some SEGA news
- Thread starter RockinB
- Start date
As I mentioned in an earlier post in the General forum, I don't think it make sense to target PPUs. The market's move towards multi-core processors solves the problem of needing added computational power to handle advanced physics capabilities. Why not target these CPUs instead of releasing proprietary hardware that contains a processor which would likely offer equal performance to a single core on a motherboard. I would hate to think that I could be running a game on a computer that has 4 cores, but only one of those would be used by that game because added physics effects require me to dish out $200 for yet another card with yet another processor.
The problem is further compounded by the fact that there isn't a open standard like OpenGL that allows manufacturers to create drivers with common interfaces, so that a game company can use common code to interact with multiple devices. What if the makers of Half-Life's Havok physics engine, or another company, role out thier own PPU. Will Sega's games work with it? Not likely. The APIs that interfaces to thier own hardware will not be the same. So does anyone believe that Sega, or other companies will spend added months writing more code just so that they can target every card possible?
The model of proprietary physics hardware can only succeed if one company manages to swallow up the whole market (in which case there is one device to target because that is the ONLY device). I like the idea of added physics, but the whole hardware thing makes me believe that this is going to blow up in the faces of those that market it for the PC.
I can however see it having success on the consoles though.
Suppose I could be wrong on all this though.
The problem is further compounded by the fact that there isn't a open standard like OpenGL that allows manufacturers to create drivers with common interfaces, so that a game company can use common code to interact with multiple devices. What if the makers of Half-Life's Havok physics engine, or another company, role out thier own PPU. Will Sega's games work with it? Not likely. The APIs that interfaces to thier own hardware will not be the same. So does anyone believe that Sega, or other companies will spend added months writing more code just so that they can target every card possible?
The model of proprietary physics hardware can only succeed if one company manages to swallow up the whole market (in which case there is one device to target because that is the ONLY device). I like the idea of added physics, but the whole hardware thing makes me believe that this is going to blow up in the faces of those that market it for the PC.
I can however see it having success on the consoles though.
Suppose I could be wrong on all this though.
A very interesting idea. It's probably the only practical use tech like this is going to find in the near term - I was thinking alone similar line myself, but on a smaller scale. It'd be great, for example, to see this kind of thing in a next gen console - assuming of course it is worth the silicon it is strained from...
Unfortunately, I suspect the potential for a "fad" physics game that sucks badly to show up in the arcades - even form Sega - may be too great.
Most likely it will be a "novelty based" arcade game too if it does happen.
Sammy has already stated that they are looking more towards the arcade market now that they have sega. I have also been reading some stuff in Games that seems to hint at sega making big steps in the arcade market to once again widen the gap between home and arcade games form a technical standpoint.
Sega began looking at technical stuff like phong shading and too the best of my knowledge, they were the first ones to pull it off.
But, this is still only an informed guess. Who knows, maybe we will see virtual pachinko machines that behave very realistically thanks to Atomisave's with PPU's 😛
Sammy has already stated that they are looking more towards the arcade market now that they have sega. I have also been reading some stuff in Games that seems to hint at sega making big steps in the arcade market to once again widen the gap between home and arcade games form a technical standpoint.
Sega began looking at technical stuff like phong shading and too the best of my knowledge, they were the first ones to pull it off.
But, this is still only an informed guess. Who knows, maybe we will see virtual pachinko machines that behave very realistically thanks to Atomisave's with PPU's 😛
I don't think the PPu will be that bad. The company and their PPU idea has already attracted some high profile developers.
Unreal 3 will be able to use it.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/08/news_6119896.html
UbiSoft announces support for it.
http://www.ageia.com/pr_03082005b.html
Microsoft XNA studio will support the PPU for next gen console.
http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/7778/Microso...ces-XNA-Studio/
Reality Engine announces support.
http://www.artificialstudios.com/news.php
A little detail about the PPU.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/08/news_6119895.html
http://www.gamers-depot.com/interviews/agiea/001.htm
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2376
The actual Ageia site. You can download a demo of a rocket and see how fast it runs with only a CPU.
http://www.ageia.com/technology.html
Unreal 3 will be able to use it.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/08/news_6119896.html
UbiSoft announces support for it.
http://www.ageia.com/pr_03082005b.html
Microsoft XNA studio will support the PPU for next gen console.
http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/7778/Microso...ces-XNA-Studio/
Reality Engine announces support.
http://www.artificialstudios.com/news.php
A little detail about the PPU.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/08/news_6119895.html
http://www.gamers-depot.com/interviews/agiea/001.htm
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2376
The actual Ageia site. You can download a demo of a rocket and see how fast it runs with only a CPU.
http://www.ageia.com/technology.html
Similar threads
