11-Aug-2003 Epic grilled about the latest instalment in the multiplayer-focused FPS series that it's co-developing with Digital Extremes Unreal Tournament 2004's appearance at E3 2003 was a tad surprising, considering that it was only at E3 2002 that we were checking out UT 2003. Still, defying us to mumble "Couldn't we just get that through a free download?", Epic, at this year's show, proceeded to proudly introduce us to a selection of the new additions that have been designed for the series that it firmly believes warrant a new instalment.
Impressed by the sampling of Unreal Tournament 2004 major upgrades we'd borne witness to, we naturally walked away from E3 in possession of a handful of burning questions. So, what better thing to do than grab hold of Epic lead designer Cliff Bleszinski for more information.
Just to get a quick re-cap - what are the key new features that Unreal Tournament 2004 is introducing to the series?
Bleszinski: Unreal Tournament 2004 introduces a plethora of new features - from software rendering (to improve compatibility) to dual Assault Rifles, to no less than 24 new characters and a host of new levels for existing game modes of Deathmatch, CTF, Domination, and Bombing Run.
The biggest one-two punches for 2004 come in the form of the two main flagship game modes - Onslaught and Assault. Onslaught is a large-scale vehicle-based mode in which two teams attack and defend key nodes throughout the terrain.
Assault is the rebirth of the original game mode that many fell in love with in the first Unreal Tournament. In no less than six unique scenarios we'll see gamers fly Skaarj spacecraft, attack a convoy as it speeds across the desert, man an enormous tank-killing Ion Cannon, and much, much more.
Why are you confining vehicles to Assault and Onslaught modes for the retail release of UT 2004?
Bleszinski: We want to evolve the franchise in the very obvious direction that many other games have gone into of being hybrid experiences - driving, flying, running, jumping shooting, etc... Layering this kind of cool depth on top of the existing UT base really results in some unique fun.
At the same time we have a large fan base out there that likes their Deathmatch and CTF the way they are, and they'll let us know. That's where the multitude of game modes comes in, to help us out with this dilemma. We can have our vehicular cake and eat it too by initially keeping vehicles in the two new modes.
I'm sure that within a week we'll see the first version of user created vehicle CTF.
How will Onslaught mode's gameplay experience differ from that of other modes in UT 2004?
Bleszinski: Vehicles are a lot of fun, but they can change a game dynamic significantly and it requires a bit of finessing to keep things fun and balanced.
We don't want the gamer to feel useless if he doesn't have a tank, so balancing each vehicle's strengths and weakness is an ongoing challenge (especially when you insert vehicles into a game dynamic that already has 12 or so established and well balanced weapons).
Onslaught's current design allows for a free-flowing combination of some of the elements seen in BF1942 and PlanetSide. On any given map there are two sides for each of the teams. Each team has a Power Core that they must defend; if the core is destroyed then, naturally, one side wins.
Since these maps are so large, making a run across the map in an attempt to make an early rush is very difficult, and that's where Power Nodes come into play. Power Nodes are the points that you'll want to control along the way in order to progress your team's spawning (as well as controlling the vehicles at that particular Node...).
It is important to note that you can only take over a Node if you have the one adjacent to it. This creates a great tug-of-war style of play that results in some highly enjoyable craziness.
Do vehicles present any challenges in terms of map/level development?
Bleszinski: Vehicles create their own set of issues that map designers must deal with. First and foremost, you need elbow room for a tank or buggy. Next, you need to worry about level borders. What's to stop players from riding off into the sunset or trying to fly into space? Do you kill players that go outside of the play area or just block them in or figure out a wholly unique solution?
Finally there's the issue of vehicle ownership. Who gets this vehicle and why? A sort of cascading effect occurs when you just drop one buggy into any given level. Solving these problems is challenging but quite fun!
You've mentioned that it will be possible to dual-wield Assault Rifles - what other weapon additions are you making?
Bleszinski: My current favourite is the Parasite Mine Launcher. It dumps out these devious little bastards that remain dormant until some sap from the opposing team rides by, at which point they spring into action, chase him down, and proceed to explode themselves for the greater good of my team.
I also love the Sticky Mine Launcher. Fire out a grenade and giggle as it latches itself onto your foe with an all-knowing "beep." Then a second and a half later your enemy will, in fact, explode.
There's also the Anti-Vehicle Rocket Launcher ("AVRiL") which, well, locks on to and messes up vehicles. (We figured the name would make it pretty obvious).
I'm just naming a few here - I don't want to spoil everything.
What enhancements, if any, are you making to the game engine for UT 2004?
Bleszinski: I feel safe saying this - out of the box, Unreal Tournament 2004 will run on more computers than UT 2003. The engine is in great shape and has been tweaked and improved quite a bit. Building a follow-up on top of previous technology can allow for the designers and artists to focus on making fun scenarios instead of wrestling with broken tools on a daily basis!
Finally, what are you most proud of with Unreal Tournament 2004?
Bleszinski: I'd like to think we've managed to put some great twists into the franchise while staying true to what the game is all about and providing gamers with a hugely rewarding experience.
Thanks for your time.
Unreal Tournament 2004 is due for release toward the end of the year. And we should remind you that there have been rumblings that owners of UT 2003 will be able to get some kind of cash rebate on the 2004 instalment. But, for Europe at least, this has yet to be verified. We'll let you know as soon as we hear more.
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