Reflecting On Uncharted 2: How They Did It

The just-launched, NPD-topping PlayStation 3 exclusive Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is regarded as one of the best-looking -- if not the best-looking -- console games of the current generation.

The game's developer, Santa Monica's Sony-owned Naughty Dog, now hopes that the studio can help both internal and external PlayStation 3 developers reach the same kind of technical prowess on the uniquely challenging hardware.

Uncharted 2 lead designer and writer Neil Druckmann told Gamasutra, "We have an in-house team that actually develops tools for other first parties and even for third parties. So hopefully, you're going to start seeing that shift, where more and more games that aren't even Sony first-party games get similar [technical] results to what we have, hopefully. I'd like to play more games that look like [Uncharted 2]."

[deadreckoning666]

I thk Remedy figured it out. Anyone who thks EITHER the PS3 or 360 is maxed out is dead wrong.

[ZBlacktt]

The 360 is, unless you plan on getting a box set of DVD's for each game? No hate, but Blu-ray disc's are getting larger and larger with the data they can hold. While a DVD is so 5 years ago. So who wants to chop up a master piece game when it can fit on a single blu-ray disc. Also, notice how games made for the PS3 get the wow factor in visual arts and one's made for both consoles. We get a article written up by someone on here stating the side by side looks of which is worse? I think it's time for MS to get out of the format that lost the war 3 years ago.

[deadreckoning666]

@ZBlacktt- Ur talking about POTENTIAL, which is totally different. Blu-ray NO QUESTION has more potential than DVDs, but im saying that DVDs haven't been maxed out yet. Look at Alan Wake, look at Splinter Cell: Conviction. The fact that Alan Wake looks so damn close to Uncharted 2(in its alpha stage and on a DVD format) is VERY impressive and shows that it IS possible to have graphics that equal or even surpass Uncharted 2 on the 360.

Im not trying ta diss anyone, just showing what developers can do on a supposedly "dead' format. If anyone took it the wrong way, I feel bad for you. Alan Wake is the FIRST game on 360 that makes me say, "Damn, id be dumb not to get a 360."

" THe game of E3 was Uncharted 2, The best graphics of E3 was Uncharted 2.

Never forget that...:)"

1. Ur taking this way too seriously

2. E3s over. Idk about you, but im always looking to the future. 2009 won't last forever and Uncharted 2 won't be the best looking game forever.

[piramides30]

The E3 2009 showed games like Alan Wake, Splinter Cell C., Forza 3, Heavy Rain, God of War 3, Uncharted 2, multiplatforms, etc...

THe game of E3 was Uncharted 2, The best graphics of E3 was Uncharted 2.

Never forget that...:)

[jammy_70]

but its game of the year, maybe last few years.....

[WMW]

remedy didn't figure out anything, alan wake doesn't even look better then UC1. not only does UC2 look light years better then alan wake it has far more going on in the game. alan wake looks good by 360 standards but its only average by ps3 standards UC2 won't be the best looking game forever and when it is beat it will be by a ps3 exclusive like all the best looking console games have been. UC2 is beyond what the 360 will ever reach the 360 had more time on the market for devs to get use to it, it is easier to develop for and MS has a sh!t load of money to put into games like sony does yet gears a 2 year old game is still the best it has and alan wake and splinter cell conviction aren't much better. let it go the ps3 is far more powerful then the 360 the proof is in the games UC1, UC2, the last guardian, kz2, heavy rain, gow3, gt5p, gt5, and ratchet and clank are all better looking then every single 360 game and some like heavy rain and the last guardian aren't even due till late next year.

[ZBlacktt]

If you want to talk about POTENTIAL. Then go research what the PS3 does out in the world aside from gaming. Like finding oil fields the the worlds Oceans. Fold at home? etc. The PS3's cell is a very powerful chip. I mean not only does Sony use/have it. But IBM and Toshiba also utilize it in many of there top electronic devices and computer systems. Look what happen when FF came to the Xbox. It's what, 4 DVD's and that's a said to be 4 DVD's. If you think games on the 360 are equal to the PS3's in visuals. Then you must also think a DVD can look as good as a blu-ray movie too? Now, I'm not going to say the DVD's suck. Because, I know better. But we both know the facts on potential here and it's clearly not 5 years ago's technology.

[raztad]

Quote:

"What was your goal with the visuals in this one?

ND: Just to push the PlayStation to the limit, as far as we could. We re-wrote almost our entire graphics engine... the first game was entirely on the GPU, and in this one, we were able to spread it out.

I'm sure people have seen reports in the past where we said we were using 100 percent of the PlayStation 3, and we're not lying or exaggerating when we say that. What we mean is that none of the SPUs are ever idle. They're working 100 percent of the time. In the first Uncharted, they were idle about 70 percent of the time, because we were just on the GPU.

That let us put all of these systems in parallel and let us get better shadows, ambient occlusion, and much better depth of field effects, which gives us much better camera work than we had in Uncharted 1. We had more compression on our animation. It let us push all of these different things in different directions, and there's still room to optimize, so the future is looking even better. "

What I got from above quote

1) Engine was re-wrote (in less than two years)
2) UC1 ran just on the GPU (shows the PS3 gpu is pretty capable)
3) Parallelizing and using the SPUs (ie TEH CELL :) means absolutely improved visuals, not just physics or AI. The PS3 cpu is more a CPU/GPU than a conventional CPU.
4) There is room to optimize, so lets expect better looking games on the future. I expect GoW3 surpass UC2, not to mention GT5.

[deadreckoning666]

@WMV- I have to disagree with u on just about everythg uve said. Alan Wake not only looks better than Uncharted 1 but has better physics than Uncharted 1. Want proof? Look at part 2 of the just released trailer. Look at the way the trees move in the tornado. Ive never seen physics done so well in a videogame in my life. Also, the tirewarks in the mud look photorealistic. It looks almost real to me.

"not only does UC2 look light years better then alan wake it has far more going on in the game."

LIGHT YEARS better? No, im srry but no. Alan Wake comes out in May and by then it can compete with Uncharted 2. I'll watch the video again to make sure. Maybe ur seeing somethg that im not seeing. But as far as ur Uncharted 1 comparison, Alan Wake demolishes U1 in EVERY category IMO. Physics weren't even a big part of U1 to begin with.

[WMW]

disagree all you want UC2 got compared to real life and crysis not alan wake. you never seen trees move that realistic in a game in your life lol maybe you should watch the video of drake running from the helicopter and take a look at the plants or the part of that level with the falling hotel and watch how different every object moves each time you play it. tiremarks look photo realistic really? that is what your tying to use to talk about graphics UC2 has photo realistic snow, water, the most realistic animations in any game plus lots more. also yes UC2 is light years better then alan wake it has been in development since 05 thats 4 years and hasn't done anything but get worst graphics and lose the open world UC2 topped everything in 2 years alan wake can take all the time in the world remedy and the 360 aren't good enough to make it anywhere near the quality of UC2. let it go alan wake will look good but it won't blow anyone away like UC2 did.

[HOSe]

this games lame. that is all

[ExposingLames]

jealousy is a B huh?