Assignment 1: Unit 70 Game engines

Game engine 

A game engine is the software that allows people to create, code and run games. The game engine is supported by the computers operating system and the operating system by the computers hardware. there are multiple game engines all offering different mechanics and performs levels

Frostbite Engine

The Frostbite engine was created by Electronic Arts(EA) and is most notably used for the Battlefield games which where created by EA Digital Illusions CE also know as DICE. The newest version of the engine is Frostbite 3 and was first used for Battlefield 4. The engine runs on three primary components FrostEd, Runtime and Back end services. FrostEd is a desktop program that allows the developers to create games in realtime workflow and runtime allows then to code the games.They also cover animation, audio and cinematics. The Frostbite engine is only used by EA and was update to run real time strategy games along with racing games FPS games and even sports games. The best thing about the Frostbite engine is its ability to add more detail and even destructible environments. The physics engine in this engine is brilliant and has amazing rag doll physics to watch as you take a rocket to the face. The rag doll system can be kinda over the top at times but adds a lot to the games.


Unity

The Unity Engine is a cross platform game engine mainly used to create mobile apps as well as PC games. A lot of games have been made using the unity including Firewatch, Kerbal space program and Hatotful boyfriend. The latest version of the Unity engine 5 and it included many different objects available for you to use as well as its own physics engine and a new lighting system. The Unity engine can work on 21 platforms including Wii U and Xbox as well as mobiles unity is one of the biggest game engines used today. Unity also has a top of the line physics engine which allows for designers to add a physics engine without having to programme it in themselves allowing for more time to work on things like graphics. Unity also can be used to make mutiple types of games ranging from first person shooters to racing games.

Unreal

The latest Unreal engine is Unreal 4 and was developed by Epic games Unreal 4 contains better graphics and new objects. The Unreal engine has changed quite a bit since the original which was first used for a game called Unreal when it came out in 1998. Unreal 2 came out in 2002 and completely redesigned the engine as well as adding a brand new level editor into the engine. The first game to come out using this engine was America's Army which just so happens to be a game made by the american government. Unreal 4 is the latest version is far more advanced. It came out in 2012 after being expected of 2008. They took many steps to make it far easier to change things like health and bullet damage using tools allowing many new people to use Unreal easier. Unreal also runs its own script but it is only compatible with unreal and no other engines

CryEngine

The CryEngine is a game engine developed by the German game company Crytek. Some games to use CryEngine are Sniper Ghost Warrior 2 and SNOW. CryEngine has multiple different versions all with their own upgrades. In the first version of CryEngine was used to make Far cry. After they updated it for CryEngine 1.2 it was improved with better graphics and 1.3 add a lighting component. The next version of the CryEngine was 2 and was used in Crysis and later and updated version was used for a DLC in the game. CryEngine 3 had even better graphics and was used to make Crysis 2. The CryEngine have many features like high quailty 3D water, an AI editing system, a time of day system and lighting systems.Tools are also provided for animation and scripting as well as object creation and graphics rendering.

Comparison 

Each of the Game engines I have wrote about each have there own pros and cons but the one big thing I have noticed Is that the engines available to everyone can be used across more platforms than the engines that can only be used by certain companies as well as being able to make lots of different types of game like platformers and space shooters. The Frostbite engine has its own qualities like breakable objects and walls as well as being able to make the environments far more detailed than that of the unreal and unity engines. In my opinion The unreal engine is still better than that of the Frostbite engine as it can do far more than the frostbite engine and still with brilliant graphics. CryEngine is also a engine that can only be used by one company and although it has multiple features it is not as detailed as frostbite and cannot make as much types of game as unreal making it slightly worse than both.

Information was gained from :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_(game_engine)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unreal_Engine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CryEngine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frostbite_(game_engine)