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Infinity Blade for iOS: A beautiful garden with very high walls
Note: Infinity Blade is now available on the US App Store. Opinions on Epic Games' Infinity Blade will likely be divided among two camps: those who played through Epic Citadel, and those who didn't. If you skipped out on Epic Citadel, then Epic Games' newest roleplaying game will likely blow you away. Infinity Blade has, hands down, the best graphics I've ever seen on an iPhone. However, if you played around with Epic Citadel a few months back, that demo may have given you expectations for what Infinity Blade would turn out to be, ... and depending on your expectations, Infinity Blade may be infinitely disappointing. Before diving into the game's features, here's some broader info about it. For a cost of US$5.99, Infinity Blade will run on the 3rd and 4th generation iPod touch, the iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4 and the iPad. Earlier iOS devices like the iPhone 3G, if they're even capable of running the game at all, will likely have such low frame rates that playing the game would be torture. There's no separate "HD" version for the iPad, which is an admirable move by Epic Games; the company could have easily charged a 150-200 percent markup for an iPad version like other studios, but Infinity Blade is a universal app. It also comes with Game Center integration, with 48 possible achievements and leaderboards for stats like total number of enemies killed, player level and total gold earned. According to Epic Games, a future update will even bring some multiplayer action into the game. If all of that sounds good to you so far, you're probably halfway to buying Infinity Blade already. I'm certainly not going to discourage you from doing so, but before you click that "Buy App" button in iTunes, it's probably a good idea for you to click "Read More" and find out what you're in for. Especially if you played through Epic Citadel, Infinity Blade may not be exactly what you expect.
Infinity Blade hits App Store December 9 for $5.99
Chair and Epic Games' extremely impressive Infinity Blade title has gotten a final release date and price: you'll be able to hack and slash your way around the medieval RPG on December 9 for a purchase price of $5.99. The app will be universal and will run on iPhone 3GS and above, up to and including the iPad and the latest iPhone and iPod touch. Players will be able to level up and gear up their characters as they fight through the world towards the game's big boss, a character called "the God-King." According to Chair's release, multiplayer won't be enabled right away, but free updates will be coming to the app soon after release, one of which will allow players to "battle online via Game Center." Sounds exciting. Epic Citadel, the Unreal Engine 3 demo, is of course, available for free on the App Store right now, but Infinity Blade will be a full-featured RPG game using the same technology. We can't wait! [via Joystiq]
Unreal Engine 3 overview video touts new visual effects
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.
Infinity Blade trailer takes Epic stab at knight fights
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.
See gameplay 'target' footage of Spielberg's canceled Project LMNO
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.
BioShock Infinite is to Unreal Engine 3 as BioShock was to Unreal Engine 2.5
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-105696%
1UP examines Spielberg's LMNO, the game that 'tried to do too much'
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]
Fan-made Duke Nukem 3D remake green-lighted by Gearbox
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.
GDC Online 2010: Mark Rein on iOS and Epic Citadel
If you are an iPhone gamer and haven't tried Epic Citadel yet, you're doing yourself a disservice. Epic Games wowed the crowd at the recent Apple event with the free demo, showing an astoundingly beautiful virtual town running in full 3D graphics on the iPhone and the iPad. Epic's Mark Rein is here at GDC Online 2010 this week to talk to developers about Unreal Engine 3 on iOS and other platforms (he can't keep from showing off the game running on Android, even when you tell him that you work for an Apple blog and don't write about Android anyway), and I cornered him to chat about Epic Citadel and Project Sword, the game it's serving as a demo for. My first question was what drew Epic to a platform like the iPhone in the first place -- the developer is known for titles like Unreal Tournament and Gears of War, which are big flashy titles that sell Microsoft's platforms, not Apple's. Rein told me that it was "the power of the hardware. It was capable of doing what we wanted it to do in mobile. That's always been our driving philosophy, is when we have platforms that are powerful enough to run our technology, and there's a good business case for supporting them, that we would."
Rein: 3DS likely below minimum specifications for Unreal Engine
During 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.
TriOviz 3D SDK available for Unreal Engine 3 next month
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]
DmC: Devil May Cry to utilize Unreal Engine
It would seem that DmC: Devil May Cry is really going the distance with the reboot concept -- to the point that Ninja Theory's upcoming stab at the series will employ a completely different game engine than DMC4. The developer confirmed on its forums that Dante's next adventure will be powered by Epic's Unreal Engine (just like it's Enslaved for Namco Bandai) and not Capcom's go-to multiplatform development suite, MT Framework; which has powered many of Capcom's premier titles this console generation, including the last DMC game. To date, only internal Capcom studios have created games with MT Framework, but the company has said it's willing to share with external studios. Earlier this year, Capcom published its first Unreal Engine 3 game in Airtight Games' Dark Void. Ninja Theory's Enslaved, which will be released next week (published by Namco Bandai), is also an Unreal-powered game. [Thanks, original fred]
Unreal dev kit adding iOS support, Epic Citadel downloaded 1 million times
Well, that didn't take long. Less than a week after Apple announced that it would "relax" some of its iOS restrictions, allowing the use of third-party app creation tools, among other things, comes the following announcement from Epic Games, straight out of the Korea Games Conference: "We announced UDK will be able to generate iOS applications!" To translate for you quickly: Independent iPhone developers will soon be able to use the freely available Unreal Development Kit – which Epic also announced has 350,000 installations to its name – to create graphically lush mobile apps. If you're looking for an example of that graphical potential, check out the Epic Citadel tech demo, first revealed at this month's Apple press conference. With over one million downloads (another figure shared today!), we wouldn't be surprised if you already have. But you probably haven't seen Dungeon Defenders, a title whose developer has taken the jump from UDK novice to Unreal Engine 3 licensee, and all the commercial benefits that entails. You can see a video of the game running on both the iPhone and Android platforms after the break, but it's also in development for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. We're pretty excited to see the strength of Unreal Engine married to the diversity and quantity of the new breed of mobile gaming marketplaces, iOS and Android included. %Gallery-101015%
Epic Citadel shows the bright promise of iOS gaming's future
Epic Games, creator of the Unreal 3 game engine, has been working on getting Unreal Engine 3 running in iOS for a while now. They showed off some of their efforts with a demo of "Project Sword" at Apple's iPod event, and Mike Capps of Epic Games talked about the direction he saw gaming on iOS devices taking in the future. The fact that the Unreal 3 engine now runs seamlessly on iOS devices is a huge deal. This is the same game engine that's responsible for many high-quality titles on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, so having it run games on a device that fits in the palm of your hand is pretty mind-blowing. You can get a taste of Epic Games' Unreal 3 in iOS efforts with Epic Citadel, available on the App Store -- but because of the demanding graphical requirements, it's only compatible with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, and 3rd and 4th generation iPod touches. If you don't have one of those devices, the demo likely won't run at all. A demo is really all Epic Citadel is; it's not a game as such, since there's really nothing for you to do except wander around and gape at the environment. And gape you will, because this is console-quality graphics on a 3.5 inch screen. While wandering through the castle grounds, I exclaimed several times, "I can't believe this is running on a freaking cell phone." The graphics in Epic Citadel easily surpass anything I've seen on the iPhone before, and they put the Nintendo DS to shame. Even the Wii doesn't put out graphics with this level of detail. To my eyes, only the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC games are competitive with the graphical richness I'm seeing in Epic Citadel on the iPhone. Don't just take my word for it, though. Either download the demo yourself ,or if you can't run it on your device, check out our coverage in the video above. The game engine is truly amazing on the iPhone 4, especially with the Retina Display. And if this is the future of gaming in iOS, ... Nintendo and Sony had better step up their game.
Moonbase Alpha takes NASA where it's never gone before: the Unreal Engine (video)
Using video games to trick kids into learning is nothing new, and now NASA is getting into the action with something called Moonbase Alpha. Not to be confused with the fictional moonbase from Space: 1999, this is the first of the space agency's two commercial releases based on the Unreal Engine 3. In the multiplayer game you assume the role of an astronaut assigned to the aforementioned moonbase. When life-support systems are damaged by a meteorite, you and your teammates must repair the damage before the Space Vampires steal your soul you all die due to lack of oxygen (and so on, and so forth). Available now for free from Steam. Trailer after the break. [Thanks, Andrew]
Alien Breed: Impact bursts onto PC and PS3 this summer
Team17 Software, best known for its Worms games, is bringing an expanded version of Alien Breed: Evolution to PC and PS3 this summer. Alien Breed: Impact takes the original XBLA game and adds "suggestions from the community," such as weapons upgrades, increased difficulty, and a new "Prologue" campaign for newcomers to the franchise. Like its predecessor, the top-down shooter is powered by Unreal Engine 3, and will be distributed digitally via Steam and PlayStation Network. Expect both versions of Impact to arrive this summer. %Gallery-67671%
Epic's free Unreal Development Kit adds Steamworks
Epic has released an update to its Unreal Development Kit (UDK), the free version of Unreal Engine 3. The update includes a host of new features, but one of the most significant additions is support for Steamworks. According to the changelog, Steam has become the default online system for UDK and will handle online functions like friends, matchmaking and server browsing. The update also adds Scaleform GFx, which allows game creators to build attractive user interfaces. You can check out a video of Scaleform GFx in action after the break. Head over to Shacknews for the full list of new UDK tweaks.
Metro Conflict: Presto is latest UE3-powered free-to-play FPS from Korea's Redduck
If you're anything like us, you woke up this morning hoping for a brand-new, Unreal Engine 3-based, free-to-play shooter from South Korea to be announced. And alas, Alliance of Valiant Arms developer Reduck has satisfied just that need in announcing "Metro Conflict: Presto" by way of a joint press release with Epic Games Korea. We only note the collaborative nature of the press release because of the total lovefest that ensues around three paragraphs in. "Epic's Unreal Engine 3 was a big factor in our success with A.V.A. [and] we're looking forward to pushing ourselves even further with Metro Conflict: Presto," Do-Min, Ok, chief technology officer at Redduck, said of the deal. Epic Games Korea's Ray Park similarly offered, "We're thrilled that they're using Unreal Engine 3 again for Metro Conflict: Presto, and can't wait to see what they're able to do with it this time." And he'll see soon enough, as the free-to-play FPS is planned to go into open beta this December. But for now, we've got the dramatic teaser trailer for you just above.
Crytek interested in offering free development platform
When Epic offered the Unreal SDK free to all users, it got Crytek to thinking -- specifically, thinking about doing the same thing. Speaking to Develop, Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli said that his company is looking to offer a free platform for budding game developers "that will be up to speed" with CryEngine 3. It's nothing new to Crytek, which offered free versions of its previous platforms to the modding community, but this new venture is something different -- a "standalone free platform that people can run independent of CryEngine that will also be up to speed with the latest engine," Yerli hopes. While he's quick to point out it's not the same thing as what Epic and Unity are doing -- another popular game development tool that offers a bit of variety in free and premium toolsets -- we're hard-pressed to find much of a difference between the two. Crytek curently has no timetable for release of the new platform, nor has it commented on potential tech and licensing agreements stemming from the new venture.
EVE video corner: "Future Proof"
There's no doubt about it that EVE Online can produce some stunning visuals and incredible stories. New Eden has been the setting for countless creative works, some featuring real gameplay and events and others pushing the limits of the prime fiction. Every so often, I come across a video so mind-blowing that it has to be shared. Last night CrazyKinux's Musing pointed me toward an awesome new EVE video that's been seven months in the making. Produced by Kale Ryoko, "Future Proof" tells the tale of a Caldari militia fleet on a combat mission for the state. Headed up by support commander Firefox of the Chimera "Overlord", the fleet must do all it takes to push through to their objective. Assisting with this twelve minute masterpiece is Veto corporation's Kyoko Sadako, the mastermind behind such incredible videos as "War Has Come" and "The Angel Cartel (Push Eject)". Made using some of EVE's art assets and the Unreal 3 Engine, Future Proof is a video that simply must be seen. Skip past the cut to watch both parts of the video in HD. The original version is available for download at the video's official page on the EVE forums.
