Reality Factory

Please, save all your info and wow us AndyCR. I would hate to over hype this project of yours.

I don't think an engine like Irrlicht is overkill for RF. Quite the opposite, actually. If you look at the features that atttract people to RF, it's the rapid design process, the scripting for machinema, and especially the idea of not having to learn a lower level language like C++. While alot of programmer types might balk at anything done with a click together or template based GCS, those approaching from an art/design or modding background just want to get their models in and start playing with things. With that in mind, and especially where machinema is concerned, RF needs the best graphics engine it can get. I know good graphics don't make a good game, but as an artist graphics have to be my top concern.

those Crysis screens are beautiful, but were trying to compare apples to oranges here. RF2/Irrlicht is in the DX9/GL2 generation. same as Gears of War, Halo 3, FarCry Instincts, etc.

Crysis is another story. It is the first engine to use Microsoft's DirectX 10 (yes, that is a ten). It is more advanced than anything currently out there. One of the features (sub-surface scattering), which is what actually makes those screens look so real, is a process currently used only in ADVANCED pre-rendered CG, and takes longer to calculate than RF's radiosity. Crysis renders subsurface-scattering in realtime.

so lets not start a debate about how RF2 will look. Its gonna be pretty, we all know that. but we also know it will never come close to Crysis while it is using the DX9 renderer.

Agreed.

Although may I point out that one of the abilities Irrlicht excels at is support for new technologies reasonably quickly - as such, after DX10 is released, it won't be long before Irrlicht, and thus RF2, support it.

Just a reminder, even if RF2 would be able to get those extreamly pretty real time rendering ability; there has the be the game makers and players hardware that has to be top of the line. I bet Crysis will be like Doom 3 and require an insane graphics card upgrade to play. First game requiring dual 512 meg SLI graphics cards? I could see that happening. It is set to release next year right? (acctually the newest graphics card tech right now is quad SLI or a total of four 512meg graphics card running together .)

those Crysis screens are beautiful

no kidding, this is absolutely breath taking graphics if you can find the footage from E3 its well worth a look, the graphics where the trooper is fighting the huge robot on the deck of the aircraft carrier reminded me of visuals straight out of "War of the Worlds" they that good, the realtime lighting and shaders are out of this world.