Havok Team Profiled

obchrisj writes "Chief Technology Office of Havok, Steve Collins, has spoken to FileFront about the team, their projects, and the trials and tribulations they had on their way to success. FileFront profiled Havok and their technology in an article titled: "F! True Project Story: Havok". The Havok physics engine powers many popular titles, including Valve's Half-Life 2."

Re:The funniest part of this technology

[Anonymous Coward]

+5 funny!!!
or -1 idiot!!!!

you decide...

Re:The funniest part of this technology

[iridium_ionizer]

The really odd thing is that someone could create a highly complex physics simulation in a 3D graphics environment. And it would be able to run easily on most computers, if they would just use simpler graphics. Unfortunately, to my knowledge neither hobbiests nor game companies have made much of an effort to this approach.

Havoc is pretty good but even they have admitted in interviews that they dumb down the physics a bit to save processor power (90% right for 10% of the effort. They just want it to LOOK right not neccessarily BE right.

So to all of you aspiring game designers, instead of coding games that are approaching the look of A-list titles, just code simpler graphics with lots of interaction. The original Quake engine is open-sourced. There are plenty of non-proprietary methods to simulate physics (see your local university library). And you could always attach a couple of ALICE bots to some animated models. Throw in a few fun gamplay objectives. And... poof! You'd have a Katamari Damacy-like cult sucess on your hands.

Re:The funniest part of this technology

[Anonymous Coward]

MY point is that TRUE INTELLIGENCE would mean that they'd figure it out for themselves..

Of course, the distinction between AI and "Machine Intelligence" ... but do remember that artificial is all you need in an environment that's artificially constrained. They're not trying to get around crates to deliver flowers, they're trying to kill you, with one of two weapons they might have. Meanwhile, your interaction with the world is largely through the barrel of your own gun. It's a simple world that needs the simplicity of AI.