John Carmack
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id pushing hard for Quake Live on the Mac
Our good friends at Joystiq recently spoke to id games' John Carmack (the man behind games like Quake and Doom, and fervent supporter of Mac gaming), and heard that id's new product, Quake Live, is headed to our OS just as soon as they can get it there. Quake Live is a free, browser-based, multiplayer-only version of the popular first-person shooter, and it's Windows-only at the moment and packed -- I've tried to play, but have been locked out by thousands of people ahead of me in server queues. Even some of the developers at id are having issues. One of them (a Mac user, apparently) complains that even he has to jump into Boot Camp just to play his own game.A little more significantly, Carmack says he recognizes that while there are lots of other choices for PC gamers, a game like Quake Live could make a much bigger splash on Mac and Linux, where there aren't as many other developers and titles grabbing for attention. We've heard that before -- while developers claim there's not a big enough base for them on OS X and Linux, the truth is that some of your best and most loyal customers will use Macs.Good to see that Carmack recognizes there's an audience here who want to shoot each other online, too. Hopefully we'll see Quake Live running on our machines sooner rather than later.
id expecting to sign Doom 4 deal 'later this year,' publisher unknown
While id Software recently partnered with EA's increasingly popular publishing imprint EA Partners for the upcoming Rage, John Carmack said that no such deal has been reached for the studio's other major project, the recently announced Doom 4. "Nobody's signed Doom yet," Carmack told Joystiq, "so Doom 4 will be the same process of going out and bringing [publishers] around." By that point, id will have "some scope of how the dealings of EA will have gone" and they'll "be able to get a better sense of how we think their doing, holding up their side of the bargain."And when will that be? "We're taking Doom like we did with Rage, quite a way on our internal development funds," Carmack revealed. "It winds up getting us a better deal with the publishers who sign it but we do expect to be signing Doom deals later this year." So, in other words, after beating out other publishers on paper – including Activision, THQ, and Sega – to get the publishing rights for Rage, it's up to EA Partners to actually perform if they want a slice of that Doom 4 pie. With games like Rock Band, Rock Band 2, Left 4 Dead, Orange Box, Crysis, and unreleased games like Brütal Legend, and the as-yet-unnamed Epic / People Can Fly and Shinji Mikami / Suda51 games we think EA aims to please.Check back later today for our full interview with id's John Carmack and Marty Stratton. [image]
Carmack: Quake Live on Mac, Linux 'high on my priority list'
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/linux_unix/Carmack_Quake_Live_on_Mac_Linux_high_on_my_priority_list'; Don't worry Mac and Linux gamers: Though the public beta of Quake Live that opened its doors yesterday only supports Windows, id Software's John Carmack tells Joystiq that "it's pretty high on my priority list to have the Mac and Linux support." To that end, an external contractor is working on just that "right now" but Carmack acknowledges that Quake Live compatibility "is going to be a much bigger factor in [the Mac and Linux markets] for people wanting to play the game than it is on the Win32 market where you have so many more options." Carmack was even hopeful that, with enough popularity and some special attention from Apple, the could get "maybe a handful of milliseconds better [on Mac OS] than you can actually get on Windows."So, that's operating systems, but what about browsers? Sure, most of us are using Internet Explorer or Firefox but what about Google's Chrome? Quake Live producer Marty Stratton tells us that, while "it officially doesn't support Chrome" it "does actually work ... with some glitchiness." We didn't ask about that other WebKit-based browser, Apple's Safari, but Stratton said that while Mac and Linux support are the priorities, "I suspect we will get Chrome supported as well."Promising news for Mac gamers, to be sure, and with many id insiders using Macs – Quake Live's own Marty Stratton said, "Right now I have to switch over to Boot Camp to play it in Windows" and John Carmack famously debuted the id Tech 5 engine at an Apple keynote – we're inclined to believe it's the high priority they say it is. Check back later today for our full interview with id's John Carmack and Marty Stratton.
id 'bullish' on iPhone: Wolfenstein RPG, Quake 3, 'experimental' game
Speaking with id Software's John Carmack about the public beta of Quake Live earlier this week, the conversation naturally shifted towards other, totally relevant topics ... like iPhone development. At last year's QuakeCon, Carmack praised the platform's capabilities while announcing that the studio had at least two titles in the works. One a "conventional mobile game," the other a "graphical tour de force." Carmack told MTV Multiplayer that the already-released mobile game Wolfenstein RPG would be making its way to the iPhone in "a month or so" so there's our conventional mobile game. Carmack told us about some of those iPhone plans, saying that there "a lot of people [at id] that are very bullish" on the iPhone, including himself apparently. He told us that he was working on iPhone development stuff "literally today." One game Carmack dubbed "experimental" saying, "We're not positive that it's going to turn into a fun game yet and we may kill it, rather than release something that is not good." It's worth noting that one particular Wii project being "tossed around" is an "outgrowth" of this "experimental" iPhone game. The other piece of iPhone development that Carmack mentioned is an "internal hack-around project." Namely: Quake 3. It "needs some significant amount of [his] time" to get a framerate worthy of the game, Carmack told us. He continued, "If we do turn that into a product I'm seriously considering going and taking over all of the Quake Live gameplay modifications and the updated maps" to make a "more modernized version." The aforementioned tour de force "would not be a new IP" according to Anna Kang, president of id Mobile though we're fairly confidant it's not this Quake 3 "hack." Check back later today for our full interview with id's John Carmack and Marty Stratton.
John Carmack 'in talks' to make exclusive Wii game
Despite the fact that Nintendo really isn't his thing, John Carmack can't ignore how many Wii owners are out there. That's why he's been in talks to develop a title exclusively for the Wii, he told MTV Multiplayer."We've been pitched and talked about a project to do a title that would fit well on the Wii, and it's actually related to an iPhone title that we're doing," Carmack said. We know that id is working with Gameloft on the iPhone, but what game could he be referring to? We're going to place our bets on Orcs & Elves for the Wii."I'd like to do something there, because I love a lot of what Nintendo has done with the Wii and the DS, but it's just out of sync with the developments that are currently going on at id." So nothing is being worked on right now, but there's hope: Carmack has Wii on the brain. "I actually spend far more time playing Wii with my four year-old boy than I do with any other game console."
Carmack: Xbox 360 Rage 'a little blurry,' 'key scenes' same as PS3
How many DVDs does it take to screw in a light bulb? ... Are we talkin' a Mega Texture light bulb that casts penumbra shadowing?In an update to id Software's data dilemma, John Carmack tells Tom's Games, "We're pretty much resigned to the fact that we're going to make [Rage] fit onto two DVDs on the 360." In other words, Microsoft isn't about to write off the steep royalties that allegedly add up with each additional game disc. The good news is you'll only have to whine for mom to swap your Xbox 360 discs once. The bad news, as headlined last week, is that Rage for Xbox 360 will supposedly look worse than the PlayStation 3's Blu-ray version due to data compression. But how much worse?"All of the key scenes, the things anyone is going to take a screenshot of are going to look exactly the same on both platforms," Carmack explains. "They'll get the high quality compression. But if you go into some areas in the wasteland, like behind a fence where nobody will typically go and explore, this is where the 360 version may look a little blurry compared to the PS3." We hear id's been sweeping some artifacts under the rug too. And watch out for those jaggies hiding beneath the bed!
Quake creator repeatedly turned down MMO opportunities
John Carmack, co-founder of id Software and lead programmer of the historic first-person-shooter games Doom and Quake, told Shacknews that id has been approached by multiple publishers interested in releasing an MMO version of Quake. Each time, the company turned them down.It was implied that id has not pursued (and will not pursue) the idea because of the etreme challenges of developing a triple-A MMO.There's a good point here. It's not as if Carmack and friends were throwing a money printer in the trash compactor by passing on the opportunity. The concern seems valid: MMOs are expensive, risky endeavors. Even with a team of experienced developers and a well-known intellectual property, there's always a risk that id could get in over its head.[Via Joystiq]
Carmack says Rage will look worse on 360 on 2 DVDs
During the QuakeCon keynote, id Sofware's programming wizard John Carmack made it known that the Xbox 360 version of id's upcoming Rage will look worse than it's PC, Mac, and PS3 counterparts. The reason, according to Carmack, is purely a compression issue and "has nothing to do with the power of the Xbox 360 hardware." The compression needed to squeeze the game onto two DVDs will apparently affect the visual fidelity, and Carmack noted that the royalty fee that a third disc would require is too high. Carmack added that he hoped Microsoft would "make a concession."Given that Rage is likely to be a very high profile title and that Microsoft has been known to give assistance to developers -- specifically, working with Capcom to accomodate Street Fighter II HD -- it's at least possible they may do the same for id. We're fairly certain the company probably isn't too keen to see a multiplatform title look noticably worse on its platform either. Here's hoping MS sees the light.[Via Joystiq] Gallery: RAGE
id's Carmack: iPhone nearly as powerful as Xbox, PS2
When he isn't dabbling in rocket science, id Software's John Carmack is one of the world authorities on 3D graphics programming. Carmack, who recently revealed that he is turning his talents to Apple's iPhone (the graphics ones, not the rocketry smarts) for a "graphical tour de force," has provided his two cents on just how powerful the cell phone personal media device really is.During an on-stage appearance at QuakeCon 2008, the man who's tinkered with every graphics tech under the sun likened the polygon-pushing capabilities of iPhone to that of Sega's late, great Dreamcast. Taking the comparison to more current game hardware, he stated that iPhone is "more powerful than a Nintendo DS and Sony PSP combined," perhaps even nearing the capabilities of the PS2 and original Xbox. Given his statements, we're even more eager to see the two projects id is developing for the device, a "conventional mobile game" and the aforementioned visual show stopper. [Via Engadget]
Carmack says iPhone is "more powerful than a Nintendo DS and PSP combined"
We already knew that Id Software co-founder John Carmack was on board with the iPhone to some extent, but at the now-happening QuakeCon 2008 in Dallas he's revealed just how impressed with the device he really is. According to Apple Insider, while Carmack admits that graphics memory could be a limiting factor, he describes the phone's hardware as equivalent to a Dreamcast and almost on par with a PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox. He also sees it as far superior, at least in terms of raw specs, than the two big dedicated handheld consoles out there, saying that is "more powerful than a Nintendo DS and PSP combined." Unfortunately, he didn't have any actual games to show off, but he did at least confirm that Id has two "tentative titles" in the works, including a "conventional mobile game," and one that pushes the iPhone's graphics capabilities.
John Carmack says Blu-ray offers better graphics
Right now, the PS3 version of id's upcoming shooter, Rage, will offer superior graphics performance on PS3 than Xbox 360. Not because of sheer horsepower, but because of storage. The game is shaping up to be a three disc game, a costly proposition due to Microsoft's licensing fees. Textures would need to be compressed "to fit the game's assets on two DVDs."Microsoft may have to rescind any fees for additional discs, as it's becoming evident that more developers will require more space in the future. For example, how much compression will Square Enix use for the 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII if making multi-disc games becomes too costly? In the future, we're likely to see more games take advantage of the sheer space offered by Blu-ray disc.[Via Joystiq; Thanks, stoo!]
Carmack: Rage to look worse on 360 if limited to two DVDs
Fanboys, start your engines! According to id Software's resident genius John Carmack, the developer's upcoming title Rage could actually look worse on Xbox 360 "due to the compression needed to fit the game's assets on two DVDs," reports Shacknews.Evidently royalty fees associated with a third disc would make the project financially unviable, so Carmack's looking to Microsoft to bite the bullet and rescind the fee or suffer the consequences (read: a multiplatform AAA title that looks worse on 360). Perhaps, unsurpringly considering the large size of the game's texture files, Carmack doesn't think that Doom 4 or Rage will make their way to digital distribution anytime soon. [Thanks, Anonim]
John Carmack planning a "graphical tour-de-force" for the iPhone
Ah, game developers (especially EA game developers, of which id software's John Carmack is now one, after their announcement at E3 that they'd work together to publish games). They thrive on hype, and live, it seems sometimes, off of speculation. That's probably why Carmack has told Forbes that not only does he love his iPhone, and not only does he not want to "announce anything specifically," but id wants to make a game for the iPhone and "it would be," according to Carmack, "a graphical tour de force." See what we mean? Ah, game developers.Anna Kang, who's the president of id Mobile (no relation), says that any id game they might be working on for the iPhone wouldn't be a new IP, so that puts it very much in the range of a Doom, Wolfenstein, or Quake game, and considering that another Wolfenstein sequel is being worked on right now, that probably makes it the most likely.For his part, Carmack sounds really excited to have the iPhone as a platform (especially since he hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with Apple) -- he equates it in terms of power to a PS2 or Xbox, and says that a company could easily shell out $10 million on an iPhone game, be it a first person shooter or a deep MMORPG. But he admits that the 99-cent sales in the App Store can't support that yet, and it probably wouldn't be the best thing for id Mobile to pour their resources into something like that quite yet. Nevertheless, we'll wait and see what they come up with.[via Joystiq]
Carmack planning iPhone 'graphical tour de force'
John Carmack loves his iPhone, so much so that the id Software co-founder has been spending a lot of time lately thinking of ways to bring his studio's tech-hungry game development to Apple's pricey portable. Forbes reports that Carmack, who still kicks himself for not having a game available for the device at launch, is currently planning to bring one of the dev's existing franchises to the iPhone as a "graphical tour de force." But as for which one, the company isn't saying just yet, though given that the recently launched id Mobile division already has Doom RPG and the forthcoming Wolfenstein RPG to its credit, we wouldn't be at all surprised if Carmack will bring Quake or some flavor of Rage to the small screen as well. What's more, he's apparently considering the idea of tackling the MMO market on the iPhone down the line, though he admits that he's being "conservative" and doesn't "want to be in a bet-the-company situation" just yet. Even so, as Carmack looks for ways to push the phone's visual fidelity, we take solace in the fact that for once we won't have to upgrade our video card just to play with his latest toy.
The Daily Grind: Do MMOs belong on cellphones?
Author Michael Crichton's entire body of work can be summed up in the phrase 'Just because you can, doesn't mean you should'. Similarly, it might be possible to create an MMO that will operate on cellphones and be an interesting enough game to justify the cost of producing it, but why bother? Sure, Japan is famous for their cellphone usage, which includes all manner of non-call related diversions, but can you imagine trying to grind levels between home and work?Actually, depending on the length and duration of your commute, you might find that prospect intriguing. But if the scenario of having your call suddenly drop after wandering outside of the range of a tower, just as you're trying to take down a boss as part of a 10-player raid doesn't frighten you -- then you must work for John Carmack. Cellphone MMOs: need it, or pass it by?
Gameloft, Id to develop for iPhone
Joining the ranks of Electronic Arts in game development for the iPhone, Gameloft and id Software have announced their commitment to Apple's portable. According to its press release, Gameloft intends to develop over 15 titles. In a post on Slashdot, id's programming wizard John Carmack lauded Apple's 70% royalty deal and distribution deal. As for the SDK, Carmack said, "Just based on the blurbs, it looks very good -- a simulator plus debugging on the native device is the best of both worlds." Id also noted it had to put in an application for development like everyone else. Can we get an official version of Doom now?[Via Engadget]Read - John Carmack on iPhone SDKRead - Gameloft Confirms Plans to Develop For iPhone With Over 15 Titles in 2008
Video game giants awarded at CES 2008
Several video games and their respective creators were honored at the fifty-ninth Annual Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards at CES 2008 in Las Vegas. The awards spotlighted some of the most groundbreaking titles in development of massively multiplayer online graphical role playing games as well as user generated content or game mods. The winners of the first category for development of MMORPGs were Sony Online Entertainment for Everquest (Laura Naviaux), Blizzard for World of Warcraft (Mike Morhaime) and AOL/Time Warner for Neverwinter Nights (Don Daglow).And the winners of the second category for user generated content/game modification were EA for Pinball Construction (Bill Budge), Id Software for Quake (John Carmack) and Linden Lab for Second Life (Philip Rosedale).Pictured from left to right: Daglow, Budge, Carmack, Naviaux, Rosedale, MorhaimeWe really only have just one thing to mention. If you're the representative of a multi-billion-dollar international corporation like Activision Blizzard, shouldn't you consider something other than raiding your dad's closet for a 1970's brown polyester suit? Although, only really rich people can afford to look broke, because they buy good stuff and wear it forever. So when Mike got it, it was probably very chic... in the 70's.
John Carmack to make a cell phone MMO
So when you think of the next shiny new MMOs coming out, do you think of any being released on a cell phone? Apparently John Carmack has said he does in a recent CNNMoney article. He says it will probably be after a sequel to one of id Software's newest original IP, Orcs and Elves. We can't imagine a cell phone MMO would have a very long development cycle (more akin to the PC-side of things) so the game could see light of day much sooner than anyone may think. Carmack goes on to say that his reasons for the idea is a lack of interest in competing with Blizzard. That's understandable given how saturated the massively game market continues to become, however we can't help but wonder if a cell phone MMO would even be very successful unless some serious innovations were made. Considering mobile phone functionality, there are definitely some interesting possibilities such as being able to play easily with anyone in your contact list permitted they have the game as well. However, this isn't the first time we've heard of a mobile MMO, so maybe Mr. Carmack is going to run into a little competition after all.[Via VirginWorlds]
Orcs & Elves & a John Carmack autograph
As if having the words "Orcs & Elves" emblazoned on your DS isn't enough to get you made fun of at school/the office by fantasy-hating jocks/co-workers, id Software went the extra mile and slapped on some dragon artwork onto this customized system to multiply its dorkiness rating tenfold. Oh, and the John Carmack autograph on the lid is sure to bring in a few putdowns, too: "Who is this John guy supposed to be? Your boyfriend?" So what if he is?Thankfully, we won't ever have to worry about Alisha heckling us for carrying one of these around, as only two were made, and they've both already been given away as part of a recent GamePro contest. We just might end up printing out a similar decal for our own DS, however -- the idea of designing our handheld to match the dragon posters we've put up in our cubicle is too tempting.
WoW is the "train driving PC gaming," says John Carmack
Game maker John Carmack, famous for developing landmark PC titles Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake, sat down for a chat with Gamasutra earlier this week to discuss the state of the greater PC game industry. Normally, the shooter visionary wouldn't have much to say that would be of interest to those of us with massively multiplayer games on our minds, but in a discussion about what sets the PC platform apart from consoles, Carmack specifically cited MMOs as one of the few remaining genres that continue to bring in new players to the table, referring to them as the "train driving PC gaming."While we agree with Carmack's assessment of the PC landscape today, we can't help but wonder how much longer the PC is going to be the exclusive domain of the MMO. With rumors of the next Blizzard MMO transitioning to consoles, NCsoft's plans to develop a new property for the PS3, and Nintendo getting into the MMO game, it looks like consoles are poised to play catch-up. The full interview will run on Friday, so we'll have to see if Carmack addresses this challenge later this week.
