Gallery: Yes, Your PC Can Generate Graphics This Stunning
01valley1
In the ongoing quest for truly realistic videogame graphics, some have taken to [spending thousands of dollars and developing hundreds of mods](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2013/03/skyrim-mods/) to achieve more perfect visuals. But you can get a taste of next-gen graphics without going to all that trouble, thanks to [the free-to-download Valley Benchmark tech demo from Unigine Corp](http://unigine.com/products/valley/), available now for PC, Mac and Linux. The demo, based its maker's proprietary game engine, renders a gorgeous, 64 million square meter mountain range that can be explored freely. It's little more than a hiking simulator at the moment, but one that might just leave you shocked by what your machine can handle. Run the app and it kicks off with an automated flyover sequence of the simulated valley, rendering mountains, trees and even grass 10 kilometers away and hundreds of feet below. It looks and feels like a pre-rendered cut scene, but click the "camera mode" button at any point and you're given the ability to literally drop into the world with full freedom of movement. My MacBook Pro Retina was only able to push the game at about 20 fps on "ultra" settings, but Unigine Corp. CEO Denis Shergin says that even weak machines should be able to run Valley Benchmark on low settings and still look impressive. "The Valley runs at 15 FPS even on Macbook Air," Shergin says, "but you can find a rig for less than $1000 to run the benchmark smoothly." Shergin says his company made the demo primarily to attract developers. "We definitely would love to see more open world games based on our engine," he said. For now, Uningine is promoting its product as a tool for running vehicle simulations. In June the company first revealed its next project, a modified, [even bigger version of Valley Benchmark with a built-in helicopter simulator](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VixkiuuFIlA). Read on to see more screens from the Valley Benchmark demo, or [download the demo for your PC, Mac, or Linux machine](http://unigine.com/products/valley/) for free.
02valley3
Ten kilometers is already an almost unheard-of draw distance for modern game engines, but newer versions of Unigine can display objects up to 40 km away from players. This comes at a price, of course. Valley Benchmark helpfully displays the current temperature of your GPU while you play, and my MacBook's GPU shot up to nearly 185 degrees Fahrenheit when I cranked up the weather, draw distance and graphics quality in the demo. It's probably a good thing that this is just eye candy, rather than a game with Skyrim levels of addictiveness.
03valley2
Shergin touts Valley Benchmark's dynamic weather system, which users of the demo can freely control. Here, light generated by a simulated sun pierces through a thin sheet of rain. Users can tweak wind speed, clouds, rain, or time of day. At the mildest settings, the valley is calm and sunny, but you can generate full-on lightning storms if you want.
04valley4
Trees are perhaps Unigine's biggest weak point in its current form. They look stunning from a bird's eye view, but drop down and walk directly up to one and you'll notice blurry textures and blocky shapes. This is in contrast to flowers, rocks and grass, which look more impressive up close. Wind realistically blows shrubbery around, and the illusion of it being real holds strong.
05valley5
Switch the demo into automated mode and it takes you on a high-speed flight around the valley, screeching over grasslands and diving from great heights into streams. Throughout all this, there's surprisingly little texture pop-in. When it does appear it's in extreme situations, like when the camera plummets out of the sky and tears through a thick forest. "Switching between levels of details are sometimes visible," Shergin says, "but it's been improved in the UNIGINE-powered helicopter demo already."
06valley6
Unigine Corp. used [Siberian landscape](http://gloholiday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/siberia-valley.jpg) as its primary source of inspiration for the design of the valley. Unlike Siberia, the valley here is surprisingly devoid of life. There are obvious technical reasons for that, but Shergin says that plenty of games using Unigine work fine with animated creatures. And, he hints, "there is some hidden life in the mountains."
07valley7
Exploring grassy forests at dusk is the most convincing argument in favor of Unigine's flora work. The dynamic lighting system seems to account for not just the trees themselves, but the individual branches as well, even as the wind blows them about. They've arguably outdone [the hordes of modders tweaking Skyrim's greenery](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gamelife/2013/03/skyrim-mods/#slideid-55127).
The Best Ski Clothes for Staying Warm and Having Fun
From weatherproof jackets and pants to puffers, gloves, and socks, WIRED’s winter sports experts have you covered.
Chris Haslam
The Best Apple Watch Accessories
You finally caved and bought an Apple Watch. These are our favorite bands, screen protectors, and chargers to go with your new smartwatch.
Adrienne So
The Best Automatic Litter Boxes Tested by Our Spoiled Cats
With these high-tech automatic litter boxes, gone are the days of scooping and smells. Welcome to the future.
Molly Higgins
Give Your Back a Break With Our Favorite Office Chairs
Sitting at a desk for hours? Upgrade your WFH setup and work in style with these comfy WIRED-tested seats.
Julian Chokkattu
The Best Game Controller for Every Kind of Player
A great gamepad instantly levels up your play. These are our top picks for Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
Brad Bourque
The Best Heart Rate Monitors Check Your Cardiac Health
These chest straps and watches will help you keep your finger on your pulse—and many other heart-related metrics.
Michael Sawh
Death to Dry Skin. These Humidifiers Are Better Than Chapstick
From models for traveling to humidifiers that double as planters or air purifiers, we've tested a dozen of them.
Matthew Korfhage
The Best Kids' Bikes for Every Age and Size
The WIRED Reviews team has kids, and we tested all types of kids’ bikes. Here are our top picks.
Adrienne So
The 11 Best Electric Bikes for Every Kind of Ride
I tested the best electric bikes in every category, from commuters and mountain bikes to foldables and cruisers.
Adrienne So
The Best Podcasts for Everyone
Get your fix of tech, true crime, pop culture, or comedy with these audio adventures.
Simon Hill
Our Favorite Merino Wool Clothes to Keep You Comfy in Any Weather
Merino is one of the best fabrics you can wear. We explain the different blends, what “gsm” means, and how to care for your clothes.
Scott Gilbertson
The Best iPad to Buy (and a Few to Avoid)
We break down the current iPad lineup to help you figure out which of Apple’s tablets is best for you.
Luke Larsen