Gamers8
AR production in Riyadh Boulevard City 2023
Project
AR production, media playback, and lighting design
Client
ESL FACEIT GROUP
Challenge
implementing a multi camera AR production in a very short timeframe and building animation pipelines at the edge of possible pixel aspects
the Gamers8 tournament, held in Riyadh over a span of eight weeks, starting from July 6, has rapidly established itself as the foremost global esports event. this year’s ‚Land of Heroes‘ theme brought together gaming enthusiasts from across the globe, setting a new benchmark in esports with a record-breaking $45 million prize pool. the event wasn’t just about gaming; it also featured live concerts and entertainment shows, creating a multifaceted experience for all attendees. on the first day alone, it gathered a peak viewership of 429,000 and a staggering 2.5 million hours of tournament coverage, reinforcing it as the most celebrated esports tournament worldwide.
our team handled the virtual production, augmented reality, media playback, and lighting design. we delivered an experience, by integrating real-time game data into Unreal Engine and creating multiple opening ceremonies. the realistic lighting and reflections, tailored to the venue’s specifics, amplified the virtual elements, creating an immersive atmosphere.
// set up
the Gamers8 project demanded a complex orchestration of technology and expertise. we collaborated with different partners to manage the media playback and show control. using Stage Precision’s software SP, we calibrated 18 cameras, managed 30 Unreal Playout Nodes and 36 disguise servers. running two stages and four studios at the same time required control, with SP at the core of managing AR elements, tracking data and lens calibration throughout the event.
we used three API endpoints for each game. one API revealed the winning team, which was showcased on the LED screens using disguise media servers and Notch. with Shield we selected detailed 3D scans of the players, while another API provided statistics from a database. all that data was used in Unreal Engine, creating a new and exciting way to display data throughout the event.
// AR technology
we used Unreal Engine with Shield plugin and SP to integrate AR and video content for the six different opening ceremonies that marked the beginning of each weekly tournament.
// innovative technology
our use of LiDAR-based point cloud technology enabled us to create accurate 3D models of the physical stages, blending virtual elements with the real environment seamlessly. by capturing the ambient lighting in a 360° image format, we illuminated virtual elements with appropriate lights, creating an immersive AR experience that merged perfectly with the real world.
especially, the opening ceremonies were a showcase of innovative technologies. we used AI for voice cloning and lyric generation, creating custom audio tracks with precise control over style and tonality. through infrared depth sensor capture of facial expressions we created an abstract AR face, that „rapped“ lines from the audio track.
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