9 ms·

After we achieve mostly-realistic physics simulations I look forward to the new middleware that re-enables implausible effects. It turns out that most real-worl

by ender7 14y ago

After we achieve mostly-realistic physics simulations I look forward to the new middleware that re-enables implausible effects. It turns out that most real-world physical interactions are nasty and short, and lacking in beautiful, orange and crimson fireballs.

FrojoS 14y ago
Sure. But, you can't really use those results to secretly improve underfunded research areas with actual value - like medicine - while making a buck with games.
- sray 14y ago
  Just to make sure that I understand what you mean here - are you saying that games have no value?
chc 14y ago
They actually did that with the newest Twisted Metal game. They had to bring in an engineer to customize Havok to make the physics more cartoony, because nobody wants realistic car physics in a Twisted Metal game.
mtgx 14y ago
I haven't had a good computer in about 10 years until recently (used a netbook in between), and I've tried many new games recently, and I'm disappointed to notice that the movements of the characters have barely changed over the past decade. The graphics have gotten quite good, although I would've expected to see much better by now, and I think they started stagnating on visuals in the past 5 years (after Crysis) because of the rise of laptops, which are replacing PC's for most people. But still my main disappointment was with how unrealistic the movements of the characters are. The characters "look" pretty real, but then that idea gets completely ruined by the way they move. It kind of ruins the experience. Take Skyrim for example, great visuals overall, especially for the environment, but I hate the way the character moves and how it fights. While the visuals make you think you are in 2012, the movements make you think it's still 2003, the year of Morrowind.
- treeface 14y ago
  It depends on the game. I think we're right at the point right now where some developers are making a huge push toward absolute realism (see: LA Noire's facial models and Battlefield 3's destructible environments), but it's still in the early stages. I think a huge part of the problem isn't a sudden move to laptops, I think it's that the current generation of consoles is seven years old, and major developers (i.e. those with the resources to innovate) tend to design with the console in mind these days.
  - tom9729 14y ago
    LA Noire's facial animation, while very impressive, was lifted from real people: so we're a bit far off from simulating that (in the sense that we're simulating physics in games). For anyone who played Bad Company 2, I think Battlefield 3's destructible environments were a bit of a letdown: the levels got more complex but they really toned down what you were allowed to destroy (a wall here, a wall there, etc). I'm not exactly sure why they did this. I agree that the current generation of consoles are holding us back. I can't wait to see what kind of games we get on next-gen hardware, I just hope it happens without too much of this online-required nonsense that seems to be becoming the craze..
    - hahainternet 14y ago
      Try out Max Payne 3. While there's still motion capture etc, the euphoria motion system is fantastic and I think character movement is a nearly solved problem. Facial animation I just wish they went back to Brütal Legend because they were cartoony, but the most expressive faces I've seen in a game. LA Noire was just rubbish in every way.
    - LinXitoW 14y ago
      The reason the destruction was toned down is because the maps would look extremely barren after a while. Even now, if you get rid of all the trees in e.g. Caspian Border, a lot of cover get lost and air and land vehicles would be having a heyday.
  - 14y ago
stcredzero 14y ago
Call the setting: Mythbusters, replicate results.
radiac 14y ago
When I was watching the demo, I couldn't help thinking how annoying GTA would get if I wrote off my car like that every time I hit something. Realism is interesting, but like you say - it's not always going to be as much fun.
- moe 14y ago
  Wait, but you do write off your car like that in GTA? At least I do. The damage model may not be as realistic, but my cars rarely stay in proper shape for as long as 15 seconds. Partly because wrecking cars is 70% of the fun in GTA...
  - ithcy 14y ago
    And because you're rarely more than 5 seconds away from having a brand new car.

by ender7 14y ago

FrojoS 14y ago

Sure. But, you can't really use those results to secretly improve underfunded research areas with actual value - like medicine - while making a buck with games.

sray 14y ago
Just to make sure that I understand what you mean here - are you saying that games have no value?

chc 14y ago

They actually did that with the newest Twisted Metal game. They had to bring in an engineer to customize Havok to make the physics more cartoony, because nobody wants realistic car physics in a Twisted Metal game.

mtgx 14y ago

I haven't had a good computer in about 10 years until recently (used a netbook in between), and I've tried many new games recently, and I'm disappointed to notice that the movements of the characters have barely changed over the past decade. The graphics have gotten quite good, although I would've expected to see much better by now, and I think they started stagnating on visuals in the past 5 years (after Crysis) because of the rise of laptops, which are replacing PC's for most people. But still my main disappointment was with how unrealistic the movements of the characters are. The characters "look" pretty real, but then that idea gets completely ruined by the way they move. It kind of ruins the experience. Take Skyrim for example, great visuals overall, especially for the environment, but I hate the way the character moves and how it fights. While the visuals make you think you are in 2012, the movements make you think it's still 2003, the year of Morrowind.

treeface 14y ago
It depends on the game. I think we're right at the point right now where some developers are making a huge push toward absolute realism (see: LA Noire's facial models and Battlefield 3's destructible environments), but it's still in the early stages. I think a huge part of the problem isn't a sudden move to laptops, I think it's that the current generation of consoles is seven years old, and major developers (i.e. those with the resources to innovate) tend to design with the console in mind these days.
- tom9729 14y ago
  LA Noire's facial animation, while very impressive, was lifted from real people: so we're a bit far off from simulating that (in the sense that we're simulating physics in games). For anyone who played Bad Company 2, I think Battlefield 3's destructible environments were a bit of a letdown: the levels got more complex but they really toned down what you were allowed to destroy (a wall here, a wall there, etc). I'm not exactly sure why they did this. I agree that the current generation of consoles are holding us back. I can't wait to see what kind of games we get on next-gen hardware, I just hope it happens without too much of this online-required nonsense that seems to be becoming the craze..
  - hahainternet 14y ago
    Try out Max Payne 3. While there's still motion capture etc, the euphoria motion system is fantastic and I think character movement is a nearly solved problem. Facial animation I just wish they went back to Brütal Legend because they were cartoony, but the most expressive faces I've seen in a game. LA Noire was just rubbish in every way.
  - LinXitoW 14y ago
    The reason the destruction was toned down is because the maps would look extremely barren after a while. Even now, if you get rid of all the trees in e.g. Caspian Border, a lot of cover get lost and air and land vehicles would be having a heyday.
- 14y ago

stcredzero 14y ago

Call the setting: Mythbusters, replicate results.

radiac 14y ago

When I was watching the demo, I couldn't help thinking how annoying GTA would get if I wrote off my car like that every time I hit something. Realism is interesting, but like you say - it's not always going to be as much fun.

moe 14y ago
Wait, but you do write off your car like that in GTA? At least I do. The damage model may not be as realistic, but my cars rarely stay in proper shape for as long as 15 seconds. Partly because wrecking cars is 70% of the fun in GTA...
- ithcy 14y ago
  And because you're rarely more than 5 seconds away from having a brand new car.