Pulse Preview Code Impressions!

[rdmx]

No Auricom in first release? (cue Luke Skywalker) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

[cybrpnk]

Holy hell...

Been away for ages form the forums due to uni work (last exam was today...consumer behaviour...elgh) and I come back to this...!!! WOW!!! I wasn't sure how the mag strips were implemented to start off with but it looks damn promising. Love the new concave HUD... If you say the physics are floatier I believe you Habib...lol...closer to 2097??? Anyway...looking at screenies...it looks a lot sharper. Another thing...Zone Mode on any track!!! YES!!! What I always wanted out of Pure. That would extend the replyability of Pulse a million fold. I can see it already...time trial times and zone mode challenges online...can't wait...my psp is hungry for more speed...

[eLhabib]

Awesome thread-- thanks for taking the time to give the impressions (and thanks to SL for sending out the preview!)

Here are some questions, though I am first to admit that the demo version may not be the best basis to answer:

1. Does the game handle "sleep" mode? One frustration with Pure was that sleep mode frequently glitched the game out or caused an outright crash for the PSP.

2. Does the game have ghosts for Time Trial mode, and if so, are they lap or race ghosts? I'd sure love to have full race ghosts rather than the lap ghosts!

3. Is there any indication of a replay mode for Time Trials? I'd sure love to have a replay mode for being able to compare racing strategies with other Wipeout fans.

1) the preview version handles sleep mode without any trouble at all, but who knows if this is gonna carry over to the final game (but I would guess they have figured that one out by now...)

2) ghosts are there, but only for the fastest lap (or at least I haven't seen any for a full TT)

3) no replays whatsoever. I think Colin has already stated that there will be no replays.

@Spaceboy Gajo: Auricom is definitely gonna be in the game (be it from the start or per download) - I've seen tons of Auricom banners trackside.

[infoxicated]

Rob, Colin, please inform me if this is not okay with you and I will of course drop the idea. Just wanna be sure SL is fine with this!

Speaking for myself - do you honestly think I have the kind of authority to allow a reviewer to hand around preview code of an unfinished game to the public?

If so, you're very mistaken and to cover my own ass I'm going to have to make it known that I was asked and wanted no part of it. I wouldn't fancy your chances of receiving preview code in future when you're so willing to flaunt the privilage.

[eLhabib]

I fully understand and I am sorry to have caused trouble for you and this site. I guess exlusive screens and videos will have to do, then

[Lance]

I fully understand and I am sorry to have caused trouble for you and this site. I guess exlusive screens and videos will have to do, then

[I am breaking the no immediate full quote rule here just to make sure we have the exact statement on record.]

I don't know how others see your last remark plus wink, Martin, but it makes it seem smart-ass and like you're not really sorry.

You may correctly assume that this would make me angry. Would you like to 'clarify'?

[eLhabib]

I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. I am indeed sorry of what happened, as Rob can most likely assure you - we had quite an intense mail exchange today and I am now aware of the stir I've caused. I didn't realise what this would mean and never had the intention to act against anyone's interests (especially not SL's, Sony's and ultimately this site's). Don't let a (badly placed) smiley lead you in a wrong direction. I'd guess you know me well enough from years past on these forums.

[Spaceboy Gajo]

You're also forgetting that Arial Tetsuo, Ana Cherovoski, and Natasha Belmondo (pre-Fusion timeline) raced for Auricom.

Thanks for the job in my memory RJ! Pascale is the only one that really matters

[RJ O'Connell]

Thanks for the job in my memory RJ! Pascale is the only one that really matters

Don't forget John Q. Doe from the WOXL days

Anyway, back on topic before I unintentionally derail the thread...

[eLhabib]

Here's back on topic for you: I've put up a ton of new screens on my blog www.elhabib.at - go check them out!

... and this one's just for you, Max

[CR4SH3D]

looks sweet, question
are you getting those screens from like after the race ends or something? (how are you getting cool angles without a replay feature?)

also has that demo got any of the custom team skins features in it? (im assuming not)

[Riccardo Raccis]

Oh me oh my! Love the effect of the turbo. Not only the HUD gets the blur, but look at the ships themselves.

I think I'm in love with Talon's Junction. So far it gets the prize for most stunning track.

...but De Konstruct also looks fab.

Is it me or we get to know Qirex's new slogan? Highspeed revolution!

Also, the new logo is awesome too, and I also happen to love the new ship.

Damn I wanna hear the Kraftwerk tune.

[q_dmc12]

ugh, I love it already!!

I want it.

[eLhabib]

In Photo mode, you can choose from 4 camera perspectives: standard behind the ship, veryclose to the ship, in front of the ship, looking back at it (like a rear view of someone in front of you), and track view (like a spectator view of someone standing near the track section your ship is on). In track view you can also zoom in.

No, unfortunately the livery design feature is NOT in the preview - just a loading screen that tells you to go to wipeout.com, design a livery there and then download it to the game.

The Kraftwerk tune is one I haven't ever heard before (but then I don't know that many Kraftwerk songs), and it's one of my least favorites of the tracks I have heard so far in Pulse. There are some REALLY sweet tracks in there!

[Mad-Ice]

This is a very nice feature! I am affraid that my internal memory of my PC and PSP will be full soon!!

[CR4SH3D]

sweet that sounds cool thanks

[rageagainstgeorge]

I have to say, after seeing all the preview stuff, this is the most excited i've been about a game since the weeks before GT4 came out.

A couple of questions though:

Firstly, why are some of you so against the custom firmware? I could probably understand the issues with the dubious legal standpoint, but is it really that bad?

Secondly, apologies if this has been stated, but what is the sensation of speed like? Faster or slower than Pure?

[CR4SH3D]

i think some people still see it as ripping off other companies etc, i for one will probably downgrade when i buy my mates psp, just because of the extra stuff you can do, and im sorry if people are against say playing .iso files of games, but if i have wip3out and 2097 then why shouldnt i be able to for free? i already bought them (are remakes not ripping US off?)

to add to those questions though;
is there a confirmed effect the quake has on mag strips?

[lunar]

but if i have wip3out and 2097 then why shouldnt i be able to for free? i already bought them

I would say that you bought your original copy of these games with a right to use them on the Playstation or PS2 system. Anything else is probably a very grey area.

are remakes not ripping US off?

No. You don`t have to buy them. You had good value out of the original game, and got what you paid for. If you don`t think remakes are a good deal then don`t buy them. The Playstation Store games are pretty cheap. As an analogy, you can`t justify stealing a luxury item from a shop by claiming you only did so because you thought the shopkeeper was charging too much.

why are some of you so against the custom firmware? I could probably understand the issues with the dubious legal standpoint, but is it really that bad?

There is partly the legal/piracy thing, but the biggest reason for me is that custom firmwares and overclocking programs made a mess out of Pure as a game, at least for me.

Anyway, I`ve been off-topic more than long enough here.

[eLhabib]

To answer the wipEoutulse related questions:
- Phantom and Rapier definitely feel faster than in purE, Venom and Flash are about the same as in purE, and Vector seems to have been scrapped.
- Haven't experienced any quakes on a magstrip yet. I'll let you know as soon as I've tried that one out.