Shooting a gun. An experience loved by some, hated by others. During development of Bulletstorm we went to a shooting range and tried out plenty of weaponry. And you know what? WORST. SPECIAL. EFFECTS. EVER.
Ok, so I'm a special effects artist [on upcoming first-person-shooter Bulletstorm] and my opinion of this is highly biased. But when someone comes up with a controller that punches you in the chest every time you shoot, and then smells of burned gunpowder, real weapons look lame in comparison.
That's our Studio Manager Erik Gloersen firing an Uzi machine gun. What the hell is up with that muzzle flash?!
And that is Environment Artist Krzysztof Dolas, firing a AK-47! A freaking Kalashnikov AK-47! It almost dislocated my shoulder with every shot. See that awesome special effect on the muzzle? Oh, you can't see it? WELL NEITHER CAN I!
Now THAT'S how you do it! A skull firing a chain gun with a muzzle flash as big as him! The only way it could be better would be if there was a bikini model doing it.
I did however greatly enjoy shooting real guns, it's one of those experiences everyone should try at least once. And nobody liked it more than our Creative Director Adrian Chmielarz, who after firing a shotgun made one of the best LOL faces I have ever seen.
Originally from Portugal, Special Effects Artist Jose Teixeira is a member of the Epic Games team at People Can Fly in Warsaw, Poland. As part of making Bulletstorm visually explosive, he very much enjoys blowing up the hard work of other people.
Republished with permission.