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Advanced Graphics

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:05 pm
by ryan_mckenzie
Ok, I know some of you realize that this topic is over at the halo CE forum, (and a side discussion on the mongoose thread). Well it's alot more lively over here lol, and I really wanted more suggestions on the matter. Hopefully, posting the same topic here and there, isn't breaking any rules.


Anywayz, I'm wanting to take halo to a new graphical experience. With alot more polys, high-res textures, advanced shaders, lighting and particle effects.
I'll be creating an all new Bloodgulch through Halo CE. Now, over at this topic on the CE forum, I got this nifty link, to someone who has a similar idea, and is progressing through it.

http://h2vista.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8382

Kinda finding it hard to receive a reply from the author, and until then, i'm hoping somebody here could provide some answers.
Firstly, and mainly, will CE cope with the whole thing, what problems do you expect (apart from the fact that the person playing, will need higher graphical support).
Secondly, i noticed this phrase from the above thread....
Due to the outdated rendering engine that can't make use of newer tech, the only computers who will be able to handle this mod are also the people who can run unreal tournament--or perhaps Crysis--well.
Yeh, well that's understandable, so is it possible to stilll do this on the halo engine, or is it possible to somewhat change the engine.
It's all really to help with the lighting and shading, like crytic said
If you look, most of the shaders already have all the slots filled in.

Surely there's got to be a way around this, I'm going for the strong shadow effect from halo 3 (call me crazy).


So, I've got me self maya (3d software) up and running, while I wait for 3ds Max, I plan to build the new bloodgulch in maya, with High-poly, and then i should be exporting to max once done, to tackle the rest of the job with a team.

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:29 pm
by Andrew_b

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:51 pm
by ryan_mckenzie
So, basicly. I could push the polys and the textures as much as i want, and to make halo's engine run it, will all depend on your computers graphical support???

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:54 pm
by Andrew_b
That maps bsp is alright...but the textures are shazam.

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:10 pm
by ryan_mckenzie
agreed lol

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:24 am
by Philly
New engine perhaps? Some person said something about doing something with CE's thingy engine. :?

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:06 am
by Cryticfarm
I think the POA is already pushing the limits of the engine.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:51 am
by ryan_mckenzie
hmmm, what's POA?
Well, let me get this straight. To get better, more advanced shading and lighting, i'll have to render halo in a different engine?
If so, do you think it's possible to render halo through the Crysis engine.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:16 am
by Patrickssj6
Pillar Of Autumn

...and yes you can export the models into another engine and render it there of course.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:55 am
by Philly
Would you be able to put a new engine in?

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:10 am
by Tural
You'd have to remake the game to do something like that..
You can't just 'put in' an engine.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:13 am
by ryan_mckenzie
well, as difficult (and illegal) as it is, I'm trying to get my hands on Crytek's engine, cryengine2 (used to power crysis of course).
I believe this will let halo CE go as far as "next-gen" with the graphical limits. As for getting halo in the engine, i'll have to find a way to cross that bridge when i come to it.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:16 am
by Philly
Tural wrote:You can't just 'put in' an engine.
I didn't think so. Would we still be using the Halo engine if it was that easy? I was just throwing out ideas.

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:00 am
by ryan_mckenzie
...and yes you can export the models into another engine and render it there of course.
This is interesting lol, but how exactly will this turn out. I mean, if i'm just exporting "models" to be rendered, then what about all the scripting and commands that make the game.

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:30 pm
by WaeV
I don't know how you would go about increase the polygon count - you can't import new models using HMT unless they have the same number of polygons.

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:52 pm
by Cryticfarm
WaeV wrote:I don't know how you would go about increase the polygon count - you can't import new models using HMT unless they have the same number of polygons.
Why HMT? Also, remaking every model to be higher poly is ridiculous IMO.

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:03 pm
by Kitsune
I thought halo was just a modded Quake 3?? Doesn't it use the quake engine?

I don't think it would honestly matter graphics wise; as long as the users PC can support it...

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:36 am
by JK-47
ryan_mckenzie wrote:well, as difficult (and illegal) as it is, I'm trying to get my hands on Crytek's engine, cryengine2 (used to power crysis of course).
I believe this will let halo CE go as far as "next-gen" with the graphical limits. As for getting halo in the engine, i'll have to find a way to cross that bridge when i come to it.
Wait... Are you implying that you are trying to take the cryengine2 and put it into Halo..?
Or are you saying you want to put Halo models into the cryengine2? Cause that would make more sense ;p

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:37 am
by Tural
The latter.

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:43 am
by JK-47
That's what I was hoping ;|
That would be interesting to see. Are you rebuilding everything?