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The Unreal FAQ is Copyright 1997 by Kevin Stone (as soon as I figure out
how to do that). If you wish to use part of this document, please leave it
intact, and show it belongs to The Unreal FAQ by Kevin Stone.
Disclaimer:
This FAQ was not written by Epic Megagames or GT Interactive and they do
not take any responsibility for what is said in this document. Any
information in this FAQ can change at any time. Also, because the game has
not been finished yet, the majority of this information is merely a planned
estimation. Much of this information is from memory; any source that would
like to claim responsibility for a certain piece of information, please
e-mail me at kbob@inxpress.net and you will be given credit.
Distribution: (much of this was copied from the Unreal FAQ by Hendrick
Mans) This FAQ can be freely distributed as long as:
1)No price is ever charged
2)It remains in its digital form
3)It is not distributed with software
4)No modifications are made by anyone besides the maintainer (Kevin Stone)
5)Credit is given to the maintainer (Kevin Stone)
---------------------------------------------
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
1.1 About this FAQ
1.2 About the author
1.3 Where to obtain this FAQ
1.4 What I Plan to Add in the Future
1.5 Faq News }*
2. About Unreal
2.1 What is Unreal?
2.2 Who is making Unreal?
2.3 Who is distributing Unreal?
2.4 When will Unreal be released?
2.5 What is the storyline behind Unreal?
2.6 History of Unreal
3. Unreal's Requirements
3.1 What are the system requirements for Unreal?
3.2 What Operating Systems does Unreal work with?
3.3 Does Unreal support 3D Graphics cards or MMX?
4. Gameplay
4.1 What are the weapons in Unreal?
4.2 What Items are there in Unreal?
4.3 What Monsters are there in Unreal?
4.4 What is Control like in Unreal?
4.5 Does Unreal support Specific Damage?
4.6 Can Creatures with the Same Model but with Different Skins exist on the
Same Level at the Same time? }*
4.7 Will there be Different Sized Creatures/Players? }*
4.8 What is so Special about the AI (artificial inteligence) in Unreal? }*
4.9 Will Unreal have a Console ala Quake? }*
4.10 Will the Status Bar in the Unreal Screen Shots remain in the Final
Game? }*
5. The Game Engine
5.1 What Different Color Depths does Unreal Support?
5.2 What Different Resolutions can I run Unreal in?
5.3 What is DirectX and do I need it to run Unreal?
5.4 How does Unreal Determine VSD (Visual Surface Determination)?
5.5 How is the Terrain Created in the Outdoor Engine?
5.6 How is the Music in Unreal?
5.7 Will there be Shadows in Unreal? }*
5.8 Is the Sky Rendered as an Infinite Plane far Away? }*
5.9 Will there be an Water Effects such as Splashes? }*
5.10 Will there be Reflections in Unreal? }*
5.11 Will Unreal Use Particles? }*
6. Unreal's Levels
6.1 How Many Levels are there in Unreal?
6.2 How big will the Levels be in Unreal?
6.3 How Much of a Level is Indoor and How Much is Outdoor?
6.4 Is it More Corridor or Open Spaces?
6.5 Will Unreal Levels be Highly Multilayered?
6.6 How is Level Editing in Unreal Compared to that of Quake?
6.7 What will the Outdoor Levels Contain?
6.8 How is the Transition Between the Indoor and the Outdoor Engine
Handled?
7. Editing Unreal
7.1 What is UnrealEd?
7.2 Where can I get UnrealEd?
7.3 What is a Brush?
7.4 Can I Import Brushes from Other Programs?
7.5 What else can I do in UnrealEd?
7.6 What is UnrealScript?
7.7 How do I Compile my Map?
7.8 How do I Create Outdoor Levels?
7.9 How is Skinning a Model Handled?
7.10 Can I modify the Rendering Engine with UnrealScript? }*
7.11 Will Unreal Support Plugins? }*
7.12 Will UnrealEd Support Vertex Manipulation? }*
7.13 Can Skins be Animated? }*
7.14 Can I See an Example of UnrealScript? }*
8. Multiplayer
8.1 What Types of Multiplayer are Supported by Unreal?
8.2 How Many Players Can Unreal Support on a Network?
8.3 Can I Link Different Servers?
8.4 Can I see what Weapon the other Players are Currently Using?
8.5 How Will Unreal Reduce Lag?
8.6 What is Gatekeeper? }*
8.7 Are there any Security Measures taken by UnrealScript when Calling
Outside Programs? }*
8.8 Are Files that are Dynamically Downloaded Compressed? }*
9. Miscellaneous }*
9.1 Can Two Bots Act as One Mind? }*
10. The Unreal Scene }*
10.1 What is the Unreal Scene? }*
10.2 Where can I go to Talk about Unreal? }*
10.3 What Web Pages Are there for Info on Unreal? }*
11. The Future
11.1 What Other Platforms will Unreal be Released on?
11.2 Will there be an Unreal 2?
11.3 What about a Jazz3D Game?
12. Credits
1. Introduction
1.1 About this FAQ
This FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) covers all known information about
Unreal.
Newly added information is shown with a }*.
Info grabbed from Hendrick Man's Unreal Faq is marked with a *.
1.2 About the Author
Kevin Stone is a 16 year old high school student. He was first introduced
to Unreal by a PC Gamer article. After an initial poor attempt at an Unreal
web page, he opened his news site, UNN: Unreal News Network. It had a
respectable audience and was shut down to pursue other interests. You can
find him frequently on #unreal on Undernet (us.undernet.org) using the
nickname stonage. If you have any corrections or comments, send them to
kbob@inxpress.net.
1.3 Where to obtain this FAQ
This should be located at many Unreal sites; its official home is Epic
Megagames, http://www.epicgames.com, http://www.epicgames.co.uk,
http://www.unreal.com.
1.4 What I Plan to Add in the Future
-More Info as it comes in
-More Novice Information
1.5 Faq News
I got some more info from Tim Sweeney. He will probably be my only source
of new info until E3 as far as I can see.
2. About Unreal
2.1 What is Unreal?
Unreal is the latest game from Epic Megagames. With nearly 3 years spent in
production, this game appears to have the detail to create an impressive
experience. It has been designed, programmed, and playtested until they
believe they have created the most enjoyable game possible. Tim Sweeney,
Epic's owner and Unreal's lead programmer states his goal for Unreal as
"Making a game that is cool and innovative enough that it redefines what
players expect from games in general."
2.2 Who is Making Unreal?
Unreal is being made by Epic Megagames. Their previous works include: Jazz
the Jackrabbit, Epic Pinball, and Fire Fight. They have offices located in
Maryland and the United Kingdom.
2.3 Who is Distributing Unreal?
Unreal is being distributed by GT Interactive. They have distributed such
games as Quake and Duke3d.
2.4 When will Unreal be released?
Epic Megagames' official statement is "when it's done" but speculation is
around September, 1997.
2.5 What is the storyline behind Unreal?
You awaken in a small, enclosed room with metal walls. The floor and walls
are notably tilted at an odd angle. The room is illuminated by a dim light
flowing through a crack in the ceiling. A small fold-out bed is attached to
a wall. Though you have no recollection of where you are, it might appear
to be a prison cell. An angled metal door lies ahead. With effort, you push
the creaky slab open. You reach another large metal door. It's partially
open, revealing light beyond it. Pressing a switch on a nearby wall causes
the door to slowly and noisily open, uncovering a bright green landscape
and lake beyond. Walking forward, you find yourself in the middle of a
small peninsula within a lake surrounded by mountains.
This is not at all what you expected. The "prison" you just exited is now
revealed to be a small, badly-damaged spacecraft. Debris trails the crash
site. The craft itself is wedged halfway into the ground, forming a crater
in the area surrounding it. Walking along a trail in the foreign terrain,
gun in hand, you journey onward to find out where you are and what you
purpose is here.
Observing your surroundings beyond the carnage reveals a beautiful and
serene, yet somehow spooky, landscape. Two moons are in the sky. Ruins are
in the distance. And a big, bad, alien is eating one of your buddies.
Welcome to UNREAL!
2.6 The History of Unreal
After completing Epic Pinball, the decision was made to investigate 3d
games as it was determined that this was the future of gaming. James
Schmalz, now the lead designer, began hacking away, experimenting with a 3d
engine. After a few months, James created an engine with flat-shaded 3d
robots. Eventually he came up with the dragon mesh that appears in the
early Unreal screen shots. The engine was originally designed for a cavern
type game and was later changed to an outdoor, heightmap engine. At this
time, Epic released what they could create. Tim Sweeney, Epic's
owner/Unreal's lead programmer said "That's when we knew we had to do a
game with a realistic, organic look." At this time, Dave Carter came on as
a modeler. Tim Sweeney began creating an editor for the buildings they
implemented in the engine. The editor was so advanced, they switched to
indoor areas and Tim Sweeney became the head programmer. Around this time,
Cliff Bleszinski, co-designer of Unreal, joined the team as a level
designer but switched to game design later. At this time, the rest of the
team was hired. The next big event was the decision to support MMX in
Unreal, which allows the programmers to use new instructions on the chip to
accelerate certain functions.
Epic showed its work on Unreal at the 1996 electronic entertainment expo.
That was the first wave of publicity brought to Unreal. This created the
beginning of the "Unreal Community." The first web page created entirely
committed to Unreal was named Unreality, run by Hendrick Mans. It has
re-located several times and recently merged to form unreal.org. The
community rapidly grew with a scoop article in PC Gamer which introduced me
to Unreal along with many others. Along with web pages, #unreal channels
were created on both undernet and efnet. Soon Epic employees discovered
this great method of communication, visiting #unreal frequently.
Soon, we began receiving screen shots of Unreal. We got our first glimpses
of the Brute (known then as the Bigman), the Skaarj, and the dragon. We
also got our first glimpse of the weapons. In the second half of '96, Epic
hired Steven Polge, the creator of the Reaper Bot for Quake. Steven began
hacking away creating distinct personalities for each monster, improving
Unreal's single play immensely. For Christmas, Epic released two movies
showing Unreal in motion for the first time. Another movie appeared a month
or two later on the February Next-Generation CD. In March we first heard
news that the Unreal engine had been ported to the Glide API (3Dfx's native
programming interface). Another large article featuring Unreal appeared in
the June issue of PC Games, featuring our first glimpse of the Kraal. The
next big event in Unreal's development will be E3 (Electronic Entertainment
Expo) held in Atlanta from June 19-21. There, Epic plans to have a playable
version of Unreal at their booth.
2.7 Will there be a Public Beta or Something Similar to QTest?
Straight from the bigman himself: "There will be no public demo, alpha, or
beta. The first release will be the free, shareware version of the game,
followed soon by the retail version."
3. Unreal's Requirements
3.1 What are the System Requirements for Unreal?
The current estimated requirements will be a Pentium 90 with 16 megs RAM.
This is only an estimate as of now because Unreal is not finished. 32 megs
is recommended for optimal play and is required for UnrealEd.
3.2 What Operating Systems does Unreal work with?
Unreal will work with Windows 95 and Windows NT4. It supports DirectX,
including Direct3D, but they are not required to play.
3.3 Does Unreal support 3D Graphics Cards or MMX?
Unreal has been built from the ground up to support the new MMX
instructions. MMX will allow the use of 24-bit color and color blending. It
also allows them to use 44 kHz audio with 16-bit sound. MMX is not
necessary to run Unreal. 3D Graphics Cards are supported by Unreal as well.
Currently, Epic is debating between using Direct3D and OpenGL or neither.
Mark Rein, Vice President of Epic, says "None of them are supported right
now but we probably will support one or two of them with D3D being the most
likely." Though it may support an API (such as openGL or Direct3D), Tim
Sweeney states that the software renderer may be faster. Cards using the
3Dfx Voodoo or Voodoo Rush chipsets are natively supported in Unreal with
others possible with the situation best described by Mark Rein: "Native
card support depends completely on card vendors, the quality of their cards
and the amount of money in their wallets."
3.4 What is MMX?
Intel engineers have added 57 powerful new instructions specifically
designed to manipulate and process video, audio and graphical data
efficiently. These instructions are oriented to the highly parallel,
repetitive sequences often found in multimedia operations. Today's
multimedia and communication applications often use repetitive loops that,
while occupying 10 percent or less of the overall application code, can
account for up to 90 percent of the execution time. A process called Single
Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) enables one instruction to perform the
same function on multiple pieces of data. It allows the chip to reduce
compute-intensive loops common with video, audio, graphics and animation.
As an analogy, consider a drill sergeant telling an entire platoon, "About
face," rather than commanding each individual soldier one at a time. Intel
has doubled on-chip cache size to 32K on the Intel Pentium processor with
MMX technology. Now, more instructions and data can be stored on the chip,
reducing the number of times the processor has to access slower, off-chip
memory areas for information.
4. Unreal's Gameplay
4.1 What are the Weapons in Unreal?
There are currently few known weapons in Unreal. The first is the automag
handgun. This is what you start with at the beginning of the game. When you
run out of ammo, you can use the butt-end of the gun as a weapon. It can be
also shot "gangsta style" as well as the traditional shooting style
(gangsta style is where you turn it sideways, for those who don't watch
enough rap videos). The second weapon is the quad-shotgun. This weapon
packs four barrels of firepower. The third weapon is the Stinger which
fires Tardium Crystals making whoever is hit glow and become very unstable.
They will then rupture if jolted hard enough. The longer you hold down the
fire button, the harder they impact. The fifth weapon known is the
Saw-Blade Launcher. It fires spinning saw blades, cutting up anything in
their path. The sixth known weapon is the 8-ball launcher. This weapon will
be similar to a rocket/grenade launcher, replacing any need for one.
4.2 What Items are there in Unreal?
Currently, no items have been defined by Epic. You can expect health, ammo,
and armor to be in the game though.
4.3 What Monsters are there in Unreal?
At this time, 6 monsters are known. The first is the manta. This monster
flies similar to the way a stingray swims. It attacks by swooping down from
above. The second monster is the dragon. This monster flies like a bird and
attacks similar to the manta. The third monster is the Brute. Formerly
known as the Bigman, this massive monster carries two massive cannons in
his arms. The fourth known monster is the Skaarj. This monster will attack
in packs using its agility and teamwork to destroy you. The fifth monster
is the Kraal. We have just recently been introduced to this monster in a pc
games article covering Unreal. It carries a spear like weapon and has
bird-like legs. We were given the name of a sixth monster, the Slith, but
know nothing about them besides they are hated by the Skaarj. Mark Rein
said that the registered version will have around 20 monsters.
4.4 What is the control like in Unreal?
Well, since I have yet to play Unreal nor have they tuned the control, this
question cannot be answered yet. But, Mark Rein did say "If Unreal has
lousy control it is never going to beat anything. Rest assured, control is
just as important to us as it is to you."
4.5 Does Unreal support Specific Damage?
Well, for those that don't know, specific damage is the ability to shoot a
monster in the arm or leg and have different amounts of damage resulting
depending on the location they were shot. This is not supported in Unreal
because it requires a skeletal modeling sytem. To replace this, Epic has
put in an advanced animation system which will allow them to do the 300-500
frames of animation per actor used. "coding that in QuakeC would be a
nightmare!" Tim Sweeney stated.
4.6 Can Creatures with the Same Model but with Different Skins exist on the
Same Level at
the Same time?
Yes they can. This expands the number of monsters possible as each model
could have many different skins allowing a larger number of monsters.
4.7 Will there be Different Sized Creatures/Players?
I asked Tim Sweeney this, and he said existing creatures range from
fireflys (teensy tiny) to the 30-foot-tall Titan.
4.8 What is so Special about the AI (artificial inteligence) in Unreal?
The AI is being coded by Steven Polge, known for his quake-c patch, the
Reaper Bot. This was the first bot (practice deathmatch opponent) to truly
feel like a human opponent. This was due to the use of fuzzy logic, which
allows the bot to weigh different factors and choose the best decision
based on the situation. Now Polge has direct access to the code in Unreal.
He plans on giving each monster it's own personality. Monsters will flee
when outmatched or low on health. Certain monsters will coordinate an
attack with others. Not only do the monsters want to kill you, they also
have a hatred for other monsters in Unreal.
4.9 Will Unreal have a Console ala Quake?
Tim Sweeney answered this question for me: "We have one now for
development. It will probably remain in the final game, but using it will
be entirely optional."
4.10 Will the Status Bar in the Unreal Screen Shots remain in the Final
Game?
No, it won't, here's Tim Sweeney with the low down: "we are going to
redesign the status bar; it's probably going to be a small HUD thing but
that hasn't been done yet."
5. The Game Engine
5.1 What different color depths does Unreal support?
Unreal supports from 256 to 16 million colors. The default color depth is
16-bit or around 32,000 colors and textures are being optimized for that
color depth. To use Unreal in 24-bit (16 million colors), you need MMX.
5.2 What different resolutions can I run Unreal in?
Unreal can run in any resolution at full screen supported by the DirectDraw
driver for your graphics card. It can also be run in a window at any
resolution though it is much slower. This means Unreal can be run as high
as 1024x768 and above as graphics cards become faster. As in the color
depth, Unreal is being optimized to run at 640x480.
5.3 What is DirectX and do I need it to run Unreal?
DirectX is an API (application programming interface) that is used to
enhance gaming under Windows95 and Windows NT4. The most popular members of
DirectX are DirectDraw, DirectInput, DirectSound, and Direct3D. DirectDraw
allows the game developer to run in full-screen mode and have direct access
to the video memory making programming similar to that of DOS. DirectInput
allows the game developer to support a multitude of devices requiring the
manufacturer of that device to only create a single driver that will then
work in all games supported. It also allows faster access to the keyboard
and the mouse than with the Win32 API. DirectSound provides direct access
to the sound card similar to how DirectDraw does for the graphics card. It
also allows hardware manufacturers to produce only a single driver and
allows game developers to support any sound device that has such a driver.
Direct3D is an API that allows universal support for all 3d accelerators
that have the necessary driver. Direct3D has recently been under fire for
poor performance compared to another 3d API, OpenGL. DirectX is not
required to run Unreal though you will have to play in a window because the
lack of DirectDraw's full-screen mode.
5.4 How does Unreal determine VSD (Visual Surface Determination)?
Unreal uses a pre-computed BSP (Binary Space Partition) Tree which sorts
every polygon into different planes (space partitions) forming a Binary
Tree. Then, this tree can be recursively checked to display the polygons in
the correct order. Unreal also uses Portals and Pre-Computation to
determine VSD.
5.5 How is the Terrain created in the Outdoor Engine?
The outdoor engine uses polygons that use LOD (Level of Detail) to reduce
the number of them the farther away they appear. This allows smoother
terrain up close while maintaining a lower polygon count, keeping the speed
up.
5.6 How is the Music in Unreal?
Unreal uses Mod Files (S3M, IT, XM, MOD)*, these allow near CD-audio
quality sound, from a highly compressed file. There is currently a team
working on the music, named Straylight Productions. It is led up by Alex
Brandon, who had this to say about the music: "we're using MODs. Why?
Because MODS are the best way to do interactive audio right now. Don't
worry, we'll prove this with little difficulty." Other titles they produced
music for include: "Crusader: No Remorse" and "No Regret."
5.7 Will there be Shadows in Unreal?
I asked Tim Sweeney about the current situation with shadows and he said
they are still in the R&D phase which means they are testing different
methods. The probable choice will be fuzzy shadows which are correctly
applied with respect to all lights and polygons.
5.8 Is the Sky Rendered as an Infinite Plane Far Away?
I asked Tim Sweeney this and he responded with: "Right now it's modelled as
two infinite sheets (above and below) but I may add an option for
cube-mapping for projects like Wheel of Time, which want to have more
scenic backdrops."
5.9 Will there be an Water Effects such as Splashes?
Yes there will be. Unreal will use several effects to simulate splashes and
other water movements. One such example is to just spawn a splash actor
where contact was made by the player on the water top.
5.10 Will there be Reflections in Unreal?
I asked Tim Sweeney about this: "this looks unlikely at the moment. If I
ever add support for this in the engine, it would probably be a '3d
hardware only' effect."
5.11 Will Unreal Use Particles?
Quake used particles for such things as explosions. Unreal will not use
particles, Tim Sweeney explains: "I'm not using particle systems as Quake
does. Unreal will stick with
transparent fractal texture effects for things like explosions and smoke,
along with mesh-based animations which can be modelled/animated to look
somewhat like particle systems but are more general because you have more
control over them in UnrealScript."
6. Unreal's Levels
6.1 How Many Levels are there in Unreal?
The definition of a level will change after playing Unreal because each one
connects to the next continuously. During the game you can wander from
level to level searching for the items required to complete the mission.
The estimate on the number of levels is between 30 and 40. Each level will
contain a mix of indoor and outdoor settings.
6.2 How big will the levels be in Unreal?
Tim Sweeney reports that an Unreal level will be from 10,000 to 20,000
polygons. Myscha, a full-time level designer for Epic, answers the question
in terms of virtual size: "That depends on the theme of the map. I have
some maps that I am doing that cover over 4 square miles if you were really
there. Maps like those are really emphasizing the outdoor setting and
introducing the player to this new setting as it builds into a series of
structures. Other maps are compact and very vertical, invloving in some
cases 7-10 floors on top of each other. The themes of the maps drives the
design. We aren't limited by a "level" measurement whatsoever. Unlike in
Doom or other games where most of these interior levels are all about the
same size with the same features, Unreal carries the player across the
planet to many different and unique scenarios. Be sure you get traveller's
checks first. The interesting part to this is that although immense size
does not make a great playing level, we are paying close attention to
detail to insure that they do. When you play a level in games like Quake,
you usually spend 20 minutes or less completing the map. Some maps in
Unreal will allow you to experience over 2 hours of intricate gameplay that
has a consistent driving theme to theme. There will also be maps that are
very straightforward as well-for those who just want to get in and
slaughter some monsters. The environment of Unreal is so stunning, you will
be in awe as you play the game. It will take the concept of first person
shooter and push it where it has never gone before. This type of thinking
comes from the designers of the game, who strive to give you more than you
can imagine."
6.3 How much of a level is Indoor and how much is Outdoor?
Again we turn to Myscha. "That has not yet been finalized - Our current
thrust has been Artificial Intelligence and Scripting implementation. The
exterior "world" is still to come."
6.4 Is it more Corridor or Open Spaces?
Guess who's answering this question? Yep, Myscha. "Neither - You must stop
thinking in terms of "is it like Quake". Unreal is completely new concept
in 3D first person shooter style games. It's structure is not a series of
building blocks connected by an exit sign and a teleporter. Unreal provides
outdoor terrain and interior structures."
together, just like in real life, but much more dangerous.
6.5 Will Unreal Levels be Highly Multilayered?
Myscha? You want this one? "If you are referring to multi-story
construction-then yes. Many of the themes of the map involve exploration
into multi-story locations."
6.6 How is Level Editing in Unreal compared to that of Quake?
My Homie Myscha, take it away. "When the editor is made available at the
release of the game, the way designers go about creating "levels" will all
change. No longer will you simply come up for a concept for a map and lay
out a series of interior spaces with texture consistency. The ability to
create the entire setting now becomes part of the adventure as well. The
designers who think in terms of a themes and story will be able to create
truly amazing "worlds" The only limitation is your imagination and the
current PC technology for displaying them."
6.7 What will the Outdoor Levels Contain?
The outdoor levels will contain many low polygon things such as lakes,
mountains, plateaus, valleys - nothing that requires many polygons though,
like forests.
6.8 How is the Transition between the Outdoor and Indoor Engine Handled?
Let's hear it straight from the big man, Tim Sweeney, head programmer for
Unreal. "There are duplicated areas between the facades of levels
(outdoors) and their interiors, and the level switching takes place at
these areas by teleporting."
7. Editing Unreal
7.1 What is UnrealEd?
UnrealEd is the level editor used by Epic to build their worlds for the
game. It features an incredible arsenal of tools to sculpt the perfect
level. The most notable tool is the CSG or Constructive Solid Geometry.
This feature allows you to create complex brushes from simple primitives by
either adding them together, subracting one from the other, or creating an
object from the intersecting points of the two objects. This allows a room
to be created by simply creating two box primitives, one slightly smaller
then the other. Then just boolean subtract the smaller from the larger and
you have created a simple cubical room. T. Elliot Cannon, another level
designer, explains UnrealEd's benefits: "The UnrealEditor is not like the
many Quake editors... the entire approach to creating worlds is different.
It is faster and easier to create unique custom brushes and if you are an
ace in 3D studio or Lightwave-the Unrealeditor will be your ticket to
unlimited possibilities in design."
7.2 Where can I get UnrealEd?
There initially will be a shareware version of Unreal. An unsupported
version of UnrealEd will be included with the registered version of Unreal.
This version will have any features deemed to be "buggy" or complicated
taken out and will have little to no documation. A few weeks after the
registered version of Unreal is released, a supported version of UnrealEd
will go on sale for around $60-$70 dollars. This one will include all the
features not included in the unsupported release along with a huge manual
and plenty of pre-made brushes.
7.3 What is a Brush?
A brush is a term for any object in UnrealEd. A sphere primitive, for
example, is a brush. A floor beam created from a rectangular primitive is a
brush.
7.4 Can I import Brushes from other Programs?
Yes, you can import .dxf and .asc files into UnrealEd. Epic will not
include a .map importer though one could easily be written.
7.5 What else can I do in UnrealEd?
Besides just placing and editing brushes, you can place textures on these
brushes or on actors (models such as monsters, weapons, etc). You can write
UnrealScript and compile your maps into .unr files which contain everything
necessary to run that level (all new models, textures, code, and the
level). You can also create outdoor levels in UnrealEd.
7.6 What is UnrealScript?
UnrealScript is a scripting language used by Unreal to allow a vast amount
of customizations. Those familiar with Quake will be happy to know that it
is very similar to Quake-C in function with an object-oriented design.
UnrealScript has a syntax similar to Java or C++. It remains in text format
until it is loaded by Unreal where it is partially compiled; similar to
Java. Tim Sweeney explains the possibilities of UnrealScript: "You'll be
able to use UnrealScript for just about any kind of
enemy/item/inventory/weapon/bot/etc logic you can dream up, within the
engine's limitations."
7.7 How do I Compile my Map?
While building a map, UnrealEd is creating the BSP Tree on the fly. This
allows you to view your level as it would appear in the game itself, as you
build it (minus the shadows, those take 30 seconds to a minute to compute).
Upon completion of a map, you will want to Rebuild/Optimize your level
which will compact the size to allow serious playtesting. Before releasing
your map, you will want to run The Maximization Optimizer which could take
several hours but will result in speed increases between 25-30%. Note that
these speeds are considerably faster then of a comparable quake level.
7.8 How do I Create Outdoor Levels?
To create an outdoor level, simply create a grayscale pcx heightmap. Some
3rd party programs will export these heightmaps such as Bryce 2 by
MetaTools. DMA Design is currently porting a separate terrain editor to the
PC (it's currently on an SGI Onyx) which will hopefully be done in time to
allow Epic to create impressive outdoor scenes.
7.9 How is Skinning a Model Handled?
Each model has one skin. A skin can be made up of one or many images. You
can also skin models one polygon at a time, which Dave Carter brilliantly
reasons: "That's actually how we get things to look so AWESOME. The
creatures are textured one poly at a time."
7.10 Can I modify the Rendering Engine with UnrealScript?
To a degree, yes. Some changes, such as pixel by pixel changes would be too
slow for UnrealScript and would require assembly language. Tim Sweeney
explains what can be modified in UnrealScript: "A lot of the rendering
engine's properties are exposed to UnrealScript, so you can control
lighting, the status bar, effects, etc."
7.11 Will Unreal Support Plugins?
Yes, through a dll interface, plugins can be created for Unreal. Tim
Sweeney collaborates: "However, it's really only for people who are very
experienced C++ programmers and want to get deeply into the engine's
internals. UnrealScript is the right tool for probably 95% of the people
wanting to do custom stuff in Unreal. But for people brave enough to
venture into the dll interface, it's really versatile, to the extent that
you can add new objects to the engine which can be loaded/saved along with
levels (as you can do with the
3DS Max plug-in interface). For example, this DLL interface is used
internally for the fractal texture effects DLL. So you could add entirely
new fractal or algorithmic texture effects to the engine this way."
7.12 Will UnrealEd Support Vertex Manipulation?
At the current time, no, it does not. But there are plans to. Tim Sweeney
explains: "We have a little 2D shape lofter built into UnrealEd for
extruding/revolving
things, which gives you control over vertices. UnrealEd still lacks vertex
manipulation in 3D brushes, though. I plan to add this at some point, but
it will likely be following release. The UnrealEd brush code is the oldest
code still left in the engine, and its days are numbered. I haven't
completely decided on the cutoff point between the editing tools for
Unreal, Unreal follow-on releases, and Unreal 2. Vertex manipulation is
also tied very closely to one other feature which we'll be showing at E3
which I can't talk about yet..."
7.13 Can Skins be Animated?
Yes, they can. But they use a lot of memory to have animation, Tim Sweeney
gives the details: "I really don't advocate texture animation. Textures
take up so much space that storing multiple animation frames is really
going to suck away CPU time. This is why we are focusing on fractal texture
effects, because that gives you infinite variety animating textures without
having to store any texture data. If you're thinking of something like
animating a player/monster's face, that would best be done with geometry
animation."
7.14 Can I See an Example of UnrealScript?
Here is the code for exploding brushes using the current syntax (remember
that UnrealScript could change at any time and this is in no way an example
from the final game).
class SpecialDoor expands Mover;
var int Hits = 4;
function Damage()
{
if( Hits-- < 0 )
{
Spawn( FireExplosion );
Destroy();
}
}
8. Multiplayer
8.1 What types of Multiplayer Gaming are Supported in Unreal?
Unreal supports Modem, Serial Link, Network, and Internet play. Currently,
they are working on the Internet play and will include modem and serial
link later.
8.2 How Many Players can Unreal Support on a Network?
The only limiting factor on the number of players is the power of the
server. Though it is possible to have 100 players on a single level, it's
not practical as the game will feel like a convention, not a deathmatch.
8.3 Can I Link Different Servers?
Servers can be linked by entering the URL of the other server, similar to a
hyperlink in html. Then, when the player walks through the teleporter, they
are transported to the new server.
8.4 Can I see what Weapon the other Players are Currently Using?
In Quake, the player model used only a generic looking gun. This made it
impossible to tell which weapon opposing player currently had. In Unreal,
they will use an "ultra-lo-res" weapon mesh. This will allow you to see
what weapon the other players are using. Thanks to Dave Carter for that bit
of info.
8.5 How Will Unreal Reduce Lag?
Lag is a fact of life. Epic has taken a few steps to try to reduce lag;
here's Tim Sweeney explaining: "Unreal uses autonomous client-side movement
to make your own movement as smooth as in a single player game. Movement of
other players and creatures exhibits the same kind of latency as Quake and
all other Internet games. It's not really possible to solve this problem;
game developers will just keep getting better and better at hiding it."
8.6 What is Gatekeeper?
From Tim Sweeney: "Gatekeeper is a front-end for launching and maintaining
local and remote UnrealServers. It's external to Unreal and designed for
expandability; we'll be releasing a fairly bare-bones version initially
which just allows launching levels, joining levels, and collecting stats.
We will release the source code to it, and probably expand on it later.
Some of the things one could do are: player account management (individual
player passwords), setting up a global chat network. For Unreal, we're
going with freeform movement through the world, like the Web, rather than
having a master server controlling things."
8.7 Are there any Security Measures taken by UnrealScript when Calling
Outside Programs?
Tim Sweeney says that scripts only execute on the server side, so a script
can't screw a client over (my example was calling format c:). This is
different than Java, which executes on the client side.
8.8 Are Files that are Dynamically Downloaded Compressed?
Currently there are not. The design team is currently contemplating this
but because a 28.8 modem currently has built-in data compression, the gains
might not be worth the effort.
9. Miscellaneous
9.1 Can Two Bots Act as One?
I asked Tim Sweeney this question and he said that "Steven's AI code
handles all kinds of cool things, including enemies working together on
attacks."
------------------------------------------
10. The Unreal Scene
10.1 What is the Unreal Scene?
The Unreal Scene is the name of a group of people who follow Unreal. It
would must generically defined as anyone who attempts to remain "informed"
on Unreal. A number of the more dedicated people spend countless hours in
#unreal channels.
10.2 Where can I go to Talk about Unreal?
Though Unreal might be mentioned less then it would be preferred, Unreal
followers can be found in #unreal on Efnet (irc.mindspring.com), Undernet
(us.undernet.org), and UnrealNET (irc.unreal.org).
10.3 What Web Pages Are there for Info on Unreal?
There are a massive number of web pages out there covering Unreal, too
numerous to put here. For a list of Unreal sites go to The Unreal Links at
links.unreal.org or Slipgate Central's Unreal section at
www.slipgatecentral.com/unreal. My personal favorite sites are: Unreal.org
at surprisingly, www.unreal.org; Shadows, www.shadows.co.uk; Scorched
Unreal at unreal.scorched.com; Immersion at www2.telefragged.com/unreal.
For Unreal discussion, go to Epic's WWWBoard at www.epicgames.com:8080.
Don't send me an e-mail complaining that your site is not listed here,
these are my preferences.
11. The Future
11.1 What Other Platforms will Unreal be Released on?
Unreal will also be released on the Nintendo 64 ported by DMA. It will be
on the 64DD, an add-on to the Nintendo 64, which uses optical disks
allowing up to 64 megabytes of storage with up to 32 megs being writable.
This is still much smaller then the PC Version. Epic will have to reduce
the number and size of the textures to fit Unreal on a disk. When asked if
the levels will be different in the Nintendo 64 version, Mark Rein stated
"Don't know. It's fair to assume the levels won't be 100% identical because
of memory and texture limitations on the N64." A Playstation version was
initially researched, but it was determined to be too slow for Unreal.
There are also plans for an arcade port of Unreal, straight from the mouth
of Mark Rein.
11.2 Will there be an Unreal 2?
There are definate plans to do an Unreal 2. This will not be similar to a
Doom 2 or a Quake 2. Because of the public release of their level editor,
UnrealEd, and the editing capabilities of UnrealScript, Epic believes they
cannot just release new levels and a few new monsters and call it a sequel.
They plan on making major modifications to the engine, creating a whole new
experience once again.
11.3 What about a Jazz3D Game?
Epic have said they have definite plans to make such a game. No info has
been released on whether they will use the Unreal engine or a new engine.
12. Credits
I would like to thank the following people for their help in the production
of this Faq:
Pasha Phares-Editor
Tim Sweeney-Answering Questions
Mark Rein-Answering Questions, General Help
Elliot Cannon-Answering Questions
Dave Carter-Answering Questions
Hendrick Mans-Making me Work Harder
Rest of Unreal Team-Being Kick Ass Guys
------------------------------
how to do that). If you wish to use part of this document, please leave it
intact, and show it belongs to The Unreal FAQ by Kevin Stone.
Disclaimer:
This FAQ was not written by Epic Megagames or GT Interactive and they do
not take any responsibility for what is said in this document. Any
information in this FAQ can change at any time. Also, because the game has
not been finished yet, the majority of this information is merely a planned
estimation. Much of this information is from memory; any source that would
like to claim responsibility for a certain piece of information, please
e-mail me at kbob@inxpress.net and you will be given credit.
Distribution: (much of this was copied from the Unreal FAQ by Hendrick
Mans) This FAQ can be freely distributed as long as:
1)No price is ever charged
2)It remains in its digital form
3)It is not distributed with software
4)No modifications are made by anyone besides the maintainer (Kevin Stone)
5)Credit is given to the maintainer (Kevin Stone)
---------------------------------------------
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
1.1 About this FAQ
1.2 About the author
1.3 Where to obtain this FAQ
1.4 What I Plan to Add in the Future
1.5 Faq News }*
2. About Unreal
2.1 What is Unreal?
2.2 Who is making Unreal?
2.3 Who is distributing Unreal?
2.4 When will Unreal be released?
2.5 What is the storyline behind Unreal?
2.6 History of Unreal
3. Unreal's Requirements
3.1 What are the system requirements for Unreal?
3.2 What Operating Systems does Unreal work with?
3.3 Does Unreal support 3D Graphics cards or MMX?
4. Gameplay
4.1 What are the weapons in Unreal?
4.2 What Items are there in Unreal?
4.3 What Monsters are there in Unreal?
4.4 What is Control like in Unreal?
4.5 Does Unreal support Specific Damage?
4.6 Can Creatures with the Same Model but with Different Skins exist on the
Same Level at the Same time? }*
4.7 Will there be Different Sized Creatures/Players? }*
4.8 What is so Special about the AI (artificial inteligence) in Unreal? }*
4.9 Will Unreal have a Console ala Quake? }*
4.10 Will the Status Bar in the Unreal Screen Shots remain in the Final
Game? }*
5. The Game Engine
5.1 What Different Color Depths does Unreal Support?
5.2 What Different Resolutions can I run Unreal in?
5.3 What is DirectX and do I need it to run Unreal?
5.4 How does Unreal Determine VSD (Visual Surface Determination)?
5.5 How is the Terrain Created in the Outdoor Engine?
5.6 How is the Music in Unreal?
5.7 Will there be Shadows in Unreal? }*
5.8 Is the Sky Rendered as an Infinite Plane far Away? }*
5.9 Will there be an Water Effects such as Splashes? }*
5.10 Will there be Reflections in Unreal? }*
5.11 Will Unreal Use Particles? }*
6. Unreal's Levels
6.1 How Many Levels are there in Unreal?
6.2 How big will the Levels be in Unreal?
6.3 How Much of a Level is Indoor and How Much is Outdoor?
6.4 Is it More Corridor or Open Spaces?
6.5 Will Unreal Levels be Highly Multilayered?
6.6 How is Level Editing in Unreal Compared to that of Quake?
6.7 What will the Outdoor Levels Contain?
6.8 How is the Transition Between the Indoor and the Outdoor Engine
Handled?
7. Editing Unreal
7.1 What is UnrealEd?
7.2 Where can I get UnrealEd?
7.3 What is a Brush?
7.4 Can I Import Brushes from Other Programs?
7.5 What else can I do in UnrealEd?
7.6 What is UnrealScript?
7.7 How do I Compile my Map?
7.8 How do I Create Outdoor Levels?
7.9 How is Skinning a Model Handled?
7.10 Can I modify the Rendering Engine with UnrealScript? }*
7.11 Will Unreal Support Plugins? }*
7.12 Will UnrealEd Support Vertex Manipulation? }*
7.13 Can Skins be Animated? }*
7.14 Can I See an Example of UnrealScript? }*
8. Multiplayer
8.1 What Types of Multiplayer are Supported by Unreal?
8.2 How Many Players Can Unreal Support on a Network?
8.3 Can I Link Different Servers?
8.4 Can I see what Weapon the other Players are Currently Using?
8.5 How Will Unreal Reduce Lag?
8.6 What is Gatekeeper? }*
8.7 Are there any Security Measures taken by UnrealScript when Calling
Outside Programs? }*
8.8 Are Files that are Dynamically Downloaded Compressed? }*
9. Miscellaneous }*
9.1 Can Two Bots Act as One Mind? }*
10. The Unreal Scene }*
10.1 What is the Unreal Scene? }*
10.2 Where can I go to Talk about Unreal? }*
10.3 What Web Pages Are there for Info on Unreal? }*
11. The Future
11.1 What Other Platforms will Unreal be Released on?
11.2 Will there be an Unreal 2?
11.3 What about a Jazz3D Game?
12. Credits
1. Introduction
1.1 About this FAQ
This FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) covers all known information about
Unreal.
Newly added information is shown with a }*.
Info grabbed from Hendrick Man's Unreal Faq is marked with a *.
1.2 About the Author
Kevin Stone is a 16 year old high school student. He was first introduced
to Unreal by a PC Gamer article. After an initial poor attempt at an Unreal
web page, he opened his news site, UNN: Unreal News Network. It had a
respectable audience and was shut down to pursue other interests. You can
find him frequently on #unreal on Undernet (us.undernet.org) using the
nickname stonage. If you have any corrections or comments, send them to
kbob@inxpress.net.
1.3 Where to obtain this FAQ
This should be located at many Unreal sites; its official home is Epic
Megagames, http://www.epicgames.com, http://www.epicgames.co.uk,
http://www.unreal.com.
1.4 What I Plan to Add in the Future
-More Info as it comes in
-More Novice Information
1.5 Faq News
I got some more info from Tim Sweeney. He will probably be my only source
of new info until E3 as far as I can see.
2. About Unreal
2.1 What is Unreal?
Unreal is the latest game from Epic Megagames. With nearly 3 years spent in
production, this game appears to have the detail to create an impressive
experience. It has been designed, programmed, and playtested until they
believe they have created the most enjoyable game possible. Tim Sweeney,
Epic's owner and Unreal's lead programmer states his goal for Unreal as
"Making a game that is cool and innovative enough that it redefines what
players expect from games in general."
2.2 Who is Making Unreal?
Unreal is being made by Epic Megagames. Their previous works include: Jazz
the Jackrabbit, Epic Pinball, and Fire Fight. They have offices located in
Maryland and the United Kingdom.
2.3 Who is Distributing Unreal?
Unreal is being distributed by GT Interactive. They have distributed such
games as Quake and Duke3d.
2.4 When will Unreal be released?
Epic Megagames' official statement is "when it's done" but speculation is
around September, 1997.
2.5 What is the storyline behind Unreal?
You awaken in a small, enclosed room with metal walls. The floor and walls
are notably tilted at an odd angle. The room is illuminated by a dim light
flowing through a crack in the ceiling. A small fold-out bed is attached to
a wall. Though you have no recollection of where you are, it might appear
to be a prison cell. An angled metal door lies ahead. With effort, you push
the creaky slab open. You reach another large metal door. It's partially
open, revealing light beyond it. Pressing a switch on a nearby wall causes
the door to slowly and noisily open, uncovering a bright green landscape
and lake beyond. Walking forward, you find yourself in the middle of a
small peninsula within a lake surrounded by mountains.
This is not at all what you expected. The "prison" you just exited is now
revealed to be a small, badly-damaged spacecraft. Debris trails the crash
site. The craft itself is wedged halfway into the ground, forming a crater
in the area surrounding it. Walking along a trail in the foreign terrain,
gun in hand, you journey onward to find out where you are and what you
purpose is here.
Observing your surroundings beyond the carnage reveals a beautiful and
serene, yet somehow spooky, landscape. Two moons are in the sky. Ruins are
in the distance. And a big, bad, alien is eating one of your buddies.
Welcome to UNREAL!
2.6 The History of Unreal
After completing Epic Pinball, the decision was made to investigate 3d
games as it was determined that this was the future of gaming. James
Schmalz, now the lead designer, began hacking away, experimenting with a 3d
engine. After a few months, James created an engine with flat-shaded 3d
robots. Eventually he came up with the dragon mesh that appears in the
early Unreal screen shots. The engine was originally designed for a cavern
type game and was later changed to an outdoor, heightmap engine. At this
time, Epic released what they could create. Tim Sweeney, Epic's
owner/Unreal's lead programmer said "That's when we knew we had to do a
game with a realistic, organic look." At this time, Dave Carter came on as
a modeler. Tim Sweeney began creating an editor for the buildings they
implemented in the engine. The editor was so advanced, they switched to
indoor areas and Tim Sweeney became the head programmer. Around this time,
Cliff Bleszinski, co-designer of Unreal, joined the team as a level
designer but switched to game design later. At this time, the rest of the
team was hired. The next big event was the decision to support MMX in
Unreal, which allows the programmers to use new instructions on the chip to
accelerate certain functions.
Epic showed its work on Unreal at the 1996 electronic entertainment expo.
That was the first wave of publicity brought to Unreal. This created the
beginning of the "Unreal Community." The first web page created entirely
committed to Unreal was named Unreality, run by Hendrick Mans. It has
re-located several times and recently merged to form unreal.org. The
community rapidly grew with a scoop article in PC Gamer which introduced me
to Unreal along with many others. Along with web pages, #unreal channels
were created on both undernet and efnet. Soon Epic employees discovered
this great method of communication, visiting #unreal frequently.
Soon, we began receiving screen shots of Unreal. We got our first glimpses
of the Brute (known then as the Bigman), the Skaarj, and the dragon. We
also got our first glimpse of the weapons. In the second half of '96, Epic
hired Steven Polge, the creator of the Reaper Bot for Quake. Steven began
hacking away creating distinct personalities for each monster, improving
Unreal's single play immensely. For Christmas, Epic released two movies
showing Unreal in motion for the first time. Another movie appeared a month
or two later on the February Next-Generation CD. In March we first heard
news that the Unreal engine had been ported to the Glide API (3Dfx's native
programming interface). Another large article featuring Unreal appeared in
the June issue of PC Games, featuring our first glimpse of the Kraal. The
next big event in Unreal's development will be E3 (Electronic Entertainment
Expo) held in Atlanta from June 19-21. There, Epic plans to have a playable
version of Unreal at their booth.
2.7 Will there be a Public Beta or Something Similar to QTest?
Straight from the bigman himself: "There will be no public demo, alpha, or
beta. The first release will be the free, shareware version of the game,
followed soon by the retail version."
3. Unreal's Requirements
3.1 What are the System Requirements for Unreal?
The current estimated requirements will be a Pentium 90 with 16 megs RAM.
This is only an estimate as of now because Unreal is not finished. 32 megs
is recommended for optimal play and is required for UnrealEd.
3.2 What Operating Systems does Unreal work with?
Unreal will work with Windows 95 and Windows NT4. It supports DirectX,
including Direct3D, but they are not required to play.
3.3 Does Unreal support 3D Graphics Cards or MMX?
Unreal has been built from the ground up to support the new MMX
instructions. MMX will allow the use of 24-bit color and color blending. It
also allows them to use 44 kHz audio with 16-bit sound. MMX is not
necessary to run Unreal. 3D Graphics Cards are supported by Unreal as well.
Currently, Epic is debating between using Direct3D and OpenGL or neither.
Mark Rein, Vice President of Epic, says "None of them are supported right
now but we probably will support one or two of them with D3D being the most
likely." Though it may support an API (such as openGL or Direct3D), Tim
Sweeney states that the software renderer may be faster. Cards using the
3Dfx Voodoo or Voodoo Rush chipsets are natively supported in Unreal with
others possible with the situation best described by Mark Rein: "Native
card support depends completely on card vendors, the quality of their cards
and the amount of money in their wallets."
3.4 What is MMX?
Intel engineers have added 57 powerful new instructions specifically
designed to manipulate and process video, audio and graphical data
efficiently. These instructions are oriented to the highly parallel,
repetitive sequences often found in multimedia operations. Today's
multimedia and communication applications often use repetitive loops that,
while occupying 10 percent or less of the overall application code, can
account for up to 90 percent of the execution time. A process called Single
Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) enables one instruction to perform the
same function on multiple pieces of data. It allows the chip to reduce
compute-intensive loops common with video, audio, graphics and animation.
As an analogy, consider a drill sergeant telling an entire platoon, "About
face," rather than commanding each individual soldier one at a time. Intel
has doubled on-chip cache size to 32K on the Intel Pentium processor with
MMX technology. Now, more instructions and data can be stored on the chip,
reducing the number of times the processor has to access slower, off-chip
memory areas for information.
4. Unreal's Gameplay
4.1 What are the Weapons in Unreal?
There are currently few known weapons in Unreal. The first is the automag
handgun. This is what you start with at the beginning of the game. When you
run out of ammo, you can use the butt-end of the gun as a weapon. It can be
also shot "gangsta style" as well as the traditional shooting style
(gangsta style is where you turn it sideways, for those who don't watch
enough rap videos). The second weapon is the quad-shotgun. This weapon
packs four barrels of firepower. The third weapon is the Stinger which
fires Tardium Crystals making whoever is hit glow and become very unstable.
They will then rupture if jolted hard enough. The longer you hold down the
fire button, the harder they impact. The fifth weapon known is the
Saw-Blade Launcher. It fires spinning saw blades, cutting up anything in
their path. The sixth known weapon is the 8-ball launcher. This weapon will
be similar to a rocket/grenade launcher, replacing any need for one.
4.2 What Items are there in Unreal?
Currently, no items have been defined by Epic. You can expect health, ammo,
and armor to be in the game though.
4.3 What Monsters are there in Unreal?
At this time, 6 monsters are known. The first is the manta. This monster
flies similar to the way a stingray swims. It attacks by swooping down from
above. The second monster is the dragon. This monster flies like a bird and
attacks similar to the manta. The third monster is the Brute. Formerly
known as the Bigman, this massive monster carries two massive cannons in
his arms. The fourth known monster is the Skaarj. This monster will attack
in packs using its agility and teamwork to destroy you. The fifth monster
is the Kraal. We have just recently been introduced to this monster in a pc
games article covering Unreal. It carries a spear like weapon and has
bird-like legs. We were given the name of a sixth monster, the Slith, but
know nothing about them besides they are hated by the Skaarj. Mark Rein
said that the registered version will have around 20 monsters.
4.4 What is the control like in Unreal?
Well, since I have yet to play Unreal nor have they tuned the control, this
question cannot be answered yet. But, Mark Rein did say "If Unreal has
lousy control it is never going to beat anything. Rest assured, control is
just as important to us as it is to you."
4.5 Does Unreal support Specific Damage?
Well, for those that don't know, specific damage is the ability to shoot a
monster in the arm or leg and have different amounts of damage resulting
depending on the location they were shot. This is not supported in Unreal
because it requires a skeletal modeling sytem. To replace this, Epic has
put in an advanced animation system which will allow them to do the 300-500
frames of animation per actor used. "coding that in QuakeC would be a
nightmare!" Tim Sweeney stated.
4.6 Can Creatures with the Same Model but with Different Skins exist on the
Same Level at
the Same time?
Yes they can. This expands the number of monsters possible as each model
could have many different skins allowing a larger number of monsters.
4.7 Will there be Different Sized Creatures/Players?
I asked Tim Sweeney this, and he said existing creatures range from
fireflys (teensy tiny) to the 30-foot-tall Titan.
4.8 What is so Special about the AI (artificial inteligence) in Unreal?
The AI is being coded by Steven Polge, known for his quake-c patch, the
Reaper Bot. This was the first bot (practice deathmatch opponent) to truly
feel like a human opponent. This was due to the use of fuzzy logic, which
allows the bot to weigh different factors and choose the best decision
based on the situation. Now Polge has direct access to the code in Unreal.
He plans on giving each monster it's own personality. Monsters will flee
when outmatched or low on health. Certain monsters will coordinate an
attack with others. Not only do the monsters want to kill you, they also
have a hatred for other monsters in Unreal.
4.9 Will Unreal have a Console ala Quake?
Tim Sweeney answered this question for me: "We have one now for
development. It will probably remain in the final game, but using it will
be entirely optional."
4.10 Will the Status Bar in the Unreal Screen Shots remain in the Final
Game?
No, it won't, here's Tim Sweeney with the low down: "we are going to
redesign the status bar; it's probably going to be a small HUD thing but
that hasn't been done yet."
5. The Game Engine
5.1 What different color depths does Unreal support?
Unreal supports from 256 to 16 million colors. The default color depth is
16-bit or around 32,000 colors and textures are being optimized for that
color depth. To use Unreal in 24-bit (16 million colors), you need MMX.
5.2 What different resolutions can I run Unreal in?
Unreal can run in any resolution at full screen supported by the DirectDraw
driver for your graphics card. It can also be run in a window at any
resolution though it is much slower. This means Unreal can be run as high
as 1024x768 and above as graphics cards become faster. As in the color
depth, Unreal is being optimized to run at 640x480.
5.3 What is DirectX and do I need it to run Unreal?
DirectX is an API (application programming interface) that is used to
enhance gaming under Windows95 and Windows NT4. The most popular members of
DirectX are DirectDraw, DirectInput, DirectSound, and Direct3D. DirectDraw
allows the game developer to run in full-screen mode and have direct access
to the video memory making programming similar to that of DOS. DirectInput
allows the game developer to support a multitude of devices requiring the
manufacturer of that device to only create a single driver that will then
work in all games supported. It also allows faster access to the keyboard
and the mouse than with the Win32 API. DirectSound provides direct access
to the sound card similar to how DirectDraw does for the graphics card. It
also allows hardware manufacturers to produce only a single driver and
allows game developers to support any sound device that has such a driver.
Direct3D is an API that allows universal support for all 3d accelerators
that have the necessary driver. Direct3D has recently been under fire for
poor performance compared to another 3d API, OpenGL. DirectX is not
required to run Unreal though you will have to play in a window because the
lack of DirectDraw's full-screen mode.
5.4 How does Unreal determine VSD (Visual Surface Determination)?
Unreal uses a pre-computed BSP (Binary Space Partition) Tree which sorts
every polygon into different planes (space partitions) forming a Binary
Tree. Then, this tree can be recursively checked to display the polygons in
the correct order. Unreal also uses Portals and Pre-Computation to
determine VSD.
5.5 How is the Terrain created in the Outdoor Engine?
The outdoor engine uses polygons that use LOD (Level of Detail) to reduce
the number of them the farther away they appear. This allows smoother
terrain up close while maintaining a lower polygon count, keeping the speed
up.
5.6 How is the Music in Unreal?
Unreal uses Mod Files (S3M, IT, XM, MOD)*, these allow near CD-audio
quality sound, from a highly compressed file. There is currently a team
working on the music, named Straylight Productions. It is led up by Alex
Brandon, who had this to say about the music: "we're using MODs. Why?
Because MODS are the best way to do interactive audio right now. Don't
worry, we'll prove this with little difficulty." Other titles they produced
music for include: "Crusader: No Remorse" and "No Regret."
5.7 Will there be Shadows in Unreal?
I asked Tim Sweeney about the current situation with shadows and he said
they are still in the R&D phase which means they are testing different
methods. The probable choice will be fuzzy shadows which are correctly
applied with respect to all lights and polygons.
5.8 Is the Sky Rendered as an Infinite Plane Far Away?
I asked Tim Sweeney this and he responded with: "Right now it's modelled as
two infinite sheets (above and below) but I may add an option for
cube-mapping for projects like Wheel of Time, which want to have more
scenic backdrops."
5.9 Will there be an Water Effects such as Splashes?
Yes there will be. Unreal will use several effects to simulate splashes and
other water movements. One such example is to just spawn a splash actor
where contact was made by the player on the water top.
5.10 Will there be Reflections in Unreal?
I asked Tim Sweeney about this: "this looks unlikely at the moment. If I
ever add support for this in the engine, it would probably be a '3d
hardware only' effect."
5.11 Will Unreal Use Particles?
Quake used particles for such things as explosions. Unreal will not use
particles, Tim Sweeney explains: "I'm not using particle systems as Quake
does. Unreal will stick with
transparent fractal texture effects for things like explosions and smoke,
along with mesh-based animations which can be modelled/animated to look
somewhat like particle systems but are more general because you have more
control over them in UnrealScript."
6. Unreal's Levels
6.1 How Many Levels are there in Unreal?
The definition of a level will change after playing Unreal because each one
connects to the next continuously. During the game you can wander from
level to level searching for the items required to complete the mission.
The estimate on the number of levels is between 30 and 40. Each level will
contain a mix of indoor and outdoor settings.
6.2 How big will the levels be in Unreal?
Tim Sweeney reports that an Unreal level will be from 10,000 to 20,000
polygons. Myscha, a full-time level designer for Epic, answers the question
in terms of virtual size: "That depends on the theme of the map. I have
some maps that I am doing that cover over 4 square miles if you were really
there. Maps like those are really emphasizing the outdoor setting and
introducing the player to this new setting as it builds into a series of
structures. Other maps are compact and very vertical, invloving in some
cases 7-10 floors on top of each other. The themes of the maps drives the
design. We aren't limited by a "level" measurement whatsoever. Unlike in
Doom or other games where most of these interior levels are all about the
same size with the same features, Unreal carries the player across the
planet to many different and unique scenarios. Be sure you get traveller's
checks first. The interesting part to this is that although immense size
does not make a great playing level, we are paying close attention to
detail to insure that they do. When you play a level in games like Quake,
you usually spend 20 minutes or less completing the map. Some maps in
Unreal will allow you to experience over 2 hours of intricate gameplay that
has a consistent driving theme to theme. There will also be maps that are
very straightforward as well-for those who just want to get in and
slaughter some monsters. The environment of Unreal is so stunning, you will
be in awe as you play the game. It will take the concept of first person
shooter and push it where it has never gone before. This type of thinking
comes from the designers of the game, who strive to give you more than you
can imagine."
6.3 How much of a level is Indoor and how much is Outdoor?
Again we turn to Myscha. "That has not yet been finalized - Our current
thrust has been Artificial Intelligence and Scripting implementation. The
exterior "world" is still to come."
6.4 Is it more Corridor or Open Spaces?
Guess who's answering this question? Yep, Myscha. "Neither - You must stop
thinking in terms of "is it like Quake". Unreal is completely new concept
in 3D first person shooter style games. It's structure is not a series of
building blocks connected by an exit sign and a teleporter. Unreal provides
outdoor terrain and interior structures."
together, just like in real life, but much more dangerous.
6.5 Will Unreal Levels be Highly Multilayered?
Myscha? You want this one? "If you are referring to multi-story
construction-then yes. Many of the themes of the map involve exploration
into multi-story locations."
6.6 How is Level Editing in Unreal compared to that of Quake?
My Homie Myscha, take it away. "When the editor is made available at the
release of the game, the way designers go about creating "levels" will all
change. No longer will you simply come up for a concept for a map and lay
out a series of interior spaces with texture consistency. The ability to
create the entire setting now becomes part of the adventure as well. The
designers who think in terms of a themes and story will be able to create
truly amazing "worlds" The only limitation is your imagination and the
current PC technology for displaying them."
6.7 What will the Outdoor Levels Contain?
The outdoor levels will contain many low polygon things such as lakes,
mountains, plateaus, valleys - nothing that requires many polygons though,
like forests.
6.8 How is the Transition between the Outdoor and Indoor Engine Handled?
Let's hear it straight from the big man, Tim Sweeney, head programmer for
Unreal. "There are duplicated areas between the facades of levels
(outdoors) and their interiors, and the level switching takes place at
these areas by teleporting."
7. Editing Unreal
7.1 What is UnrealEd?
UnrealEd is the level editor used by Epic to build their worlds for the
game. It features an incredible arsenal of tools to sculpt the perfect
level. The most notable tool is the CSG or Constructive Solid Geometry.
This feature allows you to create complex brushes from simple primitives by
either adding them together, subracting one from the other, or creating an
object from the intersecting points of the two objects. This allows a room
to be created by simply creating two box primitives, one slightly smaller
then the other. Then just boolean subtract the smaller from the larger and
you have created a simple cubical room. T. Elliot Cannon, another level
designer, explains UnrealEd's benefits: "The UnrealEditor is not like the
many Quake editors... the entire approach to creating worlds is different.
It is faster and easier to create unique custom brushes and if you are an
ace in 3D studio or Lightwave-the Unrealeditor will be your ticket to
unlimited possibilities in design."
7.2 Where can I get UnrealEd?
There initially will be a shareware version of Unreal. An unsupported
version of UnrealEd will be included with the registered version of Unreal.
This version will have any features deemed to be "buggy" or complicated
taken out and will have little to no documation. A few weeks after the
registered version of Unreal is released, a supported version of UnrealEd
will go on sale for around $60-$70 dollars. This one will include all the
features not included in the unsupported release along with a huge manual
and plenty of pre-made brushes.
7.3 What is a Brush?
A brush is a term for any object in UnrealEd. A sphere primitive, for
example, is a brush. A floor beam created from a rectangular primitive is a
brush.
7.4 Can I import Brushes from other Programs?
Yes, you can import .dxf and .asc files into UnrealEd. Epic will not
include a .map importer though one could easily be written.
7.5 What else can I do in UnrealEd?
Besides just placing and editing brushes, you can place textures on these
brushes or on actors (models such as monsters, weapons, etc). You can write
UnrealScript and compile your maps into .unr files which contain everything
necessary to run that level (all new models, textures, code, and the
level). You can also create outdoor levels in UnrealEd.
7.6 What is UnrealScript?
UnrealScript is a scripting language used by Unreal to allow a vast amount
of customizations. Those familiar with Quake will be happy to know that it
is very similar to Quake-C in function with an object-oriented design.
UnrealScript has a syntax similar to Java or C++. It remains in text format
until it is loaded by Unreal where it is partially compiled; similar to
Java. Tim Sweeney explains the possibilities of UnrealScript: "You'll be
able to use UnrealScript for just about any kind of
enemy/item/inventory/weapon/bot/etc logic you can dream up, within the
engine's limitations."
7.7 How do I Compile my Map?
While building a map, UnrealEd is creating the BSP Tree on the fly. This
allows you to view your level as it would appear in the game itself, as you
build it (minus the shadows, those take 30 seconds to a minute to compute).
Upon completion of a map, you will want to Rebuild/Optimize your level
which will compact the size to allow serious playtesting. Before releasing
your map, you will want to run The Maximization Optimizer which could take
several hours but will result in speed increases between 25-30%. Note that
these speeds are considerably faster then of a comparable quake level.
7.8 How do I Create Outdoor Levels?
To create an outdoor level, simply create a grayscale pcx heightmap. Some
3rd party programs will export these heightmaps such as Bryce 2 by
MetaTools. DMA Design is currently porting a separate terrain editor to the
PC (it's currently on an SGI Onyx) which will hopefully be done in time to
allow Epic to create impressive outdoor scenes.
7.9 How is Skinning a Model Handled?
Each model has one skin. A skin can be made up of one or many images. You
can also skin models one polygon at a time, which Dave Carter brilliantly
reasons: "That's actually how we get things to look so AWESOME. The
creatures are textured one poly at a time."
7.10 Can I modify the Rendering Engine with UnrealScript?
To a degree, yes. Some changes, such as pixel by pixel changes would be too
slow for UnrealScript and would require assembly language. Tim Sweeney
explains what can be modified in UnrealScript: "A lot of the rendering
engine's properties are exposed to UnrealScript, so you can control
lighting, the status bar, effects, etc."
7.11 Will Unreal Support Plugins?
Yes, through a dll interface, plugins can be created for Unreal. Tim
Sweeney collaborates: "However, it's really only for people who are very
experienced C++ programmers and want to get deeply into the engine's
internals. UnrealScript is the right tool for probably 95% of the people
wanting to do custom stuff in Unreal. But for people brave enough to
venture into the dll interface, it's really versatile, to the extent that
you can add new objects to the engine which can be loaded/saved along with
levels (as you can do with the
3DS Max plug-in interface). For example, this DLL interface is used
internally for the fractal texture effects DLL. So you could add entirely
new fractal or algorithmic texture effects to the engine this way."
7.12 Will UnrealEd Support Vertex Manipulation?
At the current time, no, it does not. But there are plans to. Tim Sweeney
explains: "We have a little 2D shape lofter built into UnrealEd for
extruding/revolving
things, which gives you control over vertices. UnrealEd still lacks vertex
manipulation in 3D brushes, though. I plan to add this at some point, but
it will likely be following release. The UnrealEd brush code is the oldest
code still left in the engine, and its days are numbered. I haven't
completely decided on the cutoff point between the editing tools for
Unreal, Unreal follow-on releases, and Unreal 2. Vertex manipulation is
also tied very closely to one other feature which we'll be showing at E3
which I can't talk about yet..."
7.13 Can Skins be Animated?
Yes, they can. But they use a lot of memory to have animation, Tim Sweeney
gives the details: "I really don't advocate texture animation. Textures
take up so much space that storing multiple animation frames is really
going to suck away CPU time. This is why we are focusing on fractal texture
effects, because that gives you infinite variety animating textures without
having to store any texture data. If you're thinking of something like
animating a player/monster's face, that would best be done with geometry
animation."
7.14 Can I See an Example of UnrealScript?
Here is the code for exploding brushes using the current syntax (remember
that UnrealScript could change at any time and this is in no way an example
from the final game).
class SpecialDoor expands Mover;
var int Hits = 4;
function Damage()
{
if( Hits-- < 0 )
{
Spawn( FireExplosion );
Destroy();
}
}
8. Multiplayer
8.1 What types of Multiplayer Gaming are Supported in Unreal?
Unreal supports Modem, Serial Link, Network, and Internet play. Currently,
they are working on the Internet play and will include modem and serial
link later.
8.2 How Many Players can Unreal Support on a Network?
The only limiting factor on the number of players is the power of the
server. Though it is possible to have 100 players on a single level, it's
not practical as the game will feel like a convention, not a deathmatch.
8.3 Can I Link Different Servers?
Servers can be linked by entering the URL of the other server, similar to a
hyperlink in html. Then, when the player walks through the teleporter, they
are transported to the new server.
8.4 Can I see what Weapon the other Players are Currently Using?
In Quake, the player model used only a generic looking gun. This made it
impossible to tell which weapon opposing player currently had. In Unreal,
they will use an "ultra-lo-res" weapon mesh. This will allow you to see
what weapon the other players are using. Thanks to Dave Carter for that bit
of info.
8.5 How Will Unreal Reduce Lag?
Lag is a fact of life. Epic has taken a few steps to try to reduce lag;
here's Tim Sweeney explaining: "Unreal uses autonomous client-side movement
to make your own movement as smooth as in a single player game. Movement of
other players and creatures exhibits the same kind of latency as Quake and
all other Internet games. It's not really possible to solve this problem;
game developers will just keep getting better and better at hiding it."
8.6 What is Gatekeeper?
From Tim Sweeney: "Gatekeeper is a front-end for launching and maintaining
local and remote UnrealServers. It's external to Unreal and designed for
expandability; we'll be releasing a fairly bare-bones version initially
which just allows launching levels, joining levels, and collecting stats.
We will release the source code to it, and probably expand on it later.
Some of the things one could do are: player account management (individual
player passwords), setting up a global chat network. For Unreal, we're
going with freeform movement through the world, like the Web, rather than
having a master server controlling things."
8.7 Are there any Security Measures taken by UnrealScript when Calling
Outside Programs?
Tim Sweeney says that scripts only execute on the server side, so a script
can't screw a client over (my example was calling format c:). This is
different than Java, which executes on the client side.
8.8 Are Files that are Dynamically Downloaded Compressed?
Currently there are not. The design team is currently contemplating this
but because a 28.8 modem currently has built-in data compression, the gains
might not be worth the effort.
9. Miscellaneous
9.1 Can Two Bots Act as One?
I asked Tim Sweeney this question and he said that "Steven's AI code
handles all kinds of cool things, including enemies working together on
attacks."
------------------------------------------
10. The Unreal Scene
10.1 What is the Unreal Scene?
The Unreal Scene is the name of a group of people who follow Unreal. It
would must generically defined as anyone who attempts to remain "informed"
on Unreal. A number of the more dedicated people spend countless hours in
#unreal channels.
10.2 Where can I go to Talk about Unreal?
Though Unreal might be mentioned less then it would be preferred, Unreal
followers can be found in #unreal on Efnet (irc.mindspring.com), Undernet
(us.undernet.org), and UnrealNET (irc.unreal.org).
10.3 What Web Pages Are there for Info on Unreal?
There are a massive number of web pages out there covering Unreal, too
numerous to put here. For a list of Unreal sites go to The Unreal Links at
links.unreal.org or Slipgate Central's Unreal section at
www.slipgatecentral.com/unreal. My personal favorite sites are: Unreal.org
at surprisingly, www.unreal.org; Shadows, www.shadows.co.uk; Scorched
Unreal at unreal.scorched.com; Immersion at www2.telefragged.com/unreal.
For Unreal discussion, go to Epic's WWWBoard at www.epicgames.com:8080.
Don't send me an e-mail complaining that your site is not listed here,
these are my preferences.
11. The Future
11.1 What Other Platforms will Unreal be Released on?
Unreal will also be released on the Nintendo 64 ported by DMA. It will be
on the 64DD, an add-on to the Nintendo 64, which uses optical disks
allowing up to 64 megabytes of storage with up to 32 megs being writable.
This is still much smaller then the PC Version. Epic will have to reduce
the number and size of the textures to fit Unreal on a disk. When asked if
the levels will be different in the Nintendo 64 version, Mark Rein stated
"Don't know. It's fair to assume the levels won't be 100% identical because
of memory and texture limitations on the N64." A Playstation version was
initially researched, but it was determined to be too slow for Unreal.
There are also plans for an arcade port of Unreal, straight from the mouth
of Mark Rein.
11.2 Will there be an Unreal 2?
There are definate plans to do an Unreal 2. This will not be similar to a
Doom 2 or a Quake 2. Because of the public release of their level editor,
UnrealEd, and the editing capabilities of UnrealScript, Epic believes they
cannot just release new levels and a few new monsters and call it a sequel.
They plan on making major modifications to the engine, creating a whole new
experience once again.
11.3 What about a Jazz3D Game?
Epic have said they have definite plans to make such a game. No info has
been released on whether they will use the Unreal engine or a new engine.
12. Credits
I would like to thank the following people for their help in the production
of this Faq:
Pasha Phares-Editor
Tim Sweeney-Answering Questions
Mark Rein-Answering Questions, General Help
Elliot Cannon-Answering Questions
Dave Carter-Answering Questions
Hendrick Mans-Making me Work Harder
Rest of Unreal Team-Being Kick Ass Guys
------------------------------