ND: Entire Uncharted source code available to Sony's first parties

Naughty Dog's co-president has revealed that the company is not only happy to work with other developers, but that the entire source code for their first PS3 game is available to all of first-party developers.

[xabmol]

I wonder if they will share with the 2nd party crew?

[heroicjanitor]

The first party titles are very diverse though so maybe it doesn't help some studios much, say Polyphony digital or zipper.

If I worked for Team Ico I would borrow quite heavily :)

Edit: Yeah you're right actually just thinking about if everybody could get rid of loading times and installs(I don't mind installs though). If that could become standard it would be cool

[Raf1k1]

True but I'd be willing to bet the other devs will definitely be checking it out to see how they made use of the PS3s architecture.

You never know what you can learn from something like that until you check it out for yourself.

[FamilyGuy]

Sharing is caring and every 1st party sony dev should be happy about this.

Sonys 1st party games will remain in a league of their own.

[Raf1k1]

I agree. I hope other 1st party devs do the same with their previous games.

[BattleAxe]

Maybe Slant 6 should use the Uncharted Source Code for the next Socom, thats if Slant 6 is still going to be doing Socom after Socom: Confrontation.

[ChozenWoan]

Between Incognito and Naughty Dog sharing code, First party devs are going to be bringing some major heat in the next couple of years. Can't wait to see what Zipper adds to the collection after MAG is released, not to mention if SCE Santa Monica shares their GOW3 code. That would be an epic symphony of code just smacking ppl all over the place.

[menoyou]

Wow, Naughty Dog is amazing. Please support this company! They are helping us get better games from all developers!

[Microsoft Xbox 360]

BattleAxe, I wholeheartedly agree with you. Socom running the Uncharted engine? Damn that would turn heads.

[JL]

@meno

I agree man. ND is awesome and I definitely support them whenever I can. UC2 is day one for me, they can definitely have my full $60. That being said, all Sony's first party are awesome. And I just love and admire the way they work together and always willing to help out to further gaming the way they do. Those are some real developers there.

[el zorro]

I'll say one thing guys, Sony has a great first party.

[hay]

It's like they're giving the complete blueprints of their super awesome rig. In every source code there are solutions. Solutions to problems some devs can have, solutions to improve their engine, solutions to squeeze a bit, solutions to improve engine.
I work with programming and I analyze open source apps if needed. If I would work on a PS3 game and someone would would say: "hey, you can check Uncharted code if you want" I would cry with happiness.

[shawnsl65]

Developer's wet dream.

[ultimolu]

Yeppers.

[Pika-pie]

That is awesome news. Good stuff ND

[JsonHenry]

That is nice.

What about their current code? The new game looks head and shoulders better than the first. Shouldn't they be sharing the current code?

[techie]

"and we plan on doing the same thing when Uncharted 2 ships"

[gambare]

You gotta see the source code, I hope I can upload the screen of it, is amazing and after the optimizations easy to use, they need to share this code to the second party devs, and send a free copy to valve, heck.... that's why valve is talking about rising a team for the PS3 versions, because they SAW this code.

[Foxgod]

what are other developers going to do with the source code ?
Having a source code is only good for making additions to the game, or for porting it.

It would be more useful if they share the engine that game is developed in.

[PotNoodle]

"It would be more useful if they share the engine that game is developed in. "

That is what they are doing... do you even know what they mean when they say "source code" ?

Its helpful because they do get to see how they created their technology in their game engine.

[Greywulf]

Nor do I think you know what an engine is. I think you're going to wiki it though now.

Other developers could make a game. With the s.. nevermind.

[Obama]

I think Foxgod should be ashamed for what he just said.

[Rob0g0rilla]

http://searchsoa.techtarget...

"We're very fortunate to have a great group of first party developers within Sony that we're able to collaborate with. We're frequently exchanging technical ideas and even share some code from time to time,"

"We've even posted the entire source code of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune to Sony's internal severs so that any first party developer can look through it, or borrow from it...and we plan on doing the same thing when Uncharted 2 ships."

[Foxgod]

no you cant, a source code is needed to lets say, port a game from windows to linux.
Or to build a package that can run on a computer, like a setup file.

Or, to look at how someone coded something using a particular engine, but if you dont have the engine, what good is the source code ?

When it comes to the programming in the source code, i dont see why other company's need that either, first party developers generally already have the inhouse knowledge to program games.

And you write graphical effects in your game engines, because those contain the needed info to communicate with the software layers that produce the graphic effects....
Again, a source code is a software product, and you cant make new products with a software product, you need software tools for that, and development kits.

@rob0gorrila,
thank you for posting that, it proofs my point that source code is a product, and not something that can be used to develop.
Unless ofcourse you want to make mods for uncharted.

Do you people really think if someone produces a game in the unreal engine, and then shares the source code to someone that uses the quake engine, that the source code from the unreal engine game will be any use ?
Ofcourse not, the source code from the unreal game can only communicate with the unreal engine, every engine got their own statements...
Source codes are for compiling....

[Greywulf]

You dont know what you're talking about..... Which is clear. You have no programming background. But maybe you can just use deductive logic here...

Why on earth would a developer give someone the "source code"(I quote it as to mean your definition), if all they could do.. is.. make a ...mod.... or porting.. it... to FIRST PARTY developers who would be making their own games, for the PLAYSTATION3?

The source code is UNCHARTED as we know it. The shaders, the animation blending, the streaming, the rendering, spu management, everything. And its open source so to the first party so they can see exactly how Naughty Dog is pulling off its second to none visuals/performance.

You're just.. over here.. ----------->

We need you right here *.

Foxgod,

Unreal engine is open source(wrong).. you can make a game in it right now.. but to license it costs $$$$$$$$$$$$$ which is like 40/50k+. You can download the full sdk/source from the UT3 DVD PC. It will be a 100% independent .exe as well.. if you pay epic that is.

correct, my mistake its not open source aka/free. I mean its free to anyone to develop a game in it right now.. Using the engine/Sourcecode/mapbuilder/t exturemanager/audioediting. But when you want to release it commercially, you have to pay epic.

The source code to the entire engine doesn't contain Models/AudioFiles etc, I didn't say it did. It calls the data, but the way the data is called, is in the source code. Which is why its viable to developers..

[Foxgod]

Again, graphics are programmed and produced by the game engine.
Source code decided how the game plays, not how it looks.

The fact that you claim that the source code contains the graphic effects show that you dont know crap about it, source code contains the code that CALLS the effects rendered by the engine, it CALLS it, it doesnt render it.

The source code contains stuff like, for example: IF nathan_drake performs action1, then run smoke3
The engine, which contains the graphic stuff, and communicates with the graphic layers, then know what to do, and when to do it.

And the unreal engine is not open source, open source means free, the unreal engine is not free, thats why you need a license for it.
Are you telling me that Photoshop is an open source graphic program because you can make stuff in the demo ?

-=Edit=-
And you finally agree that the stuff is called, then you also know that what you see in the source code, is the same as what you see happening on the screen (aka the story, cut scenes, when explosions go off, when smoke occurs, what happens if you press triangle near a vehicle)
Which means you dont need source code, you can just play the damn game, or watch a demo.

[zoneofenders]

Plz...foxgod....you have no idea what you are talking about.....

"Source code decided how the game plays, not how it looks. "WTH?

[Foxgod]

Yep indeed, why else do you think that people make graphical engines ?
To decide stuff like lighting, and shaders, amongst things.
Otherwise they would only need to create a source code.
Which wouldnt make any sense, cause if you program code (aka source code) and you got no engine to call stuff from, then what is actually gonna be compiled in the end ?
Nothing ofcourse, cause the code doesnt go anywhere.

[Greywulf]

The source code alone manages everything. And the way it operates with the SPU's which naughty dog has seemingly perfected. Their methods and code will be used by other developers to incorporate them into their own engines if they like, or they can apparently just lift ND's entire source code and make a clone of the game, minus the assets of course.

No one is saying the source code holds the graphics/textures/models/audio data. You are.

"And you finally agree that the stuff is called, then you also know that what you see in the source code, is the same as what you see happening on the screen (aka the story, cut scenes, when explosions go off, when smoke occurs, what happens if you press triangle near a vehicle)
Which means you dont need source code, you can just play the damn game, or watch a demo."

Whaaa o_O? No.. Not at all...

Basic example incoming:

/**
* The HelloWorldApp class implements an application that
* simply prints "Hello World!" to standard output.
*/
class HelloWorldApp {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello World!"); // Display the string.
}
}

That application would just display the letters "Hello World!" on a blank screen. Say the letters = explostion/cutscene. The source code is what is built behind that event, and it is more complex than just plugging in an event. The source code defines what "system.out.printin" would be. And if you back tracked there would be a bundle of code for the printIn command...

Its far from just wathing a demo, or it will be something that can just swap with different chunks and parts. It is the skeleton that defines the connection between the assets/input/memory management/loading/unloading events... everything.

If you had the Source Code for Uncharted1, you could make the entire game with different assets. But you could also make a racing game if you just simply added a vehicle and whatever other code you'd need.

[Foxgod]

actually, everybody in here is talking graphics, instead of programming.
Which is an incredible misjudgment of the news value in this article.

This article indeed is about the advantage you can have, using the source code, when trying to run your own game.
But having the source code doesnt mean everybody can suddenly produce grapx like naughty dog, cause you still need to have graphical experts, and a good budget.

Imagine handing the source code to, lets say.... Tecmo, their games could run better using the source code, but it sure wont look better.

@below
I am not confusing with a scripting engine, script are 100 % calling.
Source codes however call stuff from the engine as well, namely graphic objects and animations, scripts run on top of all the other programming layers, source code is simply a deeper layer.
Graphics, audio, physics, etch got their own engines.

@ further below,
Your such a dumbass, opensource means its being shared and free to use for anybody who wished to alter it in any way possible.
AKA FREE

[rockleex]

FoxGod is confusing the source code with the scripting engine. If you write a game using Unreal Script in the Unreal Engine, then of course you can't use that Unreal Script code in the Quake Engine. That has nothing to do with source codes.

ND is actually talking about the source code. Source, meaning, C or C++ codes. That means, the source code for the engine, the source code for the scripting system, the source code for the rendering system, the audio system, the animation system, the cutscene system. Basically, all the engines, tools, and systems that were required to make Uncharted.

Yes, without the source code, there would be NO engine for Uncharted.

Again, the source code is all the C or C++ codes used to make Uncharted Engine and the Uncharted game. Do you know what C and C++ are? They're a portable computer programming language. Basically, all games and program uses C and C++. ALL GAMES! Meaning, if someone want to see how Uncharted was done, all they need is to read through the source code. You need to go learn programming before you talk.

[PotNoodle]

"open source means free"

It can do, but not all the time, every time.

The source code is pretty much everything that makes the game, say the game is programmed in C++, they write the game engine in C++, they write the scripting engine in C++, the lighting, the physics, everything.

The programmers will write their own scripting engine for the game, the scripting engine is for other members of the team to write things like missions, quests, etc. In the source code is everything, out in the open in how they built the scripting engine.

"actually, everybody in here is talking graphics, instead of programming. "

This just proves you don't really know what you're talking about.

[rockleex]

Means that their "source code" is open for anyone to look at, modify, take apart, and utilize as they see fit.

[Awookie]

Edit: All these posts and not one person agrees with you i wonder who is right

[Foxgod]

sigh,

could you people plz lookup what a graphical engine does, as opposed to a source code, and then come back.
All the stupid remarks are getting annoying.

And btw, not all engines are written in a game its source code, many devs just buy licenses for existing physic and graphic engines, and put it into their own heap of coding.

@below
K were on one line now, tnx for the lecture, it was fun guys :P
I learned a couple of things, but i also got my point across, kind of.
I love have discussions with 10 people at a time :P

[SuperM]

Game engines have source codes aswell smartass

Way to make a fool of yourself, its not the first time though.

[Tony240ZT]

You're thinking of the higher level scripting languages used by the engine (something like Linden). They're talking about sharing the engine + everything else that makes up the game.

Get over your high horse, people are just trying to be helpful by passing on knowledge.

[PotNoodle]

Right, a game, on the disc is in an execute only state.

To create those execute only files, the source files will be there and compiled into that.

Naughty dog is giving you those source files, in those source files will be thousands of lines of code, in whatever programming language the game is programmed in.

That is what they are giving, the graphical engine is in there, everything is.

Source code isn't the scripting stuff that they use to create the missions and stuff, which is what i think you're getting confused with.

The programmers will write their own engine that recognises a certain commands, which the scripters then use to create the missions, quests, etc.

They are giving the code that they used to create the scripting engine, the graphics engine, everything. Not the scripting.

Please tell me you understand me now?

[mythamp]

Cant believe you guys are trying to teach this kid what "source code" means!!! That is just hilarious, havnt you taken a single computer subject in school yet, fox? Stop making a fool of yourself and go back to feeling good about your modded xbox360 and cheap pirated games ;)

[heroicjanitor]

Foxgod is kind of right. You do call methods from an engine, but the engine itself has source code too, and has to be written. An engine is basically just reusable code which you have written to handle character drawing and physics interactions and stuff.

[PotNoodle]

"many devs just buy licenses for existing physic and graphic engines"

That is correct. However, when you buy a license for this stuff, there will be parts of it that is open source, where the developers can see and change the source code for them to properly adapt it to their games.

They cannot simply just pick it up and plonk it into their game.

Foxgod, i know what you are trying to say and what you are saying isn't wrong, but you are getting things the wrong way around.

[rockleex]

"could you people plz lookup what a graphical engine does, as opposed to a source code, and then come back.
All the stupid remarks are getting annoying."

The graphical engine is one of the many parts of the source code!
They're not separate things. Think about it. What language would the graphical engine be written in? Obviously, C or C++. The codes that you use to wrote the graphical engine in is the source code.

Naughty Dog is giving away this source code, so that other developers can look at the source code of the game engine, the source code of the graphical engine, the source code of the animation engine, etc so that they can copy it or use some of it in their source code for their own engine.

[njr]

This is too funny. If you have the entire source code, then that means you have access to the graphical code...

[bjornbear]

Source code is the interaction between man and machine...its instructions for the machine to read that humans can understand.

It's anything from graphics to physics, and so on. Game engines consist of source code, just like any other software in existance...its basically the code that makes the software.

There are ways of organizing it differently but in essance, its the instructions a coder gives to the machine to interpret =)

Uncharted 2 source code = help other devs understand how to work with PS3, and how to get more out of it, and easily =)

[Serg]

@Foxgod: Thanks for the laugh.

"Just look up what a graphical engine does as opposed to a source code."

The engine IS the source code. Engines are written in C++ (most of them anyway) and then compiled, every program ever made and every program that will be made, including games, operating systems and yes, engines, are made of code segments a.k.a. source code. What do you think is used to create an engine? Wood and metal? Cheap plastic for licensed games? Oh boy.

Simplified: Programming = writing source code.

[Claudinho69]

basicly foxgod is tell you that the engine is made without "codes"...

[thesummerofgeorge]

FoxGod clearly just embarrassed himself by saying developers have no use for the source code and thinks if he talks in circles enough people will get so confused they'll start believing him. You can't dig your way out of this one.

[devilhunterx]

way to self pwn yourself FOXDOG

[mfwahwah]

Let me put it this way Mr. Fox.

Naughty Dog uses EDGE. They give EDGE to everyone.

They give the source code for Uncharted to 1st party devs.

That means that they can use it, per YOUR terms.

Hah.

[Bordel_1900]

LMAO @ FOXGOD

Priceless

[JsonHenry]

Wow. Fox sounds like a total tard trying to argue about something he OBVIOUSLY know next to nothing about..

[techie]

That was amusing lol 59 disagrees. Ha!

[gambare]

"Foxgod - 23 hours ago
PM
Track
Ignore
2 -
what are other developers going to do with the source code ?
Having a source code is only good for making additions to the game, or for porting it.

It would be more useful if they share the engine that game is developed in. "

let's put it this way:

You want to make Pies, and someone who is a master cook gives you a recipe of an apple pie, with that you will know how to make a pie, but not only that, with that you will know the ingredients and you can alter the pie recipe to do something else, even a Cake. but if the master chef gives you the pie, you wouldn't know how to make something different, just the way a pie looks.

pretty much deserved foxy

[Amplitude]

From what i can tell, Foxgod has done programming class with Turing in high school, and is getting hella confused. xD

[xionpunk]

Judging by what we've seen of Uncharted 2, this can only mean good things for future PS3 games.

[sunil]

Old news - this was one of the comments made in the live web chat that happened a couple of days back !

[OmarJA]

Looks like we'll see killer graphical games on the PS3 in the near future.

[maniacmayhem]

Only from first party developers though.
They should just give it away to any one who is interested in making a killer PS3 title.

[Godmars290]

I think they're concerned about it being used for a 360 title.

[Erotic Sheep]

Because the 360 and the PS3 share the same way of programming of course

>_________>

[rockleex]

But Sony already provides EDGE for Third Parties.

EDGE consists of a lot of First and Second Party technology and tools.

[UltimateIdiot911]

This is definitely good news. This can only speed up Sony's first party developer to make games that will utilize the potential of the PS3. Now if only third party use the potential the PS3 offers.

[jerethdagryphon]

i think there using source code as a catch all term

since the engine would have source code
the came would have its own

that they specified all of uncharted, i think there sharing the engine as well

[themyk]

I'm not a spelling Nazi. Nor am I a grammer Nazi.
But my two pet peevs are there their and will well.
U need to use, their.

Not trying to be a d1ck.

[GIJeff]

*hissssssss*

[Dead_Cell]

By doing things like this it's saving time,money and a hell of alot of man hours figuring out how to get things working in a new game when a developer can look at another successful developers blueprint of THERE game and figure out how they made the part of the game there interested in work.
Imagine a full collaboration on an action game.
Polyphonics driving physics expertise.
Guerillas Killzone lighting and character physics.
Insomniacs sublime Resistance 2 multiplayer.
Naughty Dog's voiceover and storyline xpertise from Uncharted.
Dream game if ever there was one.

[Gitaroo]

their JP studio should adopt the engine. Imagine new siren games, syphon filter, all use the engine.

[themyk]

a massive first party development team that loves to share ftw.

[bjornbear]

Co-operation is KEY to success =D and since Naughty Dog nailed programing for the PS3...now theres no excuse for 1st parties....

I'd like to see Gabe Newell's face if he saw the code =P He'd downright burst an artery with the realisation of his stupidity....

[labaronx]

and I wont pretend that I know... but if this means I can have a new SOCOM (single player, coop, multi), and or a new Syphon Filter that looks and plays just as good as Uncharted 2 (i was in the beta), im sold.

[mt]

should be without loading screen because naughty dog are the king of this part .

[Chevalier]

"could you people plz lookup what a graphical engine does, as opposed to a source code, and then come back.
All the stupid remarks are getting annoying. "

Since you know so much about programming why don't you just tell them? You're creating games I presume? You seem to have this inside knowledge on how games are created.

[lagoonalight]

Okay beyond these petty arguments it can be said that this is good because maybe just maybe some dooshie third party will pick the code up and start running with it making exceptions here and bettering it there to make an engine that people actually desire to look at.

[cyclindk]

Only one problem... IT'S THE FREAKING THIRD PARTY DEVS THAT NEED THE HELP!!!

[Stationfan]

Maybe Valve should take the offer instead of complaining about how hard the ps3 architecture is,

[Meryl]

everyone just plz ignore foxgod he obviously does not have a clue what he is going on about, whilst some of it is a lil correct (about buying custom made engines with physics etc in), the rest is complete rubbish i suggest he goes and learn about programming.
and that hello world program is the first program any beginner should pick up, and trust me when it comes to doing 3d programs it gets quite complicated if you don't know what you're doing, i personally have only just learnt how to make a device and load meshes onto a 3d scene and change the camera all from source code, so i got a while to go yet lol (oh btw this is done by direct x for those who are wondering)

[Mister_G]

As a developer myself I know that been given a load of source code is only partly useful... we also need also the documentation and sometimes someone to explain it too.

It's a move in the right direction though since Uncharted is still one of the best PS3 games so far.

[commodore64]

Does this mean all ps3 games will look like cartoons from now on?

[YogiBear]

That was probably the dumbest comment I have read in awhile.

[solidjun5]

you get tons of those from him.

[commodore64]

wow. struck a nerve!
jackpot.

must be true then?

[bjornbear]

what was the point of your comment? To strike a nerve? than what? giggle to yourself at how much attention you get? are you a lonely person? don't your parent's love you? were you abandoned at birth?

Thought so...i feel so sorry for you...../s

[solidjun5]

your stupid comments that is.

[commodore64]

no, my comment was to imply that the graphics in uc look very cartoony.

Of course, it was also my intention to goad replies, to see what level of truth there might be contained in the provocative post.
As it turns out, judging by the angry and caustic replies, there was quite a bit of truth there!

There was no need to get personally offended, which, i guess is difficult for extreme fanboys. But Yeah, i was kind of expecting personal attacks.

Nevertheless, FYI, I have a rich and satisfying social life.
I play music in a commercial band which helps to pay for my university studies in finance and economics.
Oh and my gf keeps me busy elswewhere... ;)

Guess that just leaves the cartoon uc graphics argument.
Glad to be back on topic.

[Meryl]

mister g - yeh if the souce code is very complicated then yes you will need the documentation to go with the source code, otherwise if you are a good enough programmer you will be able to figure it out yourself.

[Valkyre]

HUGE RESPECT!!!

Not many people bust their butts to create something and then share it for free...

so again... RESPECT NAUGHTY DOG!

[donnie-2105]

its a pity naughty dog dont licence its engine to more 2/3rd partys as its the most graphically advanced this gen.i own a xbox360 and ps3 but my primary gaming machine is 360 and the uncharted games are THE ONLY ps3 exclusives i believe the xbox could NOT equal in graphics.it is absolutly superb and not far of what high end graphics cards can produce

[jerethdagryphon]

agreed they should lisence the engine for ps3 games,
but i think there worried about someone using the engine and porting to other systems

[Cunnin-English]

This is nothing but a good thing, ND is one of my favourite developers.

[Ninjamonkey]

Sony did this with the ps2 as well I think.

But theyve definately een doing this throughout this gen.

Also 3rd parties do get some of this as an internal team at sony are always optimising Edge, a developers kit for the ps3.

So 3rd parties do get help, but of course the best stuff is kept for sonys games, to keep their reputation for making the best games for consoles.

[MGRogue2017]

Thats what Microsoft's Game Studios are probably doing also for the Xbox 360.. Like Turn 10 getting help help from other devs like Epic Games & others in order to get Bump Mapping & other tricks into their game Forza Motorsport 3

Point is? Nothing.

Big deal.

[cmrbe]

The source code is the programming code in other words.

So in essence. ND is sharing their programming know how of the PS3 with other devs which is great.

I don't want every PS3 titles to look the same like Uncharted. I want to see unique engines with zero loading times like Uncharted.