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Another major game engine gets Linux support ahead of Steam Machines launch
The engine that powers the Crysis series, CryEngine, is headed to Linux. That means games like Crysis 3 and Ryse: Son of Rome could see ports on Valve's forthcoming Linux-powered platform, SteamOS. At very least, it means that developers already working with CryEngine have a shortcut to porting their work to Steam Machines; Crytek will show it off in detail next week at the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Linux support was long-rumored for CryEngine, with job listings as far back as last July hinting that it was coming. It's unclear when the engine will get updated to support the new platform, but we expect it'll be long before Valve's Steam Machines initiative gets seriously underway.
Details of Civilization-based MMORPG emerge, you may not get to play it
Sure, you've controlled minions and vast armies in the Civilization games, but here's your chance to actually be one of those underlings -- at least if you live in South Korea. Civilization Online, announced late last year, is an in-development MMORPG title set in the Civ universe, and Massively has learned some of its finer details from the folks at XL Games and 2K Games (the companies crafting it in CryEngine 3). At the start, players will join one of four societies, and all will have to work together to expand across the sandbox environment and progress through the ages. Unlike most MMOs, there will come a time when one civilization achieves certain goals and effectively "wins," at which point the world will reset. Although combat is a part of the game, societies will also need to research, build and do various other things to become number one, much like the traditional strategy titles. Head to the source link for more info on the specifics, but don't get too excited -- Civilization Online will be launching first in Korea, and there are currently "no plans for a North American release." Not used to things being out of your control, are you?
Crytek's CryEngine 3 supports PlayStation 4, surprises no one
Crytek has a reputation for pushing the limits of hardware with CryEngine -- witness the will-it-run-Crysis jokes -- so it's only logical that the company would leap on new consoles with enthusiasm. Sure enough, the company has followed up talk of Xbox One support in CryEngine 3 with word that its extra-pretty engine will also run on the PlayStation 4. Crytek isn't saying which developers will use the code, although cross-platform games make sense when the PS4, Xbox One and PCs share the same basic x86 architecture. We may hear bit more about early partners next week.
Crysis 3 trailer shows off Crytek's CryENGINE 3, blows your mind in the process (video)
Now, the real question is this: can you run Crysis 3?
ArcheAge's fifth Korean closed beta coming in August
ArcheAge fans have something to look forward to next month: Thirteen thousand testers will be invited to take part in ArcheAge's fifth Korean closed beta test scheduled from August 16th through the 31st. XLGAMES also announced that the engine merge has completed and CBT5 will be presented on CryEngine3. XLGAMES is calling CBT5 a "grand rehearsal for the open beta"; the open beta is currently planned for the end of the year. The company is looking forward to hearing testers' feedback on housing, marine content, and updated quests in this beta session. [Source: XLGAMES press release]
Crytek's CryEngine 3 makes it easier than ever for devs to build games as pretty as Crysis
It's not every day you get to speak with the folks who make one of the most advanced game engines in the world, but today at E3, Crytek (you know, the folks responsible for Crysis) let us in on some of the secrets behind its latest game platform, CryEngine 3. We sat down with Kirthy Iyer, an animation technologist at Crytek, and had him walk us through some of CE3's tools that are enabling publishers to build games for any platform -- including PC, PS3 or Xbox 360 -- faster and better than ever. Among the highlights are a "multi-layer navigation mesh" that automates the movements of AI-controlled game characters, and super realistic water rendering technologies. We could go on singing CryEngine's praises, but instead we'll let you get all the details from Mr. Iyer in the video after the break. Enjoy.
Undead Labs moving right along with Class3
The end of September marked a graduation of sorts for members of the Undead Labs development team. The company's untitled maiden voyage has officially crossed the threshold from pre-production to in production, and a blog post on the firm's web site celebrates the milestone with something of a rah-rah speech from founder Jeff Strain. "I'm blown away by how far we've come in such a short amount of time. Our task now as we move headlong into the production phase is to take this fun little gem and turn it into something we're proud to show the world," Strain wrote. The gem he's referring to is currently known only by its Class3 codename. We do know that it's about zombies and that it's only for consoles. Aside from that, the title is shrouded in a fair bit of mystery. Strain's post also features a time-lapse video that shows off the game's CryEngine 3-powered time-of-day effects, and you can check that out after the cut.
Undead Labs brings Class3 to (un)life with CryENGINE 3
Following last week's dev diary featuring Undead Labs' art director Doug Williams and his talk on the "heart of horror," the most recent dev diary from the studio shifts in a more technical direction. In particular, executive producer Jeff Strain focuses on the game's engine. Even more particularly, he announces that the tentatively named Class3 will be running on the powerful CryENGINE 3. Of course, the devs over at Undead Labs are quite familiar with the traditions of the internet and anticipate shouts of "pics or it didn't happen" with a lovely screenshot from an early version of the game. But wait, there's more! Call now and you'll receive not just a single screenshot, but an entire video! Just click past the break and check out an early version of Undead Labs' Class3 in action, then skip on over to the dev blog to read the full entry.
ASTA showing off its CryEngine3 visuals at Gamescom
If you were fortunate enough to attend this year's GDC, it's possible you caught a glimpse of ASTA, the new fantasy MMO from NHN. The title, formerly known as Project E:st, is powered by the CryEngine3 and boasts some of the more impressive visuals in the MMO space. Assuming you can make it to Cologne, Germany, for this year's Gamescom (August 17th through the 21st), you'll get another opportunity to see ASTA in action since NHN will be offering visitors "a first look at the captivating world [...] as well as the opportunity to chat with the developers and learn more about character development, guild evolution, competitive play, and many other features," according to a new press release. ASTA is being developed by Polygon Games (which includes a core group of designers who previously worked on Rohan: Blood Feud), and it takes place in a world inspired by Asian myth. Gameplay elements include realm vs. realm, PvE questing, raids, and crafting.
GDC09: Crytek announces CryENGINE 3
The manufacturer of beautiful virtual worlds your computer can never run, Crytek, has just released a video for the latest iteration of its own CryENGINE, uh, engine: CryENGINE 3. Aside from being a pain to type, it's also a platform for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, MMO, and DX9/DX10 development (which we already knew) that provides scalable computation and graphics for all major upcoming platforms, making it "next-gen ready." In speed tests, the engine ran at over 800 Van-Dammes per second, destroying CryENGINE 2's record of 150 Stathams per second.Cevat Yerli, CEO & President of Crytek, really thinks the company has a winner here and hopes that developers will use the tech to get started on tomorrow's great games today. He describes the new engine as "a revolutionary change from our previous PC-only engines," and will likely love the money Sony and Microsoft toss at Crytek to make Crysis 2: Strike at the Plant where Billion-Dollar Cybersuits are Made a timed exclusive.CryENGINE 3 will be on display at GDC09 all of this week. Head past the break for the announcement video showing the engine in action for the first time.
