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SOCOM: Confrontation beta patched, actually playable
It was a rough weekend for the SOCOM faithful as server and network code issues made the game nigh-unplayable for many. Sony was well aware of the problem, promising a fix before the end of this week. Surprise: the fix arrived early this morning, and we – along with, oh, everyone who waited for the beta – were eager to see what exactly was fixed.Turns out the answer is (at least in our experience) quite a bit. We were irked to find that our character customization data was wiped by the 1.10 patch, but them's the breaks in betaville. Rebuilding our characters wouldn't be worth it if we couldn't get into a match, though. Happily, we have found that almost all front-end network issues (login errors, general slowness, etc.) have been nipped, we can finally join games, and, when we do, gameplay seems less laggy. It still takes quite a while to load into a match, but knowing that you'll actually be able to play once you do makes the waiting much more bearable. For those who are in the beta, let us know what your experience with 1.10 has been like in comments. [Via PS3 Fanboy]
SOCOM: Confrontation public beta to be patched
We know that a number of you have been having problems with the SOCOM: Confrontation public beta. Well, there is finally some relieve in sight: it has been announced that a patch will be applied today at 5AM PDT/8AM EST/12PM GMT. There will also be server maintenance at that time for about 1.5 hours.According to the SOCOM blog, the Public Beta 1.10 Patch won't fix everything, but it should "address a number of stability and late joining issues," lower the volume of the proximity chat by 50%, add support for European EULAs as well as dedicated servers for Europe and Australia. They are also looking into other issues, with a promise of "more updates to both the server and client in the future."
SOCOM beta confronted by delay
Over at the official PlayStation Blog, SOCOM: Confrontation producer Seth Luisi has confirmed a massive or slight delay (depending on your level of SOCOM infatuation) for the game's public beta. Originally slated to begin yesterday, the virtual doors will instead open this Friday, September 5. (QORE subscribers will be let in the following Friday, September 12.)Luisi says the delay was prompted by the team "working so hard to ensure the final product is fantastic," which we believe is Ye Olde Spinne for "we found a bug." Thankfully (and thoughtfully) the beta's run won't be cut short by the delay; it will last a full month, from 9/5 to 10/5. (Make that three weeks for QORE readers viewers.)
SOCOM Confrontation beta features detailed
Just a couple of weeks to go until those with GameStop pre-orders for SOCOM Confrontation will gain entry into the public beta for the game. (Qore subscribers will need to stay patient for a few days after that – d'oh!) With the sneak peak looming, the SOCOM Blog has posted some salient details on what to expect content-wise.The latest update details the "Crossroads" map, which will be playable in both 16- and 32-player variations. Available game modes will include Extraction, Suppression, and the less friendly sounding Elimination. Beta players will have access to weapon and gear customization, as well as clans and stats tracking – player data will be deleted once the game hits retail, so bold beta entrants best not get too attached to their accomplishments.On another SOCOM Confrontation related note: we've toyed around with Sony's official PS3 Bluetooth headset (included in the $59.99 retail bundle) and not only is it well designed, but it acts as a far-field microphone while in its charging cradle so you never have to go without voice chat.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
SOCOM: Confrontation priced: digital, retail, and headset bundle
Surprising approximately no one, the final prices for the various releases of the multiplayer-only SOCOM: Confrontation have been announced. Tearing a page (and pricing sheet) straight out of the Warhawk playbook, Confrontation is being offered in both digital and Blu-ray variants, with the latter being offered in both stand alone and bundle versions. Pricing for both the PlayStation Network download and the retail stand alone version is $39.99 while the retail bundle version – which includes the (rather attractive) PS3 Bluetooth headset along with "exclusive Behind the Scenes videos" – will be $20 more, at $59.99. No prices yet for the rest of the world, but Sony is aiming for a worldwide release of October 14th. Our magic eight-ball says we'll "most likely" hear a price before then. %Gallery-3180%
Confront the SOCOM: Confrontation trailer
Slant Six recently released a gameplay trailer for SOCOM: Confrontation, the series' maiden voyage onto Sony's current-gen home console. It looks faithful to the series' frantic, tactical roots on the PlayStation 2, though this trailer doesn't do a great job of showing off the game's new features and gameplay improvements. The graphics, though significantly gussied-up since its public unveiling last year, still could use a bit of polish -- though we'd be willing to sacrifice a bit of gussy for a steady framerate during the many 32-man multiplayer matches we'll be participating in. You can find out if it really does pay to be a winner when Confrontation drops on October 14.
SOCOM: Confrontation trailer shows terrorists getting just desserts
Here's a new trailer for the PS3 exclusive SOCOM: Confrontation. What would you expect to see in this video? There are Navy SEALs, guns, and SEALs using said guns. Still -- the areas look huge and fantastic. Who doesn't love gunning down terrorists? It's just a selfish wish, but we'd like a more realistic cover system. The devs do realize that bullets would go right through a barrel and/or a wooden wagon, right? It makes for cover in the game, sure, but at least let such cover points get demolished easily. That said, we'll shut up and enjoy it for what it is: an action-packed trailer.
Confirmed: SOCOM Confrontation gets one month delay
Our impressions of SOCOM Confrontation made it clear: the game needed some extra work. The hotly anticipated PSN game looked great in the alpha build that we played, but nagging issues like a stuttering framerate and random network problems, made us think a delay was for the best. Well, looks like the SOCOM team agrees.In a recent post on SOCOM.com, Seth Luisi notes that "Unfortunately, even working late into the nights and every weekend, we've had to re-evaluate our schedule. Our top priority is delivering the best SOCOM online experience possible. Tough decisions had to be made and we've decided to push back the release date to October 14th, 2008. We just had to face the facts and do what is best for the title. Rather than sacrifice features, quality and stability, we had to do the right thing and re-adjust our schedule.Obviously, this means those that are eagerly awaiting the beta (in addition to the final game) will have to be a little bit more patient. In the case of SOCOM Confrontation, we're confident that the delay will be worth it.
Retail hints at one-month SOCOM Confrontation delay
Could it be? Is another anticipated PS3 game getting a delay? Maybe. But don't sweat this one! Gamestop customers have been notified that their upcoming pre-orders for SOCOM Confrontation may be delayed a month. Originally scheduled for a September release, it appears that the Slant Six team is getting an extra month to polish the title. The new release date? October 14th.While this date has yet to be confirmed, we're told that the official SOCOM blog at SOCOM.com will update tomorrow with an official response. Stay tuned.[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]%Gallery-3193%
Gamestop says SOCOM: Confrontation delayed to Oct 14
Update: New release date confirmed.Last we heard in March, SOCOM: Confrontation was coming September 16 to PS3. If Gamestop is to be believed, that release date has been pushed back a month to October 14. We wouldn't be surprised if it was true, as our hands-on time with the game recently showed there was still a lot of work to be done. We've put in a call to developer Slant Six for an official response.%Gallery-3180%[Via PS Forums]
PS3 Fanboy hands-on: SOCOM Confrontation
Click for high-resolution image. This is SOCOM. On the PS3. That's SOCOM Confrontation, put simply. It's somewhat strange to think that the team that brought us the incredibly innovative SOCOM Tactical Strike (PSP) is bringing us a game that feels so by-the-numbers. But for the hardcore SOCOM community, this is the game they've been waiting for. It's been years since the last major console SOCOM game, and Slant Six must offer a product that delivers all the thrills that fans of the franchise have come to expect. Rest assured, Confrontation delivers everything SOCOM fans have come to expect from the series, and expands upon the formula by adding massive 32-player matches and a fully-fleshed online community component.Many criticized the game when it made its public debut last year for having dated graphics. But, Slant Six had only worked on the game for 5 months when the initial screens were shown to the public. Since then, the game has made remarkable progress, and looks rather stunning. The lighting, heat blur, and smoke effects are all beautifully rendered -- and the scope of each of the game's seven levels is massive.%Gallery-3193%
A second SOCOM to come from original developers
Reaction to the newly unveiled SOCOM Confrontation was mixed at best. The multiplayer-only title is being developed by Slant Six Games (also responsible for the new PSP title SOCOM: Tactical Strike). While the prospects of playing on a 32-player online battlefield is exciting enough, many commented on the barren, uninspired look of the game.Worry not -- there's yet another SOCOM game in the works from the series' original creators. Zipper is starting work on its own SOCOM title, but as 1UP points out, it's going to be a long way off -- most likely late next year. Unlike Confrontation, which will launch this November, Zipper's own title will feature a single-player campaign in addition to the requisite multiplayer modes. While we hope Confrontation turns out to be a worthy addition to the SOCOM franchise, we're somewhat relieved to know that a true sequel is still in the works.[Via Joystiq]
SOCOM Tactical Strike demo to come this summer
SOCOM Tactical Strike is a radical departure for the series. In an interview with IGN, Dan McBride, director of development at Slant Six, commented on the new direction they're taking the franchise. "We set out to make a game that exists very solidly in the SOCOM universe but presents gameplay that is brand new to the franchise- it's not a shooter! So there is a risk there, but we are pretty confident that the tactical play will in fact appeal to the hardcores in particular."In order for gamers to understand the unique play of Tactical Strike, McBride reveals that a demo will be made available this summer. "I am pretty sure there will be a playable demo this summer so people can take a test drive for themselves."
