New PlayStation blog post

[Paul Tweedle]

Hi guys,

Just to let you know that Marcus, our Art Director has added a post to the PlayStation blog. In it we have also answered some other questions...

http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2009/07/08/wipeout-fury-developer-diary-environment-design/

Thanks,

Paul.

[yeldar2097]

SWEEEEEEEEEET

thanks for the update paul :+

[TaroBarkhan]

Very interesting. :)

Thanks to you and your team for that info, Paul. :beer

[BARTgai]

YEAH! Final testing! :D

Thanks Paul. Can't wait! :hyper

[NightArh]

Thanks! Interesting to read! :coffee

[Asayyeah]

QA final testing : hmmmm that sounds sooo close to the release.
Looking forward to play it !!
Thx Paul and all the team for the infos

[rdmx]

Will any of the concept art see the light of day outside of the game? They'd look really cool as a wallpaper.

[Mu5]

Talons Junction looks incredible - Thanks for the link! :D :+

[eLhabib]

NOICE!
Thanks Paul, pure bliss these concept art screens!

[Rapier Racer]

The carnage is unbelievable especially now that players can turn their ship around and attack opponents head-on. You’re going to love it.*Takes one of those shocked deep breaths*

Hey! Fellow pilots of the Wipeout Pure Xlink Kai era... It looks like someone was spying on our in game activities! Its the home made Wipeout Pure eliminator, brought back to life :hyper

[IH8YOU]

What's the deal with the different color contrails? Saw red and green contrails in the pics. Playing with pictures, or new thruster technology? Team affiliation via exhaust color?

I'm hugely bummed about lack of alternate HUD support in the new modes. Wipeout just isn't Wipeout for me unless I'm rockin the 2097 hud. :frown:

[Amorbis]

Thanks for the update, Paul. It's nice to know how you go about designing this stuff, from the little design work I've done WipEout has had a huge influence on it. The architectural design in the blog post would awesome to see as real buildings.

The comments on the blog post mention a lot about Home, maybe it'll give me a proper reason to go back in there. I can't wait until Fury appears on the PlayStation store :hyper.

[TheFrostE]

the WZ Home Clubhouse i bought a while ago will finally be of use if the game gets home launching support!

[ProblemSolver]

@Marcus Tanner: Really, really great work! I love the bold design because
it allows for a wide dynamic range in modeling between what is supposed
to be large and small, which is usually not that easy.



... Interlocking modular shapes & overlaid layered surfaces make best use
of the lighting by allowing shadows to play over the structures, and sunlight
to glint through the gaps. This gives the impression of a highly complex and
richly populated environment which is enhanced by the use of hyper-real
gleaming hi-tech surfaces.
Kinda reminds me, in parts, of my own words and is exactly what I was
looking for; scale & depth! It's so important that shadows from all the
surroundings can now be cast onto the surface of a craft such that one can
essentially perceive the necessary depth to actually feel being embedded
into an environment.

I have a question about what you call 'Dynamic Composition'. You wrote;


... This process involves sectioning the environment along the track to
provide the fundamental flow of shapes that creates an interesting rhythm
for the player. It includes strategically adding set pieces which provide
focus for the player and then populates the track to create an enhanced
game experience. ...
Who does sectioning the environment? Is it done by a user or an algorithm?
And how does one decide whether the strategically added set pieces really
provide focus for the player or not, without testing each configuration by
hand? Is there some mathematical (frequency) analysis involved, a-priori?

Judging from all the Fury pictures currently released, I really hope
everything works out for you guys and for us over here at WipeoutZone the
day we finally can set Fury into motion. :sonar

Btw; Who ever the color artist is, he (?) deserves a beer from me! :beer
The coloring of Talons Junction is so beautiful and sound! Love it!

Some critics; So you don't have any sharp vector version of the WipEout HD
Fury logo shown in the upper left corner? Hell, it looks horrible. Even I got
a better version xD, grabbed from the 1080p Fury trailer. Last but not least,
the text is a bit hard to read in the sense that it isn't, well, fluent? But
perhaps that's just me! However, the pictures do look great, much better
than last week. :P I rike it!

@Paul: koolkid201 wrote; "Will there be any new HUDS coming with Fury?".

Answer:


There are new HUDs for the new game modes. We had to design these
from the ground up to ensure that the pertinent information is relayed to
the player clearly. These HUDs are always used in the new modes regardless
of which of the HUDs you have selected in the options. The reason for this is
that it takes a lot of graphic design work, implementation and many, many
iterations to get a HUD right. We simply didn’t have the time to make new
game mode HUDs for the existing HUD themes nor did we have time to
create any new cross-mode HUDs like those in the original release of HD.

Ok, if there wasn't enough time, then there is virtually nothing to talk
about. But I want to say that a HUD is the single most important quantity
in the whole game, which isn't hardly any news. xD But a player may feel
disconnected from a given gaming mode just because (s)he sees a different
HUD style, esp. if (s)he doesn't like the given HUD.

Just an observation; The boost / absorb bar is quite huge, don't you think?
It covers quite a lot of screen space. http://www.consolewars.de/messageboard/images/smilies/m-eek3.gif


Keep going! :+

[stever]

There's some great extra information in the responses to the comments now on the blog including a full list of the tracks and the fact that there will be new music added to Fury

[TaroBarkhan]

I think the idea to create the environment like a musical framework very innovative. I am imagining myself flying through these environments and feeling the rhythm of these tracks. The whole idea inspires me. Great to get to know what fantastic ways there are to create artwork.
:hyper
(I just realised this sounds a bit psychedelic. I haven't smoked or otherwisely consumed anything though ;) )

BTW, there is another blog about ship design:

http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2009/07/03/wipeout-fury-developer-diary-ship-design-ethos/

[guillaume]

In the post's comments:


When you will put an end to the Zone mode exploits in Anulpha Pass? I was just browsing the leaderboard when i shockingly realized that the vast majority of the TOP 30 are glitchers.
The Anulpha Pass exploit is now fixed and we will do what we can with the high score tables.
Some people will be pleased. :)

[krioto]

What are the odds for this coming out today? They said summer right?

[Hemicrania]

What are the odds for this coming out today? They said summer right?

same odds as you commin home finding Summer Glau in a neglige on yer bed, still....there is a chance they will surprize us...... or you finding Summer Glau @ yer house... :lol

[krioto]

I'm running home now to check!:hyper

[Paul Tweedle]

What's the deal with the different color contrails? Saw red and green contrails in the pics. Playing with pictures, or new thruster technology? Team affiliation via exhaust color?

Hi,

The new Fury ships have red trails which look absolutely ace. It's nice when the pack ahead of you has a mix of reds and blues.

Paul.

[Jambo]

Well thats going to look sweet!

[djKyoto]

Hi,

The new Fury ships have red trails which look absolutely ace. It's nice when the pack ahead of you has a mix of reds and blues.

Paul.

So the current non-Fury ships can race with the new (and slight better stat'd) Fury ships?

Hmmm.

[Paul Tweedle]

Indeed they can. I have to say that the upped stats are only very slightly upped and really don't make too much of a difference in race. The old ships are still relevant and are just as likely win a race as the new versions.

Paul.

[eLhabib]

Hmmm, slightly better is still better, y'know?

[rdmx]

Surely there are some subtle changes under the hood to differentiate it from the HD ship with less stats? Stats do count in the end after all and I think one of the strengths of the original game was how everything was fairly well balanced.

[ACE-FLO]

can you fire backwards without turning 180 like in Fusion? That was infuriating, but this IS Fury!

[Paul Tweedle]

Nope. The firing/flying backwards is specific to Eliminator.

It's really satisfying taking someone out head on.

Paul.

[blackwiggle]

Any chance of letting us know how many new trophies there are,I don't particularly want to know what they are.

Two other questions,how large will the download be and will all countries be getting the release at the same time,or will Japan have to wait longer again ,that's assuming Japan is getting FURY.

[Jambo]

Hey Paul, I know this is maybe not entirely relevant to Fury but when the pack comes will the update include an improvement in communications?

Everything else is awesome!

[blackwiggle]

I'd like to know the answer to that as well,I bought a SONY headset especially for HD but it's just gathering dust because voice chat doesn't work.

Or are we going to have to wait for the system 3 update for this to be fixed?

[lunar]

Hmmm, slightly better is still better, y'know?

Exactly, no-one is going to knowingly choose a slower ship for anything other than pleasure cruises, and we are AG pilots who seek victory or death, we don`t do pleasure cruises ;) But whatever it`s not the end of the world I think. The new ships look fine to me I just hope there will be some skin variations.


Nope. The firing/flying backwards is specific to Eliminator.


Paul, I love you. There is already enough carnage online so it`ll be better to keep this to eliminator. I hope you can patch some of the mine carnage out of the main races though. Thanks for all the posts and info on the blog.

[hIGHWAYtOhEAVEN]

These are great news, can't wait to race in FURY! :D

[NightArh]

I think Fury may be more popular among people in other countries if they will know about it. So PR may be more intense... Here is an interesting fact: there are 260 mil. people who knows and speak Russian... This game is officially selling in the russian PS Store so why it has no Russian language? And selling without Blu-Ray media? Most of people do not want to buy the game if it has no Russian interface... There are few things to think of... IMHO

[Paul Tweedle]

Wipeout HD DOES have Russian text. Always has.

[NightArh]

really! my bad! :frown:

[ProblemSolver]

In the post's comments: ... Some people will be pleased. :)
I've read that comment days before, but didn't wanted to say anything
about it coz the situation is [DELETED] up beyond repair with respect to
HD. :( Sure, Fury is going to fix it, but why took it so long...? Some
[DELETED] even recorded a video and released is to the public such that
all those [DELETED] now get one of the most difficult trophy for free. Last
but not least, the leaderboard of Anulpha Pass ZONE is now at its worst.

So either there was a really hard problem to solve, and in this case I would
be very pleased to know about it, or they simple didn't spent enough time
to fix it, alas the problem didn't made it onto the top10 bug list, which
would be [DELETED] because there is a gold trophy associated with it.


@myself: calm down....

PS: I moderated myself.

[guillaume]

If the glitch is fixed, then the video is pointless.
If they fix the leaderboards, then it's all good, isn't it?
Why would you care if some cheater got Zone Zeus?
I say better late than never!

[Paul Tweedle]

I've read that comment days before, but didn't wanted to say anything
about it coz the situation is [DELETED] up beyond repair with respect to
HD. :( Sure, Fury is going to fix it, but why took it so long...? Some
[DELETED] even recorded a video and released is to the public such that
all those [DELETED] now get one of the most difficult trophy for free. Last
but not least, the leaderboard of Anulpha Pass ZONE is now at its worst.

So either there was a really hard problem to solve, and in this case I would
be very pleased to know about it, or they simple didn't spent enough time
to fix it, alas the problem didn't made it onto the top10 bug list, which
would be [DELETED] because there is a gold trophy associated with it.


@myself: calm down....

PS: I moderated myself.

If this is about the Zone mode Anulpha Pass thing. It wasn't a particularly difficult thing to fix but we didn't know how it was being done. We tried to find out many, many times how this was being done. We even played the level over and over to try to find it ourselves but couldn't. Once we knew how, we fixed it.

Also, fixing a bug is only part of the process. Every patch has to go through a lengthy testing process so it takes time I'm afraid.

As for the tables, once Fury is out we're going to see what we can do to sort them out.

Paul.

[guillaume]

See ProblemSolver? You can't reject all this love Paul is throwing us! :g

[IH8YOU]

I am a demanding picky jerk, but never forget - i love Wipeout - and by extension SL staff, too. Even if I don't get my 2097 HUD in all modes. ;-)

[Constrictor]

With ref: to this zone glitch - and I'm no zone pilot at all -

Well, on 12/27/2008 I saw this

http://wipeoutzone.com/forum/showpost.php?p=106941&postcount=23

No offence! But there were two or there updates to WOHD after that and I may remember right that there were more references to this glitch w/ users that offered help.

[Sausehuhn]

I love the concept art.

[ProblemSolver]

@guillaume: Because it isn't fixed, yet! It will be fix within Fury.

@Paul:

It wasn't a particularly difficult thing to fix but we didn't know how it was being done. We tried to find out many, many times how this was being done. We even played the level over and over to try to find it ourselves but couldn't.

What a waste of time. http://www.consolewars.de/messageboard/images/smilies/m-shakehead3.gif

[2008-12-28] I contacted SL directly and asked if they know about.
[2008-12-29] a director: We do know now, but we don't know how it works.
[2008-12-31] me: I'm going to write a full bug report.
[2009-01-03] bug report sent successfully, no answer
[2009-01-13] bug report sent successfully again, no answer
(The bug report was similar to the one I wrote to you month later)

At the end of January I tried again. The contact channel was closed. http://www.consolewars.de/messageboard/images/smilies/m-eek3.gif


So it seems like there was a communication problem, exactly what D777 and
I pointed out two month ago.... Hopefully for the last time!

[ACE-FLO]

Ya know, it's real cool that Paul takes time out to let us know of developments. Fury sounds the bizz! It's getting closer to the day I get me a PS3...

prior to my joining here, I didn't know that game developers had communication with their customers' - especially to the level displayed at wipeoutzone.

Cool beans!

[ProblemSolver]

Then you know nothing. ;) Other companies do it to a much larger extend,
but not all! It depends, as always. There was a discussion over here about
a lack of communication with SL, a few month ago. Since then, I can see
that the situation gets better every day.

[DawnFireDragoon]

Hey Paul, on a scale of 1 to 10, just how mental is Detonator? (where 1 is slightly interesting, and 10 is totally balls out mental) it looks pretty crazy in the trailer and there's a lot of talk of new ships and zone and stuff, so i'm just curious about this other mode!?!? :)

[Jambo]

Detonator does look mad, should be an interesting new mode...

[Paul Tweedle]

If my mental you mean how frantic does it get, I would put it at about a 7 and Eliminator at about 11 ;-)

Seriously, Detonator mode is terrific fun and very different to anything WipEout has had before. It almost makes it a shoot 'em-up. Each stage/lap gets faster and faster (like Zone mode) with more and more mines and bombs to take out or avoid. It's tough but fair.

I think you'll love it. In fact you'll love both of the new modes once you understand them.

Thanks,

Paul.

[Hemicrania]

You really need to release this thing Paul, my girlfriend proceeds to hassle me every day. "WHEN IS IT COMING!!! NO BOOTYCALLS TIL FURY!!" :lol

She's pretty fanatic concerning Wipeout HD, and plays the game more then me. (weird she still hasnt signed up form this forum) Don't know if she's one of the few, but its nice to see some female interest in this game hehe. :lol

[sny]

...my girlfriend proceeds to hassle me every day. "WHEN IS IT COMING!!! NO BOOTYCALLS TIL FURY!!" :lol

Whoa there, Mrs. Hemicrania, that ain't fair! Give the man his booty call. :lol

[Paul Tweedle]

You really need to release this thing Paul, my girlfriend proceeds to hassle me every day. "WHEN IS IT COMING!!! NO BOOTYCALLS TIL FURY!!" :lol

Well, in that case I'll have to make some calls! Leave it with me :lol

[Harvai]

Damn, those concept pics look awesome. The new Feisar skin looks...dare I say it, furious!

Reading some of those comments, the idea of releasing HD and FUREH together on the one disc sounds good, like what they've done with Burnout Paradise and now Fallout 3. It'd be better for people without credit card access, meaning more bums on seats playing Wipeout, including mine!

EDIT: Yeah, I still need a PS3 for that...

[Hemicrania]

All jokes aside, she's really exited about Fury. Though she isnt that sure about the whole eliminator mode. Maybe Paul has some words of reassurance for her, hehe. (then I can say "Paul Tweedle says not to worry, and maybe get that Booty Call after all these weeks ;) )

[ACE-FLO]

Hear hear, a man needs his... er... boot knockings. Ahem.

At Problem Solver, you're right. I know nothing. This is the first gaming site I have joined, barring gamefaqs. But I like it here more!

At Paul. Is the expected release for Fury in August? I'm thinking of getting a PS3 next month, and am hoping Fury will be released by then.

Pardon my bad English, typing this from my PSP - not funny ok.

[Paul Tweedle]

Honestly I'd LOVE to tell you what the planned release date is but until Final QA approval there's really no point because it could move out if problems are found.

I really can't say any more on it at the moment. As soon as I can you'll all the first to know.

Paul.

[blackwiggle]

I'm just waiting for somebody to ask when you will post the info :lol:lol:lol

Seriously,on average what sort of MAX time frame are we looking at?

[kanar]

... my girlfriend proceeds to hassle me every day. "WHEN IS IT COMING!!! NO BOOTYCALLS TIL FURY!!" :lol... She's pretty fanatic concerning Wipeout HD...

Hemicrania you're sooooo lucky. Paul, big thanks for keeping us tuned. We're blessed to have a lot of Sony Liverpool staff members posting here.

[ACE-FLO]

Yes, agreed with Kanar (what are you doing here again? you're supposed to be on a break lol, kidding, good to have you here buddy... I want another avalon hint hint)

Paul, sorry for bugging!

[blackwiggle]

Did SL & /or SCEE have any tweaks [problem sorted code] with the 2.80 system update.

It seemed a LOT faster at first,and after further playing it seems to remain so.
Something has been done to improve online play,what ever it was It WORKS!

Which is ALL GOOD,the only people that have said they still have problems are the ones at the UK official Playstation forum/wipeout thread.

Seems the UK interweblinesbroadbandialupfacebookstuff is actually worse than the Australian situation.;)

[ACE-FLO]

interweblinesbroadbandialupfacebookstuff

Hahahaha hee haw that's some funny wording! Good one!

[alterego]

*Takes one of those shocked deep breaths*

Hey! Fellow pilots of the Wipeout Pure Xlink Kai era... It looks like someone was spying on our in game activities! Its the home made Wipeout Pure eliminator, brought back to life :hyper

....aaaaah!

I read now your post! I'm totally in agreement with you :)

I remember very well the self made eliminator mode from Pure....aah!

I remember your plasmas and your tricky places, where you ambush yourself to fight me and others noob pilots like me! :D

read you soon
cdrom

[blackwiggle]

Please don't tell me you are going to wait for a TOP GEAR review!

Jamiroquai [Ja is **** at wipeout ]

I've beaten him HEAPS of times [He's a Rapier pilot,well he attempts PA off with out much success ]

Phantom class.....well that's like Clarkson being humble,it's just not going to happen

[DawnFireDragoon]

If my mental you mean how frantic does it get, I would put it at about a 7 and Eliminator at about 11 ;-)

Seriously, Detonator mode is terrific fun and very different to anything WipEout has had before. It almost makes it a shoot 'em-up. Each stage/lap gets faster and faster (like Zone mode) with more and more mines and bombs to take out or avoid. It's tough but fair.

I think you'll love it. In fact you'll love both of the new modes once you understand them.

Thanks,

Paul.

excellent. i am really excited about trying detonator and eliminator with 180 turns...that's insane! quake's flying past both ways...you know it's gonna happen, and it'll look beautiful!!! :)

[LOUDandPROUD]

The 180 turns are only possible in Eliminator mode. :+

[Avenger2197]

Keep up the great work, SL!

Please tell me you guys aren't going to hog all of those very beautiful concept artworks to yourselves now.:naughty Not that you have, but I'm sure many members here would love to see more of them.;)

I can't stand the wait any longer though! Bring on the FURY!!!

[jan709]

hey paul, with the new trophies showing up and all may i ask a little more specific release date than "summer" ?

In holland the summer generally is over before the games are released in "summer", wich means ill have to attend school when fury is out! Can you imagine the horror! :cold

[blackwiggle]

He if is NOT going to post on a weekend.

Earliest will be Tuesday mid morning UK time or [GMT 1-2 pm] approx IMHO [That means sod all]

[qirex]

Honestly I'd LOVE to tell you what the planned release date is but until Final QA approval there's really no point because it could move out if problems are found.

I really can't say any more on it at the moment. As soon as I can you'll all the first to know.

Paul.

I guess the appearance of thropies means it got trough final QA?
and we can expect it soon!? :hyper

[IDReaper]

I guess the appearance of thropies means it got trough final QA?
and we can expect it soon!? :hyper

Yeah, I have a burning chunk of store credit I'm itching to spend. Must... hold... out...

[mdhay]

Pardon my bad English, typing this from my PSP - not funny ok.

That'z noh eckscoose.:D

Anyway, chill, guys. Constantly pining for it isn't going to hurry it up, you know.:) It's unfortunate, but it won't happen like that.

[ProblemSolver]

... Our art team is totally leet and does not make mistakes. :rock
Let me see if I get you guys on this one.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3402/wohdfshadowbug.jpg

The picture shown is taken from the WipEout HD Fury trailer (UK Store)
23 seconds after start.

How is it possible that we can fully see the craft's shadow projected onto the
illuminated surface despite the craft itself is already partially covered in
shadow? The craft's nose isn't illuminated but its projected shadow tells me
that the sun can actually see it, which is obviously not the case.

[Eloï]

I want that bionic eye Problemsolver :eek

[mic-dk]

*LOL*

Everybody knows the AG generators are generating those shadows. Micro black holes and event horizons remember?

[akirapill]

That track is actually on Tatooine, not along time ago in a galaxy far, far away - just last
week in fact (which explains the futuristic buildings) and everyone knows that Tatooine has
two suns so..

Maybe its something to do with the way they have the light sources setup and instead of
having one big source for the whole map, like a sun, which would probably look stupid
because some of the map would look really bright, and they wouldnt have much control
over it, they have lots of little light sources to give a sun effect (this way they can fine
tune the look and feel of the map better) and some are slightly out of kilter.

[ProblemSolver]

@Eloï: You won't coz you will never 'sleep' again. ;)

@mic-dk: xD

@akirapill: Technically, I could list various reasons why the craft's shadow
is out of place, np, but I didn't wanted to do so because describing a naive
view will already yield the biggest result. :g

The given situation might just be a worst-case scenario for their shadow
implementation, something they know about, kinda of a trade-off. Who
knows....

[akirapill]

@ ProblemSolver: I totally missed that quote above your post - I think my brain
has turned quote processing off.