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Snowdrop (game engine)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Snowdrop
Developer(s)
Written inC++
Platform
LicenseProprietary
Websitewww.massive.se/project/snowdrop-engine/

Snowdrop(also known asUbisoft Snowdrop) is a proprietarygame enginecreated byMassive EntertainmentandUbisoftfor use onMicrosoft Windows,PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Xbox One,Xbox Series X/S,Nintendo Switch,Stadia,andLuna.It was revealed at E3 2013 withTom Clancy's The Division,the first game using the engine.[1][2]Snowdrop is one of the primary game engines used by Ubisoft along withDisrupt,Dunia,andUbisoft Anvil.[3]

History

[edit]

The engine is coded mainly inC++.[4]Rodrigo Cortes, former brand art director atMassive Entertainment,said that development on the Snowdrop engine started in 2009.[5]Initially it was an engine built for PC and next-gen development to "do things better not bigger".[6]The core of the game engine is powered by a "node-based system" and the engine is a dynamic, interconnected and flexible system where developers can create their assets quickly and interact with them in ways that have never been done before.[7][8]Massive created a lighting and destruction system inspired by film production techniques.[9][10]Features of Snowdrop include advancedphysically based rendering(PBR) and a dynamicglobal illuminationsystem.[11]

According to the developers, the engine was designed with three pillars: Empowerment, which allows animators, artists and designers to get their work done quicker, Real Time, which allows developers to implement and iterate quickly and Fun, a concept that applies not only to the final product, but to using the engine during development.[12][13]An improved version of the engine was used forTom Clancy's The Division 2.[14][15]

In February 2016, Massive confirmed that the engine can be used for other Ubisoft games.[16][17]According to Martin Hultberg, head of IP at Ubisoft Massive, Snowdrop became available to all Ubisoft studios and not just those working on theTom Clancy'sIP.[18][19]These games includeSouth Park: The Fractured but Whole,[20]Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle,[21]andStarlink: Battle for Atlas.[22]In June 2021, Ubisoft confirmed that the engine will be upgraded forAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora.[23][24]According to senior technical artist Kunal Luthra, thousands of assets can be propagated inside of each frame to create more highly detailed environments. The engine would also support real-time ray tracing as well as improved AI behavior forNPCs.[25][26]Snowdrop will also be used forStar Wars Outlaws,[27][28]and the remake ofTom Clancy's Splinter Cell.[29][30]Ubisoft announced they will continue to upscale and develop the engine.[31]

Features

[edit]

Features of Snowdrop include:[32]

  • Node-based scripting system
  • Realistic day and night change
  • Global volumetric lighting
  • Procedural destruction
  • 'Advanced' particle system and visual effects
  • Dynamic material shader
  • Live stat tracking

Games using Snowdrop

[edit]
Year Title Platform(s) Developer(s) Ref.
2016 Tom Clancy's The Division PlayStation 4,Windows,Xbox One Massive Entertainment [5]
2017 Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Nintendo Switch Ubisoft Milan [21]
South Park: The Fractured but Whole Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One Ubisoft San Francisco [20]
2018 Starlink: Battle for Atlas Ubisoft Toronto [22]
2019 Tom Clancy's The Division 2 PlayStation 4,Stadia,Windows, Xbox One Massive Entertainment [15]
2022 Rabbids: Party of Legends Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Stadia, Windows, Xbox One Ubisoft Chengdu [33]
Rocksmith+ Android,iOS,PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Windows Ubisoft San Francisco [34]
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Nintendo Switch Ubisoft Milan [35]
2023 The Settlers: New Allies Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One,Xbox Series X/S Ubisoft Düsseldorf [36]
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S Massive Entertainment [23]
2024 XDefiant Ubisoft San Francisco [37]
Star Wars Outlaws Massive Entertainment [27]
— Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell — Ubisoft Toronto [29]

Cancelled

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References

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  1. ^"'The Division' Trailer Highlights Snowdrop Engine ".Game Rant.7 December 2013.
  2. ^"The Division's VGX trailer shows off Snowdrop engine".Polygon.8 December 2013.
  3. ^"Why Ubisoft Ditched Unreal in Favor of Its Own Proprietary Tech".IGN.16 September 2017.
  4. ^"Ubisoft's Open-World Star Wars: Snowdrop Engine Details and Past Games".Game Rant.8 May 2022.
  5. ^ab"The Division's Snowdrop Engine has been in development for 5 years".VideoGamer.1 April 2014.
  6. ^"The Division: Snowdrop engine designed" to do things better, not bigger, "Ubisoft details tech in new blog".VG247.24 March 2014.
  7. ^"Here's The Division's amazing game engine in action".Polygon.19 March 2014.
  8. ^"The Division's Snowdrop Engine" Capable of Creating Large Range of Varied Universes "".GamingBolt.24 March 2014.
  9. ^"Ubisoft shows off Snowdrop engine with help from Tom Clancy's 'The Division'".Engadget.9 December 2013.
  10. ^"The Division video shows procedural destruction and lighting in the Snowdrop Engine".PCGamesN.8 December 2013.
  11. ^"The Division Graphics Tech Detailed: PBR, Dynamic GI With Real-Time Bounce Lighting".GamingBolt.13 January 2016.
  12. ^"The Division's Snowdrop engine makes game development fun".Polygon.9 December 2013.
  13. ^"The Division's Snowdrop Engine Allows for Dynamic Destruction, Designed for Next-Gen".GamingBolt.9 December 2013.
  14. ^"The Division 2 announced, will be powered by Snowdrop Engine and will be present at E3 2018".DSOGaming.8 March 2018.
  15. ^ab"The Division 2 is currently in the works at Massive Entertainment, more to come at E3 2018".VG247.8 March 2018.
  16. ^"The Division's Snowdrop engine could be used in other Ubisoft games like Assassin's Creed".PCGamesN.20 February 2016.
  17. ^"Massive Entertainment's Snowdrop Engine May Be Used In Other Ubisoft Games".DSOGaming.20 February 2016.
  18. ^"Ubisoft's next-gen Snowdrop engine powers The Division, and now more".TweakTown.21 February 2016.
  19. ^"The Division's Snowdrop engine and Dark Zone design could be used in other Ubi games".VG247.22 February 2016.
  20. ^ab"Art Design Deep Dive: Getting official South Park art into The Fractured But Whole".Game Developer.14 December 2017.
  21. ^ab"Mario + Rabbids is Switch's unlikeliest tech showcase".Eurogamer.11 September 2017.
  22. ^ab"New Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora trailer details upgrades to Snowdrop engine".Digital Trends.24 June 2021.
  23. ^"Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora tech showcase details improvements made to Snowdrop engine".VG247.25 June 2021.
  24. ^"Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora Looks Beautifully Alien In New Snowdrop Engine Tech Showcase".GameSpot.24 June 2021.
  25. ^"Ubisoft showcases improvements made to The Division's engine for its next-gen Avatar game".Video Games Chronicle.25 June 2021.
  26. ^ab"Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws Open-World Game Debuts At Xbox Showcase".GameSpot.12 June 2023.
  27. ^"First 'Star Wars Outlaws' gameplay trailer offers 10 minutes of scoundrel wish fulfillment".Engadget.13 June 2023.
  28. ^ab"A Splinter Cell remake is in development at Ubisoft Toronto".Polygon.15 December 2021.
  29. ^"Ubisoft announces Splinter Cell remake".Eurogamer.15 December 2021.
  30. ^"Ubisoft scaling Anvil, Snowdrop engines to flex next-gen consoles".TweakTown.31 March 2021.
  31. ^"Snowdrop Game Engine: What You Need To Know About Ubisoft's Secret Weapon".gamedesigning.org.4 July 2023.
  32. ^"《 phong cuồng thỏ tử: Kỳ ngộ phái đối 》 tân tuyên truyện phiến du hí ngoạn pháp cập đặc sắc giới thiệu".Sohu(in Chinese). August 6, 2020. Archived fromthe originalon January 18, 2022.RetrievedJuly 4,2024.
  33. ^"Snowdrop — Rocksmith+".Ubisoft.RetrievedJuly 4,2024.
  34. ^Behan, Daire (June 12, 2021)."Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Revealed for 2022 Release".Game Rant.RetrievedJuly 4,2024.
  35. ^Skrebels, Joe (August 21, 2018)."Ubisoft Announces New Settlers Game".IGN.RetrievedJuly 4,2024.
  36. ^Goroff, Michael (July 19, 2021)."Tom Clancy's XDefiant is new free-to-play, class-based shooter from Ubisoft".Electronic Gaming Monthly.RetrievedJuly 4,2024.
  37. ^Khan, Zarmena (November 27, 2023)."The Division: Heartland Release Date News Might Come Soon".PlayStation LifeStyle.RetrievedJuly 4,2024.
  38. ^Valentine, Rebekah (May 15, 2024)."Ubisoft Cancels The Division Heartland".IGN.RetrievedJuly 4,2024.
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