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The evolution of water in video games

December 2nd 2007 18:41
Water is such a common everyday substance - so why is it such an indicator of the realism of a video game?

It's liquid, and it's notoriously difficult to model liquids.... as Bruce Lee said:

"Water is an example of wholeness without form; it can fill any container, and yet it is substance without shape. Because it is formless, it permeates all.... Water can flow, and it can crash!"

There's always a fascination with water, and programming teams spend a lot of time to make it look right. It's taken a long time, but we're finally beginning to see realistic water effects in games.


This post on PCGamesHardware has a slideshow of water in different games over 25 years. You've come a long way, baby!


In '87, California Games was ahead of its time:

California games surfing competition


By 2001, though, water was getting complicated:

Splashdown wakeboarding



In those 14 years, they covered a lot of ground...and then from 2001 to 2007:

Silent hunter beautiful water effects



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