REDengine
| Logo used for REDengine 3. Logo used for REDengine 3. | |
| Original author(s) | Tomek Wójcik Bartek Wroński Balázs Török |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | CD Projekt Red |
| Initial release | May 2011 |
| Engine | |
| Platform | Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch |
| Type | Game engine |
| License | Proprietary |
Search REDengine on Amazon.
REDengine is a game engine developed by CD Projekt Red exclusively for their nonlinear role-playing video games.[1] It is the replacement of the Aurora Engine CD Projekt Red had previously licensed from BioWare for the development of The Witcher.
Features
REDengine is portable across 32- and 64-bit software platforms and runs under Microsoft Windows.[1] The engine was first put into use in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings for Microsoft Windows.[2] REDengine 2, an updated version of the engine used in The Witcher 2,[1] expanded support to Xbox 360[3] as well as both OS X[4] and Linux; however, these ports relied on a compatibility layer called eON, similar in function to Wine. REDengine 3 marked a significant shift, having been designed exclusively for 64-bit software platforms, while also extending native support to PlayStation 4[5] and Xbox One.
Versions
REDengine 2
REDengine 2 relied on established middleware solutions to handle key technical components, using Havok for physics simulation, Scaleform GFx for the user interface, and FMOD for audio processing.[6] This version of the engine also powered the Xbox 360 port of The Witcher 2.[7]
REDengine 3
REDengine 3 was built specifically for 64-bit software platforms, reflecting CD Projekt Red's ambition to support the demands of large-scale open world[1] game design, most notably for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Among its key advancements, the engine introduced substantial improvements to facial and general animation systems.[1] Lighting effects were also refined, eliminating earlier issues with reduced contrast ratio.[1] Additionally, REDengine 3 added support for volumetric effects, enabling more realistic rendering of clouds, mist, fog, smoke, and other particle-based phenomena. The engine further supports high-resolution textures and texture mapping, dynamic physics simulation, and an advanced lip-syncing system for dialogue—though limitations in texture streaming mean high-resolution textures aren't always consistently applied.
The engine's renderer was built with flexibility in mind, supporting both deferred and forward+ rendering pipelines.[1] This flexibility enables a broad range of cinematic visual effects, including bokeh-style depth-of-field, color grading, and lens flares generated from multiple light sources.[1]
The terrain system within REDengine 3 makes use of tessellation and layered materials, allowing different surface types to be blended together seamlessly.[1]
REDengine 4
Cyberpunk 2077 is set to run on REDengine 4, representing the next major iteration of the engine.[8]
This new version introduces support for ray-traced global illumination and related lighting techniques, with this capability being a key visual feature of Cyberpunk 2077.[9]
Games using REDengine
| Version | Title | Release date | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings | 17 May 2011 | |
| 2 | The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition | 17 April 2012 | |
| 3 | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 19 May 2015 | [2] |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition | 15 October 2019 | [3] | |
| 4 | Cyberpunk 2077 | 17 September 2020 | [4] |
References
- ↑ "CDPRED: "RED Engine 3 is a revolution in RPGs"". IGN. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ "No More Lurking In The Shadows: The Witcher 3 Released". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ Reichert, Corinne. "The Witcher 3 is now out on Nintendo Switch". CNET. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
- ↑ "Get ready. We have a city to burn. #Cyberpunk2077 16.04.2020". Twitter. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
This article "REDengine" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:REDengine. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
