Max Payne Engine Uncloaked

Finland-based Remedy Entertainment has been working on its MAX-FX Technology since 1997 and today released some of the details that you'll see when the first game to feature the engine, Max Payne, releases to gamers.

MAX-FX features radiosity lighting for photo-realistic lighting in an environment, exit optimization using a portals approach for smoother gameplay, a particle system to allow for volumetric effects like smoke and fire, and skeletal animation for characters.

The engine is also focused only on 3D hardware without a software rendering environment much like the rest of the industry and will optimize the engine for use with Direct X 6.0-enabled 3D accelerators. MAX-FX includes support for TCP/IP networked-based multiplayer gaming, DirectSound 3D audio, and Force Feedback.

Although it is talking about the power of its engine, Remedy says that it isn't licensing the engine... yet. "We want to stay 100 percent focused on developing Max Payne to be the triple-A killer action title that everyone is now expecting," comments Samuli Syvahuoko, Remedy's managing director. "We will release further information on licensing details early next year," Syvahuoko continues.

Creating games on the MAX-FX should be easy with the tools the Remedy has developed. Once Max Payne is released, the company will release the game-editing tools to the public so creative gamers can create levels of their own. Here's a listing of the editors:

MaxED - Level editor, used to create realistic gameplay environments seen in Max Payne. MaxED combines an easy-to-use interface and powerful editing and modeling tools with WYSIWYG editing, thus being one of the most powerful editors around.

ParticleFX - Particle editor can be used in editing and manipulating particle systems that can be used to create special effects such as smoke, fire, water, and explosions.

ActorFX - The actor editor lets the user wrap custom-made meshes over existing bone setups. ActorFX also makes it possible to create smooth-moving surfaces (such as clothing) on actors.