Gaming News - January 2005

Toronto, Ontario (January 14, 2005) - DreamCatcher Games today announced it will publish Universal Combat: A World Apart, the second title in the Universal Combat series. The game will release globally for Windows in May 2005.

From DreamCatcher Games:

Universal Combat: A World Apart gives hardcore fans an enhanced “Battlecruiser” experience, keeping the flavor of combat, but utilizing newer technologies.

Using a new graphics engine, Universal Combat: A World Apart brings tremendous improvements including new shader based lighting, glow and environment mapping, render paths; along with normal and bump mapping support for various high end assets. It will also offer high definition first-person character models, new first-person weapon models and classes such as machine guns, fixed gun turrets and several new combat weapons. Gamers will also find many new player controlled naval crafts and ground vehicles classes.

Game Features:

• Two mission campaign scenarios: One player as a Terran Insurgent Commander and the other as a Terran Military Elite Force Pilot. Each contains sixteen mission encounters.

• 16 new Instant Action scenarios featuring various careers such as commander, pilot and marine.

• Two new co-op specific multiplayer space based scenarios with support for up to 32 players. A freeform death match scenario is also included.

• Brand new high-definition skeletal based first-person character models, with over 2000 new animations.

• Newly redesigned planetary bases with dozens of new scenery models and assets.


Technology Improvements:

Universal Combat: A World Apart contains all of the latest revisions to the Universal Combat engine, as well as:



• Improved DirectX 9 compliant graphics engine with support for shader model 2.0. Features include glow and environment mapping, texture filtering and full screen anti-aliasing as well as a new high definition lighting model.

• Improved planetary terrain rendering engine

• New DirectX 9 compliant shader based skeletal character animation engine.

• New multiplayer engine with support for an integrated server browser and a built-in game chat lobby system.

• Improved vehicular controls and dynamics model

• Improved NPC artificial intelligence engine and tactical orders system

• New shader based special FX system with new and improved effects that take advantage of the graphics engine improvements.

Developed by 3000AD Inc, Universal Combat: A World Apart has an anticipated ESRB rating of ‘T' for Teen in North America and an anticipated “12+ PEGI” rating in Europe.

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