Crytek have announced a major update to their state-of-the-art CRYENGINE technology, offering licensees access to a wealth of new features first showcased in Xbox One-exclusive, Ryse: Son of Rome.
As well as being optimized for next-generation consoles, the new CRYENGINE now includes Linux support for the first time. The full native port of CRYENGINE to Linux means developers will be able to use the engine's award-winning toolset for the creation of software on Linux Ubuntu 12.04 and newer versions of the operating system, adding to existing support for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Wii UTM, Xbox 360, PlayStation®3, iOS and Android.
Crytek's Director of Business Development for CRYENGINE, Areil Cai, said: "CRYENGINE's power and adaptability has been proven on Xbox One, and with licensees already working on games for PlayStation®4, we've delivered on our promise to make sure the engine was ready for next-gen consoles right from the start. We believe the addition of Linux support and features included in this latest update will give CRYENGINE users unparalleled possibilities as they develop stand-out new games – regardless of the target platform."
Among the highlights of today's CRYENGINE update are:
- Physically Based Shading – In contrast to traditional observational based shading seen in most real-time game engines, CRYENGINE's brand new Physically Based Shading model simulates the interaction between light and materials using real world physics.
- Geometry Cache – Leveraging the power of today’s new hardware, CRYENGINE computes efficient, cache-based animations to realize the most complex simulations (cloth, explosions, fluid dynamics) normally only possible in offline rendering.
- Character Technology – The CRYENGINE update unites the most scalable, technically-advanced animation and rendering systems to deliver astonishingly realistic characters for games in real-time. Lifelike iris parallax mapping allows for a truly realistic eye representation, while new unified shaders for character shadows and hair add to the possibilities.
- Image Based Lighting – Image Based Lighting brings lighting and render consistency to all materials. CRYENGINE’s shading model uses advanced BRDF values and normalization of specular highlights to render even the most complex lighting situations.
CRYENGINE licensees will have access to all of the latest features brought about by the update later this month. For more information on CRYENGINE, visit www.cryengine.com.
GDC attendees can see the latest version of the engine in action at booth #802 during the conference in San Francisco from March 19-21. For a full schedule of presentations taking place during the expo, visit the Crytek blog.
Two new trailers showing the work of both engine licensees and users of the CRYENGINE Free SDK were also released today, and can be viewed at the official CRYENGINE YouTube Channel.
About Crytek GmbH
Crytek GmbH (“Crytek”) is an independent company at the forefront of the interactive entertainment industry, and is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of gaming by creating standout experiences for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Wii UTM, Xbox 360, PlayStation®3, iOS and Android using their cutting-edge 3D-Game-Technology, CRYENGINE®.
The company’s headquarters are in Frankfurt am Main (Germany). Crytek also has studios in Kiev (Ukraine), Budapest (Hungary), Sofia (Bulgaria), Seoul (South Korea), Nottingham (UK), Shanghai (China), Istanbul (Turkey) and Austin (USA).
Since its foundation in 1999, Crytek has consistently been recognized for excellence in its field, earning accolades such as the 2011 Develop Award for Best Independent Studio, and two Red Dot Design Awards (in 2010 and 2013). Its multi-award winning games include Far Cry®, Crysis® (awarded best PC Game of E3 2007 and Best Technology at the 2008 Game Developers Choice Awards), Crysis Warhead® (awarded Best Graphics Technology at IGN Best of 2008 Awards), Crysis® 2 (awarded Best Shooter of E3 2010 and Gamescom 2010), Crysis® 3, Ryse: Son of Rome and Warface (awarded Best Social/Casual/Online Game of Gamescom 2012). For more information, please visit www.crytek.com.