Building Machines for a Better Future in 'Horizon'

In this GDC 2022 talk, Guerrilla Games' Maxim Fleury and Lennart Franken break down the process of creating and building the iconic machines seen in the 'Horizon' franchise, discussing the machine asset pipeline at Guerrilla from a technical and organizational perspective
GDC returns to San Francisco this March 20-24, 2023, and registration is now open! For more information, be sure to visit our website and follow the #GDC23 hashtag on social media.
Subscribe to the GDC newsletter and get regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or RSS.
Join the GDC mailing list: www.gdconf.com/...
Follow GDC on Twitter: / official_gdc
GDC talks cover a range of developmental topics including game design, programming, audio, visual arts, business management, production, online games, and much more. We post a fresh GDC video every day. Subscribe to the channel to stay on top of regular updates, and check out GDC Vault for thousands of more in-depth talks from our archives.

[@JohnDaniels]

These developers are amazing, I don't think people realize how much work goes into this. Killzone was a masterpiece of a game, the graphics were insane.

[@autodidact7127]

The last killzone was really really bad man

[@prithvib8662]

@@autodidact7127 I think they meant technically lol

[@GianniCostanzi]

I’d like to see a new Killzone or maybe a remake of the first KZs on PS5… or maybe a Killzone VR game on PSVR2. Btw, just one month away from horizon call of the mountain. I love guerrilla games and their work, Horizon is so beautiful, the world is amazing and the machines are gorgeous. I can’t wait to see the DLC in April, I hope they will push the Decima engine even further being PS5 exclusive only (hoping it’s not only a marketing decision)

[@valstres]

Rip Mike Nash, he was one of the most skilled artist in the industry.

[@arunbabu3814]

I started playing horizon after going through his work and seeing the video put forth by his parents. He will forever be an inspiration for me!

[@autodidact7127]

Probably the most impressive technical achievement in gaming period as of December 2022

[@nicolaslabra2225]

its gonna be a little bit until another open world game impresses me this much, i mean this looks better than Ragnarok wich is a very linear and compact game.

[@TheWorldsOfGaming]

i love the machines of Horizon - such unique designs and intricate details. It can be quite calming to just watch them roam (or record footage of them). I always appreciated the fact that their design is not just a cool gimmick, but that there‘s a reason given in the game, that they’re modeled after present-day animals and prehistoric beasts. Hyped for the third one!

[@peshkybee7721]

Killzone is so stylistically different from Horizon I always forget the same folks made both. Wild.

[@JohnDaniels]

Killzone was an amazing game, the graphics were insane it was ahead of its time 👍🏻

[@NitishShiggaon]

Does anyone know where I can find "Creating and integrating the many faces of Horizon Forbidden West" presentation video? Or is it not uploaded yet?

[@olninyo]

seeing the different layers of sculpting broken down step by step was very valuable

[@Rahul_2456]

Ubisoft, EA & Bathesda upper management should take points PERIOD

[@ssslawz]

An excellent insight into the sheer hard work and the processes that went into making this phenomenal technical marvel of a game. Love it and can't wait for more from you guys :)

[@lukaszkups]

Such an awesome, interesting talk from awesome artists!

[@nashonightmare]

Great knowledge. However by the time I watch this video, Mike nash was passed away 💔 we remember you.

[@ivglandsk]

this video is gold

[@thebigs1997]

Where is the animation video talk?! :0

[@Jimunu]

Gonna be interesting on the thought processes

[@JETWTF]

45:38 Where's the PC release? That's my only question.

[@nicolaslabra2225]

probably 2024 id wager

[@JETWTF]

@@nicolaslabra2225 It would fit the timetable Zero Dawn had. But I disagree with such a long delay, no PC player is going to run out and buy a console because of an exclusive and delaying the release so long means selling it when it is no longer in players minds. It's like they are looking at making less from PC sales than they could because "exclusivity" BS reasons. PC only players are not going to buy a console no matter the exclusive title so making them exclusive to just the console is just throwing away money. Making them a timed exclusive to the console for a year or more then on PC is just throwing less money away. Six months or when the first DLC is released and the game is still fresh is the best time to release on the second platform. still fresh enough to be talked about so more PC players will buy it on day 1 PC release and console players who wanted it already bought it. Release 1-2 years later when nobody is talking about it and it just becomes another addition to the back catalog of older games to buy and play someday... and that's not going to be at the $60 release price when they pull the trigger. While I agree with your timetable for release, I hope Sony stops such long delays in the future but I am glad they even do a PC release because I really enjoyed HZD, it had an amazing story and Alloy was a fantastic character.

[@EversonBernardes]

@@JETWTF Sony has already come public saying PC releases will be at least 1 year from console releases. It is what it is. Their PC ports have been selling pretty well for what they are so... seems to be working for them.

[@TerryMartinART]

I jokingly assume if the art director is not happy, nobody is happy :D

[@theamazingmarlbito6293]

14:45

[@zaurkhubulov3962]

Horizon Forbidden West The Best Game!

[@MansBestCat]

As a solo dev, these AAA post mortems are so inspiring. Seeing how wasteful these productions are and realizing they don't set the bar very high at all

[@evanlane1690]

Yeah? You're probably right. What's your released game's name? I'll go pick it up to see how things are done right.

[@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxl]

Awesome, but it has no business being on the programming talks list.

[@LazarheaD]

Do not Elon Musk work on AI machines of war.

[@machinefannatic99]

The animations look jittery though not fluid enough

[@JM.....]

I really feel HFW felt a lot flatter than HZD HZD had very little that wasn't in line with the machine's terraforming purpose. They were largely believable in the world, and felt like they existed in a unified ecosystem. HFW does very little of that. The machines are clearly intended as video game bosses, not creatures inside an ecosystem. They became more complex for no reason bar they could. They got bigger for no reason but they could. They felt gamified, shallow, and souless compared to the amazing soul of machines in HZD.

[@MrKurorolucifer]

Boring

[@thealexfish4480]

BotW and ER were better

[@alyxredmond8753]

jesus christ this is a development talk

[@yonjuunininjin]

why?

[@suverene2759]

You don't have to think this way.

[@yonjuunininjin]

@@VrilWaffen Can you imagine working your butt off on a game with a big team and creating a nice experience that many people enjoyed, twice, then showing some fellow developers how they pulled it off in a dev talk, but then a random kid on the internet who has watched too much videogamedunkey decides to write a mean comment under a dev talk, telling you, that your work is inferior to the game of the year? No? Me neither, must be a bad troll.

[@Cextra_the_artist]

This ain't about them