Game engine

From uvvy

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_engine

In recent years commercial game engines produced by the computer and console videogame indistry have become so advanced that they in many cases outperform dedicated virtual reality engines in all aspects except stereo vision and 3D tracking. There are projects aimed at re-using game engines to create VR worlds for "serious" applications to architecture, engineering, aerospace, training, distance education and military simulation and training.

A game engine is an integrated ensemble of computer code modules and subsystems that together permit building and running a complex VR application, frequently (but not always) a videogame. These modules include:

• A graphics module for 2D or 3D.
• A physics module to ensure that objects behave according to physical laws, for example objects fall under gravity and glass breaks.
• A collision detection module.
• An input/output module.
• A sound module.
• An artificial intelligence module, often used to create objects or "Non Playing Characters" (NPCs) able to interact "intelligently" with the player.
• A network module, often used to permit users conneccted to the internet to play the game together over a network connection.
• A database module.
• A Graphical User Interface module (GUI).

Such modules may contain highly advanced algorithms that in some cases have been developed for military applications, science, medicine or special effects for the film industry. As a matter of fact, until a few years ago new algorithma were developed for military purposes or other "serious" applications, and then re-used by the game industry. Today, due to the explosion of the gaming market and the availability of capital for gaming applications, and also to the ability of the computer game industry to attract the best and brightest specialists, technology transfer often takes places in the other direction: advances are developed by and for the gaming world, and later are transferred to scientific, industrial and military applications.

Computer games known as "First Person Shooters" (FPS), probably the most successful in commercial terms, push 3D game engines to their limits and trigger relentless development and innovation effort.

At the time of writing, the game engine leading the market is the Source Engine of Valve software.

Source (Valve Software)

Adapted from Valve's Source sales brochure:

http://valvesoftware.com/SOURCE_InfoSheet.pdf

The Source engine technology, the same used to power the popular Half-Life 2 videogame, is available for license by third party developers. Source provides major enhancements in several key areas including character animation, advanced AI, real-world physics, and shader-based rendering.

Source's animation system brings expressive characters to life with an unlimited palette of facial expressions that allow them to convey a message without having to say a word. In addition, these characters possess the industry's most advanced artificial intelligence, making them extremely capable allies and foes.

These characters populate beautifully rendered and physically simulated worlds. Next generation applications will require the use of a physics simulation to provide realistic and responsive environments.

This will allow developers to break from authoring the prescripted events featured in previous generations of games, and open the door for the creation of completely new styles of play.

Source contains robust networking code, providing support for 32-player LAN and Internet games, and includes a complete toolset for level design, character animation, demo creation, and more.

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_engine

From Wikipedia:

"The Source engine is a 3D game engine developed largely internally by Valve Software for their first-person shooter computer game Half -Life 2 and for licensing to other developers. It provides rendering, sound, animation, lip syncing, UI (specifically VGUI), networking, artificial intelligence, and physics. Source supports both 32-bit and 64-bit environments. Source requires modern hardware to run with all visual and audio effects enabled, but is extremely scalable and can run smoothly on an array of older systems".

VR game engines like Source are probably the best currently available option in terms of realism, rendering and performance. However, licensing a game engine can be expensive, and game engines are based on very specific requirements.