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By: James Yu

The Unreal Tournament 3 demo snuck onto the net early this morning. We quickly downloaded and installed the game to check out Epic's latest Unreal Engine 3 showcase.

The demo includes three maps, as well as four game types: deathmatch, team deathmatch, vehicle capture-the-flag, and duel mode. The deathmatch and dueling modes offer two maps. There is the neon-lit Heat Ray urban battleground map and Shangri La, an Asian-themed courtyard map. The vehicle capture-the-flag games all take place on a large suspension bridge called, you guessed it, Suspense.


Think Gears of War, but bigger, faster, and without any huggable cover.

The demo doesn't offer a whole lot of video settings, but we did find World Detail, Texture Detail, and Post Processing effects options while exploring the settings menu. We took all of our screenshots on Heat Ray and Shangri La.

We found that the World Detail option did a little more than "change the detail of world geometry in-game" as the menu tooltip suggests. Shifting the setting from 1 to 2 changed the lighting and added a soft blur effect in our Shangri La test. Extra geometry started appearing on windows and other surfaces at level 3. We also noticed that our weapon gained self-shadowing when we moved up to level 4.

World Detail Settings


World Detail 1     World Detail 2     World Detail 3     World Detail 4     World Detail 5     

The Texture Detail setting did indeed increase texture resolutions as we moved the slider up from 1 to 3, but then we noticed that textures remained the same at levels 3, 4, and 5 from our spawn point in Heat Ray.

Texture Detail Settings


Texture Detail 1     Texture Detail 2     Texture Detail 3     Texture Detail 4     Texture Detail 5     

Finally, we also scaled up the two settings together to see how the graphics improve as both settings increase.

World and Texture Detail Settings


World/Texture 1     World/Texture 2     World/Texture 3     World/Texture 4     World/Texture 5     

We hoped that the Post Processing pull-down menu would let us adjust the shader quality or DirectX version support, but the muted, default, vivid, and intense options suggested otherwise. We found that cycling through the Post Processing options only changed the map's light intensity.

Post Processing Settings


Post Processing 1     Post Processing 2     Post Processing 3     Post Processing 4     

It's too early to run official benchmarks because the game is only in beta, but we wanted to run a few numbers to show how cards are performing. We'll do a full hardware performance guide when the game is officially released.

Unreal Tournament 3 Beta Performance

(Longer bars indicate better performance)

1600x1200, Maximum Quality

GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB
100
GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB
86
Radeon HD 2900 XT 512MB
84
Radeon X1900 XT 256MB
47
Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB
35
GeForce 7900 GS 256MB
21

System Setup: Intel Core 2 X6800, Intel 975XBX2, 2GB Corsair XMS Memory (1GBx2), 160GB Seagate 7200.7 SATA Hard Disk Drive, Windows XP Professional SP2. Graphics Cards: GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB, GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB XXX, GeForce 7900 GS 256MB, Radeon HD 2900 XT 512MB, Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB, Radeon X1900 XT 256MB. Graphics Drivers: Nvidia ForceWare 163.75,Catalyst 7.10

Visit our Unreal Tournament III gamespace to download the demo, and watch for our full Unreal Tournament III Hands-On preview going live later tonight.

332 Comments

  • eric7233

    Posted Jan 2, 2008 12:11 pm GMT

    By the way I only have a dell dimension 3100 with pci bus slot running geforce 6200 and gig a ram on a P4.. it did suck until i downloaded and instaled the forceware beta driver .. i cant have the settings more than medium but its more than good enough to enjoy .. this game is a blast .. its the most fun i have ever had in any video game ever next to unreal 2k4

  • eric7233

    Posted Jan 2, 2008 12:00 pm GMT

    Great news for people who are having trouble preventing UT3 from crashing or cant have the settings very high. I was so bad that I had to have my resolution at like 500-300 to prevent crashing. Then i found out about the forceware beta drivers that were made just for ut3 and now i tripled my resolution and upped all the settings and it runs perfect with no crashes. Was a godsend for me so thought id tell anyone who didnt know about it .. just type forceware 169.28 into your search engine and youll find it.

  • RedSHADOW2K7

    Posted Dec 31, 2007 10:05 am GMT

    md206 why do you suck why are you lame
    its cause you think your hardcore
    if you were hardcore you'd take any game and still like it now go play viva pinata on the 360 like you do every monday night

  • md206 posted Dec 18, 2007 6:44 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    md206

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 6:44 pm GMT (hide)

    I will repeat this again and again... Pros play ut2k4, noobs( mentally inequipped) play ut3 cos its easier. Hate me all you want i have playd ut24 enough to know its the killer franchise of all ut series. It rocks.
    Y does ut3 suck...:
    Lame Taunts..not cool like ut2k4
    Lame character animations and movements
    Lame Dodge options
    Typing animation forgotten >>>lame
    Lots of bugs. >>lame
    Aimed at console players >>> not pc hardcore player>> very lame
    Lame User interface
    Lame game

  • chechak7

    Posted Dec 7, 2007 2:30 pm GMT

    Texture Detail 5 is wowowo daam good

  • KOoI

    Posted Nov 29, 2007 6:33 pm GMT

    looks to me the most efficient settings would be a 3 in both world and texture
    in post-processing i would say that 2 or 4 is best depend on what your rig can handle (they're brightest so its easiest to see enemies)

  • domke13

    Posted Nov 28, 2007 2:51 am GMT

    I wonder where are people that were talking how 2900XT will easily beat 8800 GTX in Unreal Engine 3.

  • Floms

    Posted Nov 25, 2007 12:39 pm GMT

    great game

  • greystone227

    Posted Nov 23, 2007 2:47 pm GMT

    I was totally surprised when I played this demo. Even on my laptop, with a GeForce 8600M GT 256MB, I could play this game on max with more than acceptable frame rates. It looks like Epic really put a lot of work into making this game able to be run on a lot of systems, and still look gorgeous while doing so.

  • skidesigns

    Posted Nov 21, 2007 4:58 pm GMT

    isn't there an anti-aliasing option somewhere? the game looks great, but the models look a bit choppy.

    and @ Bassph: us "common" people can also run this game. don't go boasting about your machine, i have a pretty low-end machine, and i can run the game at excellent frame-rates, with good visuals (except for the choppiness, which, in the heat of battle, becomes pretty insignificant). get over yourself, you probably just wasted a bunch of money.

  • crobdog

    Posted Nov 19, 2007 9:02 am GMT

    xbox 360 lose...
    ps3 lose...
    PC for the win...

  • SP33doh

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 8:50 pm GMT

    I bought my 320mb 8800gts the day it came out, and heard some rumors in the coming months that made me worried that I might have to SLI or upgrade for this game, but it gets simply amazing performance, I can upgrade my monitor instead




    honestly, I'm surprised they're making a 360 version at all. no mods, no keyboard+mouse support, just pure yuck.
    it's cool that the PS3 version will have those available, makes it a viable alternative, but still, come on, it's unreal tournament, play it on the PC

  • Bassph posted Nov 15, 2007 6:15 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Bassph

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 6:15 pm GMT (hide)

    oh common people looks like not all of you where getting ready for this game i bought a good video card and ram before the even demo even out for this game losers for these kinda games you need to be ready i have amd 4800+x2 4GB ram GF8800 gts Windows Vista Ultimate X64 and its going no problem at all. upgrade your pc and stop wining

  • linkin_guy109 posted Nov 14, 2007 7:15 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    linkin_guy109

    Posted Nov 14, 2007 7:15 pm GMT (hide)

    or you could buy a ps3, ya know having the potential to have better graphics then the 360 version

  • duck_watson posted Nov 14, 2007 5:58 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    duck_watson

    Posted Nov 14, 2007 5:58 pm GMT (hide)

    or u could just buy an xbox 360 lol sorry pc gamers i know u have your pride but it just seems like a better option

  • Microsoftguy15

    Posted Nov 14, 2007 1:04 pm GMT

    8800GT???

  • anon525

    Posted Nov 14, 2007 9:04 am GMT

    Isn't it recommended that you run Vista with 2GB of RAM minimum? Could be wrong though.

    I'm running a 64bit X2 4600+, eVGA 8800GTS 640mb superclocked, 2GB ram and it runs perfectly.

  • musicaz70

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 6:22 pm GMT

    Yea.. I really hope they fix the AMD X2 cpu bug in the final game, the driver didn't help for the crash... Oh well, my 8600gt makes up for it with beatiful graphics at beatiful frame rates (and the machine cost only about $750! And no! This isn't advertisement!)

  • Duke852456

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 6:16 pm GMT

    This Game Rocks and it only the demo! Can't Wait tell the real game comes out

  • vaultinasafe

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 5:09 pm GMT

    This is the game I'm most excited for this winter!!!

  • nate1222

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 4:59 pm GMT

    I own a Celeron D 3.33Ghz CPU, Vista OS, 1.024GB RAM, nVidia 7300(256MB). So it should run decent on my rig, right?

  • Player1_HDS

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 11:41 am GMT

    I find these graphics previews very interesting. I'm really glad GS does them.

  • Xeuton_Mojukai

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 9:03 am GMT

    Straight fact for you: Number of polygons is useful only to a point. After that, it's all about texture quality, shader effects, and lighting. That's what the PS3 is designed to excel at.

    Simply put, the 360 has more polygons, but it simply can't run this game with these kinds of texture maps under the kind of insane lighting effects they're put through without toning it down a bit.

    The PS3 won't even hold a candle to the potential of the PC with the right hardware.

    As for PC's, the best idea would be to buy two 8800GT's in SLI, on a good 680i motherboard with 4 gigs of DDR2-800 memory, and most likely also with at least an E6750, and for less than 2000 you've got a dream machine.

    You simply can't do that with either a PS3 or a 360, and no amount of fanboy rhetoric will change that fact.

  • Mistwaver1985

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 7:28 am GMT

    "NEWMON3Y you are a moron. Why would you even bring that fanboy crap up in an article about PC graphics? No one cares that your console is better than someone else's, PS3 is technically superior to the 360, so even if this game does end up looking nicer on 360, which wouldn't too much sense, most games will look better on PS3 anyway.

    And I don't own a PS3 so don't call me a fanboy I actually own a 360"

    Are you really that stupid? Are you so far in denial you can't tell every multi-platform game made thus far looks leaps and boundy better on the Xbox 360 as opposed to the Playstation 3? And don't come up with that "And I don't own a PS3 so don't call me a fanboy I actually own a 360" garbage. All you have to do is open your bloodshot eyes to notice that in most cases Playstation 3 games only produce half the polygons that the Xbox 360 versions do. The only exceptions are Playstation 3 exclusive games like Resistance: Fall of Man.

    Have you taken the time to look at the Lost Planet sceenshots? Not only does the Playstation 3 version have washed out colors, but the polygons on the models are nearly cut in half.

    Just look at it for yourself. (http://kotaku.com/assets/resources/2007/10/-1.jpeg)

    I rest my case.

  • LsTr_Of_SmG

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 3:51 pm GMT

    *NEWMON3Y

    Save your fanboyisms for the console wars forum, nobody else gives a crap - especially since your posting that comment in a PC THREAD. IF you want to bring graphics up I'd like to point out that a top spec PC ALREADY beats both the PS3 AND the 360 in graphics, not that that matters. Graphics aren't the be all and end all.

  • Inverni

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 11:29 am GMT

    NEWMON3Y you are a moron. Why would you even bring that fanboy crap up in an article about PC graphics? No one cares that your console is better than someone else's, PS3 is technically superior to the 360, so even if this game does end up looking nicer on 360, which wouldn't too much sense, most games will look better on PS3 anyway.

    And I don't own a PS3 so don't call me a fanboy I actually own a 360

  • jimbobmcpherson

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 11:04 pm GMT

    ehh

  • NEWM0N3Y posted Nov 10, 2007 3:58 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    NEWM0N3Y

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 3:58 pm GMT (hide)

    UT3 is going to be way better on the xbox 360 than ps3.
    is going to have better graphics

  • midnight-walker

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 10:54 am GMT

    OH
    MY
    GOD

  • serbsta69

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 1:30 am GMT

    The graphics look stunning.

  • AFWorm

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 7:39 pm GMT

    This game is a beast!! I fear that if they don't advertise this enough, then this game will be underappreciated like UT04 was.

  • nkaiton

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 10:18 am GMT

    Sick demo. Runs well even on my meager 7600 GT.

  • longlong123

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 9:09 am GMT

    Core 2 X6800
    3GB Ram
    8800 Ultra
    XP SP2
    1600X1200 Looks damn good

  • dbrinto

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 9:52 pm GMT

    ha, I was about to say the same thing, I can't read this crap

  • fattyxboxbutt

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 1:24 pm GMT

    Who puts black text on a blue background? Either my browser is messed or someone chose an almost unreadable color combination.

  • Zell_Forever

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 12:45 pm GMT

    Geforce 6800 (350/600, overclocked to 450/850)
    AMD 3500+ 1gb RAM

    Playing on level 2 world/texture and it's very smooth.

  • scionwolf321

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 11:25 am GMT

    I am definantly getting this game!!!

  • oRIOn720

    Posted Nov 7, 2007 5:11 pm GMT

    AMD Athlon X2 5600 (2.8 GHz)
    NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GT
    3 GB RAM
    Vista Home Premium 32 bit
    1680x1050
    settings maxed

    i saw between 25-40 fps

  • spartanx2303

    Posted Nov 2, 2007 4:18 pm GMT

    AMD Athlon X2 4600 (2.4GHz)
    NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT
    2 GB RAM
    Vista Home Premium (32-bit)
    1440x900

    Demo played at 30 fps on highest settings most of the time

  • Gowad

    Posted Nov 1, 2007 6:27 pm GMT

    Intel Core 2 Duo E4300
    NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT
    2 GB ram
    Microsoft Windows XP Pro (SP2)

    @ 1280 x 1024 and max. settings, the demo played smoothly

  • Just-one-bullet

    Posted Oct 31, 2007 9:58 pm GMT

    OK im playing on a Nvidia 6600oc 256mb video card and im not getting anything like what they got, i mean its really really blurry, i tried changing the settings but it didnt make much change!

  • Allan225

    Posted Oct 31, 2007 1:08 pm GMT

    I am having a problem with the game not saving my settings. Any ideas?

  • termadoyle

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 4:54 am GMT

    this game is really nice looking across the board. I'll be playing this on the XBOX360. so the specs mean bleh to me. ^_^

  • md206

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:47 pm GMT

    Fine. I thought i would hold on hope that the full game will rock cause from the screen shot and old trailors i see things that could end up in the full game and werent in the demo. OK. epic. Impress me other than uping the dammage and removing the shield gun which was 1 of the many Bolocks ideas of the millenia

  • SpeedMan72

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 2:51 pm GMT

    works ok on a 128mb geforce 7300. i said OK.

  • BurntToast777

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 3:56 pm GMT

    Tried the demo, and I'm impressed. The graphics are amazing even with my x1300 (texture at 2 and world at 4.) The CTF Vehicle mode is my favorite so far, and plays really well .

  • xXx_Phenix_xXx

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 1:55 pm GMT

    just waiting on the demo to download, should be done here in a few minutes. its been out about a week now and i've heard so much trash talk about it from my friends that played ut2k4 with me and tracked every last detail about ut3. so far ive tried to block it all out, but its kind of hard.

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