Open-World Narrative · Guides & deep dives

0009: MotionScan-Equivalent Interrogation via MetaHuman

The Period Vice Squad path needs readable facial tells and interrogation performance quality comparable to classic scan-based detective games, while V5 must use a maintainable UE5.5-compatible pipeline.

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Status: Accepted

Date: 2026-05-25

Context#

The Period Vice Squad path needs readable facial tells and interrogation performance quality comparable to classic scan-based detective games, while V5 must use a maintainable UE5.5-compatible pipeline.

Decision#

V5 implements the MotionScan-equivalent pipeline through MetaHuman capture, high-fidelity facial solve data, performance clips, tell annotations, and interrogation scoring assets.

Capture Stage Requirements#

  • The face stage uses a calibrated 12-camera capture volume and records MetaHuman-compatible facial performance solves as 60 fps USD blendshape stacks.
  • Every principal actor receives a 16-hour FACS calibration session before production takes. Calibration covers neutral, range, asymmetry, and fatigue passes for the required action-unit groups.
  • Each tell take must carry actor id, voice-line id, tell type, USD take id, trim frames, blend-in/out frames, blend weight, and the Sequencer section id that owns playback in cinematic review.
  • The quality gate rejects takes that miss minimum frame count, 60 fps capture rate, required FACS coverage, or valid trim ranges. Failed takes enter the retake pipeline with a quality-gate reason tag.
  • VO sync accepts full lipsync playback only when the trimmed facial duration and voice duration are within 250 ms.

Consequences#

  • Facial-capture content targets MetaHuman-compatible runtime playback.
  • Interrogation scoring keys off authored tell metadata.
  • The pipeline remains compatible with Sequencer and cinematic review tooling.