GDC 08: Nurien Harnesses the Power of the Unreal 3 Engine…for a Rhythm Dancing Game?

Usually when we see a trailer branded with the “Unreal Engine” watermark, it’s for some new sci-fi FPS or a historical hack-and-slasher or some other game that involves flashy effects. So imagine my surprise when I loaded up the trailer above to find a video for a game using the Unreal 3 Engine that’s a rhythm dancing game. Admittedly, this is probably the best-looking rhythm game ever. The game is called “MStar,” and it’s part of a new social networking service being developed by Nurien Software. The company hopes to create a new platform for social interactions that incorporates several casual online games. “MStar” will be included in the package, allowing players to customize their own characters, dance virtually, and even create and share music videos. There will also be a game called “Runway,” which will have players creating their own fashions and then walk a runway in them. Finally, there will be “QuizStar,” which is a basic online trivia game.

“We wanted to create a social virtual world – sort of like a 3D MySpace – where users can create, collect, combine and share legacy media such as music, photos, video as well as 3D objects such as clothing, furniture, pets, cars and more, all in a beautiful 3D environment,” said Taehoon Kim, co-founder of Nurien Software. “We wanted to give users a powerful new vehicle for self-expression that breaks down real world limitations. We at Nurien believe that if people created homepages in the ‘90s to express themselves, and if they have migrated to blogging and using social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace today, then the next natural step will be to inhabit fun, virtual worlds with user-created avatars.”

Basically, the software will allow people a ridiculous amount of customization so they can create an avatar and then watch them move about in a realistic manner. The company plans to start a closed beta for the service next month, before launching the full service in Korea and China later this year.

That’s…cool? I guess? I don’t know; I’m kind of in the camp that thinks social networks are great in theory. Unfortunately, as has been the case of late, giving people too much creativity just leads them to make some of the ugliest crap you can imagine (glitter graphics? glitter freakin’ graphics!?). With that in mind, I’m not sure we need more realistic graphics. On the plus side, when you see a guy online wandering around dressed as a giant phallus, you’ll know immediately to stay away; just like in real life.

Via Press Release