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Unreal 2 Multiplayer Patch Announced

Posted by simoniker on from the announcement-actually-quite-unreal dept.

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to HomeLan Fed's story indicating Epic have announced a free multiplayer add-on for Unreal 2 is in development. This announcement comes in an official Unreal 2 messageboard thread posting from Epic's Mark Rein, and briefly states: "Lack of multiplayer is a temporary issue with Unreal 2. Legend are currently reviving their XMP design for multiplayer and it will be released as a FREE downloadable add-on for people who own Unreal 2." Might this partly be because developers Legend are doing multiplayer work for the alleged Xbox conversion of Unreal 2, after the so-so reception of the PC version?

27 comments

  1. Of course free by u-238 · · Score: 0

    who would pay for a netcode add on from an unreal dev team?

  2. Temporary issue?? by neostorm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "...lack of network code is a temporary issue with Unreal 2."

    As I recall they were initially adamant about NOT having multiplayer in the game. I think the addition of this is because
    1) that's what people wanted all along, and
    2) because their purported "best single player experience ever" fell flat on it's face.

    Oh well, good co-op can make even the worst games a total blast, so this is still a good thing.
    Anyone know if they are going to be updating Unreal 2s version of UED with this patch at all?

  3. I don't get it by mhesseltine · · Score: 1

    Wouldn't multi-player Unreal II be UT2003?

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    1. Re:I don't get it by Drakin · · Score: 1

      It memory serves (and it usually doesn't) UT2003 was based on the old Unreal Engine (although much updated). Unreal II is based on a differt/more advanced engine than UT2003.

    2. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, you're wrong. Look into that memory thing. Same engine as UT2003, certaintly modified though, net-code left out because people would probably feel like they're just buying a missionpack for UT2003 and not a seperate game. Maybe that's just what they should've done anyway. Take a look at some screenshots and you'll see the evidence of the same engine all over the place. The original UT engine was good, very good, still is good, but the UT2003 is phenomenally better. It's apparent in the physics and other aspects all over the game. So lets repeat: The engine's are different, but UT2003 was not based on the original UT engine.

    3. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was under the impression that all the games use the 'Unreal' engine and it's just constantly being updated/refined/tweaked/beefed-up/etc.

    4. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, you were wrong, weren't you?

    5. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, no. I still think I'm correct. And until you can prove otherwise, that is what I will continue believing.

  4. Oh, missed it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What, Unreal 2 came out ?

  5. Unreal Championship on XBOX by alatesystems · · Score: 1

    I want multiplayer on the console on my xbox with Unreal Championship. It is an exact clone of UT2003, and I can play online with Live, but I want to be able to have two people play locally split-screen. I don't know why they thought that was cool to leave that out.

    Chris

    1. Re:Unreal Championship on XBOX by Mike+Mentalist · · Score: 2, Informative

      You CAN have split screen - it seems that you have to start a game on your own, and then press the Start button on the second controller once the game starts.

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    2. Re:Unreal Championship on XBOX by alatesystems · · Score: 1

      Excellent man, thanks. I just tried that, and it worked. I don't get it though. All xbox games are HDTV aware and at least support 480p, but they all split the screen horizontally. That's retarded on my 16:9 55" screen. Oh well, at least i can multiplayer now; thanks.

      Chris

  6. Maybe they should do something useful... by Da+VinMan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Like reduce the infernal load times in the game! Seriously, I couldn't stand it anymore so I didn't even finish the game. Unreal2 goes down as the most disappointing game purchase for me in recent memory. They had a good thing going, then they let that load time issue slip through. It really wrecked the game for me.

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    1. Re:Maybe they should do something useful... by shadowbearer · · Score: 1

      Yeah, that'd be nice. I used to think UT was bad, but UT2003 is phenomenally bad.

      I suspect that most of it has to do with texture loading times. At least those directories seem to be what is being accessed during the wait.

      SB

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    2. Re:Maybe they should do something useful... by Da+VinMan · · Score: 1

      I dunno what they're doing. It wouldn't be so bad if the transitions didn't use the 3D engine too. If they used FMV for those, that would at least be quick. But having that delay for the transitions and the game scenes is a complete PITA. Also, I tend to reload the game a lot too because I like to try to redo screw ups. A game load causes a complete reload of textures, etc. AFAIK and this takes forever. It all adds up to a game that I enjoyed between long sessions of grinding my teeth.

      I very much doubt I'll buy another Epic game in the future without having played it first.

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    3. Re:Maybe they should do something useful... by shadowbearer · · Score: 1

      I wonder if loading most of the texture and models directories into a ramdisk might not make a difference. I have 768M of ram now...

      Don't know how one would do that.

      SB

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  7. So what will it be called? by M3wThr33 · · Score: 1

    I still hate all those XBox fanboys who insist Unreal Championship ISN'T UT2K3. Honestly, who do they think they are fooling?

    So will Unreal 2 be "Unreal Legacy" or some stupid thing?

    1. Re:So what will it be called? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hate all XBox fanboys.

    2. Re:So what will it be called? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Really regretting that Game Cube purchase? *scoffs*

    3. Re:So what will it be called? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Anyone calling someone else a fanboy is usually a fanboy of a competing system. So which group do you belong to?

  8. Too Little Too Late by sirmikester · · Score: 0

    While this action can be seen as a good thing, i think that it won't necessarily result in much more sales for Unreal 2. If the developers at Legend had released it with the game it could have made a difference.

    --
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  9. here you go by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://cleaned.beyondunreal.com/UT2FAQ/UT2FAQ.htm# _Toc6765484

  10. Good by JavaLord · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'll be glad to see U2 get multiplayer since I wasn't happy with UT2k3 after Unreal Tournament. Myself, along with a lot of players never migrated to UT2k3 since it seemed like a downgrade in everything except graphics.

  11. Not a total downgrade by kosamae · · Score: 1

    I definitely agree that there's a lot of things that were better about original UT than UT2k3, but I think there were also some improvements. The double jump/wall jump/double dodge was a great addition, it enables you to do some incredible moves that no one would have even thought of in UT (Like jumping over a gap, off a wall, landing behind the jerk who just tried to tag you with a lightning gun and blowing his guts out with flak).
    And the lightning gun is a huge gameplay improvment over the old sniper rifle. NOTHING was more annoying than getting your head sniped off over and over again by some n00b who couldn't do anything but sit in one place and snipe, esp. in certain CTF and Assualt maps.
    I also think that the new maps and just the overall gameplay tweaks create a more balanced, and enjoyable environment with less camping (I hate campers). UT had more highs, but also much more lows, whereas UT2k3 has more balance.

  12. super sweet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    been waiting for this since it came out. I hated all the UT games, all the weapons are ones 13 year olds would think of. their just gay. Unreal2 was bad ass.