Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Features Groundbreaking Animations

Quantity and Quality Combine to Give Game Players a Visual Treat

It's no secret that the Prince of Persia is back and better than ever - the collaboration between original creator Jordan Mechner and Ubi Soft Entertainment's top-notch Montreal development studio promises to yield one of the hottest games of the year (it's already won a slew of awards). Astute observers have noticed that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time completely modernizes the classic series for next-gen consoles while remaining true to the elements that made the original games legendary. Smart, engaging level design. Intense fighting. And, of course, an incredible lead character with awe-inspiring skills and groundbreaking animations.

For a look at the latest animations for Prince of Persia, check out http://downloads.gamezone.com/demos/d9957.htm.

The 700 Club

Thanks to animator Alex Drouin, the Prince boasts more than 700 animations. That includes the Prince's most spectacular moves, but also the small 'links' between animations - and that's what really makes the Prince such a smooth character by eliminating breaks in the movement. This is a case that goes against the old adage - when it comes to animations, quantity means quality.

Whether it's a waiting animation where the Prince dusts off his pants (a man's gotta look good!) or an incredibly agile pole swing (and check out the physics on that pole - it actually bends with his weight), the Prince displays a rare fluidity and confidence. By using hand animation instead of motion-capture, the team enjoyed complete control over every single detail of the Prince's movements and the ability to link them together seamlessly.

How Did They Do That?

In Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, top-notch animations result from collaboration (and heated debate!) between Drouin and AI programmer Richard Dumas to make sure that any animation can be managed by the engine. After a discussion of technical details, Drouin will actually act out the entire movement several times (within the limits of physics and possibility) to get a feel for weight shifts and other aspects before sitting down to create it in the studio. Each animation is then integrated into the engine, tested, and refined.

But actions speak louder than words - so take a look at these animations and see for yourself!

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is scheduled for release on the PlayStation2, Xbox, GameCube and GameBoy Advance in time for the holidays.

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