As Ronan Coiffec explains, reproducing the visual impression of being underwater is generally quite difficult. This is partly because if one aims for realism at all costs, they may fail. “In real life, after a few meters underwater, we can’t see anything anymore, colors disappear. So the first task is to make it readable and find tricks,” he describes. One of these tricks is a kind of fog, which provides an atmospheric rendering and breaks the horizon. “Especially because on Earth, the horizon is quickly interrupted by a tree, a mountain, or a building but not underwater. And the distant infinity is complicated to manage.“
This fog can thicken or weaken depending on the depth. “For example, as we approach the bottom, it disappears so we can see something and everything is more readable.” A meticulous job that requires very precise adjustments. “It’s something we quickly implemented but calibrated for two years until the end of development,” emphasizes the game director.
