EA Licence Unreal Engine 3

[BrynS]

EA Press Release (PDF file): http://www.info.ea.com/news/pr/pr811.pdf

First thought that popped into my head... a Wing Commander FPS! Okay, I know that it's very unlikely, but I remain ever the (delusional) optimist that an FPS set in the Wing Commander universe will be developed at some point in the future.

Cheers,


Bryn

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Actually, one of the recent aborted WC projects called for *exactly* this -- licensing the Unreal engine to do the spaceflight.

 

[BrynS]

Interesting, how recent was this aborted project under discussion, Loaf? Prior to UT2003 (2002), during the UT2004 timeframe (2003-2004) or after UE3 was announced in mid 2004?

I haven't played the spaceflight aspect of UT2004, which I recall being marketed and wasn't there even some progress made in modelling the Intrepid for UT2004 by someone on the boards here? As UE 2.x (UT2004), Source (various mods) and UE3 (Gears of War) have shown, the engine doesn't necessarily have to be used for the development of an FPS.

-Bryn

 

[ChrisReid]

I think one of the big deals about this announcement is that EA just spent a bunch of money to buy Criterion in the UK and use their Renderware software. Presumably some stuff will be reworked/scrapped and use this instead now. There is something odd about this. EA has been releasing press releases pretty nonstop recently.. but you typically use some strategy when determining which press releases you're going to distribute on Friday night.

 

[cff]

The spaceflight in UT2004 is pretty much aweful. The ONE missin featuring it is quite fun, but the physiscs behind the space battle is really non existant. Its just like you are in spectator mode with a gun. However engine. physic engine and gameplay aren't directly linked, so yeah, why not use the Unreal RENDER Engine for a non FPS. There are many many mods that do that successfully.

 

[BrynS]

Firingsquad have contacted Epic's Vice President, Mark Rein and EA's Corporate PR rep, Trudy Miller for some comment on the deal.

[...]

So why license Epic's Unreal Engine 3 when EA already has its own in-house technology? Rein told us it was simply a matter of good sense for EA to use it. "I think it comes down to smart resource management," he told us about the EA-UE3 deal. While he felt that the Criterion Software purchase has been successful for EA, using Unreal Engine 3 would save them time and money for certain games, but it would also complement EA's own technologies (of course, Rein would not reveal what upcoming EA titles would use UE3 but it's likely that it won't be used for titles like Madden).

[...]

FiringSquad also contacted EA for comment as well and got some quick responses from its corporate PR rep Trudy Muller, who echoed many of the same statements Rein gave us. Muller confirmed that EA would use Unreal Engine 3 primarily for upcoming and unannounced action titles. And what about EA using technology from a game developer that is also making games that compete with EA's action titles? Muller told us that wasn't an issue, saying. "We make games for Sony's console and Sony makes games. We make games for Microsoft's console and Microsoft makes games."

-Bryn

 

[Bob McDob]

As UE 2.x (UT2004), Source (various mods) and UE3 (Gears of War) have shown, the engine doesn't necessarily have to be used for the development of an FPS.

In fact, Source is being used right now as the basis for a FPS/Space combat mod for Half-Life 2.

http://www.eternal-silence.net/

 

[Lt.Death100]

3 craft total? Kinda lacking on content there.

 

[BrynS]

Thanks for the link Bob -- I recall seeing at least one HL2 space mod somewhere before, but couldn't remember the name.

CNN's Chris Money has just commented on Electronic Arts' "Epic" Deal, noting the significance of EA's Criterion purchase in 2004 and how other publishers have been reticent about licencing Renderware since then due to effectively ploughing money into the dominant competitor.

[...]
EA (Charts) will only say it plans to use the Unreal engine on action games. P.J. McNealy, an analyst with American Technology Research, said in a note Monday that the latest "Medal of Honor" game, which was recently delayed to 2007, has made the switch, as well as an unannounced first-person shooter named "Dead Space". (The company declined to comment on the specifics of the report.)
[...]

-Bryn