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Voxel Processing
For the graphics, the game will use voxels. Otherwise known as volume pixels - pixels with height, width and length. These alternatives to pixels have been used in games such as Comanche, Outcast, Hexplore and Blade Runner. Since Blade Runner, Westwood's voxel technology has improved and Dynamic Phong-Shaded voxels (DPS) will be used in C&C2. This will allow more three-dimensional shapes and more units on the screen at once without slowing the game down. Voxels will be used for units, explosions and any other moving objects in-game and all will be in beautiful coloured lit 16-bit 3D!In strategy games, hundreds of units may be on the screen at once. If polygons are used they must be constantly recalculated everytime they move - this slows the game down. Because of this the units will be slow unless they're only made up of very few polygons, so detail must be compromised for speed, or vice versa. But the story is different with voxels. Once they are rendered into RAM, they are very quick to re-draw. This means, units can be smooth and detailed - without losing speed when many units are displayed at one time.
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Game Physics
The game physics have been much improved also. In previous C&C games the effect of a shot from, for example a mammoth tank, was chosen by a randomly generated number that had to be in a certain range. However, in Tiberian Sun it is calculated using physical variables (eg. weight, flammability of the material, height, etc...) Based on these facts Tiberian Sun doesn't only calculate the trajectory of a projectile for every shot, it also calculates the circumstances and the consequences of the impact.
Unit Animation
Erik Yeo, Westwood's Senior Game Designer and Ex-designer of C&C2, says: "We've been able to add quaternion-based motion to our DPS to get very realistic unit movement"
Because of all this Tiberian Sun will look stunning. Turrets will rotate and thrust backwards when they fire. They will bump when going up hills and because of the voxel system units will be much more unique, ornate and characterized than in previous games.
Artificial Intelligence
The AI of the game has been greatly improved. It uses a combination of scripted battle tactics and learning. The enemy will learn from past experiences and the consequences of its own past actions. This means you won't be able to use the same strategies over and over again. Later missions will be much more difficult as the computer will have a vast database of all your tactics! Your own units will now think for themselves. For example, if a harvester is sent into a hostile area, it will warn you about it and retreat automatically unless you tell it otherwise. If Tiberium has been exhausted in an area, it will inform you, letting you reassign it quickly and efficiently. The unit experience system has also been added to make the game more realistic.
System Requirements
However, despite all these graphical achievements, C&C2 will not require a 3D card to run. Westwood are trying to make it possible to run on as many PCs as possible - good news for all of us without $100s to spend on our PCs!
Click here for the technical requirements
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