Last April, Pragmata made its landing, impressing critics, players and respectable sales figures alike. In an era where even the name-brand gaming series underperform, making an original, PS3-in-spirit sci-fi adventure can be a labor of love. During development, Capcom staff had to consider one cost cutting measure that would call upon actual scissors: Giving one of its lead characters a bob.
Pragmata follows the Moon adventures of Hugh, an engineer in appropriately bulky space gear, and Diana, a child-like android in oversized Patagonia. While old-school in scope and setting, there are many finely rendered details about the space odyssey. Pragmata pushed the RE Engine to animate each individual strand of Diana’s overflowing mess of hair, with nearly half a million animation points to accomplish this feat.
As spotted in Famitsu by Automaton Media, developers recognized this could be an issue as early as the initial concept art stage. Having a tangle of hair floating in low gravity and high flying action could challenge development for simultaneous platforms and specs. Riding piggyback throughout the game, Diana’s hair is constantly present, making it as much a showpiece for the tech as a strain on the system. During a presentation at this year’s CEDEC, Pragmata developers showed some of the more short and styled appearances that could have hidden much of Diana’s hair count.
Ultimately the Newt-like approach won out, with the team feeling Diana’s appearance needed to “convey a sense of life on the Moon.” Thankfully the extra processing power didn’t sink the original outer space quest, and Capcom continues to enjoy a balanced windfall thanks to a mix of remakes, sequels and new ideas. The RE Engine can handle messy kid’s hair without having to resort to Caillou. It was a good call that Diana didn’t get a bob, but the decision making only raises further questions as to why Capcom felt Elena deserved those fucked up looking bangs instead.
