http://www.planetageofmythology.com/[snip]
Age of Empires III to Use Havok Physics
9:45 | Gx_Xiphoid
How many of you have played Half-life 2? According to the latest edition of PC Gamer, Age of Empires III will have physics very similar to HL2! The game will take advantage of the Havok physics engine that is used by some of the most cutting-edge titles of today. Bodies will act like rag-dolls and buildings will collapse realistically. This is according to the following quote in PC Gamer:
"Ensemble has also licensed the Havok physics engine for Age of Empires III. What that means for gameplay is that when you fire a cannon at a band of Redcoats, the ensuing mayhem will have all the ... of an explosion in Half-Life 2"
Upon inspecting the Havok site, here's some of the things the physics engine offers:
- 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
- Breakable constraints for detachable limbs, so you can get as gory as you like
- Core vehicle physics system and tuned car wheel friction model
- Game specific modules for transmission, engine, suspension, gameplay, aerodynamics, steering
- Breakable constraints for post-crash car debris
- Havok's rigid body dynamics allow you to inject environmental physics into your game to create an immersive experience for the user.
The RTS genre has historically lagged behind in graphics compared to first-person shooters, but Ensemble is about to change all that. Along with a much improved version of Age of Mythology's 3D engine and the Havok physics engine, other RTS developers have their work cut out for them.
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Stephen