Earlier this year, the makers of Facerig — software that allows users to manipulate the facial expressions of an on-screen character by mapping it to their own face — reached out to developers asking if they would like to see their licensed characters built in the program. Among the first were the makers of everyone's favorite normal-father-impersonator, Octodad.
Developer Young Horses lent the hero of Octodad: Dadliest Catch to Facerig, and the result is kind of amazing. The Facerig Octodad is the same polycount as the one used in-game, with wide eyes that follow users' movements and a head that tilts on command. Users can also move his facial tentacles into the resemblance of a smile by smiling themselves.
The creators at Facerig are hoping to launch their software, which in its full form will allow users to create any character they want and map them to read facial expressions, in beta this August. The software will launch first in Classic and Pro versions, with a Studio developer-grade edition coming in 2015.
