Gamernode: Latest PlayStation 3 News

No pre-release PS3 UT3 demo

In an interview with Eurogamer, Epic Games' Mark Rein revealed that there won't be a PS3 Unreal Tournament 3 demo before the game's release. But in regards to the PC demo, that'll be released before the game is shipped for PC and PS3 in November.

Rein compared the situation to one that was faced during Gears of Wars' development. Rein stated, "What we told Microsoft last year - they wanted a demo for Gears of War and we said, 'you've got a choice - you can have the demo this year or the game this year'." I think we know the decision there.

The reasoning for one and not the other is just a simple priority choice and relocation of resources. Rein said, "We're not a big huge company with the resources to do that, and all the time we're testing that demo we're not testing our full game, which we...

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Dev: developing on PS3 "just sucks"

Oh no he di-int!

Xbox Evolved is reporting today that a developer working with EA's NASCAR series has been quoted saying something rather belligerent towards the Playstation 3.

"The truth is the PS3's tools and the way it works just sucks", said Xbox Evolved's source. "The truth is they are both virtually the same in terms of hardware when it comes to how powerful they are, maybe the PS3 has a few different things that makes it a bit more advanced, and Sony has this idea that it is designed for optimal development but that's a load of crap.

'In the last generation we would make the game for PS2 and then port it over to Xbox, but because Xbox was easier to develop for, we could actually enhance the title a little if we wanted to. The case with this generation is different, now we make the gam...

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Use a SIXAXIS on your PC

The gamers/writers over at Gamersblock that are apparently of a far more tech saavy nature than myself have cracked the secret to gaming's long sought after treasure...

...using a SIXAXIS as a PC gamepad!

Wipe your frothing jaws my dear GN faithful! I know you all have been waiting for this one for ages, but that's no reason to look a fright! A gamer must retain appearances after all.

I would break down the process for you, but to be honest I don't even know what the hell any of this means. Therefore, I have decided that it is in everyone's best interest that I let the gents at Gamers Block explain it themselves.

From Gamersblock.com"

"Let's begin by downloading this: http://dl.qj.net/SIXAXIS-driver-for-PC-Tools-and-Utilities-PlayStation-3/pg/12/fid/11679/catid/518 - This archived file contains...

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PlayStation 3 to offer 3D gaming?

If there is one pinnacle that gaming has not yet reached, it is fully immersing the player into the experience they are playing. Yes BioShock is amazing, and Half-Life 2 truly made a gamer feel like he or she was Gordon Freeman, but just imagine those game experiences if they were in full 3D.

Instead of a Big Daddy just trudging by, he would actually seem like he was next to the gamer; same with those annoying head-crab zombies from Half-Life 2.

While nothing has been officially confirmed from the Sony camp, rumors are popping up that a 3D-enabled PlayStation 3 may be a possibility by 2008.

This rumor comes from GameSpot who states that at a 3D video demonstration held by Mitsubishi, a comment was made stating that Blu-Ray players could take advantage of the tech Mitsubishi was showing off....

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2 GB levels in Killzone 2, wow! But only 30fps?

While we've seen the dazzling new footage for Killzone 2, it's safe to say that the game will certainly stretch the PS3's capabilities and hardware. But to what extent?

In a preview on Gamespy, Killzone 2 producer Steven Ter Heide mentioned that due to the extreme use of PS3 hardware, the game will be capped at 30 frames per second in 720p resolution.

The reason is because there's simply so much stuff going on and it's rendered in extreme detail, the PS3 can't handle anymore framerates or a higher resolution at the same time. The Games Convention demo showed a little slow-down at certain points but Ter Heide said that the game will be heavily optimized upon release.

If you want some more technical jargon, here you go. Ter Heide said in just one soldier's face, it contains as many polygons a...

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Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will be free

Taking some inspiration from Gran Turismo HD, SCEI revealed that the upcoming racing title Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will be released for free on the PlayStation Network for the PS3. It looks like they were toying around the idea of attaching a price tag but for now, it'll be free.

Among other things, Prologue will feature 16-player online races, 50 cars, 5 tracks and support for 1080p resolution. Looks like there will be more car customizations too -- it's been reported that one car (a 2000 TVR Tuscan Speed 6) was available in 21 different colors. It's been also revealed that Prologue will debut car damage to the game series.

In the meantime, treat your eyes to some true gaming bliss with Prologue's GC '07 trailer. The game will be released in Japan in October, but a U.S. release date is sti...

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GDC 07: Hideo Kojima Interview

I dig me some Metal Gear Solid. It goes without saying then that I get excited when the developers come out to shed light on the game or even just its development processes. However, this isn't just the developer, it's Kojima himself in a decreasingly rare public appearance. Nothing talked about here is going to flip your wig, but those who love the series know that one should relish every word from Kojima because you never know when he's going to turn into a hermit again.

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No PS3 Bioshock for you!

While the Xbox 360 crowd is giddy from the release of Bioshock, PS3 hopefuls just got some bad news. According to info gathered by Joystiq , Ken Levine, the lead designer of the game says that there is no PS3 version coming or in development. You can pull out your crying towels now.

Levine said, "I promise you, there is no secret plan about the PS3 that we're keeping from people. There's no PS3 development going on that we're hiding. There's lots of stuff that gets into game code, plans change over time and we got an exclusive deal with Microsoft..."

Although there's no development for Bioshock for a PS3 version at the moment, it doesn't necessarily mean that there will never be a port to the PS3. But time will tell if this will ever come about.

However, with many companies siding with the X...

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New Killzone 2 footage

Not to be left out the mix of new gameplay footage from console selling software, the team behind Killzone 2 has been demonstrating their game as well. While no where near the level of completion of Halo 3, Killzone 2 is still shaping up to be a mighty good game. So here is two minutes of real time in-game footage showing off one of the new mechanics Killzone 2 is bringing to the FPS genre, Sneak and Peak. Sneak and Peak and pretty simple. Find cover, snap to the wall and fro there you can either blind fire or step out and aim more accurately. Yes, Gears of War had this as well as other FPS titles, but seeing it done in next-gen graphics complete with the power of the PlayStation 3 behind it -- it's hard not to get excited. Enjoy.

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Dowloadable Folklore quests cost $$$

As our friends in Japan have already discovered, the Playstation 3 RPG Folklore is going to have downloadable quest packs, and they are going to lighten our wallets.

The first of these has already been added to the Japanese Playstation Store, and features four new quests, a rare costume, and a rare Folks. The price for the download is 300 yen ($2.50).

Folklore isn't expected to arrive in the States until October 12th, so as of this time Sony Computer Entertainment America hasn't commented on the pricing structure of the North American downloadable content.

I can only assume that the cost will be right in the same range, but who knows when it comes to Sony and price tags?

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Gran Turismo 5 Prologue trailer

Here's the GC '07 trailer for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. The game will act as a bridge between, well, now and Gran Turismo 5. Prologue is expected to be out on October 26th and will feature, among other things, 50 cars, 5 tracks, up to 16-player online races and 1080p resolution support. Try to not drool all over your keyboards, your fingers won't appreciate that once the trailer is over.

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New PS3 update will allow for custom soundtracks

Version 1.80, the latest update to the PS3, will offer custom soundtrack support according to an analysis of the SDK (Software Development Kit) by Inner Bits. Developers now have the option of streaming music off of a given user's hard drive.

The utility will cost 12MB of precious memory space, but this is likely to decrease with upcoming SDK releases. System memory usage also dropped from 52MB to 48MB, and video memory dropped even more drastically from 32MB to 24MB. The memory costs for other features have also been dropped, which should attract more developers to the console.

So...all dorkiness aside...developers can now implement a custom soundtrack feature into the games they make.

Oh, and the "grilling" feature is expected sometime in 2009.

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Metal Gear Solid 4 bosses revealed in GC trailer

At the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, Kojima and company have lifted the veil off of a new cinematic trailer for the mega-sequel Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

While the first half is basically a small update to what has been shown since E3, the second half of the video reveals the boss characters that Snake will have to combat when the game releases early next year. Will they live up to the MGS bosses of the past? Absolutely.

The theme surrounding the boss character this time around is "beauty and the beast." These are severely traumatized individuals - "victims of war," as the narrator puts it - who have suppressed all remnants of their former humanity deep inside. What they instead embody is "the beast" - they are raw, emotionless tools of destruction.

These horrors inclu...

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PS3 has best version of UT3?

I never would have thought it would turn out this way, but it looks like the PS3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 is going to be the definitive version.

CVG is reporting today that Epic is touting some fancy new capabilities for their PS3 version of the game. For one, Sixaxis controls are being implemented for controlling the hoverboards, and for the superweapon The Redeemer.

Also, Epic has stated that UT3 is going to run at a blazing 60 frames per second, and that both versions look identical. Now, take into consideration that the Sixaxis controls are only available on PS3, and also that the only way you can be 100% sure you'll get the full graphical experience is via a unified format (ala a console). Add keyboard and mouse support and it's looking like the PS3 version is the one to get.

I k...

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Europeans get TV Tuner and PVR for PS3 in 2008

Originally hinted at earlier this month, Sony confirmed at the Games Convention today that PlayTV will be available for the PS3. PlayTV, which is a TV tuner and a personal video recorder (PVR), will launch in Europe in early 2008. In addition, a PSP video download service will also launch around the same time.

Various European countries including the UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain will benefit from the device. Households will be able to watch HD programming while recording simultaneously through their PS3. PlayTV can be compared to TiVo. Recorded shows can also be transferred to the PSP seamlessly. Along with the PS3, the PSP can schedule recordings, watch TV and stream programs through PlayTV.

As for the PSP video download service, UK and Ireland PSP owners can utilize British Sky Br...

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Soldner-X coming to PS3 and PC

I love sidescrolling shooters, and I love games that look pretty. That's why I'm excited that it's been announced Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer is being released this winter for the PS3 (likely via the PSN) and PC.

In the distant future, planet Earth's resistance is trying to stop a deadly virus which affects man- and robotkind (about time). Obviously, the only one who can save the day is an anti-hero with a team of bounty hunters piloting a prototype star fighter.

Here's a list of the game's key features, taken directly from the press release:

* 12 stages of beautiful parallax graphics and animations, staged across 4 fantastic world/space settings* High definition graphics in 720p (16:9)* Beautiful weather effects (such as rain, fog and lightning)* Classic design, yet state-of-the-art shooter ...

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Unreal Tournament 3 to run on Linux

Looks like Linux is getting some love as well from Mark Rein of Epic Games confirming Unreal Tournament 3 will be available for Linux, reports linuX-gamers.

"We're a multi-platform company, please come to grips with that. We like the PC. We like the 360. We like the PS3. We like the Macintosh. We like Linux. We will deliver UT3 (Unreal Tournament 3) for all of these platforms and it will rock on every one," stated Mark Rein.

It's nice to see Linux getting some love from one of the bigger companies out there. The only confusing part about this "announcement" is whether the Linux version will be available on day one alongside the Windows version, or if it will released on a later date. I'm leaning towards the later.

Either way it is great news for the Linux community that the gaming industry is...

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Ratchett and Clank Future: "Icy" Trailer

Though I may not personally be able to understand the popularity of the Ratchett and Clank series, I do know that there are thousands out there who do. These people will doubtless be excited to watch this new video and see Clank dancing around in a pirate costume, as well as some of the sixaxis functions at play, including the Tornado gun and the Visicopter.

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GRAW team denies PS3's that development is harder ...

With the various reports that developing for the PlayStation 3 has been harder than other consoles seemingly dwarfing everything else, news talking about the contrary is always nice. Out comes info from one of the teams who developed Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter and its sequel, Ubisoft Tiwak; they say that developing games for the PlayStation 3 is no harder than working with the Xbox 360.

Yann Le Tensorer, Co-Founder of Ubisoft Tiwak, said, "It's wrong to say it's harder to code on the PlayStation 3, it's just something that needs to be learnt. It's not harder to develop on the PS3 than it is on the 360, it's just a different console. Developers might says it's harder because it just takes time to understand the technology, we're still early in the lifecycle."

Adrian Lacey, International...

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Ninja Gaiden Sigma halfway to platinum

Tecmo announced today that it's PS3 exclusive remake of an Xbox classic, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, has shipped 500,000 units worldwide.

Sales have been pretty evenly spread out across the three main gaming territories (Europe, North America, Asia) reinforcing well-established theories that everyone alive loves ninjas.

These numbers are rather remarkable for what is essentially a port of a 4 year old game, made even more remarkable by the fact that Ninja Gaiden Sigma has only been on store shelves for 2 months in Japan and 1 month in North America and Europe.

With the growing success of such a quality port, one can only hope that this quality will seep its way into other ports, which have a nasty reputation for crapulence.

[via Siliconera]

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