I was asked by FranceGameFrog.fr to translate the interview of GermanyTreborator. I thought it would be nice to share these words with AnonymousCrossfire.nu community.


image: ETXreaL_header

ET:XreaL is a new project based upon idTech4 engine (Doom3, Brink, Quake4) and it should come up between september and december 2011. That's why FranceDr4g and MarseilleLeFrancis provide you this interview.

First of all, are you an ET player? If you're not, why don't you play this game? If you are, what is your "ET- career"? How have you thought about bringing ET to this new engine which is xreal?
I played ET when it came out for about a year. I usually don't play games longer and look for alternatives because I get bored to repeat the matches all over again. I prefer to play multiplayer games in a team with my old friends but not in a clan. My current favorite multiplayer game is Battlefield: Bad Company 2.
Although, I have to say that I rediscovered ET when Carmack released its sources last year. ET is still very good compared to any other Free to Play games these days.
I developed XreaL in a team for several years but I couldn't get the project alive because everybody wanted it to pull into another direction. So I decided to move the most important technology to ET and give the ET community a chance to improve their game. I think about ETXreaL as an engine and graphics mod like Quake2XP or Berserker@Quake3.


Are you the only man in this project or does it involve more men? If so, who are they?
I did the entire programming part. Currently, there is one 2D artist called Eonfge who works on a free texture replacement pack. So, all stock ET maps could be played with new textures designed for advanced lighting systems.


What are the new features brought by this game engine?
Not much besides a renderer that could compete with Call of Duty : Modern Warfare if it is used with a new content.


Will it change ET's gameplay and players' gaming sensations?
I have no time to work on gameplay changes. Our goal is to make ET with Doom 3 graphics. Gameplay changes are left to other mod makers.


About maps now, will it take longer to create them?
Well professional 3D artists don't like to work with the GtkRadiant or doing any kind of oldschool brushwork. They rather want to create their map or big parts in 3D tools like 3D Studio Max.
This is where the new ETXMap/DarkRadiant tool combination helps. It makes it easier to import 3D map objects using 3D Studio Max .ase files.
Basically, ETXreaL is perfect for modders who have id Tech 4 experience.
Mapping for ETXreaL is basically like mapping for Doom 3 including all the old 'lightmap' features. So, to sum up, a pro artist can create a map in less time with the new tools.


What's planned in the next future concerning ETxreal?
More renderer features and I hope more progress on the assets media. I will definitely add more advanced shaders so ETXreaL could be compared with the Doom 3 sikkmod which is very cool.
One of the next shaders I'm going to add soon is "Screen Space Ambient Occlusion" like in Crysis.
I hope that some mappers get really busy and create modern versions of the stock ET maps or of their custom maps.
I would like to have a list like : etx_beach, etx_battery, etx_fueldump and so on.


Do you need any kind of help?
We don't need help with the programming part. But we are always looking for artists who are willing to help.
You can contact us via IRC. The channel is #xreal at freenode.net.
There are usually 40-50 people in there every day who like to help and answer questions for newcomers.


Are you in touch with bani or anyone else who's already created an ET mod?
I'm in touch with fretn who did some programming for ETpro. There are more people and they usually hang around in our IRC channel for years.


Could we keep playing on ETpro? Will it be supported by your game?
I can't say it now. However, the chances are good that ETpro becomes opensource this year and then it will be supported.


Thanks for all these answers. Do you want to say something to the community?
Developing or modding games can be even more fun than playing games. Try it out.



You can download an alpha version of ET:XreaL : here

More informations about it on : XreaL website

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