Epic Reveals First Details of Unreal Engine 4

[Ghosthunter]

http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2012/0...eal4/?pid=2549

looks interesting what kind of rig will need LOL

[hirantha]

isn't it OpenGL? then we shouldn't have any issues

[Redeemed]

Hmm...

[FastRedPonyCar]

Meh... Several studios are already using the new version of cryengine 3 (3.5 or whatever it's at now) to build next gen console titles. That engine is already a proven winner and is capable of rendering pretty decent looking stuff on current consoles. With the rumors floating around on what the next gen consoles will have hardware-wise, they should have no problems pushing details that we see on crysis and crysis 2 at full DX11/ultra settings with AA @ 1080.

As far as this new UE4 thing goes... If developers can actually produce a quality game with graphics on par with the samaritan demo then I'll be impressed but I'm withholding judgement until I see what studios actually DO with the product.

I guess we'll get to see this thing in motion at E3 next month so we can see just what's up. I hope I'm amazed. I really do.

[Bokishi]

I dont see much next-gen in those shots...

[nutcrackr]

will it have anti aliasing?

[ViN86]

Originally Posted by Inraged Twitch

ya whats the point when crytek released there engine for free?

The SDK is free. The UE3 SDK was free too.

Until you start making money. Then you pay a percentage of the profits to them.

[FastRedPonyCar]

I heard crytek charges a cool 1 million to license it's engine to a company to use to make a game. chump change really given what most game's cost.

[Cylphid]

Originally Posted by Redeemed

Hmm...

My thoughts exactly

I'll reserve opinion until I see it at work in a game.

[AngelGraves13]

First shots of it look amazing. Considering most games use UE, when next gen games start using this, we'll be blown away.

I've given up on id software. CryTek and Epic are the only two companies left who can make amazing looking engines.

Screenshots: http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2012/0...eal4/?pid=2549

[astonish]

I've been told by people who saw the demo during consults that it looks more impressive in motion than what the screens let on. When you see all the reflections, particles and radiosity working in real-time it leaves a better impression (they say). I too was a little underwhelmed by some screens, floored by others. Everything is really about developers because nobody wants to hire more staff for 3 year dev cycles because its financially unsustainable. Epic was more trying to sell people on "you can develop faster and with less of a learning curve" than "we can make your games look even more amazing". Sounds about right considering most console manufacturers seem to be pushing towards conservative instead of envelope pushing specs for next-gen.

It is a fully deferred shading, dynamically lit pipeline. Think Doom3, but with radiosity and some specular interaction. No more lightmap computing and, I assume, no more baking cube maps.

As a programmer I'm more curious about the "real-time" C++ stuff. From the sounds of it you can just edit-and-continue with the editor running to play with new game logic nearly instantaneous. At the same time unreal script is completely gone.

Granted I can draw up a longer list of my favorite games made with Unreal compared to Cryengine I don't really have a favorite. If people can make great games for both and they keep competing and making things more impressive as a result I'm all for it. Another engine that seems to be gaining steam, though under the radar for AAA development, is Unity. Most devs I know that work with it come away pretty impressed and tho not cryengine or UDK level their DX11 stuff is looking really good.

Guess well know more when Epic shows off UE4 at E3...

[AngelGraves13]

At least they don't have to spend months faking realistic lighting anymore. UE4 does realistic lighting!

Finally...