Graphics & physics in Age of Empires 3

mkk · Mar 13, 2005, 02:08 AM

Gamespy has an article on what is being shown of the upcoming RTS game Age of Empires 3 at the Game Developers Conference.

"One way to have buildings explode would be to have the art team custom-design the disintegration of each structure. But that would be time consuming, and after all that work players would be disappointed by the exact same explosion every time. Instead, Ensemble Studios licensed the Havok physics engine. The art team cut each building up into logical pieces of debris. Then, when a structure gets slammed by a cannonball, chunks of it part way (leaving ruined holes and broken slats underneath) and fly through the air. No two explosions are the same."

Read more: Gamespy

Judas · Mar 13, 2005, 02:48 AM

still wowing....

isn't the havoc physics engine starting to show it's age....?

Mazuko · Mar 13, 2005, 10:22 AM

I'm sure it's been tweaked for the game.

Although personally I think it makes sense to use a propriatary physics engine as a basis for your own game as typically developers heavily modify them anyways.

In this case you could have LOTS of explosions at any given time so to have a new high end engine would not necessarily be the best decision either.

But then again, is there any newer propritary physics engines out at this point in time (aside from Source)?

Zelig · Mar 13, 2005, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazuko

But then again, is there any newer propritary physics engines out at this point in time (aside from Source)?

There's NovodeX.

Judas · Mar 13, 2005, 06:16 PM

Megon

it's an excellent engine and is starting to be used in various things..... check out the demos and videos.. very neato

***Zardon*** · Mar 13, 2005, 06:22 PM

I think age of empires was one of the greatest RTS ever made, this new version looks gorgeous, but I hope the game plays as well. graphics do not make a good game.

Judas · Mar 13, 2005, 06:31 PM

i thoroughly enjoyed ages of empires.... AOE2 however wasn't exactly what i would call great.. basically a bit of a visual upgrade to the orginal with a few additions... but it was lacking something.

Empire earth soon showed up and although i found it very interesting.... it also was lacking something.

Age of Mythology is excellent though, i have it and the expansion with the titans... my gaud it's so interesting and fun to play... but MS has got to work on the AI alot.

If AOE3 can provide that kind of graphics at a reasonably nice frame rate and sustain really good physics.... then the only thing they really have to worry about is the gameplay.... fail there and it's all pointless...

mkk · Mar 15, 2005, 06:46 AM

Unfortunately it has now been made clear that the High Dynamic Rendering effects in this game will be limited to Shader Model 3.0 hardware. The developer Ensemble Studios, being good communicators as usual, agrees that HDR could have be done for SM 2.0 as well but that they chose to focus their efforts on 3.0 to make the HDR part of the graphics as good possible for their game while also lessening the workload. The game will still look great on SM 2.0 hardware but without the bit of icing on the cake that HDR effects could have presented.

Zelig · Mar 15, 2005, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkk

Unfortunately it has now been made clear that the High Dynamic Rendering effects in this game will be limited to Shader Model 3.0 hardware. The developer Ensemble Studios, being good communicators as usual, agrees that HDR could have be done for SM 2.0 as well but that they chose to focus their efforts on 3.0 to make the HDR part of the graphics as good possible for their game while also lessening the workload. The game will still look great on SM 2.0 hardware but without the bit of icing on the cake that HDR effects could have presented.

I'm fine with that. I'm only now getting around to playing AOE2, so if I have as much delay before I play the third one, I should have hardware that's easily able to play it.

Judas · Mar 15, 2005, 08:58 PM

actually i like the news that only PS3.0 will be ran for the "icing"

pr0digal jenius · Mar 15, 2005, 09:26 PM

I still think that Rise of Nations is the best of those "history spanning" RTS games

Resistor · Mar 16, 2005, 02:41 AM

I have play both AOE 1&2 and Rise Of Nations... Both are really good games but I think I like AOE gameplay better... Can't wait for this AOE3