@Rick Stirling displcmeant maps wont replace normal maps, since you will need to tessellate a whole lot for any high frequency detail, that a normal map can easily handle. think they will be used side by side, one for larger forms, and one for surface detail.
That's what seems so awesome about ID's megatexture is that it become easy to make something look good and your framerate rocks. Doesn't hurt to have everything look painterly and awesome. in a way, they have not only freed people of texture limts, but geometry limits as well. you don't have to have strictly modular pieces…
I'm with Pior. I want Zbrush straight to game engine. I'm so over modeling in program A, then retopo in program B, then UV mapping in program A or C, then baking in program A, B, or D, then import to engine X....ah fuuuuu my head hurts. That whole process is clunky and it's the Artists that have to jump through the hurdles…
For me this generation was more about the lighting - specular and normal maps were front and centre. Poly budgets will increase. Texture resolution will increase. Neither of those will really matter that much with asset creation as a whole - we're already at a stage where we can handle those well in games. Where that will…
That goes without saying, but I specifically mentioned a time limit for the lifespan of the next-gen consoles, what kind of advancement can we look forward to with tools (to make easier and less shoddy normals for example) and what will newer engines allow us to do? Rage's megatextures do change your workflow at least to…