Fri, Jul 03, 2009 | 11:06 BST

This gen’s tech leads to bald space marines, claims Bleszinski

gearsofwar2a10

Epic’s Cliff Bleszinski has explained to Develop why there are a lot of short-haired action heroes this generation. Apparently, it’s because current gen tech can’t do hair very well.

“I just think that the technology of this generation just happens to be very good at rendering metals and stones and dramatic lighting, which is why you see a lot of pillars and girders and destroyed blown-out areas because that’s what the bump-mapping happens to do very well,” he said.

“At the same time, in this generation the translucent effects are very hard to pull off. That’s why everybody sees a lot of these bald characters and wonder why games feature so many fucking space marines. Well, the tech is good at showing off armour and it’s not that good at doing hair. That’s why we have bald space marines. There’s your answer people.”

There. It’s got nothing to do with appealing to action-loving men. Full interview through the link.

21 comments

Syrok
03/07/09, 11:12 am

Somebody should tell that the guys who make Final Fantasy.

elronathon
03/07/09, 11:15 am

anyone think its really strange that here we have 3 stories posted on this site drawing out a single interview on Develop…?

3 x the coverage of an interview than the source site…

Gekidami
03/07/09, 11:31 am

The Unreal 3 engine is the only engine this gen…

Hunam
03/07/09, 11:42 am

To be fair though, most hair in games is pretty terrible.

Bringit
03/07/09, 11:43 am

elronathon, I don’t think it’s strange at all. Common practice in fact.

I imagine the Develop team are gutted that VG247 has linked to their interview three times.

frostquake
03/07/09, 11:47 am

So if they are NUDE they can’t show private parts hair right…Then Shave them and let them be NUDE…or just go with a racing stripe..VROOM VROOM!!!

Hunam
03/07/09, 11:50 am

Private parts eh?

ultrabrilliant
03/07/09, 11:52 am

This has made me respect ‘Cliffy’ a bit more. I admire his honesty.

elronathon
03/07/09, 11:57 am

@ Bringit…still seems odd to me to stretch out content like this but at the same time you are right – I know Develop would be happy to get the traffic

#10

dirigiblebill
03/07/09, 11:58 am

“Somebody should tell that the guys who make Final Fantasy.”

I was just going to say that it never held the Japanese back :p

#11

frostquake
03/07/09, 12:00 pm

Naughty bits…better Hunam?? ROFL…Curtains should always match the basement…Though I am all for racing stripes!!! Cliffy Has trouble now with Hair..Well On next Gen that want be a Problem…Gears of War 3: Nude Space Marines Gone Wild..Talk about crazy Bump Mapping…Gotta get the upper and lower jiggly right!

#12

deftangel
03/07/09, 12:15 pm

@elronathon – It’s the norm on this site more than anything else. Breaking it down in to bite sized chunks is seen to make it more easily digestible so more people read it. I tend to agree, I read Develop but on a busy day, I’m not likely to spend 10minutes reading an interview but I can take a minute 2-3 times a day to catch up on the best bits here.

#13

elronathon
03/07/09, 1:05 pm

has anyone actually read the interview? its a good un but its hardly Gray’s Elegy…the breaking up into ‘digestible chunks’ thing seems a little melodramatic.

ah well, different strokes etc.