Disrupt Engine – The Foundation of Watch Dogs
Dominic Guay, senior producer of Ubisoft Montreal’s Watch Dogs, recently elaborated on the Disrupt Engine, calling it the base of the multiplatform open-world action game, and expanded on how its efficiency allowed for incredible levels of detail and the seamless transition between online and offline gameplay.
Praising the dynamic nature of the world in Watch Dogs, Guay talked about the reactive nature of the environment and characters in the game resulting in more a realistic experience, such as rainfall causing people to open up their umbrellas and wind moving debris around and forcing people to tighten their jackets. Another interesting example is how a car accident would result in a traffic jam, with motorists honking horns or getting out of their vehicles to see what’s going on or even calling up emergency services. What this means is that players can expect an unparalleled level of realism and reactivity in such a dynamic open-world.
Furthermore, NPC’s won’t behave the same throughout the game irrespective of your actions; instead, how you play the game will affect their response to your character. In other words, the citizens of this Chicago look-alike city may turn hostile and call the cops on you, while your face may also be splattered frequently on the news, if you choose a playstyle involving indiscriminate violence (did someone say GTA).
We have already seen a bit of how the multiplayer portion of the game plays out, allowing for a seamless gameplay experience without altering the environment. However, the lack of matchmaking etc and the demonstrated network synchronisation doesn’t mean that anyone can intrude on your game; other players can only enter your game if they accept a contract with your name on it, though you can turn off this connectivity if you prefer a more traditional experience. Guay also reiterated that multiplayer would not be available during story missions, so there’s no need to worry that the online connectivity will disrupt your Watch Dogs experience.
Last but definitely not the least is the flexibility of the Disrupt Engine, allowing the developers to make it accessible for a variety of platforms varying from current-gen consoles such as the Xbox 360 and PS3 to the next-gen ones – Xbox One/PS4. However, better hardware and tech means that next-gen systems will have better shaders, crowd density, particle effects, wind/weather simulation effects etc. Nonetheless, keep in mind that the base game stays the same, and the developers are striving to ensure that the experience is the same for gamers across the board. Want to find out more about Watch Dogs? Click Here!
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