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Tripwire won a license to use the Unreal 3 engine as a result of triumphing in Epic’s Make Something Unreal contest with their Red Orchestra mod, so they have a good sense of what an opportunity this is for other modders. Still, while making a super-shiny game is now easier to some extent, “it doesn’t change the effort involved in creating a quality game – and this free/$99 licence doesn’t include the source code for the engine, so developers using UDK are at a slight disadvantage compared to a traditional UE3 license.”
Above: High Rez's MMO Global Agenda
That latter point means the money other developers have spent on the UDK licence previously wasn’t necessarily wasted. Most big-name games that use the U3 engine alter it massively at a source code level, to the extent that it can be almost its own entity as a result. BioShock is a good example of that, as is the promising upcoming MMO Global Agenda, from High Rez Studios. “Since Global Agenda is also an MMO with character and territory persistence, our programming team needed to significantly enhance and modify the engine at a source code level,” says executive producer Todd Harris.
“This access to Unreal 3 source is why the developer licence model worked well for our title.” Epic’s Dana Cowley confirms the free UDK release isn’t going to change this. “We’re still licensing full source, commercial Unreal Engine 3 all the time. Pricing varies based on deal structure. We have always had, and continue to provide full source code Unreal Engine 3 deals to independent studios, and we’re flexible when it comes to finding the best terms for each project.”
Above: Even trash like Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust was made with UE3
But to make a great standalone mod, especially an FPS, you don’t need the source code, only the object code: the compiled, unmodifiable version of the UDK and engine source code, fathomable only by computers. “I’m sure this will lead to many games like Killing Floor,” says Tripwire’s David Henslsey.
“Throughout PC game history, there have always been quality total conversion mod projects that were good/near quality enough to be retail games. These are made by people who are passionate enough about game development that they spend thousands of hours working on these projects for free. It’s a shame that they had no viable option to go retail. Now those small groups of extremely passionate modders could conceivably build a game in their basements and release it commercially – and if it’s good enough, maybe even start a new studio.” This is essentially what Tripwire did, and the combination of goodwill from Red Orchestra and snagging a prime slice of direct marketing over Steam means Killing Floor has earned them quite a sizeable money hat.
Above: You probably won't make something like BioShock on your first try
Thanks to this landmark rethink in distributing what is arguably the most respected and versatile game engine in the industry today, that basement developer could very well be you in a few years’ time. It’s easy to make a game. You should totally do it.
