A Tasty little number version 3 AoE

[Papa Smurf]

Black showed me these today, according to the poster these are in game shots, and its due for release before the summer, it looks amazing, Age of Empires 3

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_1.jpg

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_6.jpg

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_7.jpg

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_8.jpg

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_9.jpg

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_10.jpg

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_11.jpg

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_12.jpg

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_14.jpg

http://www.gamer.nl/images/content/Erwie/200501/1104849842_15.jpg

[Tigre]

OOHHH!! Can't wait for this game! I have never played the previous versions of this game but, can't wait to play as the American Revolutionaries and kick you Loyalists outa the country again!! And being part Native Penobscot gives it that extra meaning too! :ass:

[Justice]

Oh. My. God.

It's like Warcraft III ... they went and totally 3-D-ized it.

Those look fantastic; maybe I'll get it. I loved the first two.

:)

cheers, and
-=</|awesomeparty|\>=-

[CELTIC_2X]

oh i hav made a big sticky mess,

thx alot paps need to wash these trousers now.

[/<yle]

Im so gonna sexxor that game!

[DrunkenUno]

yeah i saw that it looks so fucking insane i was nutting myself.

But, the real reason i was creaming myself is that THEY LICENSED THE HALF LIFE 2 ENGINE SO THAT THEY HAVE RAGDOLL PHYSICS! SHOOT A CANNONBALL AT GUYS, THEY ALL FLY IN THE AIR AT DIFFERENT ANGLES AND SHIT! NO 2 THINGS BLOW UP THE SAME, AND YOU CAN BLOW UP ENVIRONMENT!

[Papa Smurf]

Yes the localised rag doll physics omg blowing ikkle men up with be such fun!

This is what the makers of the game said:

Vertex Shader 3.0 is something that people don't hear every day and probably aren't particularly familiar with what it could do for a video game. WhoAskedU answers the questions about the shader, explaining that it will smooth out all of the graphics in a game while not putting any more work on a CPU. Sounds like a good situation to me.


"Of course, when you look at this screen shot, you can easily see VS3 at work in the ripples, reflections, and shadows (on units and on the ground). If we had a movie, you could see VS3 at work in the unit's animations. You would be able to see the "skin" of the unit flex and slide across its "muscles." In in game cinematic, you'll probably be able to see units blink, snarl, talk, and any facial expressions imaginable."

The Havok physics engine is oft-used in FPS games; most notably in Ghost Recon 2 and Half-Life 2. As you would expect, this means that AoE3 will have some hardcore realistic physics: units sail through the air after an explosion, those explosions happen very realistically, and all that fun stuff. Thanks to Immortal God for the news on the Havoc engine and PAoM for the link ot the Havok site, which lists some of the features of the engine:


New, localized ragdoll effects (for example, you can get a dead arm if you get shot in the shoulder) and bone level blending of key-framed animation with physics.

Classic ragdoll effects blended from key-framed animation sequences for more realistic secondary motion (for example, in death scenes) for your characters.

Effects for multiple character types, we support whatever number of limbs, tentacles or antennae your imagination demands

Core vehicle physics system and tuned car wheel friction model
Since the PC Gamer provides such information to those that purchase it, I won't be posting any more information from it besides this (fairly large news that requires no elaboration from the magazine) and the cover image. We'll be getting the official stuff from ES soon, no doubt, so no worries.

[Entropy]

Oh. My. God.

It's like Warcraft III ... they went and totally 3-D-ized it.

Those look fantastic; maybe I'll get it. I loved the first two.

:)

Yeah,I got that impression too,though they did it in a good cartoony way rather than a bad one imo :)

[Shackled Phoenix]

Febuary edition of PCgamer has a preview of this game. I'm SO there when it comes out.

[Cernunnos]

wow, these are in game shots..... wow.... i'm..... impressed... damn this looks so fucking beautiful!!!

imo the one point that's missing quite often in rts games is that you don't always have the possibility to zoom out far enough.. hope this game will have this option....

[00025]

Vertex Shader 3! OMG only the 6800's have those. Damn, my 9800xt's can't handle those graphics. My PC's gonna die!

[JADezimar]

Looks to me that could be a ground breaking game. Hopefully it adds some new ideas to the genre. If so Its a definite buy for me.

Vertex Shader 3! OMG only the 6800's have those. Damn, my 9800xt's can't handle those graphics. My PC's gonna die!

Does anyone know if this has any merit to it? Cuase not very many people can go out and buy the brand new graphics card on the market right now.

[ilia]

This is stunning.

I have doubts about the quality of gaming though...

[DrunkenUno]

This is stunning.

I have doubts about the quality of gaming though...

How could you? AoE and AoE 2 fucking OWNED, so did AoM.

[ilia]

I played both AoE and AoE2. They sucked in temrs of RTS games. But were nice as civilization builders... :P

[Papa Smurf]

00025 is not right JADezimar all the 6 series have the Vertex Shader 3 support. However he is right when he says 9800xt does not. Nor does my 5900 it uses 2.0+, just aswell my laptop is so much better than my tower :0) (when i get it in San Fransico later this month)

So the cheapest card that will run this game properly is currently a 6600 at about £70 or $120 thats not to bad, otherwise you'll have to turn off alot of the bells and whistles this game utilises.

Pay no attaention to Ilia hes just mad his pants comp will stick its legs in the air and die if he tries to run it. :dur: :banana: :dur: :banana: :dur: :banana: :dur: :banana: :dur: :banana: :dur: :banana:
dance banana dance!

[ilia]

Smurf: I accepted the fact that my current comp wont run anything by today's standards a long time ago. I am not mad this game wont run on my comp. In fact I couldnt care less. I am just saying that in my opinion AoE and AoE2 were crappy games as RTS titles, in my experience, though had the good atmosphere which originally drawed gamers from all over the globe. Thus I am doubtful about the RTS quality of AoE3.

[Papa Smurf]

ffs ilia i was joking ya spaz

but on another point you make you really think DoW is the sex0r RTS game? i would tend to disagree strongly having play most rts that are current, i would say that it lacks numrous elements many other games have in abundence, its good do not get me wrong, its just not the be all and end all i was a little disappointed with it.

[ilia]

No, DoW is NOT the perfect RTS game. It easily could be, though. Its just that on a smaller scale...

And I was disspointed a bit too. But this is what I have. And I am dedicated to what I have, since I have faith that by playing DoW I service those who I care for: The Leaders of The Command. Faith is eternal, Loyalty is endless, dedication is permanent. If I were to choose, I would now be playing certain other games, but this is not up to me. Fate told me that DoW is what I will have. And this is true - DoW is what I have. And while it is a little boring sometimes, there are no replacements for it, just as there werent with HW2 at its time and hour. the most important thing is to remain loyal - loyal to the game until you have a better choice. Salvation comes through dedication, not through pointless waiting for miracles from the sky.

[Justice]

And I am dedicated to what I have, since I have faith that by playing DoW I service those who I care for: The Leaders of The Command.

B.S., you just posted in the other thread that you played DoW so much because it was the maximum your computer could handle for a while!

:P

Stop sucking up to us.

cheers, and
-=</|awesomeparty|\>=-

[Shackled Phoenix]

This game is a LOOOONG way from completion, release date is still TBA. By the time of release Vertex shader 3 GC's should be both cheaper, and have more of a selection.

[Papa Smurf]

Ilia you are wierd!

[ilia]

B.S., you just posted in the other thread that you played DoW so much because it was the maximum your computer could handle for a while!

:P

Stop sucking up to us.


Both that and the reason I specified in my prev post. ;)

Papa: I know. I just treat it a bit too seriously... And not because I'm a masochist but because I like to feel loyal. :)

[Justice]

:rofl: Ilia.

just :rofl:

<3

cheers, and
-=</|awesomeparty|\>=-

[ilia]

ktnx :thumbup

[Papa Smurf]

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeemmmmm ok right!

Backs away slowly with no sudden movements


































hes crazy you know

[Papa Smurf]

But back to the matter in hand Game Spy (boooooo hiss) had this to say today about it.

The New World era features stunning scenes, from towering European cathedrals to courageous tribes of Native Americans, and spectacular combat with Industrial Age units like rifled infantry, cavalry and tall ships bristling with cannons.

Ensemble Studios promises Age of Empires III will excite strategy gamers with new gameplay elements, including the concept of a "Home City," new civilizations, units, technologies and an immersive new single-player campaign that will span three generations.

Age of Empires III is scheduled to ship in the second half of 2005.

[ilia]

But back to the matter in hand Game Spy (boooooo hiss) had this to say today about it.

The New World era features stunning scenes, from towering European cathedrals to courageous tribes of Native Americans, and spectacular combat with Industrial Age units like rifled infantry, cavalry and tall ships bristling with cannons.

Ensemble Studios promises Age of Empires III will excite strategy gamers with new gameplay elements, including the concept of a "Home City," new civilizations, units, technologies and an immersive new single-player campaign that will span three generations.

Age of Empires III is scheduled to ship in the second half of 2005.

If I were given a penny everytime I heard such thungs, I would be richer than bill gates.

From my limited experience: Hype = good. But overhype = very very bad. Its k to get excited from something that you have an expanded knowledge about, but otherwise, youd better be checking up first.

This is in response to all those in the gaming world already screaming "GOTY!!!111" at the sight of these pics. :)

[Papa Smurf]

eeeeemmmmm now i remember you on the Paktu board shouting and screaming about both GC2 (in a bad way) and DoW (in a good way) before you had even seen the game you had no idea how they played or what elements were to be included.

All i am saying is that it looks pretty good verging on fucking amazing, and that they are promising technological break throughs which i think are exciting developments for RTS players, and the games of the future. Anything which raises the bar has to be good. I have not played the game and therefore can not say if it is a good game i will reserve that opinion for the beta if i can get on it which i doubt, but ill try very hard failing that the demo failing that, when its released.

Basically i am calling you hypocitcal, closed minded, something or other.

Open your mind and try and see the world from somewhere other than your little piece of stolen land in the middle east! my god how long is it till your national service, i am getting quite excited.

ps you would have 1p, 2p if you read it on game spy first

[Papa Smurf]

new screenie

http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/article/577/577466/age-of-empires-iii-20050105094718191.jpg

[ilia]

It is not my nature to look for details about games that have no value for me.

And I was shouting at that Paktu board only beucase I wanted to try to make sure that the game activity in DoW will be the same as in HW2 in it's golden days, if not better. Needless to say I failed. That is one of the reasons I left Paktu. And I'm not really close minded. As you can see, unlike most Israelis, I maintain social connections outside of my country. Mainly due to my relatively to other Israelis - superior knowledge of English.

Besides, All Im saying is - as you said yourself - dont just jump at the first sign of some statement some half-payed developer said in some magazine. Play the game first. The #1 rule of every gamer - as well as any consumer - is to never allow himself to be dissapointed by a game by making sure that the final product, and not the beta or alpha or demo, or whatever - is good enough for him. I say this as I was in the DoW beta, originally thinking that certain things will happen - and when they didnt, I was somewhat let down by this. Dont just make doubt-proof statements i.e saying that Company X cannot screw up with sound design since this is what they do best. Companies have risen and fallen over the past decade. Dont let that shiny logo fool you: The next day that very company might be having lawsuits, financial problems and whatnot. Of course, we can all hope for something good out of this whole mess. But until then, view every game in an objective way.