In this second episode, we explore how scientists at La Forge are revolutionizing video game characters and how text-to-speech technology is helping our artists improve and refine the gaming experience by making character voices more realistic. You will also learn about Choreograph—a prototype that anticipates the movements of playable characters and gives them a fluidity like those recorded in motion capture.

Guests: Marc-André Carbonneau (R&D Scientist and Director of a team of researchers on speech and sound machine learning—Ubisoft La Forge—TTS), Ylva Ferstl (R&D Scientist—Ubisoft La Forge, Toronto), David Coulombe (Production Director — Ubisoft Technology Group) and Raphaël Saint-Pierre (Engine Programmer—Far Cry)

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In this final episode, our experts discuss innovations beyond gaming. For example, how the self-driving cars in Watch Dogs can teach kids the basics of machine learning, how AI can raise climate-change awareness by simulating its possible consequences, and how our research is helping counter dangerous online behaviours thanks to some unexpected allies…

Guests: Elisabeth Doyon (Student at Université de Montréal—CSM AI for kids Project), Amanda Jarrell ([MURL], User Research Project Manager—Ubisoft—ToxBuster) and Andrea Feder (Production Manager — Ubisoft La Forge)  

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In this first episode, you will dive into the world of the founders of Ubisoft La Forge, research, and development lab, which is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year. Travel back in time to its creation and discover its many impacts, triumphs, and of course … its failures.

Guests: Yves Jacquier (Executive Director—Ubisoft La Forge), Olivier Pomarez (Director of Development—Ubisoft La Forge) and Cédric Decelle (VP Technology —Ubisoft Montréal)

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In this fourth episode, we explain how the SmartNav prototype manages to create more realistic and responsive behaviours for non-playable characters and how their design enhances the immersive experience for players in various open-world games. 

Guests: Joshua Romoff (Research Scientist at Ubisoft—Ubisoft La Forge—SmartNav), Gabriel Robert (Technical Lead—Ubisoft La Forge) and Julien Varnier (Technical Architect for AI & Gameplay—Far Cry 5, 4 & 3)

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In this third episode, we discuss the Torch prototype, which combines physics and programming to improve on traditional methods of animating fluids such as water, air, and fire. We also dig into the differences between academic and corporate environments, and how La Forge manages to bring these two worlds together through research and development.

Guests: Shahin Rabbani (Director of Scientific Research and Development—Ubisoft La Forge—Torch) and Claude Langlais (Director — Anvil)

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Welcome to Tech Makers, a Ubisoft podcast. In this first series hosted by David Usher, we’re celebrating 5 years of innovation at La Forge. In this exclusive sneak peek, you’ll meet the people working on some of the video game industry’s most promising innovations. Get ready to learn more about the project’s origins and discover various prototypes and breakthroughs whose impacts are felt far beyond the world of gaming.

A bit more about La Forge

La Forge aims to accelerate R&D by linking the academic and industrial worlds. This R&D hub aims to validate knowledge by testing the value of technological innovations, thus bridging the gap between academic research and industry, between theory and practice. The exchange of knowledge between these experts from two distinct but complementary backgrounds allow for new ideas and innovative concepts to emerge. Research topics include rendering, animation, artificial intelligence, audio, physics, and tools for understanding and managing player behaviour. Ultimately, prototypes are implemented in production, and the knowledge gained is shared with the academic world and beyond!

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