The Making of Mortal Kombat | Digitized graphics in video games

Рет қаралды 559,594

Күн бұрын

An undeniable trend in gaming graphics during the early 90s was the usage of digitized graphics, made possible thanks to various advancements in hardware and software. Although a lot of game developers used it for bits and pieces like title screens, Williams and Atari Games in particular embraced this new tech early on. Resulting in hits like T2, Mortal Kombat, Pit Fighter and Primal Rage.
PART 1 Cel animation: • The Making of Aladdin ...
PART 2 Pre-rendered graphics: • The Making of Donkey K...
///Support the channel:
All your views, likes comments and shares are really appreciated! My making of videos are part of bigger project. I set up a patreon for those who would like to financially support it: / strafefox
Narration by Steven Kelly
/ stevenmkelly
//Music and Sources
For the complete track-listing with time-codes skip to the end of the video
Sources used for this video are also listed there.
//Chapters
00:00 Digital imaging
02:27 NARC
03:11 Terminator 2
5:02 Mortal Kombat
14:03 Mortal Kombat II
19:09 Atari Games (Pit Fighter and Primal Rage)
22:58 Mortal Kombat 3
26:01 Ending

Пікірлер: 1 300

@GameSack 2 жыл бұрын

"For the sake of the actors, most of [the fatalities] were created digitally". A few weren't? LOL. Great video as always.

@rockdesu 2 жыл бұрын

Imagine getting hired just so they burn you alive for real. May that actor rest in peace and crispy lol.

@ogjk 2 жыл бұрын

Gamesack & Splashwave colab please please please please please please.

@NicodemusT 2 жыл бұрын

You’ve been sacccccckkkkkkkked.

@piratesephiroth 2 жыл бұрын

@@ogjk with the obligatory cameo of Dave stealing Joe's Snatcher

@f.k.b.16 2 жыл бұрын

Well it was the end of most of their acting careers so... Yep!

@GoldBearanimationsYT 2 жыл бұрын

This video is so well made omg

@RetroGamesCouple 10 ай бұрын

Our thoughts exactly, we love the editing too!

@CoolCoyote 10 ай бұрын

@@RetroGamesCouple lol well done, us gamers love scanlines don't we ah the good Olé days

@RetroGamesCouple 10 ай бұрын

@@CoolCoyote Amen

@CharleyTurner 10 ай бұрын

I came to say the exact same thing. Great job.

@jfitzgerald4887 7 ай бұрын

there's a typo in the subtitle . It's not well made

@heyitsmorgannerdz Жыл бұрын

"Midway had a free-spirited atmosphere. Once management believed in a project, they rarely stepped in." YOU HEAR THAT WARNER?!

@DavosSeaworth 2 жыл бұрын

*~Fun Facts~* Ed Boon named the characters *Sonya* Blade and *Tonya* after his two sisters *Noob Saibot* got his name from creator John *Tobias* and Ed *Boon* 's reversed surnames

@roland-d5050 2 жыл бұрын

KZfaq doesn't deserve this level of production quality. Amazing work.

@f.k.b.16 2 жыл бұрын

That is the truth! This should be on the History Channel or some other major outlet!

@TheLegendofRenegade 2 жыл бұрын

So true, the effort these guys put in is incredible

@thealchemist851 2 жыл бұрын

Well-Said!

@P4boot 10 ай бұрын

KZfaq actually deserves it. Lol But I get what you mean…

@bradfab_fx 10 ай бұрын

Honestly felt like watching a documentary on tv at night

@MysticMage255 2 жыл бұрын

Your production levels are off the charts insane. Incredible stuff here. Love what you do!!

@NicodemusT 2 жыл бұрын

Yes. These shows could be easily ported to network TV with very little change.

@robdealer 2 жыл бұрын

@@NicodemusT Everyone who has ever played video games needs to check out this channel!

@lilyolk299 2 жыл бұрын

Top Notch… been looking for “this” video for years now!

@grahamcurran8744 2 жыл бұрын

Amazingly produced 👌

@piedramultiaristas8573 2 жыл бұрын

@@lilyolk299 Fibally it came in 2022

@GawainSSB 2 жыл бұрын

Its crazy how ambitious these guys were when given such a short amount of time. The rarity of dedication like that is why there are so many flops compared to successes imo

@FirstnameLastname-my7bz 10 ай бұрын

Ofc not

@davidcallaghan1693 7 ай бұрын

ET guy was ambitious too but was stuck on Atari

@GeilerDaddy 6 ай бұрын

😆@@davidcallaghan1693

@Ottophil 3 ай бұрын

Cocaine

@MattMcMuscles 2 жыл бұрын

As always, amazing work. Really appreciated the mentioning of the earlier games that Midway made that utilized digitized graphics.

@jamesburchill7522 2 жыл бұрын

I find Joe and Matt here... Men of Culture.

@venomtang 2 жыл бұрын

yea that was a much appreciated touch

@alecaquino4306 Жыл бұрын

Shoo. Shoo! You little rodent. Be gone from this place!

@karnerblue7658 10 ай бұрын

This video was fantastic. Love your channel, too, Matt!

@opo3628 4 ай бұрын

Shut up, Matt. No one asked you.

@doctorwolfman5221 2 жыл бұрын

Bret Hart being the lone worker in manufacturing at 6:37 is brilliant.

@TheRealPaco2049 2 жыл бұрын

Bret "Forklift Operator" Hart. I am glad I was not the only one who saw that!

@STRONGERTHANDEATH0.01 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, that was after his cowboy days :) along with his brother the late bronco owen hart..

@BlackHeartTV33 2 жыл бұрын

RIP Owen Heart . 🖤

@mattk252 2 жыл бұрын

I did his roof

@Mafr0 2 жыл бұрын

The pink in black ring gear is actually the perfect choice for hi-vis warehouse workwear!

@kurtdewittphoto 2 жыл бұрын

For a while now, I've wanted a new Mortal Kombat done using the same techniques as the original games, just with better technology.

@ricardocantoral7672 2 жыл бұрын

Mo cap is the successor to this technology.

@kurtdewittphoto 2 жыл бұрын

@@ricardocantoral7672 Yeah. But it would be cool to film actors again instead of just capturing their moves to add to a 3D character. It could be a low-budget offshoot from their main MK series as a tribute/anniversary type release. I'm sure people would eat it up at $29.99 or less price point.

@roberto1519 2 жыл бұрын

Kurt, check Mortal Kombat - Defenders of the Earth, if you haven't already, it may be up your alley, a love letter to the series.

2 жыл бұрын

@@kurtdewittphoto There actually was going to be a HD version of the arcade games with the similar techniques; digitized actors but now in a HD format. Unfortunately Warner Bros. cancelled the idea as they thought remaking the arcades from scratch through the same techniques in HD capture would be too costly and not enough to warrant a profit.

@kurtdewittphoto 2 жыл бұрын

@Dairanto DX Bummer 😔

@slundal 2 жыл бұрын

How on gods green earth can you maintain producing this level of high quality documentary? There is literally nothing out there about gaming that goes this in-depth and with this production quality.

@PrimitiveOs 2 жыл бұрын

Please KZfaq, give more exposure to this channel. It deserves it

@SRC267 2 жыл бұрын

Nice to see this after just learning about Mortal Kombat Arcade Edition romhack for the Sega Genesis.

@SauloBenigno 2 жыл бұрын

Nice, never heard of it, thanks for the info

@LinkueiBR 2 жыл бұрын

Hope you guys like it!

@hellbillymods45 2 жыл бұрын

@@LinkueiBR It's freaking awesome, well done.

@TheSektorz 2 жыл бұрын

TIL Linda Hamilton has a twin sister. Epic production quality as always, Strafefox! Edit: Daniel Pesina (the OG Johnny Cage) is a friend on Facebook and the nicest guy ever

@mojojojo6292 2 жыл бұрын

They actually used her twin in Terminator 2. In the scene (only in the directors cut) where Sarah and John are removing the cpu from Arnies head in front of a mirror, the mirror was actually fake and the "reflection" was Linda's twin sister. Also later in the forge where the T-1000 is imitating Sarah they used her when they are on screen together.

@TheSektorz 2 жыл бұрын

@@mojojojo6292 Damn, I can't believe I'm learning this 31 years later. Having a twin is awesome for showbusiness!

@fluffy_tail4365 2 жыл бұрын

The digitized artstyle has never been my favorite but learning about the production pipeline was interesting regardless and made me appreaciate it more!

@alejandromolinac 2 жыл бұрын

In it’s day….. it was extremely groundbreaking….. most people just knew Atari and Nintendo…..

@Hamstray 2 жыл бұрын

it has aged terribly, while good pixel art on the other hand is kind of timeless.

@houstonhelicoptertours1006 2 жыл бұрын

@@Hamstray That's just like, your opinion, man.

@Elfangel85 Жыл бұрын

What a fantastic video. Made so professionally, so many tidbits, loved, loved it. Did not want it to end. Cannot even imagine how long it takes to edit a video like this. Bravo!

@strafefox Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

@GhostOdyssey 4 ай бұрын

Agreed, wholeheartedly! I am NOT a fan of Mortal Kombat at all -- but I can appreciate 'overwhelming amount of dedication and work' what went into the gamer's development, and this documentary kept me glued to the screen. Fantastic viewing!

@creaturesofwar5930 2 жыл бұрын

These are hands down the best videos on KZfaq. You need to pitch yourself to HBO, Netflix, Hulu, anyone who will listen to you. Producing more videos like these should replace your day job. Awesome content!

@johnsmith-ir1ne 2 жыл бұрын

Ew gross, I'd rather not have strafe content be locked behind Wokémon walled garden

@alejandromolinac 2 жыл бұрын

Oh hell no!….. they would prob “require” him to put a whole bunch of talking points and buzzwords….

@Linkwii64 2 жыл бұрын

Why would he needs HBO and go mainstream? stay independent lol.. more freedom. You don't wan to be control by some corporate CEO.

@negrotaku6299 2 жыл бұрын

New Splash Wave My entire week’s just been made

@zombiecharger65 Жыл бұрын

I have watched a lot of "Making of" stuff on video games. You went above and beyond with this one! Thanks!

@popunkid 10 ай бұрын

Seriously, the production value of these videos is second-to-none. They blow my mind.

@mrnicktoyou 2 жыл бұрын

I was 12 years old when the original Mortal Kombat came out. I remember coming across a cabinet and just staring at the faces of the characters thinking how real they looked. And the blood splattering everywhere was cool of course.

@mattm7798 2 жыл бұрын

Right! I still remember seeing MK2 for the first time in a bowling alley(after having played MK in the arcade and at home), clearly months after release, because the adult playing it was really good and knew all the moves and fatalities. 5th grade me thought it was the coolest thing in the world.

@alejandromolinac 2 жыл бұрын

Hahahah! I was also about 12 when the original MK came out…. I was BLOWN AWAY!!!!!!….. OMG!!!! THEY USE REAL PEOPLE!…

@piedramultiaristas8573 2 жыл бұрын

@@alejandromolinac I was like 10 years and I was surprised by the trchnology and afraid bcs of goro, the places and of course fatalities and mk2 was SO MUCH BETTER I think mk2 shalibg monks and the mk11 are the best mk games and they oroject so much like a very similar feelings

@82leegary 2 жыл бұрын

I know right! I was 10 and it's been about 30 years. I am almost 40 now time flies! MK fan since childhood.

@donchimpson4934 2 жыл бұрын

I was literally just thinking “I’d love to watch a new Strafefox video about fighting games” and you deliver in less than 24 hours. Well done on reading my mind. I can’t wait for your video about PC FX games, which I was also thinking about today.

@E180TEKNO 2 жыл бұрын

the same for the PC FX

@TheGeckoNinja 2 жыл бұрын

lol you willed it into existence

@skratchforce9785 2 жыл бұрын

Omg how creepy i was thinking the same shit

@grahamjhallaudio8198 2 жыл бұрын

Same!

@johnathanbabino9852 10 ай бұрын

When Mortal Kombat came out in 92,or 93',I was 12,or 13yrs old...I'm 42 now,and I still love playing it,and have it👌🏾Classic‼️Movie,as well👍🏾👍🏾

@jmnyc212 2 жыл бұрын

One of the most consistent shows out there quality wise. Tremendous episode.

@E180TEKNO 2 жыл бұрын

you are one of the best retro game channel for me on youtube, that's why there is so much space between the output of your videos, because it takes time to make the quality, but what a treat for each video really

@lindejordan 2 жыл бұрын

THIS is the one for me. Cannot wait to see how well done this is. The absolute king, best quality of ANY videos on youtube, doesn't matter the subject. Thanks for the continually astounding effort.

@kz1000ps 2 жыл бұрын

Strafefox, and I'd also say Ahoy, are the equally talented kings of quality and originality. Every video is a real treat.

@microtonalmilio5233 2 жыл бұрын

JCS Criminology Psychology also has a prestige about their production.

@Xentzuken 2 жыл бұрын

So thankful that the algorithm recommended me this video because this is easily the BEST documentary style MK video I have ever seen. The production quality is amazing!

@nathancrossen2224 2 жыл бұрын

Enter the Dragon + Bloodsport + Big Trouble in Little China = Mortal Kombat. Combining these was absolute genius and this franchise will live forever.

@Steerable6827 2 жыл бұрын

It's been a while man, welcome back!

@ProtoSnake 2 жыл бұрын

Alright, you did Mortal Kombat this time! Tweet this to Ed Boon & John Tobias, please! I was surprised Ed Boon tweeted about your Street Fighter II essay video. Hope he does for this video.

@englishwithphil42 2 жыл бұрын

This video itself is a work of art. Thank you so much for continuing to put all this effort in the videos!

@tommyspadaccini2121 18 күн бұрын

In the arcade version of MKIII there was a code that gives you unlimited credits, but for cancel it, you had to shut off the cabinet. When the cabinet restarted, the voulume vas at max. Me and my friends had run a lot to escape from the arcades. So sweet memories

@ShoRyuBarbie 2 жыл бұрын

I love how much behind the scenes footage and concept art you guys are able to find for these videos.

@pixelsrnautded9286 2 жыл бұрын

Would love to see a new Mortal Kombat in this style with modern technology.

@StraightOuttaJarhois 2 жыл бұрын

Considering how much software has improved and how easy digital cameras are to work with, it could probably be done on an indie budget today.

@szczecho 2 жыл бұрын

@@StraightOuttaJarhois I agree

@knyght27 2 жыл бұрын

For me, it wouldn't even have to be a Mortal Kombat title. It can just be a retro-style indie game that pays homage to the early MK graphics style

@tanktheta 2 жыл бұрын

Well mates, maybe after my current game's done, I'd love to try and tackle that. Especially since Modern MK has lost the charm and solid gameplay the older games had. So I'd like to make a return to that. Though there's another guy who seems like he wants to do it now, in the comments.

@STRONGERTHANDEATH0.01 2 жыл бұрын

Hate the new mortal kombats..

@markwuahlbuargg4780 2 жыл бұрын

Its so wild to hear how something that is so trivial today was so complicated at that time.

@solitonmedic 2 жыл бұрын

Watching that artist paint the dinos for Primal Rage was really satisifying to watch. I wish games now had this level of passion back.

@needleman0824 2 жыл бұрын

You literally make a vid just about the game i get back into! Your content always amazes me strafefox!

@mr.horseshoe2301 2 жыл бұрын

Incredible work as always!

@rul1175 2 жыл бұрын

The highest quality production gaming video in youtube. Keep it up!

@zerocal76 2 жыл бұрын

I was unsubbing from a bunch of KZfaq channels and I didn't remember yours until I saw a screenshot of one of your vids. I'll never unsub. Love your retro style! 😎

@retrorystergaming577 2 жыл бұрын

'For the safety of the actors, most of these effects were created digitally' Thanks for the clarification as I always thought Midway had a Dragon on standby for the fatality lol. Love the channel by the way. Editing style is on point and love watching for editing ideas!!! Thanks for the upload

@VashStarwind 2 жыл бұрын

Such good videos! Idk how you get a hold of so much production footage, but its the coolest thing to see. One of my favorite things are learning about the actual software programs, and hardware used to make these classic games. Imagine digitizing a game these days using HD cameras and modern editing software, it could be a super cool idea.

@theSato 2 жыл бұрын

It doesn't really work in modern gaming / in HD, IMO. Part of the reason it worked back then was the lower resolution and color palettes making it 'not too realistic'.

@dbako 2 жыл бұрын

My mind cannot grasp the PERFECTION AND QUALITY you input in your videos, you could easily go viral and sponsored and jump to Hollywood, i am MIND BLOWN, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@BingBangPoe 2 жыл бұрын

The level of quality and polish of your videos always blows my mind. We have the quality of Discovery / National Geographic on KZfaq. It's outstanding.

@AaronRose2421 2 жыл бұрын

Instant sub. This channel is a true hidden gem and cannot believe the amount of 3d and production work you put into it. Simply amazing.

@MikeAruba69 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, they do an amazing job! Heck, it's even educational too! This channel deserves more acknowledgment.

@voodooblowtorch7265 2 жыл бұрын

I'm gonna be honest, some of this stuff goes over my head when talking about the more technical aspects of creating the games, but it's so well researched and presented that I can't help but be enthralled through through the entire thing. Stellar work as always!

@01sevensix 6 ай бұрын

“Roms were burnt”….I remember the days before day one updates. Cracking video btw.

@owenfitzgerald3219 2 жыл бұрын

Completing this game now still gives a lot of satisfaction.

@TheOldestBoone 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely amazing work, as always. One of the best shows on KZfaq.

@nvrndingsmmr 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely brilliant. I was always put off a bit by the violence in this series, but the processes used to create the artwork are fascinating. Must've been such an exciting time to work on video games with so much new technology floating around and everything still sort of up in the air. Thanks for another amazing educational video!

@DragoonEdwin 2 жыл бұрын

It always bring me joy seeing Primal Rage being mentioned or noticed.

@davistalhone9482 2 жыл бұрын

Whenever I see the latest headline for your vids in my feed, I think "oh I already know all there is to know on this one". Then when it ends, I am amazed at how much I didn't know.

@davidspyro 2 жыл бұрын

This was very fascinating to watch & learning about the dev history of MK 1 to 3 & I love the little bonus of Primal Rage as well. :) Keep up the great work with these vids! 👍

@jasonblalock4429 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent video, as always! And yeah, the video-captured graphics fad was such a weird era in gaming. It sounded like a good idea on paper, but the end result was typically pretty messy and looked strange because of lighting and perspective issues.

@CakedNinja 9 ай бұрын

Amazing job. I wasn't expecting all of the history behind graphics and software. Im glad this wasnt just a mashup of old recorded scenes from game production.

@poindextertunes 9 ай бұрын

Man the deep dive into digital imagining to set up the main topic is so good 🔥

@brazilmugenteam 2 жыл бұрын

Another master piece. Full of infos, nice 3d graphics and animations. It's just amazing.

@n0isyturtle 2 жыл бұрын

Beautifully composed doc once again. This is a good one because of how well Williams documented and held onto their production footage, in many ways reminding me of the production of Neverhood. Western devs were much better about recording and keeping their development footage around that time making the process look so fun, one of the main reasons I wanted to go into game development as a kid was seeing background development footage on VHS promo tapes and stuff.

@cleetusvandame 2 жыл бұрын

Incredible how two young minds, a 6 month deadline wrote the face of history as we know it today. Everytime I play my MK cabinet, it takes me back to the early 90s where I played the game at my local high school arcade. Absolutely loved your video. Thank you for sharing. Liked and subscribed.

@malimations Жыл бұрын

It was like watching a Netflix documentry, fascinating.

@aaragon 2 жыл бұрын

thank you for keeping up the great content

@damn5987 2 жыл бұрын

This was highly enjoyable, appreciate it.

@MrUrbanbogan 10 ай бұрын

this was my saturday nights playing this till morning with me mates Great times

@f.k.b.16 2 жыл бұрын

The 90s seemed to have so many tech advancements realized in the PC realm. Hard drives, millions colors, 3D graphics, processor leaps, networking, and Windows / GUI's. Since then, really... What does a pc, tablet, etc. do that these machines didn't. Sure, you have speed, RAM, but it's all more of the same. Touchscreens and accelerometers is probably the biggest addition in the last couple of decades.

@mattm7798 2 жыл бұрын

One thing to note, the reason the OG MK was successful was a combination of a relatively novel concept(bloody realistic graphics) and street fighter 2 laying the blueprint on how to do a fighting game well. Remember after MK there were tons of clones that mostly were bad, so even tho gameplay wise, SF2 is better than MK overall, MK was still a solid, good game, which all the clones missed.

@ricardocantoral7672 2 жыл бұрын

MY DAY IS MADE ! 👍👍👍

@vulpineCaptain 2 жыл бұрын

Every time i see an upload to this channel i rush to the like button, this is television production levels of quality.

@PrydaCro 2 жыл бұрын

Most underrated channel on youtube. Fact.

@Level1Sword 2 жыл бұрын

Did you mean to start with T2 and end with ClayFighter 2: Judgement Clay? Impressive in either case.

@strafefox 2 жыл бұрын

Haha yeah all part of the master plan ;)

@GeomancerHT 2 жыл бұрын

It's Pesina, not Pensina.

@strafefox 2 жыл бұрын

You're absolutely right! Don't know how I mixed that up :o

@thepuppetmaster9284 2 жыл бұрын

A new documentary upload from strafefox? 2022 start with a bang! Keep up the amazing works! 👍👍

@FrazzaJazz 2 жыл бұрын

New strafefox videos are so freaking hype

@f.k.b.16 2 жыл бұрын

Wow... AT&T is not a name I associated with computers in my mind... maybe a modem but never a graphics card!

@strafefox 2 жыл бұрын

Ha! Yeah they had a digital imaging division named EPICenter for a short time which split of to become the company Truevision.

@jegr3398 3 ай бұрын

I remember playing Mortal Kombat in the Arcades back when I was 11 or 12 in the early 90's. Best arcade game ever made.

@rayfran06 2 жыл бұрын

I was kind of eye rolling at wanting to watch this ...like "What is it really going to teach, nothing I didn't already know I'm sure!" Boy was I wrong. I've never seen a doc on the topic that was so technical. This is really cool and I'm glad I watched it.

@jamesbravo9038 2 жыл бұрын

Literally offended this channel isn't bigger. It's AAA Quality

@karjoletounisiou 2 жыл бұрын

Your work needs to be put on videogame museums!

@mikewilliams736 2 жыл бұрын

The announcer in the game is a big part of what got peoples attention.

@user-te1le7ck6b 2 жыл бұрын

So glad i waited for a nice cup of tea and time to give this video the respect it deserves , amazing

@PhobosDDeimos 2 жыл бұрын

What a wonderful age of gaming this was. These kinds of graphics look so cool.

@dontletmebrown 2 жыл бұрын

Commenting for the algorithm cuz this channel is CRIMINALLY underrated 😤

@respectfulremastersbymetal8336 2 жыл бұрын

24:34 this little zoom and hold got me.

@GiullesSantos 2 жыл бұрын

Best game channel on KZfaq.

@lifewater989 10 ай бұрын

What a fantastic video. I always wondered how the digitized graphics worked. The people at Williams/Midway were absolutely brilliant. You just don’t see anything like that anymore.

@Tweekend27 7 ай бұрын

Really enjoyed this video. So well made and narrated perfectly. Great job! I was there in 93 as a 16yr old, playing MK1 in the arcades. What a time to be a kid :)

@voltcorp 2 жыл бұрын

thank you so much for making a video on these games that barely mentions the violence in games hysteria

@hacktheplanet. 2 жыл бұрын

Oh the annual making of mortal Kombat YT video. There's a less monotone drole documentary from the actual team on here. Great original video 10/10.

@cobrasix9575 2 жыл бұрын

Criminally underrated channel. Good shit my dude.

@marlonblanton 10 ай бұрын

I consider myself lucky to be able to grow up in a time when such pearls are being made. It was a great 90's

@gqartstudio 2 жыл бұрын

Your channel is everything my nerdy heart could ever want

@davidt3563 2 жыл бұрын

So many memories!! I still remember seeing MK1 for the first time in 4th grade. It was so amazing for the time. Also Paint Shop Pro, those were the days!

@666neloangelo666 2 жыл бұрын

There's so much great stuff on YT, just discovered this channel. Incredible production! Why would someone still watch TV when you can enjoy quality content like this! Great job strafefox!