So, Epic is moving on.

[[FnG] Torgo 3000]

10+ years of UT have now, as close to officially as it would seem necessary, come to an end.

[[FnG] Neecap]

I have now put out a fatwa on CLiffyB's head!

[[FDG]Sundae]

Honestly, it's about time. I loved UT2004, but really the game's over. UT as a whole, I mean. There were what - 5 UT games and however many "U" games? UT99, UT2003, UT2004, UT3, and that console-only one?

Epic needs to find something new and innovative and move forward with that. Truthfully, even if there was a UT4, the odds of me playing it would be remarkably small. UT is, to me, done.

[[FnG] Torgo 3000]

Yeah, it would seem so. Sad - parts of UT3 (the vehicles, especially) were very good. And my best gaming memories were the good times on UT2k4 over the years. But - it's the people we meet that make the game, and many of the people are still here.

Y'know, when I have to explain this nerdy hobby of mine to normal people my age(*), I say it's something like a poker night, just that we're on TS or Vent, i.e., talking over the internet like it was a phone call.. That usually puts it in the proper perspective. And now, we're just making it more of a "dealer's choice," as we move off of UT. There's GW, L4D, GW2, L4D2 ....

But in the mean time, Thursday nights are still on, ut2k4-wise. It's what gets me through the week, sometimes, since our current GW alliance is so light on the NA side of the pond.

(*) Funny, but I wind up often defending (a) World of Warcraft, a game I played for less than 2 weeks before getting annoyed with it; and (b) Dungeons and Dragons, a game I haven't played for >20 years!

[[FnG] RampantBunny]

....Y'know, when I have to explain this nerdy hobby of mine to normal people my age(*), I say it's something like a poker night, just that we're on TS or Vent, i.e., talking over the internet like it was a phone call.. That usually puts it in the proper perspective... [/size]

I use the same trick if i try to explain my hobby..still get weird looks though (could be just me ofcourse )

[[FnG] ParanoiDinHELL]

It's no problem, gears is on a roll now and when they'll go back to UT for part 4 on the next engine (i'm guessing theyll start of with a UT, they always have) they'll nail it

so much for an annual ut title tough 03/04 .... no support from sales I suppose

[[FnG] Neecap]

They really dropped the ball on UT3. The design, gameplay, even netcode was all botched up. Its sad to see such a cool game series go out in such a pathethic fizzle.

Oh well, there's always other games out there, but UT99 and UT2004 will always have a special place in my heart.

[[FnG] Bawsy]

UT3 with Map Mixer (woot - you can set up a new map from the game - no loading to main menu), dodge jump mutator, and good custom maps with no more clutter than those found in UT2004 (e.g. HOLP maps, or the 100s of other similar stlyed releases), is an immense game. I would go as far as to suggest that if UT3 had been released in that condition, then it would have been a successful replacement for UT2004.

Right now my UT gaming is as follows - online UT2004, offline UT3

[[FnG] Neecap]

Yeah well UT3's look and feel didnt sit right with me. I mean, they had some really pretty map designs, but the weapons and characters were too alien and freaky looking, and everything was so dark and gritty. Unreal has always been about colorful and lighthearted carnage.

Another thing that put a damper on my UT3 experience was that when Ut3 was released i started my 12 months compulsory military service, and by the time i was done, UT3's community had basically upped and left!

[[FnG] Mez]

Perhaps Epic & CliffyB's upcoming Bulletstorm will be a pleasant surprise for the die-hard UT fans among us.

http://www.bulletstorm.com
http://forum.fng-community.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=11116

But then again, speaking as an ex-developer who gave up the soul-destroying slog of pointlessly slaving away for an incompetent U.S. publisher...maybe not.

Just imagine Steve Ballmer taking the lead in "The Office" TV series, and you're 99% there