Current-gen consoles will most likely see big new releases wind down on those platforms in 2014, but they’re going to go out with one hell of a bang. One such game bring in the final hoorah is Dark Souls 2, which is strictly current-gen material. But that doesn’t mean that the software built for that game is stuck forever on older hardware.
Speaking to IGN, From Software programmer Takasuke Ando explained that the technology used to create the pain and horror of the game resulted in a game engine that could be ported over to consoles such as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
“We always had in mind the next generation, such as DirectX11 and next generation hardware when creating our technology, and also challenged ourselves as programmers to simultaneously create for the new generation,” Ando said.
The thing we prioritized when re-creating our engine was, as a concept, taking the graphics to a more photo-realistic look, and in order to fulfil this, we had decided to discard our old engine and create a new one.
According to Ando, that means that Dark Souls 2 has an engine that takes advantage of deferred rendering and physical-based rendering, stuff that is clearly way above my pay grade and head. Fellow developer Yoshitaka Suzuki added in that the game also combined graphical thingamajigs, such as animation engine NaturalMotion, Morpheme and clothing add-on Havok Cloth:
Both Morpheme and Havok Cloth are middleware that can be used in the next generation, and by implementing these now, they function on PS3 and Xbox 360, we wanted to implement now to be prepared and have a strong understanding.
Technically, this all means that Dark Souls 2 could make the jump from older console onto newer ones, but a more realistic expectation is to expect the software to be utilised on other projects that are new-gen specific. Still, there’s hope for a port, knowing Namco Bandai. Dark Souls 2: Definitive Death Edition anyone?
Dark Souls 2 goes beyond death in March, on the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Last Updated: February 27, 2014
Admiral Chief in Vegas
February 27, 2014 at 13:10
DS, making you act like this:
http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/aVOLGy8_460sa.gif
Acornbread
February 27, 2014 at 13:20
Gaius, what a legend.
Hammersteyn
February 27, 2014 at 13:32
That’s because, no controller
Martin du preez
February 27, 2014 at 13:47
http://static1.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/4920194+_319efab1548c8e5db6f1ff388ddf02c0.gif
TiMsTeR1033
February 27, 2014 at 13:11
So Dark souls 2 even for current gen or last gen whatever you wish to call it is now on a new engine? That would be great seeing as Dark souls had a few slow downs in places, on the Xbox 360 version anyway I don’t know about the others and sure as heck sure pc gamers didn’t get this issue..
Umar Reborn
February 27, 2014 at 13:14
PC was smooth as hell. once they modded that game it was 60fps baby
TiMsTeR1033
February 27, 2014 at 13:16
I hate you.. p.s you’re the devil to me now. 😛
Umar Reborn
February 27, 2014 at 13:17
Lol I’m sorry, I’m still not part of the Master Race though. Buncha hippies
TiMsTeR1033
February 27, 2014 at 13:18
*cough* you mean hipsters.
Umar Reborn
February 27, 2014 at 13:20
Nope hippies lol …..
http://www.theminimalists.com/files/2011/11/Hippie.jpg
TiMsTeR1033
February 27, 2014 at 13:24
This would of been far more appropriate
Mark Treloar
February 27, 2014 at 14:12
For this week, this is better
TiMsTeR1033
February 27, 2014 at 13:20
wanna hear something funny, was in catacombs killed everything in there went on to Tomb of the giants got my ass hand to me soooooo bad (bare in mind only level 37) wanted to exit tried everything and then at part of catacombs where couldn’t get up to top of cliff see a ladder was like “where the fuck that come from!?!” felt so stupid.
Umar Reborn
February 27, 2014 at 13:24
Lol yeah that ladder was probably always there….I don’t think Dark Souls is that cruel to randomly generate ladders.
TiMsTeR1033
February 27, 2014 at 13:25
If it was I would loose my mind! those skeleton beasts in Tog are bliksim hard!
Umar Reborn
February 27, 2014 at 13:26
TOG is best saved for later lol you need much courage to enter there
TiMsTeR1033
February 27, 2014 at 13:33
and that shitty skeleton lantern don’t help much..
Unavengedavo(aka. Bilbo)
February 27, 2014 at 14:05
Wait, but isn’t “Next-gen”(PS4 and Xbone) now the “Current-gen” as they have already been released?
guest
February 27, 2014 at 15:01
Xbone Two 360 and PS5 confirmed!
You heard it here first!