last Updated: May 27, 2013
Lardus
May 27, 2013 at 15:06
Pedestrians – were those the red splashes in Carmagedon? “Those who are about to die – we salute you!”
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:07
hehe, i love me some carmageddon!
HvR
May 27, 2013 at 16:29
get me to the stadium with the tesla coil pedestrian shocker thingy.
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:07
so. zoe likes to watch people? has she taken the new kinect to heart?
Rince an repeat
May 27, 2013 at 15:11
Pedestrians, is THAT what those things that make squishy sounds when I run through crowded markets are called?
TechniKyle
May 27, 2013 at 15:14
This is a pretty cool easter egg in my opinion. 🙂
Umar No Shana
May 27, 2013 at 15:16
Not in open world games no I don’t ever take note. In smaller games, I find it horrible when they re-use character models. In Silent Hill: Downpour there are so little npc’s … yet in the start of the game when they are showing the somewhat few prisoners, one of the guards is the same character model as one of the prisoners and they showed like 4 prisoners , bleh
That Tall Twit
May 27, 2013 at 15:24
Half-Life 1 was worse. ;p
Umar No Shana
May 27, 2013 at 15:26
All those scientists and guards were one model lol
That Tall Twit
May 27, 2013 at 15:27
Was awful I tell you!!!!
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:27
i disagree, there were a few scientists, but yar, only one security guard.
have you played black mesa? man that added some flippen brilliant diversity!
Umar No Shana
May 27, 2013 at 15:29
Yeah true there was more than one model, I exaggerated.Not yet! On my to do list, was really looking forward to that remake for a very long time , but it took so long my backlog grew. And now I have no time 🙁
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:32
pause your backlog. play black mesa. you will thank me later. i was blown away. i actually wrote a little review and submitted to geoff, but apparently i write like a retard haha
Umar No Shana
May 27, 2013 at 15:35
Haha will do buddy, will go play it immediately in memory of your review
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:36
i still have it though, but ja, as i said, geoff shot me down like a ufo over the us of a
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:36
btw its a free download 🙂
Umar No Shana
May 27, 2013 at 15:39
indeed, will get it soon , free is good. was planning to play Dust: An Elysian Tale this week but will pick this.
btw your secret achievement is awesome for lazy people like me 🙂 my heart smiles
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:41
btw you just failed above…
but, today is just practise
Umar No Shana
May 27, 2013 at 15:42
I cant help but spell games in caps … it’s respectful lol … will try harder tomorrow sensei
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:47
*i
Umar No Shana
May 27, 2013 at 15:48
reverse grammar nazi
That Tall Twit
May 27, 2013 at 15:47
was that the achievement this week?
no capitals?
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:51
yessir, eviction effective tmrw
That Tall Twit
May 27, 2013 at 15:51
now i feel like a…
That Tall Twit
May 27, 2013 at 15:31
I have not played that yet. Forgot about it.
*Makes a plan*
Admiral Chief Commander
May 27, 2013 at 15:32
put it on top of your “to play” list, blew my mind
Martin du preez
May 27, 2013 at 15:26
“Second, Sucker Punch is offering 15 people the possibility of having their essence used for pedestrians in the upcoming open-world adventure Watch Dogs.”
Derp!
That Tall Twit
May 27, 2013 at 15:28
I wonder if that guy’s NPC also will wear a ZZ Top shirt in game. 😛
FoxOneZA - X-Therminator
May 27, 2013 at 16:25
I can see this happening with Kinect 2.0 and all that cloud wizardry.
Tbone187
May 28, 2013 at 13:41
Nothing wrong with more attention to detail…