@ZOS Microsoft's purchase of Havok (what's this mean for TESO?)

NewBlacksmurf · October 2015

Please read here where is lists TESO

http://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2015/10/02/havok-to-join-microsoft/
Today, we are proud to announce that Microsoft has acquired Havok, the leading provider of 3D physics, from Intel.

As we welcome Havok to the Microsoft family, we will continue to work with developers to create great gaming experiences, and continue to license Havok’s development tools to partners. We believe that Havok is a fantastic addition to Microsoft’s existing tools and platform components for developers, including DirectX 12, Visual Studio and Microsoft Azure.

Havok is an amazing technology supplier in the games industry and the leading real-time physics creator. We saw an opportunity to acquire Havok to deliver great experiences for our fans. Throughout the company’s history, they’ve partnered with Activision, EA, Ubisoft, Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft and many others to create more than 600 games including Halo, Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, Destiny, Dark Souls and The Elder Scrolls.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Havok continues our tradition of empowering developers by providing them with the tools to unleash their creativity to the world. We will continue to innovate for the benefit of development partners. Part of this innovation will include building the most complete cloud service, which we’ve just started to show through games like “Crackdown 3.”

Havok shares Microsoft’s vision for empowering people to create worlds and experiences that have never been seen before, and we look forward to sharing more of this vision in the near future.

Caligamy_ESO · October 2015

Less titles in the future with cross-platform servers would be my guess..

Funkopotamus · October 2015

Maybe they can use it to build a better UI and a /*Gasp* Text Chat BOX! /*unGasp*

But honestly this is decent news for sure.. The game looks great as it is, but as with anything more shiny is good! Though for most of the Elder Scrolls fans we could care less about shiny.. We want lore and quality more than we want shiny!

ontheleftcoast · October 2015

It won't mean much, I think.

Assume the worst, that Microsoft makes the Havok engine an exclusive property for Windows/Xbox. All that will happen is game companies will find another physics engine and migrate to that. And Microsoft will be like the Empire in Star Wars -- the tighter their grip the more software companies will slip thru their fingers.

Basically this is another in a long line of poorly thought out acquisitions from the folks in Redmond. With a few notable exceptions every time they buy a company they end up losing piles of money on it. Look at their purchase of Nokia as a recent example.

NewBlacksmurf · October 2015

This does have some impact on TES and TESO so how could this positively do something.

They didn't buy ZOS it's just the engine so will ZOS choose to do something with this or not?

Gidorick · October 2015

it means that Microsoft is diversifying their portfolio and nothing will change about ESO's Havok implementation.

What does ESO use it for anyway? I see no use of advanced physics in this game.

NewBlacksmurf · October 2015

Gidorick wrote: »

it means that Microsoft is diversifying their portfolio and nothing will change about ESO's Havok implementation.

What does ESO use it for anyway? I see no use of advanced physics in this game.

I thought this was tied to the mega server and combat....I'm blindly hoping for improvement opportunities and stability.

Long shot crazy idea would be PC to Xbox one stuff server wise on win10 devices and dx12

Prof_Bawbag · October 2015

ontheleftcoast wrote: »

It won't mean much, I think.

Assume the worst, that Microsoft makes the Havok engine an exclusive property for Windows/Xbox. All that will happen is game companies will find another physics engine and migrate to that. And Microsoft will be like the Empire in Star Wars -- the tighter their grip the more software companies will slip thru their fingers.

Basically this is another in a long line of poorly thought out acquisitions from the folks in Redmond. With a few notable exceptions every time they buy a company they end up losing piles of money on it. Look at their purchase of Nokia as a recent example.

Edited first part as I misread your post.

The fact they make billions every year means they're doing something right. They did ruin Rare though, along with other dev studios. In the grand scheme of things, this will be peanuts to MS.

BaldusMageezack · October 2015

So now they have amazon cloud and this. Looks like it's time to trade my ps4 for xbone

Gidorick · October 2015

naw @NewBlacksmurf, it's all about physics simulation. From their site:

"Havok’s modular suite of tools and technologies put power in the hands of creators, making sure they can reach new standards of believability and interactivity, while mitigating the overall cost and risks associated with creating today’s leading video games and movies.

Fully multithreaded and cross-platform optimized, Havok’s technologies offer full support for leading game platforms including Xbox One®, the Xbox 360®, PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3, PlayStation Vita®, Wii U, Android™, iOS, Windows® Phone, Windows®, Apple Mac OS and Linux. Other platforms may be available on request."

Their products are:

Havok Physics
Havok Destruction
Havok FX
Havok Cloth
Havok AI
Havok Animation Studio
Havok Vision Engine
Havok Script

Interesting that Havok Script is used by games INSTEAD of LUA... which is what ESO uses. I guess maybe they use Havok AI... maybe Animation Studio.

NewBlacksmurf · October 2015

BaldusMageezack wrote: »

So now they have amazon cloud and this. Looks like it's time to trade my ps4 for xbone

While I'm all for Xbox I'd say hold tight.....I'm not sure that's a good idea

SirJesto · October 2015

Pretty sure Havok was used in the Animation physics of Skyrim.

Egonieser · October 2015

Why is there a Havok engine in ESO in the first place? There is literally no physics in this game, none, so basically it's just useless data cluttering the client, unless someone can point out exactly where does Havok come into play in ESO..? I have seen nothing so far since the first beta...

Maybe some very basic form of ragdoll for the corpses or falls to make it look more realistic would be a start... Nothing too taxing, maybe something along the lines games in 2004 had? We don't need goat simulator, but for gods sake, tamriel is literally a realm of no physics, except for extra strong gravity that pulls you through the very ground...
It's Sheogoraths work, I'm sure of it!

NewBlacksmurf · October 2015

Guys it's literally the Havok logo that pops up every time we run the game PC or consoles

RedTalon · October 2015

They will do the same thing they have always done, make it only for windows/xbox type thing and try to corner the market on some titles.

RedTalon · October 2015

Egonieser wrote: »

Why is there a Havok engine in ESO in the first place? There is literally no physics in this game, none, so basically it's just useless data cluttering the client, unless someone can point out exactly where does Havok come into play in ESO..? I have seen nothing so far since the first beta...

That is the thing that controls when you bump into npcs and a few other things.

That game was more floaty before that got added.

Hiero_Glyph · October 2015

Honestly while the application of such technology is usually beneficial, in regards to multi-platform games the result is almost always catering to the lowest common demnominator. This means if PS4 games are not allowed to license this technology due to being a Microsoft property then ZOS would not be able to employ it just for XB1 unless they are supporting each version individually. Given how limited their resources are currently this seems unlikely so I doubt there would be any change for ESO unless they can manage minor optimization improvements.

NewBlacksmurf · October 2015

RedTalon wrote: »

They will do the same thing they have always done, make it only for windows/xbox type thing and try to corner the market on some titles.

Phil Spencer just said this month that they aren't doing exclusives unless they are helping a dev studio develop so I doubt that has anything to do with this game.

What ideas do you have about TESO ?

Gidorick · October 2015

SirJesto wrote: »

Pretty sure Havok was used in the Animation physics of Skyrim.

Which ones? I don't see any dynamic physics animations. Everything seems very scripted.

RedTalon · October 2015

NewBlacksmurf wrote: »

RedTalon wrote: »

They will do the same thing they have always done, make it only for windows/xbox type thing and try to corner the market on some titles.

Phil Spencer just said this month that they aren't doing exclusives unless they are helping a dev studio develop so I doubt that has anything to do with this game.

What ideas do you have about TESO ?

I don't more concern with future games then ESO, that seems more likely to be the problem.

I am more of the waiting to see if Microsoft keeps its word and such on something, they have a huge mixed track record.

RedTalon · October 2015

Gidorick wrote: »

SirJesto wrote: »

Pretty sure Havok was used in the Animation physics of Skyrim.

Which ones? I don't see any dynamic physics animations. Everything seems very scripted.

http://www.havok.com/havok-product-suite-powers-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/

Egonieser · October 2015

RedTalon wrote: »

Egonieser wrote: »

Why is there a Havok engine in ESO in the first place? There is literally no physics in this game, none, so basically it's just useless data cluttering the client, unless someone can point out exactly where does Havok come into play in ESO..? I have seen nothing so far since the first beta...

That is the thing that controls when you bump into npcs and a few other things.

That game was more floaty before that got added.

Oh yeah i remember. It's good cuz now we have the luxury of getting stuck on 2inch stones. I'm sure they could've achieved that without havok though, probably easier and cheaper this way.

RedTalon · October 2015

Egonieser wrote: »

RedTalon wrote: »

Egonieser wrote: »

Why is there a Havok engine in ESO in the first place? There is literally no physics in this game, none, so basically it's just useless data cluttering the client, unless someone can point out exactly where does Havok come into play in ESO..? I have seen nothing so far since the first beta...

That is the thing that controls when you bump into npcs and a few other things.

That game was more floaty before that got added.

Oh yeah i remember. It's good cuz now we have the luxury of getting stuck on 2inch stones. I'm sure they could've achieved that without havok though, probably easier and cheaper this way.

Yeah horses are still full of fun times.

Gidorick · October 2015

RedTalon wrote: »

Gidorick wrote: »

SirJesto wrote: »

Pretty sure Havok was used in the Animation physics of Skyrim.

Which ones? I don't see any dynamic physics animations. Everything seems very scripted.

http://www.havok.com/havok-product-suite-powers-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/

dats about Skyrim. but I would guess that the same applies "The Havok Behavior Tool provides a wide palette of tuning features allowing Animators to refine locomotion and combat sequences for realistic transitions between walking, running and jogging."

RedTalon · October 2015

Gidorick wrote: »

RedTalon wrote: »

Gidorick wrote: »

SirJesto wrote: »

Pretty sure Havok was used in the Animation physics of Skyrim.

Which ones? I don't see any dynamic physics animations. Everything seems very scripted.

http://www.havok.com/havok-product-suite-powers-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/

dats about Skyrim. but I would guess that the same applies "The Havok Behavior Tool provides a wide palette of tuning features allowing Animators to refine locomotion and combat sequences for realistic transitions between walking, running and jogging."

Yeah multiforuming not good at it, but the thing they use is from havok is more the AI colliusion, and evirotmental collusion, along with the way weapons strike to sum up the basics, only one is animations

For ESO

firstdecan · October 2015

RedTalon wrote: »

They will do the same thing they have always done, make it only for windows/xbox type thing and try to corner the market on some titles.

Doubtful. MS is all about getting their products on every platform now. Just look at Cortana and office, both are available for every popular consumer OS.

Havoc will probably get rolled into a 3D development suite, something along the lines of DX or .NET. Whatever they release will be for Windows first, but android / iOS / and *nix won't be far behind. It'll end up being used for 'commoditized 3D modeling' and will probably be the underpinning of a standardized 'virtual environment language' for VR applications.

The effect on this game will be negligible.

SeptimusDova · October 2015

Created by Havok

LordSemaj · October 2015

SeptimusDova wrote: »

Created by Havok

You now owe Microsoft $50,000 in licensing fees.

SeptimusDova · October 2015

@LordSemaj
Shhh

Sausage · October 2015

Minecraft 2.0. And laugh all the way to the bank.

Gidorick · October 2015

Sausage wrote: »

Minecraft 2.0. And laugh all the way to the bank.

Minecraft with Havok physics....