Cell Factor Revolution

Published: 30th May 2007 | Source: Ageia | Price: | Author: Matt Kemp

Introduction

A while ago we took a look at the Ageia PhysX card and came to the conclusion that the idea was great and with the promise of some decent software it could be a great piece of hardware.

Cell Factor is the first title that looks like it may well really take advantage of the card. With some innovative features and physics in a big way, it looks to be a title to show off what the PhysX card can do. I fired it up and got going.

Here's what Ageia, Immersion and Artificial Studios have to say about the game:

Set in a futuristic, industrial war-torn atmosphere, CellFactor: Revolution is an action-packed first-person
shooter with Psi-powered combat and true-to-life physics for the PC. It takes advantage of the capabilities
of the dedicated AGEIA™ PhysX™ processor to produce realistic physics effects and game play
elements including collisions, explosions, complex jointed geometries, fabrics that drape and tare, dense
smoke and liquids, multiple objects and particles, as well as other physical events that offer gamers an
exciting and immersive gaming experience. Gamers with a PhysX accelerator will have access to all five
levels (three utilize extreme PhysX game play) in the campaign mode as well as the multiplayer modes.
The game will automatically detect PCs without a PhysX processor; those players can explore the
multiplayer “skirmish” modes in two environments or choose to install the hardware for a complete game
experience.

In CellFactor: Revolution, gamers can manipulate an immense amount of objects simultaneously, control
vehicles and fight against AI-controlled enemies. Up to 8 players can play in the LAN game play modes.
The multiplayer modes – death match, team death match, assault and capture the flag – are also
playable with one human and up to 10 AI-controlled characters.

So what is the game all about then? Well it's got a number of gameplay modes:

• Assault - the objective is to take the bomb to the enemies’ base and arm it. When
detonated, the bomb emits Psi forces, transforming the area into a psionic vortex as it
pulls objects into a black hole.
• Capture the flag - to capture the flag, players must use Psi powers to move it. If the player
takes the role of the Guardian who does not possess such abilities, he/she needs to ram it
or use different tactics to manipulate the flag.
• Death match – each player fights for himself or herself in a kill or be-killed game. Players
must be aware of a dynamically changing environment and other players bouncing
around the environment due to psionic propulsion.
• Team death match – teams of 2-4

There are five maps in the game, although three of these are only available to those with an Ageia PhysX card. There are also three different characters to play as.

• Two industrial levels with minimal physics are available for all players in skirmish modes.
Proving Grounds is a Psi-power training area and the Fueling Station features a series of
platforms ideal for air vehicle landing in the middle of the ocean.
• Three “extreme PhysX” levels accessible for PhysX users in all modes include:
• Reactor Processing Core – built inside a rock, it features molten metal, bridges over lava
pools, and spider webs on a futuristic machine.
• Weapons System Control – an indoor map full of rooms with a huge cannon.
• Storage Facility – comprised of three huge structures, ideal for driving all the vehicles
available in the game in multiplayer games.

Master the abilities of three unique character classes:

• Bishop - genetically altered by L.I.M.B.O. to hypercharge her psionic powers, she can
manipulate any environmental object to deliver deathblows without weapons.
• Black Ops - this U.N. Soldier was L.I.M.B.O.’s first genetic alteration experiment using
psionic power; he offers a mix of psionic abilities, unique weapons and vehicle abilities.
• Guardian - L.I.M.B.O.’s ultimate mechanical soldier can wield two weapons and strike
his victims down with quick assault

The three characters are actually pretty different with differing abilities and strengths and the maps also all play differently.

Now let's get onto Gameplay...

Most Recent Comments

30-05-2007, 15:21:51

FarFarAway

Cell factor Showcases Ageia's PhysX...but is it any good?

We take a look...

Link

30-05-2007, 15:45:24

Joe

bleh phys processors shoved on a PCi bus are fricking pointless

with multi Core systems becoming the norm these will be made redundant , and quickly.

Even If a game engine is not programmed in Parallel/Smp there could easily be a seperate physics engine running on another core and it and the game engine could talk using a 'software bus'

but nice review ... i may get it (even @ 58% i want a nice looking shooter to play )

30-05-2007, 15:52:43

FarFarAway

And hey - it's free

30-05-2007, 15:59:36

Ham

Tech showcase imo, not a game.

30-05-2007, 16:02:56

Joe

Quote:

Originally Posted by name='Ham'

Tech showcase imo, not a game.

mindless blaster with some flair but yea a showcase of a pointless tech

31-05-2007, 05:21:20

jiffz

Awesome review Kempez - was a good read

Nice to see they are trying to offer real-life physics, where everything is destructible & movable. Do you think newer graphics cards / dual core systems, will be able to cover what the PhysX card is supposed to do?

31-05-2007, 05:23:34

FarFarAway

I don't think so actually. The operations done on the PhysX are pretty complicated and are better suited to either the PhysX card itself or a GPU, rather than a Multi-Purpose CPU with brute force

ATI have shown some pretty tech demo's on this done on the GPU, but nothing solid like a game as of yet

31-05-2007, 05:35:51

jiffz

I did always wonder where the responsibility for physics lie in a system - CPU or GPU. Seems the Phys card can take care of it all. Would be great if games utilised these cards and similar cards were brought out to compete, drive down prices and further develop physics engines.

I'd love a game like DOD:S with a totally destructable enviroment. It would stop some players camping in the same spot (boring) and force them to assess the battlefield in it's current state to find a new spot. You could also make new routes to flank the enemy/objectives. No game would be played the same again!

31-05-2007, 06:11:01

FarFarAway

Agreed mate, would be great

I think a CPU could cope with some Physics, but not on the scale that PhysX/ATI's tech demo's have shown

31-05-2007, 09:30:29

Joe

Quote:

Originally Posted by name='Kempez'

Agreed mate, would be great

I think a CPU could cope with some Physics, but not on the scale that PhysX/ATI's tech demo's have shown

you say that now but wait until intel have 8 cores in ur box ... only 1 being used for the actual game engine / A.I.

31-05-2007, 09:40:39

FarFarAway

Quote:

Originally Posted by name='Joe'

you say that now but wait until intel have 8 cores in ur box ... only 1 being used for the actual game engine / A.I.

In theory yes but hopefully games are going to be using multiple cores.

Plus a GPU has like 128 pipelines or whatever - which is where GPU architecture (and physx) come out on top with physics

Cell Factor Revolution