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Behind the scenes with CiNG on Hotel Dusk/Last Window's rotoscoping animation

I recently finished Hotel Dusk after playing it for the first time. It's a lovely tale, I loved how all the characters' pasts and stories came together by the end. I was a bit sad to leave the place at the end.

Intrigued by the game's animation, I eventually found this old video with CiNG's Taisuke Kanasaki detailing how they produced Hotel Dusk and The Last Window's animations. It's pretty interesting!

Last Window (Behind the Scenes: Animation)

But it made me wonder: What modern games use the technique for their animation? The only game I can think of is Ghost Trick, which is six years old at this point. I'm guessing budgetary reasons are a problem, but I wonder if it's slowly dying out as a technique, even if it seemed relatively rare in the past.
 

MayMay

Banned
Hotel Dusk and the sequel have such an amazing and unique style..

What a damn shame CING had to die.

Great video.
 

daxgame

Member
speaking of CING... is there any news about their last game, Chase: Unsolved Cases Investigation Division? Wasn't it announced for the West too? I lost trace
 
I recently finished Hotel Dusk after playing it for the first time. It's a lovely tale, I loved how all the characters' pasts and stories came together by the end. I was a bit sad to leave the place at the end.

i definitely recommend checking out last window asap, it has some really nice, albeit limited, continuations of relationships formed between the central characters of hotel dusk

i remember watching this video and having it totally blow my mind after i played last window for the first time. seeing the real life counterparts of characters like rachel was a bit of a shock, lol.

makes me wonder if there's a real life kyle or mila out there! though i'd imagine not all characters used models. melissa from from the first game probably didn't, for instance.
 

Cuburt

Member
Cool video.

Don't think I ever knew it was rotoscoped for certain before, but I had suspected or at least thought that there was some motion reference in there.
 
Have a save about halfway through the Last Window I need to get back to. Wish these games had been more successful because they're underrated.
 

The Argus

Member
Puffy pirate shirt Jerry at 2:31 is best. They should have just used him with wigs and faux facial hear for all characters.
 

Harlock

Member
Love Hotel Dusk. Thks for the video. Like No More Heroes, is one that games very bound with the hardware.
 

- J - D -

Member
Hotel Dusk was pretty much the first game that really sold me on the DS's dual screen concept, I love it. Thanks for this.
 

@MUWANdo

Banned
speaking of CING... is there any news about their last game, Chase: Unsolved Cases Investigation Division? Wasn't it announced for the West too? I lost trace

Chase isn't a Cing game but it was made by former Cing people including the guy featured in the OP's video.

You can buy it on the eShop right now, there's even a discount coupon via EU My Nintendo. It does have a little of the Cing vibe but it's very low-budget and very short without a lot of interactivity, and the translation isn't great.
 

PAULINK

I microwave steaks.
Man, I love the character animations in hotel dusk and the last window, really feel lifelike. Also i'm gonna have to pick up that eshop title to show my support.
 
This is worse than bringing up an old ex-girlfriend. It's a damn shame that Nintendo never bought Cing. They really knew how to tell a great story in such a unique way.

I had no idea Hotel Dusk is up on the eStore. I'll buy it asap.
 
Please tell me there will be a spiritual successor on the Switch...

Obviously I'd rather it be on the PS4 but we all know that makes too much sense.
 

LiK

Member
Wow, never saw this. Thanks for letting us know. So cool to see it being made. Loved Hotel Dusk.
 
The series' character designer and director worked on Chase: Cold Investigations, it's a shame that game's budget and localisation budget is probably a 10th of what Hotel Dusk/TLW got.

i definitely recommend checking out last window asap, it has some really nice, albeit limited, continuations of relationships formed between the central characters of hotel dusk

i remember watching this video and having it totally blow my mind after i played last window for the first time. seeing the real life counterparts of characters like rachel was a bit of a shock, lol.

makes me wonder if there's a real life kyle or mila out there! though i'd imagine not all characters used models. melissa from from the first game probably didn't, for instance.

Yeah, I really want to play it now. Shame it's a bit pricey - while I'm sure it's worth every penny I am getting used to picking up overlooked gems for very cheap (got Dewy's Adventure for next-to-nothing!).
 

El Sincejas

Neo Member
Thanks for sharing this OP, i'm a huge fan of Hotel Dusk, had to import the second one on play-asia (best food in a video game ever).

Guru Logic Champ FTW
 
I received Last Window in the mail the other week, looking forward to starting it. From what little I've seen of it there are more advanced visual effects and flourishes, looks like CiNG are applying what they did on Wii. Nice.

Thanks for sharing this OP, i'm a huge fan of Hotel Dusk, had to import the second one on play-asia (best food in a video game ever).

Guru Logic Champ FTW

Woohoo! I hoped my new icon would be noticed by someone one day :D
 
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