Futuremark - the game studio

[Jiminator]

should be interesting to see which of their concepts they flesh out. :)

http://www.futuremark.com/companyinfo/pressroom/pressreleases/52482/

[Hudson]

I thought Futuremark was Remedy?

[peoplessi]

They were, but they seperated long time ago.

In 1997 Remedy created a program called Final Reality, a 3D benchmark program. In November 1997, Remedy created a new company that would handle its 3D benchmark program called Futuremark. That program would turn into 3DMark, a widely popular 3D benchmark program that determines the performance of your video card with the latest graphics.

[Hudson]

But Remedy still owns them?

[Kristian Joensen]

Atleast until very recently Remedy was one of the owners of Futuremark

[ShadeEX]

Yeah I remember one of the first builds of 3DMark..

It used the Max Payne 1 Engine IIRC

One of the "scenes" was the Matrix Lobby

[Hudson]

Indeed, MaxFX.

[ShadeEX]

IIRC though there have been games made from some of the "scenes" you benchmark through before though..

I think it was the "Car sequence" with the car that had missiles and stuff while driveing

It was in the 3DMark 2001 version IIRC

[Mr.Fibbles]

3DMark benchmark is pretty. . . I just hope they can make something fun too.
When I think of 3DMark, I think of pretty graphics and intense particle/physics to test my system out. I don't think of something gripping and fun. That is not to say that they won't be able to produce something fun, but I just don't think of that when I think of their previous products.

[Mountain Man]

This is pretty much how Crytech started. What eventually became Far Cry was originally intended to be a graphics demo. I think it was called X-Isle and featured dinosaurs in a jungle setting. Whether or not they went on to create something "gripping and fun" is, of course, debatable.

[SonnyBonds]

It's not debatable that Far Cry *was* "gripping and fun" to a great number of people ;)

Anyway, this is interesting.. wonder how it'll turn out! I'm sure the graphics will be nice anyway :p

[Reaper]

It's not debatable that Far Cry *was* "gripping and fun" to a great number of people
Believe me, any game is debatable as to whether or not it's "gripping and fun."

[Rider]

Believe me, any game is debatable as to whether or not it's "gripping and fun."

Nope.

Big Rigs.

Not gripping... fun perhaps... but definitely not gripping.

[Phait]

Sang would know gripping fun.

[Morry]

I wonder if it will use the Alan Wake engine, seeing as the benchmarking tools used the AW engine for some of the tests.

[Stense]

This should be interesting. The 3dMark benchmarks have always looked pretty, lets just hope they remember that pretty doesn't necesserily make for a fun game. But I hope they come up with something nice.

[SyntaxN]

The interactive driving/shooting demo from 3d mark 2001 (i believe?) was actually quite fun.

[Mr.Fibbles]

I wonder if it will use the Alan Wake engine, seeing as the benchmarking tools used the AW engine for some of the tests.

They could use their own engine developed by them in house. They do have quite a bit of experience in that.

Of course they could also just as easily buy the rights to any number of engines they have used for benchmarking.

[ADM]

Remedy never owned Futuremark.. nor were they a part of Futuremark. Basically a couple of guys from Remedy started up Futuremark and ever since they've been close but seperate entities.

They used to have offices next to each other, not too sure if that's still the case now since Remedy has moved offices a while ago.

[Kristian Joensen]

Sorry, I think I confused you guys by using the word "owner", I said "one of the owners" not "the owner", what I meant by that is that Remedy (is?) was a shareholder in Futuremark:

The relationship between companies is such that Remedy is a shareholder in Futuremark - Markus Mäki, February 26th, 2003.

[Karthik]

Is Alan Wake using Futuremark's game engine?

[Kristian Joensen]

Nope. Alan Wake uses the Alan Wake Engine. Remedy and Futuremark haven't been sharing engines since before 3D Mark 2003.

[Jokke_r]

Origins of both Remedy and Futuremark are in a old Demoscene group called FutureCrew that was active in the earlyish 90's. The guys of futurecrew started remedy and futuremark which was briefly known ad MadOnion.org for awhile (2000-2001). The new Recoil Games studio has some old remedy people in them that were in futurecrew.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_Crew

[Malgon]

Bit off topic, but when are Futuremark releasing a new 3DMark?

[ZuljinRaynor]

Let's see if they're like the next Crytek, but with better graphics and worse gameplay maybe? :p

[Daedolon]

First product 3DShooter 2008?

[ZuljinRaynor]

Heh, the Madden of FPS.

[Morry]

Nope. Alan Wake uses the Alan Wake Engine. Remedy and Futuremark haven't been sharing engines since before 3D Mark 2003.
Until now, 3D Mark Vantage uses parts of the Alan Wake engine, in particular, the streaming data process.

[XRay]

Haha :D

In the latest salvo in the let's-claim-credit-for-a-commonly-used-term-that-we-didn't-even-create War(TM), Finnish software company Futuremark Games Studio filed papers on February 26, 2008 to protect the trademark "Pwnage" in relation to:

"... computer game software; computer game programs; computer game discs; interactive multimedia computer game program; downloadable ring tones, ... multimedia software recorded on CD-ROM featuring fictional characters and computer games; pre-recorded DVD's, video tapes, laser discs featuring movies about fictional characters, and pre-recorded compact discs featuring music; motion picture films on fictional characters...".

http://kotaku.com/362753/pwnage-tm

[Mr.Fibbles]

They own "pwnage"? Makes no sense. I am pretty sure "pwnage" is a geek term derived from a typo during a CS game. "you just got pwned".

[Mountain Man]

They own "pwnage"? Makes no sense. I am pretty sure "pwnage" is a geek term derived from a typo during a CS game. "you just got pwned".
It goes back earlier than that, I think. I've heard it was introduced in a mod for WarCraft 2, but I wouldn't be surprised if it predated that, possibly going all the way back to 80's hacker culture.

[Kristian Joensen]

They own "pwnage"? Makes no sense. I am pretty sure "pwnage" is a geek term derived from a typo during a CS game. "you just got pwned".

No not exactly.That is not how the trademark system works. It just that if they get the trademark they get the exclusive right to call(or rather name) a product falling within the scope of those categories "pwnage" or to use it within the marketing of that/those products.

However this wouldn't mean that would get to decide who would be able to use the word "pwnage" or anything like that. Nor would it stop say a car company from creating car model or brand named "pwnage" since cars aren't part of the categories they are applying for.

That is also the key word here "applying" they might well be denied this, there are various rules about what is and isn't trademarkable. So with the way the trademark system works examples of people using the word(if you can call it that) "pwnage" prior to this aren't really legally relevant.

However if someone could bring forth(to the USPTO and other relevant trademark authorities) evidence of some game(s) being named "pwnage" prior to this then the trademark application would most likely be denied.

[Mr.Fibbles]

Wait, does this mean there could be a game called "Pwnage" (coming from this new game designer)? Interesting. . .

[Kristian Joensen]

Well since you say "could be" then the answer is yes. Although marketing phrases can also be trademarked so it doesn't have to be game. Also they aren't committed to using any name they are applying for a trademark for. It could just be a "just in case" application. However before you are finally granted a trademark you DO have to file a so called "Statement Of Use"(SOU). Showing what you are using the trademark for or it will be abandoned/dead. Doesn't mean it is dead for ever, you may reapply. That statement of use would for a game typically include a picture of the box/cd(DVD) or something like that.

You have 6 months to file that SOU or to file for an extension of the SOU. You can get 5 such extension before your trademark gets marked "dead".

But yeah this could be taken as an indication of a game known as "pwnage".

[TBZ]

Since I cant seem to find any other thread about 3DMark, I'll post it here:

3DMark Vantage Released (http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmarkvantage/)

"Minimum System requirements

* Processor: Recommendation: A dual-core processor with performance equivalent to Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, AMD Athlon X2 6000+, or higher
* Graphics Card: Requirement: Fully DirectX10-compliant graphics hardware
* Monitor: Capable of 1280x1024 resolution
* System Memory: Windows Vista minimum requirement
* Hard Disk: 1 GB of free hard disk space
* Operating System: Windows Vista with Service Pack 1"

[crunchy superman]

Since I cant seem to find any other thread about 3DMark, I'll post it here:

3DMark Vantage Released (http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmarkvantage/)

"Minimum System requirements

* Processor: Recommendation: A dual-core processor with performance equivalent to Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, AMD Athlon X2 6000+, or higher
* Graphics Card: Requirement: Fully DirectX10-compliant graphics hardware
* Monitor: Capable of 1280x1024 resolution
* System Memory: Windows Vista minimum requirement
* Hard Disk: 1 GB of free hard disk space
* Operating System: Windows Vista with Service Pack 1"

An already useless benchmark that now requires Vista and has a one-time use limit before you're required to buy it. Boy, that'll go far.

[XPM]

An already useless benchmark that now requires Vista and has a one-time use limit before you're required to buy it. Boy, that'll go far.

Good luck running Direct X 10 on Windows XP mate ;)