Gaming Shattered Horizon Interview

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/pc/2009/09/10/shattered-horizon-interview/1

We sit down with the Shattered Horizon team over at FutureMark, quizzing them about the challenges of making a FPS in zero-gravity, creating a believable sci-fi game and using lighting engines to create a unique atmosphere in a game. Check it out!

 

Sounds interesting, but have they followed true zero-g physics? If so it'll be a nightmare to play

 

If they don't have a defined orientation plane, I would be very interested.

One of the things that always drives me nuts in most space-sims I've played with (Freelancer, Homeworld, and Sins of a Solar Empire come to mind), is that despite the fact that they're ostensibly space games, everything on the game aligns to one plane.

If they have a game where "up" is not in any way defined by the engine, It would be really awesome.
Controls would be a nightmare, or at least quite complex, though. You 'd need to coordinate six axes.

 

looks good, shame im on xp till W7. will it be an open beta?

 

Only closed beta for now

 

Antti Summala's name is spelled "Antti" not "Antii".

 

I agree with Apoptosis' comment.

 

Fixed. Damned business cards with their...fonts...or something.

 

may i ask joe, when you're talking about the independant movement of the weapon to the camera, what does this feel like in practice? im guessing mouse for the weapon and wasd for camera movement? can this get a little confusing?

 

I imagine it would - but that's not how the game works. As I said in the preview, it's very similar to playing the underwater sections of most games.

 

This cant come out soon enough. I'm sick of all the carbon copy blockbuster games that have been coming out of late.

Regarding the mouse control; if I were to pull back to look up, would it keep on going until I was 'upside down' pointing backwards and then continue to where I started? That would make the most sence I suppose for true zero-grav?

 

I enjoy the fact that they aren't going to make this a graphically demanding game. 'Something like an 8800 GT could run it' That's good, it means it will appeal to a larger audience. On the other hand if the game turns out to be graphically disappointing, it'll be a huge let down.

@ Rocket_Knight64 Inertia based combat will definitely take a bit to get used to. I imagine something like if you look up, you would continue to look up until you moused (just slightly) in the other direction to counteract the inertia.

 

Exactly.

 

I would have thought descent or forsaken would have been mentioned at some point in the interview. Descent is easily the best zero gravity game that I have ever played.

 

Forsaken 64 commanded the attention of at least a solid year of my life.

 

Being the benchmark company I sure do hope they push the heck out of the graphics. Oh and I hope the game is worth playing first no matter how good the graphics are. It seems to be an innovative idea (I can't stand corridor shooters) but we will wait and see. So where is the DEMO!

 

presuming all the rotation and movement must be relative rather than absolute; sounds like a nightmare to program.