Posted: Mon May 19, 2003 6:17 pm
Latest news on the UT2004 front
Mod Contest:
It will be for both (UT2004 will have backwards compatibility for UT2003 mods). Final judging will use
UT2004 as the platform.
Upgrade/Features:
You will have to purchase UT2004 to get the new features/gametypes etc. However, there will be a rebate
included for owners of UT2003.
UT2004 will include all UT2003 content, and will be backwards compatible with all mods and maps created
for UT2003. UT2004 players will be able to play on UT2003 servers.
Epic will provide UTTV as a free download for UT2003 as well. We are paying the creators of UTTV to make
this product, so it isn't something created for free by the community.
We are working hard to make sure everything is 100% compatible. I can absolutely guarantee that maps and
any other artistic content will be totally compatible. We are almost certain the same will be true for
script mods and mutators, with the only possible caveat being that mods may have to be recompiled for
UT2004 (but we are trying to avoid this).
We will be providing a patch for UT2003 that upgrades the networking code (as well as including any other
important bug fixes). This patch will break compatibility with the older versions of UT2003. As a result
of breaking compatibility, we'll be able to provide the following networking benefits:
40% reduction in client to server bandwidth use. This translates into fixing the lag problem on certain
broadband (particularly ADSL) connections with really crappy upstream bandwidth, as well as allowing modem
players to run the game much faster. Currently modem players are capped to about 41 fps on the client, so
that they can stay synchronized with the server. With the new code, the frame rate cap for modem players
will be increase to over 60 fps. This code is already done and working.
I'm working to reduce server CPU utilization by 50%. I/m part of the way there now, and I expect that the
additional improvements I'm making will get us there.
User comment/question:
The live voice chat is the feature I am looking forward too. I just hope it
has a LOT of options for configuration. Sometimes I like to yell at people
that are close to me, other times I would like to be able to talk just to my
teammates. And I am sure there will be people I do NOT want to listen too.
We are planning on providing all these options. (Steve @ Epic)
Content at the moment (sounds/maps/models/etc) is 100% compatible.
And is guaranteed to remain so.
UT2004 will not have higher system specs than UT2003. In fact, with the Pixomatic software renderer
included, in some respects the system spec requirements will be lower.
Mod Contest:
It will be for both (UT2004 will have backwards compatibility for UT2003 mods). Final judging will use
UT2004 as the platform.
Upgrade/Features:
You will have to purchase UT2004 to get the new features/gametypes etc. However, there will be a rebate
included for owners of UT2003.
UT2004 will include all UT2003 content, and will be backwards compatible with all mods and maps created
for UT2003. UT2004 players will be able to play on UT2003 servers.
Epic will provide UTTV as a free download for UT2003 as well. We are paying the creators of UTTV to make
this product, so it isn't something created for free by the community.
We are working hard to make sure everything is 100% compatible. I can absolutely guarantee that maps and
any other artistic content will be totally compatible. We are almost certain the same will be true for
script mods and mutators, with the only possible caveat being that mods may have to be recompiled for
UT2004 (but we are trying to avoid this).
We will be providing a patch for UT2003 that upgrades the networking code (as well as including any other
important bug fixes). This patch will break compatibility with the older versions of UT2003. As a result
of breaking compatibility, we'll be able to provide the following networking benefits:
40% reduction in client to server bandwidth use. This translates into fixing the lag problem on certain
broadband (particularly ADSL) connections with really crappy upstream bandwidth, as well as allowing modem
players to run the game much faster. Currently modem players are capped to about 41 fps on the client, so
that they can stay synchronized with the server. With the new code, the frame rate cap for modem players
will be increase to over 60 fps. This code is already done and working.
I'm working to reduce server CPU utilization by 50%. I/m part of the way there now, and I expect that the
additional improvements I'm making will get us there.
User comment/question:
The live voice chat is the feature I am looking forward too. I just hope it
has a LOT of options for configuration. Sometimes I like to yell at people
that are close to me, other times I would like to be able to talk just to my
teammates. And I am sure there will be people I do NOT want to listen too.
We are planning on providing all these options. (Steve @ Epic)
Content at the moment (sounds/maps/models/etc) is 100% compatible.
And is guaranteed to remain so.
UT2004 will not have higher system specs than UT2003. In fact, with the Pixomatic software renderer
included, in some respects the system spec requirements will be lower.
that answered almost all of my questions.