Tag Archives: Sony

Train2Game news: “If you care about games you’re going to want a Vita” say Sony

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PlayStation VitaTrain2Game students may already be very interested in the PlayStation Vita, thanks to a development kit that brings handheld and smartphone development together, but anyone who cares about games will want to buy one.

That’s according to Sony Worldwide Studios European senior VP Michael Denny, who was speaking to VideoGamer.

“Our mission, our vision, is that we now have a portable gaming system that is going to be massively appealing to gamers – initially core gamers, but then a wider sense of gamers going forward,” he said, adding that so long as Sony provide a good line up of title’s people will want to buy the PlayStation Vita.

“We have to concentrate on our plans and make sure we supply the right games, the right experience, the right software, and the right social connectivity for the platform. I believe if you care about games you’re going to want a Vita.”

Denny admitted that the PlayStation Vita enters into a competitive market against the Nintendo 3DS and smartphones

We have to acknowledge that we’re coming into a very competitive landscape in the portable, mobile gaming market,” said the Sony VP.

“But I think the main thing for us is that we are a true next-gen platform. We are going to truly differentiate ourselves from the competition, so people who do care about the gaming – who want a deeper, richer, more immersive experience with their gaming – are going to absolutely love this device.

He added that the PlayStation Vita has been built to give creative game developers plenty of opportunity to flex their muscles. The Train2Game blog has previously reported that Sony has already lent Vita development kits to indie studios.

“It’s been built from the ground up with creative games developers in mind as well, to give a hardware feature set that we think is unrivalled. With the launch line-up that we have as well, we feel it will be compelling to gamers everywhere.” said Denny.

Sony officially revealed the PlayStation Vita at E3 earlier this year, it’s scheduled for a UK release in February next year.

So Train2Game, do you want to buy a PlayStation Vita? Do you think it’ll be a success? And are you encouraged that Sony want developers to be creative?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: VideoGamer]

Train2Game news: Uncharted 3 director on story vs. gameplay

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Train2Game blog readers may see Uncharted 3 as one of the most impressive, story driven games on the PlayStation 3, but some out there criticise it for its linearity when compared with RPGs and other open titles.

Developer Naughty Dog has responded to those criticisms by stating the Uncharted series storyline is more important to them than gameplay.

“That’s not really our genre,” Uncharted 3 creative director Amy Hennig told Gametrailers. “We like those kind of games, as players and fans of other games, but for the action-adventure – especially the pulp-adventure genre – that doesn’t really make sense.”

“It’s about having a very clear, linear story arc that doesn’t allow for a lot of the dilution that is created by player choice in some cases. We always call it ‘wide linear’ – within the path that we give you you have a lot of choice within it, it’s not just hit this button, and this button, and this button.” she added.

Despite the tight nature of Uncharted 3’s story, the Train2Game blog has previously reported that Naughty Dog say they make up a lot of the game as they go along.

Train2Game students interested in how Uncharted 3’s script is written  and performed should check out this behind the scenes look on the Train2Game blog.

For more on games writing, check out the huge Train2Game blog interview with Deus Ex: Human Revolution writer James Swallow.

Away from game design, Naughty Dog believes the PlayStation 4 is needed for the next big leap in graphical improvements.

So Train2Game, what do you make of Naughty Dog’s comments on storyline being more important than gameplay for Uncharted 3?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Industry Gamers]

Train2Game news: Uncharted needs PS4 for next big improvements

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Train2Game students are living in time when video games look better than ever, with the Uncharted series being some of the best looking titles of the lot.

And while the upcoming Uncharted 3 is graphically improved over its predecessor, developers Naughty Dog say the jump isn’t as big as it was between Uncharted 2 and the original. They believe a next generation console is needed in order to recreate this level of improvement.

Speaking to Spong, Game Director Justin Richmond revealed that changes to the Uncharted’s engine have been tweaks rather than massive upgrades.

“Uncharted 3 isn’t just an incremental update – we did change lots and lots of things – but graphically speaking, it’s not going to have the same gap, it was never going to happen.” he said.

And the Uncharted 3 Game Director believes we won’t see another huge jump on the PlayStation 3, hinting that we’ll only see a similar boost when Sony release a next-generation console.

“The way we made it, how much of the PS3’s power we were using… that huge gap that you saw between Uncharted 1 and 2 is the kind of thing that really only happens once per generation. We pushed it really hard.” said Richmond.

Train2Game students may be interested to find out that Naughty Dog only managed to make improvements to Uncharted 3 by re-writing the engine, and it’s something they’d prefer to do only once per console cycle.

“Uncharted 2 to 3 is still a jump, but it’s a narrower jump. And going forward, it depends on what we do. There are always ways to improve stuff, always ways we can pull out more stops… like changing optimisations, changing streaming animations, getting more polygons on screen, progressive mesh,” Richmond said.

“But I don’t think you’ll ever see that same jump again, at least on a PlayStation 3. There was just so much power left over in the PS3 when we made Uncharted 1, that we figured out how to use and really took it to town when developing Uncharted 2.” the Uncharted 3 Game Director concluded.

As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, the Uncharted 3 have a something of a “make it up as we go along” thing when it comes to game design.

Meanwhile, Train2Game students interested in how Uncharted 3’s script is written and performed should check out this behind the scenes look on the Train2Game blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Richmond’s comments? Do you believe a new console is needed in order to make another leap forward? Does that leap need to be made?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Spong]

Train2Game students can question Uncharted 3 devs this weekend

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Train2Game students have the chance to question Uncharted 3 developers Naughty Dog and get their hands on the game at an exclusive event in London this Saturday.

The Naughty Dog team behind the Uncharted series will be hosting a developer session featuring a live walkthrough of the Desert Village section of the game.

It’s likely to give any Train2Game students who attend a great insight into the development of Uncharted 3 and what goes on behind the scenes at Naughty Dog.

Attendees will also get the chance to sample Uncharted 3’s single player campaign for the first time ever in the UK.

The Uncharted 3 developer session, a FREE event hosted by PlayStation Access, takes place this Saturday 15th October from 15:00-18:00 at The Union, 50 Greek Street, London, W1D 4EQ.

The venue will  apparently be transformed into the Pelican Inn in the upcoming Uncharted 3. There’s no need to register in advanced.

For more details about the Uncharted 3 developer session, Train2Game students should see the Facebook event page.

Earlier this month, the Train2Game reported that Uncharted 3’s lead designer said they made a lot of the game up as they went along!

Train2Game students can also check out this post that looks behind the scenes at Naughty Dog. Perhaps it’ll inspire someone to ask the Naughty Dog team a great question!

Uncharted 3 is released for PlayStation 3 next month.

So Train2Game, will you attend the Uncharted 3 developer session? What would you ask? And are you looking forward to the game?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Sony – ‘Time still not right’ for download only consoles

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Train2Game students will be aware of the growth of digital distribution in the games industry, with games available to download via services including Xbox LIVE, PSN and Steam.

And while the Train2Game blog has previously reported that some believe future consoles won’t use discs at all, Sony don’t believe this will happen any time soon.

“We believe, for some consumers, the time is [right], but for other consumers, the time is still not [right],” SCE Worldwide president Shuhei Yoshida told Edge in an interview about the PlayStation Vita

Sony officially revealed their new handheld console at E3 earlier this year.

Yoshida said that current internet connections mean that it’s not yet time for a console to go digital only. This is despite Sony attempting a download only console with the PSP Go.

“So we believe the time is still not right to go download-only as a platform. Some PS Vita titles, like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, will be close to 4GB in size, which could be too large to download for consumers who do not have a fast broadband connection.”

Yoshida added that some consumers will appreciate being able to go to a retailer and pick up a physical copy of a game.

“Also, some consumers like shopping in retail stores, talking to knowledgeable store clerks, buying and playing games on the spot. We do not want to remove that capability from consumers.”

Sony are also aware that downloads haven’t taken off in every part of the globe.

“There are consumers in parts of the world – this is a global device – where the digital model has not yet fully been embraced,” added SCEE CEO Jim Ryan.

Last month, the Train2Game blog reported that Crytek don’t believe that the industry is ready for digital distribution via cloud gaming.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Sony’s remarks about digital distribution? Can you see consoles going download only?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Edge via Industry Gamers]

Train2Game news: Uncharted 3 – ‘we do make up a lot of it as we go along’ reveals lead designer

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Train2Game students will no doubt be familiar with the highly successful Uncharted series for PlayStation 3.

Now, with game number three on the horizon, Naughty Dog look to be pushing towards the release of yet another technically impressive and critically acclaimed game.

And while Train2Game students may expect the Uncharted 3 to have been meticulously planned before development starts, it appears it isn’t the case.

“We start with a short description, but then we do make up a lot of it as we go along. I think that’s very important.” Uncharted 3 Lead Game Designer Richard Lemarchand told GamesIndustry.biz during an in-depth interview.

He revealed that Uncharted 3 uses a storyboarding technique similar to Toy Story and Cars creators Pixar, which doesn’t begin with a script, but animation.

“I attended a story seminar by one of the story artists at Pixar last year, and he told us that Pixar make their films in the same way: they don’t have a script when they start; they do lots of brainstorming, and they work up ideas, and they do lots of drawing, and they start to make animatics, which are like little rough-cut movies.” said Lemarchand.

The Naughty Dog game designer explained that the story evolves from this system, which is flexible enough for things to change if needed.

“So they discover the key moments of their movies that way, and over time the detailed structure of what they’re making emerges.”

“It kind of appears by them working at it and working at it. That’s good, because it means you don’t over commit to something that might be wrong, or not entertaining or interesting enough.” he said.

Train2Game students interested in how Uncharted 3’s script is written  and performed should check out this behind the scenes look on the Train2Game blog.

Uncharted 3 for PlayStation 3 is set for release on 2nd November, with the Train2Game blog previously reporting that Sony believe it’ll ‘show a new level in 3D gaming’

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the production behind Uncharted 3? Are you surprised it isn’t precisely planned? And how do you go about planning to build games?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: GamesIndustry.biz]

Train2Game news: Sony development kit brings brings Android and PlayStation together

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Train2Game students could use the same development kit to produce games for handhelds and smartphones. That is if during their future careers they ever get their hands on the new SDK from Sony

Dubbed the ‘PlayStation Suite’ the development kit allows developers to produce games for PlayStation handhelds and Android devices including smartphones and tablet computers.

In theory, it’ll allow developers to release a single game across a variety of different mobile and handheld platforms including the PlayStation Vita, which you can read more about here on the Train2Game blog.

Other Sony platforms the Android games can be released on include the Xperia Play smartphone, two Sony tablet computers and any future ‘PlayStation certified’ hardware.

“By supporting development for multiple devices and by adopting libraries to create a variety of content not only limited to games, PS Suite SDK will not only help developers save their cost in creating new content but also allow them to efficiently create their content on one SDK and without having to create on several different SDKs” said Sony.

The PlayStation Suite will begin to be used by selected developers from November, but games developed using the SDK won’t be able to be released until next Spring, when the PlayStation Vita is expected to launch in the West.

Last month the Train2Game blog reported that Sony were handing PlayStation Vita kits to indie developers.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on a combined SDK for PlayStation and Android? Will it encourage developers to produce games for a wider variety of platforms?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Develop]

Train2Game students split on potential of 3D gaming

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Train2Game students don’t appear to be fully convinced by comments made by Sony on the potential of 3D in gaming.

As reported by the Train2Game blog,  Sony Group Studio Director Mick Hocking believes the technology means we’re in “one of the most thrilling eras to be a gamer”

And while some Train2Game students on the Train2Game Facebook page believe in the potential of gaming in 3D, some see it as little more than a fad.

“If the 3D is right, I feel it adds to the immersion of the gaming experience” said Train2Game student Richard Meredith

“Maybe not so much in shooter’s as I feel that the screen has too much going on and can cause confusion, don’t get me wrong some areas are of shooters in 3D are great, but I feel 3D works best for racing, sports, and third person perspective games.”

And Train2Game student Danny Goddard believes it definitely has potential.

“Don’t think 3D tech is quite “there” yet.” he wrote on the Train2Game Facebook page

“However, I do consider it a stepping stone to greater things in the future of entertainment/Games industry.” He added.

Meanwhile, some Train2Game students believe 3D is nothing more than a gimmick which will eventually pass.

“3D is a fad the comes around every 10 years or so, sooner the better it goes the same way the HDDVD drive went for the 360” said Mark Byrne, while Louise Grundy believes 3D looks good, but is still just a fad.

“3D on the 3DS looked better than I expected, but it’s just a gimmick and nothing more.” She wrote on the Train2Game Facebook page

There are also those such as Calum Knight who believe 3D has potential, but needs to do more to avoid falling into a failed technology fad.

“If they ever get 3D to work with the gameplay of a game yes, if it’s just for showing off simply no. Current 3D is just a gimmicky fad at the moment.” he said.

And finally, responding to Train2Game via Twitter, Levi Dargue was more than a little cynical about Sony’s enthusiasm for 3D gaming.

“Of course they would say that, those shiny new overpriced 3DTV’s won’t sell themselves” he said.

Where do you stand on 3D?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: 3D means we’re in “one of the most thrilling eras to be a gamer” say Sony

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Train2Game students will probably be aware that Sony have a strong interested in 3D, with Uncharted 3 being seen as the game that could help bring the technology to the mainstream.

Resistance 3 is another big title that boasts 3D compatibility, which the Train2Game blog reported today debuted at No.4 in the UK Charts.

Sony believe that 3D will eventually enter gamers lives in a big way, but at the moment the technology is only just beginning to show what it’s capable of.

“Looking at the future of 3D, I think we’ve really only just begun to realize its potential as a creative medium.”  Sony Group Studio Director Mick Hocking told Industry Gamers.

“With the combination of 3D and motion control gaming with PlayStation Move, I think titles like Resistance 3 are just scratching the surface of what’s possible,” he argued.

And Hocking believes that the potential of 3D makes it a hugely exciting time to be a video game consumer.

“For those who may have been fans of some of the ‘virtual reality’ projects of the late 1980s and early 1990s, improvements in processing power and 3D screen resolution are creating virtual spaces that are more realistic than ever” he said.

“If you look at what PlayStation is doing now and the innovations that are being worked on in our Studios in 3D gaming, we’re living in one of the most thrilling eras to be a gamer,” the 3D enthusiast concluded.

As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, 3D technology was a huge part of Sony’s E3 press conference. And last month Sony revealed a futuristic 3D headset, which while impressive, at a cost of around £500 is probably a little too expensive for most gamers.

Sony have long been evangelists for 3D gaming, but the technology is also starting to gain interest from their rivals Microsoft. Indeed, the upcoming Halo Anniversary from 343 will feature 3D compatibility.

“With Halo: Anniversary you are able to play the game in stereoscopic 3D and really, the important thing for us was to add features that didn’t impact gameplay but enhanced it, and 3D was a good opportunity to do that”

“So, we were able to add 3D into the game and you can play 3D in re-mastered mode however much you like” Producer Dennis Ries told the Train2Game blog in a recent interview

So Train2Game, what do you think is the potential of 3D technology? Will it enter the gaming mainstream? Or does it feel like a gimmick to you?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Industry Gamers]

Train2Game News: World’s Leading Football Franchise Optimized for Xperia(TM) PLAY

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Sony Ericsson has announced a limited time exclusive agreement with EA Mobile(TM) to deliver the much anticipated EA SPORTS(TM)  FIFA 12  on Android. Optimized for the world’s first PlayStation certified smartphone Xperia(TM) PLAY, the No. 1 sports franchise on the planet^ will be available for the device worldwide in the holiday season.

With improved gameplay depth, authentic commentaries, updated teams from the world’s top leagues and all new replay systems,  FIFA 12  on Xperia(TM) PLAY is the ultimate football experience for Android, claims Sony Ericsson. The dedicated graphical processing unit, optimized memory bandwidth and 60fps rendering of Xperia(TM) PLAY enhance the football gameplay experience. Audio is also improved with enhanced commentary and crowd chants.

” FIFA 12 will undoubtedly be one of this year’s most popular games and Xperia(TM) PLAY consumers will be able to master it before any other Android users,” said, Dominic Neil-Dwyer, Head of Market Development for Sony Ericsson. “Adding to a portfolio of quality games for Xperia(TM) PLAY,  FIFA 12  adapts perfectly to the device and delivers the best football experience on Android.”

Is this a winner? Your Views Please.

There are no screenshots as yet but we like to share hot news.

*Limited exclusivity expires February 21, 2012.

^  /Based on units sold world-wide as of July 25, 2011 (via NPD, Chart-track, GFK & Famitsu Marketing Data Service) /