Experts develop "super chip" to improve video gaming

Posted Dec 26, 2007 at 12:00PM by QJ Staff Listed in: Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags: semiconductor
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Computer Chip - Image 1A team of experts from Glasgow University and U.S. Semiconductor Research Corporation are now working on developing a new generation of "super chips" meant to make ultra-realistic video games.

According to them, the silicon chips that are currently being used in computers and gaming consoles already reached the peak of their capabilities, hence the need for the super chips. One of the experts, Professor Iain Thayne from Glasgow University, said:

What gamers want is to develop games that make you feel as though you are part of the synthesised world. It is the silicon chips installed in games consoles which are holding this development back and so by increasing the power of chips, a whole new generation of computer games can be launched.


The project, supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, is set to be completed within three years, and the chips will be ready for use by gaming manufacturers by then.

Aside from gaming consoles, the experts also said that the chips they are working on can be used to extend battery life and increase the speed of various electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, computer, and laptops.

 
 
 

Comments

by Smaniac - 2007-12-26 12:53:26
Development price

Today we already have less than enough good titles because the cost of development has skyrocketed since the first 3D games. Now with this new chips how much will games cost to develop? 100 million? You know, there are other ways to improve games without better hardware. Wii is there to prove that.
by Vecha - 2007-12-26 13:06:21
so?

No one is saying casual/low-graphics gaming should disasppear...but this "super chip" is a good thing. Movies cost of 100 million dollars for the great block-buster. Why can't gaming reach this?
by ISOHaven - 2007-12-26 15:12:32
WTF!?!?!?!?!

Sorry, but that has to be the lamest news article I've read in a while. Super chip? It's super? So anytime a faster processor comes out it's the "super" version? So is the 8800GTX a Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Super Video Card? This article tells us nothing of what the actual chip is. "super chips" meant to make ultra-realistic video games." Oh I see! The "chip" will "make" the video game. Interesting. I always knew we would kill off the developers some day! "What gamers want is to develop games..." Oh really! Hum...that's not what THIS gamer wants! "According to them, the silicon chips that are currently being used in computers and gaming consoles already reached the peak of their capabilities" Every chip that is manufactured has a peak capability. This is not something to "reach". It is what it is and we will always need faster processing as time moves on. "The project, supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, is set to be completed within three years" Ha! In three years, it'll be obsolete. To sum up this news article; they are making a chip that is faster then the last, it's needed and it will be better then it's predecessor. Hum...seeing as how every single processor ever invented fits that exact description, how is this news?
by MisterAV - 2007-12-26 15:40:29
exactly

Your comment is exactly what I thinked about this article.
by Karuto - 2007-12-26 16:53:00
Well..

I agree with everything except for the last bit. This technology won't be obsolete in three years. On the contrary: a lot of today's top technology was spent years developing. For example, the first BluRay prototypes surfaced in 2000. Now, over 7 years later, it's some of the best technology on the market. If anything, something released 3 years prior should be great. But I agree, products such as these are too obvious that they're almost redundant, but I think it's nice to know that there are people out there looking to make the most realistic games out there. However, games will start to look almost identical to one another (too real and it becomes way too uncomfortable to play imho). I think we truly will have to look towards companies like Nintendo and others who try and innovate the gaming industry (even if the games themselves leave something to be desired). Here's to hoping for full VR gaming by 2012!
by brosmooth - 2007-12-26 17:29:55
so true

we dont need better chips powering our consoles we devoted developers who care and like there work and want to take their product to the next lever and really commit to making their game, not just making it for one console and fitting it to others below, or just quickly making a game and trying to get it out as fast as possible And karuto, were not talking about a dvd format here where the format isnt already develpoed, were talking about processors that are already being made and improved, i think in 3 years it would be luckey to compete with the current chips
by ISOHaven - 2007-12-26 17:38:54
WTF!?!?!?!?!

That's the difference between a consumer standard and the actual hardware within. When they started developing BluRay, I guarantee the processor they started using became obsolete before the first BR player hit the consumer market. Some examples: PhysX - By the time this product hit the market and started to actually be used in games, it became obsolete. A high end video card can fly circles around the entire PhysX mission. HD Content - HD started out as 720p and 1080i only. By the time we mandate an HD requirement (2008) both will be obsolete thanks to 1080p. Still used, but obsolete. Cell Processors - The original hardware used to power the PS3 was ditched twice due to it becoming obsolete before the project was ever finished. It happens all the time. People who never learn to "cut the cord" hardly come out with new product. Whatever they are working on will be obsolete before they are done. Basic principals behind it may still be useful however due to Moore's Law it's almost certain (these days) that any new venture will be obsolete if not brought to market within the year.
by anonamoose - 2007-12-26 19:25:27
Again WTF?

Where did you get this info? what are you quoting? who the ***** are you? when did QJ.net's standards get soo low? ALL HAIL KOTAKU.COM!!!
by ISOHaven - 2007-12-27 00:33:37
WTF!?!?!?!?!

Wow! Talk about crap reporting. I got te "real story" on another site. The point to this research has nothing to do with video games. That was just one of MANY examples/applications for the new technologly. The REAL point behind this news is that these new chips will not be silicon based. They don't get into what it's actualy made up of, I assume that's top secret :) Now THAT is interesting news. A real news caption would then read, "Say Good-Bye to the Silicon Valley!"
by Edgama - 2007-12-27 01:45:40
^^

why r u here then?
by shabghai360 - 2007-12-27 03:53:42
The article is too loose.

I have to agree with almost all of the comments made. When offering news it should be a little more specific. We all know that the world will eventually end but just the statement creates argument. A super chip? 3 years development is actually fine if its going into a radical new direction but as an advance upon present tech its way too long. In defense of Developers for games we can see that many games have an advanced graphical capability over past years but a statement that the used tech is already exhausted is arrogant. Some of the last games released for the xbox are equal in their presentation and graphics to many of the games released for the 360. 2 years from now I would estimate that the limits of the 360 and PS3 will have been exhausted but not right now. One interesting point that could be made is that some technology resurfaces and I remember a graphics chip from about 9 years ago that was shelved as its production costs were deemed too high. This was a graphics chip board with an extra programmable memory chip that could be used for storing the coding for graphics engines. Now this could be interesting as it could hold all of the basic codes and instructions for say the "Unreal Engine" this could theoretically speed up processes and allow better use of the console hardware.
by Kingofdaberbz - 2007-12-27 16:24:14
true

I agree,the ps3/360 is already obsolete,but that's how it is with consoles,they can't be upgraded constantly that's how pc gamers get games like Crysis.

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