Poor optimization is a broad topic which is why we’re making sure to define the common game scenario that drives our initiative. We cover the neglected areas of graphics optimization and visual quality since we often see modern techniques only discussed in graphics conversations such as Lumen or DDGI. But we have a whole generation of techniques that we can and should scale complexity on for our 9th gen use case. If you are a gamer or graphics enthusiast, this video is extremely important to watch.

  • PhilipTheBucket@ponder.cat
    31·
    3 days ago

    As soon as I saw the laundry-list of dynamic lighting challenges he really wanted to give to the engine to make sure it was getting a good workout, I knew exactly what the complaint was going to be.

    It is okay. Your game will look amazing if the art is good and you spend a modest amount of time optimizing. If you fall down a rabbit-hole of trying to make it look “9th gen” and obsessing over needing to use up your frame budget in the right way in order to justify your investment of programmer time, and your customers’ investment in their hardware, your game won’t be fun. It may get reviewers to get excited about how the light scintillates off of the spattering of sweat and spittle that flies off when one of your space marines punched in the face. But the more that you look at your game that way, the more it will be an insipid pile of 9th-generation ass which no one will remember a year from now, because the whole thing is contextual button presses to punch a marine in the face so the scintillating can happen with the camera zooming close in slow motion to catch the trail down the guy’s chin.

    Street Fighter 2 was awesome. Halo was awesome because the music and design style was awesome. There’s still a competitive scene for speedruns of Super Mario Bros.

    Make a filesystem if you want a good challenge. For the game, just base it on the easy (“easy”) stuff that runs fast and is well-tested, and make it fun. And get artists who can knock it out of the park.