Earth London is to offer producers a new service aimed at making it quicker and easier to create graphics and on-set visuals for TV gameshows.

Currently being used by Mighty Productions on the BBC1 series !mpossible, the motion graphics firm can now design and create on-set visuals for a series and then programme and operate a real-time system to control and trigger those visuals in the studio.

The system, developed inhouse, is PC-based. It makes use of multiple Nvidia GPUs and SDI output cards, and combines custom programming with Derivative’s real-time visual development platform Touch Designer.

Earth, which is part of post firm Evolutions, has previously designed and animated on-set scoring systems and gameplay elements for gameshows, but would traditionally then need to render them out and hand the files over to a third-party systems programming company for the studio recording.

Creative director Richard White, who has been developing the system for the past two years, said: “As each of these companies’ systems are different, and each has its own limitations and file type requirements, there has been an inevitably complex and time-consuming back and forth between the design studio and the programmers.

“Once they have the visuals programmed, it’s often difficult for them to change even simple aspects of them, causing delays.”

Earth’s system is able to accept various inputs and sensor types and can simultaneously output different resolutions and streams, including 3D animations that can be rendered and composited live.

It also works with audio, lighting and other technical elements within a studio and set, and can be hooked up to Evolutions’ Luther ingest system.

Features include an undo option that negates the need to restart a full game or round.

A basic version of the gameplay and scoring system can be provided in advance to aid format development and rehearsals.