Release date (merged)

[Darkdrium777]

In game music and in game messaging (through your PSN friend list) are already possible. Two little "plugins" (If we may call them that) were developped by Sony and have been released, so some games such as Resistance Fall of Man feature in game messaging (sadly only through the online main menu) while others such as Super Stardust HD feature in game custom music for all levels. These applications should be able to work from anywhere withing the game too so I doubt that it could be a problem implementing them into the Pause menu of WipEout HD or something, as well as in the main menu. What's missing is obviously the live chat (with microphone) that is available in the XMB but this may be a little harder to implement because it has to use the internet too, with the game running on the net as well (While the others do not require such resources).
Also, features such as password protected games are already available in PULSE and with the in game messaging I talked about earlier, you could theorethically send a message to one of your friend saying: "Hey, I just made a WipEout HD game, come and join it! The password is "chuck norris" without the " " or something like that However, speaking of Live chat earlier, while the XMB's standardized interface may not be available in game, it doesn't prevent the game from having it's own voice chat. Also, WipEout HD could feature it's very own "Buddy List" (Again like RFoM) which would allow in game invitations to races without the need to resort to the PSN friend list and messaging systems.
All in all, there are many ways that the core features of the online game could be available to us in WipEout HD, so I doubt that they could be the reason for the delays. What Colin said about the game being 99% complete might mean that there are still some stability problems while playing online. Then, the server side must be complete too, and the marketing team must be ready to publish a firm release date and start doing their job like they should be doing.

[BaldyCurly]

Yeah I know that devs have the option to include ingame PSN mates access and chat; Burnout does a pretty good job of this too, but it's still at the game level and not the OS level.

My understanding was that we(PS3 owners) are getting a common framework for these key features for online play and maybe, just maybe this was the cause.

It will be nice when I can invite a mate to game when he is playing something else even, swap disks and game on. This ain't possible at the moment accoss dissimular games and if these features are due soon then it could prompt a delay.

That said the 1% could be anything, I run my own software development company, not games, databases and .net on the web/intranet mainly but I do know how the little things trip you up sometimes and cause unforseen issues and delay.

Fair play to Colin and Egg for posting here, pls don't stop because of a silly bugger or two posting on here, I for one value your NDA constrained information, long may it contiune.

[Rapier Racer]

Eh they won't delay it till home comes out surely! We'd be looking at Autumn/Fall if they did, and I don't need to tell you my opinion on that.

[BaldyCurly]

I really don't know mate, just striking up some more interest in when this bad boy is finally gonna hit the PSN store. Constructive interest, thats all.

[Sausehuhn]

Just came across a German website with the news that WOHD is TBA.
That article got a hell lot of posts ^^
Seems like there are more WO fans out there than I thought
They even discussed if it's because of the release of Fatal Inertia (which I highly doubt). Some even mentioned Fall/Autumn for release.

If you ask me, it's within the next two months.
The worst thing Sony can do is announcing another fixed release date.
The gamers out there are angry. Not because the game needs longer than expected but because the release was delayed so many times now. They should have taken "TBA" from the start. Or say Fall/Autumn 2008.
Fans always react positively about too early releases

Anyway. Good to hear it's on the finish line, Colin

[taqili]

I so dearly hope that it is released with some sort of voice chat, if at no other time simply in between races to let people know that we're waiting for someone or host has to get some food or whatever. So many games of Pulse have to be started too soon because people will leave otherwise...

Also, custom soundtrack in Pulse definitely needs to continue in HD... sometimes I want to break my Burnout disc because the soundtrack in that game is the nut low.

[piper999]

They even discussed if it's because of the release of Fatal Inertia (which I highly doubt).

I also doubt it. If I remember the name of the game correctly I think I downloaded a demo of Fatal Inertia on my 360. It was terrible.

[eLhabib]

Well, the preview build had one of the shoulder buttons mapped to 'voice chat', so I'm pretty sure it's gonna be in the game, in-race. Usually, if there's a button called 'voice chat' (see Halo3) you press it to open a channel to talk (so it doesn't have to be open all the time, in order not to eat up connection speed).

[Chill]

But HD is going to be badass though!!! (looking at the cup half-full, the water is actually fresher than the air)...

[Wip3ou7]

I have a sad suspicion that WOHD is farther away than we think... the ads for the game say "Gravity ends in 2008"... you think they would say something like "Summer 2008" or fall, winter, etc... It might be christmas before we see this freaking game... I remember it when it was supposed to be out in like, september or october of last year, then it was christmas, etc... keeps getting pushed back and soon it will be a full year later than originally slated.

[eLhabib]

I don't think so. Sure, it'S possible to get pushed back this far, but on an educated guess I'd say late June.

[metroid4me]

I can't wait to play this... I've been watching the videos, and have my ps3 all fired up and ready... I wish there would be some solid date...

[loxy]

Now,I don't think for a release in the month following metal GEAR ...nor for the period of holidays...
on the other hand, I'm sorry but now that we know that the product is finished has 99%, if they were planned release for the end of year (or even in 4 months),we would be in right to hope for a little more contents like 1 or 2 new circuits for example ...

[Darkdrium777]

The game has been finished for some time already and is going through the final testing phase. Adding content is done. Sure DLC will come (Please, a reasonable price) but there will be 8 circuits and 8 ships in WipEout HD when you buy it.

[RJ O'Connell]

I'd pay any price if I could at least be able to buy it.

Thanks PlayStation Store!!! >_<

[dobyblue]

I've got plenty of things to keep me happy during the summer.

Getting married
Beer
DMB Summer tour (Toronto, SPAC x2, Alpine x2)
Beer
new album from The Verve
Sunshine
Formula One Grand Prix of Montreal
Patios

If WOHD is there to play by the time it gets cold (October) I'll be happy.

No doubt that 1080p60 trailer makes me just about fill the cup with excitement over this game, but from the way it looks already and the website shots, it will be WELL WORTH THE WAIT.

[mdhay]

...Getting married...

Congrats.

[Sausehuhn]

Beer

*dreams away*

[Avenger2197]

I'm gonna have to agree with Elhabib on this one, and say a late June, possibly early july release window. And, as far as I've seen, PSN titles don't tend to delay just because of major Blu-ray releases. I could be wrong, though.

[Wip3ou7]

I'm gonna make everyone I know buy this game... I'll be sending photo-mode screenshots to everyone on my friends list every single day... lol.