At CitizenCon 2953, a presentation focused on the future of StarEngine showcased enhancements in various aspects of the game, including cloud and fog rendering, dynamic fire simulation, water rendering, character cloth and hair simulation, and physics-based destruction. The team expressed gratitude to players for their support and feedback in improving the game’s stability and emphasized the goal of creating a realistic and immersive gaming experience.
In this presentation at CitizenCon 2953, the speaker began by expressing excitement about being able to connect with the audience in person and introducing the focus of the event: the future of StarEngine. The speaker highlighted the importance of fidelity, immersion, and seamlessness in creating a unique gaming experience. They expressed gratitude to the players for their support and feedback in improving the game’s stability.
The first deep dive into the features of StarEngine focused on the improvements made to clouds and fog. The team showcased new features such as volumetric light shafts and ground fog that seamlessly integrated with the atmosphere, creating a more realistic and immersive environment. They also mentioned enhancements in cloud shaping and noise blending to provide more variation and detail.
The second segment covered the dynamic fire system, which adds emergent sandbox gameplay to FPS and multi-crew experiences. The system simulates realistic fire propagation, allowing players to fight and extinguish fires using various methods. The fire system is capable of simulating real-time physics and can reignite if oxygen is reintroduced after being extinguished. The speaker mentioned the use of protective clothing and closed helmets to simulate the impact of heat and smoke inhalation.
The third segment focused on the improvements made to water rendering in StarEngine. The team aimed to create realistic, beautiful, and motion-filled water that reacts to the environment. The new water shaders added features such as volumetric lighting, realistic reflections, and refractions. The speaker also mentioned the use of GPU particles, lights, and fog to enhance the visual effects of water. They announced that these improvements would be included in the next release of the game.
The final segment explored advancements in character cloth simulation, hair simulation, and destructible environments. The speaker showcased the realistic movement of cloth, including collision detection and various physical properties. They also demonstrated the simulation of individual strands of hair and the physics-based destruction system called Maelstrom. The team emphasized that these advancements would enhance the sense of power, danger, and immersion in the game.
In summary, the presentation at CitizenCon 2953 highlighted the ongoing development and enhancements of StarEngine in various aspects such as cloud and fog rendering, dynamic fire simulation, water rendering, character cloth and hair simulation, and physics-based destruction. The team showcased the realistic and immersive features of the engine and expressed gratitude to the players for their continued support and feedback in improving the game.