More and more developers have the PS5 dev kits these days and can therefore share their first experience with them. So also the Hitman developer IO Interactive, who have recently commented on the possibilities of the ray tracing technology that is coming to the PS5.
As lighting artist Stefania Hernandez explains, a lot of trickery has been used in the past to create realistic lighting in the game worlds. With ray tracing technology, this is now obsolete and you can instantly implement significantly more accurate lighting.
"With the technology of the current generation, many in-game reflections are carried out with 'reflection spheres' that are not very precise. When we insert a light into a scene, we add additional light bounces to make it look believable. The new ray tracing technology, on the other hand, generates precise light reflections, reflections and shadows that emphasize many details in 3D environments. This makes the overall picture much more realistic. "
Hernandez emphasizes that the lighting in a game is essential for creating the perfect mood. Also, the quality of rendered scenes is now much closer again.
“The lighting plays a big role in creating the mood and the feel of the game. I think this can help the player have an even more intense gaming experience. I also believe that we are now approaching a point where it will be possible to create a visual gaming experience that is much closer to what is currently only achieved through pre-rendered scenes. ”
Marco Barrettara from Ubisoft Toronto also agrees, who believes that the photorealistic visuals of the next generation will be equivalent to what can already be seen in current animated films and VFX shots.
The PS5 will be on the market towards the end of 2020.
