Lozruet Gravemind, on 27 February 2016 - 01:33 PM, said:
I dont know that much about CryEngine or some other engines but Id guess it depends on how different CryEngine 4 handles things and how different the tools for using it are. If they are significantly different to MWOs current engine, which is the 1st itteration of CryEngine if I remember, then it would be the same as going to an entirely different engine.
As much as Russ gets flak I HIGHLY doubt he would of said its just as easy to switch engines unless that was the actual case. Switching engines is no small thing to consider internally, let alone let nearly 1200 people know in a Stream that you know is going up on Youtube and then be talked about in your forums.
well here's the thing. PGI has openly admitted that cryengine was a bear for them to work with because they didn't have the expertise with it.
Converting to a new engine isn't a minor issue by any means, but if it means they would switch to an engine they're more comfortable with, have better support options with, and can convert it will increase the dev cycles exponentially. It's easier to come up with more efficient workflow processes, as well as adds a "comfort" level for experimenting.
It's not always about the "best", it's about the best for the dev team. We're in the process of converting our entire operating system at work, the old system is just that, old and a bit antiquated and not really all that efficient, but because it is a system I know efficiently, I've been able to come up with personal workflow processes that increase my productivity because I'm comfortable and knowledgeable with the processes.
The new system may be "better" and "more efficient', but our workflow and productivity will dip at the early stages while we, as workers, become more familiar and knowledgeable with the new system.
'It's the same principle here only in reverse. Cryengine was that new engine that, based on PGI's specs, ability to run the game on lower end systems, compatibility, etc. but the team had very little experience with it. So they're trying to figure out a new system while developing for a live game and then a commercially launched game. If they can move to another engine that they are more familiar with, it has potential to turnaround this glacial dev process we've had