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Burnout Paradise's Bogart patch out on April 24
Do you remember about a month ago we posted that a Burnout Paradise patch was coming? Back then we didn't have a set date for when the patch would go live; however, we do now. April 24, mark that day off on your calendar Paradise players so you won't be surprised when you need to make an update.Not much has changed since we first reported it -- save for the patch name changing to codename "Bogart." All the promised fixes are still the same. If you need an extra reminder of what they are, then read them right here.
Burnout Paradise: Second update detailed, dated April 24
After perusing the lengthy list of fixes and "game experience enhancements" contained in Criterion's second update for Burnout Paradise – codenamed: Bogart – we're not sure how to respond. Should we applaud the new age of connected consoles, where increasingly sophisticated games can (and are!) patched and tweaked, smoothing out the ragged edges until all that remains is a shiny, smooth pebble? Or decry the now all-too-common practice of ship first, patch later? Reality is probably somewhere in between, so we're happy that Criterion is making the effort with an already very well received game.The update includes everything from from "high priority" fixes to the "top 10 problems" identified by users. Fixes seem to be concentrated on online functionality and some interesting balancing tweaks; for example, Criterion explains, "We fixed Head-on Takedowns as these seemed generally unfair and unrealistic. Unfair low speed Takedowns have now been eradicated." Bogart pulls into the XBL and PSN filling stations on April 24, about seven weeks after the first patch.
Burnout Paradise Auto-Update on April 24th
When Burnout Paradise originally launched the game's community as a whole was rather divided, and many who decried the game hoped that Criterion would eventually patch in some sort of changed features. If you were one of those fanboys however, then you'll be disappointed come the end of the month (April 24) and the release of the game's next major AU. Game downloads have been given interesting names lately and Paradise continues the trend, handing their auto-update the totally unnecessary name of "Bogart." The list of fixes and changes is long and we won't list everything here, so you'll have to head on over to Criterion's dev blog. Enhanced 360 streaming performance stops instances where the game seems to pause for a second or so. Fixed Head-on Takedowns as these seemed generally unfair and unrealistic. Unfair low speed Takedowns have been removed. Increase the # of search results returned for online games. Increase Picture Paradise timer so it doesn't kick in so quickly Fixed rich presence updating issues. Fixed some online race start points which started all the players facing in the wrong direction Fixed a drifting and boosting bug. There wasn't any real control on the brake so players would grind around the walls of the corners. And tons more.
Burnout Paradise sells One Million copies
The devs over at Criterion must be happy, their game was received well, their upcoming DLC is looking good and Burnout Paradise, their newest game, has sold over a million units. Now whether you liked the gameplay changes that were introduced or not, this is definitely good news. Selling a million copies in the gaming world almost guarantees a sequel, and this should give Criterion the chance to smooth over any bumps in their game formula. And, not only did Burnout Paradise sell a million units, but those sales pushed the total for the entire Burnout series to over 15 million pieces of software sold. Congrats Criterion, keep up the good work!
Video: Burnout Paradise DLC
It has been some time since we got anything out of Criterion about their DLC. The last big news was that some the islands available for download would be free, with no mention of what the islands would be like or what would happen on them. Well since the opening of their dev blog was designed to rectify situations like this, the team posted two new videos giving a brief glimpse of the island and the ride there. From the only released image we can tell that Criterion is going for a slick vacation feel and the first video is an eye in the sky view that gives us an idea of the size that Criterion has in mind (big!). The second video is a bit longer than the first and showcases the Dust Storm's journey into and around the city, giving us an on-the-ground feel for the size (again, big!).The second video can be found after the break.
Burnout Paradise will 'transform,' Criterion vows
We're most certainly taking Criterion's promise to "TRANSFORM" Burnout Paradise through a series of content updates too literally in our rendering above, but the developer's added emphasis just begs, What if...? Not one for serialized numbers, Criterion has chosen nicknames for its upcoming expansion islands, which will be distributed in this order: "Cagney," then "Davis," and then "Eastwood." We're assuming that the absence of a "Bay" upgrade essentially puts to rest our interpretation of Paradise transformed, but it doesn't mean Criterion won't consider our pitch. "We want to know what you think and you better believe we're listening to what you have to say," Criterion states on its blog. So, you listening?
Burnout Paradise Islands DLC will be free
Fantastic news for Burnout Paradise fans who were looking forward to the upcoming "Islands" downloadable content. We just learned that the content is going to be offered for free! Criterion's own Alex Ward jumped onto their official forums to confirm that the upcoming Island DLC will be a free download and will add new locations as well as new vehicles to the mix. But don't get used to receiving free Burnout Paradise DLC, as Ward make it clear that other DLC releases in the future will be paid content. No worries now though, because we have free DLC headed our way, new vehicles to crash and new bridges to burn.[Via EuroGamer]
New islands coming to Burnout Paradise as free DLC
Talk of new downloadable content for Burnout Paradise has been burbling around the Criterion Games website. On the forums, creative director Alex Ward has revealed that new cars will be made available as downloadable content in both the Xbox 360 and PS3 version. More exciting, though, is news of the expansion of Paradise City, with the introduction of several islands to the map. Perhaps even more exciting, however, is news that the islands will be offered as a free update to the game.Details are still scarce at this point, but Alex Ward states that bridges from the main section of Paradise City will lead out to the new islands, each of which will offer "a different type of gameplay." Whether this means that islands will depart from the open-ended style of Paradise, or whether the terrain of each will be suited to certain play styles remains to be seen. The islands themselves will be offered as free, mandatory software updates, while the new cars will be sold via the traditional microtransaction system.
Burnout Paradise Dust Storm DLC and bridges too
Yesterday, Criterion informed (and teased) everyone about upcoming Burnout Paradise downloadable content and finally revealed how exactly they will incorporate DLC without dividing the community. The short answer. Bridges.Criterion's Alex Ward hopped on the forums to tell everyone that all upcoming Paradise DLC will be bridges that lead off of Paradise City into new DLC worlds and experiences. This of course is a great way to not divide the community, because anyone who doesn't have the DLC simply cannot cross the bridge and instead will remain in Paradise City. Genius! Criterion also dangled a carrot in front of our noses by giving us a video (embedded above) of a new vehicle, The Dust Storm, that'll be included in the next DLC batch. Yummy![Via Xboxic, Thanks Jonah Falcon]
Criterion details upcoming Burnout Paradise v1.2 patch
Criterion Games wants to let everyone know that the company is working on a v1.2 patch for Burnout Paradise. The patch is aimed at fixing a whole slew of glitches, exploits, and game-crashing events, so this must be extremely good news for Burnout Paradise owners. The only downside is that the v1.2 patch is currently not ready and Criterion has yet to schedule a final release date. We are, however, pretty sure that it shouldn't be too far off before this baby becomes available.The patch will most notable fix issues regarding online multi-player crash errors and hanging. Audio distortion and connection problems will all be addressed as well. Aside from fixing the problem spots, Criterion is also enhancing the gameplay by tweaking things here and there. Drifting and boosting will be slghtly modified for better control, and the Online Takedown logic and physical behavior will be tuned -- just to name a few. To see the entire list of changes, head on over to Criterion's official website.[Via Gamespy]
Burnout bugs begone! Paradise patched
Yeah, yeah, Burnout Paradise is the bees knees, the cat's pajamas, the, um, minimalist work of art. But that doesn't mean it's perfect, a fact that developer Criterion both admits and works to correct with a new patch that fixes many game-crashing and/or experience-altering bugs.The problems fixed by the patch range from the urgent ("Some online race start points face the players in the wrong direction") to the goofy ("Surround sound fix - Centre speaker was 4dB louder") to the just plain weird ("Hammering the A (360) or X (PS3) after unlocking a car can cause the game to hang.") But only one listed bug truly made us sad: the one that caused "total time driven in player stats [to] stick at 145 hours." We can't help but feel sorry for those poor souls who spent over six whole days playing the game, only to have the game's statistics cruelly low-ball the amount of time they spent crashing virtual cars. Thankfully, because of this patch, their long national nightmare is over.
Burnout Paradise to get a title update soon
Since Burnout Paradise released this past January, Criterion has been busy taking notes, getting feedback and listening to the Burnout community. Getting feedback all in an effort to make Paradise City more enjoyable via a title update.The upcoming Burnout Paradise title update will tweak / fix numerous issues found in the land of Paradise City including surround sound fixes, gameplay enhancements, random hang up fixes and just general bug squashing. And after glancing over the list of changes, you'll be happy to know that there's a bunch of high profile problems that are being fixified. We don't have a specific release date for when the title update will go live, but the fellas at Criterion promise to keep us informed. Until then, head towards the break and take a gander through the complete list of Paradise changes that are coming to an Xbox 360 near you.
Burnout Paradise DLC explained
We've been told that Criterion had a darn good reason for requiring the hard disk drive in online modes of Burnout Paradise, but we haven't exactly been told what that darn good reason is. Thankfully, MTV newcomer Patrick Klepek did a bit of investigative journalism, and figured out the full story. In short, blame the downloadable content.When downloadable content for Paradise begins to drop -- both in free and micro-transaction form -- Criterion thought it incredibly important that players not be limited to playing online with people who matched their exact purchasing decisions. The result is a somewhat innovative arrangement where even without buying certain content (like additional cars), you'll still be able to encounter players who might have that content.Of course, the ability to see content you haven't purchased or downloaded means that content needs to be temporarily moved to your console, which is where the hard drive requirement comes in. We have to admit that it sounds like a pretty good system to us, but we're not the ones without hard disk drives, so ...
Burnout Paradise DLC will not divide the community
Talking with the folks over at MTV Multiplayer, Criterion Games confirmed that new Burnout Paradise downloadable content is on its way in the near future and they promise to not divide the community. Criterion explained that any upcoming Paradise DLC (whether paid or free) will be released in such a way that it will allow "everyone to 'see' the content, even if they have not paid for it". We aren't sure how Criterion plans on implementing this "look, just don't play" method of DLC, but we're sure they'll make it a seamless experience. No matter how everything gets implemented, it's comforting to know that you'll still be able to play online with your pals even though your DLC purchasing habits may not be the same. That is if you both own a hard drive, but that's an entirely different story.
Joyswag: Burnout Paradise & Prima Game Guide
Like the hard-boiled, hard-drinking detective partnering up with the straight-laced, clean-cut cop, we're partnering up with the lovable drunks at GameDaily to give away five copies of the pretty darn well-received Burnout Paradise. We're giving away two copies for Xbox 360 and one for PS3, along with a Prima Game Guide for each winner. And entering is easy: To enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post letting us know which console you want AND your favorite car-related scene in a movie (we like Christopher Walken's speech in Annie Hall: "Sometimes, when I'm driving ...") You must be a US resident, 18 years or older. (We don't make the laws, folks, and we feel just as indignant as you do ... we think.) Limit 1 entry per person. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc.! This entry period ends in three days at 12:59pm ET Friday 2/8/08. For complete rules you can put on a bumper sticker, click here Best of all, you can also enter over at GameDaily – giving you another chance to win – so be sure to hit them up, okay?
Black, Ninja Gaiden Black, & Sid Meier's Pirates! coming to Xbox Originals
On February 11, the 360's Xbox Originals will see another small update to its still-slender selection, this time adding Ninja Gaiden Black, Sid Meier's Pirates!, and the Criterion FPS Black to the roster. Pirates! is the 2004 re-make of Sid Meier's original 1987 adventure game, which sees players taking on the roles of pirates (duh) in the Spanish Main. Black is Criterion's adrenaline-fueled last-gen FPS, with destructible environments and a healthy amount of explosions. Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden Black added a number of features to the original Xbox title, including the condescending "Ninja Dog" easy mode. All good additions, to be sure, but with Valentine's Day coming only three days later, couldn't they have at least included something a bit more romantic? Like, say, Beyond Good & Evil? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Criterion explains Burnout Paradise online hard drive requirement
Hoping to diffuse some of the resentment felt by Xbox 360 Arcade owners who only recently learned that they can't race online in Burnout Paradise, Criterion has issued a public statement on the game's official website, clarifying the reasons for the hard-drive-only requirement.The Burnout team explains that it was a priority to have the offline and online modes of the game transition seamlessly into each other, something that wouldn't be possible using the limited space of a memory card. Criterion states that they had been in talks with Microsoft to work out a solution for Core and Arcade owners, but when none could be found they opted to not limit the robust online gameplay experience in order to facilitate HDD-less 360 owners.While this does leave Core and Arcade users in the lurch, Criterion does point out that the online leaderboards for Burnout Paradise are fully accessible without the hard disk drive, meaning players can compete for best times with their friends, just not during the same race.
Burnout Paradise Fanpoll results: Crash Mode
The results for last week's Burnout Paradise fanpoll are in, and we're actually a little surprised. For those that don't recall, we asked how gamers felt about the treatment of Crash Mode in Burnout Paradise. While previous iterations of Burnout had dedicated Crash Modes with pre-designed courses, Burnout Paradise introduces Showtime, which essentially allows players to turn any crash into an impromptu Crash Mode. So how did our readers feel about Showtime? Find out after the break.
Burnout Paradise 360 requires HDD for online play
Xbox 360 Arcade owners will be saddened to learn that the online mode of Criterion's Burnout Paradise requires the Xbox 360 hard drive, leaving HDD-less console owners to explore the streets of Paradise City by their lonesomes. Reports that this information was not presented on Paradise's box are false, as the back of the box lists the hard drive requirement for online multiplayer under the game's features (as seen above). EA support representatives state that the temporary storage space required for online play exceeds that available on the Arcade's included memory card, making the hard drive necessary.Of course, this isn't new information by any means. Several already-released games require the 360's hard disk drive for online play, including Crackdown and Final Fantasy XI. The problem is that while this information is presented on these games' boxes, it's not presented as clearly as it could be. And for online shoppers, the hard drive requirement isn't listed at all. Sites like Amazon.com and EBGames.com fail to list the hard drive requirement in their product descriptions of Burnout Paradise, and never include images of the back of the box as part of their product pages.While EA can likely not be held accountable for the hard drive issue, online retailers should be responsible for sharing all relevant information about products. That Amazon and GameStop/EB fail to mention the hard drive requirement is a serious problem, and while consumers should be more careful about researching before purchasing, this process should be made easier by sellers, and not more difficult.
Fanpoll: Burnout Paradise and Crash Mode
Alright, now that Burnout Paradise has made the rounds and has been in gamers hot little hands for a few days, we've got a question. The biggest change made to the Burnout series in Paradise is definitely the new free roaming aspect. Rather than have separate modes, players activate different events at traffic signals. However, instead of incorporating Crash Mode into this system, Burnout Paradise uses a new feature called Showtime, which allows players to turn any crash into an impromptu Crash Mode. As evidenced in the video above, some epic crashes are still possible, but many will undoubtedly miss the meticulously crafted crash courses present in previous iterations of the series. So, here's your question: how do you feel about Showtime in Burnout Paradise? Place your vote in the poll below and make your feelings known in the comments. We'll take a look at the results next Friday.%Poll-8673%
