Unreal Engine 3 for free

Epic Games has launched the Unreal Development Kit (UDK), a free edition of Unreal Engine 3 that provides community access to the game development toolset. The software is available to game developers, students, hobbyists, researchers, creators of 3D visualizations and simulations, and digital filmmakers. Anyone interested in using the Unreal Engine 3 toolset can download it now at www.udk.com. The site also offers detailed product features, technical documentation, commercial licensing terms, support resources and more.

There is no charge for noncommercial or educational use of UDK. Over 100 campuses are already using Unreal Technology as part of teaching game development-related courses. Colleges planning to incorporate UDK into their curriculum include the University of Pennsylvania, North Carolina State University, The Art Institute system of schools, Drexel University, Westwood College, DeVry University and Atlantic College, with many others to be announced.

Gears of War 2: GotY Edition revealed by GameStop spam

A Gears of War 2: Game of the Year Edition is on the way, according to a GameStop email I recived this morning and evidence on a GameStop product page and one on Amazon.com.

According to a report on Joystiq, Gears of War 2: Game of the Year Edition will include the full game, the $20 All Fronts retail compilation package (maps such as Flashback, Combustible, Dark Corners and Snowblind) and campaign chapter “Road to Ruins” - which was omitted from the game original release.

GameStop puts the GOTY edition at right around $40 USD and Amazon has a list price if $37 USD. Both retailers say it will be released on September 1.

Shadow Complex now on Xbox Live Arcade

Epic Games’ Chair Entertainment and Microsoft have released Shadow Complex on Xbox Live Arcade today - along with a trial version of the game. If you don’t buy the whole game you at the very least should check out the trial. Shadow Complex is a modern take on the classic side-scrolling shooter with cutting-edge gameplay provided by Unreal Engine 3, an original story set in the world of Orson Scott Card’s bestselling Empire novel. Comic book author Peter David, whose has worked on such franchises as Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, Star Trek, and X-Factor, developed the game’s original new story, which runs parallel to Card’s Empire novel and sets up the events in the sequel Hidden Empire.

In the game players collect power-ups and weapons, discover new abilities and evolve their character to be more agile, strong and dangerous. Besides the single-player adventure, there are a series of time-based side-challenges in Proving Grounds, which allow players to hone their skills as they compete for top placement on the leaderboards.

You can find out more about the game by visiting www.xbox.com - but it probably wouldn’t hurt to check out Harold Goldberg’s DLC MC: Shadow Complex Is a Game Changer or Kyle Orland’s Shadow Complex Review.

Gears of War 2 Dark Corners DLC released

The new Gears of War 2 DLC, Dark Corners, is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace for a mere 1200 ($15) MS Points.

This downloadable content pack features seven new Gears of War 2 multiplayer maps and a bonus deleted single-player chapter called “Road to Ruin,” from the Gears of War 2 campaign. In “Road to Ruin,” Marcus and Dom finds themselves navigating the deadly Locust highway, having to choose which way to handle situations: stealthy infiltration or a full frontal assault.

Those more interested in multiplayer will get seven new maps to play: War Machine, Allfathers Garden, Highway, Memorial, Nowhere, Way Station, and Sanctuary.

You can learn more about Dark Corners by visiting xbox.com.

GamersGate gets Unreal catalog

GamersGate and Epic Games have signed an agreement to offer Epic’s complete Unreal series of games for download through the digital distribution service for PC games. All titles covered under the agreement are now available to all GamersGate users at www.gamersgate.com. Under the agreement, the Unreal catalog will be available through GamersGate for full purchase.

That library includes Unreal Gold, Unreal II: The Awakening, Unreal Tournament: Game of the Year Edition, Unreal Tournament 2004: Editor’s Choice Edition, Unreal Anthology (which includes the previous four titles) and Unreal Tournament 3 Black. Unreal Tournament 3 Black is the fully updated version of UT3 that includes the Titan Pack title update and bonus downloadable content.

To celebrate, GamersGate is offering all six Unreal titles for 15 percent off until June 28.

Game Developers eXchange: Don’t Miss It

The Game Developers eXchange, a unique event that is disseminating information in real-time via Twitter and streaming video, is happening right now and you need to know more about it. Sponsored by the Savannah College of Art and Design , the Game Developers eXchange has brought together game developers, educators and students with experts who are sharing their wisdom about the game industry.

This year (the event is in its fifth year) the Game Developers eXchange is focusing on a trio of important topics including game art that focuses on aesthetics; game design that focuses on rules, system design, prototyping and immersion; and the synergy of level design as it relates to game and art design.

Today’s speakers include Andrew Bains, senior level designer of the “Gears of War” series from Epic Games and art-game genius Jason Rohrer, who will serve as keynoters for the event. Also speaking will be Jason Arnone, art manager at Harmonix; Richard Dansky of Red Storm Entertainment; Mark Nelson of Big Huge Games; and Brenda Brathwaite, a game designer and professor of game development and interactive design at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Those interested in watching this unfold live can visit www.twitter.com/SCADdotEDU or watch it as it happens on scad.tv. Andrew Bains will give his presentation at 5 PM EST on SCAD TV.

For a full list of speakers, check out the GDX Speakers page.

Triangle Game Conference Names Speaker Lineup

If you’re in the game industry or looking to break in and you live somewhere within driving distance of Raleigh, NC, you might want to start making plans to attend the Triangle Game Conference (TGC), set to debut April 29th and 30th at the Raleigh Convention Center and Marriott City Center. The TGC is currently being pushed as “the East Coast forum for networking, career building and sharing gaming industry expertise”.

To that end, the TGC has just announced its lineup of tracks and speakers for its inaugural conference. The conference will cover a range of topics, including subjects like game technology, design and production, games and media, and the business aspects of the game industry. Speakers on tap for the TGC include Entertainment Consumer Association president, Hal Halpin; Epic Games senior Artist, Chris Wells; Insomniac Games Art Director, Chad Dezern; and Destineer Studios creative director (and Red Storm co-founder) Juan Benito.

In addition to scheduled lectures and panels, the Triangle Game Conference will also feature an “Expo, Career Lounge and Game Development University”, a student-oriented exhibition to help aspiring game developers tap into educational resources and make connections with industry leaders.

It sounds like the TGC is shaping up to be something definitely worth checking out for anyone in the area looking to break into the game industry. If you’re looking for more information and want to attend the TGC, head on over to http://www.trianglegameconference.com/ to find out more and to register for the event.