Q&A w/ Epic: GI

MuGen · 05-22-2005, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Game Informer

Our guys at GISpy were lucky enough to get a chance to pull Mark Rein of Epic Games away from his most busy schedule. We got a Question & Answer sessions with the VP of Epic and we got some intriguing information.

GI: We just got done viewing the technical demos shown at the Sony Press Conference, and it was outstanding... can you tell me a little more about the demos shown?

Mark Rein: The demo's were using the Unreal Engine 3 which will be utilized in the Next-gen Playstation. Unfortunately I cannot say that will be the final product as it was running on Alpha development kits from Playstation 3.

GI: So you assume the graphics would turn out better then shown?

Mark Rein: We certainly hope so, the Playstation 3's cell chip allows for so many calculations per second and we are able to utilize a large number of A.I. algorithms at once. Once we get deep into the Cell architecture we'll be able to do so much more with the Unreal Engine.

GI: What can you say are the differences between developing for PS2 then developing for PS3?

Mark Rein: Everything.....

GI: In what sense?

Mark Rein: The PS2's emotion engine had our developers learning a new language of programming to begin development on a game. The PS3 uses OpenGL which we've been working with for decades, and the Cell architecture is accessible using C++ which is already a widely known programming language.

GI: A question on a lot of people's minds, the Killzone gameplay footage... is it real or not?

Mark Rein: Well, you'd have to ask Gorilla Studios that kind of question, but I know for a fact that this demo was running on an alpha prototype of PS3, so if you think Killzone 2 looked good, it'll look even better on the final hardware.

GI: Your opinion, which console is more powerful, Xbox 360 or Playstation 3?

Mark Rein: Well, I believe that everyone can look at the numbers and say that both consoles are identical. One thing editors and fans alike don't understand in the inner working and the architecture of the console that makes the punch more severe or dramatically weaker. The Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 are almost like twins, but one is more talented then the other. The Cell processor allows us to do so much more with our programming and that's where the 3.2GHz identical clock speed meets it's maker. Both consoles can be looked at as equal in power, but the Cell chip has made all the more difference.

GI: What is your view on the Playstation 2's showing opposed to what actually came out?

Mark Rein: Well, the demo's shown for PS2 were actually running on PS2 hardware. But it was pre-rendered and developers were given months to work on them. But what we see in the PS2 now, it's just lazy work for PS2, and their hatred for the Emotion Engine language.

GI: What do you think the future is for Playstation 3?

Mark Rein: Things can only get better from here. All the developers we've been speaking already love the architecture and the language PS3 is using, and they can't wait to utilize the cell chip further. What you saw in the press conference, would only be 1/2 of PS3's power. The errors in PS2 will paid in full with the showing of the final PS3 product.

GI: Editors all over, including some of ours doubt the authenticity of the showing of the PS3 at the press conference, can you comment on that?

Mark Rein: Until the editors develop a game, I really cannot comment further on what they believe... they believe what they will.

I just got GameInformer in the mail today, and this was a piece of interesting info. That GameStop card really comes in handy sometimes.

Dark Samurai · 05-22-2005, 02:09 PM

Will it ever stop, Strick?

Perfect Stu · 05-22-2005, 02:34 PM

"Mark Rein: Until the editors develop a game, I really cannot comment further on what they believe... they believe what they will."

that's a good quote

CamFu · 05-22-2005, 03:15 PM

Quote:

GI: A question on a lot of people's minds, the Killzone gameplay footage... is it real or not?

Mark Rein: Well, you'd have to ask Guerilla Studios that kind of question, but I know for a fact that this demo was running on an alpha prototype of PS3, so if you think Killzone 2 looked good, it'll look even better on the final hardware.

So did he even answer this question? The puzzle of answers that PR people give drive me nuts. Why can't they just answer the question.

Perfect Stu · 05-22-2005, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamFu

So did he even answer this question? The puzzle of answers that PR people give drive me nuts. Why can't they just answer the question.

Mark Rein is no Sony PR 'people'...

He probably doesnt even care what happens to Killzone 2. He's lending his opinion as a developer.

Null · 05-22-2005, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamFu

So did he even answer this question? The puzzle of answers that PR people give drive me nuts. Why can't they just answer the question.

because he doesnt work for the people who made that demo, he may not even know the answer, he even said, you'll have to ask them that. its not his place to comment on.

CamFu · 05-22-2005, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Null

because he doesnt work for the people who made that demo, he may not even know the answer, he even said, you'll have to ask them that. its not his place to comment on.

Come on Null... we are talking about a VP of Epic. I guessing here, but isn't Epic the ones publishing the game? I've never played Killzone before, so I'm not sure who is all part of this game. I'll finish my comments once I learn that. If he has nothing to do with this game... fine. He shouldn't know the answer too that. I'm leaving work right now. I have to do this little "research" project when I get home.

Null · 05-22-2005, 05:23 PM

no, epic has absolutly NOTHING to do with killzone.

Gorilla is the developer, (which is why he said ask them)
and Sony is the publisher.

Perfect Stu · 05-22-2005, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perfect Stu

He probably doesnt even care what happens to Killzone 2. He's lending his opinion as a developer.

what am I, chopped liver?

Teuthida · 05-22-2005, 09:10 PM

Quote:

The Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 are almost like twins, but one is more talented then the other.

Poor little Bobby. Henceforth I shall refer to Xbox 360 as Bobby.

CamFu · 05-22-2005, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Null

no, epic has absolutly NOTHING to do with killzone.

Gorilla is the developer, (which is why he said ask them)
and Sony is the publisher.

Ok... then I take my statement back. Why you ask that question then? Protest it... waste of a question.