Should LDG join the new Unreal Tournament?

[Takeo]

After the failure of UT3, EPIC has started a new project for Unreal Tournament. This time, the community will likely do the main part as I see it. (For more information about this, look here: https://www.unrealengine.com )

The question I ask myself is whether LDG should join the new project and/or host servers for the new game. What is your opinion on that? And should the UT2004 servers be kept online?

This thread is intended for discussion. You can change your voting as you like. We've got plenty of time until the game is released.

Let the discussion begin!

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My opinion:
Yes, we should join the new game, but should keep the old ones alive for a while, until the majority switches to the new game. I will likely create content for it if LDG does switch to it. The new engine enables incredible flexibilities and options which we seemingly are struggling with in UT2004.

[Azarael]

We run servers for non-standard or unfavoured gametypes: Assault, racing, BW Freon and BW Invasion. We rely on a horde of custom maps which are unlikely to have direct support on the new engine and are fraught with copyright issues should we attempt to port them. We're also heavily dependent upon pirates and players running old hardware for most of our playerbase. While a new game will likely come with its own playerbase, getting our content over to this new game (and whether it will even be able to fit with the new art style) will be a problem.

[iRobot]

UT4 is all ghosts and stories at the moment. Lets wait till the finished product is a little closer.

[iZumo]

Yeah I think this is a bit premature for now. Let's first wait on when the new UT gets stable and playable, before taking any decision (don't think this will happen in a year). Or well if somebody wants to pay 19E / month and actively develop something in UE4, they could propagate rais into new UT

[Skaldy]

For me, it totally depends on the physics & networking - if it responds quickly, with low latency, and has complex yet smooth freedom of movement, then maybe. They need to earn our involvement first.

But basically they just don't want to pay artist salaries for 2 years - you can just imagine the management meeting in the US where someone went: "Hey, why not get the community to do the donkey work for free? Once they feel they have 'ownership', then we can just hook them into an ongoing subscription deal thingy and bleed them dry!".

Call me cynical.

[Takeo]

For me, it totally depends on the physics & networking - if it responds quickly, with low latency, and has complex yet smooth freedom of movement, then maybe. They need to earn our involvement first.

But basically they just don't want to pay artist salaries for 2 years - you can just imagine the management meeting in the US where someone went: "Hey, why not get the community to do the donkey work for free? Once they feel they have 'ownership', then we can just hook them into an ongoing subscription deal thingy and bleed them dry!".

Call me cynical.

You are cynical. Nah, just kidding
Of course it is a different type of strategy than we are used to, but after release (and even now) people may create their own content and sell them with a little fee, which is not much different from the UDK license if I got it right.

And yes, I know that you can't say anything for now, but over the upcoming months there will likely be a massive development and I want to know whether the community here is completely blocking that part out or is open for a change if certain circumstances are given (and which ones), so we can work towards our own aspects within the new engine.

[iZumo]

It doesn't really involve us as LDG servers until the game is playable, does it?

[Azarael]

What Izumo said. We don't really have anyone with the ability or inclination to help them anyway.

[Butcher]

Pay 19€/month for you to develop things for them? and then if you produce something that gives you income, you have to give 5% of the "Brutto"!!! Sounds Great...
Personally not investing my time...
Just dreaming: Would be nice if you could map old code as UT99, UT2k4 and UT3 into new UT4 somehow (like a compatibility), such that you could use all maps characters and arts...but with a new engine.

[proof]

Should LGD take part in developing and hosting servers for UT6, what do you think? Give me your opinions right now