130°

GDC 07: Normal maps make Lair look good!

Mattias Worch, technical art director for Factor 5's upcoming PS3-exclusive Lair, recently spoke to GDC attendees about creating textures and normal maps in a next-gen environment. The very technically-oriented lecture can be effectively summarized as such: "Lair looked really crappy until we used normal maps. Now it looks really good. You should all use normal maps."

Developers were told how to use Photoshop to accentuate and restore detail from textures. Also, artists need to have a clear vision before making a single texture: "Unless you know what you want to do with a normal map beforehand, it'll look wrong."

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ps3fanboy.com
Twist966688d ago

I thought there was talk at E3 2005 that it was all 3D Rendered, and that Normal maps where 'last-gen'. Heh.

THWIP6688d ago

Sony wanted people to believe that the PS3 was capable of rendering every little detail, bump, hole, hair, etc., in real-time, and that such techniques wouldn't be necessary. I love how they try to make this out to be some big technological breakthrough, when the ORIGINAL XBOX did normal mapping in SEVERAL games. 'Chronicles of Riddick' was one of the first console games to ever use normal mapping, and that was 3 YEARS ago.

techie6688d ago

Did they say they weren't going to be using normal mapping as well? There's only so many polygons you can have, and noraml mapping can improve and increase this ten fold (or more). All next-gen consoles rely on this...and yes the xbox had it. This was a developers conference and this was a lecture for the Lair guys to show how things can be taken forward to aid future developers on all platforms. Jeez you guys.

THWIP6688d ago

Talking about normal mapping and it's advantages, at a Dev conference, is
like giving a lecture at a NASCAR convention, on the advantages of duct tape. In other words, if you don't already know about something that's been done FOR YEARS, you aren't an important player in the game.

It would have been more interesting and informative, if they'd shown some new tech, that ONLY the PS3 could pull off......but then again, no such thing exists. ;)

techie6688d ago (Edited 6688d ago )

Thwip. How do you know what's needed at a developers conference. This is just Lair guy sharing some advantages in normal mapping and how it has progressed to get new results. You're so cynical.

Do you think it's about knowing about normal mapping? Or knowing how to use it effectively? What's wrong with more knowledge and how to use things that produce real effective and impressive results? It's ONE of their hour lectures. Dang...

THWIP6688d ago

Because it's common sense, that's how. Anybody who's in the game dev business, and doesn't know about normal or bump mapping, has been in a cave for the past 5 years...period. Pretty much every next-gen game from the past couple years has used such a method. Hell, Id's John Carmack even came up with a quicker shortcut, called MegaTexture mapping, for rendering large detailed environments.

And, BTW...it's CYNICAL. :o

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 6688d ago
Twist966688d ago (Edited 6688d ago )

double post, sorry!

techie6688d ago

"Developers on next generation consoles such as the Xbox360 rely heavily on normal mapping"

PS360WII6688d ago (Edited 6688d ago )

Most of the time if one tries to go beyond it turns into a mess. The people for Liar realized this and took a step back to see how they can improve. Glad they did because this game look pretty sweet. Just rewatched the 2 min trailer from the Playstation store :)

270°

Top 10 Bad Games by Good Studios

Alex S. from Link-Cable writes: "When shopping for new video games you can often trust the name publisher or developer on the box to be an indication of the quality of the game. Names like Nintendo, Square Enix, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Capcom, Xbox Game Studios and Sega are world famous because they helped shape the industry by releasing some of the most defining video games of all time. Though sometimes even these great gaming houses stumble and put out a stinker."

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link-cable.com
Gamerking821821d ago (Edited 1821d ago )

Splatterhouse remake . Loved the og’s at the arcade growing up . Hell the best thing about the remake was the og,s were included . And left alive by Square . That game had so much potential , but the gameplay was worse horrendous .

Game-ur1820d ago

once Great studios getting destroyed is actually common. happened with ND and Last of Us2, Bioware and Mass Effect Andromeda/Anthem, Bungle and Destiny .

BeRich2331821d ago

Fuse should have been on that list (Insomniac Games)

Yui_Suzumiya1821d ago

Splatterhouse remake kicked ass

merryja1821d ago

I personally don't like these games.

East76lands1821d ago

I'm pretty much certain that any Sonic game that comes out will be terrible, I've not enjoyed one since the original side-scrolling days of the MegaDrive.

HarryMasonHerpderp1821d ago

Then you might like a recent sonic "sonic mania".

jaymacx1821d ago

For this Topic it says Good Studios that make bad games. Sonic Team hasn't been good in years.

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300°

5 Disappointing Games and the Great Studios That Should Remake Them

A reimagining of 5 disappointing video games and the masterpieces they could have been underneath other studios.

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findyourinnergeek.ca
FallenAngel19842298d ago

How often do disappointing games get remakes

darthv722297d ago (Edited 2297d ago )

well... if disappointing movies can get remakes then why not games? some of these have really good premise but somewhat disappointing execution. In the right hands they could be great.

I quite enjoyed lair (after the patch), too human and the order 1886. I'd even add in quantum break and recore as disappointing but with a good premise.

gangsta_red2297d ago

"well... if disappointing movies can get remakes then why not games?"

But how many disappointing movies actually get those? I'm still waiting for a remake of Howard the Duck.

darthv722297d ago

^nothing disappointing about howard the duck. It is cheesy 80's goodness.

gangsta_red2297d ago

When you're right, you're right.

rainslacker2297d ago

@Gangsta

Wasn't there a rumor that they were looking at making another Howard the Duck? He had a cameo in GoTG2.

Love that movie for how bad it was. That and Garbage Pail Kids.

DrumBeat2297d ago

The Order was a fresh experience. Not the most compelling game, but I didn't want to put it down, and platted it. Good for what it was.

Quantum was something different as well, but a little less fun to actually play, imo. The 'acting' was done in a cheese factory too. Completed one path and never returned to it.

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pietro12122297d ago (Edited 2297d ago )

FFXIV was already remade, and it's probably the beat thing Square has put out in years.

notachance2297d ago

yes, I was giving an example of disappointing games remade to be a great game

thorstein2297d ago

Every time sites need clicks. Just look at the obligatory: i wAnT cLIcKs tEh OrDer 1886 pIcTUrE.

JonathanHarris2297d ago

It's really not super often, but it does happen!

Mostly we see cult favorites come back around but in the recent case of Shaq-Fu we really saw a truly awful game see new life (not great life but at least new).

It's something I'd love to see a lot more of.

Thanks for reading my article!

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2297d ago Replies(4)
NarutoFox2297d ago

Too Human yeah I remember that game smh😂

Inzo2297d ago

The Order has its faults yes but it had a fantastic atmosphere and some great gameplay. A game with enormous potential and far from disappointing. I say give Ready at Dawn another crack at it because I think they created an diamond with some rough edges that just needs some tlc.

Dreamcatcher452297d ago

Problem was the repetitive boss fights. I liked the gunplay, cover system and somewhat the story.

hulk_bash19872297d ago (Edited 2297d ago )

It did have fantastic atmosphere, I'll give you that. But gameplay pretty much played out like short gunfire segments interlaced with walking/sneaking + QTE events. Gameplay was the weakest point of The Order because RAD prioritized world building and graphical detail. Ut was disappointing because it didnt live up to the massive potential it haf. If they were given another shot at a sequel, I hope they can learn from their mistakes.

notachance2297d ago

gameplay was meh but the world had potential, in my ideal world it'd have Mass Effect kind of gameplay

Prubar2297d ago

I waited till The Order was discounted and went in with certain expectations and wasn’t disappointed. Just like Quantum Break. Great concept just needed a little extra meat on the bones.

rainslacker2297d ago

I had high hopes before it released. They were curbed some by the early previews, and while I found faults with the game, and it was obviously released unfinished, I still enjoyed it. The lore, acting, graphics, and world itself were excellent.

JonathanHarris2297d ago

I agree that it had some awesome atmosphere and the gameplay wasn't awful, but that potential is exactly why I put it on this list. I actually loved playing the game (same as some of the other games I put on this list such as Army of Two) But I would just love to see what could happen if it fulfilled some of that potential, ya know? Could have had the next incredible Sony franchise to rival God of War.

Thanks for reading my article!

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2297d ago
TheEnigma3132297d ago

The order should have had a sequel. The first one wasn't bad just needed a few tweaks.

robtion2297d ago

I would love a sequel to The Order. It is still a great game.

Lair had a great concept and could be amazing with the current technology available. A Lair-like ps5 game could be incredible.

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700°

15 Worst PlayStation Exclusive Games of All Time

PlayStation’s strong and impressive lineup of exclusives is probably the biggest edge it has over its direct competition in the market- a fact that has been true for as long as anyone can remember.

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gamingbolt.com
TheEnigma3132584d ago

Ridge racer for PSP was actually good and shouldn't be on this list. I think I'm the only one that enjoyed Haze.

Mr Pumblechook2584d ago

When GamingBolt have to dig up PS1 & PS2 games you know Sony is doing something right.

PygmelionHunter2584d ago

The list is about the worst Playstation exclusives games OF ALL TIME...

Why wouldn’t they include PS1 and PS2 games?

Prince_TFK2584d ago

That’s right, only PS4 games should be on the list of the worst Sony exclusive games of all time. /s

Dragonscale2584d ago

As much as I like PlayStation, there are plenty of stinkers just like on all platforms tbh.

hulk_bash19872584d ago (Edited 2584d ago )

Haha you completely missed or are willfully ignorant of the intent of this article. It clearly says worst PS Exclusive Games of All Time.

2584d ago
UltraNova2583d ago

A Haze 2 or reboot would be nice!

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 2583d ago
NonShinyGoose2584d ago

RR on Vita made the list, not the PSP version. RR on Vita was severely lacking content.

Knushwood Butt2584d ago

They tried something new and it failed.

The initial price point was low but a large amount of content was locked behing DLC

These days you often pay full price up front and get the same concept.

Darkwatchman2584d ago (Edited 2584d ago )

Didn’t the list just have ridge racer on Vita? Because the Vita ridge racer was a dumpster fire at $40 with next to no cars or tracks. It was such an incomplete experience. As the article states, it felt more like a full priced demo than an actual game. Psp ridge racer had so much more to it.

SierraGuy2584d ago (Edited 2584d ago )

All early ridge racers had next to no cars...game was great because of its graphics, controls, fun factor. Nothing could touch it on PS1.

mrdeli2584d ago

When this piece of flotsam indicated that "Being a clone of GTA shouldn't be that hard" I just closed the window.

2584d ago Replies(4)
Liqu1d2584d ago

The most disappointing game I have ever played.

madforaday2584d ago

Socom 4, I guess you could say that was an AWFUL/TERRIBLE Socom game. BUT it was an okay game if it didn't have the word Socom in the title.

Gardenia2584d ago

To save you from clicking those annoying slides:

HAZE (PS3)
LAIR (PS3)
KNACK (PS4)
RIDGE RACER (PS VITA)
TWISTED METAL III (PS1)
LAST REBELLION (PS3)
BRAVO TEAM (PS4)
BASEMENT CRAWL (PS4)
MORTAL KOMBAT: SPECIAL FORCES (PS1)
GANGS OF LONDON (PSP)
LITTLE DEVIANTS (PS VITA)
PLAYSTATION MOVE APE ESCAPE (PS3)
APE ESCAPE ACADEMY (PSP)
KUNG FU RIDER (PS3)
EYETOY: OPERATION SPY (PS2)

solideagle2584d ago

thank you for the list. I believe he should listed PSVR titles as VR....

yeahright22584d ago

I love when people do this to sites that try to artificially up their clicks by forcing one click per entry. But I will say maybe let's leave off the first entry so they get the one click. Both so N4g gets whatever they're due for pushing traffic to their site and to send a message to the site that you only get one click.

Gaming_1st2584d ago

Well everybody should have gamingbolt blocked anyways.

Dragonscale2584d ago

Don't need to. I avoid it like the plague regardless lol.

Hardiman2584d ago

When certain sites have articles on here I just look at the comments.

FinalFantasyFanatic2584d ago

Sites are lucky if I click once or twice, half a dozen or more clicks is more effort than I'm willing for a list that may or may not suck.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 2584d ago
Gaming_1st2584d ago

I feel Knack or Ridge Racer shouldn't be on there.

Dragonscale2584d ago (Edited 2584d ago )

Maybe not knack but it's understandable, its not the best game tbh. Dunno bout ridge racer.

SierraGuy2584d ago

Ridge racer should never be on a worst list. FU gaming bolt crap.

Stogz2584d ago

Cant argue with Bravo Team, that game really did suck.

GBG_Jason2584d ago

Bless. I stopped after 1 because of it.

KwietStorm_BLM2584d ago

Have to say that is a pretty crappy list. I remember being so pissed with Twisted Metal 3 after TM2.

OffRoadKing2584d ago (Edited 2584d ago )

You're doing Gods work. Many blessings upon the house of Gardenia.

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