Uncharted-Drakes-Fortune
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Naughty Dog itching to work on next game and "get the most out of the PS3"
In an interview with 1Up, Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra of Naughty Dog detail the status of the company and how they feel moving forward onto other projects. Reiterating that Uncharted was developed as a franchise from the outset, Balestra states that everyone at Naughty Dog is incredibly eager to get stuck into their next project. With only 30% of the SPUs being harnessed for their first outing on the PlayStation 3, they seem determined to see what else they can do in the future. The Naughty Dogs also explain that in migrating to the PS3, they had to leave behind their proprietary programming language, Lisp, and start from scratch. Now that they have, any future endeavours will be that much easier with their (not so) basic grounding in coding for the machine fully established. Check out the full interview for more insight into the company behind Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.
Uncharted demo fixed for European PS3s
Some good news this morning for PS3 owners across the pond: Though Sony Europe has promised that the demo for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune would appear on the European and Japanese PlayStation Stores November 22, Naughty Dog has dropped the region specificity on the American demo, opening it up for everyone. According to Christophe Balestra, co-president of Naughty Dog, the whole ordeal originated from a lack of knowledge about the PSN infrastructure. He claims they didn't know that European and Japanese PS3 owners couldn't access the US PlayStation Store and download demos - an oversight that Balestra himself corrected with the quickness. Now if Naughty Dog can just get the game out without boobies in their opening logo (link NSFW), they should be in the clear. [Via PS3F]
Uncharted demo now works worldwide
It looks like Europeans (and Japanese PS3 owners) won't have to wait until November 22nd after all. A new post on the PlayStation.Blog by Naughty Dog's Christophe Balestra states that the Uncharted demo was never intended to be region locked. After discovering that it was, Balestra did his best to get it fixed for his fellow Europeans as quickly as possilble. The version available right now on the American PSN Store will now work on any PS3 in the world.Frankly, we're delighted to see this issue fixed so quickly, even though there was no obligation for Naughty Dog to have the demo work on any PS3 - what with the EULA essentially restricting "false" accounts. Regardless, we're always happy to post good news and will be sending a huge "Thank you!" to Naughty Dog on belhalf of all of our non-American readers. So what are you waiting for? Go download the Uncharted demo![Thanks, elephant_stone & Kiddie!]
PAL Uncharted demo coming Nov. 22; US region lock a mistake
Accidental region locks be damned, Sony Europe has confirmed (via IGN) that a demo of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for PAL PlayStation 3s is coming November 22. Those of you who downloaded the US version on your PAL or Asian territory consoles may have found yourselves in uncharted (hah! we're punny) waters, as you would reportedly receive a message that asked you to insert a disc to play the game, essentially locking you out of the demo. According to SCEA Line Producer Sam Thompson, the prompt is an unintentional "bug." "Please ignore this prompt and accept our apologies," said Thompson, in a nod that almost indicates Sony is supportive of (or at least apathetic to) PS3 owners using multiple ID names to download content from various regions. No word on when the demo will be ready for Japan, but hopefully eager gamers in the region can download the bug-free PAL version.
European Uncharted demo arrives November 22nd
IGN has received word from Sony that the European version of the Uncharted: Drake's Fortune demo will be available on the PSN store on the 22nd of November. Sure, it would've been nice if the US demo worked on European machines, but there are still conflicting reports surrounding the situation coming in from all directions. Sony's official line, as shown by their blog, is that it was a mistake and that they are in communication with Naughty Dog to see if it can be rectified.Either way Eurodwellers only have a couple of weeks to wait for the official EU version of the demo, so it could be worse. Despite this, we're intrigued to see how Sony deals with the issue, as it will give an indication of how they truly feel about keeping the PS3 region free. We just hope this entire debacle doesn't reflect badly on what is going to be an excellent game.
Uncharted ARG continues with video and viral posters
The Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Alternate Reality Game has revealed some more clues. A video has been placed on Youtube (see above) showing Elena's travels to some Panama ruins, where she discovers an interesting artifact which may be of help to any of you who are playing along with the online quest. Posters are also being found all over America which could easily contain clues to the next part of the story. These can be found after the break and will hopefully unlock their secrets to the close scrutiny given by all of you treasure hunters out there. To start the game from the beginning be sure to check out Sullivan's Stories and see what you can make of it.
Sony reveals 1 million pound advertising campaign for Uncharted
UK trade magazine MCV is reporting that Sony Europe are planning for a million dollar marketing campaign for Sony's next big exclusive, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Sony are eager to enlighten as many people as possible to existence of what is being referred to as the PS3's biggest hope for the Christmas season. Product manager at Sony, Phil Lynch, says that they have "booked extensive 16 to 34 male slots for November and December." TV adverts have been sorely lacking in the UK - both in number and in quality - so we're happy to hear that there will be more game specific ads on our tellies. The advert will also run in cinemas and the entire thing has been shot using PlayStation 3 rendered graphics. The campaign goes even deeper with a partnership with Empire magazine which will run a feature about "every man" heroes, with comparisons to Uncharted's main character, Nathan Drake. Along with extensive online advertisements, this all looks to be shaping up to a worthy effort for Naughty Dog's latest game.
Uncharted ARG begins today
We're in two minds about how to approach this post - while part of the ARG experience is to suspend belief and pretend a game is not a game, this new Uncharted ARG is clearly labeled as such at the bottom of the first page. For those of you who have never come across an ARG before, it stands for Alternate Reality Gaming and usually describes a method of marketing or standalone experience that blurs the lines between reality and fiction. Sullivan's Stories, the new ARG surrounding the story of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune will progress throughout the run up to its release over the next few weeks. We're not sure how it will play out, but we're hoping it will be a lot of fun and will be keeping our eye on it. The game won't be easy - no doubt a collaberative effort will be required for players to reach the end, but in our experience building a sense of community around the game is half the fun.
Uncharted demo to arrive on Nov. 8
You now have a reason to look forward to Nov. 8, other than the chance to celebrate the birth of your personal favorite blogger. It's also the date on which Sony will be dropping a demo for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune on to the PlayStation Network. Not only is the demo just one week away (huzzah!), but, according to CVG, it's going to be four-levels long, which sounds pretty hefty for a sample. We're sure that will be a welcome diversion as you pass the time while the birthday cake is baking.
Uncharted demo hitting the PSN Store on November 8th
Hungry for some interactive Uncharted? We've all seen enough screenshots and videos to last us a lifetime - no doubt you guys want to try some hands on. It seems the guys (gender neutral, of course) over at Naughty Dog understand this and Amy Hennig (who we have a dev-crush on simply due to her work on the Legacy of Kain series) has replied to a poster on the PlayStation.Blog with some very good news.An Uncharted: Drake's Fortune demo will be available on the US PlayStation Network store on November the 8th - just over a week away! So if you're available on that day and you're not swamped with all the recent-and-upcoming new releases then make sure you give it a download. The even better news is that if you enjoy the demo you will have less than two weeks to wait to play the game - the US release is set to November 20th.
Uncharted's Halloween trailer features no pumpkins, only awesomeness
Despite Uncharted's Halloween trailer having nothing to do with the holiday itself, it certainly adds to our crush over Naughty Dog's new title. The new video, which shows off the game's amazingly beautiful levels and environments, also adds a bit more details about the game's storyline. After watching the video, it's hard not to come away thinking it will be one of the PS3's most epic titles to date, and with Uncharted's demo due to hit the Playstation Network a week or so before the game's release, November just became our favorite month of the year.
See more Uncharted with new trailer
Sony has released a new trailer for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune to mark Halloween, but it's puzzling, because the trailer's not particularly scary. The only thing we could figure is that Sony was hoping that lazy writers would say something to the extent of "The only thing scary is how good this jam looks!" and everybody would be a winner. Because we care so much about you, we're avoiding the temptation. What we will say is that the new environments featured in this trailer are enticing; not just because they look really good, but also because they reassure us that we won't be spending the whole game trudging about a jungle setting. Also: Jet skis!
Uncharted completed, demo expected mid-November
Bravely venturing into the comments section on the official PlayStation Blog, Naughty Dog's Christian Gyrling has stated that development on shooter slash spelunker Uncharted: Drake's Fortune has come to an end. "We went 'gold' last week," says the game's AI and animation programmer. "Right now the game is in other words 100% done and is currently going through the approval process." But sir, we're sure there's no need for that -- we already approve. Gyrling also comments on the previously mentioned PSN demo and expects it to be available for download in mid-November. That should give you a fair taste of all the jeep-driving, pirate-shooting, treasure-grabbing and occasionally-falling-to-your-deathing action promised for the game's November 20th release.
Uncharted developer discusses PSN demo, HD support
Over at Sony's developer and corporate soapbox Official PlayStation.Blog, Naughty Dog's Co-President Evans Wells scribed up an update on the PlayStation 3 exclusive, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. He stated that they hit beta back in mid-September, and they "received the data [they] need to make sure the gameplay is finely tuned for [their] final release" from last week's focus testing. However, the more important bits of information came from Wells' comments to the initial post. Wells stated that they're working on a demo for the PlayStation Network, and it "will be up before [its] release date." After treading the waters, he addressed letters – consonants and vowels – in a Sesame Street fashion, specifically I, P, and HDTV. The game supports 720p, and after many people requested via the comments for 1080 support, Wells filled the community in: 1080i won't a problem, 1080p will be scaled from 1080i via software. Now you can experience the game as it was meant to be, according to Wells, "in glorious high definition." Yay?
TGS07: Uncharted hands-on
An updated build of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was on display at Sony's pre-TGS media briefing. The new demo comes a long way from its previous E3 presentation, which featured some serious technical glitches, and control issues. Almost immediately, players will see that the aiming has been far improved, feeling far more accurate and responsive than before. Thankfully, players will be able to fine-tune their control settings through adjustable control sensitivity, and invert options for horizontal and vertical controls. To show off the new and improved controls, the demo featured some truly menacing levels. One level took place in a decaying courtyard, not unlike one that would be seen in Gears of War. Laser sights will aggressively pursue your character, as you hide behind cover. Grabbing a sniper rifle, the player must quickly try to kill his aggressor -- a single shot from the sniper's gun will mean instantaneous death (as we regrettably found out). The scope of your rifle focuses around whatever your vision is centered on: a nice touch that makes sniping much easier to manage. The gunplay and hand-to-hand brawling all feel a lot better than before. But, that doesn't mean things are quite perfect. The camera never feels perfect, and the action lacks the visceral punch of Gears. Regardless, the platforming and puzzle solving on display certainly add a nice touch of variety to the game. The platforming feels satisfying, thanks to Nathan's natural animation. Each jump feels weighted down by real gravity, and seeing Nathan barely make a jump, only to hold on to a ledge, adds a sense of real danger to the environment. The puzzle solving takes a page from Folklore: Nathan must read the notes from Drake's diary to progress. In the demo we played, we had to do a simple statue rotation puzzle, but we see a lot of potential in the concept. Overall, we're glad to see that Uncharted has made so much progress. PS3 gamers are thirsty for a good adventure game, and with a little bit more polish before its November release, it looks to fit the bill.
Uncharted videos map out better idea of gameplay
It's good to see games for the PS3 that really get the ball rolling for the console. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (which should have been called Uncharted: Prince Drake Gears Up for War Tomb Raiding) by Naughty Dog is one of those titles that brings hope. Naughty Dog, best known for the PS2's Jak and Daxter games, took a risk and started a whole new IP on the PS3. We'll find out if if the gamble pays off Nov. 20. The video above and after the break look good, but we can't help notice that there are still some rough gameplay issues going on. Thankfully, we've seen solid development progression as we've reported on the title the last few months. We'll try to get more hands-on time with the game this week as we report from the Tokyo Games Show.
Uncharted coming to PS3 on November 20
As you've no doubt gathered from reading the site, we're multi-system. Most of the time that makes us extremely cool and a hit at parties, but there are times when it's a curse. For example, we're going to get Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii on Nov. 12, then just one week later we get Mass Effect on 360. That's bad, but now we find out we have to contend with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune being released on that exact same day. Yep, that pretty much confirms we won't have time for turkey and cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving (though we might make an exception for pie). So, whether you can't afford a PS3, you're still desperately searching your local Toys 'R' Us for a Wii or you're left without a 360 thanks to the RRoD, just remember: It could be much worse -- you could have all three.
Uncharted sidekick gets a dye job
Elena Fisher, the sidekick to Nathan Drake in Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was never the prettiest girl at the ball, but we admit to having a soft spot for her. Call us crazy, but we kind of liked the idea of a female game character we thought wouldn't automatically spray us with Mace if we tried to chat her up at a party. Now, Games Radar has reported that with just a few digi-highlights, Elena has been moved firmly back out of our league. You can see her miraculous, She's All That-esque transformation in this series of screens. No, she's still no Ivy but we doubt we'd be able to "get the digits," as the kids are so fond of saying. Where's Mystery when you need him?
PAX 07: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune hands-on
Following our interview with Sony's Sam Thompson, we were escorted to a PlayStation 3 kiosk running the latest demo of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. While it was technically the same one that was shown at E3 last month, this version had undergone significant tweaking and updating resulting in a much more polished feeling product. The first thing you notice when you pick up the controller is how visually striking the game is. There are few games out there that look as lush and vibrant as Uncharted with its heavy foliage, beautiful water, and fantastic environmental textures. Considering 'next-gen games' are so often brown, drab and depressing looking, it's refreshing to play a game as colorful as this.
PAX 07: Joystiq interviews Sony's Sam Thompson about Uncharted
At last weekend's PAX 07, one of the biggest titles Sony was showing was the latest build of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. We were eager to get our hands on the action platformer to see if any of those problems from E3 had been fixed, but before that we were able to talk to the Line Producer for Uncharted, Sam Thompson about his game. He talks about tweaks and fixes to the game, technical details surrounding development and whether or not they'll be supporting Home. Check out the interview below and come back in a bit for hands-on report as well. Can you go into the tweaks that have gone into this Uncharted demo since it's showing at E3 last month? Absolutely, one of the things we did and we looked at very closely at E3 and after the show was the targeting system. And believe it or not the targeting system is still an evolutionary process and probably going to continue until we release the game. And one of the things we are doing to focus on this is bringing in test groups and getting a lot of peoples hands on the game and listening to what they have to say about it. The development team has taken an active roll as well, into kind of tuning the system. A lot of the time, artists won't have time to play the game until they're done with their contribution to the product. But we've really been trying to get everybody's feedback as often as possible because when you're dealing with a game like this it is an evolutionary process and it takes a lot of tuning to get the targeting system to where it needs to be. The second thing we've done is that we noticed during E3 that there was actually problems with the way the enemies were animating and people were getting a little kind of frustrated. So we decided to change the way the enemies were reacting so there is no invulnerability state when they grab at their knees or flinch after taking damage. At E3, there was a two second window where they wouldn't take any damage, so it gave people the impression that you had to pump 60 bullets into the guy to kill him.
