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HDFILMS SIGNS UE3 FOR ANIMATED SERIES

HDFilms has selected Unreal Engine 3 to develop Chadam, its new short-form 3D animated Web series to be distributed by Studio 2.0, the digital production and distribution arm of the Warner Bros. Television Group.

The character Chadam is the brainchild of acclaimed artist Alex Pardee and character icon for the popular rock band The Used. Chadam uses his power of imagination to physically change his environment – and, therefore, his world – to save it from evil.

The series will find Chadam in a place of refuge, where he and others have retreated to plan their attack against Viceroy, a serial killer who threatens their way of life.

Using Unreal Engine 3 to render original character models and landscapes designed by Pardee, this action-horror-adventure story filled with self-discovery serves as an incubator for future expansion of the Chadam universe across all entertainment mediums.

“As film, television and video games continue to evolve, the convergence of their associated tools, techniques and audiences are providing a fantastic opportunity for creative, cost-effective and compelling storytelling such as Chadam,” said HDFilms president and producer Jason Hall, who is also the founder and former CEO of Monolith.

“Utilising the Unreal Engine 3 as part of our overall production process has enabled us to realize our full vision for the 3D series.”

“Jason Hall’s access to leading-edge technology like the 3D animation engine of Epic is one of the reasons we are excited to be in business with his company HD Films,” said Craig Hunegs, executive vice president, business management, Warner Bros. Television Group.

”We look forward to working with Epic in what we hope is a long-term relationship. The Chadam project is a great example of Studio 2.0’s commitment to provide the most compelling and exciting user experience in online and wireless video.”

“Being able to work with such an advanced technology to finally bring my abstract artwork into the 3D realm is like a chance for me to play Dr. Frankenstein, except our monster is Chadam, whose skin is my art, and whose heart is the Unreal Engine 3,” added Chadam creator Pardee.

SouthPeak Games has purchased an Unreal Engine 3 studio licence for the development of its upcoming PC and console titles worldwide. The agreement is in effect throughout the life of UE3 technology across all major platforms including downloadable content.

SOUTHPEAK OPENS DOORS FOR INDEPENDENTS THROUGH UE3

SouthPeak’s latest release planned under the new studio licence is Monster Madness EX: Battle for Suburbia, currently under development by Psyonix Studios for PlayStation 3.

“Independent developers need more opportunities to bring their games to market with next-generation technology,” said Katie Morgan, executive vice president at SouthPeak Games.

“UE3 provides developers all the tools and resources necessary to build great games and SouthPeak is giving talented developers a chance to focus on creating their games without spending the resources to create an engine to support it.”

“Our focus on UE3 technology has been key to our success as an independent studio. This is an ideal opportunity for us to work with SouthPeak on our projects,” said Dave Hagewood, president of Psyonix Studios.

DESTINEER LICENSES UE3

Destineer Publishing recently announced that it has licensed Unreal Engine 3 for a yet to be announced project.

Destineer is the studio formed by former Bungie executive vice president Peter Tamte.

“We are using the Unreal Engine to make a game for a genre in which you would not expect to see it. The engine is performing marvelously and Epic’s support has been top-notch,” said Tamte. Epic encourages companies to be imaginative and think outside the box with Unreal Engine 3.

“The Unreal Engine 3 is an impressively versatile piece of technology, and we are very excited to utilise it for our unannounced project.”

Canadian-born Mark Rein is Vice President and Co-Founder of Epic Games based in Cary, North Carolina. Epic’s Unreal Engine 3 has won Game Developer Magazine’s Frontline Award for Best Game Engine for the past three years and Epic was recently awarded Best Studio at the Spike TV Video Game Awards. Epic’s Gears of War, won Gamespot’s overall Game of the Year and sold over 4,000,000 units on Xbox 360. Epic is currently working on the Unreal Tournament 3 for publisher Midway and a PC version of Gears of War for publisher Microsoft Game Studios.