Historical Question

  • Two Factor Authentication is now available on BeyondUnreal Forums. To configure it, visit your Profile and look for the "Two Step Verification" option on the left side. We can send codes via email (may be slower) or you can set up any TOTP Authenticator app on your phone (Authy, Google Authenticator, etc) to deliver codes. It is highly recommended that you configure this to keep your account safe.

EggSuckingLeech

New Member
Jul 27, 2004
58
0
0
I have a couple historical questions (related to the notion of a "UT3 Expansion"):

1) How much time was there between the release of UT2K3 and 2K4? (I personally skipped 2k3 because my machine couldn't handle it)?

2) Was the online presence with 2K3 as dire as UT3's online presence is now?

3) What kind of changes actually happened between the two? I know of the boost-dodge removal and the toning down of weapon switch speed. But that's all I know of. While I once thought that the more grounded movement was a good thing, in retrospect I am saddened with the lack of "fun factor" in UT3's movement. Just not as much fun for me so a change in this area (while a religious topic I know) would be really welcome by me.

I'm trying to see if there is any history illustrating that the franchise can be saved or not. Thanks.
 

Dark Pulse

Dolla, Dolla. Holla, Holla.
Sep 12, 2004
6,186
0
0
38
Buffalo, NY, USA
darkpulse.project2612.org
I have a couple historical questions (related to the notion of a "UT3 Expansion"):

1) How much time was there between the release of UT2K3 and 2K4? (I personally skipped 2k3 because my machine couldn't handle it)?

2) Was the online presence with 2K3 as dire as UT3's online presence is now?

3) What kind of changes actually happened between the two? I know of the boost-dodge removal and the toning down of weapon switch speed. But that's all I know of. While I once thought that the more grounded movement was a good thing, in retrospect I am saddened with the lack of "fun factor" in UT3's movement. Just not as much fun for me so a change in this area (while a religious topic I know) would be really welcome by me.

I'm trying to see if there is any history illustrating that the franchise can be saved or not. Thanks.
1) About 18 months. 2k3 was released on September 30th 2002, 2k4 was released March 15th, 2004.

2) It was probably very slightly higher, but both games followed a very similar curve - initial support, frustration with the changes, and abandonment by the old guard. In 2k3's case, many people simply went back to the original UT; in UT3's case, people have either gone back to 2k4 or moved on to COD4/TF2/L4D/etc.

3) Most of the stuff was things like netcode tweaks to handle higher player counts and vehicles, weapon rebalancing attempts, and the obvious stuff - new game modes, new UI, new HUD, etc. They fixed some bugs that were still left in 2k3, in 2k4.
 

Sys-X

Commercialized Killer !!!
Mar 22, 2006
87
0
6
Netherlands
UT4 will bolster the even smaller UT3 community :(
Hope it will bring players back from previous ut tho ^^
 

shoptroll

Active Member
Jan 21, 2004
2,226
2
38
40
3) Most of the stuff was things like netcode tweaks to handle higher player counts and vehicles, weapon rebalancing attempts, and the obvious stuff - new game modes, new UI, new HUD, etc. They fixed some bugs that were still left in 2k3, in 2k4.

Changed the underlying physics middleware (used by ragdolls, vehicles and particles(?)) too.
 

Defeat

GET EM WITH THE BACKSMACK WOOOOO
Apr 2, 2005
2,931
0
0
Illinois
www.google.com
What was the deal that was offered for current owners of 2k3 when buying 2k4 in terms of money off? Maybe they will do this for the expansion.
 

Lopar-XL

Currently trying to mend my mind, etc.
Jul 8, 2005
201
0
16
USA
profile.imageshack.us
What was the deal that was offered for current owners of 2k3 when buying 2k4 in terms of money off? Maybe they will do this for the expansion.


There was a discount coupon ($10 in the U.S. versions) for those who purchased UT2K3. UT2K4 also supported voice packs for players and bots in the menu screens this time around, like in UT. Booyah!
 

EggSuckingLeech

New Member
Jul 27, 2004
58
0
0
Defeat - hope all is going well for you :)

UT bolstered the tiny Unreal community
UT2004 bolstered the tiny UT2003 community

Ya - I know that. My question however is more about the EXTENT to which how much bolstering was needed. I'm wondering if the "tiny communities" were on par in size. Or is UT3's tiny community by far the "tiniest" :)
 

hal

Dictator
Staff member
Nov 24, 1998
21,409
19
38
54
------->
www.beyondunreal.com
The Unreal community was quite tiny by the time UT rolled around. There were maybe a handful of RealCTF, Infiltration, and DM servers. UT2003 was probably on par with the one now, though UT was still a more recent game (than it is today) and thus people just went back to playing it until UT2004 was released.

So - Unreal community -> smaller than UT3
UT2003 community -> probably on par with UT3
 

T2A`

I'm dead.
Jan 10, 2004
8,752
0
36
Richmond, VA
The sad thing is the netcode has only been getting worse with age. Since UT2003 the netcode quality and feel has been on a fairly steady decline. UT2003's was the most solid and accurate (though compared to other games it still wasn't good); in UT2004 they started fudging things in order to make bandwidth room for vehakals. I don't know what they did with UT3's but it's clearly the worst.

I can only hope they revamp the netcode for the expansion, because terrible netcode can make a good game not fun to play. D:
 

shoptroll

Active Member
Jan 21, 2004
2,226
2
38
40
I can only hope they revamp the netcode for the expansion, because terrible netcode can make a good game not fun to play. D:

You do know that retail Unreal had probably the worst netcode (especially when you realize that Tribes came out right around the same time) out of any FPS ever made. Half (overexaggeration here) the reason UT was made in the first place was so they could revamp the netcode and provide a solid online experience.
 

dc

Aug 17, 2005
1,118
0
36
they removed conservation of momentum from 2k3->2k4

for example in 2k3 on campgrounds you could hit the jumppad by the pillars and dodge off the wall as you were going up and land in the doorway to the rox

if you tried that in 2k4 you just kind of fell

i still miss boost dodging
 

Kazimira

Necris Fan
Dec 13, 2008
664
0
0
UK
kazumitsu.deviantart.com
That's probably from the server, your connection to the server, or your home connection being bad.

My connection sucks but even UT3 dosent get me stuck on the spot. UT2K4 makes my bad connection very obvious. Even UT dsoent do that with me. I can move around and see skateing players but I dont feel like i'm mired in mud.
 

NeoNite

Starsstream
Dec 10, 2000
20,275
263
83
In a stream of stars
Yep, and I also love it when this happens: Connection time out, or server hiccup. You disconnect, reconnect shortly after and you can see yourself running against the wall...
(If you're quick, it's good screenshot material)