Unreal Tournament 3 online community already dead?

I don't get it, I just bought UT3, and I know it only recently came out, but there's only like 5 populated servers on the planet judging by my server list, and the all seeing eye doesn't even support the game.

Were UT2004 and 2003 this bad when they first came out? I'm in aus and we have like 1server available with an acctualy population. UT is like THE competitive online FPS, so whats up with the lack of players :? The engine scales wonderfully so it can't be a hardware thing.

Maybe my server list is broken?

There are many possible reasons for it.

1 - The game sucks, feels like a console game.

2 - People are awaiting bug fixes.

3 - People are still playing UT and UT2004.

4 - It was Christmas.

5 - People are waiting for mods and/or more levels etc.

i dont think people dont play the game only because it has a console like menu.crapdog

No, and I suspect the majority of people complaining about its console menus also happened to read a review that criticized the menu system. I have no problem with the menu system and the game certainly doesn't feel like a console shooter.

I don't understand why they changed from the UT2004 menu system, that was fine.

Also UT never had a lot of fans outside of Europe _Pedro_

Yeah, I don't get that part. I always assumed UT was really popular, but I've been told that UT3's low server and player population is normal for a UT game. You always hear so much about it in the world of MP gaming, so why doesn't it have a more active online community? You'd think it would be absolutely enormous for all the talk you hear of it...

[QUOTE="_Pedro_"]Also UT never had a lot of fans outside of Europe JP_Russell

Yeah, I don't get that part. I always assumed UT was really popular, but I've been told that UT3's low server and player population is normal for a UT game. You always hear so much about it in the world of MP gaming, so why doesn't it have a more active online community? You'd think it would be absolutely enormous for all the talk you hear of it...

I don't know who told you that, normally the UT community IS enormous. UT2004 was insanley popular, I'm unsure how it is now, but it used to be flooded with people at all times. UT3 is the first time I've seen a UT game without a major fanbase... It just makes no sence, 2004 was basically 2003 + a few extra's, UT3 is a complete engine overhawl. After spending so much money for very little with 04, you'd think they'd be willing to pay out for this.

[QUOTE="_Pedro_"]Also UT never had a lot of fans outside of Europe JP_Russell

Yeah, I don't get that part.

More or less 3 parts of the gaming world: Europe, North America, and Asia.

Shooter's don't sell really well in Asia, period.

North America is for the most part the U.S., and since UT does not feature the U.S. patriotically killing...something...it won't sell well. It's the same as S.T.A.L.K.E.R., which did better in Europe.

[QUOTE="JP_Russell"][QUOTE="_Pedro_"]Also UT never had a lot of fans outside of Europe Cobra_nVidia

Yeah, I don't get that part.

More or less 3 parts of the gaming world: Europe, North America, and Asia.

Shooter's don't sell really well in Asia, period.

North America is for the most part the U.S., and since UT does not feature the U.S. patriotically killing...something...it won't sell well. It's the same as S.T.A.L.K.E.R., which did better in Europe.

That wasn't what I didn't get, it was what Drift explained above you.

Right now there are 50 players from the USA.

Deihmos

Damn... Strange to think someone on this forum could start a topic asking if anyone in America wanted to play some UT3, and could substantially affect the population all by himself.

That wasn't what I didn't get, it was what Drift explained above you.JP_Russell

My apologies, I assumed you didn't get what you quoted and then responded to.

UT only sold 30k, or something, there sales are horribledarkfox101

That's just in the US, though, right?

depends what type of game type.

Quite frankly I hate the server browser - cant viet all combined.

And yea the populatrion is growing...

http://www.game-monitor.com/search.php?game=ut3&location=AU

106 Australian players is the most I've ever seen on it. Which is below decent If I payed for it. UT2k4 wasn't that popular in Oz as well anyway. Infact Oz is welcoming UT3 more than 2k4.

[QUOTE="JP_Russell"]

[QUOTE="_Pedro_"]Also UT never had a lot of fans outside of Europe DriftRS

Yeah, I don't get that part. I always assumed UT was really popular, but I've been told that UT3's low server and player population is normal for a UT game. You always hear so much about it in the world of MP gaming, so why doesn't it have a more active online community? You'd think it would be absolutely enormous for all the talk you hear of it...

I don't know who told you that, normally the UT community IS enormous. UT2004 was insanley popular, I'm unsure how it is now, but it used to be flooded with people at all times. UT3 is the first time I've seen a UT game without a major fanbase... It just makes no sence, 2004 was basically 2003 + a few extra's, UT3 is a complete engine overhawl. After spending so much money for very little with 04, you'd think they'd be willing to pay out for this.

That is pretty much the problem with UT3. UT2k4 added extra and had a engine orientated for fast paced gaming. UT3 adds nothing to gameplay and the engine feels slow.

one more thing..the single player it sux........and crappy story.....i still like the Ut 2004 single player..~~....really so disappoint...of UT 3 T_T...
commander1122

I remember reading somewhere that the single player was just there as a way to get you ready for online. They didn't design a real single player story. Its just online.

[QUOTE="commander1122"]one more thing..the single player it sux........and crappy story.....i still like the Ut 2004 single player..~~....really so disappoint...of UT 3 T_T...
pwilletts

I remember reading somewhere that the single player was just there as a way to get you ready for online. They didn't design a real single player story. Its just online.

From what I've heard, the single player is an actual campaign with a story and such, it's just that the gameplay is basically a bot match. One would think the regular single playerbot matches would be more for multiplayer preparation than the... bot matches with a storyline (since one would think the focus of them would be the story, if that's all that's different).

I honestly think UT could be a bit more popular if they gave it a campaign that most considered to be worth something. I was actually going to buy UT3 if it had a good single player component. But it doesn't, and its multiplayer isn't my forte, so I won't.

[QUOTE="crapdog"]i dont think people dont play the game only because it has a console like menu.Cobra_nVidia

No, and I suspect the majority of people complaining about its console menus also happened to read a review that criticized the menu system. I have no problem with the menu system and the game certainly doesn't feel like a console shooter.

I believe Epic already released a statement saying their first patch would remove and/or modify the menu to catter to the pc gamer.

one more thing..the single player it sux........and crappy story.....i still like the Ut 2004 single player..~~....really so disappoint...of UT 3 T_T...
commander1122

Who buys UT for their singleplayer? That being said, give it time.. I am sure new patchs and content will make the game much more attractive to the community.. Because lets not forget how moddable past UT's have been.. I bet at this very moment there is a dedicated group of modders out there that is making enhancements to the game to more closely resemble 2k4 over 99.

After all guys this is the PC community not a console community.. PC communities last for years, instead of the console community which alot of times go after the hottest thing on the market to date.

moment of silence...............

[QUOTE="commander1122"]one more thing..the single player it sux........and crappy story.....i still like the Ut 2004 single player..~~....really so disappoint...of UT 3 T_T...
sSubZerOo

Who buys UT for their singleplayer? That being said, give it time.. I am sure new patchs and content will make the game much more attractive to the community.. Because lets not forget how moddable past UT's have been.. I bet at this very moment there is a dedicated group of modders out there that is making enhancements to the game to more closely resemble 2k4 over 99.

After all guys this is the PC community not a console community.. PC communities last for years, instead of the console community which alot of times go after the hottest thing on the market to date.

Even though I find the comments that Epic was making about the PC before the launch of UTIII insanely idiotic. I still enjoy the game.Nikalai_88

What were those comments? Just curious.

The Playstation 3 version went gold before it was even released. So it has some popularity. Plus people are making tons of mods and mutators. You can request ones that you want made on Epic's website. So ultimately it will be interesting enough to keep a small hardcore audience I think.

As far as the game being slower, the game has penalties that involve thinking instead of just how fast your mouse hand moves, but whatever, the game can be modded for the fastest players anyway.

[QUOTE="Nikalai_88"]Even though I find the comments that Epic was making about the PC before the launch of UTIII insanely idiotic. I still enjoy the game.JP_Russell

What were those comments? Just curious.

Generic PC bashing by console players...

UT2004 didn't sell well on the PC due to piracy

UT games play just as well with a controller

Here at Epic we love the clunky PS3 controller, half the people play with it including the lead weapon balancer, oh and he beats the mouse players

The graphics of this generation will be defined by consoles

The PS3 version looks exactly the same as the PC one, running at 720p... with no AA or AF

We are not removing anything for the PS3 version of the game, infact we are adding to it.

Anyways it looks like the game didn't even sell that well on the PS3 either

http://vgchartz.com/games/index.php?name=unreal+tournament+III&console=&publisher=&genre=&keyword=&order=Last+Updated

I know its not the most accurate source but I doubt that it sold considerably more than that.

There are many possible reasons for it.

1 - The game sucks, feels like a console game.

2 - People are awaiting bug fixes.

3 - People are still playing UT and UT2004.

zeus_gb

Got it spot on.

[QUOTE="JP_Russell"]

[QUOTE="Nikalai_88"]Even though I find the comments that Epic was making about the PC before the launch of UTIII insanely idiotic. I still enjoy the game.Nikalai_88

What were those comments? Just curious.

Generic PC bashing by console players...

UT2004 didn't sell well on the PC due to piracy

UT games play just as well with a controller

Here at Epic we love the clunky PS3 controller, half the people play with it including the lead weapon balancer, oh and he beats the mouse players

The graphics of this generation will be defined by consoles

The PS3 version looks exactly the same as the PC one, running at 720p... with no AA or AF

We are not removing anything for the PS3 version of the game, infact we are adding to it.

Anyways it looks like the game didn't even sell that well on the PS3 either

http://vgchartz.com/games/index.php?name=unreal+tournament+III&console=&publisher=&genre=&keyword=&order=Last+Updated

I know its not the most accurate source but I doubt that it sold considerably more than that.

Can you share some links? Because from what I've read Epic's attitude is the exact opposite. Rein called pc their "heritage". About the gears of war port, one of the developers was automaticly making high res textures of the models because they knew in their hearts that they would port it to pc. They also critized the big pc manufacters for selling their pcs with integrated graphic cards. etc

Also from what I know UT2004 sold really well. More than the ps3 and pc versions of UT3 combined in its first 3 weeks I think.

alright then people if you want a larger online comminity inside of a game, then lets do what the publisher and the media forgot to do, get it out there ourselves. i personally love UT3, as i did with UT2K4. i don't know about all of you guys. but i am going to try and up the sales thus increasing our community. if you would like to help get onboard by e-mailing me at: reap_the_shadows@yahoo.com. thx

EtherNix

There are many possible reasons for it.

1 - The game sucks, feels like a console game.

2 - People are awaiting bug fixes.

3 - People are still playing UT and UT2004.

4 - It was Christmas.

5 - People are waiting for mods and/or more levels etc.

zeus_gb

Another possibility is the stiff competition with Crysis, Call of Duty 4 and Team Fortress 2. Unreal Tournament 3 did came out during a time when alot of high profile games were coming out too. Maybe that is the reason why the numbers have been low. I would say wait a few months from now and let people get bored with Call of Duty 4 then look too UT3 as another game to play.

I don't understand why people are saying the game sucks so badly.

Okay so you had to use your arrow keys to get through the Menu, so what? Is that a huge deal? No not at all. The game was EXTERMELY smooth on my PC and I LOVED the fast action play on EVERY single game play level. To me it felt like a much better updated Quake 3 Arena game that was in Next-Gen graphics with much more interesting gameplay modes.

Think there's several reasons:

1) I doubt there's been a time in the histroy of video games where with as much competition, especially in the FPS genre

The game is competing with Cysis (brilliant graphics / high end tech), COD4 (offering both great single and multiplayer), Quake Wars and and still popular BF2 / BF2042 offering the vehicle 'battlefield' style game, The orange box with Team Fortress 2, Halo 3 if you own a xbox 360. Gears of War recently released on the PC... There's just SO many strong multiplayer FPS games out there right now.

2) The source engine has become a very strong contender for the modding engine of choice.

I think a lot of people have gotten used to modding / downloading mods for the source engine. For a lot of them it, UT3 dosent really add anything they don't already have and cant already do in source so tehre's not that much of a draw to start relearning Unreal3.

3) Not that much hype in the community or media.

Everyone has been hearing about Crysis, COD4, Halo 3, Bioshock.. There's been very little talk about unreal tournament 3. Epic just didn't succeed in building up that much anticipation in the fps communityI guess.

With that said I wouldnt discount unreal 3 just yet for several reasons. It's still the most popular 3d engine on the market, half the bloody games recently released seem to be using it. That is going to open a lot of potential. Learning to use the modding tools for one game might help in modding other games using the same engine, even potentially allowing mods to, to some extent, work accross mutliple games. Aslo it takes time to really build a solid modding community. Lets see what happens once people out there get some time to actually play around with the editor and learn whats possible.