Crytek 1.2/1.3 patch Interview

[x84D80Yx]

http://www.firingsquad.com/features/crytek_far_cry/

FiringSquad: Are there any plans to incorporate 3Dc into Far Cry?

Cevat Yerli: In fact yes. In the next patch, 1.3.

FiringSquad: So basically your requirement for HDR is FP32?

Cevat Yerli: Yes FP32 blending.

FiringSquad: Well, the 5900 series also supports FP32, so will those cards support HDR as well or will it be a feature unique to the 6800 cards?

Cevat Yerli: Yes it’s unique to the 6800 series because of the blending capabilities

FiringSquad What kind of additional performance do you think you’ll be able to get out of 1.3? Will it just be more cases of instancing and more branching?

Cevat Yerli: Uh, let me think. I think we have pretty much a peak on enhancing performance via shader model 3.0. If we get more performance it will be related to maybe fill rate raising, compression (we assume Cavet was referring to normal map compression (3Dc) here – Brandon), and other techniques. But it’s too early to say just yet [inaudible]

Fill rate can be used to essentially achieve less passes, we may find ways, for example to do less passes with 3.0 even more, but not with geometry instancing or looping with the lights, it will be with other techniques. But it’s still early, we’re only at the beginning in this area.

the plot thickens

 

[blahblahblah]

Can I hear a w00t w00t from X800 owners? Take that SM 3.0.

I'm actually excited for Far Cry patch 1.3, its supposed to include HDR and other nifty effects. Hopefully it comes out before HL2 and Doom 3.

 

[Maxi]

Wow, they are REALLY concentrating on making the game good for everyone!

Features unique to the 6800? how many people have that card? sm 3.0? oo wait... that's also only in 6000 series!

These new patches bring nothing new to me, im dissapointed. and my card isn't even that old. They should improve the game for tha majority, not the minority.

 

[NYHoustonman]

I can't understand for the life of me 1) why the SM3.0 screenshots of Far Cry that I have seen look better than the SM2.0 ones, and 2) why HDR, too, will only be available to 6800 owners. Feckin annoying.

 

[x84D80Yx]

I can't understand for the life of me 1) why the SM3.0 screenshots of Far Cry that I have seen look better than the SM2.0 ones, and 2) why HDR, too, will only be available to 6800 owners. Feckin annoying.

1. you probally saw screens of the 1.3 patch. that will include HDR. the 1.2 patch will have the same image quality for all cards.

2. CryTek opted to use hdr with fp blending for Far Cry, which ATI doesn't support.

 

[Intel17]

All crytek is doing is bloating up their software to run only on new stuff. Developers like Valve and id software are much better because their stuff looks better than the crap err cryengine and they focus on making the experience good for everyone, not just people with 6800's. Im sure if carmack wanted to he could without a doubt add those features into the current doom renderer. And Half life 2 already uses HDR but it will work on 9800's.

 

[Shuzer]

Well, atleast now we can see what influence "TWIMTBP" has had on Crytek.

 

[Intel17]

hell, I bet nvidia helped them write that engine or at least some of the new stuff. Because, quite frankly they cant really go head to head with a John Carmack engine. Oh wait, Doom 3 looks better and runs 2x faster! Its all about optimization, not just freakin putting in every effect possible.

Half Life 2 also beats out Crytek, because it looks better and runs better (from the official benchmarks anyway)

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

I think its good they are finally doing things for ATi owners, I really hate when one company sits there and favors one company and shit, making the other users basically low balled, etc. We should tell VALVe to screw over the Geforce owners tbh

 

[x84D80Yx]

Intel...this is actually a good thing. why are you complaining?

i dont think anybody has ever cared about a patch as much as crytek's patches. i think crytek are doing good by adding new tech than just bugfixes. and its not all about nvidia tech, ati is getting 3dc also. its just being ignorant when you say that crytek are bloating?

i hope other companies do the same.

I bet nvidia helped them write that engine or at least some of the new stuff.

if you actually read the interview you would see that it only took 2 guys to code it.

And Half life 2 already uses HDR but it will work on 9800's.

i wouldnt be surprized if hl2's hdr works for all cards that have the capibility (meaning ati's and nvidia's cards).

Im sure if carmack wanted to he could without a doubt add those features into the current doom renderer.

doom3 is openGL. i dunno if we will see sm3.0 or 3dc in it. maybe but doubtful.

 

[blahblahblah]

OpenGL doesn't use DX9 for shaders, it uses GLSL (or something like that ). I imagine SM 3.0 is going to be wasted in Doom 3.

As for 3Dc, ID software should be able to add it in relatively easily. In fact, I bet they would love 3Dc since it compresses normal maps. (In case you haven't noticed yet, Doom 3 is covered in normal maps ).

 

[x84D80Yx]

yeah its possible like i said. i just doubt it. but i cant complain if we end up seeing 3dc or sm3.0 in d3. last i heard doom3 will just be using ultrashadow II tech.

 

[Asus]

Valve worked with ATI exclusively to get HDR working early on. ATI basicly showed them how they could implement it with their 24bit DX9 cards (9500,9600,9700,9800,and x800).

 

[NYHoustonman]

1. you probally saw screens of the 1.3 patch. that will include HDR. the 1.2 patch will have the same image quality for all cards.

2. CryTek opted to use hdr with fp blending for Far Cry, which ATI doesn't support.

1-Nah, the ones from the NVidia launch event. There was just plain more detail there, and NVidia tried to play it off like it was SM3.0 doing all that.
2-I have no idea wth that means, but it just furthers what I am seeing as NVidia loyalty by Crytek (quite annoying).

 

[Asus]

Crytek is drawing the line at 32FP and improved textures under SM3.0 which is not needed. Both 24FP and SM2.0 can do HDR and could use the improved textures which I'm not entirely sure why they are not improving those cards too. They could even use virtual displacement mapping.
3Dc will be a good improvement but only for performance.

They are trying to market their engine but I don't think they care about the game and those who play it as much.
Oh well, it doesn't matter to me all that much because I am done with that game anyway.