Crytek has officially announced the production of "Crysis Warhead". With a statement by Yerli, we have a little insight on what's to be.



You will be playing as Psycho but everything will be taking place at the same time as the first Crysis, but you will be on the other side of the island where you learn what really happened to Psycho.

Via: StrategyInformer

A new Jurassic Park Update!











Visit the forums for more.

Cevat Yerli of developer Crytek says in a Q&A at PC Play that their first person shooter Crysis is likely their last PC Exclusive game. He blames software pirates and declining game sales on the PC platform for this. He also declined to comment on whether a console port of Crysis is in the works.



Full Q&A...

The guys from the Jurassic Park Mod have sent us an update, check it out below.

The Exodus mod team wanted to get this news out, check it out below!

Crytek wanted to get a little news out about the Official Sandbox2 Documentation project. Check it out below!

Crymod has released this news statement:



For more information and links, head over to Crymod.

Joystiq reports that Crytek may have released the name of there next game, check out the article below.

Crymod has released this source development kit for everyone. The file is just over 415mb. The file specs are below:

The first version of the SDK came with tools and assets the modders require to get their own creations exported into the Sandbox2 Editor which allows them to create complete new levels and modifications with outstanding content.

The Mod SDK v1.2 is the second release and includes the highly anticipated game source code of Crysis. With this code it is possible to implement your own functionalities and brand new features into the game and share it with the community.

In addition we also re-worked the installer to fix some problems and to make the whole installation process more comfortable to you. We also implemented the Softimage|XSI Mod Tool as separate zipped file that comes with example assets for you to work with.

Mod SDK v1.2 – Changelog
The list below represents the latest changes you will find in this SDK version:

Fixes:
* Fixed: Folder structure issue with SDK_Mod suit demonstration level
* Fixed: MaxScript Warning popping up during export
* Fixed: Copy process gives warning instead of crashing if a prerequisite is missing

Updates:
* Added: Crysis Patch2 based Mod source code
* Added: XSI Add-On (including Examples) as a zipped file
* Optimized: Warning to close affected programs pops up on start
* Optimized: ReadMe switched to html
* Optimized: Installation rules for Plug-in are now more flexible

Mod SDK – Content
The list below represents everything modders will find from the 400MB sized package.

Code:
* Game Source Code

Tools:
* Resource Compiler (32 bit only)
* CryExport plug-in for 3DS Max 8 (32 bit only), Max 9 and Max 2008 (32 and 64 bit)
* Polybump plug-in for 3DS Max 8 (32 bit only), Max 9 and Max 2008 (32 and 64 bit)
* Polybump application (32 and 64 bit)
* CryTIFF plug-in for Adobe Photoshop (32 bit only)
* FMOD Designer Tool (32 bit only)
* Rigging, Artist, Animation Tools for 3DS Max
* XSI Add-On (including Examples) as a zipped file

Download the file now!

Patch 1.2 has been released, below are the details. Dial up warning, this file is just over 360mb!

Description
The second patch for Crytek’s highly-acclaimed Crysis is now available! Recent recipient of the “Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering” award from the Academy of Arts and Interactive Sciences and “Best Technology” award from the Game Developer’s Conference Awards, Patch 1.2 continues to tune and improve what was already one of the highest rated games of 2007.

Crytek is committed to continuing their support of the community, and CEO Cevat Yerli is driving the team towards attacking the Crysis community’s most wanted list. Stay tuned for more information.


Change Log Abstract
The main improvements in Patch 1.2 include tweaks to multiplayer, mod support and balance of weapons, AI and vehicles, including:

* Added mod loader to main menu
* Increased damage of most player-fired weapons and decreased damage of most AI-fired weapons
* Added auto team balance
* Added grenade indicator for enemy and friendly team
* Added additional audio feedback (headshot/body) on bullet impact
* Fully implementing Crytek’s internal anti-cheat-solution
* Added numbers to energy bar in PowerStruggle for quicker reference
* Added team colors to kill/death messages
* Team killed players no longer drop their weapon
* Improved vehicle handling under braking and boosting
* Greatly increased AAA damage vs. VTOL and Helicopter
* Reduced collision damage for players hit by vehicles at lower speeds
* And more!

Important Information
Patch 1.2 can be applied to both vanilla Crysis (v1.0) and Crysis v1.1 since it will update automatically to Crysis version 1.2.

Download This File

G4TV has done a nice little review of the Crysis Soundtrack, check it out below:

Our friends over at Exodus Mod have sent us in an update check it out below.

This is the first of our new bi-weekly updates we'll be doing to keep everyone as up to date as possible with the mod's progress! This update includes a variety of new renders trying to show off some pieces of work we haven't in the past such as architecture and vegetation. We've also tried to include some of the not so noticeable custom objects we'll have such as the brown eagle.

First we have the trees. To help create the world of Exodus, we've created new pine trees to populate our forests. The first shot demonstrates our trees before snowfall and these will be used for our Prologue, while the second shot shows the trees during Episode 1.



Next we have a brown eagle. Many of you may have noticed in Crysis the birds flying up in the sky, this will be one of our replacements. We also have a render of an animal called the Shagrat which is basically, as the name suggests, a large, furry rodent. The Shagrat will be similar in size to the Scrofa featured in one of our previous updates. We would also like to share a concept of our main character. This painting is of the character in Episode One and beyond because in the Prologue he'll be around 18 or 19.



Lastly we would like to share both conceptual drawings and renders of our village huts. The first two sketches are of a village hut. We have a few variations and this is one of them. We've also included an interior sketch to give an idea as to what the homes will look like inside. The last picture is a render of one of our village huts.



Along with presenting to you our latest work we'd also like to include a brief Developer Journal to provide with our followers a bit more information about how we go about creating the mod. Each Journal will be written by a different member of the team so you can hear what is happening from all aspects of development. This first Journal was written by myself. Enjoy!

Developer Journal #1-The Prologue This update has included much talk of a "Prologue." The prologue will, of course, be the introduction to the mod. It acts as a proof of concept and a way of getting everyone excited about Episode One. The opening centers around a death in the village which will lead into the player's training. This training will introduce the combat system. After a series of events the prologue will end and will set the scene for Episode One. Most of our focus this past month has been developing the ideas for the prologue: how will it look, what events will occur, what is it's purpose? All of these questions have been answered and the creation of the world has begun.

Future updates will include a bit of this world with a few in-game shots and more. We hope you enjoyed the update and we'd love to hear from you! If you have any questions or comments please feel free and leave us a message in our forums! Of course we are still looking for talent in writing, animation, coding, sound FX, mapping and more so if you are interested please contact us. -VertigoSFX

CEO Cevat Yerli joins lead designer Sten Hubler and producer Bernd Diemer to dissect highly decorated FPS; emphasizes need to stay true to the original vision but retain flexibility.

SAN FRANCISCO--The 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo offered gamers a number of reasons to be excited about the coming year. However, trumping much of the noise coming out of that show was a solitary tech demo from Far Cry developer Crytek for its upcoming EA-supported shooter, Crysis. The Frankfurt, Germany-based developer had already established itself as a technological powerhouse with Far Cry's stunning CryEngine, but crowds were not prepared for the lush tropical environments and jaw-dropping breakable foliage on display.

As impressive as the showing was, it came very close to not happening. That and other tidbits were presented to a bleary-eyed crowd still reeling from Thursday's night's festivities in a postmortem session for the game kicking off the final day of the 2008 Game Developers Conference. Helming the session was none other than Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli, who was joined by Crysis lead designer Sten Hubler and producer Bernd Diemer.

As is how postmortems go, the Crytek trio first laid out what had been learned from their previous efforts, in this case 2004's Far Cry. (Far Cry's subsequent sequels were handled by Ubisoft's Montreal studio.) First and foremost, the team was proud of Far Cry's peerless visuals and the technology powering the game. Yerli felt these features were complemented by the game's sandbox design and responsive human artificial intelligence.

However, despite its glowing critical reception, Far Cry had its problems, with Yerli specifically calling out the game's "B movie story," bad jokes, and lack of a quicksave option. Yerli blamed problems with the story on the fact that it was shoehorned in near the end of the game's development, while the lack of a quicksave feature was purely a design decision, calling the move "egotistical." Yerli also noted that the game's difficulty wasn't balanced properly and that the artificial intelligence for the nonhuman wasn't up to standards, due mostly to the fact that the enemy types changed drastically throughout the course of the game's development, from dinosaurs to aliens and ultimately mutants.

The goal for Crysis, then, became to turn all of the weaknesses from Far Cry to strengths, while at the same time improving upon everything the team did well. For Yerli, this all began with his original vision, which was to take the lush, warm tropical paradise of Far Cry and encase it in ice. "The Vision" also included maximizing players' ability to express themselves through the game by offering a variety of play styles. In so doing, he wanted players to outsmart the game by forcing them to think before they shoot. Lastly, Yerli's vision called for realistic sci-fi, namely an alien invasion that is as believable as possible.

In 2005, the process of actually making Crysis began to coalesce. One of the team's top priorities at the time was to "create the best-looking game ever," and to do so, Crytek signed on Venice, California-based Blur Studios to mock up a prerendered video using assets from the game to set a benchmark to aspire to. "The goal was to get step-by-step closer to these visual benchmarks," Yerli said.

One of the first steps in accomplishing this goal was to take a "business trip" to Tahiti, Yerli noted, with Hubler chiming in with, "We're coming from Germany, so we really don't know what a real tropical environment looks like." Real research was key, the team noted, and it was important to get a handle on how standing in a tropical forest and looking through the trees actually feels. "To make the best-looking game, we had to capture a believable world," Yerli continued.

Then came E3 2006, and with it a proving grounds for the work that had thus far been channeled into the game. Yerli revealed that the most striking scene shown off of the game--when a soldier mows down a clump of trees in the forest using a minigun--only made it into the demo due to a little luck with the timing. It had taken nearly six months to get only one tree to break apart at an acceptable 300 frames per second, and an equal amount of time to be able to reproduce the effect on any object of choice.

Yerli felt breakable vegetation was one key aspect coming out of the show that went on to define the game. However, it presented severe problems with the game's AI, namely the fact that if a player is able to completely obliterate an object in the game, then the enemy looks a bit silly hiding behind the now nonexistent obstacle. Using that as a starting point, the team underwent an extensive AI overhaul, addressing a variety of issues ranging from animation to open-ended gameplay.

The challenge, Yerli noted, was achieving "human" AI and not "perfect" AI. "Perfect AI, anyone can do. Human is a more difficult challenge, because you have to replicate humanity," he said. To illustrate how Crytek overcame this obstacle, he showed a video of North Korean soldiers pouring over a stone fence, with most landing on their feet, but a few tripping and falling.

The other key concept of Crysis, which wasn't even fully realized at the time of the E3 showing, was the game's distinguishing nanosuit. The nanosuit was born out of Yerli's realization that even though the core shooting was fun and the company had hit its visual bar, Crysis "had nothing to bring to the table yet in a meaningful way." Initially, the nanosuit was to gain power over the course of the game, with the fully featured suit playable only available in the last five minutes of the game. That was a problem, of course, and necessitated a reimaging of the feature.

For the nanosuit, Yerli insisted that "customization be king." By that, he meant that the suit should allow players to a wide variety of choices and ways to express themselves, whether that be through run-and-gun, "Rambo-style" gameplay, more tactical stealth, or a combination of the two. Outsmarting enemies also played heavily into the design of the suit, and the team explicitly wanted to avoid the FPS staple of "run in and shoot them before they shoot you" gameplay. They also wanted players to be able to experiment with strategies, make mistakes, retreat, and then try again.

The suit went through a significant iterative process, where the team returned time and time again to play testers, who invariably reacted in "unexpected ways"--which, as the team noted, is the nice way of saying the testers were idiots. The suit's visual interface underwent some of the most significant overhauling, with the few iterations involving catering heavily to the micromanaging crowd.

These complex systems--which, according to Diemer, were more likely to result in "death by chicken" than anything else--were eventually streamlined into binary suit powers (that is, strength or speed) that could be accessed quickly and intuitively. As the game had been in development for quite a while by the time the nanosuit began to take shape, it caused a good deal of friction between its proponents and the level designers, who essentially had a good deal of work negated. While painful, Hubler noted that it aided the team in realizing freedom in a sandbox level design.

Concluding the postmortem, Yerli noted the importance of keeping the vision and sticking to the quality bars set in the beginning. Yerli also noted that the vision should only act as a seed for the development team--"a vision is developed by a team; it's seeded by a visionary." Closing, he stressed that visions that are forced will inevitably fail, and that it is necessary for a team to buy into that vision to maintain passion and inspiration.

(Source: Gamespot)

Crytek has released the SDK. Which is good news for all the MODs out there. Now they can really dig in and see what the can do with Crysis.



- Download Crysis Mod SDK v1.0 @ CryMod
- Download Crysis Mod SDK v1.0 @ Torrent
- Download Crysis Mod SDK v1.0 @ InCrysis
- Download Crysis Mod SDK v1.0 @ RiseToDelta

- Official CryENGINE2 Documentation
- SDK Forum Section

Full Story...

Next-Generation had a private sit-down with Crytek. They talked about weather Crysis will be coming to consoles or not.



Full Story...

Crysis has officially won the "2007 Best Technology" award at the Game Developer Conference.

Crytek has released Weekly Update #4 for us. Check it out below.

Greetings Community!

Gamasutra posted a nice article about Crysis from the GDC, check out a piece of it below.



Be sure and read the rest of the article, by clicking here!

Softimage has announced they will support Crysis on their SOFTIMAGE|XSI software.









Read the press release >>

Download the CryENGINE2 plugin for XSI >>

Weekly Update #3, check it out below!

We found this article where Cevat Yerli talks bout movie deals that are in the works, check out the article below, or read the full interview here.

The mod team from Obsidian Edge have posted an announcement, check it below,

The guys from the Medieval Conflicts Mod have sent us over an update for you to check out.

We have worked out our problem and we can now take your affiliate requests, link submissions, and general contact information!

If you have submitted your questions within the last week or so, please re-submit and we will get right to it.

Affiliate Request - Click Here
Submit News/General Contact - Click Here
Link Submission - Click Here

Ciaran sat down with the leader of the CryRecon mod for a one on one chat. Here is a snippet from it below.

TCHQ: What all will be in this mod once it is completed?

CryRecon Team: As a quick rundown:
An advanced player controlled squad system, allowing for command in both the open battlefield and in QCQ situations, this will include the facility to stack your team on approaches, breach doors and clear rooms as well as more open maneuvers such as way-pointing, hold and follow and suppressive fire and flanking. Also the player has the ability to see through the eyes of his team mates via the helmet mounted camera system.

Aerial support, via precision airstrike, heavy bombing runs, AH-1Z Super Cobra and AC-130 gunship support, and close recon via the DragonWarrior UAV system. The player may also call in vehicle/ammo/weapon & medical supply drops that may also be purchased via the token system.





A new weapon arsenal for the player and his squad featuring present day prototype and production weapons that will be assigned to the battlefield by 2010.
A mixture of wide open battlefields, coastal areas, rich forests and CQC urban warfare set in both the Highlands, temperate low land areas and cities of North Korea.

New vegetation types native to North Korea.

Completely new custom audio for weaponry, characters, music and sound effects.

Be sure to read the full article here!

We have been experiencing troubles with our email accounts on the website. If you have submitted any information or tried to become an affiliate in the past week, please send me a private message and I will get it taken care of. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Click here to send me a message

Message from DIFTOW:


From CryMod:
Current Status
Fugitmdup, a team member of the Jurassic Park Mod, has brought us some sad news regarding the mod development. He has announced that he will be pulling the website off the internet, and disabling the mod in the ModDB page for now.

A New Hope
Fortunately, the news may not all be bad. The team is in contact with the licensing department of Amblin Entertainment to seek permissions to use certain assets from the Jurassic Park movie, so it's quite possible that he may be bringing everything back online real soon.


The Alternative Plan
However, if it should turn out that they cannot obtain the necessary permissions, the team leader, DIFTOW has announced that they have something else in store for you that could be far better.

Also, if you should wish to talk with the team or view updates on the current progress of these discussions, the team has left their forums online so you can visit and receive these updates as they become available. You can also check back inside their post on our forums, as the team may also be posting updates there whenever they can.


Related Links:
- JPMod Forum Jurassic Park Mod Forum

Welcome to another feature on TheCrysisHQ.com! This weeks feature highlights another great total conversion mod for Crysis. We sit down with the leader of the mod for an up close and personal interview about his mod, Medieval Conflicts.

Medieval Conflicts is a first person, medieval total conversion for Crysis. Set during the Hundred Years’ War, it will be a battle between England and France. The mod will feature a unique combat system that allows for skilled blocking and attacking. In other words timing will be a key factor in playing the game. Our maps will be based on real, historical battles from the Hundred Years’ War. Each map will be unique and will require a different style of gameplay to succeed. A few will center around using the vehicles at your disposal to attack and others will focus more on your sword fighting skills to achieve victory. With Medieval Conflicts we hope to create something that will hold true to the history of such an important period of time while making a challenging yet fun experience.

Read the full interview here!

EA have just reported that Cyrsis has gone platinum which means that the game has sold over 1 million copies. This destroys earlier reports that the game was selling poorly. Well done Crytek!

Hey guys, we are back online on our new server. But as you can see not everything is functioning perfectly yet. We are working as hard and as fast as we can to get these bugs fixed for you. Please be patient with us as we are doing everything we can.

The guys from Jurassic Park Mod sent us in this update, check it out! Also you can check out all of the mod updates and more images in our forums! Click Here!

For this weeks feature we sat down with the dev team from MechWarrior: Living Legneds for a one on one interview. Below I have cut out a small snippet from the interview, check it out.

TCHQ: How many new maps can we expect?

MWLLT: Currently we have approximately 8 maps in varying degrees of completion. Our goal upon release is for 10-15 maps total.

TCHQ: Can you explain to us a little bit about the factions, and what we can expect in game play?

MWLLT: Essentially it breaks down to choosing between Clan and Inner Sphere. The main difference between the two is the technologies they use. The Clan’s have far superior technology and are genetically bread to be superior soldiers; however, the Inner Sphere is no easy conquest as the “free borns” are free thinkers and persistent people.

In Terms of Gameplay we are currently working with 2 unique game modes. One is called Trial of Annihilation and the other is called Solaris Arenas. Each has unique variables with it and more details will be provided as we come closer to beta.

Want to read more? Click Here!

We would like to make a home for your skins, maps, utilities, etc! We can be your complete file resource for you modders. Here is a few steps to follow before you can upload a file.

Step 1: Register
Step 2: Reply to the confirmation e-mail.
Step 3: Sign in to your new account
Step 4: Begin your uploads!

If you have any troubles, be sure and visit our Support Area for help on uploading files.

We sat down with the Jurassic Park Dev Team for a one on one interview the other day. Check out some of it below.

TCHQ: I don't know if you can pinpoint one great achievement, but what stands out as the greatest achievement so far?

JPMT: A much larger team now exists than when this project first started, and it continues to grow. I think that is an achievement, because it means the project is starting to take off, and that is obviously significantly important.

TCHQ: I personally know that you guys put in a ton of research to make it as realistic as possible; can you explain a little bit about your process?

JPMT: There really isn't a "process". I just gather data that can help me and my team achieve accuracy in our work.

Be sure and read the rest of our interview on our Featured Articles Section!

Crytek would like you to view some videos that showcase CryEngine2 and it's potential, check it out below:

Scene 1: Chaotic Pendulum
"A pendulum is an object that is attached to a pivot point so it can swing freely. This object is subject to a restoring force that will accelerate it toward an equilibrium position. When the pendulum is displaced from its place of rest, the restoring force will cause the pendulum to oscillate about the equilibrium position. In other words, a weight attached to a string swings back and forth."

-Source: Wikipedia.org

So that is the theory, but we actually need some ingame footage. The following video shows you how this pendulum physics looks like with the CryENGINE 2:

Chaotic Pendulum Video

Scene 2: Gyroscope
"A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of conservation of angular momentum. The device is a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation. This orientation changes much less in response to a given external torque than it would without the large angular momentum associated with the gyroscope's high rate of spin."

-Source: Wikipedia.org

Ok that is enough theory about the gyroscope physics. The following video shows you how this gyroscope physics looks like with the CryENGINE 2:

Gyroscope Video

Scene 3: Catapult
"A catapult is any one of a number of mechanical devices used to throw a projectile a great distance; particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines."

-Source: Wikipedia.org

So if you want to see how it looks like if the CryENGINE 2 tries to simulate a catapult, feel free to watch the following video:

Catapult Video


Scene 4: Mass Physics
You are bored of those physics demonstrations ? You need some more action on the screen ? Ok, the next scene is about mass physics, where actually up to 3000 barrels try to find the engine limits, or only your system limits.

Take a look at the following video that gives you an impression what happens, if you try to play around with 3000 oil barrels:

Mass Physics Video

Crytek wants everyone to know for those of you who brought the game at the EA online store:

Sources are stating that the hit PC game Crysis is coming to the next-gen Sony PS3, but not the Microsoft Xbox 360.

It has been rumored for months now that Crysis would be making its way onto home video game consoles, more specifically on either the PS3, Xbox 360, or both.

According to Playstation World UK though, insiders have stated that Crysis is going to be an exclusive game to the PS3.

The PS3 version of Crysis will be a port of the PC version and will have extra game modes as well as extra features over the PC version.

This is not a sequel to Crysis, but more of a big upgrade over the PC version.

Reports are that there will be no Xbox 360 version of Crysis due to technical reasons, perhaps the console is not powerful enough.

GamesRadar is reporting that rumours of a PS3 conversion of the stunning Crysis (developed by Far Cry creators Crytek) were rife, and not far off the mark if insiders at the studio are to be believed. The game looks to be a port of the PC original plus some extra modes and features, a kind of Crysis 1.5. Like the PC game you can expect a visual powerhouse; an open-world shooter that begins on a beautiful tropical island before things take a turn for the worse and aliens from a parallel world stake a claim on Earth. Only the mighty Killzone 2 could possibly hold a candle to this shooter. For technical reasons we hear an Xbox 360 version of Crysis isn’t in development.

The Crysis Dev team has released the Dedicated Server Documentation, check it out below.

Dedicated Server Documentation v1.3
Today we would like to announce the release of the “Official Dedicated Server Documentation v1.3” for Crysis. With the release of Patch 1.1 some new features for server administration got introduced. These have been added to the manual. In addition we completely re-worked the document structure and added quite a few new guidelines. As usual you can get it from our downloads section.


Package Content
Next to an updated documentation with lots of new content the whole package includes new files as well. To get the external RCon via HTML/XMLRPC working we provide you with a CrysisRCon Java script.

Also a server sided update is included in this package. It should be applied to every dedicated server in order to provide people who pre-ordered the game the ability to purchase the Amphibious APC in PowerStruggle.

Detailed instructions for both topics are of course covered in the documentation.


Punkbuster CFG files
As last content of the whole package we provide you with an up-to-date Punkbuster folder that includes both the latest .DLL files and the latest .CFG files that have been created on conjunction with Punksbusted.com.

More information about how to set these files up and more features of Punkbuster can be found in the document.


Full Changelog
Please find below the complete changelog of what has been updated since version 1.2 that has been introduced some time ago.

* Added first steps guidelines (hardware recommendations, updating the server, game ports)
* Added complete install guide for default game server
* Re-written complete install guide for server instance
* Added startup.bat explanation
* Added external RCon description
* Added how to use external RCon via HTML/XMLRPC
* Added streaming to Punksbusted.com

Note: Please ensure to use the included server.cfg file as reference.

Also it is recommended to use the included Punkbuster .CFG files when setting up a PB server and not other pbsv.cfg and/or pbsvuser.cfg files that are roaming around to ensure your server works properly with Punkbuster.


Download Link:
- Download Official Dedicated Server Documentation 1.3

Intel® has made a date with Crysis® fans worldwide, the new video game from the Crytek® and Electronic Arts. On January 15th 2008 you will see the launch of the first mapping contest on http://icmc.crymod.com dedicated to the Crysis universe.

Thanks to the Sandbox2 level editor supplied with the game, players can change the game environment, set-up new scenarios, create buildings, as well as personalise existing objects (weapons, armour, vehicles). Players will be judged on their map modifying skills in two main categories, “singleplayer” and “multiplayer”. For the latter, players can choose between “PowerStruggle” or the “InstantAction” game modes.

“We are offering players the chance to pit themselves against some of the best video game developers in the world. They can take over the Crysis universe, completely change the scenario, invent the best map to make their own game!” explains Jean-Pierre Navarro, Intel Strategic Relationship Manager, Consumer EMEA Gaming. “The winners of the Intel / Crysis Mapping Contest will be awarded of a range of prizes* including the latest generation Processors, Laptops, Desktops, Gamers motherboards, Goodies...”*

* List of Prizes at the end of this press release.

Timetable for the Intel / Crysis Mapping Contest

On 18th of March 2008, following an intensive period of deliberation and development, competing players from all over the world have delivered their multiplayer maps to Crymod at http://icmc.crymod.com, on behalf of Crytek®. For two weeks, the Crysis community will be able to vote and rate each entry, with the finalists being the top 10 rated maps in each game mode at the end of that time period.

Once the finalists are determined, a jury comprising representatives of Intel, Crytek, EA Games, 4 Crysis pre-SDK Mod Teams, the major gaming leagues ESL, EAMasters, ClanBase, InCrysis and the Crysis Teams [00] and GT will score these maps according to precise criteria (see Mission Orders below) and name the winners of the assignments in each category, Multiplayer – InstantAction and Multiplayer – PowerStruggle.

The same judging process will be used for Singleplayer maps, but the timetable will be different. Since development for this game mode takes much longer, players who have chosen this category will be given extra time and months, for finishing and uploading their map until 20th of May 2008.

Read the rest here!

Crytek has posted new security updates for multiplayer gaming. Check it out below.

Crysis has been out for quite some time already and we constantly focus on getting the Multiplayer part more balanced and the servers less filled with cheaters. The last point is a topic we want to address today. The following is only the beginning of our initiative against Hacks, Cheats and Trainers. We know this is going to be tough, but we think it is rudimental and absolutely necessary.

Alliance with Punksbusted.com
With this day we would like to announce our collaboration with the well known Anti-Cheat web site www.PunksBusted.com. Many of you may know this page from other popular multiplayer games, but here a summary what the group is about.

PunksBusted (PsB) was founded back in the year 2002. They are currently providing several games with the latest Md5 checks and a global master ban list. Most common hacks out there can be detected with the right Punkbuster configuration, and thus we decided to work together with these guys.

The Master Ban List
Together with PsB we have been working on a new Punkbuster configuration which is ready for release now. In addition we are going to use the Punkbuster streaming technology which is linked to PsB's Master Ban List (MBL) for Crysis.

So what is this MBL? In a few words, it is a list that streams the Punkbuster log files of a server to www.punksbusted.com. Afterwards these log files are being analyzed and cheat violations are being added to a Master Ban List (MBL).

This list prevents cheaters who have been added to play on all Crysis game server who are streaming to Punksbusted. Following you will find a description how to set up your server correctly in order to be able to stream to PsB. We are also using the Auto MBL tool to provide new cheat related Md5 checks to the game servers. These will be updated as soon as we have found a new cheat for Crysis which can be detected this way.

Streaming To Punksbusted.com
Every game server for Crysis can stream to Punksbusted.com. All you need to do is following:

1. Register free on www.punksbusted.com
2. Chose “Membership” and then “Apply”
3. Fill out the form (don’t forget to add Crysis game servers)
4. Application is being verified and Clan ID being sent via email
5. Once you have received the login information proceed as following:
- Open "pbsvlog.cfg" inside your Pb folder.
- Enter your Clan ID into this field:
pb_sv_loguser <clanID> // Your Clan ID
6. Download the Auto-mbl tool to get updates from PsB automatically.
7. Keep in mind: “pbsv.cfg” requires manual updating!
8. Changes to your game server need to be updated on the PsB page.


New Punkbuster Configuration
As already mentioned above we have created a new Punkbuster configuration together with PsB which can be downloaded further below and applied to your server. This configuration contains 4 files:

* pbsv.cfg
You can find general PB settings, cvar checks and all Md5 checks in this config file

* pbsvlog.cfg
In this config you need to add all needed informations for streaming

* pbsvuser.cfg
This is an empty placeholder file the Auto MBL tool will update with the latest Md5 checks

* reloadbans.cfg
This file is needed to reload the ban list. So players which where deleted from the MBL will be unbanned.

Crysis Trusted Server Providers
Several Crysis game server providers already updated their public servers and more will follow during the next days. Especially our Trusted Server Providers KGN and i3D have been very cooperative and most of their servers are running the new configurations. So try them out and enjoy some great Crysis Multiplayer experience!

Gamasutra sat down with business manager Harald Seely to talk about introducing CryEngine 2 to the Korean game market. Check it out.

So are your tools fully localized into Korean, or do you have Korean support?

Harald Seely: We don't have any localization of the tools in any language, except English.

A lot of companies are having trouble right now in Asia with game technology, because their local technology has fallen far behind. So they're having to adopt English-language technology, which is also extremely difficult for them, because they're not natively speaking English.

HS: Neither are a lot of the people at Crytek. We understand the problem, and we're definitely looking into doing localization of our documentation, for example. First we have to complete it for the English version. We've been working very hard on that now that Crysis has shipped, putting together tutorial videos and step-by-step instructions together.

Once that step is completed, then we will probably look and see if we can get the documentation translated over to other languages. Korean is definitely very high on that list, and some of our existing licensees have offered to help us with that task, because they definitely want to see that happen.

It seems like the first proper engine that localizes itself into an Asian language will have a significant lead, because pretty much everyone I've talked to on the Asian side -- like from Japan or Korea -- is having these kinds of technology problems as they fall behind in game development because of translation issues.

HS: We understand the problem, obviously, since we're a multicultural company with 26 of our own. We know that English is our common language, but at the same time, if we could find a local partner, we could work together with them to help us make the support here more local, both in terms of access and in terms of language.

I just noticed that Gamebase is a local partner for Gamebryo. They're doing it through a third party -- would you consider that?

HS: What we consider is not something I can comment on right now, but one of the reasons why everyone is here right now and not just the engine licensing team is to seriously look at different companies here in Asia, to see if in the future, if we decide to expand here, who would be the right partners. That's how we got into our existing satellite studios right now. It was through a similar process.

Read the rest of this article.

The guys at Crysis wanted to get this experiment out to the community, check it out!

The Experiment
Over Christmas we took the time for a little in-house experiment. With only a limited budget of around US $900 we wanted to set up a brand new machine that can handle Crysis on High settings. We should note that Very High settings are reserved to keep Crysis future-proofed, just like Ultra was in Far Cry.

Together with EA we looked in shops around the world and bought the hardware parts to put together our machine starting from scratch. While we had a budget in mind, we wanted to still make sure this machine would have top-notch hardware such as a multicore processor or a DirectX10 graphics card.

The Videos
As you’ll see from the 8 minutes of video we recorded, Crysis looks absolute fabulous on High settings with this configuration and runs very smoothly on a 1280x720 resolution. They show different locations from the Crysis Singleplayer Campaign with everything set to High.

- Download – Video 1
- Download – Video 2
- Download – Video 3
- Download – Video 4

The Configuration
Below you find a rough list of parts we purchased so you can see and check for yourself about the total costs of such a high-end computer. The prices may vary from country to country, but overall the costs should be within the same range (shipping included).

CPU Intel Core2Duo E6750
GPU GeForce 8800GT 512MB
Motherboard NVIDIA nForce 650i Socket 775
PSU 600W ATX12V
RAM 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit
HDD SATA 250GB 7200RPM
DVD 20x DVD±R Burner
Case ATX Midi Tower Computer Case
OS Microsoft Windows XP Home with SP2

The Message
With this experiment we have shown that Crysis runs smoothly and provides and amazing, unparalleled performance on High settings and on an affordable machine that is readily available today. We know most of you already have a great base to work with, so compare your current hardware with the setup mentioned above and consider an affordable upgrade – you do not have to purchase a new machine. Crysis is very scalable and looks great on Medium settings compared to current next-gen games.

Your Hardware?
Of course we would like to know what kind of hardware you are running the game on and how it is running. We encourage you to run a benchmark test in Crysis which you can share afterwards with the members of your favorite Crysis forum.

Regards,
-Crysis Dev Team

We have been adding maps and utilities to the database, and will continue to do so for the next several days. If you have a file that you would like to post on the site, no problem. Click Here for the file submission form.