News: Crysis 2 engine released to other developers

[News Bot]

Crytek begins offering CryEngine 3 as basis for multiplatform game production; customer service stressed as a selling point.


From the original Far Cry to the upcoming Crysis 2, German developer Crytek has built a reputation for technologically impressive games. Now the studio hopes to turn that reputation into real money, as today it launched CryEngine 3 for use by other developers.


Even the best of engines is useless without talented developers.


As the underlying technology for Crysis 2, the CryEngine 3 technology reflects Crytek's recent expansion into multiplatform development. The engine is designed to support development not only on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PCs, but Crytek claims its scalability will also make it a viable choice for the next generation of platforms.

When it comes to licensed engines, Crytek is chasing Epic Games and the Unreal Engine 3, the oft-licensed technology underneath the hood of a huge swatch of games, from the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum to the much-reviled Hour of Victory. However, Epic's support for Unreal licensees was castigated in an ongoing lawsuit from Too Human developer Silicon Knights. It's little surprise, then, that one of the features Crytek is centering its promotional push for the engine on isn't in the technology at all; it's in customer service.

"Of course, our international team of more than 20 dedicated support staff are available right now to help our licensees make the most of CryEngine 3; at their studio or at one of our support centers around the world," Crytek director of business development Carl Jones said in a statement heralding the launch of the engine.

Crytek's CryEngine technology has previously been used in creating the studio's own titles and was licensed out to NCsoft for use in the company's recently released massively multiplayer online role-playing game Aion. It's unlikely gamers will get to see the CryEngine 3 in action anytime soon; although Crysis 2 was originally revealed in June, no release window for the game has been confirmed.

For more on CryEngine 3, check out the teaser video below and GameSpot's impressions of the technology.

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Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Crysis 2 engine released to other developers" was posted by Brendan Sinclair on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:24:08 -0700


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[BlkRb0t]

Way to go Crytek, you are one of the reasons why PC gaming still kicks Consoles.

[MarieWoodell]

Does this mean MA will now spend the next three years updating Entropia to cry 3?

[Ze-Tomb]

Originally Posted by MarieWoodell

Does this mean MA will now spend the next three years updating Entropia to cry 3?

Cry3 has no graphical advancement from Cry2. It's just easier to use.

[MarieWoodell]

Originally Posted by Ze-Tomb

Cry3 has no graphical advancement from Cry2. It's just easier to use.

Ah cool. Ididn't know that. thanks Tomb.

[BlkRb0t]

Originally Posted by Ze-Tomb

Cry3 has no graphical advancement from Cry2. It's just easier to use.

Yes, but I wouldn't say not an advancement. This is geared more towards the multi-platform developers and so it should also work on the current-gen consoles. But Crytek has said that it can be scaled up to be better than CryEngine 2 if the hardware of your prospective customers is up for the challenge

[Dee]

A transition from CryEngine 2 to CryEngine 3 I am sure would be very fast if they should feel the need for it. As everything should be compatible and transferable to the new engine.
Only thing is if MA decides to start developing for the consoles too, but then all the PC players would be able to just play on as usual.

[Ze-Tomb]

It would be quick, and with CE3's supposed easy to use interface they'd have done in no time really. On console, that'd be fun, but switching from keyboard to controller isn't a good idea in my opinion.