News
Epic Games Announces Unreal University, November 8-9 at North Carolina State University
School Supports $1,000,000 Nvidia Make Something Unreal Contest
RALEIGH, NC - October 13, 2003 -
Epic Games, co-creator of the award-winning Unreal® game franchise, today
announced the details for their inaugural Unreal University, the first intensive
workshop devoted to learning how to create mods (a new game or add-on created
with tools from the original title) using the Unreal Game Engine. The university
will take place on November 8-9, 2003 at North Carolina State University, and
will attract modders from across the country who want to learn how to develop
their own content using the Unreal Technology. Unreal University is being
sponsored by Epic Games, NC State's Center for Digital Entertainment, NVIDIA,
AMD, Alias® and Atari, Inc. People interested in finding out more about Unreal
University can visit
www.makesomethingunreal.com; registration, schedule information and other
specifics can be accessed at cde.ncsu.edu/uu. The
cost of the seminar is $25, which includes meals and a t-shirt.
The Unreal University class presenters will include Epic Games developers and
artists, as well as Jason Busby, creator of the
www.3dbuzz.com site and the
www.masteringunreal.com site. To help modders before, during and after the
course, the 3d Buzz Mastering Unreal site contains more than 100 hours of free
downloadable Video Training Modules (VTMs) geared toward educating users on how
to program and build content using the Unreal Game Engine.
Participants of the Unreal University will get an overview of the Unreal Game
Engine's techniques and technology, as well as insider secrets on how to
maximize their skills to create professional-level game content. The valuable
tips and tricks learned at the seminar can be used to create mod entries for the
"$1,000,000 NVIDIA Make Something Unreal" contest, a year-long competition that
rewards the best and brightest in grassroots mod design.
Unreal University is one of a number of events, including the "$1,000,000 NVIDIA
Make Something Unreal Buzz Tour," that is supporting the "$1,000,000 NVIDIA Make
Something Unreal" contest sponsored by Epic Games, Digital Extremes, NVIDIA,
Atari, Inc., AMD, and Alias. The contest, which runs in three parts, had more
than 400 entries in its first round. The second phase of the contest has begun
accepting entries, with winners announced this winter. The third and final phase
will conclude in April 2004, with the finalists being announced at E3
(Electronic Entertainment Expo) in May, 2004. The grand prize winners will be
announced shortly thereafter. In total, winners will receive cash prizes
totaling US$500,000, and more than $300,000 worth of high-end PCs that feature
the combined processing power of NVIDIA's GeForce™ FX graphics, the NVIDIA
nForce™2 platform and AMD Athlon processors, and more than $30,000 worth of
Maya® Software. Along with money and a loaded PC, the grand prize winner will
receive a commercial Unreal Game Engine license (valued at $350,000).
Unreal University will also showcase Unreal Tournament 2004, the latest Unreal
title from Epic Games, which builds on the success of last year's smash hit,
Unreal Tournament 2003. The new title marks the return of the fan-favorite
"Assault" mode, completely reinvented and updated with new technology, as well
as the introduction of an all new game mode, "Onslaught," which pits players in
wide-scale vehicular warfare across massive battlefields. Unreal Tournament 2004
includes additional upgrades, such as new characters, weapons, skins, maps,
voice-over-IP capabilities, software rendering and other technology
improvements, while also including all of the content from Unreal Tournament
2003 and its free downloadable bonus packs. Unreal Tournament 2004 will ship for
Holiday 2003.
About Epic Games
Epic Games Inc, based in Raleigh, NC and established in 1991, is a developer of
cutting-edge computer and video games. The company is best known as the creator
of hit PC 3D action games Unreal and Unreal Tournament, both award-winning
blockbuster hits having each sold more than 1 million units each. Epic is also
well known as creator of the Unreal Engine which it has licensed to several
major game developers. To date over 10,000,000 games have been sold that
utilized Epic's Unreal Engine technology and the number is growing steadily each
year. Prior to their 3D success, Epic Games was well known for the hit shareware
games Jill of the Jungle, Jazz Jackrabbit and Epic Pinball. Additional
information can be obtained through Epic's Web site at
www.epicgames.com.
About NVIDIA
NVIDIA Corporation is a market leader in visual computing technology dedicated
to creating products that enhance the interactive experience on consumer and
professional computing platforms. Its graphics and communications processors
have broad market reach and are incorporated into a wide variety of computing
platforms, including consumer digital-media PCs, enterprise PCs, professional
workstations, digital content creation systems, notebook PCs, military
navigation systems and video game consoles. NVIDIA is headquartered in Santa
Clara, California and employs more than 1,700 people worldwide. For more
information, visit the Company's Web site at
www.nvidia.com.
About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) develops interactive games for all
platforms and is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive
entertainment software in the U.S. The Company's 1,000+ titles include
hard-core, genre-defining games such as Driver™, Enter the Matrix™, Neverwinter
Nights™, Stuntman™, Test Drive®, Unreal® Tournament 2003, and Unreal®
Championship; and mass-market and children's games such as Backyard
Sports™, Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues™ and Dora the Explorer™, Civilization®,
Dragon Ball Z® and RollerCoaster Tycoon®. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned
subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext 5257), the
largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit
www.atari.com.
About the NC State Center for Digital Entertainment
The Center for Digital Entertainment at North Carolina State University is an
informal, multi- disciplinary center whose focus investigates the scientific,
engineering, social and educational challenges of digital entertainment. Faculty
from the colleges of Engineering, Design, Education and Humanities and Social
Sciences collaborate on a wide range of research and educational initiatives
that focus on new modes of entertainment and interaction in digital
media. For more information, visit the CDE Web site at
www.atari.com
About Alias
As the world's leading innovator of 3D graphics technology, Alias develops
award- winning software, custom development and training solutions for the film
and video, games, web, interactive media, industrial design, education and
visualization markets. In 2003, the company was awarded an Oscar for Technical
Achievement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its
development of Maya software, the professional 3D animation and effects package.
Alias also offers a powerful range of services for new to advanced users in the
most demanding environments. Learning Tools and training, support, and
professional services help meet rigorous production deadlines. Entertainment
customers include: Acclaim Entertainment, Inc., CNN, Core Design Limited,
Digital Domain, Disney, Electronic Arts, Industrial Light & Magic, Factor 5 LLC,
Midway Games, Nintendo, Pacific Data Images (PDI), Pixar, Sega, Sony Pictures
Imageworks, Square Co., Ltd., Warner Feature Animation and Weta Ltd.

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