unreal-engine-3 posts

It's been just over a week since Epic unveiled the free-to-use Unreal Development Kit (UDK) for aspiring game designers to use for learning to put together top quality games. The UDK has got an update, bringing it to Beta 2, which offers a number of repairs and improvements. Visit the official UDK website for more information and documentation. Continue reading after the jump for the list of changes.

Download Unreal Development Kit (Beta 2) (562 MB)
Check out all Unreal Development Kit related Downloads

A week ago today, Big Download was one of the first web sites to launch the Unreal Development Kit. The stand alone free game development tool that lets anyone make their own Unreal Engine 3-based game has turned out to be very popular indeed with its creator Epic Games now saying the tool has experienced over 50,000 downloads since its launch. Three stand alone free UDK game demos (The Ball, Whizzle and Prometheus) have already been released.

That;s a pretty impressive figure for a piece of software that is designed to make a game rather that an actual playable title. If you still feel intimidated about using such such software, don't fret. The web site 3DBuzz.com plans to release a number of free video tutorials that will specifically show how to use the UDK. The site previously has done the same for the standard version of Unreal Engine 3.

[Via email press release]Download Unreal Development Kit (562 MB)
Download HD Unreal Development Kit Launch Trailer (80 MB)
Download HD UDK Psyonix Developer Diary (344 MB)

Epic Games has supported mod makers by releasing tools for their PC games ever since the release of the original Unreal game. Tons of new levels, weapons and total conversions have started out as mods based on Epic's games like Unreal Tournament, UT 2004 and UT 3. A few have even made the jump to becoming full stand alone commercial games like Tactical Ops, Red Orchestra and most recently Killing Floor. All of those games required the developer to buy a full Unreal Engine license from Epic.

With today's release of the Unreal Development Kit by Epic, mod makers who previously needed to have one of Epic's commercial games installed no longer have that limitation and can now make stand alone games that they can release for free or as a commercial game. Toltec Studios, the UT 3 mod team behind the unusual first person action-puzzle total conversion The Ball, have already released a stand alone free demo version of the game using UDK. You can download the demo right now at Big Download.

Big Download got to ask some questions to the mod team's leader Sjoerd "Hourences" De Jong to find out more about their UDK version of The Ball, whether mod makers will gravitate to Epic's new free release and their plans for a commercial version of The Ball.

San Diego-based Psyonix is a full fledged professional game developer with lots of experience in using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 technology. Indeed the developer has collaborated directly with Epic on several of their games. However, the team also likes to experiment with new game prototypes and one of those efforts, the casual underwater-themed platformer Whizzle, has been turned into a full (and free) stand along game using Epic's now officially released Unreal Development Kit.

Big Download got a chance to ask some questions to the Psyonix team and its founder Dave.Hagewood to find out more about how Whizzle was made, what they think the release of UDK will mean for game development and more.

Epic has released the Unreal Development Kit (UDK), a free version of Unreal Engine 3 for aspiring game developers. It's absolutely free for noncommercial and educational purposes. Those that wish to use Unreal Engine 3 for commercial use will need should refer to licensing terms at www.udk.com/licensing. The press announcement, demonstration video and features list can be seen after the jump. For more information, users can visit the official forums or the UDK documentation page.

To demonstrate the power and versatility of the development tool, there are two free games available, made using the UDK. They are:

Whizzle: A vertical scrolling puzzle game in which players swim through levels as Whizzle, an adorable sea creature that collects items and frees tiny comrades from captivity. Avoid the electrifying stingers of the jellyfish! More information about Whizzle, including a developer diary video, can be seen after the jump.

The Ball: An episodic, puzzle-based action game. Known as one of the most award-winning Unreal Tournament 3 mods in the $1 Million Intel Make Something Unreal Contest, "The Ball" has won honors for Best Use of Physics, Best Game Type and Best FPS Mod. Toltec Studios has ported over its UT3 mod to UDK, and the free, standalone version of The Ball is available for download.

Download Unreal Development Kit (562 MB)
Download HD Unreal Development Kit Launch Trailer (80 MB)
Download HD UDK Psyonix Developer Diary (344 MB)

Download Whizzle (112 MB)
Download The Ball (359 MB)

Topware Interactive sent over a note announcing that they will be the US publisher for Scivelation, an upcoming Unreal Engine III-based third person shooter. Due out for the PC and other platforms in mid-2010, the game is being developed by Ukraine-based Black Wing Foundation.

So what's the game about, besides having a rather odd title? The game is set in a distant future where a oppressive government known as the Regime is in charge. Your character is leading the resistance against this group and . . . hey, haven't we played this kind of game before? Geeze. Well if Scivelation has a "unrelenting interactive experience" as the press release states, we may forgive it for its generic storyline.

[Via email press release]

Epic Games continues to expand its business to other parts of the world and this week at the Tokyo Game Show it was revealed that the developer will open up a new office in Japan. Our sister site Joystiq reports that the office will be based in Tokyo and will mainly be used to provide Unreal Engine customer support to Japanese-based development studios. However, Epic's president Mike Capps added that the office could expand to develop actual games.

This is just the latest in Epic's expansion plans. Besides their North Carolina home base they own two development studios in the West; Chair Entertainment in Utah and People Can Fly in Poland. They also operate Epic Games Korea for engine support and they are also involved (although more indirectly) in Epic Games China.

Clearly aiming for the Modern Warfare gaming audience, the free-to-play first person shooter Alliance of Vailant Arms from publisher NHN USA has now entered closed beta testing and will continue until September 30. Play time for the Unreal Engine 3 based shooter will be from Noon to 8 p.m. PST each day.

You can still sign up to check out the closed beta at the game's official web site. Big Download got a chance to play a few matches earlier this week in a special media day and the game is certainly a fun way to spend a few minutes of time. There are a number of gameplay modes available from simple team deathmatch-like modes to one where teams set up bombs to go off in certain areas to one where one team escorts a tank from one side of the map to the other while the other team tries to stop them. You can rank up in the game to gain access to more weapons and items, again much like the Modern Warfare titles.

At E3 back in June we got to see a video presentation with a little in-game footage of All Points Bulletin (APB), the upcoming urban crime themed MMO from developer Real Time Worlds and publisher Electronic Arts. However the E3 presentation was mostly about the game's customization option to make your character, your vehicle and event your music set to your specifications.

At PAX 2009 this weekend we got to see yet another APB video presentation behind closed doors. While not actual live gameplay it was a 15 minute video of real gameplay that was recently created. Oddly enough one of the participants who controlled one of the characters in the APB video was none other than Mark Rein, the VP of Epic Games (APB uses Epic's Unreal Engine 3)

Check out more info from the game after the jump: