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Subject: Mark Rein (of Epic Games, Unreal) changes his tune about Nintendo Revolution, somewhat
Date: 14 Nov 2005 16:27:39 -0800
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Xref: ccsf.homeunix.org japan.videogames.nintendo:426

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25637
..........................................
In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Epic Games' Vice President Mark
Rein offered some clarification concerning his thoughts about
Nintendo's next-generation console, code-named the Nintendo Revolution.

"I actually said Nintendo's going to make amazing games. I never really
passed a judgement on the controller itself. I think the controller's
cool!" Rein said.

Rein continued by saying, "I wasn't bashing Nintendo, I wasn't bashing
the controller, I was really just saying that a byproduct of having a
device like [the Revolution controller] is that people are going to
make games that possibly are just there because of the controller, as
opposed to being great games of themselves." He reiterated his opinion
that "Nintendo and some of the best third parties are going to make
amazing games for [Revolution]."

Concerning his past comment about the importance of graphics in the
next generation, Rein clarified, "what I meant to say was the most
significant improvement we get, the best new thing about the
next-generation systems, in my opinion, is the graphics. And that's a
hardware discussion - not a game discussion."

As for whether or not Epic Games will provide the Unreal Engine 3 to
the Nintendo Revolution, Rein said that "Unreal Engine 3 and [the]
Nintendo Revolution would be very well suited to each other," and "if
the machine can run the engine, it'd be fantastic to have it on there."

Lastly, Rein responded to Nintendo of Europe's Jim Merrick's suggestion
that Rein get a Revolution development kit for himself so he could see
exactly what the machine can do, to which he stated that he would
"absolutely love to take [Merrick] up on that."
...................................


Mark Rein has been in the news more than he'd perhaps like lately. The
Epic Games vice president is a man who likes to talk, and a man who's
passionate about games - a combination which can sometimes get him into
trouble.

First he was accused of saying next-generation games were all about
graphics, then of slating Nintendo's "freestyle" Revolution controller.
On both occasions, Rein says, his comments were taken out of context,
and his meaning completely misinterpreted.

Now it's time to set the record straight, and explain exactly what he
did mean by those comments. But this being Mark Rein we're talking to,
that's not all he's got to say for himself. So before we address those
stickier issues, let's start with an easy one: how's Gears of War
coming along?

Advertisement"Really well," says Rein. So well, he continues, that the
results they're getting are better than expected when it comes to
things like the game's AI system.

"We expected to spend more time on it than it actually took, and now
the game has really fun AI, and it's really shaping up to be a great
game," he continues.

Since it's all turning out so well, is there more likelihood of a PC
port, as has been rumoured previously? Perhaps one day, says Rein, but
right now all of Epic's efforts are focused on the Xbox 360 version.

"There's no effort whatsoever going into a user interface, or mouse
control, or anything that we would need to one day ship a PC game, so
it's hard to say.

"That's really Microsoft's decision - they're the publisher, they get
to choose. If they want us to do that, great, but we certainly wouldn't
even look at that until well after we've shipped the game."

Gears of War in action - and looking good. But when will we get to have
a go?
Aha. Which will happen... When, exactly? Who knows, says Rein,
explaining that they're still adopting a policy of "It's done when it's
done."

"You know, we like the fact that we have the luxury of working on our
games until they're done right. We said 2006, so we put a bit of a
stick in the sand, but beyond that I'm not sure."

Keeping it unreal
Rein is keen to point out that just because Epic is working on an Xbox
360 game, it doesn't mean the company has forgotten its roots.

"We have a PC heritage and we're very much committed, for instance with
Unreal Tournament, to making great PC games as well," he says, adding
that it's a good time to be developing titles for both PC and consoles.


"There's a lot of parity right now between where the absolute top end
of PCs are, and where the next-generation consoles are - especially
with the multiple processors that we're seeing now in the consoles.
You're getting a lot for your money with these next-generation systems,
and it'll be a while before the average gamer PC surpasses them.

"Four years from now, when a PC has as many processors as an Xbox 360,
the work we've done on Xbox 360 will pay off on the PC as well...
That's something we didn't have in previous generations. So it's a good
time to be doing both."

Rein confirms that Epic isn't just developing for the Xbox 360, either
- "We're going to be doing a game for PlayStation 3, we just haven't
come out and announced it yet. I think it's pretty clear people know
we're going to be doing Unreal Tournament."

It's unlikely we'll see an Epic game on a handheld in the near future,
though - at least not one that's been produced in-house.

"We just don't have the technology that fits with those systems. We
were tossing around the idea of Unreal Tournament battle game for PSP a
while ago, and unfortunately we can't develop it because we just don't
have the technology."

Talking 'bout the Revolution

The Rev controller - Rein likes it really, honest.
So it's a no to handhelds, and a yes to PS3... But (deep breath) is
there any chance of Epic ever making a Nintendo game? After all, at an
IGN event recently Rein did suggest that the Revolution controller
would inspire developers to produce "gimmicky, crappy, cheap,
I-wish-I-hadn't-bought-it games"...

"I actually said Nintendo's going to make amazing games. I never really
passed a judgement on the controller itself. I think the controller's
cool!" Mark says.

"I wasn't bashing Nintendo, I wasn't bashing the controller, I was
really just saying that a byproduct of having a device like this is
that people are going to make games that possibly are just there
because of the controller, as opposed to being great games of
themselves, and I said it badly... I regret that."

There will be plenty of great titles that make use of the controller,
too, Rein adds. "Nintendo and some of the best third parties are going
to make amazing games for it."

We mention a recent interview Eurogamer did with Nintendo's Jim
Merrick, where we asked him what he thought of Rein's comments.

"You know, I read your article and I called him up right afterward,"
Rein says. "We had a long, very good chat."

So he wasn't, shall we say, a bit cross? "Didn't seem to be!"

And what about Merrick's suggestion that Rein get a Revolution dev kit
for himself so he can see exactly what the machine can do?

"I told him we've absolutely love to take him up on that."

That doesn't mean Epic has signed up to develop for Revolution, but
it's certainly something worth looking into, says Rein.

"I think Unreal Engine 3 and Nintendo Revolution would be very well
suited to each other.

"We don't know right now what the machine's capable of or not capable
of, and we've built Unreal Engine 3 to a certain specification. If the
machine can run the engine, it'd be fantastic to have it on there."

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=61668