Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Demophobe]

Have a look here and download some of the latest UT3 maps.

The Unreal series, Epic games, have always put power into the community through the exceptionally implemented Unreal Editor. Epic releases a game and the editor, and it remains pumped for years.

I was still downloading UT2004 maps until a few months ago; the community was and still is producing professional quality maps. This is the secret behind longevity in gaming.

Id did the same thing, as did Valve and the results are obvious. Quake Wars, Counterstrike are but 2 examples; these have become retail games but were originally basement-produced mods. The idea of a game is replay value and the big developers know how to keep their product fresh; by giving it all back to the community.

Now, being a FPS player, I don't know about other genres, but it seems to me that, for example, in RTS games, a game comes out, but quickly fades away. Look at Oblivion. A great game, but it has already faded away. Again, perhaps I am not involved in the communities enough for these games, but that is my perception.

Anyhow, UT3 is a great game that is going to keep giving for years to come. Epic patch the engine with the latest updates all the time, and update the editor as well. This ensures that the community always has the latest builds and tools at their disposal. It's a good lesson in loyalty and maintaining a strong feeling of community that other companies should look into.

I can think of nothing more wasteful than spending years developing a title, release it and watch it disappear.

The Unreal series has been consistently great and Epic are one group of developers that I truly respect. If you don't have UT3, get it and go to the link I provided once a week. There are new maps and mods all the time giving this game a new face every week. Paid to say this? No, but I am impressed enough to say it for free.

[eamo]

I like the unreal series but I think it's too pure of a shooter. It can get samey running around fragging. Even if it is on different maps all the time.

I like FPS's that immerse one in the world. That have a distinct atmosphere. I like to absorb the world around me when I play a PC game. With Unreal you're too busy running like a madman and shooting everything that moves to really take in the mise en scene.

[Demophobe]

Sure...I totally understand. I was however, using Unreal and Epic only to make a larger point, and that is one about what a game should be. With the PC being the tool that it is, I believe it to be a terrible waste to release a game as a finished product. For a console, I can understand, though the line between a console and a PC is becoming blurred.

The PC is the very system on which these games were made, and it only makes sense to me to let that power transfer into the hands of the people who are buying the game. From there they can make it their own.

[eamo]

[Juregen]

Oblivion RTS? You mean RPG .

In RPG they are also slowly creating user content. Best example is Neverwinter Nights. You can even be the Dungeon master!

For RTS....
You do get user maps, but as RTS goes, those maps tend to become repetitive.

[Demophobe]

[hanguker]

I agree with you that games need to be open for community development. One game I loved in particular and played for years was Battlefield 1942.

Players would create maps for it and it was really great. Then players started creating mods and it was awesome. New vehicles, new weapons, new characters and abilities. EA even allowed people develop it into a modern day war game (Desert Combat), which I believe directly inspired the new lines of "modern" warfare games available (eg. Battlefield 2/2142, COD4). Best game ever!

Don't get me wrong, I love UT for a good fragfest, but like eamo says, you're too busy killing and surviving to enjoy the atmosphere. Still an adrenaline pump, though!!!

PS-- For this reason PC games will always be around to compete with console games. Modability and lighting-fast response times with mouse and keyboard. If you are a PC FPS player and have ever tried playing an FPS on a console, you'll know what I mean. It feels like a bad dream where you can't move very quickly and all the baddies are coming to get you

[Demophobe]

[hanguker]

If they made a special mouse/keyboard-like thing for consoles I'd sooo be there! However, as it stands, I can't imagine a good console FPS with current paddles.

I can't wait to try UT3!!! M-M-M-M-M-MONSTER KILL!!!!!!!!