I just got the shadows and the guns into the game over the last week, and I've recently optimized the engine to get about a 30% performance gain, so I'm very happy about that. The game runs at about a constant 25 fps @ 1024x768 on the minimum 1.8 ghz, 32MB video, and 256 RAM with these view distances shown below.
The shadows are completly dynamic as are the clouds/time of day. You can actually speed up time and see the shadows moving and the clouds flying by...the people move very fast too...it looks awesome. I still have a little work to do on the shadows, in terms of darkening the objects that fall under the building shadows.
I've got about 12 guns in the game now,I'm adding a couple each day and I'll have around 50 weapons in the final game muahhaa. I've got machine guns, shotguns, pistols, knives, bats...all that good stuff, and more! ;-) Of course I've still got a lot of effects to add...smoke, dust, muzzle flashes, shell casings, etc. it should look pretty good when I'm done with it.
In the game you can also purchase "bags" for your gangsters to transport drugs/guns/money whatever. I have all kinds of objects you can use to transport stuff...guitar cases, luggage bags, briefcases, etc.
I basicly work on the game 24/7, it's a lot of effort but I'm really giving it my all to see how good I can get the game looking/playing.
These images don't really do the game justice, I'm going to post a video on my site in a week or so once I get everythin' all polished up, maybe put some badass music to clips of people getting raked down ;-) Tarantino style haha.
- Dan