Autodesk used to help create Planet 51 video game and movie

Autodesk announced that its 3D modelling, animation and rendering software was a primary tool used by Ilion Animation Studios and Pyro Studios to help create the Planet 51 video game and movie. The software was used throughout the pipeline of both the game and film to help produce a visually rich and believable alien world with the look of 1950s America. To date, Planet 51 is the biggest budget animated film produced in Europe.

Planet 51: The Movie
The film team at Ilion Animation Studios used Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Maya software to help create the Planet 51 movie – at the beginning of production for pre-visualisation and later for the final layout. Autodesk software was also used to help model over 500 unique characters and over 100 different locations on the planet, as well as to help create visual effects for the film.

Planet 51: The Game
Production on the Planet 51 game began approximately four years into the development of the film. A unique level of openness existed between the film and game studios, as they are owned by the same holding company and both have Autodesk products at the core of their respective pipelines. Pyro Studios had access to the entire film script and all assets of the movie from the beginning of the game’s production.

“We looked at all the elements of the Planet 51 world and one thing that stood out was the special characteristics of the vehicles,” explained Luis Fernando Fernandez, head of development at Pyro Studios. “The alien cars behaved very differently than earthly cars; they could float, jump and travel at super speeds. We thought the unique cars would be a perfect focus for the game play, and developed an open-world driving game.”

A large majority of the models created by Ilion Animation Studios for the movie were digitally transferred to the team at Pyro Studios for reuse in the video game. As both studios were working in Autodesk software, the transfer of assets was greatly simplified. The models were first resized and then reanimated in Autodesk 3ds Max software for the game.

“We wanted to make something really big, with a large open environment and a lot of variety in the game play,” explained Fernandez. “Having access to the film script and 85 percent of the digital assets was fantastic. It allowed us to develop a rich game that complements the movie and enhances the Planet 51 experience. Gamers can freely explore key locations from the film, but aren’t tied to the movie’s plot points.”