Platform dependency
It is safe to say that The Witcher 3 is a platform independent game today since is has been realized in mainstream video games consoles such as Xbox one and the PS4 as well as the PC. Even though the Witcher 3 is not platform dependent operating systems wise it is dependent on the architecture of CPU's this is the reason why it was never released for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. The CPU's of the PS4 and the Xbox one uses PC like architecture (x86) which is the same architecture used in most AMD processors for PC. So essentially the new generation consoles are not that far off from PCs, merely Mid-High end gaming PCs with different operating systems. Which Proves that The Witcher 3 is hardware dependent and would not work on platforms that does not have similar architecture or hardware.
Even though this game has been released in all the main steam gaming platforms today it does not play or look the same on all platforms. As you would expect it would play and look better on a Mid-High End gaming PC than on the consoles.The video below shows how it plays on all platforms that the game is released for.
Operating systems used
Operating systems that is used to make the game had to be a 64-bit operating system because Projekt Red used their newly released Red Engine 3 which exclusive to 64 bit systems. Since the engine is 64-bit based so is the game, which is why the minimum requirements for the games requires at least 64- windows 7 to play it. The game is released for MAC OS, Steam OS, PS4, Xbox and Windows. Having a wide range of supported operating systems is crucial when releasing a AAA game like this to get more people using different operating systems to play the game.
Since manual driver updates for games are used among PC players both of the main graphics card manufacturers released drivers that makes all their cards more optimised for The Witcher 3. Nvidia released their Game Ready 352.86 WHQL driver for Witcher 3, this driver included support and optimizations for 4K, Dynamic Super Resolution (DSR), GameStream, GeForce Experience one-click Optimal Playable Settings, G-SYNC, HairWorks, HBAO+, PhysX, and SLI. AMD released catalyst 15.5 Beta which was a more optimized version of catalyst to support Witcher 3 and make it run better. AMD also encouraged players to use their own pre-set setting that can be set using the AMD catalyst control centre than changing them in game. Nvidia's Hair works update especially released for The Witcher 3 is showcased in the video shown below.
Application Software used (Programming)
Application Software used (Programming)
CD Projekt used their latest game engine, the red engine 3 which is only usable with 64-bit systems. This engine was specifically designed to create open world environments, according to CDP Witcher 3's map is 20% bigger than Skyrim map and 35 times bigger than Witcher 2's map. What really makes this engine truly next gen is that CD Project managed to make this massive medieval fantasy world with amazing attention to detail without any loading screens when going to other areas. Red engine 3 manages to have no loading screens by only loading the graphics details that the player would see only when the player is close up to them in the area around the player and loosing minimum details and landscapes in the distance to save memory usage.
Graphical API
The Witcher 3 uses Direct3D 11 which came out with the release of windows 7. This API which is built similar to the design of Direct 3D 10.1 includes new features such as multi threaded rendering and resource creation, compute shader, support for 10level9 feature levels and WARP10 software rendering device. This also features new Direct3D 11 class hardware such as fetaures such as tessellation using hull and domain shader, BC6H and BC7 texure compression formats,shader model 5.0 and dynamic shader linkage. This API is compatible with Direct3D 10 and 10.1 class video cards but some cards may lack support with features such as 10level9 feature levels.
The Witcher 3 uses Direct3D 11 which came out with the release of windows 7. This API which is built similar to the design of Direct 3D 10.1 includes new features such as multi threaded rendering and resource creation, compute shader, support for 10level9 feature levels and WARP10 software rendering device. This also features new Direct3D 11 class hardware such as fetaures such as tessellation using hull and domain shader, BC6H and BC7 texure compression formats,shader model 5.0 and dynamic shader linkage. This API is compatible with Direct3D 10 and 10.1 class video cards but some cards may lack support with features such as 10level9 feature levels.
(http://hothardware.com/articleimages/Item1497/small_SoDx11-Unigine2.jpg)
Sound API
FMOD Studio is a sound designing software or audio engine used for games. FMOD has been implememnted to countless engines such as the RED Engine that was used for Witcher 3. FMOD is developed by firelight technologies which is an industry leader in game audio and middle ware. Fmod has gained a strong reputation for its powerful software mixed architecture and the its ease to use. The many features of the Fmod is showcased in the video shown below.
TV
The PC version of the game has no limits to it's graphical power, this is the only platform that the developers can show the game's full potential since there are no hardware restrictions. A monitor used with a high-end PC can run this game with no frame cap at 4K resolution with higher definition textures, greater draw distances. Since there is no frame cap to the PC version, player can use monitors or TVs with higher refresh rates such as 144hz onwards to see more than the normal 60 frames per second make the game look smoother. The PS4 version of the game runs at 1080p (full HD) frame capped at 30 FPS because of the it's hardware limitations, so any full HD telivision is able the show all the graphics the PS4 can handle. The Xbox one version of the game runs at an even lower 900p resolution at 30fps so same as the PS4 any full HD TV can show the its maximum graphics the Xbox can handle.
Counter Strike : Global Offensive
Platform dependency
Counter was developed by Valve Co-operation and Hidden Path Entertainment and has has always been a game native to Windows and PC. The latest instalment of counter strike was Counter strike : Global offensive which was released in 2012. This was a huge success to valve at time with all the returning original counter strike players who were waiting for a newer counter strike with up to date game play and graphics. Counter strike GO was first released to windows, Mac OS, Steam OS and Linux. Later was released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 but the xbox 360 version did not last long because of the it's control set and was harder to control and play the game to it's full potential so as of 2013 the valve has stopped updating the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game with new content and there is hardly no people playing it. So I would say that as of now Counter strike Global offensive just like all counter strike games before is native to PC.
Operating systems used
Operating systems used to create the game were Windows, linux and Mac OS since the source engine runs on each of those operating systems .Counter strike GO was first released to windows, Mac OS, Steam OS and Linux mainly.
Drivers Needed
No specific extra drivers are needed to run CS:GO because its no exactly a demanding game. All the players has to worry about is the hardware they are using. A DirectX- 9 compatible video card with the support of pixel shader 3.0 is required to run counter strike. The video card manufacturers such as AMD and Nvidia updated the drivers to work with pixel shader 3.0 that will support counters strike and all other 3D games that came in that era. With some computer manufacturers while new systems shipping with Windows Vista will include video cards with WDDM drivers, and new drivers for a number of popular video cards are included in the box, Windows Vista continues to support the ability to use older XPDM drivers for upgrades and corporate editions.
Application Software used (Programming)
Valve and hidden entertainment used the source engine to develop Counter Strike : Global Offensive which came which focussed a lot on real world physics. Source Engine is a 3D game engine developed by Valve. it has unique features such as flexibility, modularity, shader based renderer, accurate lip sync and facial expression technology and very powerful network enabled physics system. The source engine was introduced to the world using a well known game tittle that most PC gamers hold dear to their heart or as I like to call it a master piece, Half Life 2. Half life 2 featured amazing graphics and physics for the time it was released showing off this new amazing engine. The engine also features a multilayer system that supports LAN and internet based games, predicting collision and hit detection which can be very usefull for shooters and also optimized for high latency and packet loss for 56k connections.
Graphical API
The source engine uses Direct3D 9 made by Microsoft as their main graphical API. This version of direct X features a more powerful shader programming models for Direct3D . DirectX 9 was primarily released with the release of Windows Vista. it it happens to be that the Source engine was developed in that era, in order to ensure that they are up to date with graphics Valve implemented DirectX 9 API into the Source engine. To ensure full compatibility with older versions of Windows, some quirks of the old driver model must be emulated even with the new Windows Vista display driver model. Even though this API is old counter strike still manages to keep up to date with graphics with the help of constant updates from VALVE.
Sound API
The Source engine uses Miles sound system for its audio which is one of the most popular pieces of middle ware ever released and has been licensed for over 5000 games. The first version of MSS was released in 1991, the early days of gaming. Today a more updated version of that same software features a no-compromise toolset that integrates high-level sound authoring with 2D and 3D digital audio, featuring streaming, environmental reverb, multistage DSP filtering, and multichannel mixing, and highly-optimized audio decoders (MP3, Ogg and Bink Audio).
TV
Counter strike GO supports resolutions up to Full HD (1080p) on all operating systems and platforms it was released for. But loking at the frame rate there is no frame cap to limit the number of frames you can get in a computer, so the better computer you have the more frames you will have. Most pro players and hardcore gamers by monitors with a higher refresh rate to see more smoother game play with the help of more higher frame rates believing that it would give them and advantage over other players only using monitors that are 60hz where you can only see up to 60fps.
(CS:GO)
Sound API
FMOD Studio is a sound designing software or audio engine used for games. FMOD has been implememnted to countless engines such as the RED Engine that was used for Witcher 3. FMOD is developed by firelight technologies which is an industry leader in game audio and middle ware. Fmod has gained a strong reputation for its powerful software mixed architecture and the its ease to use. The many features of the Fmod is showcased in the video shown below.
TV
The PC version of the game has no limits to it's graphical power, this is the only platform that the developers can show the game's full potential since there are no hardware restrictions. A monitor used with a high-end PC can run this game with no frame cap at 4K resolution with higher definition textures, greater draw distances. Since there is no frame cap to the PC version, player can use monitors or TVs with higher refresh rates such as 144hz onwards to see more than the normal 60 frames per second make the game look smoother. The PS4 version of the game runs at 1080p (full HD) frame capped at 30 FPS because of the it's hardware limitations, so any full HD telivision is able the show all the graphics the PS4 can handle. The Xbox one version of the game runs at an even lower 900p resolution at 30fps so same as the PS4 any full HD TV can show the its maximum graphics the Xbox can handle.
Counter Strike : Global Offensive
Platform dependency
Counter was developed by Valve Co-operation and Hidden Path Entertainment and has has always been a game native to Windows and PC. The latest instalment of counter strike was Counter strike : Global offensive which was released in 2012. This was a huge success to valve at time with all the returning original counter strike players who were waiting for a newer counter strike with up to date game play and graphics. Counter strike GO was first released to windows, Mac OS, Steam OS and Linux. Later was released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 but the xbox 360 version did not last long because of the it's control set and was harder to control and play the game to it's full potential so as of 2013 the valve has stopped updating the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game with new content and there is hardly no people playing it. So I would say that as of now Counter strike Global offensive just like all counter strike games before is native to PC.
Operating systems used
Operating systems used to create the game were Windows, linux and Mac OS since the source engine runs on each of those operating systems .Counter strike GO was first released to windows, Mac OS, Steam OS and Linux mainly.
Drivers Needed
No specific extra drivers are needed to run CS:GO because its no exactly a demanding game. All the players has to worry about is the hardware they are using. A DirectX- 9 compatible video card with the support of pixel shader 3.0 is required to run counter strike. The video card manufacturers such as AMD and Nvidia updated the drivers to work with pixel shader 3.0 that will support counters strike and all other 3D games that came in that era. With some computer manufacturers while new systems shipping with Windows Vista will include video cards with WDDM drivers, and new drivers for a number of popular video cards are included in the box, Windows Vista continues to support the ability to use older XPDM drivers for upgrades and corporate editions.
Application Software used (Programming)
Valve and hidden entertainment used the source engine to develop Counter Strike : Global Offensive which came which focussed a lot on real world physics. Source Engine is a 3D game engine developed by Valve. it has unique features such as flexibility, modularity, shader based renderer, accurate lip sync and facial expression technology and very powerful network enabled physics system. The source engine was introduced to the world using a well known game tittle that most PC gamers hold dear to their heart or as I like to call it a master piece, Half Life 2. Half life 2 featured amazing graphics and physics for the time it was released showing off this new amazing engine. The engine also features a multilayer system that supports LAN and internet based games, predicting collision and hit detection which can be very usefull for shooters and also optimized for high latency and packet loss for 56k connections.
Graphical API
The source engine uses Direct3D 9 made by Microsoft as their main graphical API. This version of direct X features a more powerful shader programming models for Direct3D . DirectX 9 was primarily released with the release of Windows Vista. it it happens to be that the Source engine was developed in that era, in order to ensure that they are up to date with graphics Valve implemented DirectX 9 API into the Source engine. To ensure full compatibility with older versions of Windows, some quirks of the old driver model must be emulated even with the new Windows Vista display driver model. Even though this API is old counter strike still manages to keep up to date with graphics with the help of constant updates from VALVE.
Sound API
The Source engine uses Miles sound system for its audio which is one of the most popular pieces of middle ware ever released and has been licensed for over 5000 games. The first version of MSS was released in 1991, the early days of gaming. Today a more updated version of that same software features a no-compromise toolset that integrates high-level sound authoring with 2D and 3D digital audio, featuring streaming, environmental reverb, multistage DSP filtering, and multichannel mixing, and highly-optimized audio decoders (MP3, Ogg and Bink Audio).
TV
Counter strike GO supports resolutions up to Full HD (1080p) on all operating systems and platforms it was released for. But loking at the frame rate there is no frame cap to limit the number of frames you can get in a computer, so the better computer you have the more frames you will have. Most pro players and hardcore gamers by monitors with a higher refresh rate to see more smoother game play with the help of more higher frame rates believing that it would give them and advantage over other players only using monitors that are 60hz where you can only see up to 60fps.
Sources
(Witcher 3)
(Witcher 3)
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/49364/platform-dependent
http://www.examiner.com/article/possible-witcher-3-tease-with-cd-projekt-red-next-gen-engine-announcement
http://www.pcgamer.com/the-amazing-technology-of-the-witcher-3/
http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/Optimizing-The-Witcher-3.aspx
http://www.geforce.co.uk/whats-new/articles/geforce-352-86-whql-driver-released
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfCbvnDg7-0
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ee417756(v=vs.85).aspx#d3d11
http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/Optimizing-The-Witcher-3.aspx
http://www.geforce.co.uk/whats-new/articles/geforce-352-86-whql-driver-released
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfCbvnDg7-0
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ee417756(v=vs.85).aspx#d3d11
http://www.fmod.org/
http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Witcher-3-PS4-Xbox-One-Framerate-Resolution-Revealed-69722.html
http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Witcher-3-PS4-Xbox-One-Framerate-Resolution-Revealed-69722.html
(CS:GO)
http://store.steampowered.com/app/730/
http://www.develop-online.net/interview/valve-on-source-and-studio-culture/0117030
http://www.moddb.com/engines/source
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ee417756(v=vs.85).aspx#direct3d_9
http://www.radgametools.com/miles.htm
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ee417756(v=vs.85).aspx#direct3d_9
http://www.radgametools.com/miles.htm