Isometric not dead yet
Author
Greetings all,
I thought I would make it known to all here (since there was much talk to the contrary early on), that much like Morning's Wrath our next game (currently: Project2) is going to be isometric as well. So if anyone is feeling down, thinking isometric is out of date, know that Ethereal Darkness Interactive just tossed it's hat back in the isometric ring.
You can keep up to date on the game's progress via my development journal
Any and all comments or questions are welcome!
I must agree that exploiting and taking forward 'older' 3D engine technology can be the right choice for some projects. At the risk of mixing metaphors, it isn't 'flogging a dead horse', there can be 'life in the old dog yet'.
After looking into Direct3D hardware accelerated polygon engines in the past, we are still looking into software only 2.5D raycasting engines for some of our future projects.
Abstract Worlds Ltd.
www.abstractworlds.com
After looking into Direct3D hardware accelerated polygon engines in the past, we are still looking into software only 2.5D raycasting engines for some of our future projects.
Abstract Worlds Ltd.
www.abstractworlds.com
Gameplay is far more important than look (anyway i would love to have in my hands an engine like the one Troika is implementing).
I would hate to see a day when any method or genre in the video game industry is declared "dead". We should always keep our options open!
Thanks, Raymond!!! :D
Thanks, Raymond!!! :D
IMO isometric games look just as good as 3D games as long as the models/sprites look good. 3D games with crappy modellers look TERRIBLE, but isometric games don't look too bad as it gives a retor feel.
Good job, I'll be sure to follow your dev journal.
Good luck!
Good job, I'll be sure to follow your dev journal.
Good luck!
I've just been convereted to 'isometricism' after playing Populous 2, and I must say that its great. I must agree, isometric games really can look just as pleasing as 3D games, if done well. Judging from Morning's Wrath, we won't have to be worrying about the quality of "project2"'s graphics.
As for the engine that Troika is implementing, well, they sadly have declared bankruptcy, or died, or something.
As for the engine that Troika is implementing, well, they sadly have declared bankruptcy, or died, or something.
Quote:As for the engine that Troika is implementing, well, they sadly have declared bankruptcy, or died, or something.
Andrew Meggs, former lead programmer of Troika Games posted this on No Mutants Allowed in february this year, shortly after the company was dissolved:
Quote:Everyone's talking about what the ex-Troika people are going to do. The reality is that for the past several months Troika has been on a skeleton crew. The real layoffs happened in two waves at the start and end of November, and a lot of people have already moved on. I know of ex-Troika people working for all of these companies:
Activision
Day One Studios
Mythic Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Point of View (2)
Seven Studios (2)
Sony (2)
Supervillains (2)
Swinging Ape
Tiger Hare (2+)
Turtle Rock
Treyarch
Here's more about the break up from Gamespot:
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/02/17/news_6118792.html
Bloody shame.
EDI: Morning's Wrath looks very nice, has a UO feel to it (good thing); oh, and ask your artists to write a tutorial on how to render good iso tiles and objects! :) All my attempts with Lightwave have turned out badly. :(
Hell no it's not dead. Isometric games offer a unique and extremely powerful combination of important things: good perspective on large-scope action, and (comparatively) simple implementation versus full 3D engines. For all the hype of full 3D in bird's-eye games these days, most people still end up playing in a more or less isometric view. Losing a couple degrees of camera freedom makes the technology immeasurably more accessible to developers who aren't Blizzard (or similarly funded). Heck, if you play your cards right, you can even implement a little bit of Z-axis zoom.
The Habanero project (as is starting to be chronicled in my own journal) is designed specifically to capitalize on those strengths, and with any luck it will provide a useful platform for others who are interested in the technique. Like Tok said, it'll be a dark day when any technology that is still highly applicable and powerful is officially declared "dead."
The Habanero project (as is starting to be chronicled in my own journal) is designed specifically to capitalize on those strengths, and with any luck it will provide a useful platform for others who are interested in the technique. Like Tok said, it'll be a dark day when any technology that is still highly applicable and powerful is officially declared "dead."
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