UT3 Review - kind of harsh

[jjones]

http://www.thattechsite.com/vb...read.php?p=580#post580

I'm also of the mind that I really want to like this game but right now there just seems to be too much missing / poorly implemented.

I was really looking forward to this game, more than any other game between when it was first announced and now. When this game was first mentioned by Epic, a lot of things were said that gave UT fans a really great game to look forward to, things that simply never made it into the final game, Conquest being the most notable for me. (Yes, there is Warfare but that is nothing even close to what Epic's plans were for the Conquest game type.)

More than anything, and this is most depressing of all, it seems as if UT3 was developed for the console first and pc second, which I probably could live with if they had pulled off cross-platform play, but they didn't.

So, I haven't bought the game yet, nor will I, until UT3 is at least as user friendly and customizable as UT2k4 was. And even then if Epic fixes these things up in a patch or two, it may be too little, too late, because if online player stats remain as dismal as they are right now, I'll probably pass unless some really great mods come out.

 

[Drako]

Yeah, I aggree with a lot of the review as well. I think I will go back to playing UT2004, as there still seem to be more people still playing it online.

I'm guessing that when the PS3 version and 360 versions come out it will get rave reviews.

 

[RandomFool]

I played it at a game show and a friends house and wasn't impressed either time. the graphics are a turn off for me. They were pretty but there was too much stuff in the maps which distracted me from running around and shooting people.

 

[Zenoth]

UT3 is graphically impressive, and it has some good elements in it, but, so far, I still prefer UT2004, especially the Invasion mode (which UT3 lacks and I have a strange feeling that it will take time before the community makes a good Invasion modification for it). And let's not even start about the serious lack of diversity of mutators.

 

[CP5670]

I think the biggest problem with UT3 is that it seems hardly anyone is playing it online for whatever reason, going by what people are saying around here. The focus of the UT series is the multiplayer and a dead community would kill the game faster than anything else.

I was also eagerly waiting for this game ever since it was announced, so this is all quite disappointing to see.

 

[martensite]

Good review, and I also agree with the OP.
I am one of those who got shafted buying UT3 the day after it was released. Now it's collecting dust on my CD rack, while COD4 gets to see all the action.

 

[Vidda]

Competition-wise (TDM/Duel/CTF) it has huge potential. A comp mod should be released within the next week or two that will really help the community. Also, Epic has released 3 beta patches so far that go a very long way to improving the UI, Server Browser and also a few noticeable in-game bugs.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I really don't understand what he's complaining about regarding the stock maps. First off, presumably they'll be hundreds of custom user made maps to play, many of which will be very good and will get played online. Secondly, he seemed to focus too much on the looks of the maps and not the quality of the maps' game play. One of the pleasant surprises of UT3 is that most of the stock maps are pretty good--most of the Warfare maps are fun and several of the stock (no vehicles--real CTF) CTF maps are league worthy.

I also think that the reviewer's concern about the quality of the graphics are overblown; the game is about online multiplayer fragging and the quality of the game play is what's most important. Heck, I know lots of folks who prefer lesser graphics, higher frame rates, and better game play; they're playing UT99.

However, he does have several legitimate concerns. The game feels like it was made for consoles and then ported over to the PC and it's very obvious to anyone who played UT99 (which had a U-Windows system with pull down menus) or UT 2004. The user interface is clunky and slow and it offers few settings options and the server browser needs improvement. (I have the Beta Patch 3 installed and it's somewhat improved--now has Favorites and Server History.)

That having been said--the game play is very good. WARfare is a tremendous amount of fun and the regular weapons no vehicles CTF game feels much closer to that of the original UT99. The actual game play itself is awesome. If Epic had waited a couple more months to release it and if they had overhauled the user interface and server browser and released a polished game, it probably would have been a big hit.

IMHO, Unreal Tournament 3 is the best game no one is playing. I'm hoping that Epic will eventually get it polished up and that its success on the consoles helps to drive interest in the PC version. I think Epic should overhaul the user interface and go with a U-Windows menu system, improve the server browser, and release and promote and market a new retail PC version called the "Online Multiplayer Competition Edition". Of course, everyone who bought the earlier editions would be able to apply patches so that they had the Online Multiplayer Competition Edition.

 

[jjones]

I agree with you WhipperSnapper about the maps. As long as the game comes with a couple of great maps for each gametype, that's good enough for me. I've got upwards of 700 maps for UT2k4 so I'm not concerned at all about cool user maps coming out.

As far as the graphics are concerned, this is a big deal to me, but not a game breaker. IMO, the art direction is very poor and whoever decided bloom is a good idea should be fired and never allowed to work on game art again. But like you say, it's gamplay that matters most and I can live with UT3's visuals, they're not nearly so bad that it makes the game unplayable.

Probably the biggest issue with me is the UI and lack of customization, either directly in the UI, or through the ini or console. UT3 is not just a step backward from the previous game, it's a giant running leap backwards. That and the whole gamespy/shitty browser thing really killed it for me. You know what my gamespy registered player name is? It's fuckyougamespy.

It's too bad because I do like the gameplay and was adjusting to it easily. I played the demo a bit and took to the new gameplay quite easily. But the other issues, mostly the lack of customization, are a game breaker for me. When Epic releases the real PC version, if ever, I'll look at it again. If not, I'll keep playing UT2k4 until they come out with the next UT game. Somehow, I have a feeling we might be seeing another 2003/2004 series of game releases; or they better do some serious patching to get the game the way it should be for PC. Either way, I hope they do something, because the game as it is right now, isn't grabbing me at all.

 

[Zenoth]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper
I really don't understand what he's complaining about regarding the stock maps. First off, presumably they'll be hundreds of custom user made maps to play, many of which will be very good and will get played online. Secondly, he seemed to focus too much on the looks of the maps and not the quality of the maps' game play. One of the pleasant surprises of UT3 is that most of the stock maps are pretty good--most of the Warfare maps are fun and several of the stock (no vehicles--real CTF) CTF maps are league worthy.

I also think that the reviewer's concern about the quality of the graphics are overblown; the game is about online multiplayer fragging and the quality of the game play is what's most important. Heck, I know lots of folks who prefer lesser graphics, higher frame rates, and better game play; they're playing UT99.

However, he does have several legitimate concerns. The game feels like it was made for consoles and then ported over to the PC and it's very obvious to anyone who played UT99 (which had a U-Windows system with pull down menus) or UT 2004. The user interface is clunky and slow and it offers few settings options and the server browser needs improvement. (I have the Beta Patch 3 installed and it's somewhat improved--now has Favorites and Server History.)

That having been said--the game play is very good. WARfare is a tremendous amount of fun and the regular weapons no vehicles CTF game feels much closer to that of the original UT99. The actual game play itself is awesome. If Epic had waited a couple more months to release it and if they had overhauled the user interface and server browser and released a polished game, it probably would have been a big hit.

IMHO, Unreal Tournament 3 is the best game no one is playing. I'm hoping that Epic will eventually get it polished up and that its success on the consoles helps to drive interest in the PC version. I think Epic should overhaul the user interface and go with a U-Windows menu system, improve the server browser, and release and promote and market a new retail PC version called the "Online Multiplayer Competition Edition". Of course, everyone who bought the earlier editions would be able to apply patches so that they had the Online Multiplayer Competition Edition.

First bold sentence:

The problem is that right now we only have the official maps to play with, and why would the consumers always have to rely on the community to have fun ? Why can't the developers create a better variety of maps from the start by themselves if they are so talented ?

And I agree with the reviewer on one point about the maps, and it is about them being "dark" and goth-like. Where are the shiny colorful maps I saw from UT2004 ? There's none, it feels somber, dark, I have the feeling to play in a post-apocalyptic environment, all those dark red and dark brown tones, it just doesn't help the case when 95% of the maps use the exact same colors/tone patterns.

In terms of game-play the maps I are not bad per se, I like most of them (but not all of them), however as I said above ... it just feels ... dark, I'm not sure how to describe it better other than just repeating the same thing over again, the reviewer had it spot on in my opinion.

Second bold sentence:

Well you DO have an advantage over me and many others. You play a patched version of the game. And I saw the readme for all three Beta patches and the changes are NOT negligible. I wish I was in the same position than you are and THEN, and only then make a NEW judgment on the game.

Feel free to PM me how to get that patch because I find it very unfair.

If it's available for the public please tell me where, thanks.

 

[QueBert]

I like UT3, I play a few rounds a day, I might never play it more than 30 minutes straight, if even that. But I'll probably play 20 minutes a day for 6 months. Will definitely get my monies worth out of it. I know the online scene is slow now (oddly so) but I think more people will buy it and a lot will get it as an Xmas Gift. The game will get big, UT is a loved franchise people just don't seem to be jumping on it ASAP maybe due to Crysis & COD4? UT3 will see it's day in the sun.

that map with the teleporter things where you can be in the ice, on the space station thing and in the water/nature one is pretty bad ass. I might go play that right now actually