Topic: Darwinia updated for Vista

[idolminds]

News

We're delighted to announce that after many months of hard work a Vista version of Darwinia has been released.

Its been a fantastic opportunity, not only because we believe that Darwinia is a perfect addition to the Vista game package but also because it represents a major stepping stone for Introversion to work with one of the major players in the industry. Hopefully this will enable us to work with Microsoft again in the future.

The Vista version of Darwinia is available from the MSN Vista games page, which is really great news since it's such a popular site, and is sure to bring lots of new people to our game. Also getting Darwinia on that page on Vista's launch day is really good news for us.

Vista users will now be able to see the following enhancements to Darwinia:

- Porting of the Darwinia graphics system from OpenGL to DirectX has enabled new and enhanced visual effects, for example, screen warping explosion effects, reflective water, and Darwinian soul 'auras'. We've really gone to town with pixel shader effects and the end result is the best looking version of Darwinia we've ever made.

- Support of the Xbox 360 controller. If you own a 360 controller just plug it into your PC's USB port and Darwinia will pick it up automatically.
- Support of the new Vista parental control system
- Three new Darwinia levels designed by Gary Chambers (Icepick) : Jailbreak, Stronghold and Doomsday
- Availability on both games explorer menu and Vista media centre
- Rich saved games option allowing you to launch Darwinia by double clicking the save game from windows explorer

Work began in June 2006, with Johnny and Gary working to bring the project together. Along the way we also hired Stepan Hrbek to write the advanced DirectX pixel shader effects for this release. It's been a bit of a crazy project with some seriously tight deadlines, but here we are with Vista Darwinia released on Vista's launch day.

Now that this special Vista version is finished, we plan to make a Darwinia patch available to everyone that encorporates all the new features and enhancements we've written. We've got some cool new stuff planned for Darwinia in the future and this is just the beginning.

[sirean_syan]

So in other words, they ported it to Vista, but since they can give everyone these enhancements they don't really need Vista.

At least it'll give them more exposure.

[Pugnate]

They get bragging rights. The first game to be optimized for Vista.

[MysterD]

Are they gonna update it for XP, as well???

[Quemaqua]

Are they gonna update it for XP, as well???

Sometimes you make me sad.

But yeah, this is pretty cool.  Enhancements are awesome!  Now I just need Darwinia.  I feel very bad that I never got around to buying it, but I feel less bad since I ordered physical boxes for both Uplink (which I *RE*-purchased because I lost my old one) and DEFCON and I never received either one.

[MysterD]

Sometimes you make me sad.

Cheer up!

But yeah, this is pretty cool.  Enhancements are awesome!  Now I just need Darwinia.  I feel very bad that I never got around to buying it, but I feel less bad since I ordered physical boxes for both Uplink (which I *RE*-purchased because I lost my old one) and DEFCON and I never received either one.

Do any retail stores sell this game anymore even....?

Can't recall last time I saw it at my local BB or EB/GameStop.

[MysterD]

So in other words, they ported it to Vista, but since they can give everyone these enhancements they don't really need Vista.

I guess just like a game made exclusive to an X-Box or an X360, Vista will get its Vista exclusives....yeah, for a short time period only.

[idolminds]

D, this isnt Vista exclusive.  IV was porting Darwinia to the 360 for XBL Marketplace, meaning they had to do the conversion from openGL to D3D anyway. They've decided to release that update for the PC as well, along with other things like the Vista specific rating system junk. Might as well ride those Vista coattails while you can.

I'm glad they are releasing the update on PC, though. One thing that kinda bothered me was the PC had Marble Blast, then the Xbox got Marble Blast Ultra with more levels and nicer graphics. Those updates never made it back into the PC version (though we have a level editor so theres supposed to be tons of 3rd party maps).

[MysterD]

D, this isnt Vista exclusive.

The patch is...well, for now Vista exclusive....

'Til it gets its XP release of it, which they said they are working on....