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Nvidia Reveals ‘Quake 2 RTX’ to be Released June 6
Months back at GDC, video card manufacturer Nvidia unveiled their RTX series of cards that focused on ray-tracing. They also showed off a select number of games being powered by the cards, including a ray-traced version of id Software’s classic, Quake 2.
For those keen on playing the game with the new tech, Nvidia have announced that, as in 1997, the first three levels of the RTX enhanced version of Quake 2 will be available to download for free. Best of all, if you own the original Quake 2, you’ll be able to point Quake 2 RTX to your install folder, and then play the full game with all the new ray-traced goodies enabled.
So just what’s enhanced, you ask? Using real-time ray tracing for global illumination has meant that Nvidia have been able to add several new options, including the ability to select the time of day in a level. As well, all Quake 2‘s textures have gotten the overhaul, with some from the Q2XP mod pack, and others that Nvidia themselves enhanced.
Better yet, Nvidia will be posting the source code for Quake 2 RTX on GitHub to make it easy for modders to use this to enhance Quake 2 further, or to use it in mods.
But to take advantage of this, you’ll need to grab at least an RTX 2060. Better start saving.
In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war, but it was a cheerful illustrator from England who helped to define the terrifying war-torn imagery that inspired what we now know as Grimdark (a hybrid genre combining horror with sci-fi/fantasy).
Unfortunately for fans of Warhammer 40,000, Trench Crusade and countless other sources of Grimdark thrills, veteran artist John Blanche passed away this week after struggling with health issues for the past few years.
While the artist retired back in 2023, he leaves us with an enormous legacy of iconic artwork that continues to inspire gamers and storytellers around the world to this very day.
The news is especially gloomy as it was only last year that Daniel Lowman and Napoleon Dynamite himself Jon Heder released The Grim & the Dark: The Search for John Blanche, a documentary following Heder’s exploration of the Grimdark genre culminating in a heartwarming encounter with Blanche in his own home.
Below is one of my favorite pieces by Blanche, his highly influential depiction of Warhammer 40k’s God-Emperor of Mankind on his Golden Throne.
We send our deepest condolences to John Blanche’s family, friends, and fans.
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