Valve's Source Engine, too old?

[Doirdyn]

It's nearly 7 years they've been using the same engine, with minor upgrades for things like the Orange Box in 2007, and Portal 2 this year, but the question remains, is it too old? They're also using this same engine for Counter Strike: Global Operations and DotA2.

I think they need to create a new engine to take advantage of today's hardware capabilities and making higher quality products, but as some people have mentioned: they don't even take full advantage of their current engine without modders doing it for them. Is Valve just lazy, or incompetent?

[bals]

Wait, so just because it's old it's no good?

Look at the graphics, they are still pretty damn good

[Darios]

Source 2 is currently in development and is rumored to be released in the not too distant future so I wouldn't worry about it. Also I don't really have any problems with the current source engine as it works fine for the games valve has released on it.

[Noomz]

It's nearly 7 years they've been using the same engine, with minor upgrades for things like the Orange Box in 2007, and Portal 2 this year, but the question remains, is it too old? They're also using this same engine for Counter Strike: Global Operations and DotA2.

I think they need to create a new engine to take advantage of today's hardware capabilities and making higher quality products, but as some people have mentioned: they don't even take full advantage of their current engine without modders doing it for them. Is Valve just lazy, or incompetent?

Yet it's an extremely versatile and strong engine that still looks much much better then anything else that's 7 years old. Just look at Doom 3 that came out around the same time as Half-life 2, it doesn't even hold a candle on the Source engine today.

And as you know, Valve is like Blizzard, "when it's done".

[DerpderpHAMMA]

yes, but i cant wait for source 2

[skylla05]

It's becoming dated, but because Valve picked up and implemented fairly new technologies (at the time) for the engine early into its lifespan like HDR and AO, it added a ton of life into the engine. These are technologies that even some modern titles still aren't using.

[hayharut]

its old but its still good quality stuff

[Majiteck]

Old? Yes.

Still Fun? I think so!

I agree it could definitely use an upgrade, but I've had nothing with good experiences with everything they've released even with this outdated engine.

but all in all I'm not complaining with good old (and I do mean OLD) Source.

cheers Valve!

[Synche]

As previously mentioned, there is a second version in the works which should be released fairly shortly.

The most recent game I played with the Source engine was Portal 2, which looks pretty damn good. I actually prefer it to other game engines like Unreal 3 etc. The demo I saw for the new Unreal engine was impressive but it was way too "shiny" with reflections off everything.

On a side note, with Epic they have pretty much ignored the PC demographic, refusing to release Gears of War 2 / 3 for PC because they don't think that the audience is there. I played through Gears of War 1 on PC with a friend through Coop and it was pretty damn fun, but then found out they weren't releasing it for PC and it basically made me forgo every playing any of their games again. But yet, they develop a game engine to license to other developers, which make business sense, but I would rather play their games as they were / are still a good developer, just for the wrong platform.

[Doirdyn]

As previously mentioned, there is a second version in the works which should be released fairly shortly.

The most recent game I played with the Source engine was Portal 2, which looks pretty damn good. I actually prefer it to other game engines like Unreal 3 etc. The demo I saw for the new Unreal engine was impressive but it was way too "shiny" with reflections off everything.

On a side note, with Epic they have pretty much ignored the PC demographic, refusing to release Gears of War 2 / 3 for PC because they don't think that the audience is there. I played through Gears of War 1 on PC with a friend through Coop and it was pretty damn fun, but then found out they weren't releasing it for PC and it basically made me forgo every playing any of their games again. But yet, they develop a game engine to license to other developers, which make business sense, but I would rather play their games as they were / are still a good developer, just for the wrong platform.

Well that's good to hear. I really like detail so I'm looking forward to Frostbite2. I like Valve games, but everything looks so dated without being modded =/

[GrimDesign]

I dont see many FPS games that can compete with Half life 2's graphics, maybe something from Crytek but I think 7 years without having the whole industry eclipse you graphically is pretty amazing. but an updated Alyx? yes please~

[Zeta333]

they don't even take full advantage of their current engine without modders doing it for them.

This is the major problem i have with how they run their games. If they pushed their games to limits of the engine then i wouldnt gripe, but the problem is they dont. And dont give me the "they need to tone it down for people with shit comps" excuse because there are levels of graphic detail in the video options for a reason.

I dont see many FPS games that can compete with Half life 2's graphics,

Must be blind bro cus even COD4 blows half life 2 out of the water.

[Deleted]

Source... ain't it that modified Quake engine that run those boring shooters like HL2?

Well, what's the point of this topic anyway? If developers don't like this they can just use something else, For example Unreal is quite friendly to indie developers, as it allows you to create free games for free, or provide you with powerful engine with low investitions ( but not sure how that ridiculous 25% of profit compares to other engines)

And if you really like playing around with stuff ID tech 4 is supposed to go GPL shortly after Rage release.

[minteK917]

Dunno l4d2 with maxed details looks just good to me? I mean we are posting on a mmo-champion, a website thats mostly made of wow players..... a game from blizzard, a company with engines that are always 5-10 years old behind the curve? Sup? I rather have a good game like l4d2, tf2 and get 160 fps and have them look sharp then play crysis 2 with my frame rate going up and down 40-100. Sure the first walktrought single player is fun and its like wow nice gfx..... then you play multiplayer and its just bleh.

[conqq]

Dunno l4d2 with maxed details looks just good to me? I mean we are posting on a mmo-champion, a website thats mostly made of wow players..... a game from blizzard, a company with engines that are always 5-10 years old behind the curve? Sup?

It has artistic style, not realism.

[minteK917]

Must be blind bro cus even COD4 blows half life 2 out of the water.

While this is true for half life 2, the first game on source engine. The more recent valve titles have way high quality gfx then cod 4. Mostly much higher texture resolution and much higher polygon on characters. Better facial and animation technologies as well. I mean cod is running on an even older engine heh?

[conqq]

While this is true for half life 2, the first game on source engine. The more recent valve titles have way high quality gfx then cod 4. Mostly much higher texture resolution and much higher polygon on characters. Better facial and animation technologies as well. I mean cod is running on an even older engine heh?

COD's engine is from 2007, Valve's from 2004.

[minteK917]

It has artistic style, not realism.

Come on now diablo 2...... I mean i played it for years but lets get real. If gfx made a good game, blizzard would be dead last? But we know its just not true.

---------- Post added 2011-08-26 at 06:12 PM ----------

COD's engine is from 2007, Valve's from 2004.

Actually the engine used in cod even now is very, very old. Its a revamp of idtech 3. You know 1999. Just because you add effects to it and stuff doesent make it new. Its basicly the same valves been doing with source adding into it.

[conqq]

Come on now diablo 2...... I mean i played it for years but lets get real. If gfx made a good game, blizzard would be dead last? But we know its just not true.

---------- Post added 2011-08-26 at 06:12 PM ----------



Actually the engine used in cod even now is very, very old. Its a revamp of idtech 3. You know 1999. Just because you add effects to it and stuff doesent make it new. Its basicly the same valves been doing with source adding into it.

I didn't see diablo as "artistic" but more trying to be real, and to today's standard, hasn't aged well AT ALL

[Synche]

Come on now diablo 2...... I mean i played it for years but lets get real. If gfx made a good game, blizzard would be dead last? But we know its just not true.

---------- Post added 2011-08-26 at 06:12 PM ----------



Actually the engine used in cod even now is very, very old. Its a revamp of idtech 3. You know 1999. Just because you add effects to it and stuff doesent make it new. Its basicly the same valves been doing with source adding into it.

I believe for COD4 (and earlier) it used a very heavily modified Quake 3 engine, and believe it continues to do so. Battlefield 3 with Frostbite 2 is THE game that I am looking forward to the most with Skyrim a close second.