Unreal Engine 4- Linux, Steam Machines, Oculus, and Github

I lied to you yesterday when I said GOG.com's Linux support was the best news all week.

This is.

Unreal Engine 4 launches today, and will soon support Oculus VR, Linux, Valve’s Steamworks and Steam Machines and HTML5. And the source is hosted on GitHub, though you do have to pay a subscription to access it.

That Linux support is for deployment and development. Linux will be a first-class citizen all around for the new engine.

They're also building an app store model for sharing awesome code-- free stuff and paid-for.

Read the full release here: https://www.unrealengine.com/blog/welcome-to-unreal-engine-4

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/20/2014 at 10:47pm

Pretty! I like the low cost of entry, although a free version to learn on would be nice, but the 5% royalty to Epic seems sketchy. I just hope other companies don't start doing this. Imagine if all the software you used as a professional took a cut of your success (Adobe, don't you dare!)?

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/21/2014 at 02:55am

I agree. That said, if you are wanting to build the next amazing shooter, that might not be that bad. Well, depending on what you are used to. One of my friends who developed for consoles and such said that kind of rev cut isn't that uncommon and that engine companies have been doing that for a while. That said, if you don't want a rev cut then Unity might be the ticket. And really, I kind of would rather just buy tools outright than pay them scrilla per month and a rev cut.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/21/2014 at 04:28am

I like Unity's approach. The subscription cost is higher, but the option to purchase a license is, I feel, still important. Of course you can learn to use the tools at no cost, which is the way it should be. I'm glad that model is working for them, and hope they continue with it. UE4 is so beautiful, though (graphically). I've never used it, but watching a few of the training videos they have on it make it seem less intimidating than I imagined. I've only gone as far as making test levels in Unity, but if UE4 is as welcoming to use, and (I would assume) more powerful, then it would certainly be worth $20 a month to try it out, at least.

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/21/2014 at 04:58am

I'd love to see what you cooked up with Unity. I downloaded the free version but I haven't gotten around to playing with it yet.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/21/2014 at 06:18pm

My test level isn't much more than going through some tutorials that I followed to get used to the tools. When I was finished I had hills and a wooded area all textured with grass, some bushes, proper rocks, some sand (texture), and a skybox. First person perspective. Playing around with it made me thing two things: "Yeah, I can do this," and "I have a lot more to learn." I'll see if I can dig it out and send it to you.

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/21/2014 at 06:42pm

Nice! Looking forward to going through those tutorials myself.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 03/22/2014 at 03:11am

"Yeah, I can do this," and "I have a lot more to learn." I'll see if I can dig it out and send it to you.

That's the best place to be. Seriously, I love that feeling.

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