Irrlicht Engines Graphical limitations?

[dejai]

What are the limitations with the irrlicht engine, graphics wise. For example could it use complex meshes such as those out of quake 4 or a program like that or will it always be block like as in examples.

[olivehehe_03]

It depends on your hardware mostly. If you've got 1.0Ghz processor, 256Mb RAM 32Mb video you'll be limited to less complex geometry, whereas something like 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM and 256Mb video should be able to handle something as complex as Quake 4 no problems.

The best way to see how much Irrlicht can handle graphically is to make yourself a simple 10000 poly model and see how many of those you can have before you get under 30 frames per second

[dejai]

can irrlicht handle md5's ?????

or complex data types?

[Luke]

can irrlicht handle md5's ?????

yes. sio2 made a loader.

or complex data types?

what do you mean by that? complex meshes?

[GameDude]

So as long as your hardware can handle, you could get graphics like the PS3?

[white tiger]

So as long as your hardware can handle, you could get graphics like the PS3?

only with irrlicht? no. You need to learn shaders mostly.

[GameDude]

The Irrlicht allows for shading. I don't fully understand what your talking about

[olivehehe_03]

Next-gen graphics aren't just insane poly counts, they use alot of shaders, things like normal mapping, real-time reflections, per-pixel lighting and HDR lighting, that sort of thing. So like white tiger said, just knowing Irrlicht wouldn't be enough, you'd need to know how to write all the fancy shaders (not to mention knowing how to make sweet looking high poly models).

And if you had really high end hardware, I'm talking quad-core processors, 8800 ultra's in SLI, and stuff like that, then yes Irrlicht could probably do PS3 quality graphics

[white tiger]

Next-gen graphics aren't just insane poly counts, they use alot of shaders, things like normal mapping, real-time reflections, per-pixel lighting and HDR lighting, that sort of thing. So like white tiger said, just knowing Irrlicht wouldn't be enough, you'd need to know how to write all the fancy shaders (not to mention knowing how to make sweet looking high poly models).

Tha's what i would to say. You can have the last quad-core processor with the last nvidia\ati graphic card with support for dx10, only with irrlicht you can't get the same graphic like modern games

You need to learn shaders, nvidia cg shaders would be great to avoid learn both GLSL and HLSL. But as far as irrlicht doesn't support cg shaders, i suggest to write shaders in cg and compile it in assenbly (with nvidia compiler) for dx and ogl. Assembly shaders are supported by irrlicht.

But learning shading is not as simple as it can appear. Cel shading or phong shading can be simple to understand, but shaders like advanced water, parallax mapping, ambient occlusion, HDR, du\dv mapping and others are not so simple to write, and if you don't have solid maths basic, they are impossible to write.

Unfortunately the shaders bult-in irrlicht are less than other graphic engines. Irrlicht is based mostly on fixed pipeline rendering

So the solutions are:

- if you have solid maths knowledge and you want to spend time, learn shaders and you will get ps3-like graphic with irrlicht

- switch to an engine wich has lots of built-in shaders.

The Irrlicht allows for shading. I don't fully understand what your talking about

Yes, the problem is writing the shader. to write a shader you need solid maths knowledge (you can't write a parallax mapping shader for example if you don't know what a tangent is), can use an API (dx or ogl) [at least the basics] , learn the shading language (of course) and spend time

[monkeycracks]

They're going to have shaders instead of food eventually.
-.-

[GameDude]

OK now I get it. I don't have the hardware for it, I was just wondering. Also in time Irrlicht may support advanced shading stuff, but that's up to the developers. Since the Irrlicht gets more powerful.

[dejai]

Really No point swiching engines trust me I was watching the video and like what IT people learn in first year uni will be outdated by their third year. ITs actually a huge huge problem to get graphic of that size, you need artists, concept, the software to make it and people hire these artists for thousands.

Irrlicht will eventually update its only in 1.3.1 for f$2ks sake. Though if you do have a chance to get a fully commercial engine e.g Glacier engine used for hitman this engine can really not compare, though Im sticking with irrlicht.

You can always tweak Irrlicht yourself

[3ddev]

One limitation which might affect some gamers, is that Irrlicht doesn't support DX10 yet. Therefore, Irrlicht games on Vista won't be as fast and well integrated into the environment, including the Aero interface.

[olivehehe_03]

One limitation which might affect some gamers, is that Irrlicht doesn't support DX10 yet. Therefore, Irrlicht games on Vista won't be as fast and well integrated into the environment, including the Aero interface.

It should be possible to get Irrlicht to compile using DX10, you'd just need someone with the time and motivation to do it

[kburkhart84]

I'm surprised that IrrSpintz hasn't mentioned this here, but he has got DX10 working in IrrSpintz, so it is definetly possible. It's just not too usable yet anyway since most people still don't have the hardware.