Sydney Bristow, l'héroïne d'Alias, sur PS2, Xbox et PC Sortie prévue novembre 2003

C'est lors d'une conférence de presse au prestigieux siège de Buena Vista France que nous avons eu le privilège de voir les premières images du jeu et de rencontrer Ron Rifkin (alias Arvin Sloane, le cerveau du SD6), un personnage aussi attachant à la ville qu'il est odieux dans son rôle de terroriste manipulateur.

Alias - le jeu - sera disponible à la mi-novembre sur PC, Xbox et PS2. Si l'on en croit les images diffusées lors de la conférence de presse le jeu pourrait devenir tout aussi culte que la série télé éponyme.

What did it take to create Arvin Sloane in the Alias video game ?

• 5 days of research went into learning everything there is to know about the Arvin Sloane character, including analysing in minute detail all movement characteristics.
• Ron Rifkin spent a full day recording the voiceover in an audio studio for Arvin’s character. The voiceover would be used in pre-rendered cut-scenes and actual gameplay sequences within the final video game. All the scripts were provided the scriptwriter from the TV series – Breen Frazier.
• Ron Rifkin spent a half-day at a photo shoot directed by the video game art director. The photographs are used for reference to ensure that every aspect of Arvin Sloane’s character in the game is completely accurate including texture and colouring of skin, hair, eye colour, as well as body proportions, size of head, hands, feet etc
• The game developers spent 3 days casting the actor who would become Ron Rifkin’s “game double” and perform the thousands of different body moves and actions for the Arvin Sloane character in a motion capture studio.
• The game developer then spent more than 300 hours with Rifikin’s game double in the mo-cap studio. Wearing a black body suit with reflective balls placed at all relevant bone joints, each and every motion is captured by light sensitive cameras from multiple camera angles. This data would be processed to create ultra-realistic movement for in-game interaction and within cut-scenes (those that the player has no control over or interaction)
• Over many months a team of 12 programmers ensure that the raw mo-cap data is transformed to create the ultimate digital version of Arvin Sloane. Teams of programmers, expert in the field of AI (artificial intelligence) ensure that the Arvin Sloane character behaves in an ultra-realistic manner, proving a determined and intelligent adversary for the game’s heroine Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner).
• Animation experts and artists using sophisticated proprietary technologies ensure that the Arvin Sloan walks and talks like the real thing. Finally, in minute detail, using cutting edge software, Ron Rifkin’s voice-over recordings are painstakingly matched to the mouth of his digital self – creating word-perfect lip-sync throughout the game – a process that in itself takes many weeks.
• Almost indistinguishable from his real self, Arvin Sloane, is now the walking, talking digital version of himself – an enemy with looks, behaviour, voice, and scheming intelligence which is so realistic that video gamers will really experience the living nightmares of heroine Sydney Bristow.

Ron Rifkin alias Arvin Sloane