Next-gen games?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Writing about gfx cards got me thinking... Are there *ANY* games
slated for release within 2 years which will significantly push
graphics beyond those of HL2 and Doom3?

 

[Andrew]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 15:45:00 +0100, Mean_Chlorine
<mike_noren2002@NOSPAMyahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>Writing about gfx cards got me thinking... Are there *ANY* games
>slated for release within 2 years which will significantly push
>graphics beyond those of HL2 and Doom3?

Anything based on the forthcoming Unreal engine.
--
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.

 

[Guest]

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Thusly Andrew <spamtrap@localhost.> Spake Unto All:

>>Writing about gfx cards got me thinking... Are there *ANY* games
>>slated for release within 2 years which will significantly push
>>graphics beyond those of HL2 and Doom3?
>
>Anything based on the forthcoming Unreal engine.

True. Possibly. I've had a look at some screenshots, and they
certainly look promising.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

I think it depends on what you mean when thinking of "better" graphics...
I've been playing many,many PC games for years....currently have HalfLife 2
....DOOM 3....
Splinter Cell pandora ....Morrowind....FarCry.....
I'm getting fed up with the hard-shiny-dry (oh so very 'dry' !) graphics
quality...however detailed, that has dominated games since the 1st
HalfLife...
Better for me will mean softer more 'painterly' effects....trees/leaves that
blow in a wind..
wet surfaces ....clouds of fog/smoke that move in/around the action...proper
changing
sky's ...Weather...night/morning/day changes....I am really tired of the dim
dark-corners everywhere style...
A Splinter Cell type game could have a bright sunny level design...just as
many places to hide..
The next improvements look to be mostly about character/face detailed
movement...
anything that gives a real sense of 'person' to the on-screen image..

I'm looking forward to STALKER and Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion
Luv Mouse
@@@@@@

 

[Guest]

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Probably the new Elder Scrolls from Bethesda. Screenshots are incredible.
"Mean_Chlorine" <mike_noren2002@NOSPAMyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:kr8841l5s126gjb4atq6q4etvejkj847p3@4ax.com...
> Writing about gfx cards got me thinking... Are there *ANY* games
> slated for release within 2 years which will significantly push
> graphics beyond those of HL2 and Doom3?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Thusly "trimble bracegirdle" <newmouse@beeb.netREMOVESPAM> Spake Unto
All:

>Better for me will mean softer more 'painterly' effects....trees/leaves that
>blow in a wind..
>wet surfaces ....clouds of fog/smoke that move in/around the action...proper
>changing
>sky's ...Weather...night/morning/day changes....I am really tired of the dim
>dark-corners everywhere style...

Yeah, I'll drink to that.That kind of thing is difficult to do, but
would improve looks. Morrowind was on the right track wrt weather and
dynamic sky.
Me, I'm looking forward to realistic lighting systems, basically
real-time raytracing. That's still probably 10 years off, even IF pc
gaming technology doesn't stall (more than it already has).

>I'm looking forward to STALKER and Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion

Stalker seems interesting, yeah.

Elder Scrolls 4 is interesting. I was blown away by the trees and
nature in the screenshots, but the indoors shots were not very
impressive.

Then I, earlier today, had a look at Unreal 3 screenshots, and again
the trees stand out in otherwise not terribly impressive graphics.

What's going on?

As it turns out, both ES4 and U3 have licensed a purpose-built
vegetation renderer, Speedtree.
http://www.idvinc.com/html/speedtreert.htm
http://www.idvinc.com/html/speedtree_for_unreal.htm

Nice, to be sure, but I'd prefer the entire games were the same
quality.

Yeah, I know, I'm hard to please.

>Luv Mouse

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Thusly Mean_Chlorine <mike_noren2002@NOSPAMyahoo.co.uk> Spake Unto
All:

>As it turns out, both ES4 and U3 have licensed a purpose-built
>vegetation renderer, Speedtree.
....
>Nice, to be sure, but I'd prefer the entire games were the same
>quality.

OK, twirling around on their site I've come to the conclusion that I
was overly cynical and underly enthusiastic. The following screenshots
are made with the SpeedtreeRT (realtime) engine:

http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/Meadow08.jpg
http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/Meadow06.jpg
http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/vietnam10.jpg
http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/outback02.jpg
http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/autumn08.jpg
http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/desert15.jpg
http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/desert08.jpg
http://www.idvinc.com/images/rt/summer_10.jpg

Oh, and yeah - the leaves move in the wind, or if disturbed.
I don't know about you guys, but I am in *awe*.

I *need* shooters with these kinds of environments! Now!

I've downloaded the Speedtree/Pangea demo, and now I'll play around
with it.
Over and out.

 

[shawk]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Mean_Chlorine wrote:
> Thusly Mean_Chlorine <mike_noren2002@NOSPAMyahoo.co.uk> Spake Unto
> All:
>
>
>>As it turns out, both ES4 and U3 have licensed a purpose-built
>>vegetation renderer, Speedtree.
>
> ....
>
>>Nice, to be sure, but I'd prefer the entire games were the same
>>quality.
>
>
> OK, twirling around on their site I've come to the conclusion that I
> was overly cynical and underly enthusiastic. The following screenshots
> are made with the SpeedtreeRT (realtime) engine:
>
> http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/Meadow08.jpg
> http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/Meadow06.jpg
> http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/vietnam10.jpg
> http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/outback02.jpg
> http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/autumn08.jpg
> http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/desert15.jpg
> http://www.idvinc.com/images/pangaea/screenshots/desert08.jpg
> http://www.idvinc.com/images/rt/summer_10.jpg
>
> Oh, and yeah - the leaves move in the wind, or if disturbed.
> I don't know about you guys, but I am in *awe*.
>
> I *need* shooters with these kinds of environments! Now!
>
> I've downloaded the Speedtree/Pangea demo, and now I'll play around
> with it.
> Over and out.
>
>

OK - now you got me salivating. D-loading the Trees of Pangaea instead
of going to bed....


--
I mean, you've been around a bit, you know, like, you've, uh... You've
'done it'...
What do you mean?
Well, I mean like,... you've SLEPT, with a lady...
Yes...
What's it like?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Thusly Shawk <shawk@clara.co.uk.3guesses> Spake Unto All:

>> I've downloaded the Speedtree/Pangea demo, and now I'll play around
>> with it.
>> Over and out.
>>
>
>OK - now you got me salivating. D-loading the Trees of Pangaea instead
>of going to bed....

Don't bother. While it can and does run scenes with 1 million textured
and occasionally bump-mapped polygons on-screen, the lighting system
is primitive, so the end effect isn't all that impressive. It's a
*lot* like the "lake" scene in 3DMark2001SE.

It will, however, no doubt look stunning with good light and in the
hands of some talented artists.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Quoth The Raven "Mean_Chlorine"<mike_noren2002@NOSPAMyahoo.co.uk> in
kr8841l5s126gjb4atq6q4etvejkj847p3@4ax.com
> Writing about gfx cards got me thinking... Are there *ANY* games
> slated for release within 2 years which will significantly push
> graphics beyond those of HL2 and Doom3?

farcry and doom3 should be the question, hl2 was behind the times when
released. Stargate might be pushing hardware's limits, they're developing
their own engine, but I don't know the specs

--
All computers wait at the same speed

Take out the _CURSEING to reply to me

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Thusly "Highlandish" <ckreskay_CURSEING@dodo.com.au> Spake Unto All:

>> Writing about gfx cards got me thinking... Are there *ANY* games
>> slated for release within 2 years which will significantly push
>> graphics beyond those of HL2 and Doom3?
>
>farcry and doom3 should be the question, hl2 was behind the times when
>released.

Farcry wasn't particularly impressive, though. It had long
viewdistance (thanks to aggressive LOD) and semirealistic water, but
apart from that... not much. Riddick and Doom3 pwned it, graphics
wise.

> Stargate might be pushing hardware's limits, they're developing
>their own engine, but I don't know the specs

Stargate? Thanks, will check it out....

(Haha... Sorry, it's just that Å is a scandinavian character, and so
using it to spell every A in the stargate site makes for some
unintended humor - if you're scandinavian. Not as bad as when heavy
metal bands spell O with Ö, but almost...)

Anyway, the screenshots at
http://www.stargate-alliance.com/main.php?lang=en aren't that
impressive. Certainly not a significant improvement over Doom3 and
Riddick.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

> Better for me will mean softer more 'painterly' effects....trees/leaves
that
> blow in a wind..

IIRC, Chrome had grass that swayed in the wind, possibly tree leaves, too. I
only played the demo about a year ago.

The real determinant to me for a polished game, however, is gameplay.
Environment is only part of the immersion factor.

- f_f

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Quoth The Raven "Mean_Chlorine"<mike_noren2002@NOSPAMyahoo.co.uk> in
6n79415n65gfl4u21dugodshn4cq9t8m59@4ax.com
> Thusly "trimble bracegirdle" <newmouse@beeb.netREMOVESPAM> Spake Unto
> All:
>
>>Better for me will mean softer more 'painterly'
>>effects....trees/leaves that blow in a wind..
>>wet surfaces ....clouds of fog/smoke that move in/around the
>>action...proper changing
>>sky's ...Weather...night/morning/day changes....I am really tired of
>>the dim dark-corners everywhere style...
>
> Yeah, I'll drink to that.That kind of thing is difficult to do, but
> would improve looks. Morrowind was on the right track wrt weather and
> dynamic sky.
> Me, I'm looking forward to realistic lighting systems, basically
> real-time raytracing. That's still probably 10 years off, even IF pc
> gaming technology doesn't stall (more than it already has).
>
>>I'm looking forward to STALKER and Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion
>
> Stalker seems interesting, yeah.
>
> Elder Scrolls 4 is interesting. I was blown away by the trees and
> nature in the screenshots, but the indoors shots were not very
> impressive.
>
> Then I, earlier today, had a look at Unreal 3 screenshots, and again
> the trees stand out in otherwise not terribly impressive graphics.
>
> What's going on?
>
> As it turns out, both ES4 and U3 have licensed a purpose-built
> vegetation renderer, Speedtree.
> http://www.idvinc.com/html/speedtreert.htm
> http://www.idvinc.com/html/speedtree_for_unreal.htm
>
> Nice, to be sure, but I'd prefer the entire games were the same
> quality.
>
> Yeah, I know, I'm hard to please.
>

do you know if said trees sway in the wind and cast real shadows? dark under
the canopy sort of thing? a nice open grove of trees with a sunny spot and a
dark forest surrounding you with eyes that stare out from the darkness?
(which turn out to be only happy tree friends)

--
Geography is just physics slowed down, with a couple of trees stuck in
it. - Terry Pratchet, The Last Continent

Take out the _CURSEING to reply to me

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Thusly "Highlandish" <ckreskay_CURSEING@dodo.com.au> Spake Unto All:

>do you know if said trees sway in the wind and cast real shadows?

They sway (a bit too much to look really natural, IMO), and shadows
are supported by the engine, but must be implemented by the lighting
system, which of course cost extra CPU cycles.
From screenshots it seems as if Unreal3 will support shadows, while
Elder Scrolls 4 wont.

>the canopy sort of thing? a nice open grove of trees with a sunny spot and a
>dark forest surrounding you with eyes that stare out from the darkness?
>(which turn out to be only happy tree friends)

I would say so, yes. It is fast enough to have sufficient number of
trees on screen, and added with good lighting you can have the effect
you want.

In the hands of a talented artist and in a game with a good lighting
system, this engine will shine. The tech-demos aren't as impressive,
due to the simple lighting system, looking very much like the idyllic
'lakeside' scene in 3DMark2001, but do have lens flares and shadows.

It seems as though we may be seeing a lot of SpeedtreeRT in the
future: apart from Unreal3 and Elder Scrolls 4 it has apparently been
chosen as some sort of "official vegetation-renderer" for XBox2.
Whether that title actually means anything, and if so what, I do not
know.


Well, I feel a bit happier now. Yesterday, after realizing that a
two-year-old ATI 9800 Pro had at least one and probably two years left
of useful service, I had this vision that PC gaming was completely
stalled. Now I think that although PC graphics is in the future going
to be restricted by the capabilities of console hardware, we're still
going to see at least some improvement in graphics thanks to the
nextgen consoles.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Quoth The Raven "Mean_Chlorine"<mike_noren2002@NOSPAMyahoo.co.uk> in
gcea41l4otsai27gmafgr4pp210lei8huh@4ax.com
> Thusly "Highlandish" <ckreskay_CURSEING@dodo.com.au> Spake Unto All:
>
>>do you know if said trees sway in the wind and cast real shadows?
>
> They sway (a bit too much to look really natural, IMO), and shadows
> are supported by the engine, but must be implemented by the lighting
> system, which of course cost extra CPU cycles.
> From screenshots it seems as if Unreal3 will support shadows, while
> Elder Scrolls 4 wont.
>
>>the canopy sort of thing? a nice open grove of trees with a sunny
>>spot and a dark forest surrounding you with eyes that stare out from
>>the darkness? (which turn out to be only happy tree friends)
>
> I would say so, yes. It is fast enough to have sufficient number of
> trees on screen, and added with good lighting you can have the effect
> you want.
>
> In the hands of a talented artist and in a game with a good lighting
> system, this engine will shine. The tech-demos aren't as impressive,
> due to the simple lighting system, looking very much like the idyllic
> 'lakeside' scene in 3DMark2001, but do have lens flares and shadows.
>
> It seems as though we may be seeing a lot of SpeedtreeRT in the
> future: apart from Unreal3 and Elder Scrolls 4 it has apparently been
> chosen as some sort of "official vegetation-renderer" for XBox2.
> Whether that title actually means anything, and if so what, I do not
> know.
>
>
> Well, I feel a bit happier now. Yesterday, after realizing that a
> two-year-old ATI 9800 Pro had at least one and probably two years left
> of useful service, I had this vision that PC gaming was completely
> stalled. Now I think that although PC graphics is in the future going
> to be restricted by the capabilities of console hardware, we're still
> going to see at least some improvement in graphics thanks to the
> nextgen consoles.

snort, god bless consoles....

--
Experience is often what you get when you were expecting something else.

Take out the _CURSEING to reply to me