** What would you ask SpeedTree **

[JustinPinter]

I am currently working with SpeedTree on getting an interview set up. What would everyone here like to know about SpeedTree technology and some of the games that they are featured in?

Write your list of questions in a # order. I will go through and pick the best ones. If you can ask technical q's that would be great too.

SpeedTree can be seen in many games from Oblivion to Gothic III to 2 Days 2 Vegas. Its a middleware program that builds realistic forests. Many companies are using this program in next gen games.

Thanks everyone and looking forward to your questions:

[MikeAaronB]

I am currently working with SpeedTree on getting an interview set up. What would everyone here like to know about SpeedTree technology and some of the games that they are featured in?

Write your list of questions in a # order. I will go through and pick the best ones. If you can ask technical q's that would be great too.

SpeedTree can be seen in many games from Oblivion to Gothic III to 2 Days 2 Vegas. Its a middleware program that builds realistic forests. Many companies are using this program in next gen games.

Thanks everyone and looking forward to your questions:

1. In 2 days 2 Vegas, is the environment in one, continuous, streaming world? If not, how is the world set up?

Edit: Um, SpeedTree builds realistic forests, eh? Well, does my question apply to that?

[Panda Bear Shenyu]

Err.. hmm...

-How does Speed Tree work.

-How many different models of trees can speed tree provide.

-In what ways does speedtree improve gameplay, directly or indirectly?

-Does speed tree work well along with other middle wares?

-Will we see repetitive models of trees?

-If you could pick your favourite feature of Speed tree, what would it be.

That's all I can think of so far. I just wanna know how this middleware (which has gotten a lot of publicity) will improve gameplay, I could really careless about the technical stuff. As soon as interviews goes into the mode where devs say: well we could really take advantage of the different SPEs in the PS3 by integrating RSX technology etc. I start to fall asleep.

[Deldwen]

dose the prossesing power of the ps3 hlp speedtree users

[Firefox]

1) First of all can you start of by explaining what Speed Tree is?

2)What are some of the features of Speed Tree? (ex: tree shadows, leaf movement to wind etc...)

3)Who do you think has the better hardware this generation?

4)Which Console do you expect to gain the most market share?

5)What other Advancements are you planning to make in future software releases of Speed Tree as you enter the Next Generation of Gaming?

6)One of the latest games that used speed tree was oblivion, what other games in the future might we expect to have speed tree?

7)Show us the technology behind Speed Tree (ex: video interview/feature)= you (ps3land) should do a video feature.

[Deldwen]

what doses speed tree have over common tree creation tools?

[Firefox]

^dwelden...it would be better if you just edited your post to post more questions.

[wonders1982]

1. Are speedtree tree's destructable? if not, do you plan to make them destructable in a future version?

[JustinPinter]

Good questions.....keep them coming.

Also, if there are any techies out there or if any of you know a lot about SpeedTree, I could use some real technincal q's too.

[MikeAaronB]

Good questions.....keep them coming.

Also, if there are any techies out there or if any of you know a lot about SpeedTree, I could use some real technincal q's too.

In other words, NoUseMercenary is politely telling us that our questions suck.

[JustinPinter]

Your questions were good enough...I am currently writing the interview up and I ahve used some of your guys questions along with some of my own. If there are any more q's post them now.

[MikeAaronB]

2. Since SpeedTree focuses on detailed forests, can we expect any games main setting in a forest using SpeedTree?

[LegendaryArcturus]

1) How easily and customizable can a forest, made up of many trees, be created with specific arrangements?

2) How well can a number of trees be viewed in-game from multiple angles including viewing a large forest from above?

3) Will the trees stay static or can they be seen being pushed back and forth by the wind and appear to be wet during the rain?

4) How well can specific type of lighting be casted on a number of trees that can change their appearance? (Cel-shading, bright light, colored light and stuff)

5) How are the size and shape casted by a tree be determined through numerous factors?

6) How much processing power will be needed to draw a number of trees and their movements on-screen?

7) How efficient is Cell when it come to its processing capability being used for SpeedTree?

What is the difference between PS3's CPU and Xbox 360's CPU when it come to using SpeedTree?

9) How will SpeedTree middleware be improved over time by the SpeedTree developers?

10) Can the branches/leaves be useable in-game like a bird landing on a tree's branch?

11) Can the branches/leaves be changed in realtime like a character pulling out a specific leaf or cutting its branches off?

12) How large is the variety of trees available like having giant trees that aren't simply oversized regular trees?

13) How will SpeedTree be specifically designed to make use of PS3's or Xbox 360's architecture?

14) What are the technical limitations of SpeedTree?

15) Can a game developer create his/her own tree with SpeedTree middleware?

[Lord_Alda]

1) Is the program completely vector-based?

2) What are the advantages (if any) of puting it upon a super-scaler rather then the conventional scaler processor?

3) Are the Developer Kits what you expected them to be?

4) Does it harness any power of the RSX?

5) Is it completely geometry based? Or does it "Cheat" with "painted" textures rather then the real thing?

...And...

6) Any Ageia PhysX compatibility with this tool?

[The Relic]

You’ve got loads of questions this time; these are the only other ones I could think of:

Is speed tree used to create trees at design time or can it be used to generate games procedurally within the games.

Does speed tree allow the complexity of the trees (number of polygons etc) to be reduce automatically if the trees are in the distance, thus increasing the draw distance and reducing the processor load.

If the trees can be generated within the games, will the trees always look the same each time you visit a certain area or will new trees be generated in that area that are slightly different.

If the trees can be generated within the games, can the parallel processing nature of the new generation of consoles help to increase the performance of speedtree, or is speedtree design to be run in a single thread.

Trees are one of the most beautiful natural entitles that we have on this planet. However the appearance of a single tree changes as the season changes.
If the game storyline is base over many seasons will speedtree allow seasons to be simulation by changing the colour of leafs and dropping leafs? Also will speedtree allow snow to fall and settle on leafs & branches, or can it only be used to generate realistic trees if the game is set in warm conditions?

[Lord_Alda]

You’ve got loads of questions this time; these are the only other ones I could think of:

Is speed tree used to create trees at design time or can it be used to generate games procedurally within the games.

Does speed tree allow the complexity of the trees (number of polygons etc) to be reduce automatically if the trees are in the distance, thus increasing the draw distance and reducing the processor load.

If the trees can be generated within the games, will the trees always look the same each time you visit a certain area or will new trees be generated in that area that are slightly different.

If the trees can be generated within the games, can the parallel processing nature of the new generation of consoles help to increase the performance of speedtree, or is speedtree design to be run in a single thread.

Trees are one of the most beautiful natural entitles that we have on this planet. However the appearance of a single tree changes as the season changes.
If the game storyline is base over many seasons will speedtree allow seasons to be simulation by changing the colour of leafs and dropping leafs? Also will speedtree allow snow to fall and settle on leafs & branches, or can it only be used to generate realistic trees if the game is set in warm conditions?

Those are some thick questions, why didn't I do that?

[The Relic]

Lord_Alda wrote

Those are some thick questions, why didn't I do that?

Complement or insult, I really have no idea

[Lord_Alda]

Lord_Alda wrote

Those are some thick questions, why didn't I do that?

Complement or insult, I really have no idea

Compliment...

[The Relic]

Then many thanks, you’re not too bad yourself.

[PS3Owner]

Which PS3 titles are using SpeedTree

[40s]

PS3Land: Trees and other aspects of the enviroment are becoming a big part of destructable sceenery, crysis is one example, do you see an end to indestructable enviroments for most games this generation?

[Lefein]

With proper physics ability in the hardware, will it be possible to emulate tree branches moving and creaking in high wind?

[MiNiMaL_sAnItY]

Every tree will be different, right! Upto which detail will every tree different?

And will every tree be interactive at the same time in a particular area?

[Fekz]

Is it possible for speedtree to implement a life cycle physics system, in which leaves shrivel, or fall off at different time periods in the game?

[Me_Becoming_I]

1) Is the foilage created by SpeedTree based off of sprites overlapped consecutively to create a realistic portrayal of foilage? Or is each piece of foilage created in full polygons much like Metal Gear Solid 3 foilage?