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[Moghjubar]

Sources:
http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/03/19/unreal-engine-4-tools-and-source-code-now-available-for-19-monthly-subscription/
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crytek-undercuts-unreal-engine-4-with-10-cryengine-subscription/1100-6418427/

Basically, Unreal 4 released its engine with a subscription model for monthly use/access to complete source code, and a 5% of gross revenue on sales (gross, not net/profits).

After that... Crytek says it offers its engine for slighly lower monthly costs (but a per-person charge instead of entire team), but no gross revenue %.  Unsure if you get full source content though... but apparently its also completely free (minus maybe some new things?) for non-commercial game dev anyway.

Somewhat interesting... anyone have experience with either of these?

Edit: May as well throw Unity in the pot too.

[Sharp]

UDK is Unreal Engine 3 which is free https://www.unrealengine.com/products/udk

I dabbled a bit in that and it's ok, I much prefer Unity3D though http://unity3d.com/
that also has free version and pro version.

[MoLAoS]

They are talking about Unreal 4, not 3. Similarly CryEngine is actually the 4th, but they dropped versions as its quite different from the first 3. I think Unity has a version 5 out soon or something, I don't keep track.

Personally I'm not interested in either of them, but that's because I care little for graphical fidelity. Most of the benefits are there really, and so paying the cost isn't worth it to me.

[Itnetlolor]

Unreal 4 engine, you say? Do I hear a redeemer homing in on us?


...I don't? Crap.

EDIT:
In the meantime, I guess, I'll do what the article says, and play me some classic UT then until they plan on another UT game. Just as well, I hope they're working Oculus into all the Unreal games, all the way back to the classic Unreal. Na-Pali with proper 3D viewing would be awesome. Fragging like mad through UT(99/2k4/3) with full-visual support of Oculus would really rock (who cares if the graphics are a bit dated? I still want to check them out with a bit more depth as if I were actually there; on that note, Airbuccaneers would completely rock once implemented), because some places are just made for immersion. Some places I have are downright pretty, and are great without all the screaming and blood and such; but those are what also makes the game fun.

[alexandertnt]

Unreal 4, Crytek and Unity 5 are all going to have real time Global Illumination, so I am going to wait until Unity 5 is released and see if the free version has GI (which it probably wont) before doing anything.

Real time GI is going to be so much fun to play with It should also allow for the production of colourful realistic-looking games, rather than just drab brown-and-grey games.

It might even be the end of that horrible SSAO game devs seem to have fallen in love with.

[Moghjubar]

I really wanted to like Unity, it was pretty easy and smooth to work with... but the free version's limitations just grind on me (and I had an experience with the free version failing to do what I wanted to do before as well, so its not just hypothetical).  In fact, the entire thing looks like its setup to constantly upsell you and drain away as much of your cash as possible thru sneaky methods (but I guess at least theres the store for content creators and such, plus a somewhat established base of plugins easily accessible).  If you just want to make games without caring about all that though, and can keep it from grinding on your nerves, its a perfectly fine engine.

Though, if you are releasing a commercial game you should be able to afford the premium... sometime AFTER you release your game... but you kinda need premium before you start making it.... (and I guess this is where the $75 subscription they are offering would come in, though its of course much higher than the alternatives right now)

Of course, there are ways to get premium beforehand, but then you are already playing with fire, and if you are doing a group project it may be in danger (like, say, someone refuses to work on unity premium before they've actually payed for the license to use it, etc aka this happened).

Imo, these other options sound like a much better deal.  It seems like it would be best to start on Crytek on a non-commercial license, then once your idea and team is setup (and theres dedication to actually finish and release your project) swap over to the subscription plan.  Since theres apparently now Cryengine for Linux in the works, that covers crossplatform too.

Of course, if you wanted full source control and modifiability, the unreal 4 path would probably be the better option (at a pretty decent cost though, comparatively, at least if you sell your game later).  That said, most of the work likely has already been done so mucking around with the direct source is probably going to be moot.  It might make a good learning experience though for aspiring developers... or just anyone curious (I might grab the source one month when I'm bored and have time <like that ever happens anymore> and read over it, might even learn a few things).

And of course, Unity still wins in the web plugin front I guess, which as far as I know these others wont ever touch.

[alexandertnt]

I really do wish Unity would use some sort of royalty payment system instead of an outright purchase/very expensive subscription, as it would really remove a good chunk of the risk for some of us broke developers.

The main reason I prefer Unity over UDK is the interface, and how much more smooth it is (stuff like code compiling when focusing on the window, as opposed to UDK, which requires you to restart the editor for the changes to take effect).

But from the look of it, the new development enviroment for the unreal engine greatly improves on all this, so it becomes much more competitive. I also believe that Epic are working on a WebGL thing for UDK/UE4.

I would think that Unity would have to drop their price or do something, because there is now a very large price gap (and a 12 month minimum subscription, and UE4 appears to have no minimum).

(I dont know anything about Cryengine).