Interview Oblivion interview at Games.net

[voodoo1man]

A tool in the TESCS lets you generate the landscape, raise & lower areas, and specify how much erosion has taken place, so areas can be naturally smooth or jagged.

http://bryce.daz3d.com/55index.php

In addition, there's a region editor that lets you define areas that have probabilities set up for various types of trees, shrubs, rocks, etc., and you press the "generate" button and the areas are generated. Artists can go through and refine the areas by hand as required, but time is saved by them not having to place every single tree, rock, shrub or fallen log by hand.

I'm surprised you guys didn't have this for Morrowind (but considering that most of the maps were as barren as a desert I shouldn't be). Anyway, thanks for cribbing the tree-planting idea from SimCity, I'm sure the maps will be a lot more fun this time around.

 

[Elwro]

I bet the gr8 n3w oldskul rogue-like text mode for people without Cray XD1s will be announced shortly. :D
I thought that I couldn't even dream about my computer (with Radeon 9600Pro) running such gfx, but then I bought Guild Wars. Now I think that, if the code is well-optimized, it might be possible.

 

[MrSmileyFaceDude]

Well, we never claimed that terrain generation and automated region population were new ideas -- just that we're using them so that we can produce a more natural looking world (that's larger than Morrowind's land mass) without having to place everything by hand. Yeah, it definitely would have been nice to have it for Morrowind.

And yes, the region editor & terrain generator tools come with the PC version of Oblivion. They're all part of the Elder Scrolls Construction Set.

 

[LlamaGod]

I bet the gr8 n3w oldskul rogue-like text mode for people without Cray XD1s will be announced shortly. :D
I thought that I couldn't even dream about my computer (with Radeon 9600Pro) running such gfx, but then I bought Guild Wars. Now I think that, if the code is well-optimized, it might be possible.

If it is anything like Morrowind, I wouldnt hold my breath.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I'd still like an answer to saddlebags

 

[Fez]

It's a cover-up! Justice for saddlebags!

 

[Drakron]

...
I thought that I couldn't even dream about my computer (with Radeon 9600Pro) running such gfx, but then I bought Guild Wars. Now I think that, if the code is well-optimized, it might be possible.

Guild Wars is a online game, the code is optimized to prevent such issues and Guild Wars does have low requirements but its not trying to do what Morrowind is.

Besides all Elder Scrolls games had a messy engine code, the people that coded Guild Wars were the people that worked in Battle.Net and Blizzard titles.

 

[Elwro]

[Guild Wars is a online game, the code is optimized to prevent such issues

What issues?

 

[voodoo1man]

Well, we never claimed that terrain generation and automated region population were new ideas -- just that we're using them so that we can produce a more natural looking world (that's larger than Morrowind's land mass) without having to place everything by hand. Yeah, it definitely would have been nice to have it for Morrowind.

I'm not stating that you did invent any of the stuff, it's just that Bryce has been around since when? 1996? I believe Sim City 2000 was the first one where you could plant variable vegetation, and that was in 1996 too. How many tools programmers did you have on Morrowind? Let me take a guess - do you have twice as many now?

PS - TEH SHINNY PLASTIC!!

PPS - Nice spoiler there about the land mass being larger than Morrowind's. I remember in some interview Pete said that it was going to be smaller, because Morrowind's was too big. I guess he can eat his words again.

NOW GO SUPERSIZE MY McMORROWIND! YES DAMMIT I WANT FRIES WITH THAT!! PUT THEM IN MY SADDLEBAG!

 

[Sol Invictus]

I swear that dude looks too much like Judge Reinhold.

 

[bryce777]

After playing morrowing, I am guessing ALL the programmers are tools!


The first thing that ran through my mind of course was 'reticulating splines'. I am guessing the answer to my question which was ignored is no. Oh well...that at least might be fun for modding.

Yeah, any and all graphics stuff used now has been done in the early 90s at the latest, but no one had the power to do it real time...no game programmers are inventing this stuff because if it's not accelerated it will be too costly so someone has to have done it at least a few years ago for it to be in current cards.

Also, a PC now has a lot more computing power than a cray ymp, anyhow, especially when it comes to graphics.

 

[Atrokkus]

Also, a PC now has a lot more computing power than a cray ymp, anyhow, especially when it comes to graphics.

True, but so what?
Games are made for gamers, preferrably the average. So, devs are limited to the system configs that are affordable to most of gamers, not some uber-ultra-new ones.

That's the reason why it's easier to develop for a console: you have a fix config and you can just push the game to its limits, which is impossible on PC.

And that's the reason why at first, the third generation consoles will have games with MUCH better graphicst than PC games ever had.
IT will change, tho, just as it did before.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Seriously guys. Judge. Reinhold.

 

[NeutralMilkHotel]

Dude, exit, the nose isn't even close to being the same. And the helmet is covering most of his other features (especially the ears, Judge's most prominent feature, those goofy ears) except his mouth and cheeks.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Not in that picture with him on the horse, but in the others, yes. Just look for em. Trust me dude. Judge. Reinhold.

P.S. Judge Reinhold. Never forget.

 

[NeutralMilkHotel]

I don't see it...

 

[Sol Invictus]

Dude, I totally see it. Go watch an old Judge Reinhold movie. He's way too old now.

 

[voodoo1man]

Yeah, any and all graphics stuff used now has been done in the early 90s at the latest, but no one had the power to do it real time...

The point is the terrain and vegetation stuff is not real time - it's done in the editor. The erosion height map idea is not that hard to put in - I think the Delta Force games may have had something like that. Area vegetation planning is also an obvious thing to have. You could (and people have done both) in crappy 3d and 2d games. People should hold tools programmers to a higher standard.

 

[Atrokkus]

Who the fuck is Judge Reinhold???

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

No, way.. If anyone, it's Michael York:

 

[Naked_Lunch]

I'm with Saint on this.

 

[Sol Invictus]

No way dude.

 

[Fez]

He looks more like York than Reinhold. Maybe all these white people look the same to you, Vicky.

 

[bryce777]

No, way.. If anyone, it's Michael York:

There is no sanctuary...except in the house I bought in the Chelsea area of downtown Tamriel.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

Hang on... Morrowind didn't have auto-terrain generating tools?