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NCsoft Readies Two More Unreal MMOs
Posted by Mike Fahey at 2:40 AM on March 26, 2008
NCsoft loves Epic's Unreal Engine, but then again who doesn't (hush Silicon Knights)? After successfully implemented the last version of the engine in Lineage 2 and the forthcoming Exteel, NCsoft is making the jump to next-gen, licensing the Unreal Engine 3 for two unannounced MMO projects.
"Unreal Engine 3 has a well structured rendering pipeline, and its graphical quality is superb thanks to advanced lighting and shadowing systems," said Young-muk Choi, lead programmer, Development Unit, NCsoft. "Tools within the Unreal Editor empower us to instantly produce and optimise our outputs, and we especially love how the engine enables designers to easily prototype concepts without the need for programming."Hopefully UE3 will also be able to help them make a game that doesn't fail miserably.
NCsoft Announces Unreal Engine 3 Licence for Two Upcoming ProjectsWorld-renowned online game developer expands on Unreal legacy
SEOUL, KOREA (March 25, 2008) - NCsoft® Corporation, the world's leading developer and publisher of online computer games, today announced that it has reinforced its relationship with Epic Games, Inc. by licensing Unreal Engine 3 to develop two unannounced, top-tier massively multiplayer online games. NCsoft has achieved spectacular results working with the Unreal Engine over the years, shipping the highly successful Lineage® II, and the soon to be released Exteel ™, using Unreal Engine 2.
"Unreal Engine 3 has a well structured rendering pipeline, and its graphical quality is superb thanks to advanced lighting and shadowing systems," said Young-muk Choi, lead programmer, Development Unit, NCsoft. "Tools within the Unreal Editor empower us to instantly produce and optimise our outputs, and we especially love how the engine enables designers to easily prototype concepts without the need for programming."
"NCsoft pioneered online game development using Unreal Engine, as evidenced by Lineage II, one of the most commercially successful and enduringly popular online games in history," said Jay Wilbur, vice president of Epic Games. "We are thrilled to take this next step with NCsoft, and are fully committed to supporting their projects. We expect to be completely wowed by what they do with our latest technology."
Developers and publishers around the world have licensed Unreal Engine 3 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Since Epic has shipped its internal titles across all supported platforms, the engine's content pipeline and technical capabilities have achieved unprecedented levels of maturity and accessibility. These advancements, combined with the continual incorporation of top quality middleware via Epic's prestigious Integrated Partners Program, has primed Unreal Engine 3 as the best possible offering for cross-platform game development for years to come. Through this licensing agreement, NCsoft will be able to take advantage of the latest enhancements to Unreal Engine 3, including dynamic ambient occlusion, a fracturing tool and runtime, a realistic crowd system and much more.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
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th3-1nf1d3l
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
@Bon5ai: I liked Auto Assault...me and about 100 other people...
th3-1nf1d3l
sascha23
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
I believe these MMOs will fall into the "exclusive PS3" titles NCsoft and Sony discussed last year.
sascha23
Cell9song
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
I played Exteel all through its beta and had a rather fun time with it. It's a great game if you only have a half an hour to commit. The game runs on just about any system, the combat is fun and the upgrade system makes it addictive.
Cell9song
wobbler
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Bam everyone shooting in with the corrections on the Aion comment :)
wobbler
wobbler
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
L3 got pushed back to like 2012 which is as good as dead. Aion is using the Crytek engine, not the one from Crysis but from Farcry.
I don't know if Huxley is using the U3 engine.
Aion looks pretty good, not super fantastic, but better than alot of other MMOs out there (cough WoW).
wobbler
Gladman
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
@Fyren: Aion is using Crytek's Cryengine (yeah the first one, the one that did FarCry).
Gladman
sir_carrot
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
@Bon5ai: Lineage 3 is dead? I hadn't heard that. I was rather looking forward to a spiffed up Lineage 3...
sir_carrot
The_nub_next_door
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
@belo: Its using the cryengine(1).
Tbh i couldn't care less about NCsoft, i can barely care for MMOs at all these days... However whatever MMOG Bioware is cooking up could be interessting.
The_nub_next_door
DeeBG
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Also because it's multiplatform, but I personally rather see no PS3 port than a crappy PS3 port.
DeeBG
DeeBG
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
More and more people are switching to UE3 because it promises to be the end all be all engine/middleware solution. Then game companies get disappointed when they find out that really isn't the case.
DeeBG
Ruisu
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
seriously when is Exteel coming out?
Ruisu
JohnnyLA
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
From what I heard, BioWare was having a pretty tough time getting Mass Effect on the Unreal 3 Engine since it's mostly designed for a first player type of game.
It's ayight..but not the "end all, be all".
JohnnyLA
BlackIceJoe
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
What is with every one using the UE3. I think Gears looks great but that is because it is from Epic. A lot of the games that run on UE3 suck. I would love to see more new engines get used. May be even the Offset engine very few people are using it at this time.
What ever the game is though it should be good seeing as NCsoft makes some great games.
BlackIceJoe
belo
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Isn't Aion using the u3 engine?
belo
brent_w
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
@Geckosan: I was just pointing out one that wasn't generic.
brent_w
Geckosan
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
@brent_w: Never said it was
The NCSoft games I have played (I haven't played Lineage II) have all been from what seems to be the same generic mold that most trash MMO's come from.
Is Lineage II different? When I see the words "unforgiving grind" I immediately think not ;)
Geckosan
Vistrix
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Where does it say these titles are for the PS3?
Vistrix
Kyle81
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
@onidavin: They nerfed SMG's down in the last patch, they gave buffs to shotguns and also to siege weapons.
I play primarily siege and I have no problem scoring big each game.
SMG's are still most used type of mech build, but its by no way the strongest. Heck I find close combat builds to often have more pure power.
Kyle81
kidko
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
UE3 is fun for implementing sounds
kidko
Fyren
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
@brent_w: Finally, someone that understands the appeal of Lineage franchise.
WoW will never beat Lineage in Korea unfortunately. I didn't understand the 2week grind to gain one level till I saw some epic siege and PvP during my cousin's heyday.
Fyren
onidavin
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Exteel is simultaneously cool and disappointing. Too little variety, and SMG-use is pretty overpowered.
onidavin
brent_w
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
@Geckosan: Lineage 2 wean't generic.
Lineage 2 had some amazing achievements. It was an excellent PVP game and the castle sieges were the most epic events I have ever seen in an MMO.
Its crippling drawback was the unforgiving grind which may work in the Korean market, but doesn't work well here.
brent_w
TC
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
I have to use Unreal Engine 2 this term for a level design project. Fun times. Wish we were working with 3.
TC
Craig-VN-Gossman
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
can't wait to see which games are put on the ps3 as an mmo
Craig-VN-Gossman
Fyren
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Aion, DX-10 U3.0 engine, looks very...underwhelming.
Huxley, DX-10 U3.0 engine, looks very...unerwhelming.
Fyren
Geckosan
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Generic Fantasy MMO number 53, but now with High Dynamic Range Lighting ;)
Geckosan
Kyle81
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
This is the 2nd Kotaku article to say that Exteel is "forthcoming".
Exteel is already out! It's been out in non beta form now for months!
Fun game for mecha fans, and it's free to play.
www.exteel.com
Kyle81
Schoolimangooli
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
I really don't like the Unreal engine.
Schoolimangooli
WillW
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
the unreal3 client isn't very good.
WillW
pylon_trooper
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Kart-Rider rules the MMO world. Well, the MMO world for people who don't want to grind or pay money.
Something rather addictive about this online Mariokart clone.
pylon_trooper
Bon5ai
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Auto-Assault wasn't really a NCSoft game, they just published it. Some dumb ass american developer made it, though I guess it was NC's fault for backing it.
Too bad Lineage 3 is dead, hopefully XLGames's Crytek 2 engine based mmo can fill the void.
Bon5ai
mikeluisortega
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Im sick of the Unreal engine, it seems like every game that uses it, has the same graphical glitches that you just go "oh... this is a UE game....."
mikeluisortega
Garo
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
...for PS3
Garo
TheEngineer: Rocking the Goggles
Posted 8:17 PM 26/3/08
Advanced lighting and shadowing systems! Are you fucking kidding me? Has anybody played Gears or Mass Effect other than me? Have you seen the shit the "advanced lighting and shadowing system" vomits all over everybody's faces?
TheEngineer: Rocking the Goggles