(二)引擎评估:Lithtech简介

“Lithtech”引擎是Monolith公司（现LithTech公司）耗时5年，耗资700万美元，开发而成的。1998年LithTech引擎的第一个版本推出之后立即引起了业界的主意，为当时处于白热化状态下的《雷神之锤2》vs.《虚幻》之争泼了一盆冷水。 采用LithTech第一代引擎制作的游戏包括《血兆2》和《清醒》（Sanity）等。2000年LithTech的2.0版本和2.5版本，加入了骨骼动画和高级地形系统，给人留下深刻印象的《无人永生》（No One Lives Forever）以及即将上市的《全球行动》（Global Operations）采用的就是LithTech 2.5引擎，此时的LithTech已经从一名有益的补充者变成了一款同Quake III和Unreal Tournament平起平坐的引擎。如今LithTech引擎的3.0版本也已经发布，并且衍生出了“木星”（Jupiter）、“鹰爪”（Talon）、“深蓝”（Cobalt）和“探索”（Discovery）四大系统，其中“鹰爪”被用于开发《异形大战掠夺者2》（Alien Vs. Predator 2），“木星”将用于《无人永生2》的开发，“深蓝”用于开发PS2版《无人永生》。有业内人士评价：用lithtech引擎加速的游戏，无一例外地都是3D类游戏的顶尖之作。

Powering No One Lives Forever 2, TRON 2.0 and numerous other games produced by developers in North America, Asia, and Europe, Jupiter is a comprehensive set of tools and technologies that gives developers wanting to push the envelope the power to create high performance, immersive games for the PC and Xbox.

AuthorTouchdown Entertainment, Inc.Graphics APIDirectXOperating SystemsWindows, XboxProgramming LanguageC/C++StatusProductive/StableDocumentationYesFeaturesGeneral FeaturesObject-Oriented Design, Save/Load System: Scripting•The Command Editor is a powerful management tool that lets developers efficiently create spectacular cinematic effects and events with DEdit. By using commands, level designers can set key frames, start specific cinematic events, and more accurately place and time events within the context of the game. In addition, this tool allows the designer to control camera locations, script character movements, and trigger a variety of visual effects as the player’s character interacts with the game’s environment.•Includes a convenient in-game debugging tool that delivers immediate access to data for AI paths, nodes, attributes and game states, which empowers levels designers to independently debug a variety of game systems.Built-in Editors•DEdit allows level designers to create dynamic 3D environments, worlds, and levels through one easy-to-use tool, including all structures, lighting, and textures. The level designer uses DEdit to populate the world with objects and interactive items. DEdit also includes a convenient real-time lighting preview feature.•RenderStyles are custom pixel and vertex shaders that are developed within game code and leverage specific platform capabilities. These effects range from cartoon shaders to bump mapping. The RenderStyles editor features a GUI that is used to design and view custom effects in real time.•ModelEdit ensures models will be optimized to interact correctly with environments and other objects. Artists can also use ModelEdit to define specific properties, assign texture IDs, attach objects to models and manipulate animation data.•FxEd is used to create and modify visual effects. The tool enables the creation of in-game visual effects without requiring a recompile, thereby increasing the efficiency of the design and implementation of special effects.PhysicsBasic Physics, Collision Detection, Rigid Body: LightingPer-vertex, Per-pixel, Lightmapping, Gloss maps, Anisotropic: ShadowsShadow Mapping, Projected planar: TexturingBasic, Multi-texturing, Bumpmapping, Mipmapping, Projected: ShadersVertex, Pixel: Scene ManagementGeneral, Portals, Occlusion Culling, LOD: AnimationKeyframe Animation, Skeletal Animation, Facial Animation, Animation Blending: MeshesMesh Loading, Skinning, Progressive: Special EffectsEnvironment Mapping, Lens Flares, Billboarding, Particle System, Sky, Water, Fire, Explosion, Decals, Fog, Weather: TerrainRendering: Networking SystemClient-Server, Peer-to-Peer, Master Server: Sound & Video2D Sound, 3D Sound: Artificial IntelligencePathfinding, Decision Making, Finite State Machines, Scripted: RenderingFixed-function, Render-to-Texture: