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TRI announces the Infernal Engine

polycounter lvl 19
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adam polycounter lvl 19
[img2=left]http://boards.polycount.net/images/features/infernal.png[/img2]Today Terminal Reality Inc. announced the Infernal Engine, some new technology they're rolling out for the masses. While you need to be a licensee at this point to get your hands on it, the list of features and improved workflow is worth the mention.

I wanted to write up more about this as I got the chance to use it for the better part of 2008 and I think the game art community would love this engine, but I cannot confirm if it will ever be available for public use. Which is a shame, the work-flow is pretty damn fluid.

So in the mean time, check out this list of rendering features, then click the logo above if you'd like a more comprehensive list of features for the Infernal Engine.

Key Rendering Features
  • Multi-threaded to maximize multi-processor technology on next-gen hardware
    • Takes advantage of all PLAYSTATION®3 hardware
    • Scalable to the Wii® and PSP® platforms
  • Indoor/outdoor global illumination with real-time soft shadows
  • Directional radiosity lightmaps and cubic environment lighting probes
  • Per-pixel lighting
  • Relief mapping
  • Global water effects
  • Fully integrated next-gen TRIfecta® particle system
  • Programmable material system allows for maximum artist creativity via graphical node-based editor
  • Split-screen rendering support
  • Portal visibility
  • Background streaming geometry and textures

Replies

  • adam
  • Bryan Cavett
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    Bryan Cavett polycounter lvl 19
    Man that engine has come a long way since I used it last. I was wanting that material editor right after Bloodrayen 2 shipped!
  • claydough
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    claydough polycounter lvl 10
    I can look at, but not f*ck so it is porn. Porn!
    I covet yer girlfriend. Get her drunk and deliver her to me.
  • Kovac
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    Kovac polycounter lvl 18
    We need this... tired of vicious :( I'll do some research to see what I can do about getting the pricing as it'd be a very serious option if it beats out UE3 significantly for our larger projects. Congrats!
  • warby
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    warby polycounter lvl 18
    your node based material editor does the same thing unrelaed does it flows form the rigth to the left ... why ?
  • Kevin Albers
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    Kevin Albers polycounter lvl 18
    I've made a lot of stuff using this engine, and I've always been pretty happy with it. It's fairly artist-friendly and has some cool features. I really like some of the lighting stuff...lightmaps with radiosity and the light probe stuff. Also, it's pretty cool that you can make stuff for the xbox, ps3, wii and psp using the same engine, which should be very nice for some developers that release a single game on multiple platforms.

    Also, the folks at TRI are pretty darn cool. I wish Mark Randel and everyone else lots of luck with the engine. :)
  • adam
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    adam polycounter lvl 19
    warby wrote: »
    your node based material editor does the same thing unrelaed does it flows form the rigth to the left ... why ?

    How's this relevant? I mean, will it speed things up if its left to right?

    We read left to right,so I understand that point of view. However, with the Right to Left approach you get the immediate feedback of the texture on the left side. So your natural instinct goes to the left first to see the results, know what I mean? Off, what a silly discussion to be had!** :P

    I think you've been editing Materials left-to-right in notepad (re: Source) for too long fella! haha :D





    **Happy to contribute!
  • Dusty
    We dumped a whole lotta artwork to show off everything Infernal can do. I can say with confidence that our material editor is one of the best, if not THE best in the industry. Adam can prolly vouch for some of the crazy things that are possible. Along with that are some amazing physics, its even possible to make your entire level destructible.

    I have spent plenty of time with the particle editor, and helped in getting features to make it artist friendly. Nearly anything is possible using TRIfecta. Wait till ghostbusters comes out, you'll see some fantastic fx.
  • stimpack
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    stimpack polycounter lvl 10
    Congratz guys! Game engine is something to be very proud of!
  • Michael Knubben
    The 'latest news' icon is that of an rss-feed, yet the website doesn't actually have an rss-feed.
    I'm sure you're glad I pointed this out to you before the angry masses showed up, pitchforks and all.

    This looks pretty nice, guys. How's the usability? I haven't checked the entire website yet (it's going very slow for me, at the moment.), but does it do things like automatic texture updating (like max)? How easy is the process of importing new stuff, working with modular stuff etc.?

    edit:also, any chance to get a look at better screenshots? The ones on the website are tiny and sharpened to high heaven.
  • moose
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    moose polycount sponsor
    that colorful screenshot is purdy! nice stuff

    site is slow though :(:(
  • Mangled Poly
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    Mangled Poly polycounter lvl 18
    Hey Guys,
    DICE is just starting here and lots of good press and meetings have come from this announcement. Sorry for the slow site it has been pounded and is not on the best host!

    Far as usability goes I will be making and releasing several videos over the next several weeks to show off some of the tools! Pricing is very reasonable feel free to contact the email listed or message me.

    -Ryan
  • Sandbag
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    Sandbag polycounter lvl 18
    MightyPea wrote: »
    The 'latest news' icon is that of an rss-feed, yet the website doesn't actually have an rss-feed.
    I'm sure you're glad I pointed this out to you before the angry masses showed up, pitchforks and all.

    Talked to the web programmer, got that fixed. RSS now available.
  • Bitterman
    Sandbag wrote: »
    Talked to the web programmer

    I prefer the title Web Developer, Mr. Bag. Occasionally Information Architect when I'm feeling pretentious.
  • MoP
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    MoP polycounter lvl 18
    Cool stuff guys. I look forward to those videos, Ryan :)
  • skankerzero
    MightyPea wrote: »
    ...but does it do things like automatic texture updating...

    My workflow when I'm texturing is to set up actions in photoshop that save over the texture used in game.

    Usually after uv mapping and doing the diffuse for my model in Max, I export and import the model into our engine as a simple model.

    I look at my model in engine and hit 'X' to refresh the textures as I work on the specular, normal, aocc, and any other map that might be relevant to the shader for my character.
  • psychoticprankster
    Interesting..How long has this engine being on the Market now ?
  • HellMark
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    HellMark polycounter lvl 18
    Any chance the tools will see a more public available release like Epic does with the Unreal engine and their games?
  • I_luv_Pixels
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    I_luv_Pixels polycounter lvl 17
    yay! Saw this today good job to u guys at TRI! i miss all you guys! Wil be seeing som kick ass art form the guys this weekend at Diverge.

    this engine is very easy to use.... set down and was able to do basic functions in just a few hours :) like adding lights and such .:)
  • Lee3dee
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    Lee3dee polycounter lvl 18
    any chance we can get an engine demo at Diverge this weekend :) Shame there's not a trial version to download, so I can play with the particle tools
  • oobersli
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    oobersli polycounter lvl 17
    we're greedy and don't give out free stuff!! really i don't know about all that though.

    I love the engine. Its so easy to use... I'm scared to leave TRI and use a different engine.
  • Wahlgren
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    Wahlgren polycounter lvl 17
    Will we ever see editors powered by this like we did for unreal 3 and crysis?
  • Mangled Poly
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    Mangled Poly polycounter lvl 18
    Hey guys,
    Sorry for the late reply on this one, just got back from DICE.
    I am unsure about the "Modding" editor, as it is now our main focus is consoles and all our current lineup of games do not really lend to "modding". I have a feeling eventually we might release out an "artist" version of the editor so you can use it to view some of your personal assets in the engine.

    As far as demos we will be hitting GDC pretty hard with a session where we will be showing off our tools and pipeline. Also we will be having a few private rooms at the event to be holding demos!

    -Ryan
  • Lee3dee
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    Lee3dee polycounter lvl 18
    I got to see a small piece of the editor today, I was very impressed! Material editor is very similar to Unreal. Hope you do release an "artist" version to play with :D
  • Michael Knubben
    TRI announces the Infernal Engine, fool responds:
    Yadda yadda yadda - everyone is claiming cross-platform this, cross-platform that - but frankly so what. What these guys aren't saying is whether you can use their engine to make anything other than a clone of the game it was spun off from albeit with different artwork. Can you use it to make a racer? A sports game? RPG? Kids titles? Does it work on the Wii even?
    Bottom line - spun off game engines are never built for iother developers to use they're always built for the original dev team and then mucked around with to make them a nice little revenue earner from studios who should know better...

    I love internet-commenters. They fire up my hate-engines, and secretly I do love to hate.
  • leilei
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    leilei polycounter lvl 14
    I wonder how many variations of Terminal Velocity this new one can ship in a year

    Default title screen music filename is still called "SEX" right? either way, this is sex.
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