LogInGet a closer look at the GPU-based cloth and hair simulation, water effects, and more.
After its initial reveal in 2019, Korean developer Pearl Abyss has finally confirmed a release window for Crimson Desert, now set for late 2025. Crimson Desert is a single-player open-world action-adventure game that invites players to explore a rich world brimming with life and intricate detail, following the journey of Kliff and the Greymanes across the vast continent of Pywel.
At last week's Game Developers Conference, the developers shared insights into their proprietary technology, the BlackSpace Engine, built to render expansive open worlds with incredible detail and deliver stunning visual fidelity. Several tech demos have also been released to the public, offering a glimpse of its capabilities.
BlackSpace Engine powers the seamless open world of Crimson Desert, featuring vast terrains populated with intricate objects and structures. The environments support real-time physics and destructibility, along with volumetric fog, real-time lighting, detailed atmospheric scattering effects, and dynamic weather. Ray tracing can also be enabled to further enhance visual realism.
The demo also showcased impressive cloth and hair simulations, with banners flapping in the wind and realistic interactions thanks to advanced collision physics. FFT ocean simulation and shallow water simulation bring water to life, while fluid and froxel raymarching create a realistic fog effect, showing how it swirls as Kliff moves. As natural lighting shifts over time, it influences the fog's density and color, mimicking real-world phenomena.
While the environment is vast, Crimson Desert also features a rich combat system that allows players to shape battles with their own distinctive playstyle. BlackSpace Engine enhances it with detailed hit reactions, physics-based interactions, conveying the weight and impact of each hit, and dynamic environmental collisions, making each encounter unique.
Read VentureBeat's report for more details on BlackSpace Engine and wishlist Crimson Desert on Steam. Join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.