(Idea) new graphics engine

[wburton72]

Minetest should swap irrelicht with this other engine called Horde3d.

Horde overview:

Horde3D is a small open source 3D rendering engine. It is written in an effort to create a graphics engine that offers the stunning visual effects expected in next-generation games while at the same time being as lightweight and conceptually clean as possible. Horde3D has a simple and intuitive interface accessible from virtually any programming language and is particularly suitable for rendering large crowds of animated characters in next-generation quality.

Link: http://www.horde3d.org/home.html

[PilzAdam]

Does Horde3D run on all platforms that Minetest currently runs on (pretty much all platforms that Irrlicht runs on)?
Does Horde3D have GUI support like Irrlicht?
Do you know anyone who would rewrite Minetest to use Horde3D?

[Inocudom]

I fear that rewriting Minetest for another game engine (even Horde3D) would be too stressful of an effort. Before the developers can even consider this, the pros and cons of such a development change must be evaluated. Very thoroughly.

[sfan5]

This would require a complete rewrite of all code that uses things from Irrlicht.
Nobody wants to do that, soo...

[hoodedice]

Plus, it hasn't been updated in *ages* Still a beta.

[BlauerEisRegen]

It is quiet nice, but the name is "Next Generation Graphics Engine".
So what about minetest running on older PC's?

[hoodedice]

It is quiet nice, but the name is "Next Generation Graphics Engine".
So what about minetest running on older PC's?

Won't make a difference. Optimize it and anything can run that. The only thing here that we're talking about is that devs do not have enough time to port it to another language, nor do we see the benefits of such a move.

[BlauerEisRegen]

It is quiet nice, but the name is "Next Generation Graphics Engine".
So what about minetest running on older PC's?

Won't make a difference. Optimize it and anything can run that. The only thing here that we're talking about is that devs do not have enough time to port it to another language, nor do we see the benefits of such a move.

Isn't there any program, which can do this?
Wich gamehas this engine?

[rubenwardy]

This would be too much effort.

Just keep Irrlicht.

[BlauerEisRegen]

This would be too much effort.

Just keep Irrlicht.

Isn't it as simple as compiling?

[Evergreen]

This would be too much effort.

Just keep Irrlicht.

Isn't it as simple as compiling?

You sir, are wrong.

[hoodedice]

This would be too much effort.

Just keep Irrlicht.

Isn't it as simple as compiling?

It is simple as making BATTLEFIELD 3. From scratch. Alone.

[BlauerEisRegen]

This would be too much effort.

Just keep Irrlicht.

Isn't it as simple as compiling?

It is simple as making BATTLEFIELD 3. From scratch. Alone.

REALLY??
Okay, that would cost too much time?
But isn't there somebody who can make this? It doesn't matter how much time that costs!

[Jordach]

Isn't it as simple as compiling?

It is simple as making BATTLEFIELD 3. From scratch. Alone.

REALLY??
Okay, that would cost too much time?
But isn't there somebody who can make this? It doesn't matter how much time that costs!

Probably not, you'd have to rewrite the animated node code, rewrite the nodeboxes, forcing all mods to be incompatible with the newer engine.

You'd also might get unforseen bugs that Irrlicht had fixed a long time ago.

[PilzAdam]

rewrite the nodeboxes, forcing all mods to be incompatible with the newer engine.

Umm... there is no need to change the API if you switch the graphic engine.

[hoodedice]

Isn't it as simple as compiling?

It is simple as making BATTLEFIELD 3. From scratch. Alone.

REALLY??
Okay, that would cost too much time?
But isn't there somebody who can make this? It doesn't matter how much time that costs!

Windows is accepted across the minetest community and the Linux community at large as being the single most bloated, heavy and dirty OS ever. Windows is written in C++, assembly and a couple of other languages. Now, C++ and assembly are very fast, C++ because it runs in native code, and assembly, because it is processed directly. Now you may say that Windows should be written in assembly only. That will make it run very fast in the worst of hardware. But do developers do that? No. Choosing assembly takes a truck load of time and no one can commit to that. So even if a potential improvement is there, it is dropped in the favour of realism, and simplicity.

Back on minetest, the developers have made tons of months of effort into making an 'engine'. This engine, however is based on Irrlicht. Now to change core engine, one would have to port the ENTIRE MINETEST SOURCE CODE to the new engine. And with so many pending bugs and feature requests, devs are being realistic and continuing with Irrlicht. And by the way, a project that is alive and undergoing active development is obviously better than one which hasn't been updated in months.



Oh, and one last thing. Open Source. You. Do. What. The. Fudge. You. Want. To.

Why don't you port minetest to another engine? Or to java, so we can have an android app? These aren't bad ideas, and if you want, go ahead and do it. Actions speak louder than blank silent black UTF-8 encoded Roman script on a white background.