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E3 2013: Porting DCUO and PlanetSide 2 to the PlayStation 4
Just because SOE didn't have many new games to showcase at E3 this year doesn't mean that the studio didn't have a lot to talk about. In fact, there was plenty to be said about two of the existing games porting to the new PlayStation 4. And while some of it is good, sadly there's some not-so-good thrown in as well. Joystiq caught up with DC Universe Online's Creative Director Jens Andersen and Adam Clegg, a game designer on PlanetSide 2, to get the scoop. Mirroring the executive producer's sentiments from our interview, Andersen noted that DCUO has an advantage thanks to being currently available on the PS3. And while not having specifics to announce, Andersen added that he'd be very surprised if the game didn't take advantage of PS4's social functions. However, the game will not (at least initially) be able to use the console's streaming and quick installation features, remaining a download and install title. For PlanetSide 2, the big news is that the console will allow optimization of the graphics "1,000 times better" according to Clegg. The big bad news is that it will be impossible to have cross-platform play, so folks who want to play on the PS4 will not have access to their PC characters. In a separate interview with Rev3Games, Art Director Tramell Isaac noted that the PS4 version would feel like a native console game, not just a jerry-rigged PC game. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 10-13, bringing you all the best news from E3 2013. We're covering everything from WildStar and Elder Scrolls Online and ArcheAge to FFXIV's inbound revamp and TERA's latest update, so stay tuned!
E3 2013: DCUO plans to remain completely free on PS4
The PlayStation 4 made headlines at this year's E3 thanks to its console wars one-upmanship as well as its newly announced launch library. But one previously announced had a live demo at the L.A.-based convention extravaganza; DC Universe Online offered players a chance to experience some next-gen superhero shenanigans for themselves, so we totally jumped in on the action! After engrossing ourselves in the world of capes, masks, and super powers, we nabbed Executive Producer Lawrence Liberty to talk with us about DCUO's conversion to the PS4. He shared details about performance, uses for the touchpad on the new controller, a new companion app, and the plan for DCUO to be available at the console's launch. Liberty also noted that the team is working with Sony to keep the game free on the PS4 so players won't have to purchase a PlayStation Plus membership.
Sony's 'Best of 2012' E3 sale now live on PlayStation Network
In an effort to tide players over until the games shown at this year's E3 are ready to be released, Sony has kicked off a sale for a handful of last year's best-reviewed games on the PlayStation Network. Through next week, PSN users can take advantage of steep price drops for a selection of PS3 retail and PSN-exclusive games, including Tomb Raider, The Walking Dead, and Sound Shapes, among others. PlayStation Plus members get an additional discount on top of Sony's announced sale prices. A full list of discounted games is after the break below.
E3 2013: Final Fantasy XIV shows off PS3 UI
E3 is proving to be an exciting time for Final Fantasy XIV fans, especially considering that the title has been confirmed for the PlayStation 4 next year. One of the new videos that's coming out of the convention is a dev tour of the new UI developed for the PlayStation 3 version. While the developers speak in their native tongue, the video is subtitled and shows off a range of UI activities from character customization to combat. Gaze upon it with your terribly perceptive eyes after the jump and make sure to read our preview of the rebooted title from the show floor!
E3 2013: Check out DUST 514's new trailer, EVE Online screenies
Sometimes a space cowboy or cowgirl just wants to gaze out of the cockpit and marvel at the beauty of the cosmos. Sometimes being that pensive is a good way to get podded, but at least those final moments are spent in awe. So whether or not you're facing imminent combat, we've got some new CCP eye candy for you. Below are several new screenshots from EVE Online: Odyssey and DUST 514, and after the break is the E3 trailer for DUST called Fight Your Own War. Enjoy! [Source: CCP Games] %Gallery-191114%
PlayStation 4 DRM policies clarified by Sony (updated)
Not so fast, vaquero. While Sony was cheered in heroic fashion for proclaiming that used games would be free and clear to operate on the PlayStation 4, it appears that the reality is actually a bit more complicated. Sony America CEO Jack Tretton has made clear today that while first-party titles will fit in with yesterday's "hands-off" approach, third-party publishers will be allowed to throw some curveballs. "There's gonna be free-to-play, there's gonna be every potential business model on there, and again, that's up to their relationship with the consumer, what do they think is going to put them in the best fit. We're not going to dictate that, we're gonna give them a platform to publish on. The DRM decision is going to have to be answered by the third parties, it's not something we're going to control, or dictate, or mandate, or implement." That's the new word out of Tretton's mouth, which seems to indicate that players like Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Treyarch and pretty much any PS4 game maker outside of Sony's own umbrella can cobble together any combination of policies they want. You could say that it's not too different from how the PS3 operates today, but there's still plenty of room for clarifications across the industry. Hit up the source link for the full spiel. Update: Sony itself has responded with the following: "Similar to PS3, we will not dictate the online used game strategy (the ability to play used games online) of its publishing partners. As announced last night, PS4 will not have any gating restrictions for used disc-based games. When a gamer buys a PS4 disc they have right to use that copy of the game, so they can trade-in the game at retail, sell it to another person, lend it to a friend, or keep it forever."
Diablo 3 on PlayStation will have exclusive Sony-related items
Sony has announced that Blizzard's release of Diablo 3 on the PlayStation 3 and 4 will boast some exclusive, Sony-related items, including something called Drake's Amulet (named after none other than Uncharted's Nathan Drake). A few of these items will be available when the game launches on the console, but Sony said more items would be coming in the future.
Sony offering GTA5 PS3 bundle, with branded headset
Sony has just announced here at E3 that it will be offering a PlayStation 3 console bundled up with a copy of Grand Theft Auto 5, along with a specially-branded headset, for $299. The bundle will be available with the game itself right away on September 17.
One Shots: March beneath the raptor's wings
Man, it's downright shadowy underneath the raptor's wings! Reader Draxos is kicking off our player screenshot exhibition this week with an interestingly lit picture from Star Trek Online's new expansion. "This picture is of my new Romulan character inside a Romulan space station that was having a few ... issues," Draxos wrote in. "When the lights suddenly go out in a space station, you become thankful for the brightness outside the window because then at least there is some chance of seeing what may now be lurking within the darkness. Although you could say that my Reman crew members are the true ones to be fearful of in the dark." Couldn't you use the Borg's head as a flashlight? That's what I would do. Join us for more shadowy flights into dangerous worlds of characters who do not exist in today's One Shots!
Some Assembly Required: Three games that need player-generated content
At times over the last half decade, I've felt as if the MMORPG genre lost sight of itself. It seemed that all any gamemaker wanted to do was emulate a certain wildly successful outlier, and this in turn threw a wet blanket over the sandbox play, emergent design, and player-generated content that separates MMOs from run-of-the-mill video games. The last year or so has seen the collective industry start to wake up from that bad dream, as there are now a half dozen really promising sandbox or sandpark titles in development, several of which are backed by millions of dollars and major studios. What about the current crop of games, though? Is it a stretch to imagine a few of them, even the unapologetically linear ones, expanding their horizons with a little bit of player-generated content?
CCP claims DUST 514 is 'driving' PS3 sales
DUST 514 may be causing the CCP faithful to go out and buy a PlayStation 3, Vice President Thor Gunnarsson suggested. He claims that sales for Sony's console are increasing thanks to the popularity of the sci-fi MMOFPS. "We already see that DUST 514, during open beta, had been driving hardware sales for Sony. We actually track that together," Gunnarsson said. "We know that our fanbase, DUST-curious players, are buying the PlayStation 3 to get into our game." Recently, the studio claimed that DUST 514 was vital to the "long-term trajectory" of the company.
DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2 confirmed for PlayStation 4
Sony's next-gen console may not have a fancy tablet controller or an all-seeing, always-on eye that watches you watch things, but it does look as if it's getting a couple of high profile MMOs. Sony Online Entertainment has confirmed that both DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2 are headed for the PS4 as free-to-play downloads later this year. DCUO is currently available on PS3, but PlanetSide 2 has yet to make a console appearance. This may be why more information is available as to the implementation of the former than the latter; DCUO's official Twitter account is currently fielding questions about the PS4 announcement, while PlanetSide 2's doesn't seem to be talking about it at all. For those keeping score, that's now at least four free-to-play MMOs due on the PS4 either at launch or soon after: War Thunder, Warframe, DC Universe Online, and PlanetSide 2. Larry Liberty (producer for DCUO) might have been onto something when he said the new console would be a "great platform" for MMOs.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Rounding up May's superhero news
Today marks the start of a new format for A Mild-Mannered Reporter, but it's a natural segue because this is what I'd be doing anyway. Yes, it's time for a roundup of news, and over the past month, most of the news has been about two superheroic games hitting the "action" button until it falls off. It's all about Marvel Heroes and Infinite Crisis, in other words. Not that these are the only two games that have been doing things, mind you. Both Champions Online and DC Universe Online have brought out some new content, although the volume differs. But the biggest waves are being made by games emphasizing the punching of villains with extreme prejudice. Or the punching of heroes; it's a fine line. The point is that there is no finer time to round up superhero news, especially with the return of ComicsAlliance. So let's move on to the roundup, taking it point by point.
DC Universe Online producer: PS4 should 'be a great platform for MMOs'
DC Universe Online producer Larry Liberty recently shared some interesting insights about SOE's cross-platform superhero MMO with NowGamer. The PlayStation 3 version of the game features a userbase that skews younger than its PC counterpart, and Liberty says that DCUO is the first MMO experience for many PS3 players. He also mentions that PC players appear to be more comfortable with traditional MMO gameplay like guilds, groups, and raids. In terms of the eternal controller vs. keyboard/mouse debate, Liberty says he prefers the former. That said, "the top three finishers in our first-ever DC Universe Online Legends PvP Tournament at SOE Live last year used the keyboard/mouse setup," he explained. Finally, Liberty says he expects the recently announced PlayStation 4 to "be a great platform for MMOs."
Does CCP's future depend on DUST 514?
It's been a couple of weeks since DUST 514 launched as a free-to-play title on the PlayStation 3. While it may be too early to tell whether the MMOFPS will be a big success story, a big flop, or something in the middle, Chief Marketing Officer David Reid argues that DUST 514 is vital to the future of CCP Games. "The second product is often the big product," he said. "Anybody can have a hit, but can you have two? It's very important for CCP right now to make DUST 514 a success. It has a lot to do with the long-term trajectory of the company. We're definitely thinking about that." Reid says that CCP is not trying to directly compete with MMO industry titans, but is forging its own path with a sustained cult following. He sees DUST 514 as an important step to the growth of the EVE Online universe: "On some level, DUST is a bit of a tracer bullet. A very big tracer bullet, a big investment, but it's a test bed. This could be the beginning of a much more interesting strategy of lots and lots of things joining into Tranquillity, and all being part of that shared economy, those shared politics and that shared universe."
EVE and DUST DDoS attack not a threat to customers
This weekend's downtime in both EVE Online and DUST 514 -- the results of a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack -- is now over and both CCP games are back online, according to a statement from the studio's COO, Jón Hörðdal Jónasson. CCP assures its customers that "at no time was customer data compromised or accessible in any way." Compensation to all EVE and DUST players will be announced soon.
CCP takes EVE and DUST offline due to DDoS attack
If you were looking to play EVE Online or DUST 514 this afternoon, you might want to go with your backup plan. CCP has taken its Tranquility server cluster offline in order to deal with a "significant and sustained distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack." Tranquility hosts EVE and DUST players, and while CCP initially reopened the servers, it has since decided to close them down in order to conduct an investigation and "an exhaustive scan of our entire infrastructure." The outage also affects CCP's web presence. You can follow the situation via the company's Twitter feed. [Thanks to everyone who tipped us.]
EVE Evolved: Archaeology and Hacking in Odyssey
EVE Online's Odyssey expansion is set to land in just over a week's time, kicking off the game's second decade with a focus on exploration, immersion, and resource rebalancing. Developers plan to shake up nullsec by redistributing the value of various moon minerals and buffing player-owned outposts, and lowsec will become a more tempting place to visit with the addition of valuable new tags to asteroid belt NPCs. But what's in it for highsec players? In addition to new navy issue battlecruisers and immersive new jump and death sequences, players from all corners of EVE will find new exploration content in their back yards. A big part of the new exploration system is a complete redesign of the Hacking and Archaeology mini-professions, which have been in EVE for as long as I can remember and have remained relatively unchanged. Odyssey will add new sites for both professions and replace the boring old chance-based system with a new minigame that emphasises co-operation with other players. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the history of Hacking and Archaeology in EVE and what the new system brings to the table.
EA expects to publish for current systems through 2017
Speaking at the Stifel 2013 Technology Conference in New York this week, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said that EA plans to publish games on the current generation of consoles through 2017 at least. According to Gamespot's report, Jorgenson also discussed EA's exclusive Star Wars deal and specifically referenced fan favorite Star Wars: Battlefront. "The opportunity to do a new Battlefront, for example," Jorgensen said, "is very exciting." He added that none of EA's planned Star Wars games are film adaptations "per se," though their releases may coincide with upcoming movies.
The Daily Grind: Would you like appropriate movie tie-in content in your MMOs?
I don't know if SOE has any plans to capitalize on the wave of Superman hype sweeping the nerdosphere on account of Zack Snyder's upcoming Man of Steel film. The firm's DC Universe Online title features the big blue boy scout rather prominently, of course, and the timing seems right if there aren't a bunch of legal stumbling blocks. SOE has done movie tie-ins with an MMO before, way back in 2005 when its Rage of the Wookiees expansion added a bunch of Episode III-themed content to Star Wars Galaxies. Last summer, though, the firm didn't really acknowledge Christopher Nolan's final Batman film in DCUO, so it may not be in the cards for Supes either. Regardless of what actually happens, would you like to see appropriate movie tie-in content in certain MMOs? Or do you prefer to keep the properties separate? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
