Some of the content might not quite make sense, thats because it was originally in German and has been translated to English by Google.
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29.05.2007 20:00 clock - which topic Direct X 10 already for some time hot discussed. The decision of Microsoft to integrate the version of its Multimedia interface only in WindowsVista provided for some displeasure. Many users feel gegängelt to have to buy a new operating system in order to be with the play technology on the newest conditions.
Around the discussion again something to material, we picked ourselves for three outstanding Engines out, which well-known-measured also Direct-X-10-Bibliotheken use. That would be on the one hand unreal the engine 3 (and here unreal Tournament 3 as exemplary play), the CryEngine 2 (representatively of coming plays we refer here to Crysis) and the engine of light gate: London.
Part 2 of the row turns around the CryEngine 2, which serves as basis for the hot expected Crysis. We present important facts and pepper these with interview statements of Bernd Diemer, Game designer with Crytek, which we could ask exclusively to the topic.
CryEngine 2: The characteristics
The CryEngine is a multi-platform engine, which supports Direct X 9 and Direct X 10 on PC side.
Important Render features in the overview:
- Multi-platform (PS3 in development)
- Multi Threaded Renderer (e.g. Physics, network, sound)
- Supports 64-Bit-Betriebssysteme (above all advantages for level editors)
- (confirmed) achievement advantages by SLI (Crossfire probably also)
- Special effects (selection): Bewegungsunschärfe (object or scene-been based), depth now sharpness, Blooming
Terrain Ambient Occlusion map: It is determined per pixel, how much (intensity) and which (color) light an object - whether (buildings) or (a character) reaches dynamically statically. Into the computation one includes, like surrounding objects on this light behaves (an orange wall gives an orange pass to a white barrel standing beside it; Sheets let only absorbed light through, preferably with green hue).
- Normally map and Parallax Occlusion map: A normal texture of a high-detailed model is compressed stored and changed depending upon beam of light the surface vector of the texture: a spatial impression develops. Parallax (Occlusion)
Mapping continues a step, which can itself cover copied geometry detail mutually: Kopfsteinpflaster in very flat point of view - > flat texture - flattens distorted texture (normal Mapping) -, in that the individual stones mutually to cover itself know spatial texture (Parallax Occlusion Mapping)
- Subsurface Scattering: Light scattering and - refraction underneath the surface. Not Opake surfaces reflect penetrated light on other way under than at the surface and by the “Scatter” (Zer) dispersion)) Portion withdraws the reflected light also elsewhere, when it occurred. Ice, diamond etc. can be used for skin.
- Physics: Own physics engines (Multithreaded). Can e.g. Wind, explosions, the force of gravity and collisions simulate. Flexible objects such as trees react to wind, rain or character movement. Objects such as trees, houses or other objects in environments can be destroyed, and the developing parts are likewise usable.
- Eye Adaptation/HDR Lighting: An iris simulation copies the effect, if the eye particularly brightens itself on or darken ranges accustom must. HDR Rendering permits a high Kontrastumfang.
- Editor: Sandbox2
CryEngine 2: Important questions answers
In our detailed discussion answered Cryteks Game designer Bernd Diemer our technical questions.
PCGH: Will it give a 64-Bit-Modus in Crysis? If, which has advantages the player of it in practice?
Crytek: Yes, it will give a 64-Bit-Modus and recognizes the play from completely alone. The main advantage of this mode, which we support as standard equipment, is that the editor runs much better. For Crysis we sketch enormous level maps, from which some up to 64 km are large ². There it is very helpful, if the work with the editor goes owing to 64-Bit-Technik extremely liquid.
PCGH: You have contact in your field to also move to your technique department. Are there already measurements, the performance difference between a single and is how large a
dual core processor? How many faster is Quad core aCCU in relation to a dual core model?
Crytek: Crysis runs naturally faster on a dual core. We support that also as standard equipment. Whether a processor with four cores can increase the achievement, we do not know yet. Our standard machines, which we use for development or for our demos, are equipped all with a Intel-Core-2-Duo-Prozessor and a Nvidia-8800-Grafikkarte. The clock and the Modellrating of the CCUs are not exactly well-known me in the detail. The achievement gain is however already very large with dual core. That benefits naturally our Moddern and Mappern again. In any case one runs the play with a two-core processor clearly faster. Although that does not mean that the performance doubles itself, one feels it immediately.
PCGH: If a second
processor core can increase the achievement clearly, how looks with a second diagram
map in the SLI or Crossfire group? Give their also consideration to Multi GPU Setups?
Crytek: We support SLI even already relatively for a long time! And to the performance legend I also here, it is very many faster than with an individual map.
PCGH: Can one drive also higher resolution with SLI/Crossfire?
Crytek: One can drive high resolutions with a GPU, but the performance goes into the cellar. Thus a SLI /Crossfire system ensures above all for the fact that when very high resolutions the performance is improved clearly.
PCGH: You as Game designers have to do also much with play physics. What are the advantages of your physics engines, which help also you with your work?
Crytek: Our physics is the best of the world, those can everything and is completely mad (interlocutor laughs). But times seriously, it is on the one hand very well adaptable. One can change all object characteristics, which is important for the Design also. One can say as standard equipment: “Mach me a realistic physics”, and it is nearly 1:1 as transferable in the physics laboratory. On the other hand I want to often use an adapted, less complex physics as designers, and then can be also realized with our engine. A good example is transferring into a car. As a pedestrian I have another physics, as if I sit in the car. The interaction of the player as pedestrians or drivers is completely different. In order to offer to the player the greatest possible fun, the collision model as well as the friction between it and the underground change. If we would have a perfectly correct physics in the play only, then the play feeling under one of the two possibilities “drivers” would suffer or “pedestrians”, that do not want we stop.
PCGH: High performance physics demands much CCU arithmetic performance. Which further hardware can use you for physics computation?
Crytek: We do not use a hardware solution, but our own engine, which we programmed. We generally support no physics hardware, because those is not yet far enough common. If that should be once different, we will also use these. We already umgeschaut ourselves, with the developers at the company Ageia spoke and us inquired, what could bring that. But for us the whole does not disburse itself simply. That is a very special market segment with physics acceleration by hardware. If were such a thing established, then I am first, which thereafter walk!
PCGH: Can players with
Windows XP begin against their colleagues with Vista as operating system in the multi-player mode against each other?
Crytek: Yes, that can be done. Which does not go however, it is that one can participate as XP-users in Direct-X-10-Spielen. There is in the
server the possibility of indicating the plays as “Direct X 10 only” here can then only Direct-X-10-Nutzer along-play. The reason for it that we developed a multi-player mode exclusively for DX 10, is that certain effects are available only under Dirext X 10. There are for example particle effects, which are not represented under Direct X 9. Who plays then without these effects, is in principle a Cheater. If an opponent is located in a particle cloud, the player would be in the advantage, which does not see the effect. Such a thing we do not want. In addition certain physics interactions are possible only under DX 10.
PCGH: To the conclusion, which does it for the Community? Is there also again a sand box editor?
Crytek: For the Community we make as much as possible. On the one hand we publish a new with Crysis also version the editor (sand box 2). On the other hand we co-operate already with Mod teams. Those have from us already a Pre SDK. In addition the teams visit us regularly. Few weeks ago we invited a group to our Community Summit. Young could allude as first a correct Crysis level there. That is important also for us, because they give us feedback. , Judge the
Workflow and give themselves then references look at themselves the editor, what is to be made still further. Demands like “the objects must” are very helpful still purely for us. We recruit even many people, which worked in former times on Mods, and adjust them with Crytek as level designers.
Source
May 30th, 2007
New Q&A
Linear Mode
