New Unreal Engine 3 MMO set for 2010

dtp entertainment and Singapore-based development studio RealU have announced the development of Otherland, a new MMO based on the fantasy novels by Tad Williams.

The game is set for release on PC in 2010 and is being created using Epic’s Unreal Engine 3. The developer’s hope is to set new technical standards for the MMO genre, with countless additions to the game engine having been made to ensure “outstanding graphics quality over huge environments”.

RealU’s artists have also been exploring the boundaries of Unreal Engine 3 and are creating a fresh new visual style for the game.

“At RealU we are developing completely new architecture that allows us to build a groundbreaking MMO game with Unreal Engine 3 at its core,” said Andrew Carter, CEO RealU.

The Otherland novels are based on the idea that people are able to attach themselves fully to a computer via a nerve interface and experience an online world, called “the net”. Although based on the novels the MMO will not retell the story, but rather have players experience their own individual stories within the Otherland universe, encountering many characters from the books.

Players will begin in Lambda Mall, an Entertainment, Meeting and Communication centre. From here it will be possible to teleport into a wide variety of game worlds, where nothing is as it seems.

“Tad Williams visited us during the conception phase and was very actively involved in the realisation of this project from the beginning,” said Carter. “Because this is a MMOG, a linear storyline would not be feasible. Therefore, we had to find an alternative way of telling a story. I think we have found a terrific combination of innovative narration and faithfulness to the books.”

Otherland is currently scheduled for release on PC in 2010.