Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Silicon Knights entitled to $1 per claim if it wins court case against Epic Games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/silicon-knights-entitled-to-1-per-claim-if-it-wins-court-case-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/silicon-knights-entitled-to-1-per-claim-if-it-wins-court-case-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/silicon-knights-entitled-to-1-per-claim-if-it-wins-court-case-a/#comments ImageSilicon Knights will be entitled to $1 in damages, per claim, if it wins a court case against Epic Games over inadequacies in the support of its Unreal Engine. Silicon Knights first sued Epic in 2007, alleging Epic didn't fulfill the promised delivery time or expectations of Unreal Engine 3, forcing Silicon Knights to build its own engine for the production of Too Human.

Silicon Knights didn't provide a breakdown of the damages it sought, and the judge assigned his own value of $1 per claim, Polygon reports. If Silicon Knights wins the case, it will be able to appeal how the value was chosen and perhaps raise it to a figure that can't be found on neighborhood lemonade-stand signs.

The case is in court this month and is expected to run for another week.

JoystiqSilicon Knights entitled to $1 per claim if it wins court case against Epic Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 May 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Epic-Gameslawsuitmicrosoftsilicon-knightstoo-humanUnrealunreal-engine-3xboxTue, 22 May 2012 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pitbull Studio assisting with Unreal Engine 4, also developing UE4-based games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/epic-getting-unreal-engine-4-assistance-from-pitbull-studios-al/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/epic-getting-unreal-engine-4-assistance-from-pitbull-studios-al/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/epic-getting-unreal-engine-4-assistance-from-pitbull-studios-al/#comments Never heard of Pitbull Studio? Neither had we. Apparently the English studio specializes in hired gun work and is lead by ex-Midway Newcastle's Robert Troughton (Wheelman, etc.). While unknown, the three-year-old studio is working on two things for Epic Games: Unreal Engine 4, and a game built in said engine. Not too bad for a group of guys no one's heard of, eh?

Job listings for positions at Pitbull reveal the studio is "working on Unreal Engine 4 with Epic Games," but also, "games derived from that and Unreal Engine 3." Positions range from environment artists to engine programmers, with a variety of other roles in between. Epic confirmed the work with Joystiq this afternoon, and offered a prepared statement from director of engineering, Daniel Vogel. "Epic has a great history working with Pitbull Studio. We can count on them to provide reliable engineering resources, and they're helping us prepare for the next generation of games."

We'll see more from Epic's next-gen engine this June.

JoystiqPitbull Studio assisting with Unreal Engine 4, also developing UE4-based games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicepic-gamespcpitbullpitbull-studiosunreal-engineunreal-engine-3unreal-engine-4Thu, 17 May 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[RealD tech heightens 3D programming on Unreal Engine 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/reald-tech-adds-3d-capability-to-pc-programming-on-unreal-engine/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/reald-tech-adds-3d-capability-to-pc-programming-on-unreal-engine/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/reald-tech-adds-3d-capability-to-pc-programming-on-unreal-engine/#comments ImageEpic is broadening Unreal Engine 3's stereoscopic 3D capabilities, with RealD technology now available to any users in Epic's paid licensing program and to users of the Unreal Development Kit, the free version of the Unreal Engine 3 toolkit. The RealD update is included in today's May 2012 UDK Beta download.

RealD allows developers to render PC and console games in stereoscopic 3D, with camera separation and 3D depth effects rendered in real-time, among other features. The first Unreal Engine 3 title to use RealD is Seamless Entertainment's SOL: Exodus, which received an update on Steam today to include 3D effects.

Unreal Engine 3 first received stereoscopic 3D capabilities in 2010 with TriOviz. TriOviz was used in Batman: Arkham Asylum Game of the Year Edition, Arkham City, Thor: God of Thunder and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.

RealD is used in many other high-profile 3D endeavors, including films such as The Avengers, and the forthcoming titles Prometheus and The Amazing Spider-Man.

JoystiqRealD tech heightens 3D programming on Unreal Engine 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2012 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3DEpicRealDseamless-entertainmentsol-exodusSTEAMstereoscopic-3dudkUnrealunreal-engine-3Mon, 14 May 2012 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic: Consoles must be 'bleeding edge' in next generation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/epic-consoles-must-be-bleeding-edge-in-next-generation/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/epic-consoles-must-be-bleeding-edge-in-next-generation/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/epic-consoles-must-be-bleeding-edge-in-next-generation/#comments
Epic believes that the next round of home consoles will have to be "bleeding edge" if the likes of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo want to stay relevant in the video game market. Speaking to CVG, Epic VP Mark Rein noted that the publisher is "pushing" console makers to use the best possible hardware. "Because if they don't," said Rein, "Apple will go right past them."

He added that console gaming is about console makers "delivering something that's way out past the bleeding edge" and making their investment back with software royalties. If console makers don't opt for the latest and greatest tech, he said, there's a chance that consumers "won't want to take the leap" to future consoles.

In Rein's view, it's Epic's job to push console makers with advanced technology demos like the "Samaritan" video shown at GDC 2011 (above). Incidentally, Rein isn't worried that console makers will under-deliver with the next generation, believing that they will instead "blow us all away." With Unreal Engine 4 aimed at next generation consoles, and assuming UE4 is even more impressive than the UE3-powered Samaritan demo, we certainly hope he's right.

JoystiqEpic: Consoles must be 'bleeding edge' in next generation originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicepic-gamesmark-reinunreal-engine-3Unreal-Engine-4Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic Games to privately showcase Unreal Engine 4 at GDC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/epic-games-to-privately-showcase-unreal-engine-4-at-gdc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/epic-games-to-privately-showcase-unreal-engine-4-at-gdc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/epic-games-to-privately-showcase-unreal-engine-4-at-gdc/#comments Unreal Engine 3 is one of (if not the most) prolific gaming technologies in existence right now, powering everything from Mortal Kombat and Asura's Wrath to Gears of War 3 and Batman: Arkham City. If you're one of the many developers that depend on Epic's engine, the upcoming 2012 Game Developers Conference may be your first chance to see the next generation of Unreal Engine in action.

Epic will be showcasing Unreal Engine 4 to "select licensees, partners and prospective customers" behind closed doors at the conference; demonstrations will be given by appointment only, and all who attend must sign what we can only assume is the most air-tight, all-encompassing non-disclosure agreement ever written. For instance, developers allowed into Epic's demonstration area may not smuggle air out of the demonstration area inside of their lungs and then transfer that air to the lungs of another living person, under pain of chainsaw death. It's pretty serious stuff, but it's probably worth it to see some totally sweet tech demos.

Continue reading Epic Games to privately showcase Unreal Engine 4 at GDC

JoystiqEpic Games to privately showcase Unreal Engine 4 at GDC originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EpicEpic-GamesGDC-2012Unreal-EngineUnreal-Engine-3Unreal-Engine-4Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The beautiful death of a planet in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/the-beautiful-death-of-a-planet-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertr/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/the-beautiful-death-of-a-planet-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertr/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/the-beautiful-death-of-a-planet-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertr/#comments As much as I'd like to feel sorry for the decimation of Cybertron, home of my childhood heroes, developer High Moon studios left me craving even more destruction with Transformers: Fall of Cybertron.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron takes place during the final hours of a civil war that eventually destroys the planet. The Decepticons have won, driving the Autobots to seek a new home somewhere amongst the stars. As Optimus Prime and his Autobot buddies race to find a way off the planet, Megatron and his dastardly Decepticons seek to rid the universe of all Autobot life. They're big old meanies like that.

Gallery: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (2/22/12)

Continue reading The beautiful death of a planet in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

JoystiqThe beautiful death of a planet in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionhigh-moon-studiosmatt-tiegermicrosoftplaystationps3transformerstransformers-fall-of-cybertronunreal-engineunreal-engine-3xboxFri, 24 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Concept art released for Square Enix's UE3 action RPG]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/concept-art-released-for-square-enixs-ue3-action-rpg/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/concept-art-released-for-square-enixs-ue3-action-rpg/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/concept-art-released-for-square-enixs-ue3-action-rpg/#comments Square Enix is hiring for its new Unreal Engine 3-based game, and revealing a bit of information about the project in the process. Most importantly, the hub for the "New Action RPG" jobs features the above artwork, which we don't actually think is Chakan: The Forever Man, even though it totally looks like Chakan: The Forever Man.

The jobs seek people with experience on PS3 and Xbox 360 games, which isn't much of a surprise for a UE3-based project. The action planner position also specifies a focus on "combat actions," suggesting an emphasis on the "action" part of this action RPG.

JoystiqConcept art released for Square Enix's UE3 action RPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hiringmicrosoftplaystationps3square-enixunreal-engine-3xboxThu, 01 Dec 2011 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Square working on original, Unreal-powered action RPG]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/square-working-on-original-unreal-powered-action-rpg/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/square-working-on-original-unreal-powered-action-rpg/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/square-working-on-original-unreal-powered-action-rpg/#comments It's still going to be a little while before "real" news shakes out, but some details were recently revealed in Famitsu (via Andriasang) about one of Square Enix's upcoming Unreal Engine games. The project will be an original (meaning not Final Fantasy nor Dragon Quest) action RPG under the direction of Ryutaro Ichimura (Dragon Quest 8 and 9).

Ichimura told Famitsu that the game's staff traveled for two years and conducted user surveys to research art and gameplay direction. With the basic concept complete, the team is now looking to grow beyond the staff of 35 and begin production.

(Pictured: Square's UE3-powered The Last Remnant)

JoystiqSquare working on original, Unreal-powered action RPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftpcplaystationps3Square-EnixUE3Unreal-Engine-3xboxTue, 29 Nov 2011 18:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix licenses Unreal Engine 3 (again) for multiple games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/17/square-enix-licenses-unreal-engine-3-again-for-multiple-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/17/square-enix-licenses-unreal-engine-3-again-for-multiple-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/17/square-enix-licenses-unreal-engine-3-again-for-multiple-games/#comments Square Enix has licensed Unreal Engine 3 for use in the development of "multiple games." Our first instinct is to assume those projects will come out of the western, "Eidos" side of Square Enix, but the announcement notes that Epic Games Japan is working with Square Enix on the agreement, suggesting that the license will be used in Japan as well.

Square Enix sought a similar license in 2007, which resulted in The Last Remnant, and nothing else -- which really makes that title ironic in retrospect.

Continue reading Square Enix licenses Unreal Engine 3 (again) for multiple games

JoystiqSquare Enix licenses Unreal Engine 3 (again) for multiple games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesepic-games-japansquare-enixunreal-engineunreal-engine-3Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How CyberConnect2 became a Soulcalibur 5 collaborator]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/how-cyberconnect2-became-a-soulcalibur-5-collaborator/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/how-cyberconnect2-became-a-soulcalibur-5-collaborator/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/how-cyberconnect2-became-a-soulcalibur-5-collaborator/#comments CyberConnect2 has movie-making experience from working on a CG .hack movie, and it's that experience -- including motion capture expertise -- that drew Namco Bandai to the developer for Soulcalibur V. "I was approached by Namco almost two years ago," CEO and Naruto cosplayer Hiroshi Matsuyama told Gamasutra. "I knew they were working on Soulcalibur V, and they asked for help in the visual side of the game. The fighting gameplay was handled by their own team, and they just needed help in the visuals of the game, because they wanted to add more to the dramatization of the game."

CyberConnect 2 did storyboarding and motion capture for the fighter. Matsuyama said that the motions have a CC2 look. "The actions look a little like in Naruto, in the sense that the motion doesn't look like we used motion-capture," he said. "In that sense, I think the game looks like it's been done by us."

Matsuyama also said that Epic is surprised by CC2's use of Unreal Engine 3 for Asura's Wrath. He said it's "difficult" to make a cinematic action game in an engine designed primarily for shooters, but there's something like that for every engine. "I think the tools don't matter," he said. "And, a perfect engine doesn't exist. There's always something that's difficult to do with every tool."

JoystiqHow CyberConnect2 became a Soulcalibur 5 collaborator originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asuras-wrathcyberconnect2hiroshi-matsuyamamicrosoftplaystationps3soulcalibur-5soulcalibur-vunreal-engine-3xboxTue, 18 Oct 2011 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic and Adobe announce Unreal Engine 3 support for Flash 11]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/epic-and-adobe-announce-unreal-engine-3-support-for-flash-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/epic-and-adobe-announce-unreal-engine-3-support-for-flash-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/epic-and-adobe-announce-unreal-engine-3-support-for-flash-11/#comments While everyone else was watching Apple talk about games on the iPhone, Adobe and Epic had a different cat to let out of its bag: Unreal Engine 3 support for the web-based Flash Player 11. During Adobe's annual ADOBE MAX conference, Adobe and Epic demonstrated a version of Unreal Tournament 3 running in Adobe's ubiquitous web plugin.

This could mark a major transition in social gaming, particularly on Facebook and Google Plus - social game developers already leverage Flash heavily on both platforms. Infinity Blade visuals on Facebook? It could happen.

Full press release after the break.

Gallery: Unreal Engine 3 Support for Adobe Flash Player

Continue reading Epic and Adobe announce Unreal Engine 3 support for Flash 11

JoystiqEpic and Adobe announce Unreal Engine 3 support for Flash 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adobeAdobe FlashAdobeFlashEpic-Gamesflashunreal-engine-3Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fan remake of Command & Conquer: Renegade nearing completion]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/fan-remake-of-command-and-conquer-renegade-nearing-completion/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/fan-remake-of-command-and-conquer-renegade-nearing-completion/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/fan-remake-of-command-and-conquer-renegade-nearing-completion/#comments
Remember Command & Conquer: Renegade, the first-person shooter set in the C&C universe that came out back in 2002? One group of fans apparently remembers it so fondly that they're remaking the title as a game called Renegade X, going so far as to not only recreate settings and levels from the title in a more modern graphics engine, but also create new content for the mix of real-time strategy and FPS action gameplay.

The fanmade game actually looks like it's coming along well, and there's a version available for download right now (though it requires an updated copy of Unreal Tournament 3 to play). The full final game won't be out until "when its [sic] done" according to the video above, but hopefully that will be right on schedule. We wouldn't want these guys to have to remake the infamous "Havoc takes on Westwood" video, too, for releasing as late as the original team.

[Thanks, Daniel]

JoystiqFan remake of Command & Conquer: Renegade nearing completion originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beyond-black-dawncommand-and-conquercommand-and-conquer-tiberian-dawnfanmademodpcrenegade-xrenegade-x-beyond-black-dawnunreal-engine-3unreal-tournament-3westwood-studiosTue, 04 Oct 2011 10:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Unreal Engine 3 comes to Mac OS X, courtesy of September UDK release]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/unreal-engine-3-comes-to-mac-os-x-courtesy-of-september-udk-rel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/unreal-engine-3-comes-to-mac-os-x-courtesy-of-september-udk-rel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/unreal-engine-3-comes-to-mac-os-x-courtesy-of-september-udk-rel/#comments A scant four years after announcing Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 3 were coming to Mac OS X, Epic has finally renewed its enthusiasm for the Mac with the announcement of native Unreal Engine 3 support, courtesy of the free-to-use Unreal Development Kit. "Every UDK game's potential user base has increased dramatically yet again," the announcement reads, promising a previews of the engine's Mac OS support in the September 2011 UDK release.

Considering Epic's high-profile support of Apple's Mac OS X-derived mobile operating system iOS, not to mention consistent Mac support from developers like Valve and Blizzard, Epic's entry in the space is hardly unexpected. But Mac support from Unreal Engine should extend far beyond Epic's own games; as one of the most popular development environments in existence, today's announcement (coupled with viable markets like Steam and the Mac OS App Store) should help UE-based developers reach an entirely new audience.

JoystiqUnreal Engine 3 comes to Mac OS X, courtesy of September UDK release originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Epic-GamesGears-Of-WarmacMac-OS-XUDKUE3Unreal-EngineUnreal-Engine-3Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Mario gets first-person in Unreal Engine 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/30/mario-gets-first-person-in-unreal-engine-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/30/mario-gets-first-person-in-unreal-engine-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/30/mario-gets-first-person-in-unreal-engine-3/#comments
This isn't the first, second, or even third time that Mario's iconic Mushroom Kingdom has been translated into first person, but it is the first time anyone has ever associated the words "killing spree" and "goomba."

JoystiqMario gets first-person in Unreal Engine 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>first-person-mariopcSuper-Mario-BrosUnreal-EngineUnreal-Engine-3Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic's Unreal Engine makes grass look epic for real, come see]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/01/epics-unreal-engine-makes-grass-look-epic-for-real-come-see/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/01/epics-unreal-engine-makes-grass-look-epic-for-real-come-see/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/01/epics-unreal-engine-makes-grass-look-epic-for-real-come-see/#comments Epic Games is showing off its gardening skills with a new in-game landscape screenshot, and the plants in it look so real it's like, unreal, guys. Because the name of the engine is also ... forget it.

Epic's Unreal Engine 3 produced the picture, which was tweeted by PR manager Dana Cowley. Cowley said the screen is real-time in-game footage, but it looks more like a highly-detailed Bob Ross paint-along. The blades of grass are just so happy. If Unreal 3 can make foliage look this fabulous when it's in motion too, we think players will all be just as pleased as Mr. Ross' little trees.

JoystiqEpic's Unreal Engine makes grass look epic for real, come see originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dana-Cowleyepicepic-gamesmicrosoftpcplaystationps3ue3unreal-engine-3xboxFri, 01 Jul 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA['Water, meet fish': Epic Games' Mark Rein on Wii U, PS Vita, and E3 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/water-meet-fish-epic-games-mark-rein-on-wii-u-ps-vita-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/water-meet-fish-epic-games-mark-rein-on-wii-u-ps-vita-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/water-meet-fish-epic-games-mark-rein-on-wii-u-ps-vita-and/#comments

Despite our wishy washy feelings about this year's big show, the E Triple, Epic Games VP and co-founder Mark Rein was quite positive on last week's proceedings. In an interview yesterday with Joystiq, Rein beamed about this year's show, saying, "I thought E3 was really good -- I thought the industry looked good. The quality of games on display was extremely high." He even had positive things to say about the growing divide between "triple-A" and "indie" development, explaining that, even though "it's definitely a boom or bust mentality now" with regards to the big publishing houses, "there was definitely more boom than bust" in his eyes.

But for him, the big news of the show was the same as everyone else: Nintendo's new console, the Wii U, and Sony's PlayStation Vita reveal. "The Vita blew me away," Rein told us. "I was shocked at how badly I wanted to take one of those home with me." He was similarly thrilled by Nintendo's Wii successor, though he wouldn't speak to any specifics regarding Unreal Engine 3 on the new console.

"I can tell you that I got to see it at E3 and it was what I expected of course. We were very excited to play some of their demos, see how good the feel of the hardware was -- it's a very impressive system and I think it's gonna do quite well," he told us. When asked about the possibility of UE3 on Wii U, as indicated by two UE3-based games in Nintendo's own sizzle reel, Rein referred us to our conversation at GDC.

He summarized it by saying, "'If Nintendo made a system that could run our engine, we'd be on it like water on fish.' And so when someone asked me what I thought about the Wii U, I said, 'Water, meet fish.'" Seems pretty direct if you ask us!

Continue reading 'Water, meet fish': Epic Games' Mark Rein on Wii U, PS Vita, and E3 2011

Joystiq'Water, meet fish': Epic Games' Mark Rein on Wii U, PS Vita, and E3 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid-marketplaceepic-gamesinfinity-bladeiosmark-reinmobilenintendoplaystationplaystation-vitaps-vitasonyunreal-engine-3vitawii-uTue, 14 Jun 2011 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable: The Journey utilizes Unreal Engine 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/fable-the-journey-utilizes-unreal-engine-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/fable-the-journey-utilizes-unreal-engine-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/fable-the-journey-utilizes-unreal-engine-3/#comments The cheerful hobbe you see above has been rendered in Unreal Engine 3. Lionhead Studios is using Epic's technology to power Fable: The Journey, a first-person Kinect game set in the land of Albion.

We'll ask Lionhead what user-side benefits the technology offers for this game in particular (which is a major departure from the franchise), but you'll be pleased to know that Peter Molyneux's already giving it the hyperbolic treatment in the press release. "Already we are seeing a more beautiful, vivid and unique world full of dramatic moments and have crafted new, never seen before gameplay experiences."

Fable 3 was built on Lionhead's own technology, which could be fairly described as "rickety."

Gallery: Fable: The Journey (E3 2011)

Continue reading Fable: The Journey utilizes Unreal Engine 3

JoystiqFable: The Journey utilizes Unreal Engine 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3-2011fablefable-the-journeylionheadlionhead-studiosmicrosoftpeter-molyneuxunreal-engine-3xboxMon, 06 Jun 2011 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Silicon Knights' Dyack on Too Human: 'we do plan on finishing the trilogy']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/silicon-knights-dyack-on-too-human-we-do-plan-on-finishing-th/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/silicon-knights-dyack-on-too-human-we-do-plan-on-finishing-th/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/silicon-knights-dyack-on-too-human-we-do-plan-on-finishing-th/#comments During the Game Developers Conference nearly two months ago, Silicon Knights head Denis Dyack met with me in a hotel overlooking that week's event at the Moscone Center. He wasn't there to show off his studio's next game -- X-Men: Destiny -- to press, but for unspecified "meetings" with unnamed folks. Spooky.

And while we touched on the subject of XM:D during the half hour, the first questions I had for Dyack were about his studio's last major release, Too Human. Primary among them: Is the Too Human trilogy dead? "No, not at all," Dyack told me. "It is still on the table and we do plan on finishing the trilogy."

When it came to other questions about Too Human, however, Dyack was far more verbose. With the intention of setting the record straight, as it were, Dyack outright denies that Too Human was in development for 10 years. "It is true that an earlier version of the general 'Too Human' concept was first shown on the PlayStation in 1998, but that was a completely different game than what was released on the Xbox 360," he said. "Among other things, the original concept was a single-player, third-person action/adventure game based on a detective called John Franks trying to discover who had killed his partner." It's a far cry from the Norse mythology-based dungeon crawler we played in 2008.

Continue reading Silicon Knights' Dyack on Too Human: 'we do plan on finishing the trilogy'

JoystiqSilicon Knights' Dyack on Too Human: 'we do plan on finishing the trilogy' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 May 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>denis-dyackepic-gamesgdcgdc-2011konamilegalmass-effectmetacriticmetal-gear-solid-twin-snakesmicrosoftsalessilicon-knightssilicon-knights-enginetoo-humanunreal-engine-3valkyriex-men-destinyxboxTue, 03 May 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Firaxis working on Unreal 3-powered console game, Civ Revolution sequel existed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/rumor-firaxis-working-on-unreal-3-powered-console-game-civ-rev/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/rumor-firaxis-working-on-unreal-3-powered-console-game-civ-rev/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/rumor-firaxis-working-on-unreal-3-powered-console-game-civ-rev/#comments Working through LinkedIn profile pages and various resumes of current and former Firaxis Games employees, internet detective Supererogatory unearthed what appear to be two juicy bits of information about the studio. First up: Apparently Firaxis was developing a sequel to Civilization Revolution back in 2008 for PC, PS3 and 360, according to the resume of David Jones, a current character artist at Firaxis.

Also of note, the LinkedIn profile of ex-Firaxis level engineer Chris Doyle and the resume of former game programmer Will Miller both reference an "unannounced," multiplatform title, using Unreal Engine 3, as being in development at the Civ studio. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Miller's resume classifies the mystery game as a "AAA strategy title." Supererogatory posits that it could be the same title that was first spotted on a resume from 2008. We've yet to get a response from Firaxis or 2K Games on the matter.

JoystiqRumor: Firaxis working on Unreal 3-powered console game, Civ Revolution sequel existed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chris-doylecivilization-revolution-2david-jonesfiraxisfiraxis-gamesmicrosoftpcplaystationps3sid-meiers-civilization-revolution-2unannouncedunreal-engine-3will-millerxboxWed, 27 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LucasArts licenses Unreal Engine 3 for long-term, multi-project use]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/lucasarts-licenses-unreal-engine-3-for-long-term-multi-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/lucasarts-licenses-unreal-engine-3-for-long-term-multi-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/lucasarts-licenses-unreal-engine-3-for-long-term-multi-project/#comments LucasArts has entered into a multi-year licensing agreement with Epic Games to develop with Unreal Engine 3, the studios announced today. The deal will encompass "multiple projects" and looks to provide a shortcut for LucasArts "between inspiration and execution on a wide variety of gaming platforms," according to Zak Phelps, the company's director of technology.

Epic VP Mark Rein echoed that sentiment when he trumpeted "Unreal Engine 3's ability to scale across platforms, from mobile, through PC and console all the way up to the next generation of games." Epic's recent tech demo of the latest UE3 updates certainly looked incredible, but we didn't notice any new features promising to render a deeper Star Wars experience. Then again, we'd probably pay a buck just to see the Force unleashed on our iPhone, inspired or not.

Previously, LucasArts licensed Unreal Engine 2 for 2005's Star Wars: Republic Commando (pictured).

JoystiqLucasArts licenses Unreal Engine 3 for long-term, multi-project use originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gameslicenselicensinglucasartsmacmark-reinmicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3unreal-engineunreal-engine-3xboxzak-phelpsTue, 26 Apr 2011 18:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Unreal-powered 'Dream:scape' coming to iOS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/13/unreal-powered-dream-scape-coming-to-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/13/unreal-powered-dream-scape-coming-to-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/13/unreal-powered-dream-scape-coming-to-ios/#comments Developer Speedbump Studios refers to Dream:scape as "an explorable narrative," tasking players with reconstructing the past of Wilson, a man "caught in the limbo between life and death." If that pitch hasn't hooked you, maybe the mere mention of Unreal Engine 3 graphics will -- a so far marginally tapped resource for iOS games.

Dream:scape is headed to iPhone and iPad "soon." Check out the ethereal, semi-spooky trailer after the break.

Continue reading Unreal-powered 'Dream:scape' coming to iOS

JoystiqUnreal-powered 'Dream:scape' coming to iOS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dreamscapeiosipadiphonemobilespeedbump-studiosunreal-engine-3Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NetherRealm and Rocksteady using Unreal Engine 3 for 'the next few years']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/17/netherrealm-and-rocksteady-using-unreal-engine-3-for-the-next-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/17/netherrealm-and-rocksteady-using-unreal-engine-3-for-the-next-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/17/netherrealm-and-rocksteady-using-unreal-engine-3-for-the-next-f/#comments Epic's Unreal Engine 3 will power any games developed by Rocksteady Studios (Batman: Arkham City) and NetherRealm Studios (Mortal Kombat) through 2014 as part of a deal announced today by parent company Warner Bros. Interactive. Sure, the news in and of itself isn't all that exciting, but it does hint at the future of the Unreal Engine and the timeframe for the dawn of the next console generation.

Specifically, this news would suggest that we're not going to see Unreal Engine 4 for at least a couple of years. Given that Epic has said UE4 is being targeted "exclusively" at next-gen consoles, it gives us some insight into when Epic -- and developers -- are expecting to be creating games for successors to PS3 and Xbox 360. Sometime around, say, 2014?

Of course, there's no saying Unreal Engine 3 won't be used for next-gen games -- one look at the GDC 2011 demo of new UE3 features and it's obvious the engine still has a lot of miles left on it.

Continue reading NetherRealm and Rocksteady using Unreal Engine 3 for 'the next few years'

JoystiqNetherRealm and Rocksteady using Unreal Engine 3 for 'the next few years' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Batman-Arkham-Asylum-2Batman-Arkham-Cityengineepic-gamesmicrosoftmobilemortal-kombat-2011Netherrealm-Studiospcplaystationps3Rocksteady-Studiosunreal-engine-3Warner-Bros-InteractivexboxThu, 17 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Unreal Engine 3 tech demo video is all flashing lights, dudes getting messed up]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/unreal-engine-3-tech-demo-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/unreal-engine-3-tech-demo-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/unreal-engine-3-tech-demo-video/#comments You know that Unreal Engine 3 tech demo Epic showed off at GDC 2011? Of course you don't -- we weren't allowed to post it, save for some direct-feed screenshots. That's changed, as IGN has posted the full demo, which you can now ogle for yourself past the break.

Continue reading Unreal Engine 3 tech demo video is all flashing lights, dudes getting messed up

JoystiqUnreal Engine 3 tech demo video is all flashing lights, dudes getting messed up originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicepic-gamespcunreal-engine-3Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Check out Epic's Unreal Engine GDC tech demo (while you can)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/epic-unreal-engine-3-gdc-tech-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/epic-unreal-engine-3-gdc-tech-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/epic-unreal-engine-3-gdc-tech-demo/#comments Someone's posted a steady, shaky cam version of Epic's very sexy GDC 2011 Unreal Engine 3 tech upgrade demo on YouTube. Seeing as how Bleszinski and company are none too pleased, don't expect it to be up for long.

Update: Surprise! The video was pulled. We've replaced it with the official video.

Continue reading Check out Epic's Unreal Engine GDC tech demo (while you can)

JoystiqCheck out Epic's Unreal Engine GDC tech demo (while you can) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgdc-2011macmicrosoftpcplaystationps3samaritanunreal-engine-3unreal-engine-4xboxFri, 04 Mar 2011 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Mark Rein: If 3DS could 'deliver' Unreal Engine 3, we'd be on it]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/mark-rein-if-3ds-could-deliver-unreal-engine-3-wed-be-on-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/mark-rein-if-3ds-could-deliver-unreal-engine-3-wed-be-on-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/mark-rein-if-3ds-could-deliver-unreal-engine-3-wed-be-on-it/#comments Unreal Engine on Nintendo 3DS Mark Rein is getting a little tired of "the 3DS question" but, alas, my journalistic instincts demanded I ask him once again. With the launch of Nintendo's handheld right around the corner, it seemed like a prudent inquiry.

"Why do people keep asking about the platforms we don't love?" he asked me in an interview room at the back of Epic's booth on the GDC show floor. "Nothing's changed," he added, "There's only so much time in the day; our engine requires a certain level of hardware capabilities to make our pipeline, our tools work -- and we work on the ones that do. The second Nintendo releases a piece of hardware that can run our engine well, we'll be on it like water on fish."

For Rein, it's not a beef with Nintendo -- he's actually fond of The House Mario Built and has multiple handhelds and Wiis in his home. "There's nothing against Nintendo. I hate that people somehow think that's the case," he said. "If we felt it could run [Unreal Engine] and deliver the kind of experience people license our technology to build, we'd be on [the 3DS]." Well then, guess we won't ask Santa for that 3D version of Infinity Blade we've been dreaming of.

JoystiqMark Rein: If 3DS could 'deliver' Unreal Engine 3, we'd be on it originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdsEpic-Gamesmark-reinnintendoUE3unreal-engine-3Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Unreal Engine 3 running on Mac OS X (and images of DirectX 11 features on PC, cigarettes)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/unreal-engine-3-running-on-mac-os-x-images-show-off-directx-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/unreal-engine-3-running-on-mac-os-x-images-show-off-directx-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/unreal-engine-3-running-on-mac-os-x-images-show-off-directx-11/#comments We just got out of a GDC demo of some Unreal Engine 3 improvements already available to licensees but, perhaps more interestingly, Mark Rein promised that UE3 on Mac OS X is still coming. While towing a laptop sporting the UDK test game (it's pretty much Unreal Tournament) running on Mac OS X, Rein has confirmed that Unreal Engine has finally made its way to Mac OS ... only four years after announcing Gears of War for the platform. We've got an interview with Rein soon, so keep an eye on the site for that later.

In the meantime, feel free to peruse our gallery below full of shots documenting the new features of Unreal Engine 3, including Direct X11 functionality. It would appear the engine has managed to do what Melanie Griffith hasn't: age gracefully.

Gallery: Unreal Engine 3 (GDC 2011)

JoystiqUnreal Engine 3 running on Mac OS X (and images of DirectX 11 features on PC, cigarettes) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgdc-2011macmark-reinmicrosoftpcplaystationps3unreal-engine-3xboxWed, 02 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gameloft developing 4 multiplatform, Unreal Engine games for iOS, Android, PSN and set-top boxes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/gameloft-developing-4-multiplatform-unreal-engine-games-for-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/gameloft-developing-4-multiplatform-unreal-engine-games-for-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/gameloft-developing-4-multiplatform-unreal-engine-games-for-ios/#comments Gameloft's getting cozy with Unreal Engine 3, as the company has made known its plans to develop four new, unannounced games (well, we guess they're kinda announced now) powered by Epic's development suite. It's all part of a "long-term" deal between Epic and Gameloft, spanning multiple platforms. Two of these proposed titles will be available this year, while the other two are planned to drop in 2012.

"Gameloft is very pleased to partner with Epic, especially with their ability to stay ahead of the curve and continually place the best game engine technology in developers' hands at any given point in time," said Julien Fournials, Gameloft VP of production, in what we could only assume was one long, long breath. "Using Unreal Engine 3 allows us to push game visuals with remarkable lighting and high-fidelity environments. We are confident that players will enjoy the games powered by Unreal Engine 3."

Gameloft will release these games on "multiple mobile and downloadable" platforms, including iOS, Android, PlayStation Network and "set-top boxes."

JoystiqGameloft developing 4 multiplatform, Unreal Engine games for iOS, Android, PSN and set-top boxes originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidgameloftiosmobilemultiplatformplaystationps3psnset-top-boxunreal-engine-3Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic to show new Unreal Engine 3 updates at GDC, raises UDK royalty-free threshold to $50K]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/epic-to-show-new-unreal-engine-3-updates-at-gdc-raises-udk-roya/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/epic-to-show-new-unreal-engine-3-updates-at-gdc-raises-udk-roya/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/epic-to-show-new-unreal-engine-3-updates-at-gdc-raises-udk-roya/#comments Next week, Epic Games will once again premiere the latest build of Unreal Engine 3 at GDC, a showing-off that's become pretty much tradition for the North Carolina-based studio. In its announcement, Epic promises behind-closed-doors demonstrations of the new tech every half-hour during the conference for "licensees, partners, prospective customers and the media."

Additionally, Epic plans to hold free training sessions for Unreal Engine 3 licensees, covering topics such as "content creation best practices" and "rapid prototyping with Unreal Kismet." Making your Unreal characters look like they have cars strapped to their torsos apparently won't be covered.

In a separate announcement, Epic notified UDK licensees that the royalty-free threshhold has been raised tenfold from $5,000 to $50,000 -- meaning Unreal developers don't pay royalities to Epic on the first $50K in (wholesale) revenue generated from their UDK-built games. That's pretty epic.

JoystiqEpic to show new Unreal Engine 3 updates at GDC, raises UDK royalty-free threshold to $50K originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgdcgdc-2011macmicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3royaltiesudkunreal-engine-3xboxWed, 23 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rush'N Attack: Ex-Patriot launching last week of March on PSN, XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/rushn-attack-ex-patriot-launching-last-week-of-march-on-psn-x/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/rushn-attack-ex-patriot-launching-last-week-of-march-on-psn-x/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/rushn-attack-ex-patriot-launching-last-week-of-march-on-psn-x/#comments The most unnerving thing about the impending Rush'N Attack is that we've never quite known when to expect it. To make matters worse, updates went cold just as soon as we learned of the new threat -- a plot 25 years in the making. Konami has alleviated some of our anxiety -- or perhaps just the opposite -- by confirming with Joystiq that the new Rush'N Attack is indeed going down ... loadable at the end of March. Yikes!

Rush'N Attack: Ex-Patriot is scheduled to strike PlayStation Network on Tuesday, March 29, followed by its launch on Xbox Live Arcade one day later (March 30); at which point you can take a stab at it for $10 (800 points).

Developed by Vatra Games (Silent Hill: Downpour), this sequel to the 1985 Cold War platformer drew comparisons to Shadow Complex when it was first unveiled last April. While certain similarities are undeniable (both are Unreal Engine games in 2.5D), Ex-Patriot is actually set in a Siberian prison complex. So it's totally different until you infiltrate the nuclear weapons base.

JoystiqRush'N Attack: Ex-Patriot launching last week of March on PSN, XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>konamimicrosoftplaystationpricingps3psnrelease-daterush-n-attack-ex-patriotunreal-engine-3vatra-gamesxblaxboxWed, 23 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Starbreeze licenses Unreal Engine 3 for future projects]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/starbreeze-licenses-unreal-engine-3-for-future-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/starbreeze-licenses-unreal-engine-3-for-future-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/starbreeze-licenses-unreal-engine-3-for-future-projects/#comments Starbreeze, developer of The Darkness and Chronicles of Riddick, has announced a "multi-year, studio-wide license agreement" to develop projects using Unreal Engine 3. CEO Johan Kristiansson has stated that the engine is "the solution that best fits [Starbreeze's] needs." Presumably, UE3 will be the engine behind Project RedLime, Starbreeze's rumored Syndicate revival for EA.

The news should come as something of a surprise to industry watchers, as the company previously made a name for itself using its own proprietary Starbreeze engine. The engine was used to power both The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and The Darkness. Riddick in particular is generally regarded as one of the most graphically impressive titles on the original Xbox.

Continue reading Starbreeze licenses Unreal Engine 3 for future projects

JoystiqStarbreeze licenses Unreal Engine 3 for future projects originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pcproject-redlimeps3starbreezeunreal-engine-3xboxThu, 17 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dungeon Defenders delivers Unreal Engine to Android next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/18/dungeon-defenders-delivers-unreal-engine-to-android-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/18/dungeon-defenders-delivers-unreal-engine-to-android-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/18/dungeon-defenders-delivers-unreal-engine-to-android-next-week/#comments Will Unreal Engine be able to take over the Android sales charts, much as it has on iOS with Infinity Blade? Trendy Entertainment hopes so, as it plans on bringing the first Unreal Engine-powered game to Android phones next week, on December 23rd. Dungeon Defenders: First Wave is a tower defense-RPG hybrid that our own Mike Schramm described as "fast-paced, complex and, at times, utterly overwhelming."

Dungeon Defenders is already available on iOS for $2.99, and we're assuming the Android version won't differ significantly. If you're wondering if the game will work on your Android device, check out the system requirements after the break.

Continue reading Dungeon Defenders delivers Unreal Engine to Android next week

JoystiqDungeon Defenders delivers Unreal Engine to Android next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddungeon-defendersmobileq4-2010release-datetrendy-entertainmentunreal-engineunreal-engine-3Sat, 18 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[UDK out for iOS, Epic demonstrates with Jazz Jackrabbit [update: video!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/udk-out-for-ios-epic-demonstrates-with-jazz-jackrabbit/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/udk-out-for-ios-epic-demonstrates-with-jazz-jackrabbit/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/udk-out-for-ios-epic-demonstrates-with-jazz-jackrabbit/#commentsThe December update for the Unreal Development Kit is available, adding support for development of iOS games in Unreal Engine 3. To help you get started, the latest version includes the full source code for Epic Citadel (along with another new castle map), so you can figure out how those impressive medieval landscapes came to be.

To further prove what's possible with the engine, Epic put together a technically impressive twin-stick shooter starring none other than Jazz Jackrabbit, star of Cliff Bleszinski's 1994 side-scroller of the same name. Check out screenshots of this proof-of-concept game in our gallery. Epic told Joystiq that it's currently just a demonstration; the company doesn't have plans to release it.

[Update: There's now a tutorial video featuring the Jazz Jackrabbit game, and a "sizzle" video for UDK, after the break.]

Gallery: Jazz Jackrabbit (iOS UDK)


Continue reading UDK out for iOS, Epic demonstrates with Jazz Jackrabbit [update: video!]

JoystiqUDK out for iOS, Epic demonstrates with Jazz Jackrabbit [update: video!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskiepic-gamesiosjazz-jackrabbitmobileudkunreal-development-kitunreal-engine-3Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Unreal Engine 3 overview video touts new visual effects]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/unreal-engine-3-overview-video-touts-new-visual-effects/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/unreal-engine-3-overview-video-touts-new-visual-effects/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/unreal-engine-3-overview-video-touts-new-visual-effects/#comments Directional light shafts, color grading and cascaded shadow maps may seem like gobbledygook to most of us, but to developers, they're important. At least Epic thinks these terms for Unreal Engine 3 features are important enough to use as selling points. Just past the break, you can check out a new video demonstration of the tech.

Additionally, Epic has released a new beta version of its free Unreal Engine 3 UDK today, now featuring an additional map and "many improvements to the Unreal Editor." If you'd like to grab it, head on over to the official site.

Continue reading Unreal Engine 3 overview video touts new visual effects

JoystiqUnreal Engine 3 overview video touts new visual effects originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicepic-gamespcudkunreal-engineunreal-engine-3Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Blade trailer takes Epic stab at knight fights]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/infinity-blade-trailer-takes-epic-stab-at-knight-fights/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/infinity-blade-trailer-takes-epic-stab-at-knight-fights/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/infinity-blade-trailer-takes-epic-stab-at-knight-fights/#comments Out of the 43 bajillion or so games on the App Store, we can't say we've ever come across one that features as startlingly rendered an environment as the Unreal Engine 3-powered castle in Infinity Blade. Of course, sight seeing is not the reason to load up this Retina Display showcase on your iOS device of the moment -- stabbing the crap out of giant monster bosses is! How predictably Epic is that?

GameTrailers has posted the debut trailer for Infinity Blade -- "coming soon" to iPhone 4, iPad and iPod Touch. Check it out after the break.

Continue reading Infinity Blade trailer takes Epic stab at knight fights

JoystiqInfinity Blade trailer takes Epic stab at knight fights originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chairchair-entertainmentepicepic-gamesinfinity-bladeiosipadiphonemobileunreal-engine-3Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[See gameplay 'target' footage of Spielberg's canceled Project LMNO]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/see-gameplay-target-footage-of-spielbergs-canceled-project-lm/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/see-gameplay-target-footage-of-spielbergs-canceled-project-lm/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/see-gameplay-target-footage-of-spielbergs-canceled-project-lm/#comments It's common practice for developers to create "target" footage of their games early in the development process in order to give their artists and designers something to shoot for. Following its look back at the now-canceled collaboration between EA and director Steven Spielberg, Project LMNO, 1UP has posted what it says is target gameplay footage from the cooperative "escape" game.

It's a (very) brief clip, but it clearly shows the A.I.-driven future girl "Eve" from a first-person perspective, and actions that imply that it's the player's character looking at her. The player sniffs a rose that's sitting in a vase on the table of the diner they appear to be in, and passes it to her. Eve smells it next, showing a range of reactions on her face, then abruptly bolts from the table when a sinister black Humvee pulls up outside. This is presumably the beginning of an escape sequence, and sees Eve performing inhuman acrobatic moves to traverse the restaurant.

The footage is clearly pre-rendered, and it's not much to go on, but it's unquestionably neat to see what Project LMNO could have looked like. You can see for yourself just after the break.

Continue reading See gameplay 'target' footage of Spielberg's canceled Project LMNO

JoystiqSee gameplay 'target' footage of Spielberg's canceled Project LMNO originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Arkane-Studioscanceledeaea-blueprintEA-Los-AngelesEALAElectronic-Artsfrostbite-enginelmnoMatt-SentellmicrosoftMike-VerduNeil-Youngpcplaystationproject-lmnops3Randy-Smithspielbergsteven-spielbergThe-Escape-Artistunreal-engineunreal-engine-3xboxThu, 04 Nov 2010 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[BioShock Infinite is to Unreal Engine 3 as BioShock was to Unreal Engine 2.5]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/03/bioshock-infinite-is-to-unreal-engine-3-as-bioshock-was-to-unrea/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/03/bioshock-infinite-is-to-unreal-engine-3-as-bioshock-was-to-unrea/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/03/bioshock-infinite-is-to-unreal-engine-3-as-bioshock-was-to-unrea/#comments Remember the amazing water effects in the first BioShock? Those weren't stock Unreal Engine 2.5 assets, friends. Instead, since believable water was such a key part of selling the underwater city of Rapture, Irrational Games developed the game's water in-house. Despite an aging engine under the hood, the artists at Irrational were able to make BioShock look more UE3 than UE2.5. And now they're promising the same treatment leap for the UE3-powered (and still-way-off) BioShock Infinite.

"Right from the outset we realized that this was going to be a monumental undertaking on the tech side," Irrational tech director Chris Kline wrote on the dev's forums, "but decided it was a challenge that we simply had to take on in order to give gamers the kind of quality experience they've come to expect from Irrational Games and BioShock." Kline reveals that the team considered using the heavily modified Unreal Engine 2.5 they'd already invested in, but it was "too under-powered and unwieldy for the depth and complexity of the gameplay and narrative we had planned." So Irrational stepped up to Unreal Engine 3 and began modifying its base.

Gallery: BioShock Infinite (10/21/10)

Continue reading BioShock Infinite is to Unreal Engine 3 as BioShock was to Unreal Engine 2.5

JoystiqBioShock Infinite is to Unreal Engine 3 as BioShock was to Unreal Engine 2.5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2K-Gamesbioshock-infiniteIrrational-Gamesmicrosoftpcplaystationps3Take-TwoUnreal-Engine-3xboxWed, 03 Nov 2010 15:05:00 EST<![CDATA[1UP examines Spielberg's LMNO, the game that 'tried to do too much']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/1up-examines-spielbergs-lmno/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/1up-examines-spielbergs-lmno/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/1up-examines-spielbergs-lmno/#comments If EA and the Steven Spielberg couldn't pull of a first-person hybrid built on "escape gameplay" and driven by an emotional co-op dynamic, featuring an AI-controlled partner -- spoiler alert -- from the future, whose character evolution was to be determined by non-verbal interaction with the player, then who could pull it off? Probably no one. "LMNO," as this project was code-named, was officially canned by EA last month -- and it's been dead for at least a year, according to 1UP's new in-depth investigation into the game.

The report -- and definitely read the whole thing -- is a compelling tale in and of itself: the inside scoop on a big-budget experiment (a "hyper-replayable" 2- to 3-hour game with no multiplayer) that would later morph into an Uncharted clone (complete with "an alien version of Megan Fox"), dubbed The Escape Artist, before being canceled altogether. But the LMNO story is also a striking reminder of just how inflexible AAA game development has become.

EA tried admirably to invest in new IP several years ago, but its actually released games didn't provide the returns the publisher had expected from consumers. Had it come together as original designers Doug Church and Randy Smith once envisioned, LMNO could have been EA's most ambitious original IP to date. Instead, it fell apart as the industry fell back on iteration (you know, "sequelitis") and made jaw-dropping investments in socially-networked casual gaming as the path to future profitability.

LMNO once carried the heavy burden of being the video game that would finally "make you cry." Assuming that the industry has yet to recognize this milestone as having been achieved, the mission now seems better suited for an indie developer with nothing to lose; one free from the concerns of the corporate goliath: namely, staying in business.

[Pictured: Pre-Megan Fox "Eve" character concept; source: 1UP]

Joystiq1UP examines Spielberg's LMNO, the game that 'tried to do too much' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Arkane-StudioscanceledDoug-ChurchEAEA-BlueprintEA-Los-AngelesEALAFrostbite-EngineLMNOMatt-SentellmicrosoftMike-VerduNeil-YoungpcplaystationProject-LMNOps3Randy-SmithSpeilbergSteven-SpeilbergThe-Escape-ArtistUnreal-EngineUnreal-Engine-3xboxTue, 02 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fan-made Duke Nukem 3D remake green-lighted by Gearbox]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/fan-made-duke-nukem-3d-remake-green-lighted-by-gearbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/fan-made-duke-nukem-3d-remake-green-lighted-by-gearbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/fan-made-duke-nukem-3d-remake-green-lighted-by-gearbox/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Project lead Frederik "Fresch" Schreiber has received a non-commercial license to proceed with Duke Nukem: Next-Gen, his Unreal Engine 3-powered Duke Nukem 3D remake. Fresch secured the license in just under three weeks after his first announcement -- a credit to rights holder Gearbox's openness to share the franchise with the community -- and has aleady assembled a team of nine other contributors (though he is still "hiring" for a number of positions).

Fresch, who abandoned similar "next-gen" remakes of Daikatana (too unpopular) and SIN (shut down by MumboJumbo), has plans to release a public multiplayer demo of Duke Nukem: Next-Gen "sooner than you think." Of course, the full version will be released "when it's done" -- and he notes that "Duke Nukem: Next-Gen" is, wisely, just a codename.

Check out the freeware project's first test video after the break.

Continue reading Fan-made Duke Nukem 3D remake green-lighted by Gearbox

JoystiqFan-made Duke Nukem 3D remake green-lighted by Gearbox originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DNNGDuke-NukemDuke-Nukem-3DDuke-Nukem-Next-Genfan-madefanmadeFrederik-SchreiberfreewareFreschGearboxlicensepcremakeUDKUnreal-Engine-3Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Rein: 3DS likely below minimum specifications for Unreal Engine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/rein-3ds-likely-below-minimum-specifications-for-unreal-engine/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/rein-3ds-likely-below-minimum-specifications-for-unreal-engine/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/rein-3ds-likely-below-minimum-specifications-for-unreal-engine/#commentsDuring a GDC Online interview with Epic Games VP Mark Rein, the conversation moved from 3D games to handhelds (specifically, the very impressive Epic Citadel iOS demo). Naturally, I then took the opportunity to ask about a current hot topic that combines both subjects: the Nintendo 3DS. Is Epic working on 3DS software?

"No," Rein said. "It's below our [minimum specifications], from what we can tell. We don't have a 3DS, so there's no way for us to verify that," he added, "but everything we've been led to believe is that it's below our min-spec. You couldn't do a game that looks like [Epic Citadel] on it, for example."

He clarified that this means no plans for Epic games, as well as no plans for a version of Unreal Engine for other devs to use. "Like I said, we really don't know enough about it to make a formal comment, but I think if they considered that our engine would be good on it, they would have probably talked to us about it."

As Rein himself noted, the situation could change when Epic gets its own 3DS to experiment with -- but at least for now, upon first impression, the developer apparently considers the new device less capable than last year's iPhone 3GS, since that can run Epic Citadel just fine.

JoystiqRein: 3DS likely below minimum specifications for Unreal Engine originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdsepic-gamesmark-reinnintendounreal-engine-3Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:35:00 EST<![CDATA[TriOviz 3D SDK available for Unreal Engine 3 next month]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/trioviz-3d-sdk-available-for-unreal-engine-3-next-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/trioviz-3d-sdk-available-for-unreal-engine-3-next-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/trioviz-3d-sdk-available-for-unreal-engine-3-next-month/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Darkworks' TriOviz 3D system debuted in the Game of the Year Edition of Batman: Arkham Asylum, a game made with Unreal Engine 3. Now other UE3 developers are going to have the ability to add 3D to their games, as TriOviz has been accepted into the Integrated Partners Program for the engine. The tech will be available via the Unreal Developer Network starting next month.

"What I like about the latest version of TriOviz is that, with their offering, our engine can support not only the highest quality solution for customers with the latest 3D TVs, such as a PlayStation 3 with a Sony Bravia 3D TV," said Epic VP Mark Rein in the announcement, "but also a colored-glasses 3D solution for customers who don't have a 3D-capable TV."

Supposedly, it will take approximately one week of work to add 3D functionality to an existing design, through a process similar to adding a new shader. So, this doesn't explain the Gears 3 delay.

[Image credit: Engadget]

Continue reading TriOviz 3D SDK available for Unreal Engine 3 next month

JoystiqTriOviz 3D SDK available for Unreal Engine 3 next month originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3depic-gamesmicrosoftpcplaystationps3sdktriovizunreal-engine-3xboxWed, 06 Oct 2010 12:49:00 EST