Will other game devs start licensing out Spark?

theskulkertheskulker Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167093Members
in NS2 General Discussion
<div class="IPBDescription">It's a beautiful engine.</div>Hi!
We all know how beautiful NS2 is. We also know that UWE will keep improving Spark, even though it is already gorgeous.
The question is will other game developers start using Spark also?! I think it will happen sooner then people think.

Food for thought: Will hardware review sites like Anandtech pick up NS2 for benchmarking? It could bring in a whole lot of new users if they did! :)
Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome

Comments

  • CaneCane Join Date: 2004-02-12 Member: 26444Members
    They would have to optimize it quite a bit more before it's ready to be licensed to other devs
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • NurEinMenschNurEinMensch Join Date: 2003-02-26 Member: 14056Members, Constellation
    Spark itself is very well optimized already and seems very efficient. The performance issues you still somewhat see are mainly coming from the Lua based game logic which is specific to NS2.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DestherDesther Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165195Members
    In one of the Q&As I think Charlie said that they don't plan on doing it any time soon because it would require a support system
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • GuspazGuspaz Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2862Members, Constellation
    edited November 2012
    Apart from the fact that the engine is very far from mature enough to license (bugs, limitations, performance), UWE doesn't have anywhere near the manpower it takes to support engine licensees. There are a lot of companies a lot larger than UWE that don't have the manpower to license their engines.

    EDIT: I think a far more likely scenario is that some total conversion mod wants to publish independently of NS2, and secures an engine license for that purpose.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • theskulkertheskulker Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167093Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2011075:date=Nov 5 2012, 06:29 AM:name=Guspaz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Guspaz @ Nov 5 2012, 06:29 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2011075"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Apart from the fact that the engine is very far from mature enough to license (bugs, limitations, performance), UWE doesn't have anywhere near the manpower it takes to support engine licensees. There are a lot of companies a lot larger than UWE that don't have the manpower to license their engines.

    EDIT: I think a far more likely scenario is that some total conversion mod wants to publish independently of NS2, and secures an engine license for that purpose.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    So why did UWE make their own engine and not use Source? :(
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • GISPGISP Battle Gorge Denmark Join Date: 2004-03-20 Member: 27460Members, Playtest Lead, Forum Moderators, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, Squad Five Gold, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Onos, WC 2013 - Gold, Subnautica Playtester, Forum staff
    <!--quoteo(post=2011128:date=Nov 5 2012, 04:11 PM:name=theskulker)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (theskulker @ Nov 5 2012, 04:11 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2011128"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->So why did UWE make their own engine and not use Source? :(<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Becouse source coudnt deliever what they wanted from a engine.
    If a dev want to use Spark, they are more then welcome to contect UWE. But its not something they will persue actively, becouse they dont want to be a "engine manufactor" and offer constant support, they want to make games.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree 1Awesome
  • WhiteZeroWhiteZero That Guy Join Date: 2004-06-24 Member: 29511Members, Constellation
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2010969:date=Nov 5 2012, 08:08 AM:name=NurEinMensch)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NurEinMensch @ Nov 5 2012, 08:08 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2010969"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Spark itself is very well optimized already and seems very efficient.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah, compared to Spark from 2009... It's still pretty damn far off compared to all the other major engines.
    But it has potential.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • SixtyWattManSixtyWattMan Join Date: 2004-09-05 Member: 31404Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2011128:date=Nov 5 2012, 10:11 AM:name=theskulker)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (theskulker @ Nov 5 2012, 10:11 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2011128"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->So why did UWE make their own engine and not use Source? :(<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Because Source is awful and the developer and mapping tools blow ass.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • ImbalanxdImbalanxd Join Date: 2011-06-15 Member: 104581Members
    It's also worth noting that if you were to, say, implement CS:GO in Spark, it would run like a dream. The problem with NS2 is that there are so many goddamn entities involved in a typical round, that any slight performance issues, no matter how tiny, are going to be massively magnified.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • GuspazGuspaz Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2862Members, Constellation
    I'm not so sure of that. Spark is extremely demanding on the GPU now, more so than is justified. I seem to max out the FPS counter at 1280x720 at 200FPS, but that drops down to 70FPS at 2560x1440. I'm not unhappy with that, mind you, but a huge FPS drop from nothing but a resolution change indicates a GPU bottleneck (the GeForce GTX 670 in this case). A game that looks like Spark shouldn't be dropping down quite that low on that card. It's not that bad, all told, but it's not quite where it should be yet.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • KoruyoKoruyo AUT Join Date: 2009-06-06 Member: 67724Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2011616:date=Nov 5 2012, 10:18 PM:name=SixtyWattMan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SixtyWattMan @ Nov 5 2012, 10:18 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2011616"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Because Source is awful and the developer and mapping tools blow ass.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    The tools are not too bad, given that the original plan was to use the source tools with spark, instead of having to write their own tools.

    Sadly Valve didnt want to licence tools only/to use with another engine, so uwe had to start writing their own.


    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Spark is extremely demanding on the GPU now<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    First time i hear that. (Most ppl had different experiences => CPU is most demanding/needs relative high clockspeeds, and you get away with a mediocore, tho not lowend gpu)
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • RobustPenguinRobustPenguin Join Date: 2012-08-17 Member: 155719Members
    Why would you actually pick spark over something else though? Its not the best optimised, its not super up to date (doesnt have dynamic lighting etc) and its mapping tools arent brilliant (better than hammer but still not the best I've seen).
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DghelneshiDghelneshi Aims to surpass Fana in post edits. Join Date: 2011-11-01 Member: 130634Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2011716:date=Nov 5 2012, 11:40 PM:name=RobustPenguin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RobustPenguin @ Nov 5 2012, 11:40 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2011716"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->its not super up to date (doesnt have dynamic lighting etc)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I do agree, but 100% dynamic lighting is actually one of the core features of the engine which most others do not offer...
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • FappuchinoFappuchino Join Date: 2012-10-10 Member: 162008Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2011716:date=Nov 5 2012, 03:40 PM:name=RobustPenguin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RobustPenguin @ Nov 5 2012, 03:40 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2011716"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Why would you actually pick spark over something else though? Its not the best optimised, its not super up to date (<b>doesnt have dynamic lighting</b> etc) and its mapping tools arent brilliant (better than hammer but still not the best I've seen).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    What.. admit it, you couldn't expand on the etceteras of what this engine does or doesn't have (realistically).

    The team isn't clueless, they know the odds of them licensing the engine for use to developers other than themselves is somewhat unlikely. Heck, The Witcher 2 devs have their own engine and I believe ¡t hasn't been used yet by anyone else.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • NurEinMenschNurEinMensch Join Date: 2003-02-26 Member: 14056Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=2011716:date=Nov 6 2012, 12:40 AM:name=RobustPenguin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RobustPenguin @ Nov 6 2012, 12:40 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2011716"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Why would you actually pick spark over something else though? Its not the best optimised, its not super up to date (doesnt have dynamic lighting etc) and its mapping tools arent brilliant (better than hammer but still not the best I've seen).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    What are you talking about? Spak has <i>nothing but</i> dynamic lighting. All lighting is done in real time. It doesn't hide its flaws behind a million spiffy shader effects, but I'm not convinced that's a bad thing. I also feel like some people are confusing NS2 the game with Spark the engine when they assess the performance.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • GuspazGuspaz Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2862Members, Constellation
    My assessment is based on the FPS of the scene rendered behind the settings screen. With no actual gameplay code running, that's about as close to a true representation of a static scene in the engine as you're going to get...
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • YuukiYuuki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75079Members
    edited November 2012
    Spark is slow and fat in every way, except hard-drive use maybe. Proof: my computer make a rocket engine sound when I run NS2.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
Sign In or Register to comment.