Video: Geomerics showcases real-time global illumination for Sony’s PS4

Geomerics has posted two videos showcasing its next-gen real-time Enlighten global illumination tech for Sony’s PlayStation 4 (PS4).

According to Geomerics founder Chris Doran, the technology will allow the addition of “cinematographic film practices to dynamic immersive worlds,” with Sony’s PlayStation 4 its first supported next-gen platform.

“We are delighted to be working on PlayStation 4. The hardware is everything we were hoping for in a next generation console, and a huge step forward from the current generation,” said Doran.

“Real-time global illumination was a big deal for games running on the current generation of hardware, but it required developers to make some compromises. With PlayStation 4, those days are behind us. We can finally unleash the full power of Enlighten, and allow game developers working on PlayStation 4 games to bring far deeper levels of dynamism and quality to game lighting. We cannot wait to see what developers produce with Enlighten.”

In related PS4 news, Sony’s upcoming console has won praise from industry heavyweight Sega, with COO Toshihiro Nagoshi offering a ringing endorsement of the system’s “hi-def” specs.

“I’ve been in this industry for 23 years, but compared to the past, modern specs are like a dream come true,” he said.

“At the same time, though, there are lots of issues with getting those dreams to expand to their peak as much as we can, so there is some nervousness checking the excitement I feel. I definitely realize that gamers will want to see those dreams realized as much as possible.”

The PS4 is powered by an AMD CPU and GPU. According to reports, the console boasts 8 x86-64 CPU cores, while the GPU is based on the next-gen Radeon graphics engine, capable of 1.84 teraflops of performance power. Because it is an APU, both the CPU and GPU reside on the same physical die, sharing 8GB of GDDR5 memory.

The console is also packaged with a redesigned controller that features a touchpad on the front, a share button, a headphone jack, a light bar for player identification and tech to sense a player’s depth and 3D position.