Develop Terragen for Playstation?

[Volker Harun]

In my point of view, the PS3 is mighty enough to run TG2, I doubt that most users of a PS3 will be patient enough on the other hand.

In 1988 I was laughing at friends using such a silly device like a mouse as I assumed to be faster with keyboard shortcuts ( most times I am) and a joystick. But what I learned a few years later is - not do underestimate the capabilities of an input device and its ongoing developments (just thinking of the controllers of the Wii and the controllerless input of the XBox).

Besides of this many people using a PS and its pad are capable to do amazing stuff by using different combinations of buttons and so on ... I have Stephen Hawkins in mind ... in his wheelchair doing all this complex maths using a joystick ... if he had a the capability to use a modern pad and the time for TG2, I bet he would be faster than any other of us, using the GUI. ,-)

At least for me ... most time developing scenes (I do not say rendering) in TG2 is moving my mouse, either to swap from one gtoup to another, selecting nodes, going to a special tab, zooming in the node network and so on ... Having a joystick to navigate through the groups and nodes could be fun

Regards,
Volker

[gregsandor]

Most of my time in TG is going back and forth from TG2 to TG .09, to my paint program, to my 3d modeler, back to TG2, back to the internet to look something up, using the calculator or modifying in WorldMachine or other sculpting tools, etc.  There are so many other tools and file directories I use alongside TG that to try to work with it on any system that didn't run them all would be useless to me.

[ArchitekOGP]

Yh obviously something like Photoshop etc would be impossible with a joypad, I just figured for newer users like me the standalone software developed specifically for PS3 use would work well the im not sure about how well it would sell to the average users. There is also the Playstation move, the PS3 can even use a keyboard and mouse so its deffinatly not impossible interms of input devices. I guess this concept wont be very popular at the current time but if you think how now days most people are familiar with Photoshop sooner or later alot of people will have a good understanding of 3D and software such as Terragen may be alot more accessible, maybe once a Terragen 3 is out and the PS4 released Terragen 2 could be sold on the PS4.

[ajcgi]

...obviously gaming is usually a 3D enviroment so this kind of software shouldnt be to strange for new users.

I see your logic in this statement, but it's really basic. Many of my friends aren't into 3d graphics, visual effects or any other digital artform, yet they'll happily pick up and play 3d video games. Most people are able to grasp moving around a 3d space, driving a virtual car, chatting to virtual people etc, because they live in a 3d world, driving a real car, chatting to people face to face. The translation from passively experiencing an immersive environment to actively creating it is a tricky one for most.
Even if TG was on PS3, the user base would be tiny in comparison to those using it on a computer. So in that respect I'm with the other posters. The idea is sound, but it could fail at the first hurdle, the users.
However, development issues aside (the cell processor isn't the simplest of beasts to code for from what I have read in the past) a cluster of PS3s running full tilt has the potential to render very fast. But again, so do the 8 core render machines we use here.

Overall, I see your point, but it's the wrong tool for the job IMO.

[rcallicotte]

LOL

I was thinking about a version for the iphone as well, what do you think? You can use the touchscreen to move the sliders up and down.

My only concern would be how long the battery would last though.

[ArchitekOGP]

I get your point although I was refering to users using map editors which is a very primitive way of creating in 3D which I figured would be a good source of inspiration for developing more advanced skills in the area. Also I still dont see why the IPhone is being referenced, perhaps there isnt much of a userbase for a PS3 version of Terragen but the PS3 is a computer in its own right is it not? Comparing the IPhone with PS3 is like comparing a jet fighter with a remote control plane . If your just refering to "moving the sliders" that is a generalisation on my part lol, but alot of the basics could translate into a basic version on the console. But I agree the userbase is not suitable for such a product, even a watered down version. Im not trying to argue that I still think its a good idea by the way as I agree the idea wouldnt work. I never thought Planetside would actually implement this, it was just an idea and something I would of liked to see purely to gain interest in the concept of Terragen leading to buying the PC version with the full array of tools.

I still do believe however that some day down the line Terragen type software and gaming will become very close, sooner or later PC Games and consoles will have the power to render photo realistic scenes in realtime and with all the developement Terragen do I dont see why a platform such as Terragen wouldnt be an ideal tool for developers to utilise. Im not talking about using a highfield and sky box seperatly by the way which I know is already possible.