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Crytek Migrates to InstallAware from InstallShield with Crysis Warhead.

Game News
Crytek GmbH, makers of the blockbuster hit and critically acclaimed first person shooter Crysis, make the switch to InstallAware – the emerging standard in Windows software installations.

 

San Francisco, CA, October 13 2008 – Crytek GmbH, creators of the multi-award winning first person shooter interactive software titles including Far Cry and Crysis, are now using InstallAware to power the deployment of their latest installment in the Crysis franchise, Crysis Warhead.

“Just like Crytek, InstallAware is all about being at the bleeding edge of technology,” says Cevat Yerli, CEO & President of Crytek GmbH. “Crytek’s CryENGINE 2 is a monumental achievement, providing a vivid and immersive gaming experience. InstallAware’s own setup engine is similarly at the forefront of installation technology, helping developers do more with their Windows setups than previously thought possible.”

InstallAware features a robust setup engine, built from the ground-up to address today’s software installation requirements. Unlike competitors such as InstallShield, InstallAware’s setup engine is unencumbered by years of legacy code to maintain, reducing points of failure in installations, cutting down support costs for publishers, and dramatically enhancing the end-user software experience.

“Our setup engine runs on all Windows platforms – right from the very first version of Windows 95 to the latest 64 bit edition of Windows Server 2008,” says Sinan Karaca, Founder of InstallAware Software Corporation. “We made sure there are no dependencies on any Microsoft or third party technologies, so every setup works out-of-the-box. If you want to make sure your installers are bullet-proof – InstallAware delivers like no other vendor can. Extreme games like Crysis Warhead need extreme installers, and InstallAware delivers.”

In addition to eliminating the brittleness found in legacy installation technologies such as InstallShield, InstallAware’s setup engine embraces and extends Microsoft’s Windows Installer platform with runtime branching and decision-making capabilities. “MSIcode, our leaky abstraction of Windows Installer, saves you weeks of training on MSI tables, sequences, custom actions, and runtime hacks just to get your setup going under Windows Installer,” adds Agustín K-ballo Bergé, Vice President of Research and Development at InstallAware Software Corporation. “MSIcode is a human readable, branching setup script – similar to a Windows batch file. When its time to build your setup, InstallAware’s optimizing setup compiler converts MSIcode into a Windows Vista Certified logo-compliant Windows Installer MSI setup database – ready  for both massive corporate rollouts and individual end-users.”

InstallAware saves both developers and end-users time and effort with more exclusive features. Partial Web Deployment enables users to download an independent setup that works without forcing an Internet connection, while still retaining the capability to download optional components from the web at runtime. LZMA compression produces setup packages typically 30%-60% smaller than Windows Installer’s native CAB compression. A streamlined prerequisite installer processes all technology frameworks (such as Microsoft.NET) as part of the main install routine, without launching individual and confusing setup windows for each runtime component. To top it off, installers built with InstallAware can even display interactive Flash or HTML billboards, entertaining and educating end-users about the product being installed while setup is still underway.

Play Crysis Wars Free Online Next Weekend

Game News

Electronic Arts and Crytek have announced they'll be offering fans a free sample of their recently released Crysis multiplayer suite, Crysis Wars, next weekend, on October 10-12. Moreover, players can also play Crysis Wars for free over a LAN for the whole week prior to the online weekend deal, starting this Monday, October 6.

 

Crysis Wars, for those unaware, is an update to Crysis' multiplayer modes that shipped with Crysis: Warhead, which adds seven new multiplayer maps (making a total of 21) and a whole new mode, TeamInstantAction. To get in on the sample, you'll have to register online at MyCrysis.com on October 6, and download the free version of Crysis Wars. After registering, you'll get a unique key that's saved to your profile, which will allow you to play on any of the online servers starting Friday, October 10, at 11AM, and ending on Sunday, October 12, at 11:59PM (PST).

 

So if you've got the rig to handle it, and have nothing in particular planned next weekend, this could be a perfectly reasonable way to spend your gaming time.

Crysis Warhead Copy Protection F.A.Q

Game News

Here is the scoop ont the Copy protection on Crysis Warhead.

 

We're aware that many of you have concerns about the DRM protection in Crysis Warhead. There is a lot of misinformation out there and we want to take the time to clarify everything so you have all of the correct information. Due to the importance of this topic, to begin with we’ll open with a message from CEO of Crytek, Cevat Yerli.


“Our passion is making quality games. We put our heart and soul in every game and hope that our fans will enjoy them as well. For years, Crytek fans have been passionately supportive of our efforts and we appreciate all of your dedication.

We realize that copy protection and piracy is a very emotional and hotly debated topic. It is very hard to find a solution that fits both our needs. We need to make an effort to limit piracy but we do not want to limit the experience of our fans.

Warhead uses online authentication and allows up to five activations. This gives you the opportunity to install the game as many times as you want on five different machines.

We also know that multiplayer gamers have different needs, so Crysis Wars does not have an activation limit, but requires the game to be unlocked online once you start the game for the first time. Afterwards it will be possible to play in LAN without any online connection. The CD-key is only required when playing online.

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy playing Warhead as much as we enjoyed making it. We are very proud of it. Our community is the main reason we make games. If there is something you feel we could improve, please tell us what and why and we will do our best to listen to you.

Sincerely,
Cevat Yerli”

EA AND CRYTEK LAUNCHES CRYSIS WARHEAD IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE

Game News

The Next Installment of the Award-Winning Crysis Franchise

Arrives At Retail Stores This Week

Redwood City, Calif. – September 16, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Crytek GmbH announced today that Crysis Warhead®, the next installment in the award-winning Crysis® franchise, has shipped to retailers in North America and Europe and will hit store shelves and participating digital download services starting September 18, 2008 exclusively for the PC. Containing a new single player campaign featuring Crytek’s trademark open-ended gameplay and stunning visuals along with Crysis Wars®, the exciting new multiplayer suite for the Crysis universe, Crysis Warhead is a tremendous value at only $29.99 and does not require the original Crysis to play.

“The launch of Crysis Warhead marks a significant milestone for the entire Crytek family,” said Cevat Yerli, CEO and President of Crytek.  “The team at Crytek Hungary has delivered a dynamic and intense single player experience more than worthy of the Crysis franchise, while the multiplayer team in Frankfurt has revisited and extended multiplayer in the Crysis universe with Crysis Wars.  They are both great representations of our studio’s core values of technical excellence, craftsmanship and quality.”

“Crytek is a world-class partner and quickly becoming one of the most formidable independent developers in the industry,” said David DeMartini, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA Partners.  “Crysis was one of the best games of last year and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Crysis Warhead, a game that actually improves upon Crysis’ core experience, to the largest possible audience on a global stage.”

Crysis Warhead takes place alongside the events of last year’s critical hit, with players experiencing the explosive battles against waves of challenging enemies on the other side of the island through the eyes and nanosuit of the bold and aggressive Sergeant “Psycho” Sykes. Crysis Wars features 21 maps and three diverse multiplayer modes, including InstantAction, frenetic deathmatch enhanced by the power of the nanosuit, PowerStruggle, a hardcore team-based mode and introducing TeamInstantAction, a mix of fast-paced action in a team-based environment.  Both are built on Crytek’s award-winning CryENGINE 2, optimized now to deliver the high-fidelity graphics Crytek is known for with an improvement in performance across a wide range of PCs.

Crysis Warhead has been rated ‘M’ for Mature by the ESRB and ‘16+’ by PEGI.  For more information about the game, please visit www.crysiswarhead.com or www.mycrysis.com.

The Making of Crysis Warhead

Game News

Gamasutra gives us a look at the making of Crysis Warhead. They talk with Bernd Diemer, a designer at Crytek Budapest. He talks about the reasoning behind the game's unusual format, the tricky balance between player guidance and player freedom, the maddening intricacies of NPC AI, and the problems with the often-maligned drastic shift in gameplay towards the end of the original Crysis.

 

On concerns that the action focus could detract from the sandbox feel: From the pacing side, we decided not to have gameplay-specific levels like we did in Crysis, where we had, for example, an entire tank level and we tailored the entire level to have the most preferred experience being in a tank.

In Crysis, we had a bit of an old-school mentality to level design: "Now, it's the vehicle level." In Warhead, we have shorter sections within levels -- you don't have one level with driving all the time. There would be a short vehicle section, an infantry section, maybe another vehicle section, then some aliens, then some North Koreans.

 

Full Interview...

Budapest Community Summit - Round up!

Game News

Here is a look at the recent Budapest Community Summit.


Summit 08 – Day 1
Once everyone had arrived at the airport we arranged for pickup and bought them all back to the office where they were greeted by the team and given a tour of the Budapest Crytek office. Eric Lagel, multiplayer producer and producer of Crysis Wars was on hand for a Q&A session over lunch. There were plenty of interesting questions and the guys all seemed impressed by the responses they had received, but answers can only get you so far, so we gave the guys hours and hours of entertainment by letting them play through the Crysis Wars map rotation.


Crysis Warhead Coming to STEAM

Game News

Crytek and Valve today announced an agreement to bring Crysis Warhead and Crysis to Steam, a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC games and digital content with over 15 million accounts around the world.

 

 

"The millions of gamers logging into Steam every week to play today's best PC games are going to love Crysis Warhead," said Avni Yerli, Managing Director at Crytek. "Crytek Hungary has done a terrific job creating this new experience while optimizing CryEngine 2, and we're looking forward to delivering it and the original Crysis as our first offerings on Steam."

"Crytek is one of the industry's great success stories, emerging new technology and talent," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "Crysis is one of today's leading PC franchises and delivering the original and Crysis Warhead via Steam is landmark for the platform."

IGN Crysis Warhead Review

Game News

IGN gives us a look at Crysis Warhead. Over all they give it a 9.4. Here is some of what they had to say.

 

Crysis Warhead is the videogame equivalent of a summer action movie, and while it's more action-heavy than its highly acclaimed predecessor, it still retains its brains. Like Crysis, Warhead is a sandbox shooter that gives you large amounts of freedom as to how you approach each tactical situation. And there are plenty of tactical situations, because Warhead seems aimed at those who felt that Crysis was a bit too slow-paced and cerebral at times. But while it doesn't quite match the over-the-top insanity of a Call of Duty game, Warhead does prove that Crytek can deliver an intense action game.

 

 

Full Review...

Crysis Ultra PC Specs Announced

Game News

The Specs for the Crysis Ultra PC have been released.

 



 

- CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E7300 @2.66GHz
- Video card: Nvidia GeForce 9800GT 512MB
- Motherboard: G31 mATX
- RAM: 2GB
- Other components: 250GB 7200RPM hard drive, 16X DVD-ROM drive, network adapter, integrated Realtek audio, keyboard, mouse, Ultra X-Blaster ATX Mid-Tower case, one-year parts & labor warranty

 

You can sign up for notification when the system is releaesd HERE.

First Crysis Warhead review is in

Game News

PC Zone has released the first Crysis Warhead Review. They give it a 92%.

Warhead, says PC Zone, remedies many of the issues that players had with the first game; the sometimes dodgy AI, unspectacular aliens turning up... Very high praise follows...

"With its budget price and improved multiplayer, there's more than enough here to cheer nay-sayers," says the mag.


Full Story...

GameSpy previews Crysis Warhead.

Game News

GameSpy has recently posted up a new preview of Crysis Warhead. Here's what they had to say:

 

Known for his more bombastic and wild personality, you play the role of Sergeant Michael "Psycho" Sykes, who specializes in somewhat different methods of handling weapons. For example, he can dual-wield the new micro-SMG, reminiscent of the dual-KLOB weapon set found in Goldeneye 007 on the Nintendo 64. These rapid-fire hand cannons deliver a ton of ammunition in scant seconds, but in a move that would make Master Chief envious, Psycho can still throw grenades even when dual-wielding.

Because Psycho's mission calls for him to work within the dome of sub-zero conditions that
Crysis only briefly concerned itself with, the bulk of the action during "Adapt or Perish" takes place in a frozen-solid jungle environment. Totally unlike the classic "lava level" or "ice level" staples of antiquated game formula, "frozen jungle" is a juxtaposition of incongruities where interactions with foliage are largely limited to smashing through it like glass.

 

Full Story...

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