Everywhere you look these days, computer graphics are merging with real photographs and film.
Like many people (I expect) I've always prized myself on being able to spot the difference. It used to be a lot easier. Both the long sweeping shots of the deck in Titanic and the approaching Godzilla-ettes fell sour of traction slip - the feet of the CGI implants slipping on real (or also CGI) surfaces. Dead giveaway. Too many movies to count fall prey to flat colours or too-simplistic light sources. Uniform textures. Crunchy edges, unusual interactions between objects. Everybody's an expert at spotting CGI humans, but when it comes to the inanimate world, animators and programmers have an easier ride.
So I approached this quiz with interest. It compares real photographs with shots from the upcoming Playstation 3 game, Gran Turismo 5. The shots of the cars are very tightly framed, so you can't use the backgrounds or landscapes as much of a guide, but still.
I got 12 out of 15, but holy crap if most of those weren't guesses.
How many can you get?
Take the quiz
(via Digg)
I got 11, and I don't think I wa doing much guessing. It's all down to spotting the flaws, as you point out with the "traction slip" thingy.
I haven't played computer games since Atari, in fact, I probably still say 'video games', but I've watched my nephew and the graphics blow me away. Just quietly. 10 out of 15.
8.
But then:
a) I am 50+ and
b) I don't own a Playstation