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SAGE engine

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The SAGE engine (or Strategy Action Game Engine) is a game engine used by Westwood Studios and Electronic Arts for real-time strategy games.

The first version of the engine was known as W3D ("Westwood 3D") was highly modified version of SurRender 3D engine, developed by Hybrid Graphics Ltd.

Westwood used W3D for Emperor: Battle for Dune and updated for Command & Conquer: Renegade.

After Westwood was bought by Electronic Arts the engine was further updated for Command & Conquer: Generals, and renamed to SAGE. The rendering part remains nearly identical to the W3D engine, but most other elements have been redesigned from the ground up.

The SAGE engine allows for dynamic lighting that casts realistic shadows and realistic reflections on most objects. High quality visual effects are now possible with the SAGE engine powering games. One example of a unique effect is the stop-motion camera. Blow up a gas station, for example, and the action will freeze in mid-explosion, and the camera will quickly pan around the environment, revealing pieces of debris and shrapnel suspended in the air, before the action promptly resumes. The SAGE engine also allows games to take place during different times of the day, with realistic lighting and shadow changes, etc.

A new, highly modified version is now used to power Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars.

Games with the W3D engine

Games with the SAGE engine

References



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Last updated on Saturday February 16, 2008 at 04:39:12 PST (GMT -0800)
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