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Unreal University workshop in November
by Jolex Del Pilar
Monday, October 13, 2003
For those in North Carolina, read more...
Epic Games, co-creator of the Unreal game franchise, today announced the details for their inaugural Unreal University, the first intensive workshop devoted to learning how to create mods (a new game or add-on created with tools from the original title) using the Unreal Game Engine. The university will take place on November 8-9, 2003 at North Carolina State University, and will attract modders from across the country who want to learn how to develop their own content using the Unreal Technology. Unreal University is being sponsored by Epic Games, NC State's Center for Digital Entertainment, NVIDIA, AMD, Alias® and Atari, Inc. People interested in finding out more about Unreal University can visit www.makesomethingunreal.com; registration, schedule information and other specifics can be accessed at cde.ncsu.edu/uu. The cost of the seminar is $25, which includes meals and a t-shirt.
The Unreal University class presenters will include Epic Games developers and artists, as well as Jason Busby, creator of the www.3dbuzz.com site and the www.masteringunreal.com site. To help modders before, during and after the course, the 3d Buzz Mastering Unreal site contains more than 100 hours of free downloadable Video Training Modules (VTMs) geared toward educating users on how to program and build content using the Unreal Game Engine.
Participants of the Unreal University will get an overview of the Unreal Game Engine's techniques and technology, as well as insider secrets on how to maximize their skills to create professional-level game content. The valuable tips and tricks learned at the seminar can be used to create mod entries for the "$1,000,000 NVIDIA Make Something Unreal" contest, a year-long competition that rewards the best and brightest in grassroots mod design.
Unreal University is one of a number of events, including the "$1,000,000 NVIDIA Make Something Unreal Buzz Tour," that is supporting the "$1,000,000 NVIDIA Make Something Unreal" contest sponsored by Epic Games, Digital Extremes, NVIDIA, Atari, Inc., AMD, and Alias. The contest, which runs in three parts, had more than 400 entries in its first round. The second phase of the contest has begun accepting entries, with winners announced this winter. The third and final phase will conclude in April 2004, with the finalists being announced at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) in May, 2004. The grand prize winners will be announced shortly thereafter. In total, winners will receive cash prizes totaling US$500,000, and more than $300,000 worth of high-end PCs that feature the combined processing power of NVIDIA's GeForceT FX graphics, the NVIDIA nForceT2 platform and AMD Athlon processors, and more than $30,000 worth of Maya® Software. Along with money and a loaded PC, the grand prize winner will receive a commercial Unreal Game Engine license (valued at $350,000).
Unreal University will also showcase Unreal Tournament 2004, the latest Unreal title from Epic Games. The new title marks the return of the fan-favorite "Assault" mode,completely reinvented and updated with new technology, as well as the introduction of an all new game mode, "Onslaught," which pits players in wide-scale vehicular warfare across massive battlefields. Unreal Tournament 2004 includes additional upgrades, such as new characters, weapons, skins, maps, voice-over-IP capabilities, software rendering and other technology improvements, while also including all of the content from Unreal Tournament 2003 and its free downloadable bonus packs. Unreal Tournament 2004 will ship for Holiday 2003.
--- Jolex Del Pilar |
