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===Video games===
===Video games===
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Zelda wind waker.jpg|thumb|300px|Purists argue that ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]]'' is not cel-shaded in the strictest sense, as it lacks "ink outlines" typical of the technique. However it still uses cartoon-like models, color schemes, and special effects also typical of cel-shaded games.]] -->
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Zelda wind waker.jpg|thumb|300px|Purists argue that ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]]'' is not cel-shaded in the strictest sense, as it lacks "ink outlines" typical of the technique. However it still uses cartoon-like models, color schemes, and special effects also typical of cel-shaded games.]] -->
The first 3D video game to feature true real-time cel shading was ''[[Jet Set Radio]]'' for the [[Sega Dreamcast]]. An earlier game, ''[[Fear Effect]]'' for the [[PlayStation|Sony PlayStation]], was noted for its use of dramatic textures to give an anime appearance to its characters, but lacked outlines and dynamic light-sourcing. Games before ''Fear Effect'' have used textures in a similar fashion, but not as starkly apparent or stylized as the game.
The first 3D video game to feature true real-time cel shading was ''[[Jet Set Radio]]'' for the [[Sega Dreamcast]] in [[2000]]. An earlier game, ''[[Fear Effect]]'' for the [[PlayStation|Sony PlayStation]], was released in the same year and was noted for its use of dramatic textures to give an [[anime]] appearance to its characters, but lacked outlines and dynamic light-sourcing. Games before ''Fear Effect'' have used textures in a similar fashion, but not as starkly apparent or stylized as the game.


In the years following ''Jet Set Radio'', numerous other cel-shaded games were introduced during a minor [[fad]] involving cel-shaded graphics, yet only a few would fully match or surpass its mainstream appeal. The next games with cel-shading to capture the industry's attention in some form were 2002's ''[[Jet Set Radio Future]]'' and ''[[Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus]]''. Over time, more cel-shaded titles such as ''[[Dark Cloud 2]]'', ''[[Klonoa 2]]'', the ''[[Viewtiful Joe]]'' series, and ''[[XIII (game)|XIII]]'' were released with positive feedback, though none were considered blockbusters in terms of sales figures. Originally the only cel-shaded games to receive both positive ratings and sales after ''Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus'' were ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[Sly 2: Band of Thieves]]''.
In the years following ''Jet Set Radio'', numerous other cel-shaded games were introduced during a minor [[fad]] involving cel-shaded graphics, yet only a few would fully match or surpass its mainstream appeal. The next games with cel-shading to capture the industry's attention in some form were 2002's ''[[Jet Set Radio Future]]'' and ''[[Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus]]''. Over time, more cel-shaded titles such as ''[[Dark Cloud 2]]'', ''[[Klonoa 2]]'', the ''[[Viewtiful Joe]]'' series, and ''[[XIII (game)|XIII]]'' were released with positive feedback, though none were considered blockbusters in terms of sales figures. Originally the only cel-shaded games to receive both positive ratings and sales after ''Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus'' were ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[Sly 2: Band of Thieves]]''.

Revision as of 08:17, 25 May 2006

Object with a basic cel-shader (AKA "toon shader") and border detection.

Cel-shaded animation (also called "cel-shading", "cell-shading", or "toon shading") is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make computer graphics appear to be hand-drawn. Cel-shading is often used to mimic the style of a comic book or cartoon. It is a relatively recent addition to computer graphics, most commonly turning up in console video games. Though the end result of cel-shading has a very simplistic feel like that of hand-drawn animation, the process is complex. The name comes from the clear sheets of acetate, called cels, that are painted on for use in traditional 2D animation, such as Disney classics.

Process

Hand-drawn animation

Main article: Traditional animation

In hand-drawn animation or traditional animation, from the mid-19th century onwards, artists would start by creating pencil drawings; these would then be transferred onto celluloid, made of cellulose nitrate, either by using xerography (a photocopying technique) and paint, or ink and paint. Later, by the mid-20th century, celluloid was made using cellulose acetate instead of cellulose nitrate due to the latter burning easily and suffering from spontaneous decomposition, though the process remained the same.

Digital animation

The cel-shading process starts with a typical 3D model. The difference occurs when a cel-shaded object is drawn on-screen. The rendering engine only selects a few shades of each color for the object, producing a flat look. This is not the same as using only a few shades of texture for an object, as lighting and other environmental factors would come into play and ruin the effect. Therefore, cel-shading is often implemented as an additional rendering pass after all other rendering operations are completed.

In order to draw black ink lines outlining an object's contours, the back-face culling is inverted to draw back-faced triangles with black-coloured vertices. The vertices must be drawn multiple times with a slight change in translation to make the lines "thick." This produces a black-shaded silhouette. The back-face culling is then set back to normal to draw the shading and optional textures of the object. Finally, the image is composited via Z-buffering, as the back-faces always lie deeper in the scene than the front-faces. The result is that the object is drawn with a black outline, and even contours that reside inside the object's surface in screen space.

History

Video games

The first 3D video game to feature true real-time cel shading was Jet Set Radio for the Sega Dreamcast in 2000. An earlier game, Fear Effect for the Sony PlayStation, was released in the same year and was noted for its use of dramatic textures to give an anime appearance to its characters, but lacked outlines and dynamic light-sourcing. Games before Fear Effect have used textures in a similar fashion, but not as starkly apparent or stylized as the game.

In the years following Jet Set Radio, numerous other cel-shaded games were introduced during a minor fad involving cel-shaded graphics, yet only a few would fully match or surpass its mainstream appeal. The next games with cel-shading to capture the industry's attention in some form were 2002's Jet Set Radio Future and Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus. Over time, more cel-shaded titles such as Dark Cloud 2, Klonoa 2, the Viewtiful Joe series, and XIII were released with positive feedback, though none were considered blockbusters in terms of sales figures. Originally the only cel-shaded games to receive both positive ratings and sales after Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus were The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Sly 2: Band of Thieves.

Originally, Sega’s House of the Dead 3 for the Xbox was cel-shaded. Early in HotD3’s development Sega released screenshots of the then current cel-shaded graphics to the gaming community. Shorty after those initial screenshots were released, Sega announced that they were dropping the cel-shaded graphics in favor of conventional graphic techniques. There are several suspected reasons for Sega’s change of heart, the most popular and most likely is that the screenshots met much negative response from gamers who disliked the cel-shaded graphical style. Many gamers claimed the cel-shading was used purely as a gimmick in an attempt to sell more games. HotD3 was a bloody, gory and very violent light gun game which featured zombies and other mutated and deformed creatures. Many felt the cel-shaded look clashed greatly with the games themes and content. Others attribute Hotd3’s graphical change to Capcoms Resident Evil on the Nintendo Gamecube, which was released during HotD3’s development. Resident Evil on Gamecube was a remake of the orginal Resident Evil which first appeared on the Sony Playstation. RE is a survival horror game, it (and the series for that matter) is known for its very bloody, gory and violent gameplay. The Gamecube version featured major graphical improvements and added gameplay content. The game sold considerably well and at that point was considered one of the best looking and most realistic looking RE games thus far. It was theorized Sega was afraid the unrealistic and cartoony cel-shaded graphics would hurt HotD3’s sales and so the cel-shading was dropped. An industrious web surfer can probably still find those cel-shaded screenshots lurking somewhere on the internet.

The use of cel-shading in video games has slowed somewhat since its inception, but the technique continues to be employed in the modern era. Recent and upcoming examples include Dragon Quest VIII, Killer 7, Metal Gear Acid 2, and Ōkami.

Examples of digital cel-shading

Main article: List of cel-shaded video games

Some of the more prominent films that have featured cel-shaded graphics are:

Some of the more prominent games that have featured cel-shaded graphics are:

In addition, some TV series and commercials also use cel-shading effects:

File:Spidey animated.jpg
Spider-Man squatting.

See also

Other types of animation

References

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