Shader solution for Wii

[The_legend_of_drtre]

It has now been announced that the Wii will have games using the Unity engine.


http://gonintendo.com/?p=12600

Heres a description of what the engine allows:


Unity (game engine)
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Unity


Developer: OverTheEdge
Latest release: 1.6 / November 28, 2006
OS: Mac OS X (creation and deployment), Microsoft Windows (deployment)
Use: Game engine
License: Proprietary
Website: unity3d.com
Unity is a video game development environment released in 2005 by Over The Edge I/S, for producing Mac and Windows games using Mac OS X.

It features support for the AGEIA's physics engine, OpenGL and OpenAL, and allows deployment as a Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X executable, a Web page (via the Unity plugin) under Mac OS X or Windows, or a Dashboard widget under OS X. It is also possible to adapt Unity content as a Mac OS X screen saver.

Unity has a hierarchical, visual editing environment with detailed property inspectors. Assets are created using various 3D modeling, graphics, and audio software, and then assembled into a game using Unity. Scripting is based on Mono, the open source implementation of the .NET Framework, and programmers are free to use JavaScript, C#, or Boo (Python-inspired) syntax.

Unity is aimed at small developers and studios but has been used by some of the larger studios too. It is known for its rapid development process and rapid prototyping ability, as well as advanced ready-to-use physics and graphical effects, which can leverage modern GPU hardware but can automatically fall back to lower quality levels when run on older GPUs.

Unity was a runner-up in the Best OS X Graphics category in the 2006 Apple Design Awards.


[edit] Major Features
Integrated development environment supporting in-game previews.
Advanced graphical features, such as Bumpmapping, Reflection mapping and Parallax mapping.
The ShaderLab language for custom graphical effects, supporting shaders written in Cg. Render-to-texture and full-screen post processing effects are also supported in the Pro version.
Support for the PhysX physics engine. Scripting via Mono.
Automatic asset importing - assets load directly into Unity without the need to manually export them in a compatible format and are re-imported automatically when the asset file is updated.


This is engine is very heavy on shaders. Well i guess that shuts a few people up.

 

[ihamoitc2005]

Gamecube

Gamecube has games with shader type graphics code no?

 

[The_legend_of_drtre]

Gamecube has games with shader type graphics code no?

Yup. But with this engine shaders on Wii easy for people who are efficient in Open GL. I think the Tev unit in the GC uses some sort of open GL variant , but it's not as accessible as say direct x or open GL. It's use a different shader language than most devs are used to.

http://creativemac.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=82608-1

"ShaderLab
Although shaders have become the norm for high end games, writing them has always been an obstacle for all but the most talented programmers. Unity supports OpenGL shaders and has simplified their creation with a scripting language they call “ShaderLabâ€￾. With ShaderLab, nearly any modern OpenGL shader can be created, from reflective / refractive water to LOD multi-layered terrains to bumped detailed textures. For the developer who wants to create their own shaders but have been unable to, ShaderLab may be the answer. To prove this point, here's an example of a “ShaderLabâ€￾ diffuse shader.


In this example the entire shader is defined with essentially three primary lines of code: color, material and lighting. I'm no programmer, but even I can understand this one. Not that you'll ever need to create your own shaders, Unity comes with a generous selection of preset shaders, and even more have been made available on their Wiki. But it's nice to know if you need to it isn't hard to do.."

 

[theafu]

Tre you maybe reading into too much with the announcement.

 

[idsn6]

It is known for its rapid development process and rapid prototyping ability, as well as advanced ready-to-use physics and graphical effects, which can leverage modern GPU hardware but can automatically fall back to lower quality levels when run on older GPUs.

 

[fearsomepirate]

Many engines scale all the way from DX7 to DX9 effects. Two examples off the top of my head are Source and COD2. So don't get your hopes up. Just because an engine supports a feature isn't reason to conclude that every hardware it will scale to does.

 

[Rainbow Man]

This is engine is very heavy on shaders. Well i guess that shuts a few people up.

A software program can't conjure up missing hardware features simply because you read some checkbox features on some website.

It may be worth noting just because an "engine" (meh) supports "parallax mapping" doesn't mean it'll just magically show up in anby title running on any hardware. Doom3 engine supports that too yet no shipping game thus far features it out of the box.

Peace.

 

[assen]

I got tired in the "UE3 on Wii" thread of repeating it, but I'll venture once more: an engine is much, much more than its shaders - tools, world and models rendering, visibility, physics integration, scripting, networking, filesystems etc.

 

[Pigman BABY!!!]

Just because an engine supports shader and physics functions doesn't mean the hardware running will do so.
Wii is only an overclocked Gamecube with 64MB GDDR3 extra and bigger optical storeage.
Broadway is Gekko @729MHz due to smaller production process and Hollywood is Flipper @243MHz due to smaller production process.

No matter how much you may wish for it Wii doesn't have even the slightest bit of power to keep up with the Xbox 360 and PS3.

 

[Turok]

A software program can't conjure up missing hardware features simply because you read some checkbox features on some website.

It may be worth noting just because an "engine" (meh) supports "parallax mapping" doesn't mean it'll just magically show up in anby title running on any hardware. Doom3 engine supports that too yet no shipping game thus far features it out of the box.

Peace.

Prey had parallax mapping, but that's besides the point.

 

[ERP]

Closed: Topic beaten to death