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The evolution of fire in PC games - Update

Fire is a fascinating element and used a lot in PC games. PC Games Hardware roams through 19 years of pixel fire in PC games.

Those games are on fire. (Fallout 3: 2008) [Source: view picture gallery]

The graphical presentation of fire proves to be rather difficult. However, with modern graphics cards impressive results are achievable. We take a look back on 19 years of fire in PC games.

Fire is used in games in many different ways. A torch illuminates the surroundings and the destructive power of fire is also shown a lot. The areas of application are numerous and modern games offer amazing solutions in illustrating fire. Even the light that is thrown by fire is calculated in real-time nowadays.

PC Games Hardware takes a look back to the development of fire in games and presents pictures of animated bitmaps from the 90s up to 3D accelerated DX10 flames of the latest games. Do you have a favorite concerning fire? Please tell us in the commentaries and let us know which fire presentation you liked most.

Update: August 7, 2009
For this update, we have integrated new screenshots of new and old games and also corrected some of the subtitles. In the gallery below you can now find pictures of for example:

• Bionic Commando
• Trine
• Call of Juarez: Bound in blood
• Divinity 2: Ego Draconis
• Dragon Age: Origins

Interesting links about games histories:
• The sky in games - development from 1984 until 2009
• PCGH Special: Reflections in games
• PCGH Special: Monsters in PC games
• PCGH Special: The best explosions in computer games

Picture gallery

(enlarge to view source)

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Author: Andreas Link (Aug 07, 2009)

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Ar.Pi

Re: The evolution of fire in PC games - Update

Senior Member

19.03.2009 03:46

Love these articles. Thanks

Is this really a fire?

www.pcgameshardware.com/s...

When i first saw C&C General's atom bomb effect, it blew me away. I think best fire is in World in Conflict and that says a lot for an RTS game! Where is Supreme Commander's entry?

Fire in Source games looks nice. Far Cry 2 fire is great, but, at times, it looks out of place, like its an overlay. They need to implement it better.

Editorial fixes needed:
Image 30 - Painkiller Overdose was released only in 2007.
Image 34 - Starcraft 2004? common

Image 43 - Screen is, prolly, from Battle for Middle-earth II (the first was released in 2004).
Image 54 - Unreal Tournament 3 - Dupe (image 51).

btw, which game is the cover screenshot from?

Suicidal360Flip	Re: The evolution of fire in PC games - Update
Junior Member 18.03.2009 00:06	imo some of the images that had explosions just didnt justify the quality of the fires in the game
Junior Member 18.03.2009 00:06

chizow	Re: The evolution of fire in PC games - Update
Senior Member 17.03.2009 21:26	Nice gallery, although I really thought GTA4's fire and explosions were particularly well done.
Senior Member 17.03.2009 21:26

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