Command-Center
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PlanetSide2 Command Center video highlights Engineer class, new livestream, and more
In the fifth episode of Command Center, PlanetSide 2 devs Tramell Isaac (Senior Art Director) and Matt Higby (Creative Director) discuss various aspects of the upcoming MMOFPS. At over 22 minutes, the video is full of information, including a beta update, a report on PAX 2012, information and a video on the Engineer, and a preview of SOE Live. They also highlighted fan-made movies and fan art. Maggie Krohn, game designer, also joined the show to explain the new weekly livestream special, Friday Night Ops, that will have interviews, community spotlights, and more every Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. PS2 is currently in closed beta. Players who want to get in and test can obtain guaranteed access by purchasing the Alpha Squad package for $39.99 USD, which also comes with 40 bucks worth of Station Cash, a six-month XP boost, a buddy key, and more.
PlanetSide 2 dev diary video shows off Light Assault gameplay
Rumor has it that a few lucky souls got into the PlanetSide 2 beta when it kicked off this morning. For the rest of us, there's Sony Online Entertainment's latest Command Center video episode. The 12-minute clip features Creative Director Matt Higby and Senior Art Director Tramell Isaac talking about the start of PS2's beta, a recent community event, and a few details on the game's Light Assault class. The gameplay footage starts around the 5:15 mark and features a trio of Terran Republic Light Assault types jetpacking around the map, harassing a New Conglomerate tank, and laying the smack down on some NC ground troops in a quick firefight. View it after the break. [Source: SOE press release]
PlanetSide 2 beta coming 'within the next month'
Could it be true? A beta announcement? It could, and it is! That's right PlanetSide 2 fans -- your itchy trigger fingers will finally get some relief sometime "within the next month." Granted it's not an exact date, but the end is finally in sight. Sound too good to be true? Well the news comes straight from the mouth of Executive Producer Josh Hackney in the debut episode of Command Center, Sony Online Entertainment's new developer diary series for the latest and greatest on all things PlanetSide 2. You can hear it for yourself after the cut. As if the promise of the impending beta wasn't enough, the 21 minute video offers more juicy tidbits. Hackney goes on to assure that veteran PlanetSide players will get into to the beta first through high-priority access. Then hosts Matt Higby, Creative Director, and Tramell Isaac, Senior Art Director, talk about upcoming events, the infiltrator class, costumes, and E3. They end the show by displaying fan art.
Multi-robot command center built around Microsoft Surface (video)
While we've given up on ever winning an online match of StarCraft II, that doesn't mean top-down unit control schemes are only for nerds in their mom's basement with their cheap rush tactics and Cheeto fingers and obscene triple digit APMs (we're not bitter or anything). In fact, we kind of like the look of this robot control interface, developed at UMass Lowell by Mark Micire as part of his PhD research. The multitouch UI puts Microsoft Surface to good use, with gestures and contextual commands that make operating an unruly group of robots look easy, and a console-inspired touch control setup for operating a single bot from a first person perspective as well. There are a couple videos after the break, the first is Mike operating an army of virtual robots, using Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio to simulate his soldiers and environment, but the second shows his first person UI guiding a real robot through a maze, in what amounts to a very, very expensive version of that Windows 95 maze screensaver.
New features added to Killzone Command Center
We realize that the hardcore Killzone 2 fans among you are probably too busy enjoying the "Steel and Titanium" map pack to do any internetting right now, but if you haven't checked out the shooter's official site recently, you should really point your browser in that direction.The Killzone Command Center recently underwent a huge revamp, adding in a number of oft-requested features. Chief among these additions is the ability to upload and view battle replays, though the non-cinematically inclined have plenty to check out as well -- for instance, the site's improved tournament tracking page and live updates of featured matches are well worth a gander. Said gandering can be performed by clicking this here link.
