Does WoW need a modern engine?

[Deleted]

You realise it's also not as simple as just "needing real multi-threading support". The game is complex and a lot of components are highly dependant on each other.

In many cases it's just doesn't make sense to split the code into more threads, because it has to be run in series anyway.

They already made some progress in this area by decoupling the sound subsystem into it's own thread (since it's a relatively low-risk component which lends itself well to being a separate service the main engine can call from).

There is no reason why 20 people casting autoattack has to be run in series instead of parallel. tho admittedly thats a bad example cause it's server side. but you get the point. combat and draw calls can be multi threaded with a proper engine, which would help so much.

i pray to god they can find a way to get dx12 into this game a couple years from now, but i fear it just won't be doable, just like they could only get a few dx10/11 features to work.

[Deleted]

ITT, idiots that think changing the engine mean changing the graphics.

If you don't know what an engine is, don't reply to such thread. If you assume what an engine is, read up before talking.

[Rend Blackhand]

I have a theory that WoW and it's low graphic demands on the lowest settings is a major part of its success. The game is so accessible to people who don't have a spare $1000 lying around.

When many of us didn't have big ass gaming PCs to play the latest games, WoW was always there for us. I think wow2 is not a great idea right now.

[Raetary]

no, the game is fine as it is.

[Lazy Gecko]

Even with all the limitations in place, I still very much like the engine the game is stuck with. Going back to WoW after playing Elder Scrolls Online for a few months, which has a much more "modern" engine, it's astounding just how much smoother and stabile WoW feels which is a big boon to the overall experience.

[Deleted]

The engine is decen but I see 2 issues with Current WoW engine:
1. Engine inneficient: have an upgrade that utilizes modern hardware more effectively would be nice along with DX12 and Vulkan support.
2. Visually weaker than their new titles: Overwatch and especially heroes of the storm have similiar style. But you can just see the better visuals. The special effects are especially noticable.

3. Visual effects clutter: if they are going to look into, also setup a system to prevent visual confusion.
4. Server/realm system: their are so many unhealthy / dead raid realms and some issues with serverhopping it needs a massive review.


Having an entire new engine wouldn't be a big issue with assets.
I'm pretty sure they can set up a system that automaticly tranfer the wow models, world and location as well as the loot system and currency and characters into a new engine.
The issue is: well everything else. All the events: Raidbosses, quests, event activators and game/server stability, class mechanics.
While they can work on game/server stability it's impossible to fix all the old events and quests.
I remember in one interview talking about how leveldesigner had to be very creative in setting up events, meaning very ugly unclean methods.

.

[Deleted]

I have a theory that WoW and it's low graphic demands on the lowest settings is a major part of its success. The game is so accessible to people who don't have a spare $1000 lying around.

When many of us didn't have big ass gaming PCs to play the latest games, WoW was always there for us. I think wow2 is not a great idea right now.

This. WoW looks better every xpac and still is playable on a wooden pc. Also no idea why there is a discussion about a new engine. there will never be one.

[socialmaker]

OP clearly doesn't know anything about software/game development. You can't just update the engine without redoing the whole game.

[Alexeht]

WoW need more modern engine, not to make graphics better, but for game to run better on anything older than 5 years (which do not say much good about 12 year old game). I don't know what kind of PC you need to have everything on ultra and still have 200fps (I'm not sure if engine even is capable of maintaining 200 fps or more). Performance of WoW engine is poor, and even fanboys should agree that game with those kind of graphic fidelity should run better on basic hardware.

This. WoW looks better every xpac and still is playable on a wooden pc. Also no idea why there is a discussion about a new engine. there will never be one.

lol are you for real? maybe 'wooden pc' is ok for questing, but nothing more ...

[Deleted]

I have a theory that WoW and it's low graphic demands on the lowest settings is a major part of its success. The game is so accessible to people who don't have a spare $1000 lying around.

When many of us didn't have big ass gaming PCs to play the latest games, WoW was always there for us. I think wow2 is not a great idea right now.

This is part of it's succes. Although my previous pc eventually couldnt fly through outland terrokar forest anymore with decent fps.

But at the same time Blizzard is terrible with making good use of the hardware or atleast modern hardware. Diablo 3 has such a huge issue when you spam your abilities with heavy visual effects, or even starcraft 2 large amount of units is/was an issue and better hardware couldn't really compensate.
Their engines are a bit too relient on cpu's and I don't think they can even make good use of multiple cores.

[Deleted]

a common misconception here is that artsyle = engine.

Which is just rubbish.


I think they already did quite a bit of reworking of the engine throughout the expansions.. in that sense calling it an obsolete 20 y.o engine is unfair.

That being said, new engine means new possibilities, better loadtime .. who can say no to that?

[Deleted]

overwatch, heroes of the storm, diablo 3, even hearthstone - question is, why it takes so long, they have already engine. or somebody claims these games also use old wow engine?

[Hottage]

I remember in one interview talking about how leveldesigner had to be very creative in setting up events, meaning very ugly unclean methods.

Everything is controlled by invisible rabbits. ^[Source]

[Lilija]

It needs more efficient engine but I'm not sure it's doable

[TOM_RUS]

What it needs is proper multi core/threading support.

[Chemii]

People who talk about the "engine" needing to be modern don't really have any idea what they are talking about.

The wow "engine" is not the same thing now as it was at launch, for some reason lots of people like to think its limitations are down to it's engine but Blizzard have stated many times it's actually about the work involved, not what is and isn't possible.

[Hottage]

overwatch, heroes of the storm, diablo 3, even hearthstone - question is, why it takes so long, they have already engine. or somebody claims these games also use old wow engine?

Heroes of the Storm is built on the StarCraft II engine, Hearthstone uses Unity Engine and Diablo III/Overwatch both use their own engines.

World of Warcraft's earliest prototypes (before even closed alpha) were actually built on a heavily modified Warcraft III engine.

You can't just say "okay we built a new engine for this other game, lets port the old game to it".
World of Warcraft has massively different requirements regarding client/server communication to any of those other games, so if they ever did upgrade it, it would yet another game engine.

- - - Updated - - -

What it needs is proper multi core/threading support.

And what tasks, besides the graphics rendering (which is already offloaded to the GPU) and audio (which is already a separate thread) do you suggest they refactor?

[Karon]

Wow there are A Lot of people who dont know what a game engine is and what modernizing it would do to the game o.O

I really wish they'd implement a occompletely new engine, it's so sad to see that one core goes above 90% while the rest idles at 15%...

[Cæli]

No, it'll take away the essence of the game.

Well said. Any person thinking otherwise do not understand what creates the essence of a video game. There's a reason why a screenshot from today looks like the same as a screenshot from years ago.

The graphics and more technically its engine is what makes the game. Change the engine, you change the game.

No one who like the game want the game to be changed.

You like the colors and the pleasure from exploring Azeroth ? Say goodbye to it if they change it. Say also goodbye to your 10+ years progression because the game will be different, it will not mean anything anymore. Yes it would be an historical disaster. Which is why the game will keep its current style over the years and forever.

Art style is tied to the game engine.
You can't deny this. You can recognize a unity or a unreal based game. Which is why so many games look the same. How sad is that, that almost every games look the same.

Game engine renders the graphics, by definition it's tied to the art style.

[Kokolums]

WoW has really great art for what it is. Gameplay is also really smooth.

Some people say it should just use the HotS engine but I played HotS and it felt really uncomfortable even to just move around. It didn't look "right". For example, when you mount up in HotS it felt like the animations were far worse than in WoW, like your mount was going at a full gallop but barely going anywhere. Just felt bad.