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We learned from a recent Gamasutra article that BioWare has licensed Umbra occlusion culling technology for use in multiple titles, including Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect. This adds to the growing list of relatively high profile third party technology being utilized in BioWare products, and could be another interesting point of conversation in the constant debate about graphics in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Normally a computer’s graphics processing unit, or GPU, renders each aspect of the immediate environment with the same intricacy, meaning that items outside of your field of view are still drawing significant system resources. Umbra’s occlusion culling technology is designed to let the GPU know what parts of the environment a player is actively looking at, allowing it to reduce the polygon count in unseen areas, minimizing the strain on the processor. Freeing up these resources could increase a games visual complexity, or as Gamasutra’s Chris Remo puts it:
In theory, developers can directly use that rendering advantage to allow for a higher polygon budget.
Umbra’s technology can currently be seen in Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures and the up coming Guild Wars 2. Although many MMO gamers were not impressed with AoC as a whole, few could argue with the quality of its visual presentation which is assisted in some manner by the occlusion culling tech. While the publicized use of Umbra’s technology in BioWare titles is limited to Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect, they also state that BioWare plans on using it in “other future titles.”
This last piece about “future titles” is promising to many who are waiting for The Old Republic. The debate over the visual fidelity of TOR’s stylized realism has been around since the games art direction was announced over a year ago, and, even though recent media has been more impressive, some still worry about the quality of the graphics. Umbra is an interesting addition to BioWare’s arsenal, but it should be noted that there currently isn’t any information, positive or negative, regarding its possible use in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
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[...] BioWare Licenses Graphic Tech from Umbra [...]
Creating a 3D game without a culling system is nearly unimaginable. The benefits from using something like this are substantial. Games have been using technology like this for a long time. If Bioware doesn’t use this engine, they would have to get it from somewhere else or write it themselves(which might cost more in resources than buying the licence).
Personally, I like the direction the art & graphics has been taking. The only thing i had issue with was the telephone pole lightsabers.
if this can make it better w00t. i just hope they dont try to make it Crysis realistic or make it Borderlands cartoony.
It’s perfect just the way it is. They need to keep it like WoW’s art; soothing to the eye & smooth (but not blurry). Just higher res textures since this is a game launching in 2010 after all.
& i really hope they have full body sliders like SWG did, it would feel really restricted if every1 looked the same w/ just diff faces & haircuts.
Although this is far from conclusive, the Jedi Knight screenshots do show two Jedi Knights with slightly different body types. This could be body sliders, choosing from a few types (thin, normal, muscular), or just an optical illusion because of the clothing. We’ll let you know if we find out.
Dont forget round. There have been a few NPCs we have seen suggesting less than fit characters.
Also take a look at the difference in size of the BH and the Sith Warrior in the flashpoint kill/spare the captain vid. Both human player characters and both visibly different.
I’ve been apprehensive about using them as a reference because of the armor on the BH and the fact that they are different classes. He certainly looks a lot more muscular, but it could be related to something else. However we know the two Jedi Knights are governed by the same class traits so it seems more promising.
I recomended to go on http://www.heroengine.com/character-systems in free time
There be three video clips about character creation. Maybe they are tools for developers, but I think it’s positive premise, that engine is very elastic.
I, like many, saw a lot of promise in those videos after the Hero Engine announcement was made, but it was a bit discouraging when the responce to character creation question was, “It will be like WoW.”
I will be very disappointed if it is anything like WoW’s art.
This may seem weird, but personally I find TORs graphics as the best I’ve seen in any video game! I just love how smooth and shiny they are!!
I kinda agree for a pc game, they are way better then WoW’s.
excellent wrap up. Hopefully they ll be careful with the graphics its 1 of the most important thing in game though the story, content and much more will be greater than any other usual mmo. I am just crossing my fingers and sit down because there still at least 8-10 months away from launch:)
Maybe same additional hint is that: http://www.umbrasoftware.com/index.php?page=umbra Like you see in “Integrations” paragraph they point, that theirs technology is pre-integrate into Hero Engine
So I think this is positive clue. Besides this technology is much more desired in MMO where everything what could save hardware and net bandwith is welcome 
Nice find Pinio.
“Using Umbra™ with these engines is as easy as flipping a switch!”
Lets just hope that the heavily modified Hero Engine that Bioware is using will still be compatible with Umbra.
Great find.
My only concern is shared with Zoidberg, with all of the changes made to the engine it might not be as easily integrated as when the Hero Engine was unaltered.
http://darthhater.com/2009/09/18/the-hero-engine-may-have-some-growing-pains/
I don’t know exactly how this technology works, but:
1 – it’s used with so many engines,
2 – this type of software is easy to add, it don’t have to be pre-integratet as I think – in many games you could find lists of working toogether technologies, so the changes in Hero Engine probably can’t interrupt. This engine has integreted e.g. Speedtree which also is external technology, and it was used in Oblivion, Dragon Age… look on its website – it work in so many games founded on many different engines, so we possibly haven’t to worry about engine changes.
Too many “engine” words. I know