16 replies to this topic

[Hyawatta]

If you look up the specs for any next-generation game engine you will see that there is at least one thing they all have in common, Direct X 11/Open GL 4.2 support. The only other major commonality seems to be a focus on multiprocessor (around 20 processors) support. Rallying support for an equivalent of Direct X 11/Open GL 4.2 functionality is likely much more feasible than asking Nintendo to add a 20-core processor to the Wii U.

If the Wii U releases without support for an equivalent of DirectX 11/OpenGL 4.2, then it would be in a similar situation as the 3DS releasing without a second slide pad. Except I don't think an expansion would be able to fix it.

It seems fairly obvious that the next generation development efforts are based around DirectX 11/OpenGL 4.2 functionality (Feel free to include any engines that I may have left out):

Epic Games' Unreal Engine 4
id Software's id Tech 6
Crytek's CryENGINE 4
DICE's Frostbite 3
Techland's Chrome Engine 6
CD Projekt's RED Engine 2
Capcom's MT Framework 3
Square-Enix's Luminous Engine
Valve's Source Engine

I can’t emphasize enough how critical this is. As long as the Wii U can support DirectX 11/OpenGL 4.2 level functionality and features, it should be able to compete with the new systems that Microsoft and Sony will eventually release. Of course the Wii U can run ports of games developed for the PS3 and 360, but the Wii U's ability to run the next-gen engines will secure its position as a viable console for developers to release their future multiplatform games onto during the upcoming generation of consoles.

If the Wii U can handle the next-gen game engines that require a DirectX 11/OpenGL 4.2 level of functionality and features, then it will enjoy the multiplatform support that the PS3 and 360 had. If the Wii U cannot run the next-gen engines, then it will suffer from having a similar level of multiplatform support that the Wii had.

[Caius Casshern Sins]

I actually agree with you on this. I want the Wii u to be able to compete with the future consoles from Sony and Microsoft not the current on. So far the guys at crytech are pleased with the Wii U so far which can only mean a good thing.

[hooky]

I would say a GPU that usually has DX 10.1 should be able to be pushed to DX11.

[Waller]

If you look up the specs for any next-generation game engine you will see that there is at least one thing they all have in common, Direct X 11/Open GL 4.2 support. The only other major commonality seems to be a focus on multiprocessor (around 20 processors) support. Rallying support for an equivalent of Direct X 11/Open GL 4.2 functionality is likely much more feasible than asking Nintendo to add a 20-core processor to the Wii U.

If the Wii U releases without support for an equivalent of DirectX 11/OpenGL 4.2, then it would be in a similar situation as the 3DS releasing without a second slide pad. Except I don't think an expansion would be able to fix it.

It seems fairly obvious that the next generation development efforts are based around DirectX 11/OpenGL 4.2 functionality (Feel free to include any engines that I may have left out):

Epic Games' Unreal Engine 4
id Software's id Tech 6
Crytek's CryENGINE 4
DICE's Frostbite 3
Techland's Chrome Engine 6
CD Projekt's RED Engine 2
Capcom's MT Framework 3
Square-Enix's Luminous Engine
Valve's Source Engine

I can’t emphasize enough how critical this is. As long as the Wii U can support DirectX 11/OpenGL 4.2 level functionality and features, it should be able to compete with the new systems that Microsoft and Sony will eventually release. Of course the Wii U can run ports of games developed for the PS3 and 360, but the Wii U's ability to run the next-gen engines will secure its position as a viable console for developers to release their future multiplatform games onto during the upcoming generation of consoles.

If the Wii U can handle the next-gen game engines that require a DirectX 11/OpenGL 4.2 level of functionality and features, then it will enjoy the multiplatform support that the PS3 and 360 had. If the Wii U cannot run the next-gen engines, then it will suffer from having a similar level of multiplatform support that the Wii had.

Actually, Tesselation is the big deal of DirectX 11. The Wii U is perfectly capable of Tessellation, so there's not going to be any situation as extreme as the Wii one.

[Desert Punk]

Game engines and graphics engines can be adapted or cut down to run on weaker hardware. How the Wii U competes with later Microsoft and Sony offerings is down to the hardware not the software development tools.

Its a mute point anyway as the Wii U will probably use the same development software as the Xbox 360. They have similar architecture and its likely many games will be cross developed on wii u, 360 and PS3. Its probably only Nintendo and a few other wii u exclusive games that could use different development software and even thats unlikely for third parties. Nintendo probably use their own development software and they have the advantage they know their own hardware inside and out.

Red Steel on wii used the unreal engine 2.5 which was half way point between version 2 and 3 using what features could be implemented. Its possible a Unreal engine 3.5 could be developed for Wii U which adds some of the enhancements of Unreal engine 4 that can be implemented on Wii U but is basically unreal engine 3.0.

[Auzzie Wingman]

I thought the general rule was "If it works on PS3, it works better on Wii U"

[Jonke]

WiiU will probably support all game engine's latest version because it really has the hardware for it.

[Caius Casshern Sins]

WiiU will probably support all game engine's latest version because it really has the hardware for it.

We can assume it can, but I also hope it can handle all the latest engine's at full power.

[Crackkat]

if its true that EA estimates wii u's power as 300-500% as powerful as ps3, then do we have no problem? or is it not that simple? i really dont know that much about hardware so just want to clarify whether or not power is the ultimate most important factor.

[Caius Casshern Sins]

if its true that EA estimates wii u's power as 300-500% as powerful as ps3, then do we have no problem? or is it not that simple? i really dont know that much about hardware so just want to clarify whether or not power is the ultimate most important factor.

Well it depends on what the competiton brings to the table.

[Auzzie Wingman]

And doesn't the latest CryEngine already work on it anyway.

[Jonke]

Anyway it all depends on what the developers are making use of. Let us hope that they make use of tessellation (DirectX 11) as the games with it looks really nice.

[PK-Gaming]

Great you My Son Now what your talkin bout.

[Jonke]

Great you My Son Now what your talkin bout.

New graphic features for WiiU , tessellation is a method of breaking down polygons into finer pieces (directx11).

here is a comparison w/o tessellation method.

Edited by Jonke, 20 October 2011 - 07:35 AM.

[Marc]

Wii U will be a snapshot of practical ability in hardware and of new ideas/genre in 2012. This will of course include Direct X.11 and many more wonderful things. I'm sure of it.

[FireBoost06]

Why can't we just wait until e3 2012 to see the final design and then we will know...

[Caius Casshern Sins]

Why can't we just wait until e3 2012 to see the final design and then we will know...

Sure why not, that day will be the day a lot of us will be looking forward to.