App features Unreal Engine 3

Epic Games has already released an app demonstrating the graphics capabilities of the upcoming Project Sword game that was announced alongside the fourth-generation iPod touch. The tech demo, Epic Citadel, utilizes Unreal Engine 3 to render a medieval town in great detail. Users can simply tramp through streets and over bridges to enjoy the scenery, which includes flying flags, birds in the sky, and individual shadows on leaves and trees.

The graphics engine brings fairly advanced features to the iOS platform, including normal mapped architecture for various surfaces. Scenes are also rendered using bump offset mapping for intricate textures, along with texture blending for roads and terrain.

Dynamic specular lighting is said to help make realistic cobblestone roads and reflective marble surfaces, while scenes are also enhanced with lens flares and light coronas. Reflections can also be seen on the statue inside of the cathedral.

Epic Citadel is now available as a free download for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, and the third- or fourth-generation iPod touch. Project Sword is expected to be released in time for the holidays. The company has also released an Unreal Development Kit that provides the same tools that were used to create the demo app.

by MacNN Staff