Massive
Massive is a computer program for group simulation that was developed by Stephen Regelous on behalf of Weta Digital for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy . The program is mainly used to calculate and display computer-generated armies and battles. The English name of the program would literally mean something like huge or colossal, but it stands for the acronym Multiple Agent Simulation System in Virtual Environment .
functionality
Individual parts of the figures to be represented are created with 3D graphics software and entered into an extensive figure library. From this library, Massive selects a random combination for each unit in terms of appearance (i.e. different heads, bodies, clothing and weapons) and character values. Similar to a role-playing game , each figure receives points on characteristic values such as courage, fighting spirit, strength, health, etc. These values then influence the behavior of the respective character controlled by artificial intelligence . This can then, for example, intervene directly in the battle, flee from an opposing force or organize with others.
Problems
The AI was still immature at first, so when creating the first Lord of the Rings battle scenes too many virtual extras ran away before the battle because they were heading in the wrong direction and had orders to keep walking straight until they encountered an opponent.
In later versions, the extras “learned” to look around after a while and to attack more distant opponents.
effect
The special scalability of the program allows the representation of large troop concentrations and mass battles, which were previously only possible with a lot of extras and the associated high financial outlay. In contrast to earlier computer-aided processes, in which a group of extras or computer-generated figures were cloned and put into the picture several times (for example the scene in Forrest Gump at the Washington Memorial), in Massive all figures are individually animated and move using AI methods through the scene.
Movies
Here is an excerpt of the films in which the Massive software was used:
- 2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (450 CGI Shots)
- 2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (760 CGI-Shots)
- 2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (1,496 CGI shots)
- 2004: I, Robot
- 2005: Elektra
- 2005: Kingdom of Heaven
- 2005: The Chronicles of Narnia: The King of Narnia
- 2005: King Kong
- 2006: Flags of our Fathers
- 2007: 300
- 2007: Die Hard 4.0
- 2008: The Dark Knight
- 2008: WALL · E - The last one cleans up the earth
- 2009: 2012
- 2009: Avatar
- 2010: Alice in Wonderland
- 2012: Life of Pi: Shipwreck with Tiger (sequences: flying fish; meerkats)
- 2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
- 2013: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
- 2014: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
- 2018: Avengers: Infinity War
- 2019: Avengers: Endgame