Euclideon's Unlimited Detail in SWTOR or Another MMO?

As some of you may have seen I interviewed Bruce Dell on behalf of [H]ard|OCP and the video was published on Wednesday. I’ve had a couple of friends ask me whether Bruce’s Unlimited Detail technology would be viable for games like SWTOR. I have no doubt that the technology would improve games like SWTOR but it’s far too late to make these ground breaking changes for that game, but they are working on technology that enables them to convert polygons into their engine, so conversions might actually be possible in the future. If this technology eventuates, it’s will make amazing changes to open world games.

In the demo, I found in excess of a hundred different items but yet people all over the net are criticizing the demo because it looks repetitive. I guess people just aren’t used to seeing that much information on the screen at once. 

If you go into WoW or and look at the zone Nagrad, for instance,

you can only see a max of three different tress in one scene, if that. There is far less detail and variety in WoW than in the Unlimited Detail video, and there will be less variety in SWTOR as well.

Euclideon are in need of a good map maker for their future projects. I look forward to seeing some well constructed maps to explore. You don’t realise how important view distance is until you get to experience something like this demo in real time. I watched the RAGE trailer this week after seeing Euclideon’s demo on Monday, and the graphics in RAGE looked horrible in comparison.

Having seen Euclideon’s technology first hand, now I feel like someone who got to see Blu-ray backs in the 80s, but then left stuck with VHS. Imagine standing in a world with this view:

This island was built to look like their logo and you are literally a pin-prick on the logo. each color is a major item like the purple dot is the elephant the light green is the cactus etc.  

This map would be as large as all of WoW … old and expansions put together. And there’s no loading between zones. This shot is looking over an area  the size of just 1 letter in the logo name.

Euclideon & Unlimited Detail - Bruce Dell Interview

[H]ard|OCP is proud to present this full feature video, behind the scenes interview I did with Bruce Dell, the founder and CEO of Euclideon and the original creator Unlimited Detail technology.

I interview's Bruce Dell for a full look into the past, present and future of Euclideon and the Unlimited Detail technology.

The small company of only 9 people in Brisbane Australia, were in the news again in early August 2011 after having released a demo video to give their fans a one year update. This video received almost 2 million hits in the first 4 days.

Euclideon are a very secretive bunch who normally decline interviews, but the public outcry for them to respond to their critics has been so great that they kindly agreed to this exclusive interview, letting [H]ard|OCP in before, the say, they must get back to work and disappear again until they have a final product.

Please head over to [H]ard|OCP for all the info.

Diablo 3 Beta Test Key! I Want it!!!

Diablo 3 beta announcement;

Countless hours of consulting the ancient prophecies and poring over dusty tomes have resulted in the unearthing of new information about Diablo III. The upcoming Diablo III beta test will introduce a treasure trove of exciting new features, including a new Auction House that will provide a powerful new way for your characters to acquire the implements of war. Prepare yourselves!

With the upcoming launch of the Diablo® III beta test, the armies of the Burning Hells will march forth from their forgotten lairs to besiege the mortal realms anew.

To prepare for this renewed demonic invasion, the Blizzard Insider has secured an exclusive interview with Lead Content Designer Kevin Martens as he shares his thoughts and insight on Diablo® III's upcoming beta test. So read on, and prepare yourself for the next chapter in the Diablo® saga.

Insider: Aside from the story elements, how are you tuning the game's combat encounters?

Kevin Martens: We want the game's difficulty to hit a range of "peaks" and "valleys" as the player progresses from battle to battle. During the "peaks", the challenge level spikes and players will be tested to their limits. In the "valleys", the difficulty relaxes and players can build up their health and energy again. From a gameplay standpoint, valleys are important because they allow players to learn and experiment with their abilities without too much fear of failure or death. It's the skills and techniques developed during the valleys that enable players to survive the peaks, which tend to be much tougher encounters, like ambushes, large groups, rare monsters, or even bosses. The peaks will require players to think quickly, spend their resources carefully, and move around the battlefield to avoid getting surrounded. Read on

This week in gaming

Some of you may have seen some of the updates we've done over at swtorface.com. The site's really coming together and I must say that I'm extremely excited about the game. I am in the process of gathering all of the individual class information and putting it into an easy to read template to help you choose the right class for you.

The only real gaming I've done over the last week was to finish off Portal 2. I got just as much satisfaction from Portal 2 as I did Portal 1, and I loved Portal 1. Kudos to the guys at Valve.

I have been meaning to try and get back to Duke Nukem Forever, I just can't bring myself to go any further in it. Only being able to carry two guns at a time and the repetitive gameplay style, just doesn't cut it anymore. The game is true to its origins. I am looking forward to a LAN party where I can truly test out multiplayer on Duke Nukem Forever with some mates, but I don't think I'll be bothering to finish the single player version.

Weekend update: Comic con and Jedi Consular Class Video

Whoot! It's the weekend! In this week's Friday update we have:

Jedi Consular Records
Long hours of study yielded important Consular details: specializations, a new class video, and more! Check out our class info section for all the goodies!

OOOOO I'm so tempted to make my main a consular!

2011 San Diego Comic-Con Highlights

This little video gives us a closer look at what happened at Comic Con:

For those of you who weren’t able to join BioWare in San Diego, they have put together a highlights video to share the San Diego Comic-Con experience with everyone. BioWare and LucasArts thank each and every one of you for your continuing support and excitement for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™!

SWTOR Class: Jedi Consular

Please got to the new updated Jedi Consular here

VISIONARY, AMBASSADOR, SEEKER OF JEDI WISDOM

For more than 20,000 years, the Jedi Order has worked to promote peace and balance in the Galactic Republic, but each new day brings with it a new threat, promising to rip the Jedi and the entire galaxy apart. If the Republic is to survive, it needs leaders and visionaries; it needs the Jedi Consular.

Jedi Consulars channel the power of the Force for strength in combat and wisdom in diplomacy. Years of arduous training and meditation have sharpened Consulars’ minds to cut to the truth as cleanly as their Lightsabers cut through their foes. Whether unlocking long forgotten mysteries of the Jedi, raising armies to fight for the Republic or engaging in mortal combat with Dark Lords of the Sith, the Consulars’ deep attunement to the Force gives them all the power they need to rise to the occasion with poise and balance.

Intimate attunement with the deepest Force mysteries gives Jedi Consulars the insight and empathy to deftly handle charged conflicts that confound even the most cunning Senators and governors—but Consulars know when it’s time to talk and when it’s time to fight. When negotiations turn aggressive, Consulars demonstrate their gifts of foresight—anticipating and deflecting enemy attacks with fluid strikes from their dual-bladed Lightsaber.

Read on

SWTOR Class: Smuggler

Please go to our New Smuggler Page for the latest Information!

QUICK, CLEVER, ANSWERS TO NO ONE

Sometimes luck is more important than skill, but it never hurts to have both.

Lawlessness has become common in the wake of the devastating war between the Republic and Empire. Shifting political allegiances and marauding pirates have made independent space travel a dangerous enterprise. Cut off from traditional supply routes, entire star systems waver on the verge of collapse. An adventurous spirit who’s not afraid to break a few rules can make a handsome profit hauling cargo to these hotspots, but it requires fast reflexes, fast wits and a fast draw with a blaster. Even then, the life of a Smuggler is always a gamble.

Stacking up enemies as fast as they stack up credits, Smugglers only survive in this galaxy by being slick, sneaky and street-smart. Whether sweet-talking an attractive alien or bargaining with a hardened criminal contact, the Smuggler’s charm is a notorious asset, and often the ticket to turning around a deteriorating situation. If circumstances get too complicated, though, count on a Smuggler to always have an escape plan. Experienced in flying under the radar, Smugglers are amazingly elusive. Yet when backed into a corner, they quickly become cunning and often deadly combatants.

Above all else, Smugglers make their own destinies. Despite their affinity for credits, Smugglers have been known to turn down lucrative opportunities when the clients have demanded too much control. Some Smugglers are even more discriminating—refusing to work with slavers and representatives of the Sith Empire. It’s a business where one is always looking for trustworthy allies, but they are often few and far between. Whether running an Imperial blockade or shooting down a double-crossing gangster, Smugglers are always flying by the seat of their pants. Every deal carries the chance for wealth beyond their wildest dreams… or an anonymous death in the harsh void of space.

Read on

SWTOR System Requirements

What will you need to play Star Wars: The Old Republic? People are starting to get ready for SWTOR and starting to wonder and ask what PC hardware they'll need to play the game. There are two lists below. One is my recommended list of system requirements and the other is the official minimum specs. You'll notice that they're slightly different.

The minimum specifications will allow you to scrape through at the lowest possible graphics settings. In my experience, this never provides a reliable gameplay and things like over-populated areas will cause your system to slow completely down, and even to crash. Dragon Age 2 is the same type of engine and graphics quality you can expect of SWTOR. Dragon Age 2 is one of the latest games from BioWare. Getting good gameplay that doesn't slow down or crash and looks sweet, is what I have based my system requirements on for SWTOR.

As I play SWTOR Beta, as of next month (can't wait!), I will re-adjust this recommendation if need be.

SWTOR FACE PC Recommended:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4 GHz Processor or equivalent
CPU: AMD Phenom II X3 Triple core 2.8 GHz or equivalent
RAM:  4GB to 8GB Vista and Windows 7
DirectX 11 Video: ATI 5870 or greater
DirectX 11 Video: NVIDIA 480 or greater

Official PC Minimum: 

OSWindows XP, Vista/7
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4000+ or better · Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.0GHz or better
RAM: Windows XP: 1.5GB · Windows Vista and Windows 7: 2GB · PCs using a built-in graphical chipset, 2GB RAM recommended.
VideoATI X1800 or better* · nVidia 7800 or better* · Intel 4100 Integrated Graphics or better*
Disc Drive: DVD ROM drive required
Hard Drive: 25+ GB

DVD-ROM8x or better *Minimum of 256MB of on-board RAM and Shader 3.0 or better support.

If you have any questions please post in the comments section below!

Our Guild in SWTOR Join Us

Hi people. Just want to give you the heads up that I have created SQUAD, a remake of our old guild from SWG where I was the GM for 5 years and I also hope to get some of my old guild members from Entity, our WoW guild from the Nagrand server. Star Wars: The Old Republic is not out yet but the guild creation service is, so to ensure I get to play alongside people I have enjoyed playing other MMOG games with, I would like to invite any of you to join SQUAD now if you are thinking of playing SWTOR. Join Us.

SWTOR Class: Trooper

Please go to our New Trooper Page for the latest Information!




HONOR, DUTY, DEFENSE OF THE REPUBLIC

Not all heroes carry Lightsabers. Some just have the will to fight.

For decades, the armed forces of the Galactic Republic defended their civilization against the seemingly unstoppable Sith Empire. Despite countless setbacks, the men and women of the Republic military never backed down until the Senate ordered them to do so. These brave souls remain ready and willing to lay their lives on the line today.

In the wake of the Treaty of Coruscant, the Republic military has begun recruiting from within its own ranks, creating cutting-edge Special Forces squads for the inevitable day when the war with the Sith Empire begins anew. These advanced strike teams are comprised of only the most talented and disciplined soldiers—a new breed of elite Republic Troopers.

These Troopers are the embodiment of the Republic military’s highest aspirations—the most advanced fighting force in the galaxy. They are equipped to face any foe in any environment, but it’s not their gear that makes them tough—it’s their guts. The Troopers’ greatest weapons are their indomitable spirit, their unwavering sense of duty and their undying loyalty to each other and to the ideals that the Republic represents. In this age, the stakes have never been higher. The Republic must win or face extinction. The fate of the galaxy rests upon ordinary men becoming extraordinary heroes. This is the path of the Republic Trooper.

Read On