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ESO not using the hero engine for production

NadiaNadia Member UncommonPosts: 11,798

Why The Elder Scrolls Online Isn't Using HeroEngine

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/05/25/why-the-elder-scrolls-online-isn-39-t-using-heroengine.aspx

You licensed HeroEngine a long time ago. What role did the Hero Engine play in the development of ESO?

We started ZeniMax Online from scratch, with no employees and no technology. We had to build everything ourselves. It takes a long time to write game engines, especially MMO engines, which are inherently more complicated than typical single-player ones. So, we decided to license the HeroEngine to give us a headstart. It was a useful tool for us to use to prototype areas and game design concepts, and it provided us the ability to get art into the game that was visible, so we could work on the game’s art style. Our plan is for ESO to be a world class MMO, with the most advanced social features found in any MMO to date – so while we were prototyping the game on HeroEngine, we were simultaneously developing our own client, server, and messaging layer that were specifically designed with ESO in mind. 

Think of HeroEngine as a whiteboard for us – a great tool to get some ideas in the game and start looking at them while the production engine was in development.

Comments

  • RophezRophez Member Posts: 46

    I'm glad you posted this; It seems some people can't get it through their head.

  • PyrateLVPyrateLV Member CommonPosts: 1,096

    What strikes me as strange about this whole thing is, when TESO was first announced Zenimax was all gung-ho about how they were using the Hero Engine for the game. They were even flaunting it.

     

    Now that the reponse to the HE isnt all that great, Zenimax is now telling us "Oh no. We arent REALLY using the HE for the game. Its just a "whiteboard". We have a whole new engine made from scratch just for TESO."

     

    Well, then why not say that in the first place. Why mention HE at all if all you are using it for is a "whiteboard"?

    Why not say from the start they are making a custom engine for the game instead of flaunting the fact they were using HE when they werent?

     

    Thats makes me think of those guys driving a beat up old Nissan with a bumper sticker that says "My other car is a Ferrari"

     

    Personally I dont buy it. I think they really ARE using the HE for the game. Just a version so modified that it cant really be called the HE anymore.

    Tried: EQ2 - AC - EU - HZ - TR - MxO - TTO - WURM - SL - VG:SoH - PotBS - PS - AoC - WAR - DDO - SWTOR
    Played: UO - EQ1 - AO - DAoC - NC - CoH/CoV - SWG - WoW - EVE - AA - LotRO - DFO - STO - FE - MO - RIFT
    Playing: Skyrim
    Following: The Repopulation
    I want a Virtual World, not just a Game.
    ITS TOO HARD! - Matt Firor (ZeniMax)

  • RophezRophez Member Posts: 46
    Originally posted by PyrateLV

    What strikes me as strange about this whole thing is, when TESO was first announced Zenimax was all gung-ho about how they were using the Hero Engine for the game. They were even flaunting it.

    Dude - you are out to lunch.  Please find me one source or quote from Zenimax to prove this.

  • PyrateLVPyrateLV Member CommonPosts: 1,096
    Originally posted by Rophez
    Originally posted by PyrateLV

    What strikes me as strange about this whole thing is, when TESO was first announced Zenimax was all gung-ho about how they were using the Hero Engine for the game. They were even flaunting it.

    Dude - you are out to lunch.  Please find me one source or quote from Zenimax to prove this.

     Matt Firor mentioned using the HE in one of the first interviews. Why do you think the community got so upset about the game engine used? If he hadnt metioned using it in the first place, he wouldnt have had to backtrack and say he wasnt.

    Im not going to go searching to where it was stated to prove it to you

    And it doesnt matter what "proof" I show you as you are such a TESO fanbot you wouldnt believe it anyway.

     

    *Edit- Here

     

    http://www.examiner.com/article/first-details-for-the-elder-scrolls-online-leak-out

    "According to the Game Informer article, the game has been in development since 2007 which is also the same time that ZeniMax licensed the Hero Engine to create a new game. This is the same MMORPG game engine that Star Wars: The Older Republic uses."

    Tried: EQ2 - AC - EU - HZ - TR - MxO - TTO - WURM - SL - VG:SoH - PotBS - PS - AoC - WAR - DDO - SWTOR
    Played: UO - EQ1 - AO - DAoC - NC - CoH/CoV - SWG - WoW - EVE - AA - LotRO - DFO - STO - FE - MO - RIFT
    Playing: Skyrim
    Following: The Repopulation
    I want a Virtual World, not just a Game.
    ITS TOO HARD! - Matt Firor (ZeniMax)

  • RophezRophez Member Posts: 46
    Originally posted by PyrateLV
    Originally posted by Rophez
    Originally posted by PyrateLV

    What strikes me as strange about this whole thing is, when TESO was first announced Zenimax was all gung-ho about how they were using the Hero Engine for the game. They were even flaunting it.

    Dude - you are out to lunch.  Please find me one source or quote from Zenimax to prove this.

     Matt Firor mentioned using the HE in one of the first interviews. Why do you think the community got so upset about the game engine used? If he hadnt metioned using it in the first place, he wouldnt have had to backtrack and say he wasnt.

    Im not going to go searching to where it was stated to prove it to you

    And it doesnt matter what "proof" I show you as you are such a TESO fanbot you wouldnt believe it anyway.

    No he didn't.  The only reason people ASSUMED they were using the HE is because there was a record of ZOS leasing the engine back in 2007.  No official statement was ever made.  You can search all you like, you will not find this mythical interview in which Matt Firor brags about using the HE.

    Do you work for Arenanet or something?

    Edit:  Good job, bud - your edit proves that it was an online gaming site assuming ZOS was using it because of a lease done in 2007.  Not an interview with Matt Firor.

  • evilastroevilastro Member Posts: 4,270
    Originally posted by Rophez
    Originally posted by PyrateLV

    What strikes me as strange about this whole thing is, when TESO was first announced Zenimax was all gung-ho about how they were using the Hero Engine for the game. They were even flaunting it.

    Dude - you are out to lunch.  Please find me one source or quote from Zenimax to prove this.

    It was in the original Game Informer interview where the game was announced.

    http://digg.com/newsbar/Gaming/elder_scrolls_online_would_use_heroengine

    I think PyrateLV is right, it sounds like they are just slightly modifying the engine and trying to say that it isnt the Hero Engine to avoid any SWTOR criticism.

    Personally I dont think using the Hero Engine matters, as long as they have good programmers and artists, but what they are saying in the latest interviews about how they are not using the Hero Engine is obviously just smoke and mirrors since its abundantly clear that they have already licensed the Hero Engine, and I doubt they are going to port all their work over to a completely new engine half way through production.

    When they say its a 'whiteboard' they really mean 'its pretty much the engine, we just added a few new effects'.

  • RophezRophez Member Posts: 46
    Originally posted by evilastro
    Originally posted by Rophez
    Originally posted by PyrateLV

    What strikes me as strange about this whole thing is, when TESO was first announced Zenimax was all gung-ho about how they were using the Hero Engine for the game. They were even flaunting it.

    Dude - you are out to lunch.  Please find me one source or quote from Zenimax to prove this.

    It was in the original Game Informer interview where the game was announced.

    http://digg.com/newsbar/Gaming/elder_scrolls_online_would_use_heroengine

    I think PyrateLV is right, it sounds like they are just slightly modifying the engine and trying to say that it isnt the Hero Engine to avoid any SWTOR criticism.

    Personally I dont think using the Hero Engine matters, as long as they have good programmers and artists, but what they are saying in the latest interviews about how they are not using the Hero Engine is obviously just smoke and mirrors since its abundantly clear that they have already licensed the Hero Engine, and I doubt they are going to port all their work over to a completely new engine half way through production.

    When they say its a 'whiteboard' they really mean 'its pretty much the engine, we just added a few new effects'.

    Um - the link you posted is a really bad summary of the original game informer article.  I mean really bad.  Like maybe someone used google translate to make it Russian and then back to English.

    Please read the original for the correct context: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/05/25/why-the-elder-scrolls-online-isn-39-t-using-heroengine.aspx

  • PyrateLVPyrateLV Member CommonPosts: 1,096
    Originally posted by evilastro
    Originally posted by Rophez
    Originally posted by PyrateLV

    What strikes me as strange about this whole thing is, when TESO was first announced Zenimax was all gung-ho about how they were using the Hero Engine for the game. They were even flaunting it.

    Dude - you are out to lunch.  Please find me one source or quote from Zenimax to prove this.

    It was in the original Game Informer interview where the game was announced.

    http://digg.com/newsbar/Gaming/elder_scrolls_online_would_use_heroengine

    I think PyrateLV is right, it sounds like they are just slightly modifying the engine and trying to say that it isnt the Hero Engine to avoid any SWTOR criticism.

    Personally I dont think using the Hero Engine matters, as long as they have good programmers and artists, but what they are saying in the latest interviews about how they are not using the Hero Engine is obviously just smoke and mirrors since its abundantly clear that they have already licensed the Hero Engine, and I doubt they are going to port all their work over to a completely new engine half way through production.

    When they say its a 'whiteboard' they really mean 'its pretty much the engine, we just added a few new effects'.

    I dont have a problem with the HE either. Yes, Bioware b0rked it with SWTOR, but A&B seem to be working with it quite well on  The Repopulation.

    It really is all about how talanted and skilled the Devs are.

     

    What Zenimax does or doesnt do with the HE as it pertains to TESO remains to be seen

    Tried: EQ2 - AC - EU - HZ - TR - MxO - TTO - WURM - SL - VG:SoH - PotBS - PS - AoC - WAR - DDO - SWTOR
    Played: UO - EQ1 - AO - DAoC - NC - CoH/CoV - SWG - WoW - EVE - AA - LotRO - DFO - STO - FE - MO - RIFT
    Playing: Skyrim
    Following: The Repopulation
    I want a Virtual World, not just a Game.
    ITS TOO HARD! - Matt Firor (ZeniMax)

  • evilastroevilastro Member Posts: 4,270
    Originally posted by Rophez
    Originally posted by evilastro
    Originally posted by Rophez
    Originally posted by PyrateLV

    What strikes me as strange about this whole thing is, when TESO was first announced Zenimax was all gung-ho about how they were using the Hero Engine for the game. They were even flaunting it.

    Dude - you are out to lunch.  Please find me one source or quote from Zenimax to prove this.

    It was in the original Game Informer interview where the game was announced.

    http://digg.com/newsbar/Gaming/elder_scrolls_online_would_use_heroengine

    I think PyrateLV is right, it sounds like they are just slightly modifying the engine and trying to say that it isnt the Hero Engine to avoid any SWTOR criticism.

    Personally I dont think using the Hero Engine matters, as long as they have good programmers and artists, but what they are saying in the latest interviews about how they are not using the Hero Engine is obviously just smoke and mirrors since its abundantly clear that they have already licensed the Hero Engine, and I doubt they are going to port all their work over to a completely new engine half way through production.

    When they say its a 'whiteboard' they really mean 'its pretty much the engine, we just added a few new effects'.

    Um - the link you posted is a really bad summary of the original game informer article.  I mean really bad.  Like maybe someone used google translate to make it Russian and then back to English.

    Please read the original for the correct context: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/05/25/why-the-elder-scrolls-online-isn-39-t-using-heroengine.aspx

    Thats the correction version where they tried to justify it. The original article where they said they used it was print only, which is why most links online are just paraphrasing it.

  • RophezRophez Member Posts: 46

    Please read the original for the correct context: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/05/25/why-the-elder-scrolls-online-isn-39-t-using-heroengine.aspx

    Thats the correction version where they tried to justify it. The original article where they said they used it was print only, which is why most links online are just paraphrasing it.

    I have the print version, mate.  There is no quote from Matt Firor or any Zeni dev that they are using the Hero engine.  It was all assumptions made by people trying to put 2 and 2 together.  It wen't like this:

    1. The print article came out and said the game began development in 2007.

    2. Some journalist did some research and found out that ZOS licensed the HE in 2007.

    3. People added 1 + 2 and assumed the game was using HE for production.

    That is ALL.

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