id says that Rage Too Complicated For User Mods

[Deadly_Nightshade]

id: Rage Too Complicated For User Mods

 

id say that user mods of their new driving/shooting things game Rage might not be possible due to the complex way the game engine handles textures.

 

The id Tech 5 engine uses 'MegaTextures' - huge texture maps (up to 128000x128000 pixels) that require huge amounts of preprocessing to create.

 

id - and John Carmack in particular - are still very much pro-modding and have confirmed their plans to eventually open-source id Tech 5, but are unsure if there is a way around this technical limitation. Simply put, it is unlikely that any modder would have the computing resources that are required.

 

Just a thought - this sounds like an area where a project like Folding @ Home could be useful. Sure, cancer might not get cured as quick but, c'mon - MegaTextures!

http://kotaku.com/5052005/id-rage-too-comp...d-for-user-mods

[LostStraw]

Kotaku put a slant on it. The original article explains things better: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=20291

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Ok, thanks for the link.

[Nightshape]

Not surprising really, considering the sheer size of megatextures... Carmack is hardly one to think it's worthwhile to invest resources in developing faster code when he can throw a faster computer at it, especially when it's something like this that can be done over night.

 

That said he may turn his hand to it further down the line.

[Morgoth]

Meh. Ambitious Mod makers will never hold back to create something good, no matter how "complicated" the tools are. Heck, look at the Thief FMs. Most crappiest Leveleditor I've ever seen, but people still continue to make great FMs with it. Waiting for rendering MegaTextures? So what, good excuse to get some sleep.

[Nightshape]

Meh. Ambitious Mod makers will never hold back to create something good, no matter how "complicated" the tools are. Heck, look at the Thief FMs. Most crappiest Leveleditor I've ever seen, but people still continue to make great FMs with it. Waiting for rendering MegaTextures? So what, good excuse to get some sleep.

 

I never expected people not to try, but it's not likely to be an easy process like source and hammer is.

 

Think "Advanced Modders".

[Darth InSidious]

Meh. Ambitious Mod makers will never hold back to create something good, no matter how "complicated" the tools are. Heck, look at the Thief FMs. Most crappiest Leveleditor I've ever seen, but people still continue to make great FMs with it. Waiting for rendering MegaTextures? So what, good excuse to get some sleep.

And some games don't even have one...

 

@Nightshape: Neither was KotOR modding at the start. Things change, tools are developed by the community... mods happen. Maybe someone will create a system to extract only part of a texture at a time, or something. In any case, that kind of texture size is probably going to cause problems just being used in a game...

[Dark_Raven]

Never heard of this game. So its not that big of a deal.

[Bokishi]

I can't wait for Rage!

[LostStraw]

In any case, that kind of texture size is probably going to cause problems just being used in a game...

The idea behind MegaTexturing is that the game only loads the bits and pieces of the texture it needs. Here's an old interview with Carmack that explains things better: http://www.gamerwithin.com/?view=article&a...le=1319&p=1

 

I'm definitely looking forward to this game like Bokishi.

[Morgoth]

Could be a fun game with some personality for a change.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

No boob mod for you! HA!

[Pop]

It'll be interesting if Id can make a game with the times, ie not something completely straightforward. Maybe Rage is it.