PhyreEngine - Cross platform development for PS3/PC

[christos]

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gd...atform-engine/

Quietly unveiled at yesterday's PSN session was PhyreEngine, a new "free to use graphics engine" from Sony Computer Entertainment. According to the presentation, the package includes full documentation, "70+ samples" and "full source code and artwork" of sample game templates. Working on both OpenGL and Direct3D, this engine will allow developers to more easily develop for the PS3 by using PC environments they're more familiar with. A "simple recompile" is supposedly all that's needed to make the game run on the PS3. Sony is promising "ongoing development and support" for the PhyreEngine....

It would be interesting to see more info on how powerful this tool really is. Supposedly Dirt was one of the titles that already used it for developement. That's a good sign because as I recall, Dirt was one of the first multiplatform titles where the PS3 version was as good, if not better than its counterparts.

According to the article, further details are due to be released later today.

I really wonder how many developers are going to take advantage of these tools? I also wonder why Sony doesn't sell Naughty Dogs engine, It's one of the best PS3 engines so far.

[LordJuanlo]

Wonderful news for PC gamers, we already have most of the more important 360 games, and now Sony supports PC gaming too. We may end having some of the PS3 exclusive titles after all.

I still can't believe it!!

Originally Posted by LordJuanlo

Wonderful news for PC gamers, we already have most of the more important 360 games, and now Sony supports PC gaming too. We may end having some of the PS3 exclusive titles after all.

I still can't believe it!!

Um no, Thats not the aim for these tools. It's not going to make Sony start developing for PC anytime soon. What it allows is developers who already are crossplatform developers to ease the process aswell as imrpove the quality of the crossplatform titles. So hopefully games wont suffer when they are ported from the PS3 to PC/X360.

Sony is just trying to correct the problem of getting shafted with poor ports when the titles start life as a PC or X360 title.

So don't expect any key exclusive PS3 titles (especially ones developed and puiblished by SCEA).

[LordJuanlo]

Oh well, anyway it will be much easier to port those games to PC if they want. After the game has been around for 2 or 3 years... why not make more money with a PC port with little effort?. We got a port of Metal Gear Solid, everything is possible

[NaitoSan]

sounds good.

[kev13dd]

Dirt was better on the PS3, but it was amazing on all, and had more time on the PS3 than the rest too- so it's hard to tell if it benefited from this method, or it just benefited from having extra time put into it by a good developer

I think next generation is when we will see Sony finally release solid developer kits that make their console as easy to code for as the rest. Try as they might this gen, the choice to go with a different architecture is simply going to be too hard to overcome with how fast games seem to be rushed to the market. It doesn't matter if you CAN do it better with more time- the time is all that developers seem to see

K

[Lyme]

This makes your ps3 games easily portable to the pc