Quite some time back, soon after The Order: 1886 was first unveiled I got to see a demonstration of the game’s underlying engine, presented by Ready at Dawn’s creative director Ru Weerasuriya. In it, he highlighted just how much thought, time and love had gone in to the company’s recreation of London – and it’s one of the reasons I’ve help a flag for the game when others have called it boring.
In the build-up to the game’s release hype, the company’s released a behind-the-scenes tech video that highlights some of the things that made me so excited not just The Order: 1886, but for the new generations of consoles in the first place.
If you’ll allow me this moment to quote myself:
It seems like small things, and really, they are – but they’re a step towards getting out of that uncanny valley we’ve been stuck in. It’s something that’ll allow us to bridge the sort of physical things we forgive games for doing at the moment. The next generation will be defined by its engines – and if they’re all filled with little bits of fine minutiae that I’ve seen in this very preliminary bit of The Order, we’re in for quite a treat. Graphics will, at some point, hit a plateau and be indistinguishable from reality except for all the things like physics that make things feel real instead of just look that way.
This is a good first step to changing that.
Of course, you could argue that as a whole, this generation’s been a bit of a disappointment so far. Let’s hope The Order: 1886 isn’t. It’s out on February 20 – and I’m still as excited for it as I ever was.
Last Updated: February 6, 2015
Tosh MA
February 6, 2015 at 08:46
Let’s hope it hits that plateau soon, so that devs can stop worrying about graphics and engines and start putting their effort into the other, important stuff. Like story. Or gameplay.
So Hard (Umar)
February 6, 2015 at 08:52
+1 !
CAE9872
February 6, 2015 at 09:41
I thought you had all but disappeared; oh no, you rock up sporting a new Vin Diesel look! What gives? Where are the wide eyed Anime characters?
Ceyber, The Metal Rabbit
February 6, 2015 at 10:10
I think it’s a character from BF: Hardline. Could be wrong…
CAE9872
February 6, 2015 at 10:13
Yeah I know – giving him some stick for that as Umar ALWAYS uses Anime characters as avatar pic.
Ceyber, The Metal Rabbit
February 6, 2015 at 10:16
Aaaah, my bad! Carry on then 😛
Hammersteyn
February 6, 2015 at 09:00
+ another 1
Admiral Chief
February 6, 2015 at 09:05
ANOTHER UPVOTE
http://media.giphy.com/media/jBoTGp2POdx4I/giphy.gif
oVg elfroot slayer
February 6, 2015 at 09:42
Hear hear
Better frame rate = Better gameplay
oVg elfroot slayer
February 6, 2015 at 09:42
Hear hear
Better frame rate = Better gameplay
Sageville
February 6, 2015 at 10:04
As long as they still focus on dynamic Fish AI I’ll be happy.
James Anderton
February 6, 2015 at 08:52
That 30 fps tech? Yeah no.
Tosh MA
February 6, 2015 at 08:55
When the next gen of consoles comes around, with hardware that can actually support the “new gen” stuff, then yeah. Another 3 – 5 years, don’t worry.
Or you could just buy a PC.
James Anderton
February 6, 2015 at 09:02
I have a PC. Could you tell?
One guy in the video (around the 5 min mark) specifically says “Really the limit is not the technology anymore, it’s certainly not the platform. You can do anything.”
That is a load of bullshit and they know it.
Admiral Chief
February 6, 2015 at 09:05
^This
Hammersteyn
February 6, 2015 at 09:08
You could replace the title with Destiny and most wont notice
Hammersteyn
February 6, 2015 at 08:59
It’s cuz they be giving cinematic experieince. it’s bestestest
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 6, 2015 at 09:02
After reading the title I thought this was going to be a very short article showing a picture of the PS4.
CAE9872
February 6, 2015 at 09:39
Hahaha…very clever.
CAE9872
February 6, 2015 at 09:39
Hahaha…very clever.
oVg elfroot slayer
February 6, 2015 at 09:13
Could somebody please explain to me why have two massive BLACK BARS on the top and bottom OF A FCKING WIDESCREEN is cool??????
All it does is make your kick as modern LED screen SMALLER.
FCUK THE LETTER BOX LOOK. The widescreen is small enough as it is.
ALSO for a linear game I EXPECT 60FPS or go home.
DEVIL MAY CRY loooooooks sweeeeeeeet.
Tosh MA
February 6, 2015 at 09:18
The black bars thing was a bit of an odd thing to rage about, but ok.
As for the 60fps, the problem is more that people ALSO expect shiny new “next-gen” graphics, so they’re kind of forced to make it look pretty first, then optimise as much as they can afterwards. The only time where 60fps is a priority over shiny is in competitive FPS. At least, that’s the general idea.
In reality, I’m with you. I want smooth experiences. I’m happy to turn some graphics options off for that 60fps, in every kind of game. I did it for The Witcher 2, and AC:Black Flag. And They’re still shiny, but also a pleasure to play.
oVg elfroot slayer
February 6, 2015 at 09:36
Those black bars need to go. It was OK back when we had square TVs and they needed to fit the film formats CREDITS onto the screen by zooming out. But we went WIDESCREEN to match the Cinema 16:9 ratio.
Now they are making the letter box slot even skinnier. What gives. Its stupid. Are they slowly forcing us into a new 32:9 ratio?
The only things that do that are Alcohol adverts because by law they have to cover 10% of the advert with a general health warning, so by doing the SKINNY LETTER box effect on an already skinny Widescreen format it reduces the size of the Health Warning.
Tosh MA
February 6, 2015 at 09:41
Well there is an UWD or something format. It’s ultra wide hd, basically. Still, adding the letterbox makes things feel more cinematic. Yes, it’s as BS a reason as 30fps, but it’s actually rather accurate.
oVg elfroot slayer
February 6, 2015 at 09:44
So now we have to buy a 5 meter wide screen to match the hight we already have.
I actually see this new format becoming a new trend forcing us into another cycle of unnecessary TV tech.
As for 4k… lol Whats next? Ultra Violate Blu-Ray?
Tosh MA
February 6, 2015 at 09:47
Violate sounds about right. Our poor bank accounts.
oVg elfroot slayer
February 6, 2015 at 09:46
Basically when I drop R899 on a game I expect all the fcking pixels on my screen to be filled with the game.
oVg elfroot slayer
February 6, 2015 at 10:36
GOOD POINT, Considering that they are covering a quarter of the screen in BLACK you would think it would up the frame rate.
Tosh MA
February 6, 2015 at 10:43
yeah, that’s the one thing. Less pixels = more frame rate? Sighballs.
Tosh MA
February 6, 2015 at 09:41
Well there is an UWD or something format. It’s ultra wide hd, basically. Still, adding the letterbox makes things feel more cinematic. Yes, it’s as BS a reason as 30fps, but it’s actually rather accurate.
L337J1MB0B
February 6, 2015 at 09:46
I don’t think the black bars are necessarily a good idea, but I’m keeping an open mind about it. If the graphics are seriously jaw-dropping good then maybe it’s a sacrifice worth making.
oVg elfroot slayer
February 6, 2015 at 10:31
I hope you have a big TV 😛
WitWolfy
February 6, 2015 at 10:42
Still bummed out that this beauty doesnt have Co-op or any MP what so ever.. seems like a wasted opportunity where they could’ve stolen a bunch Gears of War fans.