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Tag: Crytek

  • Alienware, Crytek Team Up on Lighting Software

    By and large PC gamers simply want the best hardware they can afford to play the best-looking and best-performing games on any platform. Like with any hobby, though, there are those who take things further and need the aesthetics of their rig to reflect its internal power. For those people there is Alienware, the company that built its name on powerful PC hardware coated with flashy case designs filled with an abundance of neon-colored lights.

    Today Alienware announced that it has teamed up with game developer Crytek to put lighting control software directly into Crytek’s Cryengine game engine.

    For Alienware PC owners this means the software will allow them to control those bright lights on their cases. Lighting themes and “special effects” can be chosen for the different lights on cases, customizing them as one would a Christmas tree.

    For developers using Cryengine this deal has other implications. According to Alienware, the AlienFX software that Crytek is putting into Cryengine will allow developers to control case lighting on Alienware PCs, causing them to change along with gameplay. Some examples might include different colors for different in-game areas, lights that flash along with in-game events, and cut-scenes that have their own lighting themes. Alienware says these effects are enabled through the “FlowGraph” scripting included with Cryengine.

    “One of the greatest things I love about being a gamer are the amazing and exciting experiences you get every time a new, cutting edge title is released,” said Frank Azor, general manager of Alienware. “Working with Crytek allows us to amplify that excitement with truly immersive games that can be played on any platform.”

    In return for this lighting software business, Alienware has given Crytek Alienware hardware with which to demonstrate the new initiative. The PCs include Alienware X51 desktops and Alienware 14 & 17 gaming laptops.

    While it may be dubious that flashy, distracting lights during a gaming session will entice consumers into buying more Alienware PCs, it is worth noting that this deal is one of many that PC manufacturers are making to help make PCs seem more attractive. As the overall PC industry continues to decline, gaming PCs could be one of the niche products that survives the decline unscathed.

    Image via Alienware

  • Ryse: Son Of Rome Gets Its First Batch Of DLC

    It was revealed last month that Ryse: Son of Rome would continue the proud tradition of games selling DLC season passes before it even comes out. We’re not even a month out from the Xbox One’s launch and we’re now starting to see just what that season pass entails.

    Microsoft announced on Wednesday that Ryse: Son of Rome will be getting free and paid add-on content this week. The free content adds two new level events in the arena – a new enemy turret and reward statues. The first will attack players until its destroyed while the second provides buffs to players when touched.

    As for the paid content, the Colosseum Pack includes the following content:

  • Two new arenas: Henge and Ascension. Henge tasks Gladiators with seizing an ancient forest shrine from hordes of barbarians and securing it for Rome. In Ascension, combatants must fight their way through the burning embers of Hades’ lair up to the lavish surface world.
  • Two new Gladiator skins: Commodus and Centurion. Don the opulent golden breastplate of Commodus, the twisted son of Emperor Nero, or the battle-tested armor of a Roman Centurion.

    • The new content costs $4, or can be obtained as part of the season pass. Here’s a trailer:

    Image via xbox/YouTube

  • Can SmartGlass Make Xbox One Games Better?

    Can SmartGlass Make Xbox One Games Better?

    In 2012, Microsoft introduced SmartGlass for Xbox 360 to the world. It was Microsoft’s foray into the second screen gaming experience that Nintendo kicked off with the Wii U a year prior. Unlike Nintendo’s console, however, Microsoft would let you use any tablet or phone to get additional information about a game or movie.

    With the launch of the Xbox One, Microsoft has promised us a much better SmartGlass experience. While the second screen experience would be beneficial in scenarios like Battlefield 4’s commander mode, the benefits are less apparent in a game like Ryse: Son of Rome. The action game does have SmartGlass support, though, and Microsoft wants you to know how it improves the gameplay experience.

    In a new video from Major Nelson, he walks us through the SmartGlass app for Ryse. As you would expect, the companion app lets you track your progress as well as that of your friends. In what you might not expect, the app also tracks your progress through a level in real time and lets you know where secret collectables are located. It’s like a mini-strategy guide on your tablet.

    Not every game is going to take full advantage of SmartGlass, but Microsoft-published games certainly will. Both Microsoft and Sony have already acknowledged that the second-screen experience is going to be a pretty big deal going forward. While Sony’s PlayStation app can’t do everything that SmartGlass does yet, you can bet that Sony will be working with developers to offer its own unique take on the second-screen experience in the coming months and years.

    [Image: xbox/YouTube]

  • Ryse: Son Of Rome Gets Three New Gameplay Trailers

    If you’re getting an Xbox One on November 22, chances are you’re also picking up Ryse: Son of Rome. The Crytek developed game has been incessantly pushed by Microsoft ever since it was revealed to be a launch title at E3 2013. You may be getting cold feet now though, and would like it if Microsoft would provide you with just a little more incentive.

    If you’re still having trouble deciding if you should pick up Ryse, three gameplay videos emerged yesterday showing three different sections of the game. These videos should give you a decent idea of what to expect from the third person action game:

    While it’s certainly no God of War, Ryse: Son of Rome looks to be the kind of mindless action game that will help you pass a few days. The game will also feature a multiplayer mode to keep players engaged long after the campaign ends. That’s at least what Microsoft would want you to believe as it’s already planning a season pass for the title.

    [Image: GamersPrey/YouTube]

  • Ryse: Son Of Rome To Get Season Pass

    The online pass is all but dead. Long live the season pass.

    That seems to be the rallying cry of the games industry these days as more and more publishers abandon the much maligned online pass in favor of something that, at least on the surface, looks to be consumer friendly – the season pass. After all, you’re basically pre-ordering upcoming DLC for the game instead of being punished for buying it used. It sounds like a pretty good deal, but some people aren’t fans. Well, the practice isn’t going anywhere anytime soon as Microsoft has announced that its Xbox One flagship title – Ryse: Son of Rome – will be getting a season pass.

    In today’s announcement, Microsoft says the multiplayer component in Ryse: Son of Rome will be getting spruced up with a variety of content over the course of its life. That content will hopefully turn what looks like a pretty standard horde mode into something more exciting.

    The Ryse season pass will include four add-on packs that include 14 new multiplayer maps, a new game mode, six player skins, new level events and a new tier of weapons and armors. All of this will be offered to players for $19.99 upfront which Microsoft claims is a 25 percent discount versus buying each pack separately.

    Oh, and to further incentivize into buying content that doesn’t exist yet, Microsoft will throw in an in-game sword and shield with bonus attributes for use in multiplayer. So even if something happens and Crytek can’t deliver your season pass content; you’ll at least have a shiny new sword and shield that cost you $20.

    [Image: Xbox Wire]

  • Crytek Unveils New Cryengine At Gamescom

    Cryengine has powered some of the most visually arresting games of the last generation with the Crysis series. Outside of Crytek’s own games, however, there haven’t been many games built on its middleware. That may all change with the latest CryEngine.

    Crytek announced during Gamescom that its latest iteration of Cryengine – simbly dubbed CRYENGINE – is now available for developers to use. The latest engine supports the PS4, Xbox One, Wii U and PC while retaining support for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Crytek says that it’s engine provides the proper scalability tools needed for developers to seamlessly port their projects back and forth between next generation and current generation consoles.

    In a video released today, Crytek shows off all the new features that its new Cryengine is capable of using examples from Crysis 3 and its Xbox One launch title – Ryse: Son of Rome:

    Just like in the last generation, Unreal Engine is poised to be the go to middleware for many game development studios. That’s not entirely undeserved as Epic has done a great job with Unreal Engine 4, but Cryengine has always been at the cutting edge of game development with its innovations in game development.

    Cryengine may have a leg up this time around because it’s the only next generation engine that supports the Wii U. Of course, that won’t matter if Nintendo can’t sell more than a few million units every year, but it could mean big things for Cryengine if Nintendo is able to secure more third party titles that require an engine flexible enough to meet the scalability demands of the modern development environment.

  • Ryse: Son Of Rome Gets A 7-Minute Gameplay Demo

    Ryse: Son of Rome was one of the more surprising games to be shown at E3. Most of us thought the title, which was originally intended for the Xbox 360 and Kinect, was canceled after hearing nothing about for two years. The title was revealed to be an Xbox One launch title at E3, however, and it even ditched the Kinect in favor of quick time events.

    Now you can make your own decision as to whether Crytek made the right decision to ditch Kinect in this 7-minute gameplay demo. The experience will be even more pleasant this time around as Microsoft has fixed the audio issues that plagued the original trailer:

    Ryse: Son of Rome will be a launch title for the Xbox One. It’s looking to be a pretty solid action game, and if not, at least you can trade it in now.

  • CryEngine 3 Displays Its Next-Gen Muscle In New Tech Demo

    CryEngine 3 Displays Its Next-Gen Muscle In New Tech Demo

    Epic Games made one heck of a splash with Unreal Engine 4. The next-generation engine has already proven its worth with two amazing tech demos that make the wait for the next-generation that much harder to bear.

    Of course, it’s easy to forget that the next generation is already here with CryEngine 3. Crysis 3, at least on the PC, is a technical marvel. Now one company has taken CyEngine 3 and crafted one of the prettiest tech demos you’ll ever see.

    From Enodo, a firm that designs “virtual realities for real life business applications,” comes this real-time demo that simulates multiple environments from the African plains to a busy urban center. Check it out:

    Regardless of the engine, the future of next-gen games looks bright, and very pretty. Let’s just hope game designers start to use a bit more color in their games from now on though. Unreal Engine has already proven that it can do browns, but a little blue or green never hurt anyone.

  • Crysis 3 Multiplayer Beta Starts Today

    As promised last week, EA and Crytek today released the multiplayer beta for Crysis 3. The beta is available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

    The beta includes two different team-based multiplayer modes – Hunter and Crash-Site. Hunter mode sees two players don a nanosuit and team up to hunt down the other players using stealth tactics. Players killed by the hunters become hunters themselves, similar to the “zombie” modes seen in other shooters. Crash-Site sees players working in teams to attack and defend control points on a map. Both modes support up to 12 players on consoles and 16 on the PC.

    Both modes are introduced in a new trailer for the beta test that was released today. The beta lasts for two weeks, ending on February 12, just one week before the launch of Crysis 3 in the U.S.

  • THQ Sold: Studios, Games Go to Sega, Ubisoft, and Others

    The feeding frenzy over THQ took place yesterday, but no news of the event had leaked out until now. Kotaku has published an internal THQ memo from THQ CEO Brian Farrell and President Jason Rubin that details the sale of the company and most of its assets.

    The letter is fairly sad, and the latter half is highly personal and flattering toward the people who worked at THQ. The main point of the memo, however, is to inform THQ employees of whether or not they still have a job. Overall, the outcome of the bidding could have been worse, though some beloved game franchises have ended up in odd places.

    Fans of the Company of Heroes series can breathe a sigh of relief, as Relic Entertainment appears to be going to Sega. With Company of Heroes 2 so far along in its development, it’s almost certain that Sega will be able to get the strategy game into shape for a release sometime this year.

    Fans of the Darksiders series have not been as lucky. Vigil Games, the developer of Darksiders and Darksiders II has not been sold, and remains a part of the THQ bankruptcy case. This could very well mean that the studio will be closing.

    Developer Crytek has agreed to purchase the Homefront series, something that should excite shooter fans, and Take 2 is looking to buy Evolve, a game about which nothing is known.

    One of the more odd sales is of the studio Volition and the Metro series to Koch Media. Volition is the developer of perhaps the hottest property THQ had to sell, the Saints Row series. Though Koch’s subsidiary Deep Silver is a relatively small niche publisher, it has recently been trying to break out with the Dead Island games.

    Ubisoft was also a part of the bidding, and has nabbed THQ’s Montreal studio and the upcoming South Park: The Stick of Truth RPG. This is pretty great news for those employees and South Park fans alike. The Montreal employees will likely be folded into Ubisoft’s Montreal studio in some way, and the publisher is unlikely to let a hyped game like The Stick of Truth fall through the cracks.

    Unfortunately, the employees of THQ properties that were not part of the sale are being laid off. From the memo:

    If you are an employee of an entity that is not included in the sale, we regret that your position will end. A small number of our headquarters staff will continue to be employed by THQ beyond January 25 to assist with the transition. THQ has sufficient resources to pay these employees for work going forward, and we will be contacting these employees immediately to ensure their continued employment during this transition period. We are requesting the ability to offer certain severance pay to minimize disruption for employees of non-included entities as they determine the next steps in their careers.

    A sad day for the gaming industry, which has seen so many sad days of layoffs in the past year. Though the THQ logo has now been relegated to nostalgia status, a few of the publisher’s coveted titles, at least, seem to have found a decent home.

  • Crysis 3 Multiplayer Beta Starts January 29

    EA and Crytek today announced that a multiplayer beta for the upcoming Crysis 3 will start on January 29 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

    The test will include two team-based modes (Hunter mode and Crash-Site mode) and two different maps. The beta will last for two weeks, leading right up to the week before the launch of Crysis 3 on February 19.

    “With Crysis 3 we are delivering the deepest, most robust Crysis multiplayer experience yet,” said Cevat Yerli, CEO of Crytek. “We have listened closely to our fans and have evolved the multiplayer in Crysis 3 by adding a host of new gameplay features including the unique Hunter mode, deadly new weapons like the Predator bow, deeper loadout and unlock options, enhanced upgrade systems and more social features like the “New York Feed.” Top it all off with the ultimate weapon in the Nanosuit and you have a multiplayer experience that is unlike anything else out there.”

    The “New York Feed” Yerli mentions is an in-game social feed that lists the achievements and milestones of gamers and those on their friends list. It also offers “dynamic challenges to complete,” according to Crytek.

    Accompanying the announcement is a new Crysis 3 trailer showcasing the game’s trademark Nanosuit. The Nanosuit itself will, evidently, be playing a large part in the game’s story as well as its gameplay.

  • New Crysis 3 Trailer Asks If You’re The Hunter Or The Hunted

    As part of the marketing campaign leading up to the launch of Crysis 3, Crytek is releasing seven short trailers called the “The Seven Wonders of Crysis 3.” The first episode detailed combat against human opponents, but episode two features a far more dangerous enemy.

    In the latest trailer, players get a taste of the alien enemies that they will encounter in Crysis 3. It’s assumed that the squid-like aliens from the first two games will make a return, but Crysis 3 features a new type of alien that looks to be far more aggressive and deadly.

    The tall grass and the almost dinosaur-like aliens are giving me a serious Jurassic Park vibe. It will pretty amazing if Crytek is able to replicate the fear of being hunted by a velociraptor. That being said, the trailer casts off any semblance of subtlety near the end when the player busts out a gun and goes to town on anything and everything.

    As always, the game’s visuals look phenomenal and the bow is shaping up to be a nice addition to the arsenal in Crysis 3. The next episode is named “Cause and Effect,” and one can only guess what’s going to happen.

  • Web Series Shows Off New Crysis 3 Gameplay

    Fans of ridiculously pretty games have one game in particular to look forward to early next year with Crysis 3. Starting up the hype early, EA and Crytek are producing a new Web series that introduces the story and gameplay from the anticipated shooter.

    The Web series is called “The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3” and will presumably have seven episodes showing off the multifaceted gameplay that the games are known for. The first episode is called “Hell of a Town” and sets up the story in Crysis 3 where Prophet is tasked with infiltrating a future New York City that’s now host to multiple exotic environments.

    The gameplay looks pretty similar to the first two titles in the Crysis franchise, especially Crysis 2. There doesn’t seem to be any major changes to gameplay beyond what appears to be a minor change to the stealth system. The cloaking power doesn’t turn off if the player fires an automatic weapon. It also appears that there may be a kill cam in place this time around, but that could be a feature only seen in the trailer to add dramatic effect.

    Beyond gameplay, the visuals look stunning as usual. Crysis 2 didn’t start out looking that great on the PC, but a few patches and mods later fixed it right up. It seems that Crytek took early criticism of Crysis 2 to heart, and are crafting a PC game that will push the limits of even the most powerful systems. As for console gamers, Crytek said that it has tapped every bit of the power available to them so everybody should be in for a visual treat.

    Crysis 3 will be available on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on February 19.

  • Crysis 3 Web Video Series Begins December 12th

    Electronic Arts (EA) and Crytek today announced a new online video series that will “set the stage” for the upcoming Crysis 3. Titled The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3, the series is a collaborative effort with Albert Hughes, one half of the Hughes Brothers director team famous for movies such as Dead Presidents, From Hell, and The Book of Eli. The series will premiere on December 12.

    “When EA and Crytek approached me about being involved in creating The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3 video series, I liked the idea of creating emotional stories using only computer generated images,” said Hughes. “The challenge of producing something intensely human without ever seeing a human on screen was incredibly compelling, and the technology of the CryENGINE that Crytek developed enabled me to do that and venture into a completely unique medium of storytelling.”

    Though Hughes created scripts, storyboards, and shot plans for each video in the series, EA and Crytek are emphasizing that the episodes will showcase the weapons, enemies, and gameplay of Crysis 3. Still, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn and Dishonored: The Tales From Dunwall both proved that tie-in videos for video games can be good – as long as talented people are hired on to perform quality work. One week from today, gamers will find out whether The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3 is a quality tie-in or a slipshod marketing machinima.

  • New Crysis 3 Single Player Walkthrough Reveals Minor Spoilers

    Crysis 3 is, as so many big-name titles are, currently scheduled for a February 2013 launch. That’s less than three months away, and Crytek is finally providing a longer look at what will set the game apart from other shooters, such as Halo 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

    It’s a given from the series’ history that Crysis 3 will sport impressive graphics. But as games such as Minecraft have shown, graphics aren’t necessarily more important than gameplay. Today, Gamespot released a nearly seven-minute long look at a segment of the Crysis 3 single player campaign.

    The footage is narrated by Mike Reed, a producer for Crysis 3. Reed isn’t averse to a few spoilers, and reveals a few secrets about the game, including bits about why alien-jail domes exist and how alien DNA can infect nano-suits. He also speaks about the bow mechanics that allow the player to change the draw weight of the weapon and the fact that the game includes explosive, electro, and airburst (proximity) tipped arrows.

  • Crysis 3 “Hunter Edition” Pre-Order Bonuses Announced

    Last month, Crytek released a look at how the multiplayer aspect of Crysis 3 is shaping up. The game currently supports up to 12 simultaneous players on the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 and up to 16 on the PC. Game modes include Crash-Site and Hunter Mode, which pits two hunters against a larger group of troopers, who also become hunters after their death.

    Hunter Mode is the subject of of the latest trailer, though the focus is on the pre-order bonuses players can get that will give them an advantage in the multiplayer mode. Unfortunately, Crytek and EA are giving pre-orderers a leg up on those who simply purchase the game. It’s not just extra maps for pre-orderers, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is giving out – it’s equipment designed to give pre-orderers an advantage.

    Pre-orderers will have the Predator Bow skin for their bow immediately unlocked, which allows players to fire while cloaked. They also get immediate access to the Recon Arrow, which gives players “advanced optical recognition.” The Hunter Nanosuit Module will be unlocked at launch for them, allowing their suit to make no noise while moving and muffling their footsteps. Pre-orderers will also begin their multiplayer journey at level 5, obviously giving them a head start on the competition who didn’t pre-order. These things won’t be much of an advantage in the long run (or even after a single week), but they’re sure to frustrate at least a few players when the game launches.

    So, if you plan on playing plenty of Crysis 3 multiplayer, you’re going to want to remember to pre-order the game. Of course, Crysis 3 is one of those titles currently scheduled for “February 2013,” which is basically a placeholder timeframe to let investors know the game won’t be out for the holidays. Expect a “delay” announcement when development on the game nears completion.

  • Crysis 3 Multiplayer Detailed in New Trailer

    There’s no doubt that Crysis 3 will look very pretty. CryEngine 3.4.0 was announced in April, with expanded DirectX 11 features, meaning the game’s developers will have had almost a year to perfect its graphical look by the time it is released in February 2013.

    Once gamers get over the visuals, though, they are going to actually want to play the game. Crytek released a short teaser trailer featuring some quick-cuts of gameplay footage, but aside from an interactive gameplay trailer, info on the gameplay, especially the multiplayer, has been sparse. Even the pre-order bonuses were outlined before much was known about the game.

    Today, Crytek released a walkthrough trailer in which Crytek Producer Mike Read shows players the new multiplayer experience in Crysis 3. The highlights include Hunter mode, Crash-Site mode, and the fact that the game will support up to 12 simultaneous players on the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, and up to 16 players on PC.

  • Crysis 3 Debut Gameplay Trailer Released

    Crysis 3 Debut Gameplay Trailer Released

    EA announced the third game in the Crysis franchise last week. The news was met with the usual mix of excitement and skepticism as to whether or not Crytek could match the quality of the original Crysis. We’ve had a week to sit on screenshots, but a trailer is much more indicative of the quality.

    Crytek released a new trailer today that shows off what players are going to see in Crysis 3. As much as I preach the importance of gameplay, Crysis 3 is one of those games where the visuals are just as important. The trailer doesn’t disappoint with our first look at the jungles of an overgrown New York City.

    In a surprising move for a debut trailer, we do get to see some of the gameplay. So far, it looks like pretty standard shooter fare. The big change seems to be coming with the bow. It might have been fancy trailer magic, but it seems that the camera follows the arrow for some slick kill cams.

    The response to the trailer seems to be split like it was with Crysis 2. Many players in the YouTube comments are expressing their disappointment that the title looks the same as previous games in the series. Other fans are disappointed by the visuals not being up to par with the original Crysis which was released in 2007.

    I want to think that the trailer is running off of console footage since all the quotes from Xbox magazines. I have hope that the PC version will utilize the power of the newest CryEngine 3 release.

    Check out the trailer and make a decision for yourself.

  • Crysis 3 Coming 2013, Pre-Order Bonuses Announced

    There was a leak last week that pointed to Crysis 3 coming out next year. That’s now made official with EA and Crytek announcing the sequel this morning for a 2013 launch.

    For those familiar with the story in the Crysis franchise thus far, Crysis 3 should come as no surprise. Players will once again take on the role of Prophet as he heads back to New York City. The city has changed since the events of Crysis 2 though and is now encased in a nanodome called the “Liberty Dome.” It’s this set up that allows the game to become more environmentally diverse from the second game in the franchise as the city is now home to seven different environments featuring “overgrown tress, dense swamplands and raging rivers.”

    The story is set to be, once again, a minor distraction to the excellent gameplay that Crysis offers. There’s something about Prophet seeking retribution against the alien forces and the humans who wish to take advantage of the chaos. In a sense, it almost feels like they’re taking the concept of City 17 from Half-Life 2 and applying it to New York City. Regardless, the story should be the least of your concerns as Crysis has always been about the nanosuit and the gameplay variations it offers.

    “Crysis 3 is a thrilling mix of sandbox gameplay, advanced combat and hi-tech human and alien weaponry that shooter fans will love,” said Cevat Yerli, Chief Executive Officer of Crytek. “Leveraging the latest CryENGINE technology, we’re able to deliver seven unique themes that offer stunning and visually loaded gameplay experiences. We cannot wait until people get their hands on the game.”

    Like any game released these days, there is also a pre-order bonus for those want to lay down $60 on the game right now. It’s called the Hunter Edition and it gives players a day one advantage in multiplayer. The advantage comes in the form of a compound bow and attachments. It also adds a new nanosuit power called the Hunter module. Those who pre-order now get some extra goodies in the form of starting at level 5 in multiplayer, a bonus custom bow skin and three unique dog tags.

    While EA doesn’t specify which retails are getting which packs, they also announced extra multiplayer goodie packs for those who pre-order from select retailers. These include the Stalker Pack, the Overkill Pack and the Predator pack.

    The Stalker pack includes a shotgun with a silencer, a custom weapon skin and two dog tags. The Overkill pack gives you access to the Typhoon mini-gun that fires 500-rounds per second and two dog tags. The Predator pack comes with the Feline submachine gun and, once again, two dog tags. You can bet that these packs will be available from GameStop, Amazon and Best Buy like every other game these days.

    Crysis 3 will be available at some point in 2013 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC through Origin. There is no Steam release mentioned, which makes sense since Crysis 2 is not on Steam either. Until EA and Valve can work out their differences, expect none of the EA’s games to show up on the world’s most popular digital distribution service. Better get used to using Origin, at least it’s not as bad as Games for Windows Live.

    Are you excited for Crysis 3 and its marvelous CryEngine 3.4 visuals? Will you be pre-ordering for the mulitplayer bonuses? Let us know in the comments.

  • CryEngine 3.4.0 Now Available, DX11 Features Expanded

    Regardless of what you think of CryTek’s games, you have to admit that their engine, CryEngine 3, makes games look really pretty. While Epic just recently updated their Unreal Engine 3, CryTek has seen fit to fire back with the release of version 3.4.0.

    While the release of a new version of an SDK might not be big news to some, developers working with CryEngine will be ecstatic to know that the new version of CryEngine includes some much needed improvements. Those improvements include better DirectX 11 support and improved shaders for the all important eyes and skin. Here’s the breakdown of all the new features in the new version:

    Revamped DirectX 11 Tessellation
    DX11 support and tessellation has come a long way since Crysis 2. Phong, PN triangles and displacement maps, along with no need for pre-tessellated assets, makes CryENGINE’s DX11 support among the best in the industry.

    Multi-layer Navigation Mesh
    The multi-layer navigation is a powerful new and easy-to-use navigation system that AI agents utilize to path-find through game maps.

    Improved Skin Rendering and Eye Shader
    New scattering approach gives more realistic rendering with fewer artifacts. New settings, checkboxes and sliders for things like oiliness, iris control, colors, pupil dilatation, tessellation and parallax support make CryENGINE character rendering more advanced and customizable than ever before.

    Advanced/Improved/Extended Glass Shader
    The glass shader is a specialized tool for rendering glass-based surfaces. It can represent a wide range of glass types, including regular windows, stained glass, leaded glass, beveled glass, some crystal types and some types of transparent plastics as well. The improved glass shader now also boasts features such as a dirt layer designed to produce extremely realistic-looking glass surfaces complete with dust and dirt, differential fog and refraction blur.

    It’s also important to note that there is a free version of CryEngine that has also been updated. It updates alongside the premium release and includes some functionality from the current release as well as past releases. It’s a great alternative for those who just want to play around with the SDK for educational purposes. The changes are:

    Improved glass rendering.
    Geometric light beams.
    Point light shafts.
    Time of day based filmic HDR tone mapping.
    Curves and key tangents for time of day.
    User controlled per cascade shadow bias through time of day.
    Improved transitions between levels of detail.
    Volumetric fog features extended and improved.
    Improved distance cloud shading.

    To see a more in-depth changelog, check out the forum post on the matter. It includes all you need to know to start building the next generation of games with CryEngine 3.4.0.

    To show off just how impressive CryEngine 3.4.0 is, CryTek has also released a trailer showing off the improvements. Just be warned, you’re about to see some very pretty visuals that even my monster gaming PC would have a bit of trouble with. Check it out and be amazed:

  • GDC 2012: CryTek Showing Off CryENGINE 3, Other Services

    CryTek, developers of Crysis and Far Cry, may be one of the most ambitious independent developers in the world. The developer’s line up at GDC only serves to further prove that point.

    CryTek will be at GDC this week showcasing all of its new technologies with the most important being CryENGINE 3 that takes advantage of the improvements to graphics technology afforded by Direct X 11. There are other exciting developments to be announced as well, however, with the launch of GFACE and other services headlining their massive showing.

    CryTek will be showing off GFACE at its booth this week. GFACE is the developer’s new social entertainment service that offers a place for third-party developers to host their “social, casual, core free2play games.” They are looking for developers to join the launch so shoot them an email at dev@gface.com if you want to take part in their new platform.

    The other online service being shown off is Warface, a free-to-play first-person shooter that displays next-gen visuals that would be expected of full retail games.

    “With Warface we aim to become the next-gen of free to play shooters that are on par with traditional AAA games in terms of quality. We have the team and technology to make it happen and are starting with strong partners in Asia to ensure we gain experience with the free to play business model”, said Cevat Yerli, CEO & President of Crytek. “It’s the next logical step for us to bring this new IP to a global audience and thus to our worldwide community.”

    The most exciting show will of course be CryENGINE 3 with CryTek doing live demonstrations every hour. The topics being covered are “DX 11 graphics and tool upgrades, Cinebox, creating characters for CryENGINE, AI systems, UI actions and flow graph and after action feature set for serious games.”

    CryTek’s complimentary team, Real Time Immersive, will also be on the show floor talking about using CryENGINE 3 in simulation titles.

    If you’re looking for a job with CryTek or just want to work on games in Germany, CryTek will be looking to hire people at the show.

    CryTek has always been one of the most impressive developers to watch, even if their games tend to be more style than substance. While Crysis 2 ran on CryENGINE 3, it still didn’t wow people like the first Crysis did. With their next game, we’ll be able to see if the developer can really get the best out of their engine.

    Here’s an amazing trailer that shows what CryENGINE 3 is capable of. As an added bonus, it’s not a first-person shooter.

    For more examples, here’s what CryENGINE 3 is capable of in a first-person game: