Los Angeles, Calif. - Eyetronics, an international provider of high-resolution scanning services and animation-ready 3D models for feature films, television, commercials, and computer games, provided 3D scanning for Midway’s next-generation, original title Stranglehold.
Stranglehold, which was released in September 2007 for PC and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and in October for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, marks Midway’s unique collaboration with Hong Kong movie legends, actor Chow Yun-Fat and director John Woo.
Eyetronics flew its scanning team to Hong Kong to scan Chow Yun-Fat and traveled locally to scan John Woo in his Santa Monica, Calif., office for his cameo in Stranglehold. Woo was instrumental in developing the game with Midway, his first foray into the video game realm.
Chow Yun-Fat is featured in the role of Inspector Tequila Yuen, a reprisal of his role in Woo's 1992 film Hard Boiled. Set in Hong Kong and Chicago, Stranglehold allows gamers to control incredible gun battles and dramatic slow motion in Tequila Time. The game features Woo’s signature action, shootout, and destruction sequences, along with dazzling computer graphics and visual effects.
“Eyetronics’ state-of-the-art scanning process allowed us to capture all the minute details we needed to create the most realistic portrayal of ChowYun-Fat possible,†says Brian Eddy, director of Stranglehold. “From scanning and processing the images, to placing them in a format that allowed us to quickly integrate them into our art pipeline, Eyetronics was a great relationship that made the entire process an incredibly enjoyable experience.â€
Nick Tesi, vice president of operations for Eyetronics in the U.S. and Canada, says: “Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo are well-known international stars and their virtual characters defy the law of physics in Stranglehold, so it was critical for them to be perfectly captured. Midway allowed us unprecedented freedom in the 3D scanning process and trusted us to deliver world-class images.â€
Eyetronics provided 3D scanning for BioWare’s game Mass Effect and also scanned more than 1400 Major League Baseball players and coaches for the Sony/SCEA game The Show and 2K Sports game Major League Baseball 2K7.
Eyetronics also announced that it will expand its operations to Canada. Its first satellite office opened in Montreal in September of 2007, with plans to roll out further expansion to Toronto and Vancouver in 2008.