Use of Photogrammetry in Video Games: A Historical Overview
In 2014, the developers of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter revealed that the stunning settings in the game were created using photogrammetry, a modeling technique up to then generally disregarded as being too cumbersome for the technical limitations of game engines. Shortly after, EA DICE announced that its 2015 flagship title Star Wars Battlefront would be adopting photogrammetry extensively not only to capture key props and costumes but also to recreate key locations beloved to Star Wars fans. Since then, the games industry has been flooded with articles, tutorials, and new software dedicated to the use of photogrammetry to create 3-D game assets. This article examines the key developments in the field since 2014, how the technique is being adopted by game studios, what are the current and future trends, and how the use of photogrammetry is likely to disrupt the well-established game development pipelines.