The new Unreal Tournament will be free, moddable and developed with players

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

The new Unreal Tournament will be free, moddable and developed with players

 

Unreal Tournament is coming back.

 

Developer Epic Games revealed today that the multiplayer shooter's next incarnation ? in development in Unreal Engine 4 for Linux, Mac and Windows PC and called simply Unreal Tournament ? will be free, moddable and collaboratively developed with fans.

 

We spoke with senior programmer and project lead Steve Polge ahead of today's Twitch reveal to learn how Epic chose this path, what the developer thinks players want from a modern arena shooter and what "free" really means.

 

The next Unreal Tournament is a product of Epic's plans for Unreal Engine 4. In March 2014, the developer and software creator announced a new business model: Unreal Engine 4 is available to all for a $19 monthly subscription. Just this week, Epic released the software's development roadmap. A more affordable engine developed in public means more potential creators, a central focus of the upcoming game.

 

"For years, we?ve wanted to reboot Unreal Tournament, but we knew we had to do it in concert with developers and the mod community, and in an environment that sets them up with the proper tools to make it happen," Polge told Polygon. "Given the recent launch of UE4, we think this is the right time to move forward."

 

Epic's goal is to develop the game in public and in collaboration with players and development students who can begin their involvement with the game today in Epic's forums, where the company is ready to talk about design and more.

 

"Our first development goal is to get a basic version of Unreal Tournament deathmatch up and running to provide a basis for iteration and further development," Polge said.

 

"If you?re a member of the UE4 community, you can participate or just follow our progress on the live GitHub fork. You can also get started extending or modding the code as it becomes functional."

 

Epic will discuss design questions in the forums and Twitch streams, and Polge said that the "decision process will be inclusive and transparent. Players will be able to make their voice heard, and participate meaningfully in setting the direction of development. We will release playable alpha versions and use those to get hands-on feedback from players as well."

 

The Unreal Tournament series made its debut in 1999, with Unreal Tournament 2003, Unreal Tournament 2004 and 2007's Unreal Tournament 3 (pictured above) following. Epic employees began teasing the new game last week. The PC shooter ecosystem has changed since Unreal Tournament's last incarnation, but Polge believes that there's a "need" for the kind of competitive shooter that Epic can provide.

 

"Unreal Tournament still has a lot of passionate fans," he said. "We think there?s a real need in today?s PC FPS community for a modern competitive shooter that brings back the kind of pure, fast action, skill-based gameplay for which the series is known."

 

Epic's decision to build the game in public isn't the only change that reflects the passage of time. Unreal Tournament will be free ? but not free-to-play, according to the developer.

 

"Free means free ? no microtransactions," he said. "Just free."

 

When asked how Epic will earn income with a free game, Polge said that Unreal Tournament will "eventually" have a marketplace where modders can post and give away or sell their maps, mods and other content.

 

That is Epic's broad vision for the future of Unreal Tournament. Today's announcement constitutes the earliest stages of the upcoming game, which doesn't yet have a release date ? though when it does, it'll be a product of Epic and a community of Unreal Tournament fans clamoring to play the game and completely free to anyone else who steps inside of the arena.

 

"While we?re in early development, all of the ongoing work will be available live to the Unreal Engine 4 development community in source code form" Polge said. "We expect it will take several months to get to a point where there?s a downloadable, playable alpha version available for gamers.

 

"From that point forward, it will be live, constantly updated and available to everyone."

 

Source: Polygon

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Live stream: http://www.twitch.tv/unrealengine

[spaceelf]

That's about the least exciting UT news I've ever heard, whee.

[Blackhearted]

Hopefully the players will be wise enough to tell them that the game should feel like UT2004.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

All I want is a new version of CTF Face in the game. 

[ensiform]

Channel is down.

[Order_66]

Hopefully the players will be wise enough to tell them that the game should feel like UT2004.

 

I certainly hope not, UT2k4 was far too gimmicky for any pro player to take seriously and that it why most of the pro players bailed within a year of its release, it was a kids game.

[Lord Method Man]

All I want is a new version of CTF Face in the game. 

I'm cool with it being the only level in the game because when I play it might as well be.

[Blackhearted]

I certainly hope not, UT2k4 was far too gimmicky for any pro player to take seriously and that it why most of the pro players bailed within a year of its release, it was a kids game.

 

I couldn't care less about so called 'pros'. A game that is fun is far more important than a game that makes a small minority like that happy.

[R1pper]

unreal tournament (1999) is the best UT of all, not 2003 not 2004 not even 2007 version has the unique quality of UT, i still play it, nothing come close to it in terms of skills and fun.

i got my self S3TC  high end textures, and UT never seen so perfect.

 

still remember the demo days, i was a quake 3 arena fan, but 3 4 hours in UT demo, and i was hooked, the fun and skills that required of one, are endless, because other players evolving as well, some in a terrifying pace.

 

for me, the best online fps ever, is UT, after 15 years, it's the first and last, and there's nothing but him.

AMEN!

[Order_66]

unreal tournament (1999) is the best UT of all, not 2003 not 2004 not even 2007 version has the unique quality of UT, i still play it, nothing come close to it in terms of skills and fun.

i got my self S3TC  high end textures, and UT never seen so perfect.

 

still remember the demo days, i was a quake 3 arena fan, but 3 4 hours in UT demo, and i was hooked, the fun and skills that required of one, are endless, because other players evolving as well, some in a terrifying pace.

 

for me, the best online fps ever, is UT, after 15 years, it's the first and last, and there's nothing but him.

AMEN!

 

^this 100%

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Topic cleaned

 

Quit with the insults

[Phouchg]

Makes me feel old it does. Kids these days, they can't even handle Redeemer. Back in the old days we did it with our bare hands. While wearing shades. During the night. In orbit. Without atmosphere. Facing worlds.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Makes me feel old it does. Kids these days, they can't even handle Redeemer. Back in the old days we did it with our bare hands. While wearing shades. During the night. In orbit. Without atmosphere. Facing worlds.

Sniping players as they spawn from the top of a tower. :shiftyninja:

[Praetor]

unreal tournament (1999) is the best UT of all, not 2003 not 2004 not even 2007 version has the unique quality of UT, i still play it, nothing come close to it in terms of skills and fun.

i got my self S3TC  high end textures, and UT never seen so perfect.

 

still remember the demo days, i was a quake 3 arena fan, but 3 4 hours in UT demo, and i was hooked, the fun and skills that required of one, are endless, because other players evolving as well, some in a terrifying pace.

 

for me, the best online fps ever, is UT, after 15 years, it's the first and last, and there's nothing but him.

AMEN!

 

 

i was in 2000 playing Quake 3 Arena (Q3 Arena) and it was fun...until i friend brought to our LAN a copy of UT99; everyday for about two years straight we played for hours and since then i never played Q3 Arena again, but to this day i still play UT99. Yep, that good and fun.

[R1pper]

Makes me feel old it does. Kids these days, they can't even handle Redeemer. Back in the old days we did it with our bare hands. While wearing shades. During the night. In orbit. Without atmosphere. Facing worlds.

(Y) (Y)

Sniping players as they spawn from the top of a tower. :shiftyninja:

LOL

 

i was in 2000 playing Quake 3 Arena (Q3 Arena) and it was fun...until i friend brought to our LAN a copy of UT99; everyday for about two years straight we played for hours and since then i never played Q3 Arena again, but to this day i still play UT99. Yep, that good and fun.

The Good Old Days, whom ever played UT or Q3 was cool, and CS players were bunch of America most wanted. :rofl:

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

[TheReaperMan]

shut and take my money.....oh wait... its free!

 

UT 99 was great, still play it now it had great balance in the guns and the maps just worked, loved playing on facing worlds, so many ways to grab the flag and also to defend it.