There are some limitation, and only with time users will be able to master that.
- Memory: you are limited to the available memory allowed for your "scene" (a Dream can have any number of linked scenes). they are represented with 3 thermometers (graphical, logic and audio). Graphical memory is the hardest to work with and keep low if you try to make a beautiful scene, full of details and different elements.
- flecks : the game engine (BubbleBath) is not based on polygons, but on voxel and procedurally generated elements from coordinates. It can't really use GPU acceleration to process billions of poly per seconds. On the other side a similar scene takes a lot less size (in Mb) than poly, few Kb to save on the console, but lot of memory to display in real time.
- no texture : The game doesn't use poly surface and can't apply externally loaded textures. everything is code and value, all the textures are paint value (color, position, etc.). I hoped for a better texture generator (like DarkTree) but it's currently very basic with paint and brushes you have to apply yourself. There is no 3D procedurally generated texture (Yet?)
- lack of shaders : the game has a general shader choice to apply to the camera (cartoon, pixels, black and white, etc.) but currently no specific shader to apply to areas or objects (water reflection for example)
- Transparency : There's no model's transparency, reflection, refaction, raytracing, etc. There is actually a simple "texture reflection". only "flat" and volume-less element can have transparency, like "fleck paint", and the "text gadget" has a transparency value, it's a simple single layered square, not a 3D models.
But I feel lot of games in dreams are looking like PSX games, with early 3D and developers going into it for the first time made lot of bad games, with try and error.
but it was new, everyone had the same technology and tools and tried to make things the best they could and improved themselves with time.
it was the "first step" in the 3D poly world.
I think it could improve with time with new consoles, if the GPU or other CPU are made to work better with voxel.
I (and lot of people) wonder how the game would work on PS5.
if the PS5 will have more memory for thermometers
if the PS5 will be bundled from release day with Dreams to increase the user base and make the game even more popular
If created games could be individually sold on PSN (game engine bundled with each) where user and dev and sony could earn money on it.
Some created games are sometime already better than random indie sold on PSN!
But developers never answer these questions about PS5.
I can only see that if the game is getting popular, that engine and new games could be made to be some kind of new norms, after polygons we could have voxels games engine becoming a norm in games.
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