Rein still hoping MS will allow UT3 user content
by Dustin Burg 
{ Jan 31st 2008 at 12:00PM }
In an interview with Guardian Unlimited, Epic's head honcho Mark Rein talks everything and anything Unreal Tournament 3, specifically development on the 360 version.What we learn is that team Epic has had UT3 up and running buttery smooth on the 360 for a while now and that the only development left is Xbox Live implementation. And speaking of Xbox Live, Rein is still pressing Microsoft about UT3's user generated content and how best to serve it up. It's no secret that Rein and Epic want Microsoft to allow free, open access to map mods a la the PS3 version and it's no secret Microsoft has been reluctant. According to Rein, "Microsoft hasn't said "no" yet, but then they haven't said "yes" either", but development is wrapping up and Rein needs answers soon. It'll be interesting to see where these discussions end up, but our money is on Microsoft standing firm and only allowing DLC through the XBLM. We'll see free community generated UT3 content, but only stuff that has been hand seleceted, certified and placed on the Marketplace.
[Via TeamXbox]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bs6268d @ Jan 31st 2008 12:08PM
sry I got this on ps3 but theres no games I actually want coming to 360 till April com on microsoft get me pumped for your console annouce gow2
Disgust @ Jan 31st 2008 12:18PM
I dont get the problem... couldnt Epic do things like Bungie did with Halo 3? Why are they pushing for user-created DLC on XBLM? Why not just user-created content over a system created by Epic using Xbox Live?
JakubK666 @ Jan 31st 2008 12:42PM
You don't understand...UT3 crushes Halo shitty forge. It would allow you to download content made by PC Players, which would consist of entirely different maps or even campaigns.
MS has no idea what they're doing as this game is better than CoD and Halo altogether. In fact I, as an extreme MS Fanboy, admit that if your PC is not good enough, the game is worth getting a new PS3!
JSBeckerist @ Jan 31st 2008 12:47PM
Well for one, the user submitted mods are created entirely in-game using the engine created and distributed by Bungie (which, at the time = MS.) While you CAN create "user generated material" it's by no means a "mod."
When talking UT3 I want to be able to tweak the crap out of the maps, out of the environmental variables, out of the bitmaps for the weapons and people, create NEW objects/map/weapons/character models...etc... The Bungie method wouldn't allow for that.
...looks like I'll be getting it for PC anyway...
ExMcloud @ Jan 31st 2008 12:49PM
Yeas user content crushes the forge but the reason the forge is a step in the right direction (for consoles that is) is becuz the forge actually part of the game on the disc...U still need a PC to download the content for UT3...When we get user created content that u can do on consoles and give to each other on console then come bak talkin shit...Cuz PC have been able to do this for years we all know that.....Consoles are a whole different beast to tame and nobody has done it yet...The closest thing so far is SMBB with the user created levels.
Brian @ Jan 31st 2008 12:17PM
If they say no, then I'll have no choice but to buy the PC version... why would they say no to this? Why would they make a concession to PS3?
Michael Paul @ Jan 31st 2008 1:04PM
Microsoft may think AO content will be built into a user-created map and then appear on a screen generated by a 360.
That is against their policy, so all content must be approved...
Brian @ Jan 31st 2008 1:07PM
Microsoft doesn't allow AO content? I don't understand... their core market is over 21. It's not like MS need to impress the church going crowd. (See: Gears of War, Turok, and other mercilously blood and violent games)
jambo @ Jan 31st 2008 12:35PM
I got it on ps3 and user content or not its a massive let down. It could possibly be made better by the 360 online side but its just an average shooter and falls way short of cod4 and r6vegas
JakubK666 @ Jan 31st 2008 12:50PM
How exactly is UT3 and average shooter? Is it due to ten different weapons with at least two different firing modes? Or is it because of vehicle section ranging from light Mantas to Leviathans that LITERALLY OWN the battlefield? Or is it because each duel is unique and doesn't always end with both players whacking B?
If MS will block user-created content, I'll shell out 60 quid and get myself a GeForce 7x just so I can play this masterpiece!
Tony @ Jan 31st 2008 12:34PM
The main problem, from what I can tell at least, is that the PS3 version doesn't require a central database for all of these things. PS3 users can surf the internet and go where ever someone has uploaded a PS3 compatible UT3 file from their PC.
No matter what is done with Live, some singular place is going to have to handle these downloads... something that isn't true on the PS3 or PC. Which means that they're going to have to be submitted, accepted and uploaded to a place 360 users can access them. I am not under the impression that Epic itself wants to host any of this stuff, nor am I under the impression that MS wants to host it on their service for no cost. There's also the concept that it seems doubtful MS wants just anything up there.
Halo 3 is another beast in this regard. Despite what's being done with it, all of the assets Forge uses are within the game itself. No one is creating them from scratch, applying their own textures or radically changing the setup (UT2004, for example, had mods that changed the game to an overhead third person shooter) and thus nothing Halo 3 is doing requires much storage or bandwidth in comparison. I have to imagine this is having a major effect on all of this for both Epic and MS.
ExMcloud @ Jan 31st 2008 12:43PM
What u said is true but Halo 3 still has a system to download user created content...Point blank period... So if Bungie found a way to do it then Epic needs to find a way to do it....They know just like we know M$ is very strict when it comes to Xbox live like they should be...But honestly they need to suck it up in this regard cuz Epic isn't gonna go over the top like Bungie did to get what they want done. Cuz the 360 needs this
Tony @ Jan 31st 2008 12:54PM
Well that's true... but there's also a key difference in that Halo 3 trading is completely network centric. Nothing about creating and hosting the mods is handled outside of Live.
UT3 for the 360 won't have editing applications, they're only on the PC. So these things have to be submitted somewhere, OKed by someone and then finally added into wherever we'd get to download it from.
I'm sure they realize Halo 3 has managed a robust trading system and I'm sure that's impacting part of this process... but they deviate pretty significantly part way through, at least in my opinion.
I guess we'll see.
ExMcloud @ Jan 31st 2008 1:37PM
Yeah we'll have to see...But I'm putting the blame partly on Epic...If your designing a console mod system...Make sure it can be made on the console!!!!! Lol....Nall I'm joking Im sure they're limitations involved but it is what it is
lee @ Jan 31st 2008 12:47PM
dont forget UT3 hasnt released every where in the world yet on ps3 (UK for one) expect a lot more user created content in the comming months
also it will be a major loss for the 360 version if they dont allow user created content as that is one on the things that make UT3 the best it also adds to the replayability of the game, say you get bored of the original maps just download a new one! :)
Leobebes @ Jan 31st 2008 12:45PM
Seriously what the hell is Microsoft doing lately? There has been a barrage of good news from Sony lately on all the sites. Last time I checked Microsoft still had the largest user base, the highest cumulative attachment rate, and a strong American brand name but yet fail to lose exclusives like UT3 and Haze. How the hell did PS3 who's third party games sell like crap pull this off. I want to hear directly from someone had MSOFT how the hell this could've happened, especially how Sony says they don't buy exclusives. Right now Sony is doing an excellent job playing xbox's game by releasing three high profile first person shooters in one year with RFOM 2, Haze, and Killzone 2. What a coupe and the 360 have zero high profile shooters announced so far. Also how the heck are Insomniac able to produce three major titles in a span of 1 year and a couple of months? What happened to Microsoft's in game studios? They lost Bungie and Bioware so what the hell are they going to do? Keep losing market share to Sony?
JakubK666 @ Jan 31st 2008 12:53PM
It wouldn't be a smart move to release UT3 at the same time as CoD4 and Halo 3. I'm sure everybody will play it when the hype from both games dies down.
xFenixKnightx @ Jan 31st 2008 12:48PM
I have it on PS3...its not all that. Super fast gameplay doesnt = fun, its not tactical at all. Oh and yes I know its not supposed to be tactical but Its not as fun as COD4, Halo3, R6V, Gears, etc. I was really let down. The graphics on the other hand are very nice.
JakubK666 @ Jan 31st 2008 12:55PM
er...doesn't it all just come to random slaughter on Halo 3 and CoD4 anyway? At least they're not trying to pretend that the game is about tactic...
HEY!!! @ Jan 31st 2008 1:18PM
i got bored with this game after an hour these games used to be fun but i need something with some good single player gameplay.
John McPoop @ Jan 31st 2008 1:36PM
I dont think there is much strategy to be had in UT3 like the above poster said. But, i do think it is the best FPS of the next generation consoles. Of course I am talking for online play b/c the campaign is essentially an online deathmatch against the AI. When you start using different Mods and Maps the game really changes. It is completely different experience as a 3rd person as opposedto a first person.
You really cant compare this game to gears ot Halo b/c those games have better single player campaings. And, Gears Of War stole all of its character designs straight from UT not the other way around. Gears of war is an OK game but with all of the glitches and shotgun whores it got old quick. Halo 3 IMO is just plain Meh. COD 4 is a fantastic game so I cant argue there.
I really think UT3 on the 360 will not be worth purchasing if you cant use any of the user created mods you want. Thats why I got it for the PS3 b/c PSN doesnt place restrictions on users and developers like XBL. Isnt it funny that a free service is more wide open than a paid service. I have all 3 consoles (plus psp and DS) and the PS3 is really slowly becoming my favorite console. When you consider all of the great games coming out this year I think the PS3 is maturing into a better console. The 360 still has a much better library of games overall but that seems to be changing. I dont know I just think microsoft is really losing touch with what made it popular.
Neuromancer @ Jan 31st 2008 1:55PM
"only stuff that has been hand seleceted [sic] , certified and placed on the Marketplace."
Hey, sounds good to me, man. Back in the day, I could never get into a single UT1 game without having to download some shitty map or mod. Trust me, this will streamline the entire experience and is not a bad thing.
Neuromancer @ Jan 31st 2008 1:56PM
"only stuff that has been hand seleceted [sic] , certified and placed on the Marketplace."
Hey, sounds good to me, man. Back in the day, I could never get into a single UT1 game without having to download some shitty map or mod. Trust me, this will streamline the entire experience and is not a bad thing.
EMOruffino @ Jan 31st 2008 1:57PM
its funny because i remember the main reason getting hyped up for the 360 was to make content for games. They even promised it. So lets see what really happens.
Van Faulk @ Jan 31st 2008 2:00PM
I call bullshit. MS already has a solution for this. Xbox live server platform. Epic can host whatever the fuck they want on it. This was unveiled months ago.
Sounds to me like epic just wants to screw us out of content yet again and have someone to blame.
The core gameplay wasn't exciting enough to sell on the pc, and the promise of mods wasn't enough to sell on the ps3. And i'm willing to bet that epic knows that UT3 won't hold a candle to COD4 let alone Halo 3.
So they might as well suck all they can out of those few who actually do buy it.
Triforceowner @ Jan 31st 2008 4:13PM
This guy has it right.
Zeus.:God @ Jan 31st 2008 5:00PM
You really are stupid as fuck. UT3 is easily the best online shooter of this generation on ANY console.
Epic has never screwed anyone over on content, even if you consider the chapters on the PC version of Gears, that content isn't worth anything, and fighting the Brumak isn't worth the content download, nor was it fit for the game in the first place.
leftybrown @ Jan 31st 2008 3:12PM
What's the difference between user-created maps from Far Cry Instincts versus UTIII?
Zeus.:God @ Jan 31st 2008 5:02PM
FarCry Instincts content was stuff that was created from stuff already on the game- the user created comment for UT3 allows for stuff that wasn't in the game in the first place, so new textures, new weapon sounds, and so on.
JakubK666 @ Jan 31st 2008 3:53PM
Yeah but then it's 99.9% certain that MS will force you to shell out MS Points for something that PS3 users can have for free!
JakubK666 @ Jan 31st 2008 3:59PM
hmmm...the reply system is broken but the comment stands out on it's own so feel free to reply.
Triforceowner @ Jan 31st 2008 4:12PM
"and it's no secret Microsoft has been reluctant."
This is actually false. Microsoft set up a system that allows third parties to set up their own content and servers, the third parties just have to monitor the servers themselves.
NitroFrost @ Jan 31st 2008 4:42PM
"NitroFrost still hoping the game will come out sometime soon"
Deck @ Jan 31st 2008 4:43PM
User content is what is so great. I understand how they don't want to let it in because if they make an exception for one, they may have to start doing it for others and by doing that, it will totally go against their control that they have over DLC and the XBLM at the moment.
Even that said though, I think it'll hurt the sales of UT3 on the 360 if they do not allow it. Obviously some people wont care about the user created DLC (in all terms of content) but those who do, very well may get it on the PS3 if they have one or the PC if they can run it.
Myself, I may just end up getting it on the 360 anyway but... I really hope they allow it. I guess at worse, its hand selected but at least make it free!
OTAM @ Jan 31st 2008 7:18PM
Microsoft will allow if it they are able to charge for it.
J.F. @ Feb 1st 2008 8:08AM
I don't care about User Created Maps/Skins whatnot.
I just want the game, play all the MP maps it got on the disc and be happy with them. Everyone I see online will be able to play with me on the map choosen and won't have to download it first so we can continue.
Second: I think the maps of Quake 3 or 4 of UT III that are on the disc are very good, probably because they were made by the master (: makers ID/Epic).
Don't know if I want my time to be spend downloading a lot of maps just to search for a special unique one that does thing right while first going through and deleting all the shitty ones. While downloading I will not be able to play online, while shifting the good from the bad maps, I will not be able to play online (=time lost having fun gaming online).
Then when I finally have found a map that is truly wonderfull, I will probably have a problem finding players for it, because everyone is playing different (downloaded) maps, so they are all fractured. That's no fun.
When I want to play a Deatmatch FPS arcade shooter (ala Quake/Unreal) online, I really just want
to get online, wait for a sec to get the lobby full and go.
If there are exeptional good user created new maps out there, Epic could get these maps onto XBLMP as Mappacks. Then U would know, they would work on your x360 (and not letting your precious x360 crash), they have quality (Epic selected and approves them), every x360 user is able to download them and online gaming on these maps will be streamlined. If there is a problem with getting free maps on XBLMP, just get a sponsor to do the magic trick (like with GEARS).
I am a Quake 3 x360 online MP player myself, the game was the main reason I jumped in at launch (before I had a Xbox(1), so the choice wasn't hard to make, but Quake made it easier, cuz I'm a Q3 lover). If U look at the 360 version of Q4 (launchtitle): there are no mappacks, no new player models. Hell, there isn't even an update that gets rid of the Errors that sometimes pop up in Lobby systems online. But I would pay gladly to get some new fresh maps for this beauty of an Arcade Deatmatch online game.
So, for me, I don't care for user created stuff, Epic leave it, get the game out quick, forget all this PC style options that weren't before in consoles, so if majority of consolepeople don't have experience with them they won't miss it if you leave it out. Besides, I heard there were a whole lotta MP maps on the disc to begin with, so I don't see a problem.
wardisan2 @ Feb 16th 2008 12:57AM
and this is the reason why I bought it for the ps3. there is no way microsoft will alow people to download content from a website, (not live marketplace) and save it to their overpriced harddrive