Kojima Productions' Decade-Long Commitment to Decima: Unlocking Visual Mastery
Why stick to an engine for a decade? That's the intriguing question surrounding Kojima Productions' unwavering loyalty to Decima, the powerhouse behind the stunning visuals of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. AUTOMATON WEST delves into this unique partnership, exploring the engine's capabilities and the studio's creative vision.
Akio Sakamoto, the chief technology officer at Kojima Productions, reveals the secrets behind the engine's longevity in their workflow. Decima, crafted by Guerrilla Games, has been the foundation for the studio's iconic games, including the highly anticipated sequel to Death Stranding. The engine's ability to deliver hyper-realistic visuals and seamless performance has captivated players and developers alike.
In an exclusive interview, Sakamoto sheds light on their decision-making process. When evaluating Decima, they were impressed by its comprehensive toolkit for open-world game development. While some aspects might not be as user-friendly as commercial engines, Decima's rendering analysis tools and development environment tailored for large-scale projects stood out. This led to the adoption of Decima, a choice that has endured for nearly a decade.
But here's where it gets technical... Sakamoto explains the meticulous process behind creating iconic scenes in Death Stranding 2. For the opening landscape, the team conducted extensive on-site research, gathering reference material to achieve maximum realism. The challenge was in the vast sandstone formations, requiring a massive polygon count of 25 million. Decima's rendering prowess ensured a stable frame rate, even with such complex geometry.
And this is the part most people overlook: the lighting. Sakamoto's team went to great lengths to achieve physically accurate lighting, using actual illuminance measurements. They discovered that traditional GI and SSAO techniques fell short during ambient light-dominated scenes, so they introduced a mid- to long-distance occlusion map to control SkyLight behavior, enhancing image quality.
The sequel's extravagant moving objects, like the fireworks scene, also showcase Decima's stability. Sakamoto reveals that they expanded their particle system from DS1, allowing for more dynamic effects. This system also facilitated experimentation with reflections, adding to the game's visual splendor.
But who gets to work with Decima? Sakamoto clarifies that while programmers are the primary users, they advocate for artists to create shaders too. He emphasizes that game engines offer a plethora of functions beyond visual expression, and every developer at Kojima Productions interacts with Decima in some capacity.
When it comes to modifications, Kojima Productions doesn't shy away from tailoring Decima to their needs. They develop new features and share code-level updates with Guerrilla Games. This collaboration has led to a unique relationship, with Kojima Productions' feedback potentially influencing Guerrilla's engine improvements, as hinted at by the 'Special Thanks' credit in Horizon Forbidden West.
As Death Stranding 2 captivates players on PS5 and soon on PC, the engine's role in crafting immersive experiences becomes even more evident. But the question remains: what's next for Kojima Productions and Decima? Will they continue this partnership, or is there a new engine on the horizon? Share your thoughts below!
