Instant KARMA Shines On the PS2
Okay, so it's a strange headline, but racing fans should read on.
Arcade sports developers Smartdog have recently signed a deal with Oxford based software engineers, Mathengine, designers of development tools for the addition of physics-based behaviour into interactive 3D graphics applications. Well known within the industry for their excellence in the field of simulation and real-time coding, the team will assist Smartdog in their plans to release a hugely playable, arcade perfect racer on the Playstation 2.
Mathew Twigg, head of R&D at Smartdog commented, "We both understand and realise the importance of making a game which the consumer perceives to be realistic, by making something react and perform as close as possible to its real-life counterpart, we aim to keep game players, and spectators, enthralled with this title".
"Mathengine's assistance has allowed us to add a second, razor sharp edge, to this title. The realistic vehicle physics, combined with the immersive graphical detail of the environments and detailed vehicle designs will give this game an overall look and feel which will submerse the player in a world where he or she is totally in control". added Art Manager Kam Chana.
The title will boast the most realistic vehicle handling seen so far on the next-generation console, and the realism will not stop there. The Smartdog team have devised a substantially detailed vehicle break-up system (VBS), which will utilise the rigid-body physics software from Mathengine, to give crashes and collisions a more realistic feel.
"In the past, collision detail and its effects have been an afterthought for the game developer, we have created a system that allows us to show detailed after effects of collisions and major crashes as they happen. Vehicle body parts will separate and react realistically with both the environment and other vehicles coming into contact with them, causing the player to react accordingly. This will add a further level of detail to the games already impressive list of features," stated Technical Director David Saunders.
Paul Topping, game marketing manager at Mathengine told us "Smartdog's game is a fantastic showcase for our product, titled KARMA, and they've got some great ideas for how they're going to use it. The driving game-play and spectacular crash results are an ideal use of this new technology, and can be implemented in days rather than months". The inclusion of this groundbreaking technology will also reduce optimisation time-frame's, allowing programmers to try new ideas quickly and more efficiently, leaving Smartdog time to concentrate on this already fantastic looking and hugely playable game.
Mathew Twigg, head of R&D at Smartdog commented, "We both understand and realise the importance of making a game which the consumer perceives to be realistic, by making something react and perform as close as possible to its real-life counterpart, we aim to keep game players, and spectators, enthralled with this title".
"Mathengine's assistance has allowed us to add a second, razor sharp edge, to this title. The realistic vehicle physics, combined with the immersive graphical detail of the environments and detailed vehicle designs will give this game an overall look and feel which will submerse the player in a world where he or she is totally in control". added Art Manager Kam Chana.
The title will boast the most realistic vehicle handling seen so far on the next-generation console, and the realism will not stop there. The Smartdog team have devised a substantially detailed vehicle break-up system (VBS), which will utilise the rigid-body physics software from Mathengine, to give crashes and collisions a more realistic feel.
"In the past, collision detail and its effects have been an afterthought for the game developer, we have created a system that allows us to show detailed after effects of collisions and major crashes as they happen. Vehicle body parts will separate and react realistically with both the environment and other vehicles coming into contact with them, causing the player to react accordingly. This will add a further level of detail to the games already impressive list of features," stated Technical Director David Saunders.
Paul Topping, game marketing manager at Mathengine told us "Smartdog's game is a fantastic showcase for our product, titled KARMA, and they've got some great ideas for how they're going to use it. The driving game-play and spectacular crash results are an ideal use of this new technology, and can be implemented in days rather than months". The inclusion of this groundbreaking technology will also reduce optimisation time-frame's, allowing programmers to try new ideas quickly and more efficiently, leaving Smartdog time to concentrate on this already fantastic looking and hugely playable game.