Thanks in part to the CryEngine 3 tech, and their ”bad ass team” at IllFonic naturally. Wants to prove digital releases can ”rock your junk” with Nexuiz.
The Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network release of Nexuiz is based off the original PC title, which started out in life as a Quake mod. We shouldn’t let the digital distribution put us off though, as it’s ”merely the distribution model” IllFonic are using.
This multiplayer shooter is packing serious engine tech heat - Crytek’s CryEngine 3 - and is the first XBLA/PSN game to do so. ”This engine makes me happy. It’s like pressing a ‘make video game easily’ button over and over again,” Lead Designer Kedhrin Gonzalez tells Strategy Informer in an interview.
”Every day I come into work on this I look forward to exploring my creativity and the CryEngine 3 is perfect for this,” he continued. ”Working with new engine technology can always present a challenge. This is pretty general for all commercial engines.”
Crytek are using their CryEngine 3 in upcoming Crysis 2. ”CryTek has been really helpful towards us and it’s been a blast communicating with them. They’re definitely friends of IllFonic now. But really, I’m very happy with CryEngine 3. It’s really damned sexy.”
IllFonic want to prove the stigma attached to digital releases is misplaced, and that quality doesn’t rely on sheer numbers. ”The biggest challenge game developers are facing these days is the challenge of people vs. quality. Most studios think you have to throw tons of people into seats to make a AAA game,” said Gonzalez.
”That’s not the case. It’s the tools. If you have bad ass people, give them the right tools - they will rock your junk. The kings of tools right now are Unreal Engine 3 and CryEngine 3. We use both engines here at IllFonic and we’re only 10 people.”
”The digital marketplace is nothing more than a distribution method. I’m tired of the stereotype that states ‘just because a game is being released this way it is inferior in quality.” Microsoft and Sony’s networks have paved the way for indies to exploit.
”It’s coming and it’s going to be massive. Those who don’t react quickly will be left behind. I hope more independent developers, big or small, take advantage of digital. Until there’s a reason for players to really buy digital games, the market won’t exist.”
”There have been great games released digitally but it is still growing and digital releases need to keep coming until it becomes the dominant distribution model.” It’s thanks to the engine tools and IllFonic’s bad-ass devs that Nexuiz is ‘triple AAA’ grade.
”…we’ve been able to achieve some fantastic results. We match the quality of a lot of AAA retail packaged games. A lot of it comes from making sure we have the right scope for our timeline. Honestly, we hire the right people,” explained Gonzalez.
”I would gladly compare one of my guys to 20 people at some game factory and say he can do all of their jobs. I hear of bad ass artists all the time being stuck on some assembly line task under a producer who takes all of the credit for their hard work.”
”It makes me sick to my stomach and is completely unnecessary.” Be sure to check out our full interview with lead designer Gonzalez of IllFonic, and learn why Nexuiz is no ‘port’ coming to the next-gen console networks this Q4 2010 - but first, who’s better?
”Hahaha, so you’re asking me who do I want an angry letter from tomorrow? They have their ups and downs. Really, Sony has the best right now. But, Microsoft has been getting better. We’ll see what happens as time goes by.” If only we were more unscrupulous journos we could have led with ‘bad ass IllFonic trash talk XBLA’… oh well, next time.
