'Unreal' 3D game engine demonstrated on Apple's iPhone
A version of the same advanced game engine that powers popular titles like Gears of War 2 has been demonstrated on the iPhone 3GS and iPod touch.
Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games, creators of the Unreal Engine, demonstrated the proof-of-concept to AnandTech with a playable demo. The first-person shooter runs a modified level from the game Unreal Tournament, and employs dual-touch controls.
The game has a virtual thumbstick on the left side of the touch screen to control character movement. Using their right thumb, users can aim and shoot at enemies on screen.
The 3D demo employs Open GL ES 2.0, which is only available on the iPhone 3GS and new iPod touch. The PowerVR SGX GPU has been found to make the hardware, in some cases, to be twice as fast as its predecessors.
The report noted that the game ran with a smooth framerate and the controls worked well. It added, however, that the demo clearly needs polishing, but that it is "just a starting point."
"Epic isn?t announcing any sort of iPhone engine licenses nor are they entering the iPhone game market," the report said. "Porting UE3 to the iPhone is simply one of many projects being worked on inside a newer, more svelte and innovative Epic Games (wait till you see what?s next...)."
As Epic Games does on the PC side, the company apparently intends to license its Unreal Engine to third-party companies for use on the iPhone and iPod touch. This will allow an advanced framework for companies to build original games around. Epic, at the moment, has no plans to release any games for the platform.
Rein also told AnandTech that Unreal Engine 3 will be demoed on another mobile platform at CES 2010 in early January. The company reportedly intends to take its plans beyond the iPhone and iPod touch.
"This isn't a platform specific thing," the report said, "it's about bringing Unreal Engine 3 to the entire portable market."
Apple has promoted the iPod touch as a games-centric device with the tagline "The funnest iPod ever." When it debuted the new 64GB model in September, Apple highlighted a number of high-profile game releases from major developers, such as Electronic Arts and Ubisoft.
There are also signs that Apple could be looking to get into the game development business itself. In November, AppleInsider discovered that Apple is looking to hire a game and media software engineer for its iPhone and iPod touch team. The listing is noteworthy because Apple ahs released only four applications on its iPhone App Store since it first launched, and only one of them -- Texas Hold'em -- is a game.
Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games, creators of the Unreal Engine, demonstrated the proof-of-concept to AnandTech with a playable demo. The first-person shooter runs a modified level from the game Unreal Tournament, and employs dual-touch controls.
The game has a virtual thumbstick on the left side of the touch screen to control character movement. Using their right thumb, users can aim and shoot at enemies on screen.
The 3D demo employs Open GL ES 2.0, which is only available on the iPhone 3GS and new iPod touch. The PowerVR SGX GPU has been found to make the hardware, in some cases, to be twice as fast as its predecessors.
The report noted that the game ran with a smooth framerate and the controls worked well. It added, however, that the demo clearly needs polishing, but that it is "just a starting point."
"Epic isn?t announcing any sort of iPhone engine licenses nor are they entering the iPhone game market," the report said. "Porting UE3 to the iPhone is simply one of many projects being worked on inside a newer, more svelte and innovative Epic Games (wait till you see what?s next...)."
As Epic Games does on the PC side, the company apparently intends to license its Unreal Engine to third-party companies for use on the iPhone and iPod touch. This will allow an advanced framework for companies to build original games around. Epic, at the moment, has no plans to release any games for the platform.
Rein also told AnandTech that Unreal Engine 3 will be demoed on another mobile platform at CES 2010 in early January. The company reportedly intends to take its plans beyond the iPhone and iPod touch.
"This isn't a platform specific thing," the report said, "it's about bringing Unreal Engine 3 to the entire portable market."
Apple has promoted the iPod touch as a games-centric device with the tagline "The funnest iPod ever." When it debuted the new 64GB model in September, Apple highlighted a number of high-profile game releases from major developers, such as Electronic Arts and Ubisoft.
There are also signs that Apple could be looking to get into the game development business itself. In November, AppleInsider discovered that Apple is looking to hire a game and media software engineer for its iPhone and iPod touch team. The listing is noteworthy because Apple ahs released only four applications on its iPhone App Store since it first launched, and only one of them -- Texas Hold'em -- is a game.
Comments
Impressive. With Rein and Carmack aboard the iPhone platform, it can only lead to good things.
Only problem is games like this and Doom Classic which I have played on the Touch are 16 year old technology. The touch controls these games are also pretty poor.
If you're going to say something dismissive, maybe you should get your facts straight.
Only problem is games like this and Doom Classic which I have played on the Touch are 16 year old technology. The touch controls these games are also pretty poor.
Unreal engine 3 (you seem to have a bit of trouble seeing it), is the current game engine which is licensed out and used to power such games as BioShock, Gears of War and Mass Effect.
If you're going to say something dismissive, maybe you should get your facts straight.
Actually I understand it rather well and if you understood it you would know there is nothing about the iPhone/Touch OS that can take advantage of 90% of of the engine has to offer.
Knowing the system requirements for full versions of Bioshock and Gears of War you are foolish to even mention them as examples.
Games like Doom Classic can be ported to the iPHone because its a 16 years old game. Unreal 3D is on par.
Actually I understand it rather well and if you understood it you would know there is nothing about the iPhone/Touch OS that can take advantage of 90% of of the engine has to offer.
Knowing the system requirements for full versions of Bioshock and Gears of War you are foolish to even mention them as examples.
Games like Doom Classic can be ported to the iPHone because its a 16 years old game. Unreal 3D is on par.
Dude, reread the article, slowly. This is the Unreal 3 engine being discussed, the same engine used in Gears of War 2. This has nothing to do with older games powered by older Unreal engines. Your initial comment "games like this and Doom Classic which I have played on the Touch are 16 year old technology" is off-base.
The future of handheld gaming.
It?s sure looking that way.
Dude, reread the article, slowly. This is the Unreal 3 engine being discussed, the same engine used in Gears of War 2. This has nothing to do with older games powered by older Unreal engines. Your initial comment "games like this and Doom Classic which I have played on the Touch are 16 year old technology" is off-base.
Ignore him, he is a nothing more than a bad troll. Obviously the iPhone hardware couldn't pump out the same resolutions as a console, but that isn't needed when the screen is so small anyway. This technology is most definitely current and will make it a lot easier to port current games to mobile platforms. Now if only the icontrolpad would come out of eternal prototype status.
Now if only the icontrolpad would come out of eternal prototype status.
I recall seeing two mockups before accessories were allowed with the iPhone OS 3.0 SDK but since then I have seen nothing.
I?d really like to see gaming APIs so that I can play games on screen or attach any number of 3rd-party D-Pad accessories without having the game be specifically designed for each companies controller or requiring a lengthy rewrite to work with different D-pads.
PS: I?d also like the text input to be more intelligence. I don?t want usernames to auto-start with a capital letter, I don?t want number fields to default to the lettered keyboard, etc.
Actually I understand it rather well and if you understood it you would know there is nothing about the iPhone/Touch OS that can take advantage of 90% of of the engine has to offer.
Knowing the system requirements for full versions of Bioshock and Gears of War you are foolish to even mention them as examples.
Games like Doom Classic can be ported to the iPHone because its a 16 years old game. Unreal 3D is on par.
Dude, give it up. You don't know what you're talking about. From Anand himself (who is good friends with Mark Rein and is why he got access to the tech demo in the first place):
It's the full UE3. Obviously textures, geometry and shaders aren't going to be as complex as they are in Gears of War for example - but they could be if the hardware was fast enough.
That's the whole point. In ~4 years this thing could be as fast as an Xbox 360, which means that you could have something that looked like Gears of War 2 on your phone.
Take care,
Anand
The report noted that the game ran with a sooth framerate
What the hell is a "sooth" framerate?
I recall seeing two mockups before accessories were allowed with the iPhone OS 3.0 SDK but since then I have seen nothing.
They gave it two analogue sticks and a battery in November and nothing else since. I suspect we will see someone else take a control pad to production before them. http://icontrolpad.com/
I?d really like to see gaming APIs so that I can play games on screen or attach any number of 3rd-party D-Pad accessories without having the game be specifically designed for each companies controller or requiring a lengthy rewrite to work with different D-pads.
Me as well.
PS: I?d also like the text input to be more intelligence. I don?t want usernames to auto-start with a capital letter, I don?t want number fields to default to the lettered keyboard, etc.
That too
What the hell is a "sooth" framerate?
smooth
What the hell is a "sooth" framerate?
That is a smooth framerate as described by a soothsayer.
Dude, give it up. You don't know what you're talking about. From Anand himself (who is good friends with Mark Rein and is why he got access to the tech demo in the first place):
Actually dude you need to give it up seeing your quote made my point.
"It's the full UE3. Obviously textures, geometry and shaders aren't going to be as complex as they are in Gears of War for example - but they could be if the hardware was fast enough.
That's the whole point. In ~4 years this thing could be as fast as an Xbox 360, which means that you could have something that looked like Gears of War 2 on your phone.
Take care,
Anand "
Four years you must be joking. That is a lifetime when it comes to technology. Talking about what might happen in four years.
It?s sure looking that way.
Not to mention future 'Tablet' gaming ... After watching whatever program you want via iTunes from CBS, ABC (all except NBC no doubt) in HD ... where ever you happen to be, you can look forward to an immersive 3D game.
Actually dude you need to give it up seeing your quote made my point.
What point?
Only problem is games like this and Doom Classic which I have played on the Touch are 16 year old technology.
The Unreal 3 Engine is not 16 years old -- that's what everyone is calling you out on. This is the same engine as used by the aforementioned desktop games scaled down for use on a mobile platform -- not a 16-year-old game being ported to the iPhone.
Taking a modern engine and scaling it down is not the same thing as taking a 16-year-old engine and just porting it over.
What point?
The Unreal 3 Engine is not 16 years old -- that's what everyone is calling you out on. This is the same engine as used by the aforementioned desktop games scaled down for use on a mobile platform -- not a 16-year-old game being ported to the iPhone.
Taking a modern engine and scaling it down is not the same thing as taking a 16-year-old engine and just porting it over.
I commented on a 16 year old game because someone else brought up Carmack. Had nothing to do with UE3. Two different subjects.
I commented on a 16 year old game because someone else brought up Carmack. Had nothing to do with UE3. Two different subjects.
Well, the "games like this and Doom Classic" while quoting Rein and Carmack in your post sure did make it seem that way. Maybe you should have been clearer