February 29, 2000
PS2 TV ads - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:37 PM, EST
Incitegames kicked up a few Japanese TV ads.
Here’s the ad for Square’s Type-S:
Movie (2 MB)
Go here to check out the rest
PS2 article - Comments (5)
Posted by @ 1:36 PM, EST
Newsweek posted another fat article on the PS2. Interesting reading...
Here’s a slice:
The PS 2 could change that: from football and baseball to strategy and combat, the flagship games for PlayStation 2 are so visually seductive that they may make even confirmed nongamers think about picking up a controller. "I've spent the last 18 years preparing for the next two years," says Roach. "The reason they're calling [the PS2] the Emotion Engine is because we'll finally be able to break the visual barrier so people can identify with the characters." Fortunately for us, the new games shouldn't cost more than the $30-$40 we're paying right now. And to keep broadening the fan base, Sony has adjusted its licensing strategy so that publishers can come out with low-end games for as little as $13 and still turn a profit.
Tecmo's Tomonobu Itagaki is extremely proud of his fighting game Dead or Alive 2, which is coming out for Dreamcast in the United States later this year. But having maxed out the graphics capability of the Dreamcast, Itagaki is psyched for the increased realism offered by PlayStation 2: "I can create a more emotional world with more details and more realistic facial expressions. The physics will be more accurate. I'll be able to do smoke, fire and water. With current technology, the thickness of the fog is even throughout. With PlayStation 2, one part can be thin and another thick."
Full article
Ridge Racer V screens - Comments (4)
Posted by @ 1:35 PM, EST
A few new scbr>pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6, pic #7
Evergrace Movie - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:34 PM, EST
Core posted a nice movie of From Software’s RPG, Evergrace.
It is recorded from a TV at the PS festival... pretty good quality though.
Movie (7 MB)
The Dreamland Chronicles: Freedom Ridge announced - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:33 PM, EST
The Dreamland Chronicles: Freedom Ridge is developed by Mythos Games, responsible for classic titles such as X-COM and Magic & Mayhem. The game is set for a Q4 2000 release on the PC and PS2.
Here’s a bit of the press release:
"Freedom Ridge is really an effort to take everything we've learned from doing this kind of game for the last 15 years and turn it into something groundbreaking," said Julian Gollop, lead designer for Freedom Ridge. "We wanted to create a game that not only builds on some popular core concepts that we've used before, but also adds new elements and features that help us push the boundaries of what's been done and seen before."
Set in the near future, Freedom Ridge uses themes from classic science fiction and modern
UFO conspiracy theories to create an enthralling backdrop for the gameplay. After a devastating 70-day war against alien invaders the human race finds itself on the brink of extinction. With the military forces and governments of the world in ruins the player commands humanity's last hope -- a resistance force known as the Terran Liberation Army. Starting with a meager supply of captured weapons and technology the player must drive back the invaders and free the Earth from alien domination.
Full press release
Japan Olympics 2000 game from Konami - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:33 PM, EST
Konami announced they will release an Olympics game for the PS2, the game will also come to N64, DC and GBC. The game will feature 12 events.
Thanks to Gaming Age for the info.
February 28, 2000
Newsweek PS2 coverage - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 5:46 PM, EST
Newsweek kicked up a big article about the PS2...
A piece of it:
"It's historic, a mass-market appliance that fundamentally changes society in the way the printing press did," says Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts and CEO of 3DO. "This is a new canvas for humanity that takes us back to our nature."
Such hyberbole is music to the ears of Ken Kutaragi. These days, the 53-year-old former engineer wears a smile that would require a ton of polygons to reproduce. His odyssey began in the mid-1980s, when he first conceived of building "a new type of entertainment" based on high-end graphics. But to Sony's brain trust, the idea was "embarrassing... Sony was very much an audiovisual hardware company [that considered] game machines as toys," he says. Finally, Sony's CEO, then Norio Ohga, took a chance on the project, and Kutaragi created the first PlayStation, released in 1994.
Full article
Gran Turismo 2000 Interview - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:54 PM, EST
slapped up a fat interview with Kazunori Yamauchi, the director of the Gran Turismo games.
A few spicy slices from it:
"Press attendee: Could you give examples of what type of things will change?
KY: This is just the improved version of GT2, where just I’ve added blur effects and real-time environment mapping. There are many more details that I would like to add, because this is just an improved version – I want to create something that is much more realistic. I can’t go into details right now, but I hope you’ll be impressed.
Press attendee: Have you started experimenting with DualShock2 yet?
KY: Yes. [demonstrates the analogue button on the accelerator in game] It’s already analogue acceleration. We’re still making adjustments. In GT2 the brakes are mainly anti-lock, but now the user will be able to control the pressure of the breaks using analogue control. When I was experimenting with the accelerator users thought they were flooring it, but they weren’t. So that’s why we’re still making adjustments.
Press attendee: Will there be any other game modes, like a four-player option for example?
KY: I’m thinking about implementing a four-player multi-player mode. I think PS2 enables a real multi-player mode
Press attendee: How many polygons are we looking at now, in total, compared to how many that will appear in the finished product?
KY: Right now you’re looking at two million polygons [on screen]. The course hasn’t been optimised, so the polygons aren’t being used efficiently right now. The rendering engine we talked about earlier can handle 10 million polygons per second. It depends how many effects we’ve got on there, but that’s how much it can handle."
Dead or Alive 3 for PS2 - Comments (5)
Posted by @ 1:52 PM, EST
According to , Temco is already working on a new Dead Or Alive title for the PS2.
"DOA3 will be the first fighting game since the original Street Fighter to feature analogue punches and kicks. Mr Itagaki is keen to bring an extra dimension to all characters in the game, and DualShock2’s analogue buttons will be a key factor in this."
Konami speaks up on PS2 development - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:52 PM, EST
Konami announced that they are working on over 10 PS2 games right now, all scheduled for release in the next financial year.
In a recent interview with Reuters they say, "We expect total worldwide PlayStation2 sales will at least grow to the same level as the existing PlayStation console within five years."
Kazumi Kitaue also told Reuters, "Given the promising outlook, we will develop more than half of our game software for PlayStation consoles."
Thanks to Gaming Age for the info.
The World Is Not Enough info & screens - Comments (3)
Posted by @ 1:51 PM, EST
EA released a few screens of its upcoming Bond game.
Check them out (PC screens)
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Some info from the official page:
- New 1st person perspectives in rich, highly detailed environments
- Employ stealth, espionage action, and overwhelming fire
power as each mission demands.
- Full arsenal of exciting Q-lab gadgets.
- Over 10 exciting missions in exotic locations – race through Istanbul, fight your way through
a Russian nuclear submarine in Baku, and ski your way through the Caucasus Mountains.
- Follow the plot through real-time 3-D cinematics and exciting clips from the blockbuster movie.
- Improved precision targeting for your lethal arsenal of more
than 20 weapons.
A slice of the pressrelease:
"The World is Not Enough game stays true to the Bond legacy by delivering all the furious action, stealth, state-of-the art gadgets and sophisticated spy-craft that Bond fans expect. Building upon the movie storyline, players will assume the role of James Bond who must take it upon himself to confront the film's treacherous villains, as well as new adversaries created exclusively for the game. Bond will also encounter many recognizable allies who play an important part in achieving mission objectives, similar to that of the film.
The game will feature an array of enormous arenas and levels, many of which are based on The World Is Not Enough scenes and locales. Each arena and level will contain a generous offering of challenging missions and objectives. In addition, there will be real-time 3-D cinematics and action-packed movie footage throughout the game to help create seamless and exciting gameplay. All of the action seen by the player will be through a first-person point of view, which helps accent the game's rich, highly detailed environments. Only through a series of successful mission accomplishments, which require the clever utilization of unique weapons and gadgets along with Bond-style wit, will the player be able to defeat the enemies... and get the girl."
Check out EA’s official site here: http://007.ea.com/
Dreamland Chronicles: Freedom Ridge - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:50 PM, EST
IGN posted some pics and info on Mythos’s -based RPG Dreamland Chronicles: Freedom Ridge.
Here’s a bit:
"The story is very similar to a possible sequel to X-Com: not only have you lost Earth to the aliens, who have completely taken over the planet, but also there is only about 20 people left in your group. You must re-capture Earth using stealthy, strategic measures, completely undetected."
Go here for more info + pics
February 25, 2000
Sony to sell PS2 Boards to arcade game makers - Comments (11)
Posted by @ 8:00 AM, EST
From the Nihon Keizai Shimbun Friday morning edition:
"TOKYO --Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. announced Thursday that it plans to supply PlayStation2 circuit boards to manufacturers of arcade games.
The boards will enable the firms to develop games offering the same performance as SCE's new console. Arcade game makers have been clamoring for the powerful new boards, whose 128-bit processors have pulled home game consoles ahead in the performance race.
The move will allow SCE to market basic PlayStation2 components to arcade game producers and take advantage of economies of scale to lower its own costs."
Interview with Koei - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 7:59 AM, EST
GameSpot posted an interview with Koei about their game Kessen.
Here’s a bit of it:
"GSN: How many people worked on the development?
Koei: Although we can't say how many exactly, I'd say a lot more than our usual number. We spent about five hundred million yen in total (about US$5 million).
GSN: Is the movie in the game real-time or pre-rendered?
Koei: All the movies will be in real time. We wanted the game to immediately react along with the player's decisions."
Full interview
Street Fighter EX3 Movie - Comments (4)
Posted by @ 7:59 AM, EST
Core posted a new SFEX3 movie from the PS Festival.
Movie (7 MB)
Amored Core 2 Network battle features? - Comments (11)
Posted by @ 7:58 AM, EST
According to a few sites on the net it seems like From Software will include network features into their mech combat game Armored Core2...
Hresvelgr Screens - Comments (20)
Posted by @ 7:58 AM, EST
Gamespot scored some screens of the recently announced flight-racing game, Hresvelgr:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Tekken Tag Tournament info - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 7:56 AM, EST
Namco of Japan unveiled the play modes of Tekken Tag Tournament for the PS2:
Arcade - The arcade port of the game. Players select two characters and battle to become the champion in the tournament.
VS - Two to four players can play in this mode using the Multitap for the PS2. Players can have variations, such as one-on-one vs. battle or two-on-two vs. battle, with each character controlled by a human player.
Team Battle - Players can select up to eight characters and fight in a match until one of the players loses all characters.
Time Attack - Fight against CPU opponents using the shortest amount of time possible.
Survival - Fight against CPU opponents until the player's character loses all health.
Practice
One of the new features in the PS2 version is that up to four players can play the game under the arcade mode or the vs. mode!
Thanks to GameSpot for the info.
February 24, 2000
PS2 import price - Comments (28)
Posted by @ 1:19 PM, EST
NCS revealed what they will charge for a Japanese PS2:
"NCS First Week Pricing: US$780 per unit" !!
They also say:
"Software prices are expected to range within the US$80 mark per title. As such, NCS recommends that customers not purchase the PS2 unit at the launch. Prices are high and discounts of US$200+ are very likely in the coming weeks after the PS2 debut."
Namco & DH develop training program for PS2 - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:19 PM, EST
Straight from the Nikkei Industrial Daily Thursday edition:
"TOKYO --Digital Hollywood Corp. and Namco Ltd. (9752) are teaming up to offer a training program to teach the technical skills required to design games for Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s next-generation PlayStation2 game machine.
The two firms will set up a six-month training course at Namco's creative center in Yokohama, where Namco game designers will offer hands-on instruction under a curriculum developed by Digital Hollywood. The program will accept 15 students, each of whom will pay 1 million yen.
Digital Hollywood and Namco believe that the March release of PlayStation2 will trigger a surge in demand for programmers who can develop games tailored for the new machines."
Summoner Interview - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 1:18 PM, EST
Summoner Homeland posted an interview with Volition's Matt Kresge, one of the character designers for the PS2/PC 3D RPG Summoner.
Here’s a bit from the interview:
"Tell a bit about yourself. Who you are, what you like to do in your free time, things like that.
Matt Kresge is a human who works for Volition, Inc. Matt likes to Ski, watch anime, and look at small animals.
What exactly is it that you do at Volition?
Matt creates all the minor characters for Summoner. Matt likes village people and gargoyles. A lot."
To read the rest of this crazy interview click here.
Thanks to the kick ass PC site Voodooextreme for spotting this interview.
PlayStation Festival Impressions - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:16 PM, EST
Gamefan wrote up some impressions of the PS festival.
A slice:
"The sheer volume of the library for this console in the early stages is mind-blowing, and a large part of it was playable at the show. Nearly every game ran at a sexy 60fps with no slow-down (I still can’t get over playing Ridge Racer at that frame-rate). Just compare this launch lineup to the Dreamcast launch in Japan, which consisted of Godzilla Generations, Pen Pen TriIcelon, July and Virtua Fighter 3 TB, and you’ll see why I’m excited. There was also a kiosk at the festival showing the DVD version of “The Matrix” on multiple screens, to remind people of the PS2’s other capabilities. To a degree, there were no surprises at the festival in terms of playable games--if you’ve been paying close attention to the stories on the Web, you already know about everything there without even going. But playing the likes of Ridge Racer V has got me anxious about it all. Just think: If this is what the Japanese launch is like, imagine what the U.S. launch will be like later this year…when U.S. exclusives like Unreal Tournament, Munch’s Oddysee and Ninja Gaiden are added to the mix. I can’t wait..."
Full article
More PlayStation Festival Impressions - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:16 PM, EST
PSXNews also kicked up some impressions of the PS festival.
A bit of the article:
"I went straight to the GT2000 stand. Waiting in line was a pleasure in itself, watching the stunning graphics. The best way to describe this game is to compare it with the introductory movie of GT2: the quality is as good. The power of the new machine allows not only for enough polys for complete peripheral scenery but also for some stunning lighting effects, placing a blinding setting sun beyond the Seattle skyline. The game itself is no different, as yet, to either of the original games, its just the pictures."
Full article
TGS 2000 Spring Software Numbers - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 1:15 PM, EST
Computer Entertainment Software Association (CESA) has announced the software numbers for the upcoming Tokyo Game Show 2000 Spring (starting March 31)
These numbers will probably change a bit…
PlayStation - 50
Game Boy (including Game Boy Color) - 27
Dreamcast - 21
PlayStation2 – 17
PC - 17
Nintendo 64 - 4
Wonderswan - 1
Others - 11
Thanks to GameSpot for the info.
Taito PS2 games at TGS - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:14 PM, EST
Taito announced that they will be showing two PS2 games at the Spring TGS.
A soccer game that is voice-recognition-device compatible and is set for a summer 2000 release.
They will also be showing their Densha De Go! (train simulator) which is schedule for a Winter 2000 release
Thanks to GameSpot for the info.
Hreszwelg announced
Posted by @ 1:14 PM, EST
Japanese game developer Gust, announced the official title for its PS2 game, Hreszwelg.
It is a flight-racing game set sometime in the future.
Players will race in futuristic sci-fi influenced fighter planes to become world champions. And yes, there will be weapons so you can trash your opponents.
The release date for the game is May 25 in Japan.
Thanks to GameSpot for the info.
Outrageous PS2 title in the works
Posted by @ 1:13 PM, EST
Outrage Entertainment, the developer behind 3D action titles such as Descent 3, is now working on a PS2 title "that uses a different sort of engine than Descent 3".
Thanks to FGN for the info.
February 23, 2000
Crossfire Preview - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:28 PM, EST
We slapped up a Preview of EA-Square’s game Crossfire.
Here’s a bit from it:
"In 2076, North America is struck with a meteorite that brings a new disease to earth with it. Thousands of people die and soon the infected area is placed under quarantine and closed off by the government. After a few months the government sends in an inspection team but they are suddenly captured by a group of people that proclaim themselves the new leaders of this area. The government must now send in a team of specialists to discover what happened to the inspectors."
Full Preview
Evergrace Screens - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:27 PM, EST
Core posted some screens from the PS festival of From Software’s RPG Evergrace:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4
Onimusha Screens - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:26 PM, EST
Core also posted some screens of Capcom’s Onimusha:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3
Interview with Arika - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:25 PM, EST
GameSpot kicked up an interview with Arika, developer of Street Fighter EX3 for the PS2.
Here’s a bit of the interview:
"GSNews: We're quite excited about Street Fighter EX3 for the PlayStation2. We played it at the Capcom booth. What percentage of the game is complete at this point?
Arika: The game is 100 percent complete, ready for the March 4 launch.
GSN: What are some highlights of the game?
Arika: Up to four players can play the game simultaneously using the Multitap. It's a great game when you have a crowd in your house, and even if you're not into fighting games. I think the game can be enjoyed by novice players as well. The previous Street Fighter EX series has always been an arcade port, and this will be the first time the game is an original. Players can train and raise their own original character called Ace. You can let Ace learn new moves and have his own playing style. That character can then be used in other play modes as well."
Full interview
Kessen movies - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:24 PM, EST
GameSpot also posted two movies for Kessen.
(All is according to GameSpot done in real-time!)
Movie 1 (4.3 MB)
Movie 2 (1.2 MB)
Amored Core 2 movies - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:23 PM, EST
IGN posted up two movies of From Software’s Amored Core 2.
Movie 1 (1.7 MB)
Movie 2 (2.6 MB)
February 21, 2000
Mailbag - Comments (15)
Posted by @ 4:53 PM, EST
I added a Mailbag section to the site, and will be answering all your questions.
The Mailbag will probably be updated with questions and answers once a week.
Check it out
Golf Paradise Screens - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 4:28 PM, EST
Core posted some Screens of T&E Soft's golf game:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4
More movies - Comments (4)
Posted by @ 4:26 PM, EST
All the following good quality movies are from IGN.
Ridge Racer V info & movies
Go here to check it out
Gran Turismo 2000
Driving, behind car view (5.4 MB)
Replay footage (5.8 MB)
Replay & full screen view driving (8 MB)
Snowboard SuperX
Movie (4.2 MB)
Gekikuukan Pro Baseball
Movie (7.8 MB)
Jikkyou World Soccer 2000
Movie (6 MB)
Kessen
Movie 1 (7.8 MB)
Movie 2 (8.4 MB)
Summoner stuff... - Comments (3)
Posted by @ 4:24 PM, EST
Voodooextreme posted some quotes from the Summoner forum:
"The combat is in real-time, but you have the option to pause, pan around, issue new orders, etc. It's similar in those respects to the way Baldur's Gate treated combat."
This post was by Volition's Dave Baranec in regards to the GeForce:
"The Geforce256 doesn't hold even a lit matchstick to the PSX2. ;-)"
And this one on the Athlon (vs. PSX2):
"Actually, in almost every way, the PSX2 _would_ be superior to that Athlon machine. The only area it would have trouble competing in would be screen resolution, although that's mostly because TV screens simply can't handle them."
February 19, 2000
More movies - Comments (20)
Posted by @ 3:07 PM, EST
http://www.gameplayers.com.hk posted a few movies from the PS festival.
The quality isn’t the best...
Evergrace (350 kB)
Jikkyou World Soccer (350 kB)
Ridge Racer V (350 kB)
Streef Fighter EX3 Movie 1 (237 kB)
Streef Fighter EX3 Movie 2 (350 kB)
Update – February 20
GameSpot updated again with new movies for most of the games.
Click here to check it out
Also, don’t miss this movie of Dead Or Alive 2, from IGN
Movie (29 MB)
More from the PS festival - Comments (26)
Posted by @ 11:19 AM, EST
New screens:
Gran Turismo 2000
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6, pic #7, pic #8, pic #9, pic #10, pic #11, pic #12
Tekken Tag Tournament
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6, pic #7, pic #8, pic #9
Ridge Racer V
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Type-S movies
External view (3 MB)
Inside view (2 MB)
Night Driving (2 MB)
Offroad (2.5 MB)
Outside view (2 MB)
Replay (8.4 MB)
More movies…….
From Dailyradar:
Boot up sequence (2 MB)
Dark Cloud (6 MB)
Gun Griffon (3.6 MB)
Onimusha (7.8 MB)
Game info
Sony officially announced release info for a few PS2 games:
ONIMUSHA
Genre:TBC
Release: Summer, 2000
Price: TBC
Number of discs: TBC
Number of players: TBC
Publisher: Capcom Co.,LTD
MAXIMO (tentative title)
Genre: Action
Release: TBC
Price: TBC
Number of discs: TBC
Number of players: TBC
Publisher: Capcom Co., LTD
EXTERMINATION
Genre: Panic Action
Release: TBC
Price: TBC
Number of discs: TBC
Number of players: 1
Publisher: SCE Inc.
Developer: Deep Space Inc.
DARK CLOUD
Genre: RPG
Release: Autumn, 2000
Price: TBC
Number of discs: TBC
Number of players: 1
Publisher: SCE Inc.
L'ARC-EN-CIEL
Genre: Music
Release: TBC
Price: TBC
Number of discs: TBC
Number of players: TBC
Publisher: Sony Music Ent (Japan) Inc.
DEAD OR ALIVE 2
Genre: 3D Fighting Action
Release: Mar 30, 2000
Price: JPY 6,800
Number of discs: 1 (DVD)
Number of players: 1-4
Publisher: Tecmo Ltd.
ARMORED CORE 2
Genre: Simulation
Release: Summer, 2000
Price: TBC
Number of discs: TBC
Number of players: TBC
Publisher: From Software, Inc.
Links to various news stories:
Tekken Tag Tournament Screens and movies
Onimusha screens and movies
Dead or Alive 2 screens and movies
Snowboard SuperX screens and info
Off Silpheed screens and movies
Gungriffon Blaze screens and movies
Eternal Ring screens and movies
Evergrace screens and movies
Onimusha screens
PS2 boot up screens
Tim Sweeney on PS2 - Comments (2)
Posted by @ 11:12 AM, EST
Time Sweeney of Epic made a little post:
"We're not ready to give specifics on our Playstation2 game plans, though we're trying to make it really obvious that we have big ones. :)
Any Playstation2 game we release will have significant enhancements compared to what what we've done on the PC thus far. The obvious, definite things we're adding to the engine which will improve console gaming include:
* Split-screen multiplayer.
* Skeletal animation, for better animations and memory savings.
* Terrain, for large outdoor areas.
Epic is an official Sony Playstation2 middleware provider, so developers licensing the enhanced Unreal Tournament engine for Playstation2 can be assured of our support."
Thanks to the Voodooextreme for the info.
Sakaguchi discusses Final Fantasy IX, X, XI - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 11:11 AM, EST
GIA slapped up Famitsu’s (Japanese mag) interview with Square's Hironobu Sakaguchi, discussing the future of Final Fantasy and the international PlayOnline network.
Here’s a slice:
Hamamura: Machines to support [PlayOnline] will be the PS2 and the PC, right? Does this then mean that one will also be able to play FFXI on the PC?
Sakaguchi: Yes. Since the graphical data can be converted, the basic parts of the program along with the format of the music which is only slightly different. It's just a matter of converting each element for the PC. Therefore, there shouldn't be a problem to do it, right? The PS2 and PC versions will both be released at the same time, as will the US and Japanese versions.
Hamamura: Also, you were saying that it would also be playable in arcades?
Sakaguchi: Fundamentally, the game's subdata will be located on the server, so you will be able to play it anywhere. For example, you play it at home on your PS2, then when you go to work, you could continue on your PC.
Hamamura: In order to connect to the net, a PC-card like modem for the PS2 will be necessary, right? Where will that kind of modem become available from?
Sakaguchi: It doesn't really matter if we release it, or the people at SCE do. Technically it wont be a problem, its just a matter of connecting the modem to the PS2 and then connecting the modem to the telephone cable. Even connecting a mobile phone shouldn't be a problem, although probably another type of modem will be necessary, but basically you will be able to even connect it to your cable TV or even satellite receiver.
Full interview
Analysts predict Sony takes loss on PS2 - Comments (17)
Posted by @ 11:10 AM, EST
Merrill Lynch financial analyst recently estimated that Sony will lose approximately $180 (or 20,000 yen) for every PlayStation 2 unit sold!
Analysts are also predicting that it will take at least a year’s worth of highly successful software sales for Sony just to break even.
Thanks to Gamefan for the info.
February 18, 2000
Playstation 2000 Festival!! - Comments (22)
Posted by @ 1:50 PM, EST
The festival is happening right now in Japan so tons of news and pics has hit the web:
Let's start with the new screens:
Ridge Racer 5 Screens
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Gran Turismo 2000
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3
Dark Cloud
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6, pic #7
Fantavision
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6
Snowboard SuperX
pic #1
Extermination
This game was just announced, it is a "panic action adventure game" and is being produced by the Deep Space development team, which is made up of some of the original creators of Resident Evil for the PlayStation.
In this game you take the role of an agent assigned to investigate a laboratory that houses an entity that can corrode anything that gets in its way.
Screens:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Box art
Core got hold of box arts for a few PS2 games.
Check them out:
Ridge Racer V – front
Ridge Racer V – back
Street Fighter EX3 - front
Eternalring - front
Kessen - front
For more box art go here
Core also posted two pics of the PS2&box&multitap and some other peripherals:
PS2&Box&Multitap
Peripherals
Square and Disney Team Up For PS2
Square announced they will be working with Disney to a 3D action game for the PS2. The game is will feature Disney characters and original characters designed by Nomura Tetsuya (the character designer for Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, and Parasite Eve).
The title is supposed to be “Play Online compatible” (Square’s Online network thing), so it can be played stand alone or online.
It is schedule for a 2001 release in Japan
Here’s a movie taken from the festival, a smooth rendering of the Disney character, Goofy.
Movie(5.6MB)
Thanks to Gamespot for the info and thanks to Dailyradar for the movie.
Konami game release dates
Konami announced that three of their PS2 games, Gradius III&IV, Mahjong Yarouze! 2, and Eisei Meijin IV, will be released April 17 in Japan.
Thanks to Gamespot for the info.
Capcom Shows Off PS2 Titles
Gamespot also posted an article with some info on Capcom’s upcoming PS2 games.
Here’s a bit:
"After Onimusha, a new action adventure game entitled Maximo was shown. Mr. Okamoto said the game will be reminiscent to Ghost and Goblins, but in a 3D environment. The art for the game is done by Susumu Matsushita, the cover designer of Famitsu, the Japanese gaming publication."
Full article + screens
Some PSX game might look better on the PS2..
posted some interesting info.
A slice of their article:
"One of the features you'll be given when booting up existing PlayStation titles on PlayStation2 is to add extra texture mapping to the code. The bottom line? It looks better. That's pretty much all you need to know.
Unfortunately, not all games on the market at the moment will enjoy compatibility with PlayStation2's polygon glossing. The guy on stage showing the feature even joked, "You can have fun finding out which of your titles won't crash here".
Dead or Alive 2 impressions
From :
"It was enough to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Crashing along to heavy rock music Dead or Alive 2 was one of the catches of the show, proving to be far sharper than the Naomi version currently laying waste to Tokyo's arcades.
The fighter's motion blur was shown off to excellent effect, as were the game's castle and cityscape levels. Cinematic panning shots and camera work straight out of the movies in the cut-scenes made for one of the most impressive showings of the event, although some attendees claimed it looked exactly the same as the Dreamcast version."
La Vita Continua for PS2 announced
ASCII announced the adventure game La Vita Continua.
Screens of the game have appeared in Japanese press, so expect some scans on the web soon.
Want one of these? :)
SCE servers crash on rush of PS2 orders - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:36 PM, EST
From The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Saturday morning edition:
"TOKYO --Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. started taking advance orders for its new PlayStation2 game console over the Internet on Friday, but was so flooded with requests that its servers crashed.
SCE began accepting orders at midnight. Within a minute, the company had received 600,000 hits, crashing the servers. The system was brought back online two hours later, but users were still having trouble connecting to it as of the following evening.
SCE President Ken Kutaragi issued an apology and informed eager buyers that the company is working with IBM Japan Ltd., which is operating the servers, to increase the site's capacity."
This is the URL http://www.jp.playstation.com/ if you want to check it out.
Electronic Arts Announces SSX - Snowboard SuperX - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:35 PM, EST
Some slices of the press release:
"Electronic Arts today unveiled its first entertainment title developed exclusively for the PlayStation 2(TM) game console. SSX/Snowboard SuperX -- centered on the unique and exciting new sport of boardercross will be on display at the Sony Festival in Japan on February 18-20 as SSX/Snowboard SuperCross. Electronic Arts (EA), the world's largest producer of interactive entertainment is the only North American publisher invited by Sony to show software at the festival.
Crisper, cleaner and a whole lot more fun, SSX and other EA titles developed specifically for Playstation 2 will set a new standard for interactive entertainment. Just a decade old, boardercross combines high-speed snowboard racing with the intense competition of a Supercross event on a demanding snow covered motocross track. The track includes jumps, steep turns, tunnels, and mogul piste sections that pit eight racers against each other.
To deliver the best PlayStation 2 experience, Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) grounded SSX in real snowboarding physics with a true-to-life feel and sense of control, but pumped it up for arcade fun. The artificial intelligence of SSX convincingly brings to life the experience of zooming down adventurous snow-covered way-over-the-top mountain tracks at break-neck speeds, pulling off mind-blowing aerial maneuvers while trying to dodge seven challengers."
Click here for screenshot
Full pressrelease
Most PSX games will work on the PS2 - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 1:34 PM, EST
Sony released a list of the PSX games that are incompatible with the PS2. 15 out of 2600...
Here they are:
Gradius Deluxe Pack
Toaplan Shooting Battle
Wing Commander III
Gallop Racer
Music Tsukuru 2
Monster Farm
Dragoon Beat
Go! Pirates
Not Treasure Hunter
Aidoru Promotion ~ Suzuki Yumie
Royal Palace: Treasure Tension
Virtual Pachisuro V
Virtual Pachisuro EX
Konyamo Senryobako 2000
Tsuiridou Keiryu Kohen
February 17, 2000
Omikron Exodus info - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:50 PM, EST
Quantic Dreams released some info on their sequel to Omikron, Omikron Exodus
Omikron Exodus is an Action/Adventure game in real time 3D.
A few "high-lights" of the game:
- An even more intense immersion experience in a richer and more realistic city than that of Omikron, The Nomad Soul: 3D architecture with flying vehicles, behavior management for passers by and NPCs, economy management, shops, etc.
- A single Action mode will replace the Feet/Fists and First Person Shoot combat modes, thus giving the player greater freedom. The player will be able to fight in Third Person mode at any time with several enemies simultaneously and with the weapon of his choice.
- A balanced mix of adventure, reflection and action.
- Cinematographic directing: face and body motion capture, actors, cameras, sound track, scenario etc.
- Development tools dedicated to the development of this type of game. The tools developed for Omikron, The Nomad Soul are currently being enhanced (3D engine, editor-scripter, virtual editing table, motion capture, interactive dialogs manager, etc.).
Some concept artwork:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
The game will be released for PC, PS2, DC. Release date is not set.
New Capcom PS2 game - Comments (8)
Posted by @ 1:34 PM, EST
According to Core Capcom is working on a new PS2 title, Makishimo (tentative name).
The game is supposed to feature large open areas, much like Mario 64.
The storyline is still being developed but so far the game will focus around a hero exploring several castles in search of an imprisoned princess.
Graphically, Makishimo will be set within a medieval world of swords and magic
Thanks to Core for the info.
System Shock 2 makers begin PS2 work with Crave - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:33 PM, EST
IGN posted some info on Crave announcing partnership with Irrational Games, the PC RPG co-developers behind System Shock 2.
Looks like they’re doing a game in the likeness of System Shock or a brand new first-person/RPG/strategy title.
The game is supposed to be shown behind closed doors at E3 this May.
Thanks to IGN for the info.
Sony, Intel to partner in linking home appliances to net - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 1:33 PM, EST
Not PS2 related, but still interesting…:
"TOKYO --Sony Corp. will enter into a technical tie-up with Intel Corp. aimed at linking all types of household appliances to the Internet via personal computer, company sources said Thursday. The Japanese firm's digital home appliance networking technology will be used to promote the U.S. microchip giant's eHome initiative.
The alliance will focus on mutual use of technologies for connecting PCs, television sets and other appliances to the Internet, protecting copyrights on Net services accessed from home and authentication. Sony's proprietary technology for its Memory Stick memory devices will also be shared with Intel.
Sony is working out the details of the cooperation agreement, with a formal announcement expected to be made by the end of next week."
From The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Friday morning edition
February 16, 2000
More Street Fighter EX3 screens - Comments (6)
Posted by @ 3:28 PM, EST
Core posted a few new SFEX3 pics:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Interview with Raven's Jake Simpson - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:27 PM, EST
Voodooextreme smacked up an interview with Raven's Jake Simpson. They discussed the PS2 a bit…
Here’s a slice:
"VE: Let's talk about the Playstation 2 a little bit. What do you think is the biggest and baddest feature of the Playstation 2? Would you say that the PS2 is going to blow all of its competitors away?
JS: The PS2 is a really nice piece of engineering. Design wise it's what the Sega Saturn should have been. I think the baddest feature is one of two things. The Phenomenal pixel rate of the graphics engine, which has to be seen to be believed and the Multiple vector unit processor architecture. With the right frame of mind and right frame work of code, these babies will chew up and spit out polygons like no tomorrow. We are going to see some damn pretty games on it, that's for sure.
I wonder though if eye candy might be what some games will be sold on. Just because they look nice doesn't mean they will all play nice. The PS2 will not blow all the competition away I don't think, because by the time we see it, the DreamCast will have established a nice little foothold in the industry as a whole. Look at the Playstation versus the N64 right now. There is no way you can compare the technology between the two, the N64 is way ahead, but that doesn't mean that the playstation will just vanish. Far from it. Traditionally there has always been room for at least two consoles on the market, sometimes even three, so I don't think the end is in sight for Sega just yet. It's all about the quality of the games rather than how much in advance the technology is, and right now, the DreamCast is going from strength to strength in that department.
Now of course the Microsoft X box may upset the cart a little. I can't talk about it here for NDA reasons, but lets just say I think it's safe to say that people are going to sit up and take Microsoft's gaming aspirations seriously when it does appear.
VE: Currently, what are Raven Software's plans for the Playstation 2? Any hope of a Soldier of Fortune port? What about for Elite Force?
JS: Much as I would like to I can't really go into too much detail here. And it's not because we are being tight lipped, it's more to do with decisions about which direction we want to take. Currently we are juggling about 3 or 4 different idea's in the air while we explore the technology. Once we've made a decision, I'm sure our glorious leader Brian Raffel will announce it to the world.
Port wise I think we are exploring the possibility of a Sega Dreamcast version of SOF. We haven't decided on any playstation2 ports simply because it's all so new right now. Once it's out there, and the technology is more proven I'm sure this will all be revisited. For Elite Force, well, it's just so far down the pike right now that no one is committing to anything. Traditionally games have to sell a set number of games in the PC arena before they are considered for a port. We will just have to see what happens there. Mind you, it would be nice to see Elite Force on the PS2 I've no doubt :)"
Full interview
Interview with Tim Sweeney - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:26 PM, EST
UnrealKingdom had a little chat with Tim Sweeney of Epic.
Some of it:
"Jeh: Brandon Reinhart recently stated that he got Unreal Tournament up and running on the Playstation 2 and mentioned that you would be responsible for the rendering and graphics programming for the platform. Have you had a chance to start on this yet?
Tim: Hell yes! Unreal Tournament levels are up and running with all rendering feaures implemented though work on optimization has just begun. Over the next couple months, performance will go from "playable" to "kickass".
Jeh: Can you foresee any problems or stumbling blocks programming for this new platform?
Tim: The Playstation2 is a very powerful beast, opening up major areas of optimizations where Windows programmers aren't used to going. It's a great challenge squeezing the maximum performance out of it. That's going the be the holy grail for Playstation2 programmers.
As for other problems, none at all, and we've been very pleasantly surprised with the Playstation2. The development environment is easy to work with, and the documentation is great.
Jeh: From what you have seen of the Playstation 2, the success of the Dreamcast and hype for Nintendo's 'Dolphin', do you see Epic moving more towards console programming? It seems like, from other developers I've spoken with, that the console technology is now moving ahead of the PC in terms of graphics rendering and speed. Is this true in your view?
Tim: Well, looking at the evolution of consoles, they have thus far remained separate from PC's in audience (both among gamers and developers). But we see them converging on the same audience really soon. The Playstation2 has caught up to the PC in RAM and exceeded it in processing power; and since it supports USB and PCMCIA, it seems like releasing a hard disk, modem, and keyboard would be a next logical step. On the other hand, PC's are slowly improving in reliability, and once PC games "just work" when customers install them, with comparable reliability to consoles, then PC games will start appealing much better to mass market gamers.
In the Playstation 1 and Sega Genesis days, console programmers and PC programmers were two completely different sets of people with wildly different talents and goals. But, now, we see that PC developers are going to make great Playstation2 developers. And vice-versa. So a convergence of engine technology and development strategies seems inevitable."
Full interview
New PS2 developer: Check Six Studios
Posted by @ 3:25 PM, EST
Check Six Studios recently announced it will develop for the PS2.
Some parts of the press release:
"Check Six Studios, a cutting-edge software development company, today announced its formation of a game division headed by Jack Mamais and Jean-Marc Morel, both formerly of Activision, and Tim Hoffman, formerly of Foundation Imaging.
Check Six is working with Alias|Wavefront to create the Maya Real-Time SDK, the next generation game engine and game development tools for the PC and PS2."
Konami Talks PS2 - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:24 PM, EST
Core found an interview with Konami’s Akada-san. He’s talking about their Pawafuru Puroyakyu (baseball) series PS2 game.
Here’s a bit:
"Question: What aspects will be improved on the PlayStation2?
Akada-san: As you might expect, the graphics are completely different from previous sequels. For example, even the basic graphics used for the athletes have been improved. In the past we used simple polygons to create the 'Pawapuro-kun' (character). On the PlayStation2 we're using thousands of polygons just on the characters.
Question: Loading times plagued earlier incarnations, will that issue be resolved on the PlayStation2?
Akada-san: Loading will be much shorter on the PlayStation2. We realize it's important to maintain a fast tempo throughout the game."
Full interview
Game Arts Announces PS2 Projects
Posted by @ 3:23 PM, EST
Game Arts announced three titles for the PS2, which will be published by Capcom
The games are: Chen Wen's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Silpheed (working title) - a shooting game, and Gungriffon Blaze (working title) – a war-mech simulation game.
The games are expected for a summer release in Japan.
Thanks to GameSpot for the info.
Olympic Games on PS2
Posted by @ 3:23 PM, EST
According to IGN Konami has announced its plans to release four Olympic-based titles for the PS2 in Japan.
The games are supposed to be released in the third quarter of this year in Japan.
February 15, 2000
New Chat Room - Comments (11)
Posted by @ 6:07 PM, EST
Join us on IRC in #psx2central.com at Efnet.
Legend Entertainment Builds PS2 Engine - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:07 PM, EST
This past week, Legend Entertainment's Technical Lead Andy Taylor updated his development diary on how it is going with their PS2 development.
Two interesting updates:
"February 2:
Well, the PS2 dev-kit is here, I've had it for about a month now. It has a learning curve no-man has ever seen before. I'm enjoying myself though. This machine is just mental, the power and flexibility of the hardware will keep it ahead of the pack for years.
February 10:
Just got back from a great, (but exhausting), two-day meeting with the engine team in Salt Lake. We're going to produce such a kick-ass engine for PS2! The team has some really good ideas for the engine, we should be able to produce some very good looking games."
Thanks to Gaming Age for the info.
New Street Fighter EX3 screens - Comments (5)
Posted by @ 3:07 PM, EST
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6, pic #7
PS2 Soccer Shots From Konami - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:05 PM, EST
GameFan posted some new screens of Konami’s Jikkyoo World Soccer 2000.
They are scanned from tha japanese gaming mag Famitsu Magazine so they’re not the best quality.
Here they are:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
For more pics go here
PS2 unreal Engine info - Comments (4)
Posted by @ 3:03 PM, EST
Epic made a really fat post on http://unreal.epicgames.com about how their Unreal engine for the PS2 is coming along and why gamedevelopers should license it instead of using LithTech’s recently announced PS2 engine.
Here’s a bit:
"And the Playstation2 has become a major focus for us. The Unreal Tournament engine is highly modular and that modularity has really paid off with the Playstation 2. We got a fully playable game up and running in just a few weeks, which gives us a lot of time to focus on making the rendering technology fast and easy for a licensee to use. Now, we're attacking the Playstation2 technology on two fronts.
First of all, we're bringing our enhanced Unreal Tournament engine to the Playstation2, with some new, powerful and heavily polygon-exploiting features:
* Skeletal animated characters: So 2000 to 5000 polygon characters will be a reality for Playstation2 games and PC games targetted at 3D cards with hardware T&L support.
* A multitexture terrain / displacement-mapping system, enabling the creation of large outdoor areas with smooth shading and realtime displacement effects, such as procedurally animated, displacement mapped water waves.
Second, a larger-scale upgrade of the engine's world rendering architecture is underway, adding additional core rendering features like curved surfaces and an enhanced surface shading model. These features will be especially exciting on the Playstation2, which is a powerful but complex beast -- taking maximum advantage of the vector processing units will be the holy grail of Playstation2 engines."
Monolith Productions joins the Tools & Middleware program - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:02 PM, EST
Yet another company have joined the Middleware program. They offer gamedevelopers to license their LithTech engine. Monolith is the company behind the PC game Shogo: M.A.D.
Here’s a bit of the pressrelease:
"Other companies have chosen to simply port their 3D technology straight from PC to PlayStation2. But, Monolith strongly believes a direct port will not provide game developers with a comprehensive, specialized set of tools," said Hall. "Our dedicated team of programmers, game designers, and technical support experts have customized the LithTech engine in order to take full advantage of the incredible power of PlayStation2. Additionally, they are continually refining, tuning and improving the engine to meet the rapidly changing demands of the videogame market."
February 14, 2000
600 000 PS2 units for Japanese launch? - Comments (13)
Posted by @ 2:46 PM, EST
National Console Support updated their page today with some info on the Japanese launch:
"Separate distributors have told NCS overnight that a range of 600,000 to 750,000 launch units is more likely than the anticipated 1 million being bandied about. Couple this with the fact that Sony wants to apportion roughly 250,000 units to their own on-line web shop and we have a potential shortage on our hands."
New Munch's Oddysee movie - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 2:34 PM, EST
Gamefan posted another Munch's Oddysee movie.
Check it out:
The View From A Security Camera - Low quality (17MB)
The View From A Security Camera - High quality (43MB)
Primal Image Screens - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 2:33 PM, EST
Got hold of a few new screens:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4
February 12, 2000
Even more on the PS2 DVD... - Comments (11)
Posted by @ 6:34 AM, EST
A few bits from an EETimes article:
"At its demonstration Friday, SCE compared the DVD-Video playback function to high-end DVD-Video players from Matsushita, Pioneer and Sony. Ken Kutaragi, president of SCE, said the interlaced scanning reproduction of the DVD-Video feature compared well with the quality of the high-end players.
"Picture quality is better than DVD-Video players in the same price range [as Playstation 2] and in some case competitive with high-end ones, too," said Reiji Asakura, an audio/video critic and vice chairman of the Society of Picture Quality Engineers.
SCE said software processing of DVD-Video is an advantage because upgrades can be done via a software distribution. SCE said it intends to add progressive scan (525p) output capability to Playstation 2's DVD-Video function within half a year. That capability is available now only on top-end DVD-Video players."
Full article
New Sky Surfer screens - Comments (2)
Posted by @ 6:33 AM, EST
Check them out:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Thanks to Core for some of the screens.
Black & White for PS2 - Comments (2)
Posted by @ 6:32 AM, EST
According to IGN the upcoming PC game, Black & White will also be released on the PS2.
For more info on the game check out PC.IGN’s preview here
February 11, 2000
More Munch's Oddysee Videos - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 4:18 PM, EST
GameFan posted two new movies of this good looking game.
Check them out:
Slig Tossing Technique #1
Low Res (17MB)
High Res (40MB)
Slig Tossing Technique #2
Low Res (8MB)
High Res (20MB)
Summoner Info - Comments (2)
Posted by @ 4:17 PM, EST
James Hague of Volition, posted a little bit of info comparing the PC and PS2 version of their RPG Summoner:
"The PS2 version will undoubtedly run faster than Summoner does on current PC hardware. And we've been experimenting with some amazing shadow rendering that's almost certainly not going to happen on the PC (the PC will have shadows, but not to this level). There are still many shadow-related issues to be resolved, however.
The one thing you'll get on the PC that you won't on the PS2 is a monitor level of sharpness. You just can't do that on a TV :-)"
More PS2 DVD Details.... - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 4:16 PM, EST
Gamespot posted some new info on the PS2’s DVD.
Here’s a bit:
"First off, we have now learned that the PlayStation2 DVD player will be activated by a driver - and DVDs will not play without it. The 634 K Driver file is preinstalled in the memory card that comes packaged with the PlayStation2 and will be required to be in the first memory-card slot of the PlayStation2 in order for it to play DVD movies. The driver will also be found on the special utility disc that comes packaged with the PlayStation2, in case users happen to delete it.
Asahi News today reported that there will be a special remote available for the PlayStation2 as well, and many functions listed above should be available on it."
Full article
The World Is Not Enough On PS2 - Comments (5)
Posted by @ 4:15 PM, EST
EA is making The World Is Not Enough using the Quake 3 engine for the PC. And now Next-Generation reports that the game is coming for the PS2 too.
Here are some scans (very early pics) that was posted over at Gaming Age:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3
Golf Paradise Screens - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 4:14 PM, EST
Core got hold of a few new Golf Paradise screens
Check them out:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4
Sony to Ship 500,000 PS2s a Month - Comments (2)
Posted by @ 4:12 PM, EST
According to Bloomberg Japan, Sony plans to ship 500,000 PS2 units every month after the Japanese release. For the launch there will be 1 million units ready to go.
February 10, 2000
PS2 matches top DVD players for image - Comments (12)
Posted by @ 11:34 AM, EST
From The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Friday edition:
"TOKYO --Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. claimed Thursday that its eagerly awaited PlayStation2 game console, due to be released March 4, matched high-end DVD players in terms of DVD-Video playback capabilities.
"The image definition is as good as those of DVD players," Ken Kutaragi, president of SCE, claimed.
PlayStation2 also features such functions as foreign language subtitle indication and multi-angle viewing offered by high-end models."
PS2 Oddworld Movies - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 11:34 AM, EST
GameFan scored a new movie of Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee.
Check it out:
Low Quality (6MB)
High Quality (17MB)
New screens - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 11:32 AM, EST
Some new screens for various games, check them out:
Fantavision:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Ridge Racer V:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4
Pool game:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4
Primal Image:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4
IQ Remix+:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Square to show new game at PS Festival - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 11:27 AM, EST
Square confirmed that they will unveil a brand new PS2 title at the PlayStation Festival 2000 (18th this month).
Thanks to for the info.
PS2: Namco RPG Details - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 11:26 AM, EST
Namco has confirmed plans for a new RPG game, Project X (tentative name).
Tetsuya Gupi and Hirohide Sugiura formerly of Square are heading up the game's development and hope to get the game ready for a December 2001 release.
Thanks to Core for the info.
Ridge Racer V info - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 11:26 AM, EST
IGN posted some new info on RRV.
Here’s a bit of their article:
"There will be a total of seven courses running through the virtual Ridge City that's featured in the game. Each course will use a different route through the city and each will have varied difficulty levels.
The game will include three game play modes; Grand Prix, Time Attack, Versus, Dual Mode, Free Run."
Full article
February 9, 2000
Some PSX games may not work on the PS2 - Comments (9)
Posted by @ 12:27 PM, EST
Interesting info from Bloomberg News:
"Some old software may not work for PlayStation 2," said Kenichi Fukunaga, a director of Sony Computer Entertainment, a unit of Sony that makes the Walkman portable stereo.
Sony Computer isn't sure why some old games may have problems on the new console, Fukunaga said, though if the software wasn't written to Sony's standards, that may be the cause of the trouble. It's not clear how many games may be affected, he said, though most of the more than 3,000 titles made for the game player won't have a problem."
All Star Pro Wrestling Preview - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 11:18 AM, EST
We slapped up a Preview of Square’s All Star Pro Wrestling.
Here’s a bit of it:
"These wrestlers look realistic in every way, with detailed skin textures and lifelike design. You can easily read the expressions on the faces of the wrestlers..."
Full preview.
QUARK for PS2 - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 11:16 AM, EST
Quantic Dream’s fantasy game QUARK will be released for the PS2, along with the PC and the DC.
A few screens:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6
PS Festival 2000 Update - Comments (2)
Posted by @ 11:15 AM, EST
Core posted the latest list of the games that will be shown at the PS Festival later this month:
Artdink:
Atrain 6
ASCII:
Kakinoki Shogi IV
Ask:
Billiard Master 2
Astroll:
American Arcade
Capcom
Street Fighter EX3
Electronic Arts:
SSX
Enix:
Love Story
From Software:
Eternal Ring
Evergrace
Jaleco:
Stepping Stage
Koei:
Kessen
Mahjong Takai 2
Shin-Sangokumusou
Konami:
DrumMania
Mahjong Yarose
Jikkyou World Soccer 2000
Jikkyou Pawafuru Puroyakyu 7
Namco:
Shin Ridge Racer
Tekken Tag Tournament
Square:
Driving Emotion Type-S
Gekikuukan Pro Baseball
SCEI:
Fantavision
Gran Turismo 2000
I.Q. Remix+
Be On Edge
Takara:
EX Billiards
T&E Soft:
Golf Paradise
Tecmo
Dead or Alive 2
Yuki Enterprises:
Morita Shogi
New DrumMania screens - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 11:14 AM, EST
Some new screens of Konami’s music game:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
Thanks to Core and Gaming Age for the pics.
PS2 DVD features... - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 11:12 AM, EST
Last week a Japanese mag wrote that the PS2’s DVD wouldn’t have features like multi-angle, multi-story, or subtitling options.
Now Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) stated that these features will be available on the PS2. It will support AC-3 Dolby Digital, DTS, and digital sound output as well.
Thanks to GameSpot for the info.
Ridge Racer V chick pic - Comments (4)
Posted by @ 11:11 AM, EST
A friend of mine, Peter Bago, sent in a fat pic of the RR5 chick.
Check it out
Tekken Tag Arcade Stick
Posted by @ 11:10 AM, EST
Hori announced that they will release an arcade joystick controller for the PS2 in Japan. The name of the arcade stick…. Tekken Tag Arcade Stick and will be priced at 3,980 yen (US $37). It will be released alongside Tekken Tag Tournament in Japan, March 30, 2000
Thanks to IGN for the info.
February 8, 2000
Dead or Alive 2 on PS2! - Comments (3)
Posted by @ 2:20 PM, EST
Tecmo announced that Dead or Alive 2 will be a launch game for the PS2 (might slip back to a March 30th release). The game will be fully unveiled at the PlayStation Festival Feb 18-20.
Here’s some more info from Gamespot:
"As for when the PlayStation2 version of the game will hit the US, Tecmo has hinted at the fall. According to a company spokesperson, Tecmo currently has a contract with Sega of America that prevents the game from being released in the US on any other platform for a certain amount of time (most likely six months)."
Thanks to GameSpot for the info.
New Type S screens - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 2:19 PM, EST
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3
Also, this game was recently confirmed for a US release.
Golf Paradise screens - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 2:18 PM, EST
Core scored some new screens of T&E Soft's Golf Paradise.
Check them out:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4
Atrain6 screens - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 2:16 PM, EST
Core also got their hands on some new Atrain6 screens:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4
PS2 Software Details Revealed - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 2:14 PM, EST
GameSpot received a preliminary list of PlayStation2 software details.
Here’s a bit:
Ridge Racer V
1 CD-ROM
1-2 Players
Memory Card: 420KB
Dual Shock, Dual Shock 2, NegiCon, JogCon compatible
Eternal Ring
Memory Card: 100KB
Dual Shock 2 (Both vibration and pressure buttons) compatible
Tekken Tag Tournament
1-4 Players
Full list
Hardware peripherals - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 2:13 PM, EST
GameSpot also received a list of the PS2 peripherals and their Japanese pricing:
Dual Shock 2 Controller - 3500yen (about US$33)
8MB Memory Card - 3500yen (about US$33)
Multitap 2 - 3600yen (about US$34)
Horizontal stand - 1000yen (about US$9)
Vertical stand - 1500yen (about US$14)
RF Adapter Kit - 2500yen (about US$23)
S-video Cable - 3000yen (about US$28)
DVD Component Input Cable - 3600yen (about US$34)
Full article
Touch With PlayStation2 - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 2:11 PM, EST
Immersion Corporation has entered into a license agreement with Sony to bring a touching sensation to PlayStation2 gamers everywhere.
Here’s a slice of FGN’s article:
"Under the terms of this agreement, Immersion's patented TouchSense technology will bring a third sense, touch, to PlayStation2. The integration of Immersion's technology will enable PS2 developers to build rich touch-enabled content. In addition, Immersion's hardware technology partners will be empowered to develop a full range of touch-enabled products, such as gamepads, steering wheels, and joysticks."
Full article
Konami's Jikkyou World Soccer 2000 delayed - Comments (3)
Posted by @ 2:10 PM, EST
According to PSX.IGN Konami has pushed back the release date of its PS2 soccer game. It was supposed to be released March 4th.
February 7, 2000
Brandon Reinhart Interview - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 6:55 PM, EST
AGN slapped up an interview with Epic’s Brandon Reinhart about the UT engine port for the PS2.
Here are a few slices from the interview:
"Playstation 2, how cool is this machine? Because I am starting to wonder if we are going to get sucked into the hype faze or is this machine as powerful as they say and is it more powerful than the Dreamcast?
Well it is pretty cool. I have not seen a whole lot of the marketing demos that they pull off with like the free looking water and stuff like that. What I have mainly been looking at is programmer demos and stuff like how to throw off triangles in the screen and how to implement control and stuff. From what we have done so far it definitely looks like it is going to live up to the expectations. It is definitely a very fast machine.
How will the multiplayer be of the Playstation 2? Will people playing Unreal engine based games on the Playstation 2 be able to play against people on the PC?
It is certainly possible, but I don't think that it is what we will do. If we did an Unreal Tournament for the Playstation 2, we will probably do all new levels and a lot of new content. We would definitely be taking advantage of a much higher poly count. So we would have much more detailed characters, much more detailed weapons."
Full interview
Sorry for the lack of updates today, check back tomorrow for more news.
February 4, 2000
Return to Castle Wolfenstein for PS2 - Comments (5)
Posted by @ 5:48 PM, EST
Well Rounded Entertainment made a little post about Activision. Here’s the interesting bit of the article:
"Activision will create several titles for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Dolphin. Among these, it turns out, is Return to Castle Wolfenstein, the recently announced sequel to the classic first person shooter. Activision says the game will not only be developed for the PC, but "for all next generation platforms."
Full article
New Kessen pics - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 3:25 PM, EST
Koei posted some new pics of their game Kessen.
Check them out:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6, pic #7, pic #8, pic #9, pic #10
New games announced - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:23 PM, EST
Midaway announced that they will be bringing Spy Hunter to the PS2, and they hope it will be available for the US PS2 launch
Ubi Soft has some fat plans for the PS2, according to GameSpot they have two games in production based on their Batman license. then reports that they also are developing a F1 game and a Donald Duck game for the PS2. But that’s not all, they are also doing two Rayman titles.
The DC Space Shooting RPG Armada will get a sequel on the PS2 and Dreamcast.
Tremor has two games in development for the PS2, Warcaster and Substance.
Here are some pics from Substance:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6
For more info and pics, go to Warcaster’s official page and/or Substance’s official page.
SCE President Comments on PS2 - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:21 PM, EST
Nikkei Online reported that a million units of the Emotion Engine and Graphic Synthesizer chip have finished production, they got the news from the man himself, Ken Kutaragi.
They also asked him about Microsoft's vaporware X-Box, Mr. Kutaragi commented, "We have not obtained any information regarding the hardware. We don't think it will be our rival. For instance, I don't think automobile company A and B have to necessarily compete against each other. If Microsoft thinks we are their rival, that would be an honor."
Thanks to GameSpot for the info.
New Street Fighter EX3 pics - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:20 PM, EST
PSX.IGN posted some new pics of Street Fighter EX3 along with some info.
Here are a few pics:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3
Click here for more pics and info
February 3, 2000
SCE Unit To Use 11 Alliances To Promote PlayStation2 - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:53 PM, EST
Interesting stuff straight from The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Friday morning edition:
"TOKYO --Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. on Thursday said that 11 companies in different fields, ranging from convenience stores to game developers, will invest in its new e-commerce unit, aiming to broaden the reach of the new home game console, PlayStation2.
SCE is soliciting shareholders from different fields to "create a common public platform" for the console, SCE President Ken Kutaragi said. The company believes the widespread use of PlayStation2 is expected to rapidly expand the e-commerce market for individuals.
PlayStation.com Japan Inc. will conduct at the end of March a private placement of new shares, equivalent to roughly 20% of its stake, to Seven-Eleven Japan Co, Tsutaya video rental shop operator Culture Convenience Club, toy wholesalers like Happinet Corp. and game developers such as Namco Ltd."
SCE Prepares For Battle With Rival Game Machine Makers - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:52 PM, EST
Another story from The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Friday morning edition:
"TOKYO -- The alliances that Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s new e-commerce subsidiary is forming with leading software developers mark the prelude to a fierce battle among game machine manufacturers, industry analysts said.
The move also indicates preparation by SCE for the Internet era, when the company expects the new PlayStation2 game console to take the position of the computer in the home, the analysts said.
The 1998 debut of Sega Enterprises Ltd.'s Dreamcast ushered in competition in network-capable game consoles featuring high-performance chips. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and its partner Nintendo Co. at the end of this year are slated to debut a new unit, and U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp. is developing its own home game console.
Meanwhile, SCE is firming up ties in the PlayStation camp, with game developers such as Square Co. (9620) and Namco Ltd. taking with nine other firms a stake in the new PlayStation.com Japan Inc.
"The move also provides a check to Microsoft, which has started contacting domestic game developers about the new machine it began developing sometime last summer," said an industry analyst.
SCE will begin in 2001 distributing movies, games and music in digitized bit form to PlayStation2 consoles at households. SCE's electronic distribution business aims to render CDs, DVDs and other packages superfluous. PlayStation.com Japan will operate the business.
Seven-Eleven Japan Co. is another firm taking a stake in PlayStation.com Japan. Its convenience stores could be used to distribute and accept payment for products, which could also alter the distribution of game titles."
PS2 First-Person Sim Uncovered - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:51 PM, EST
Second Skin Media Managing Director Russell Murray has given FGN details of his company's upcoming PS2 "first-person simulator", which is "about to signed to a well-known publisher".
Here’s a slice of the article:
"In Second Skin, you could be walking down a corridor in the prison with two warders, and you're crouched and up to your knees in water, you're nervous and alert because you could be ambushed at any moment. Another new thing in Second Skin is our voice-recognition technology, where you can vocally issue commands and speak to NPCs."
Full article
Street Fighter EX3 Becomes Launch Title - Comments (4)
Posted by @ 3:51 PM, EST
Street Fighter EX3, developed by Arika and being published by Capcom will make it as a launch title in Japan.
Thanks to Gamespot for the info.
Reiselaid Preview - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:50 PM, EST
GameInformer kicked up a fat preview of Konami’s upcoming PS2 RPG Reiselaid. They also posted new screens of the game.
Here’s a bit of their preview:
"Konami throws its sword in the ring, with Reiselied: Ephemeral Fantasia for the PS-2, a story with mystery abounding. However, the real mystery is how well it will do its part in the redefinition of RPGs and games alike.
The story gives out the usual line of a hero and his sidekick entering a world full of mystique and magic (in this case it's an island). If nobody sounds amazed, it's probably because it's a bit old-hat to RPGers by now. Regardless, Maus, the bard/thief/hero, ends up writing a wedding song for princess Lolayu - whose deep dark secret must surely be the reason behind her withdrawn ways. Along with his companion Lumi, Maus must get to the bottom of that dilemma as well as how the other women he keeps meeting figure into things."
A few screens:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3
Full preview
Square's PS2 online details revealed - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:48 PM, EST
Gaming Age posted some interesting info about Square and their online plans.
Here’s a bit of their article:
"Square plans to charge a fixed usage fee of about 1,500 per user. This would exclude any connection charges required. The Company projects that its investment in servers to be about 2,000 per account.
Quite interestingly, Square plans to launch PlayOnline in spring 2001 by marketing a modem simultaneously with the launch of Final Fantasy 10. There was no indication of what type of modem this would be."
Full article
Type-S Movie - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 3:46 PM, EST
GameSpot got hold of a Type-S movie from Square’s millennium show.
Check it out (0.8MB)
New Ridge Racer V screens
Posted by @ 3:45 PM, EST
Core scored some very low-quality pics from Namco’s Ridge Racer V.
Check them out:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5, pic #6.
February 2, 2000
UT Engine Update - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 4:49 PM, EST
Tim Sweeney posted some info on how the PS2 version of the Unreal Tournament engine is coming along.
Here’s a bit of his post:
"Progress is going really well now. At first, we felt a bit of culture shock, because the Playstation2's to-the-metal development tools are a major shift from Windows' multiple layers of abstraction. However, once you get into the "I Am A Console Developer" mindset, it feels really free and enlightening to have direct access to all the hardware's functionality. Long live hardware registers and DMA! :)
The Playstation2 will be an easy machine to develop for, especially with the Unreal Tournament engine, since we're compiling the Windows, Playstation2, and Linux versions off a single code base, which is compatible with both Visual C++ and GNU C++. All platforms share the same data files and the same Windows-based development tools (UnrealEd and UnrealScript, as well as our upcoming 3D Studio Max and Maya plug-ins). This approach is very useful given the very limited supply of Playstation2 development systems, because it means an entire development team can start working on a Playstation2 game today, using PC's for much of the development and testing."
Click here for the full post
FF movies and more pics! - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 2:58 PM, EST
GIA scored three movies and pics from the different FF games!
Instead of posting all the pics and movies on the main page I made a page where I put all the pics and the three movies.
Click here to check it all out!
2 Million PS2s in 2 Days? - Comments (4)
Posted by @ 2:57 PM, EST
In a recent interview with Reuters, Kiyoshi Yamakawa, who is described as a corporate adviser to Sony, had this to say:
"We think it would be even more successful than our PlayStation I. PlayStation II will be a platform for other appliances in the household. It will work with e-commerce and would be along with electronic games."
And then he adds, "The company hopes to sell two million units in the first two days of the launch."
Thanks to Gaming Age for the info.
Sony confirms PS2 launch line-up - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 2:55 PM, EST
Here’s the full Japanese launch list of games that will be available March 4th in Japan:
Artdink: A-Train 6
Ascii: Kakinoki Shoogi
Ask: Kanekyuu Billiard Master Q
Astrol: American Pinball
From Software: Eternal Ring
Idea Factory: Sky Surfer
Jaleco: Stepping Stage
Koei: Kessen
Koei: Mahjong Taikai
Konami: Jikkyoo World Soccer 2000
Konami: Drum Mania
Namco: Ridge Racer V
SCEI: Fantavision
Square: Driving Emotion Type-S
SunSoft: Street Mahjong Trance
T&E Software: Golf Paradise
Thanks to for the info.
Summoner Interview - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 2:54 PM, EST
Summoner Homeland slapped up an interview with Dave Baranec, a programmer that is working on the PS2 version of Summoner.
Some juicy slices from the interview:
"Ok, lets get serious now. Up to this point, what would you say is the hardest thing you've had to implement in Summoner?
Well, just getting used to the console/PSX2 way of thinking was challenging enough. But one of the primary things I've done is "optimize" the character animation and rendering system to run on the special PSX2 hardware. Essentially a total rewrite which had to stay in sync with the original code. Very challenging, but extremely fun.
Explain some of the advantages/disadvantages of programming for the PSX2 over a PC?
Well, one of the main advantages is that its a static platform. It doesn't change, and if you make it work once, it works everywhere. In this age of broken and substandard video and sound card drivers, this can be a godsend. The PSX2 certainly has a monster graphics engine, way beyond anything available on the PC, so its a nice cozy feeling knowing you can rely on it. At the same time though, its a totally new platform which makes several radically different assumptions about the a game's architecture. You have to compensate for this quite a bit. Also, it doesn't have nearly as many tools or available help since its so brand new."
Full interview
Panzer Century Screens
Posted by @ 2:53 PM, EST
Core got hold of a few low-res screens of Sunrise Interactive's upcoming PlayStation2 RPG; Panzer Century G Breaker.
The game is scheduled for release next fall in Japan, on DVD-ROM.
The pics:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3
Thanks to Core for the pics & info.
PlayStation2 to get New Nightmare? - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 2:51 PM, EST
FGN posted some info on the possibility for a Nightmare Creatures game on the PS2
Here’s a bit from their little chat with Jonathan Newbanks, producer of Nightmare Creatures 2:
"We definitely plan to do PS2 with Nightmare Creatures," confirmed Newbanks. "It would be a sin not to allow the public to capitalize on such a franchise," he added with a laugh.
Full article
February 1, 2000
New & better quality FF pics - Comments (3)
Posted by @ 12:48 PM, EST
Check them out:
FF IX:
pic #1, pic #2
FF X:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3, pic #4, pic #5
FF XI:
pic #1, pic #2
Thanks to GamePlayers for the pics.
Microforte plans PS2 online title - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 12:45 PM, EST
Looks like the Australian company Microforte is working on an online game for PC/DC/PS2.
Here’s some text from a job placement ad:
"The Sydney studio of MicroFort is working on a massively multiplayer on-line game (internally known as 'BigWorld'), and we're looking for some talented technical minds to work with an exceptional team of programmers, designers and artists to build an alternate reality. ? Up to 100,000 simultaneous users will be demanding seamless continual response from the server based back end to our game universe that we are developing from the ground up. As a member of the server team, you'll be assisting with the design and implementation of a dynamically load-balanced system, pitting the forces of latency against the evils of data integrity in the quest for an optimal balance."
"The server team will be working closely with the client side (initially PC, then moving onto Dreamcast and PlayStation2 platforms) who are building sophisticated 3D, animation, and physics systems, and cool game play code."
Thanks to PSX Nation for the info.
New screens of Buchigire Kougou PS2
Posted by @ 12:44 PM, EST
GameFan posted some screens of Artdink’s PS2 fighter game, Buchigire Kougou
Screens:
pic #1, pic #2.
Click for more screens
New Eternal Ring screens - Comments (1)
Posted by @ 12:43 PM, EST
GameFan also scored some screens of From Software’s RPG, Eternal Ring.
A few screens:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3.
Click for more screens
Primal Image screens - Comments (3)
Posted by @ 12:42 PM, EST
GameSpot posted some screens of Atlus PS2 game Primal Image, a simulation game where you take control of a virtual CG girl.
Screens:
pic #1, pic #2, pic #3.
More Impressions from Square Millennium - Comments (0)
Posted by @ 12:41 PM, EST
GameSpot posted some more impressions...
Here’s a slice:
"FFXI - This is actually something I'm really excited about - playing Final Fantasy amongst thousands of other people. The only problem is, how is there a game for everyone to play separately if you're all in one universe? Will there be "virtual lines" to get into the next dungeon? How fun could that be? Square didn't really elaborate on that. I really hope that the US can get FFX and XI in a relatively short amount of time, and of course it'd be nice to know if we'll have all those PlayOnline features like the in-game help systems and strategy planners. It would be harsh to have those in the Japanese version but NOT in the US releases."
Full article
