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PC Games Mag shows off Star Citizen procedural planet

BabuinixBabuinix Member EpicPosts: 4,235
edited July 2016 in Star Citizen
PC Games, a German magazine, recently visited Foundry 42 Frankfurt to check out their game. Basically CIG showed off a procedural planet (Levski) and star marine. The best part is that it wasn't just show, the journalists actually got to play it.

Star Marine (the Arena Commander equivalent of fps) is planned for 2.6, which is not the next update but the one after that.

They plan to have the Stanton system (including procedural planets) in 2.7 and 40 locations in the Stanton system by the end of the year.

From reddit. User blablablablabla78 made a nice summary:

No misunderstanding, they actually played it. Chris and Erin were there as well. There's also a new screenshot of Mark Hamils face and the Onion Knight in uniform, faces definitly look better now than before.

- 2.6 will launch Star Marine as separate module just like Arena Commander, this was also played by staff of PC Games and they are saying it's much more polished on the FPS side and feels a lot better than current rudimentary FPS in the PTU. - Interesting side-note: they talked about map->s.

- 2.7 will bring procedural planets and you will be able to travel the whole stanton system and all planets and moons can be directly approached down to the surface.

  • They say the new lighting system as part of the procedural planets build looks much more natural.
  • They say that approaching the planet looks and technically feels better than with Elite Dangerous.
  • You can land anywhere manually, automatic landing gets you to fixed positions i.e. landing zones.
  • Microtech and Hurston come in follow-up patches after 2.7
  • They aim to have Stanton fully playable i.e. with all stations and landing zones (according to CR about 40 locations) by end of 2016
  • There will be more jobs and missions as well.
  • Trading will be in by then
  • Chris describing that missions accepted up in space stations could lead you eventually down to planet surfaces, not clear if this is going to be in with 2.7 but seemingly something SQ42 will benefit from.
  • Planets and moons are revolving around suns, with naturally simulated day and night cycles.
  • When flying over the ocean they were noticing that the horizon had a correctly simulated curve.
  • Trees and Animals seemingly are planned (edit: doesn't seem to be in with 2.7, sorry) - they have them seemingly setup in pre-made templates they call eco-systems - these can be brushed over the planet surface, some magic blends the transitions to make it look naturally and consistent.
  • Planetary surface and topograhy details are controlled by a dynamical LOD system.
  • Some pop-up was visible during the planetary approach but they described it as impressive regardless.
  • They were also impressed with the cloud system, which wasn't just a simple texture layer but seemingly is described what I assume would be volumetric, i.e. they have deepth and height and impact visibility, leading to mountain crests piercing through clouds and valleys being covered.
  • They are writing that there isn't any artificially restricted view range, visibility is rather a result from the volumetric calculation of the athmosphere.
  • Parallax-Occlusion maps with dynamic tessellation is used for the surface details.
  • GTX 980 was used with 100 fps on the planetary surface, so performance seems to be pretty good already, sorry, that was just editor performance - in-game performance was 45fps :)
  • Some stuff about the subsumption-AI saying NPCs might have hobbies and a virtual mind, allowing them to remember the player or be influenced in his opinions by the player. To avoid performance issues, they seemingly control the update cycles for NPC AI based on player proximitiy i.e. update cycles go to 1hz instead of 60hz if no one is around.
They also wrote that they were positively surprised that all employees at Foundry 42 Frankfurt, of which they had a chance to talk with, seemed to be truthfuly grateful to be able to work on the project due to the challenge it represents. They specifically point out, that the enthusiasm didn't feel faked







Enjoy



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Comments

  • thunderclesthundercles Member UncommonPosts: 510
    edited July 2016
    If this is legit, its seems like things are farther along than theyve put on.
  • KefoKefo Member EpicPosts: 4,229
    Babuinix said:

     - 2.6 will launch Star Marine as separate module just like Arena Commander, this was also played by staff of PC Games and they are saying it's much more polished on the FPS side and feels a lot better than current rudimentary FPS in the PTU. - Interesting side-note: they talked about map->s.

    My favourite quote from that reddit thread

    ""Star Marine is weeks not months away" - Banditloaf 54 weeks ago."


  • BabuinixBabuinix Member EpicPosts: 4,235
    Kefo said:
    Babuinix said:

     - 2.6 will launch Star Marine as separate module just like Arena Commander, this was also played by staff of PC Games and they are saying it's much more polished on the FPS side and feels a lot better than current rudimentary FPS in the PTU. - Interesting side-note: they talked about map->s.

    My favourite quote from that reddit thread

    ""Star Marine is weeks not months away" - Banditloaf 54 weeks ago."


    Giev Grief kek
  • KefoKefo Member EpicPosts: 4,229
    Babuinix said:
    Kefo said:
    Babuinix said:

     - 2.6 will launch Star Marine as separate module just like Arena Commander, this was also played by staff of PC Games and they are saying it's much more polished on the FPS side and feels a lot better than current rudimentary FPS in the PTU. - Interesting side-note: they talked about map->s.

    My favourite quote from that reddit thread

    ""Star Marine is weeks not months away" - Banditloaf 54 weeks ago."


    Giev Grief kek

    sure?
  • filmoretfilmoret Member EpicPosts: 4,906
    Hate to say this but those pics look like poo.  On a side note this game was suppose to launch with 20 solar systems not 1.  But anyways I guess we should be happy right?  Mass Effect and the new Battlefield game is making this look really bad right now.
    Are you onto something or just on something?
  • PhryPhry Member LegendaryPosts: 11,004
    Must admit, had me on this one, was a bit confused when said it was a german magazine, but then realised, its not PC Gamer magazine, which afaik is a UK magazine, although there is also a NA version.
    No idea how popular the magazine in question is, i am guessing it is either a fairly new thing, or its just one that isn't published outside of Germany?
    So have no idea how reputable they are. O.o
  • RasiemRasiem Member UncommonPosts: 318
    What I dont understand is how no mans sky is out but were are still waiting so long for this game especially with its Budget. 
  • rpmcmurphyrpmcmurphy Member EpicPosts: 3,502
    I'll be impressed when I see it running in a multiplayer setup, until then it's just bullshots to me.

    I do think the planets look better than what was shown before but the atmospheric scattering hides a lot, it would be nice to see planets with no atmosphere to get a better idea of what's going on.

    And I do think it's a shame that this stuff gets released to a magazine rather than the actual backers getting first looks tbh.

    Otherwise good to see some progress.
  • VrikaVrika Member LegendaryPosts: 7,881
    edited July 2016
    The planet looks good, but really boring. It's like using the world's best graphic tech to lay out a planet full of desert tiles.

    I hope they'll be able to improve it by adding variety someday, but if GTX 980 got only 45 FPS while on surface and playing alone then any more variety means having to remove a lot of those nice graphical effects, and the final game won't look even nearly as good.
     
  • waynejr2waynejr2 Member EpicPosts: 7,769
    Rasiem said:
    What I dont understand is how no mans sky is out but were are still waiting so long for this game especially with its Budget. 

    At least you go that right.  You don't  understand.
    http://www.youhaventlived.com/qblog/2010/QBlog190810A.html  

    Epic Music:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1

    https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1

    Kyleran:  "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."

    John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."

    FreddyNoNose:  "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."

    LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"




  • DaikuruDaikuru Member RarePosts: 797
    Phry said:
    Must admit, had me on this one, was a bit confused when said it was a german magazine, but then realised, its not PC Gamer magazine, which afaik is a UK magazine, although there is also a NA version.
    No idea how popular the magazine in question is, i am guessing it is either a fairly new thing, or its just one that isn't published outside of Germany?
    So have no idea how reputable they are. O.o
    PCGames.de just celebrated its 20th birthday, the printed magazine exists since 1992, PC Games is quite popular in german speaking countries and very reputable.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

    - Albert Einstein


  • ErillionErillion Member EpicPosts: 10,294
    Looking forward to grab the magazine on the 27th

    From the preview the PCGames journalists sound pretty exited ....

    @filmoret ... once CIG gets procedural planet generation working (and according to PCGames they are pretty far) it does not matter if its 1 or 20 planets. They could generate 10.000 planetary systems with the push of a button - that is the whole point of procedural generation.

    SQ 42 has been announced for 2016. The Persistent Universe will launch later (my guess is late 2017). So they still have plenty of time to polish the PG tool and generate 1, 20 or 10000 planets.

    I have seen almost all available material about Mass Effect: Andromeda and CoD: IW  (I assume you meant that one and not Battlefield - the later is a World War ONE (!) game, not a space game). I am looking forward to play both. I fail to see what specific thing you think you have seen that makes SC "look really bad". Ironically I seem to like the new CoD:IW more than the CoD fans ... which are VERY critical of this new version (also technically wise).


    Have fun
  • ErillionErillion Member EpicPosts: 10,294
    Rasiem said:
    What I dont understand is how no mans sky is out
    Please .. enlighten me ... what was the date of the launch of No Mans Sky again ? ;-)

    Seems like i missed that launch  .... bad rabbit, BAD RABBIT ! ;-)


    Have fun

  • TalonsinTalonsin Member EpicPosts: 3,619
    Until I can play it, its just talk, which at this point is pretty much all we have gotten from Chris.  I will be very excited if all that actually makes it into the game and I can actually play it but until then, all these words dont mean squat.  Remember in 2015 when Chris showed us gameplay of Star Marine several times to get people excited...  How did that turn out?

    "Sean (Murray) saying MP will be in the game is not remotely close to evidence that at the point of purchase people thought there was MP in the game."  - SEANMCAD

  • ErillionErillion Member EpicPosts: 10,294
    More pictures ... and no, its not all desert ;-)

    http://imgur.com/a/dpW3Z


    Have fun

  • ShinimasShinimas Member UncommonPosts: 67
    Let's hope they show it at Gamescom. But until it's in the playable build it might as well not exist. It's one thing to make it running on a single isolated machine, but having everything be hooked up to it and running on a live server... that can be years away.

    It's nice to see some water though. Still no vegetation, however.
  • PhryPhry Member LegendaryPosts: 11,004
    Erillion said:
    Rasiem said:
    What I dont understand is how no mans sky is out
    Please .. enlighten me ... what was the date of the launch of No Mans Sky again ? ;-)

    Seems like i missed that launch  .... bad rabbit, BAD RABBIT ! ;-)


    Have fun

    Not the best game to use as an example, really :p
    I suspect the launch of the game will be on hold until the patent thing is sorted out, at the very least.
  • MaxBaconMaxBacon Member LegendaryPosts: 7,760
    edited July 2016
    If that's what's coming on the first iteration of PG Planets on the Universe release then that's quite good. Then the more detail, biomes, spawning stuff in to add content to this actual areas can come as updates roll in. :+1:

    With the mentions of 2.7 for PG this has to be decently progressing well and close, the development reports also show and big focus from them on the technology and all that.

    Something also said to be quite nice that hasn't been shown yet is some work they are doing with Clouds, not sure if PG or not here, but they have to indeed PG whole gas giants where you will land on as the example you have the Crusader Landing Zone.

    As for Star Marine on 2.6, i already heard before when mention to this was made that is very likely the 2.6 target to SM will not be reached, so avoid taking that as any promise or official date for SM as it is already put as unlikely to happen, though mentioned on this German Mag.
  • rpmcmurphyrpmcmurphy Member EpicPosts: 3,502
    Erillion said:
    Looking forward to grab the magazine on the 27th

    From the preview the PCGames journalists sound pretty exited ....

    @filmoret ... once CIG gets procedural planet generation working (and according to PCGames they are pretty far) it does not matter if its 1 or 20 planets. They could generate 10.000 planetary systems with the push of a button - that is the whole point of procedural generation.

    SQ 42 has been announced for 2016. The Persistent Universe will launch later (my guess is late 2017). So they still have plenty of time to polish the PG tool and generate 1, 20 or 10000 planets.




    They would still have to position and incorporate bases. citites or whatever, a bit more to it than just pushing a button...


    I seriously doubt we'll see Sq42 in 2016, one of the CIG guys recently had this to say
    I just want to curb some of the hype a little bit before this goes over 9000. I am not going to go into detail about this too much, but it is important to remember that QA tests the game at all stages of development, and the comment was not representative of Squadron 42 being complete right now. We are still heavily in development.
    https://www.reddit.com/r/starcitizen/comments/4u4end/sq42_may_be_farther_along_than_a_lot_of_us_think/

  • ErillionErillion Member EpicPosts: 10,294
    edited July 2016
    Here is the summary of the Journalist at the end of the article:

    "The ambitious mammoth-project Star Citizen does not only have a lot of supporters, but also quite a few critics (some of them very vocal) which have misgivings about the success of this title. Being a critic by profession myself there certainly is need for a touch of scepticism - however i am very confident. After we have spoken at length with Chris Roberts as well as his without doubt very dedicated team, after we have taken a good look at procedurally generated planetary surfaces and very powerful editor tools, in my opinion a positive annotation is appropriate.

    One thing in particular has convinced me: Practically every employee i have spoken to has - in a very authentic way - expressed his delight about the chance to be able to work on Star Citizen and truely aim high technically. The passion is evident in all the people working on this project, the technical progress in this project is hard to miss. And if the plans regarding content generation, engine optimisation and server communication come to fruition, this will also be clearly evident for outsiders.

    Though i believe the GamesCom Presentation will ensure that a lot of mouths will be open."

    (in english ... will drop some jaws ... ;-)


    Have fun


    PS:
    The full article is available on the internet already (on Imgur). You can find it with Google.
    You should be able to read German.
  • VorpalChicken28VorpalChicken28 Member UncommonPosts: 348
    Just read the article (someone kindly posted it on imgur) looks really awsome, question is why show it off to a mag and not show on their webshow's?
    “Nevertheless, the human brain, which survives by hoping from one second to another, will always endeavor to put off the moment of truth. Moist” 
    ― Terry PratchettMaking Money
  • MaxBaconMaxBacon Member LegendaryPosts: 7,760
    vorpal28 said:
    Just read the article (someone kindly posted it on imgur) looks really awsome, question is why show it off to a mag and not show on their webshow's?
    Yeah that's the thing, ofc media marketing and all that jazz is something all companies do but the community feed shouldn't be put on the back-burner.

    I can understand more right now as Gamescon is approaching and just 1 month later you have Citizencon and there's high expectations to be met on what they will show there, so there's just some small teases of a bigger picture we will see in some time.
  • filmoretfilmoret Member EpicPosts: 4,906
    Erillion said:
    More pictures ... and no, its not all desert ;-)

    http://imgur.com/a/dpW3Z


    Have fun

    Those pics give some much better angles.  Yea that ME and COD game...

    ME is going to have over 100 solar systems for space exploration.  You will make first contact with several alien races.  You will colonize several planets.  This involves exploration, study of atmosphere and plant animal life on the planets. Massive persistent universe.  We are not sure about space combat or how ship flight works.  




    Call of Duty IW is going to be SQ42  but better graphics and made by a AAA studio.




    Are you onto something or just on something?
  • DaikuruDaikuru Member RarePosts: 797
    filmoret said:
    Erillion said:
    More pictures ... and no, its not all desert ;-)

    http://imgur.com/a/dpW3Z


    Have fun

    Those pics give some much better angles.  Yea that ME and COD game...

    ME is going to have over 100 solar systems for space exploration.  You will make first contact with several alien races.  You will colonize several planets.  This involves exploration, study of atmosphere and plant animal life on the planets. Massive persistent universe.  We are not sure about space combat or how ship flight works.  




    Call of Duty IW is going to be SQ42  but better graphics and made by a AAA studio.




    Its still Call of Duty, even if i like the new setting because its scifi and im kinda excited for ME, graphic isnt all that matters for me.

    I played SC myself and i think its looks very good.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

    - Albert Einstein


  • MaxBaconMaxBacon Member LegendaryPosts: 7,760
    edited July 2016
    filmoret said:

    ME is going to have over 100 solar systems for space exploration.  You will make first contact with several alien races.  You will colonize several planets.  This involves exploration, study of atmosphere and plant animal life on the planets. Massive persistent universe.  We are not sure about space combat or how ship flight works.  

    Call of Duty IW is going to be SQ42  but better graphics and made by a AAA studio.



    ???

    1) Mass Effect is not any MMO, Star Citizen is, and that's for what i backed SC and i'll likely play Mass Effect as well, for 2 different games and gameplay experiences lol :chuffed: 

    2) COD is one undeniable FPS game that on this new game will introduce and yes some of space flight and combat, when SQ42 is the complete opposite (that is instead of a FPS with space flight and combat, it is a Space Sim with FPS elements)

    Also meant for different audiences, it's like saying COD and ARMA are the same audience cause they're both FPS games. Common now, be serious. --'

    More games, better for everybody! The people who have been complaining SC's gameplay is not what they wanted can possibly buy and have fun on the COD Space Sim Game!
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