Yes uppon further investigation I see that the latest plasma release for myst online is a newer version than the one used in myst V.
This is from mystlore wiki article on plasma engine:
[edit] 1 (10, 1.0)
Based on: Headspin code
* Initial version, progressed directly from Headspin Plasma
DirectX version: 7.0
Implemented in: early pre-releases of DIRT and Mudpie; realMyst
[edit] 2 (20, 2.0)
(Public release version 63.11)
Based on: 1
* Major rewrite, some incompatibilities
* Fewer graphical features due to limited resources
* Bindings to Havok physics engine
* Massive multiplayer networking support
* Python-based support for scripting
DirectX version: 8.0
Implemented in: Uru: Ages Beyond Myst, Uru Live (2003), Uru: To D'ni
[edit] 2 + CC
(Public release version 63.12)
Based on: 2
* Additional support for more graphics chips, especially various Intel integrated chipsets
DirectX version: 8.0
Implemented in: Uru: The Path of the Shell, Uru: Complete Chronicles
[edit] 21 (2.1)
(Public release version 6.10)
Based on: 2 + CC
* Replaced Havok physics support with ODE
* Removed networking
* Removed scripting
* Added support for pixel shader model 1.0
DirectX version: 9.0
Implemented in: Myst V: End of Ages, Crowthistle
[edit] 205 (2.0.5)
(Public version 69.1 to 70)
Based on: 2 + CC
* Replaced Havok physics support with PhysX
* Completely rewritten, optimized networking
* Backported support for pixel shaders from 21, possibly model 2.0[Verification requested]
DirectX version: 9.0
Implemented in: Myst Online: Uru Live
[edit] 3 (30, 3.0)
(Public version 9)[Verification requested]
Based on: 2.1
* Uses the ODE Physics engine
* Has better material and lighting support, including fake (blurred) bloom (Wikipedia) lighting effects
* Uses a special scripting language to create tiles in the world-space
DirectX version: 9.0
Implemented in: Hex Isle
So yes if they are using the latest engine release used in myst series games than the one we are using is the newest.
There is also the 3.0 version used in Hex Isle, wich would actualy improve the game, since for what i've read online the ode physics engine is better than the physX since uru can't make use of the physX features and only uses so it has a basic physics engine, ode seems to be more stable and in the case of uru give better performances, the lighting improvements would also be welcome in uru since lot's of people, me included, have stability and performance problems with the current lighting and bloom rendering even in lowest setting (and i do have a reasonable graphics card when it comes to playing uru).
Now it would be hard to adapt the 3.0 version to uru since we only see it in hex island and it is a very diferent game.
But then it comes Magiquest, we don't have the information on the version of the engine used, but somewhere in a game review website i read that cyan had improved the latest release of plasma they had by a little to make the engine for Magiquest, now that one is really very similar to uru as far as we can tell, so maybe it is possible to have uru running on 3.0.
It would really give more stability to the game for what i've seen in the changes has of the version used in hex isle. And going back to ODE physics engine would really be a benefit to all of us. PhysX doesn't really work with uru even if you have a nvidea card because although uru uses physX for the phisics engine, it does not have support for the physX features.
Now the problem with this would be that porting Uru to the newest plasma release would have to be something done by the guys at cyan, who we know that although they try very hard, they do not have the time nor the funds to make a total conversion of the game engine unless they already had something cooking..
We could then change its and bits after, but the main conversion could not be made by us..
I really do hope the engine gets some work on it though.. It really needs some polishing with problems that seem to be very persistent so far..
|