Crytek Showcases Multiplatform CryEngine3
Posted 08/22/09 at 04:02:01 PM by Justin Kerr
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By all accounts Crysis is one of the most talked about PC first person shooters of all time. Few titles even come close to matching the graphical fidelity pumped out by CryEngine2, and let be honest here, this is still our go to game whenever we test out our upgraded rigs. Unfortunately developer Crytek perceived the PC exclusive title as sales dud with piracy projections as high as 20:1, and announced that it was abandoning PC only titles in favor of multiplatform development. Many feared this will lead to a dumbing down of the franchise, but it seems as though Crytek is working hard not only to produce a quality sequel, but also to design one of the most powerful multiplatform engines of all time.
Showcased for the first time at the Game Developers Conference Crytek demonstrated its real time development engine that simultaneously allows developers to make changes to a PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 version of a game. If CryEngine3 lives up to its potential, it could dramatically reduce development time – and cost. Crytek has also been working hard to integrate external tools such as Photoshop into the development environment to manipulate existing textures, and seamlessly inject them into a dynamic game world.
Many perceived the loss of Crytek as an exclusive PC developer to be a blow to our beloved platform, but if they help to design a tool that makes multiplatform releases this easy, we could well see a huge influx of new titles in the future that might have otherwise been console only. Would you agree?
Yay... multidumbdown.
Submitted by horzo on Mon, 08/24/2009 - 8:57am
Yay... multidumbdown. Inevitable, of course, but still sad.
FPS as a game genre is creatively dead, so I don't care all that much. You'll still have millions shelling out $60 for some idiotic railed nonsense like Gears of War 2, but no one over the age of 16. Enjoy.
Well I paid $30 for Crysis
Submitted by dag1992 on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 11:12am
Well I paid $30 for Crysis after building a new rig this summer, I think it's a brilliant game even though the ending was a bit bad.
It could be like the
Submitted by gendoikari1 on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 9:08am
It could be like the differences between the PC and 360/PS3 versions of Oblivion, where the PC version had the option for extra graphical flair (HDR, increased fade distances, increased texture size, etc.)
360 crash?
Submitted by mrlhxc on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 8:32am
just wondering, did the 360 crash during the demo?
Submitted by mrlhxc on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 8:32am
just wondering, did the 360 crash during the demo?
Submitted by zioburosky13 on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 8:29am
Eh, isn't the samething id software is doing now with their id5 engine? (hint: Gordon's weekly activity)
Submitted by thefirstm on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 2:37am
When I first saw this news headline, I though multi-platform meant Linux and Mac support, which would have been great (Since I exclusively use Linux). But consoles? Hmph. Consoles can't even come near the processing power or visual fidelity of even mid-range processors and graphics cards for PCs. They might dumb this whole game down just to make it play smoothly on a stupid console.
Submitted by MysterioMP on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 7:19pm
I would never buy I game I would never own!!!
Don't you fools get it!
If I buy I new car...how is GM going to tell me, I can only drive it 5 times. Do I really own this car???
This is the system you all support and this is the reason why GM would fail.
Your not the good guys!!! That's the sad part!
WAKE UP!!!
Submitted by mesiah on Mon, 08/24/2009 - 5:12pm
We created this mess, now we have to deal with it. I hate DRM as much as the next guy, but I don't necessarily blame companies for trying to use it. Can you imagine if you sold a product and out of every 20 people who owned it, 19 of them stole it? How about 19 out of 20 people at the grocery store just walking out the door without checking out? Thats insane. There are plenty of laws and systems in place that, in a perfect world shouldn't be there. The easiest to relate to is speed limits. Does the government really need to tell most people not to drive too fast? no. But because some people just can't help themselves and need to drive like maniacs and hurt people, a system had to be put in place to prevent it. That system hurts you and me when we are a little late for work or otherwise in a hurry. And the people its supposed to stop usually just speed anyway. But it gives the government a stepping stone for combating those people who choose to drive like a maniac. DRM will never go away, it will just eventually morph into something that is either less intrusive, or we eventually just take it for granted and move on, much like the speed limit.
Submitted by Zachary K. on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 8:12am
want a tinfoil hat, and maybe a grammar book?
Submitted by Digital-Storm on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 10:47pm
Your grammar is attrocious.
"If I buy I new car"
Please, next time use this.
"If I buy a new car"
I doesn't equal A.
Submitted by Walnut on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 9:46pm
As much as I agree with this sentiment (though I won't condone piracy), I feel obliged to point out that piracy led to DRM in the first place. Maybe not piracy in same form as exists today, but stealing software is stealing software. People stole software, companies developed more and more restrictive DRM schemes, and now pirates claim they pirate because DRM is too restrictive. It's a never-ending cycle. Sure, there are pirates that only do it to get back at the DRM-toting man, but for most, regardless of what they'll tell you, that's not the case. Games are expensive; pirated games are free. You do the math. Pirates are ruining it for everyone out there that doesn't want shit games loaded with DRM, and worse yet, they're in no position to complain, because they're the root cause. Come on, guys. You made your bed, now sleep in it.
Submitted by tehR0XX0Rz on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 5:32pm
Only pathetic losers steal games.
Submitted by fnordfnord on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 4:56pm
The problem is that everyone suffers for the action of a few. I fail to see how it is fair that the honest customer can't back up his own game (or just play without the damn CD/DVD in the drive!!), that he bought with money he worked for simply because they want to hit on the pirates.
Want to go further in this discussion? It's not even stopping the pirates. Pirates will be pirates, no matter what you do. They will find a way ultimately, and in the end you're left aggravating the honest customer once again.
Insert the CD... oops Securom error, contact company. Install/Uninstall time!
You have to be connect 24/7 to play this game, sorry!
This license is in use already. Please deactivate license if you want to use it here.
I can't see how good it can be to alienate your fan base. Some honest customers turn to piracy as a quick and easy solution when you have to jump through this many hoops.
Sadly, I think this whole ordeal is playing a rather important part in the fact PC gaming is "dying". Coupled with upgrades, it's nothing to help.
Submitted by MeTo on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 7:13am
People who (pirate) or stole software they are the ones that need to be punished not everybody. Just like the RIAA they need to go after the ones that do illegal downloading/uploading and playing of games and programs. The RIAA has shown how easy it is. If it cost you up to $250.000 fine for stealing a game/program/software i bet you would pay cash the next time.
Submitted by Zachary K. on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 4:51pm
and you think the pirate bay thing would send them a message. it wont stop till the swat team goes in and punches them in the face. way to go, another title tied down to the crappy consoles. its safe to say crysis 2 wont be for benchmarking.
Submitted by Walnut on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 4:06pm
I paid $20 for the collectors edition at Gamestop early this year. It felt to me that the developers just got bored with it after a while, as it went on. The first half (or so) was incredibly fun. Large amounts of open-endedness is something you rarely get from shooters, and so it was very refreshing. The second half, though, was pretty bland. Still, I'd definitely say it was worth my $20.
I've got high hopes for the sequel. With so much effort going into the engine, they'll no doubt want their showpiece game to be top-notch. If it's mediocre, I can't see many devs running out buying licenses of CryEngine.
Submitted by Spider-Mom on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 4:42pm
Why not? that has very little to do with it
Submitted by Walnut on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 9:52pm
Ehh... I don't know. If I were looking into engines to license, and the only thing CryEngine 3 had to show for itself was some piece of trash thrown together by the engine's developers, I'd definitely shy away. If nothing else, you lose that positive brand name recognition. "Powered by Unreal" is a selling point, where "Powered by a piece of shit" is not. Obviously a good developer's not going to use an engine as-is, but it really doesn't seem prudent to buy a product with a lousy track record, especially when there are so many viable alternatives out there that probably run a fraction of the price.
Submitted by COMMANDER_COOK on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 2:27pm
Crytek is using their newly acquired Free Radical Design, now Crytek UK, to drive their console development. I'd like to add that FRD's Timesplitters series of games was awesome, and I hope to see Crytek pump out some more of em sooner or later.
Free Radical had to sell out because they lost their development rights to Battlefront 3 when it was in the alpha stage. That took away their only chance for some desperatly needed cash. Also, Haze did suck, I admit, but it was the only bad game they released.
You can find leaked footage of Battlefront 3 on youtube, although it is poor quality video.
Submitted by snapple00 on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 1:23pm
Hopefully those loser assholes that pirate games will choke on their dr pepper and doritos and die a horrible death.
Submitted by fnordfnord on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 1:47pm
Crysis wasn't worth paying for, IMHO. Super engine, super lame rehashed story and super bugs to go with it. Crysis at best is/was a benchmarking tool.
Do I condone piracy? No.
Do I condone game producers selling us a half assed game for $60.00? Neither.
'Luckily' I got mine when I bought some new hardware as a package deal (think it was a video card, maybe a CPU) because I'd feel terrible if I bought that full price.
half assed?
Submitted by Justin.Kerr on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 7:45am
It's okay to not like Crysis, to each their own.
But to say this title isn't worth $60 is an odd statement.
It's an origional engine, game world, francise, and offers both a full single & multiplayer camagin.
I'd be interested to know what you consider to be worth $60 if you truly believe that.
Submitted by fnordfnord on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 4:44pm
Would you pay for an engine? Personally, I'm spending my money on what I expect to be a game. To each their own, as you said.
There's no doubt, Crytek engines are awesome and Crysis once again proved this (although the requirements are among the most ridiculous I've ever seen for a game).
The story felt lacking, to call the single player "full" is once again, IMHO, an outrage. To me, I saw it as a "on-tracks" multiplayer. Everything was just horribly predictable, which is surprising considering they tapped in the extraterrestrial being concept, something that is unknown by all. Walnut pointed out that he felt like the developpers got bored with it, maybe rushing the end. This is exactly my feeling.
The so-so story coupled with bugs (expected, but never appreciated) Crytek left and major problems with Creative X-Fi cards at launch (Creative being #1 seller of 'external' audio devices for computers) left a sour taste in my mouth. You would expect a company wanting to profit from their creation to work a bit more hand in hand with major peripheral manufacturers and root out bugs. That wasn't the case, apparently.
That said, it got rave reviews. Yap yap, best shooter of 2007, best shooter ever and so on.
I have an idea why, and I would have loved to see if it would have scored the same without so much graphic horsepower. I'm not saying a disgusting looking shooter, but just something run of the mill... You know, if someone stopped gazing and drooling over the foliage like you drool infront of your new HDTV set and analyzed the rest of the game a tad more, maybe things would be different.
Submitted by dag1992 on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 1:34pm
What bothers me the most are those who think it's cool to pirate, luckily most are 12...
Submitted by schmitty6633 on Sat, 08/22/2009 - 1:59pm
I agree. Pirates(theifs) are just people who are too fucking lazy to go out and buy the game ir are to stupid to know what steam is. :D
That or they are not allow
Submitted by vistageek on Sun, 08/23/2009 - 7:35pm
That or they are not allow to play the game so their parents won't let them get it so they pirate it. phale
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