Watch Your Characters Come Alive with Authentic Movement

You've invested so much into your game's mechanics and design. But when it comes to character animation, you're facing a challenge that's hard to solve with your current resources. Hand-keyed animations take enormous time to look natural, and even then, something often feels slightly off.

Maybe you've tried using stock animation libraries, only to find they don't quite match your characters or gameplay style. The idle poses look generic, the combat moves lack impact, and everything needs extensive tweaking to work with your specific needs. Your animation team is already stretched across multiple aspects of the project.

You know that animation quality matters deeply in arcade games. Players notice when a character's jump doesn't have proper weight, when combat moves feel disconnected, or when transitions are jarring. These details affect how the game feels to play, and ultimately, how much players enjoy it.

The thought of adding motion capture to your project might seem daunting. There's the technical complexity, the cost considerations, the coordination required. You're already managing a complex production, and adding another element feels like it could complicate things further, even though you know it would improve the final result.

When you book a motion capture session with us, you're getting more than studio time—you're getting a collaborative experience designed to make creating great animations straightforward and enjoyable.

Your session begins with a walkthrough of what you want to capture. We discuss the character types, the specific actions needed, and any particular challenges your game presents. Our performers warm up and get familiar with your requirements while we finalize the studio setup.

After your session, our team processes the capture data. We clean up any tracking inconsistencies, ensure smooth motion, and prepare the animations in your required format. You'll receive the processed files along with notes about each capture, making integration into your project straightforward.

If you have questions during integration or need any adjustments, we're available to help. Many clients appreciate having that support as they bring the animations into their games and fine-tune how they work within their specific gameplay systems.

Motion capture works because it captures something that's difficult to recreate by hand: the natural physics and timing of real human movement. When a performer executes a jump, their body follows the laws of momentum and gravity automatically. When they throw a punch, the weight transfer and follow-through happen naturally.

Our optical tracking system records this movement at 120 frames per second with sub-millimeter precision. This high capture rate means we're recording even the subtle details—the slight crouch before a jump, the way shoulders rotate during a run, the weight shift during a turn. These details are what make movement feel authentic.

We've been capturing motion for arcade games since 2009. Over those years, we've refined our process to focus on what matters for interactive entertainment. We understand gameplay requirements like looping animations, transition points, and performance optimization. This experience means we can anticipate challenges and deliver animations that work smoothly in your game engine.

The timeline from capture to integration is typically straightforward. Most clients receive processed animation data within 3-5 business days after their session. Rush processing is available when project deadlines require faster turnaround.

Beginning your motion capture journey with Motion Lab is straightforward. Here's what happens next:

There's no pressure, no complicated process—just a straightforward path to getting the animations your game needs. When you're ready to explore motion capture, we're here to help make it happen smoothly.