Does WoW need a modern engine?

[Azutael]

I don't think WoW needs a new engine, but it would be nice with a more up to date engine for sure.
Of course I don't know anything about these kind of things personally, but I imagine a newer engine would also mean better performance and such things.

At least it has been improved upon over the years, and I think Blizzard will continue in that direction instead of using a new engine.

[Slicer299]

Yes. Not necessarily in terms of looks, but it desperately needs a game engine that can properly leverage modern hardware. The bottleneck created due to WoW putting the majority of it's workload on the main CPU core significantly limits performance in modern systems. I have a 2600k @ 4.4Ghz paired with an EVGA GTX 1070 FTW, and I can watch my CPU hit over 90% load on the primary core while playing WoW, but in another MMO like FF XIV, which has much more demanding graphics, the work load spreads evenly over all available cores/threads, none of which barely crack more than 60% usage.

So while my GPU can render anything WoW's game engine can throw at it, the outdated coding of that same engine creates a CPU bottleneck that limits my FPS at various times. One minute I can be hitting 200 fps, the next I can't even manage 60fps because the game is trying to make a single core do the majority of the work. Yes my CPU is getting old, but it's still much more powerful than what WoW actually needs to properly run the game if the game engine were capable of properly using all the available cores and threads like more modern titles.

And yes more than 60fps matter because I play on a 144hz monitor.

[Heldamon]

While I like the graphics as they are, I 'd like to see more armor development. Like the new belts and robes. Like the feet where developed a little bit more in Wotlk along with boots

[PewPewGG]

tbh I like the way it is now. The game runs very smooth even on low builds, which is a big plus for an MMO. Suramar and other new areas look amazing (WTT Dalaran for Suramar)
I just wish they would upgrade the starter areas (like the trees and buildings in Teldrassil, you know) and all would be perfect (^^)

Edit: Oh I forgot, I also loved the new class animations. These little additions are enough to keep the game "modern" for me

[Kynario]

no. wow is never going to be a realistic looking game. its not the essence of wow. the engine could do realistic if the developers wanted to, they chose to make a cartoony game. done.

nor do i actually want that in wow. if i want realistic graphics ill go find another game, wow is comforting to me just the way it is. adding higher definition is ok, but leave the realism out of it.

Without writing the same exact thing, I completely agree with this.

[Laurathansal]

The only reason I see to improve the engine, is for optimization. I have a PC that runs AAA games at full settings above 60 fps, but it still only plays WoW at between 40-60, depending on where I am (NH raids definitely closer to 40).

This is the only thing that needs fixing, and perhaps some models and textures (too many polygons). But definitely, the colours and general "look & feel" should remain the same.

[endersblade]

Game engines aren't like car engines you can replace when they get old. (Pointlessly, though - a new engine is worth more than the typical car which needs one).

They'd literally have to remake the entire game FROM THE GROUND UP to use a new engine.

WoW will never have a new engine.

/thread

That isn't true in the least. They can keep the textures, models, etc and just port them over to a new engine. Yes, it will take some work, going from Gamebryo to Unity isn't easy, but just pointing the new engine at the old resources isn't impossible. But the game would inherently function differently, no two engines seem to work the same, and that would piss off a lot of people. On top of that it would cost money, and Blizzard doesn't like doing that.

[Gforcez]

Blizzard will have to recreate the whole game if they want to use a new engine. Like many said before, you can't just 'replace' an engine like you can with a car. What they can do. Fix all the 'bandage' fixes they did over the years, and come up with a proper solution for the problems, Optimize the engine even more (Although, it seems already quite optimized) so it supports more and maybe even more lower-end CPU's (Performance increases) and where possible try to make WoW work on multiple cores since most CPU's these days have atleast 4 cores.

I'm pretty sure Blizzard is trying to improve their engine on a regular base. We obviously won't see those changes in patchnotes, but that doesn't mean they still run the 2004 engine they started with.. (If so, it would be even more impressive.. :P) I think it was Ion that once said that they changed almost 80% of the 'original' code they used back in 2004, with milions of lines of code.. That's alot of re-programming the code. I'm 100% sure Blizzard is doing everything they can to 'upgrade' the engine with new ways for them to create new mechanics and gameplay in WoW. You can't just copy paste WoW in a new engine. that just doesn't work..

[Ishayu]

Yes, in fact the entire game should be rebuilt from the ground up. The more time passes the harder it will be to upgrade such an old game.

Even though they update the game every expansion it still shows its age, especially in combat. Sure it's still the smoothest mmo out there, but it could be so much better.

I think the problem here is simply that, for a while, Blizzard had problems figuring out its own engine code. A lot of the people who coded this engine left or went on other projects.

Only recently have they begun figuring it out, and it really shows. Give them some time.

[Deleted]

We don't need a new engine but at least some "modern" effects like corpses with ragdoll effect and please fix the awful clipping (ground, clothes and mounts) and add collisions.

[Nefarious Tea]

That isn't true in the least. They can keep the textures, models, etc and just port them over to a new engine. Yes, it will take some work, going from Gamebryo to Unity isn't easy, but just pointing the new engine at the old resources isn't impossible. But the game would inherently function differently, no two engines seem to work the same, and that would piss off a lot of people. On top of that it would cost money, and Blizzard doesn't like doing that.

I didn't mean visually - ie. all the textures, models, animations - I meant all the coding. Everything the game actually does would have to be almost all rebuilt if they used a new engine.

- - - Updated - - -

I think the problem here is simply that, for a while, Blizzard had problems figuring out its own engine code. A lot of the people who coded this engine left or went on other projects.

Only recently have they begun figuring it out, and it really shows. Give them some time.

Part of it too is that WoW runs on a heavily modified WC3 engine... it's literally twenty years old right now. A lot of the early figuring stuff out was the developers actually having to invent being able to do things the programming was never even imagined to be designed to do.

[Deleted]

What are your thoughts on the topic?

A new engine does not solve any problem.

The WoW Engine is quite good, actually. They chose the cartoony style for a reason, and stick to it.

Ugly textures are not solved with a new engine. If you want WoW to look better, you'd need to redo the whole world with high-def textures. They already tried that somewhat with cataclysm, and its a lot of work for little payback.

If you look at lighting and especially the water, WoW isn#t that bad. And it doesn't aim for photorealism, so what would even be the point of a new engine?

[elrot]

They should give it a modern engine if/when they make WoW2. In its current state, it's really not necessary though.

[clevin]

Realistic look and feel? No. But I do wonder if a modern engine could give us the existing look and feel with less stress on CPU & GPU, allowing more people to play with higher settings that they have now.

[dextersmith]

Yes. There are so many improvements out there yet wow is barely better than the original ff7.

[Eleccybubb]

Yes. Not for more realistic graphics. For better performance. Most of the engine still only runs on 1 core. Even the 7700k bottlenecks badly.

I thought they changed the engine to optimize it for dual cores?

[dextersmith]

no. wow is never going to be a realistic looking game. its not the essence of wow. the engine could do realistic if the developers wanted to, they chose to make a cartoony game. done.

nor do i actually want that in wow. if i want realistic graphics ill go find another game, wow is comforting to me just the way it is. adding higher definition is ok, but leave the realism out of it.

Aion looks like a much better cartoon.

[Crillam]

Yeah, I've always wanted wow to look like BF1, while raiding, ultra settnings, minimum of 200.

[Eleccybubb]

Also on topic in terms of keeping the same style yes it could use an upgrade. If you mean going all realistic like most AAA games then fuck no. WoW isn't supposed to be that kind of style. The whole point of WoW is it being able to appeal to those on both high end and low end machines. There are plenty of MMOs with realistic graphics if you want them.

[dextersmith]

It needs it about as much as your mother-in-laws grocery shopping station wagon needs a tracked-drive and heavy armor.

Her car needs to be reinforced with heavy armor?