Hi there, my name is Sean Edwards and I’m a Senior Game Designer at Krome Studios Australia. In this Blog update I hope to give some interesting and candid insights into the process the team went through to build the levels for Blade Kitten.

Building the World – Level Design for Blade Kitten

Initially we went through several approaches to building the levels, but with a small team we needed a method that allowed fast experimentation and changes. Rather than model large areas of the levels which would require going back into 3DS Max and re-exporting to make changes, the method chosen was to build lots of smaller objects to allow for fast changes and experimentation. This required all the pieces to be built to very specific dimensions so that everything would snap together nicely. The final levels were assembled using those pieces in Krome’s in-house level editor ‘Merktools’ which allowed quick iteration and real time editing of the level as the game is running!

The actual process of taking the level from concept through to completion involved several steps. First the Creative Director, Steve Stamatiadis, would conceptualize the level in a very high level “mud map” format. This map included locations for all the key story elements and a basic layout.

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Following last week’s post introducing the companions you’ll be able to roam with in Fallout: New Vegas, Bethesda sent me this video offering insight into the game’s story.

I’m a total sucker for two video game distractions: looting and poker. I don’t know what this says about me, other than that I’m going to be a very sleepy young man for a few weeks after Fallout: New Vegas is released.

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An update to the PS3 system software was released on 21 September 2010. If you update your PS3 system, the system software version will be 3.50 and the following features will be updated. In order to download PS3 system software version 3.50, you will need a minimum 170MB of free space on either the PS3 Hard Disk Drive (System Update) or on removable storage media (PC Update).

Main features in system software update version 3.50

• Blu-ray 3D disc playback.

The PS3 system can now play 3D content on Blu-ray 3D discs.

Note:

• A 3D compatible television that complies with the 3D standard and a high-speed HDMI cable are required to watch 3D content.
• Depending on the content, some elements may be displayed differently in 3D on the PS3 system than on other playback devices.

Other new or revised features in version 3.50

Friends

• You can now submit grief reports if you receive unwelcome or harassing messages.

Other

• You can now access public information on Facebook from Facebook-supported games.

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It’s Alex Bravve from Nordcurrent here. Today, I’m going to talk about our upcoming PSP game, available on PSN only: 101-in-1 Megamix. It will be released on 21st of September in North America and on 22nd of September in Europe.

As many of you have already guessed, 101-in-1 Megamix is a collection of 101 mini-games in different genres, ranging from arcade and puzzles, to space racing and cooking.

The game is structured as a series of humorous TV shows about underwater world, music, cooking and more. There is an unprecedented variety in visuals and game worlds. This is one of the few games that can take you from the Wild West to space and from Paradise Islands to a fancy restaurant.

Some of the games are based on well-known classics, and it will be easy to get an idea of where the inspiration came from.

However most of the games are completely original. We had lots of ideas about fun gameplay and fun visuals that wouldn’t work as standalone projects, but would be really fun as a wacky mini-game. Here we were able to choose the best ones and finally do them. Hope you will enjoy them.

There are several game modes in 101-in-1 Megamix. The most important is TV Guide Mode – this is where you progress further into the game, unlock new games (only 15 of them are unlocked in the very beginning), get bonuses, etc.

More than a dozen of the games have an ad-hoc multiplayer. So you can grab your family or a friend and enjoy this mayhem together. There are two multiplayer modes in 101-in-1 Megamix – an ordinary multiplayer mode, and a Marathon mode. In Marathon mode, you are given a list of five randomly assigned games and you have to complete all 5 of them. The player who earns more points in all five is the winner.

101-in-1 Megamix is suitable for all ages and it will be as fun to play for your children or parents as it is for you. And did I say about the value for money? If you divide €14.99 (£11.99) by 101, it turns out that you pay less than 15 cents for a game! I don’t think any other game can beat us on PSP

For more information on our games you can visit websites www.101in1.com ; www.nordcurrent.com or our Facebook page .

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Hello brave people of Earth,

I’m taking a break from daydreaming about having my own Popemobile (called the Nathmobile, with twin mounted 50 cal. high-impact cannons and an onboard Mr Whippy machine) to tell you what’s in episode 25 of FirstPlay, which hits the Store this Wednesday.

This week we’re giving away an exclusive Joe Danger avatar to brighten up your PSN profile, as well as his and her Top Gun t-shirts for PlayStation Home. We’ve also got reviews of Capcom’s meaty undead massacre ‘em up Dead Rising 2 and PlayStation Move chair combat racer Kung Fu Rider, plus a preview of mucky off-roader Nail’d, and some exclusive new footage of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine.

And there’s more – in Network Highlights we’ve got a review of arcade blaster Alien Breed: Impact, a round-up of the latest PSP comics and PSN content, and another trio of awesome LittleBigPlanet levels that you can download and play right now. And in screenshot galleries there’s sneaking action in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, very different RPG-ing in Dragon Age II and Costume Quest, and all-out sexiness in Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit.

This all comes for just 99p, and don’t forget you can subscribe for 12 weeks for just £8.99, making your weekly fix of HD gaming even cheaper.

We’re always keen to hear your thoughts, feedback, and suggestions for Mr Whippy recipes, and you can get in touch with us on Twitter at @firstplay_uk, FirstPlay@futurenet.com, or the official EU forums. And don’t forget you can sign up for the FirstPlay newsletter at http://www.firstplay.co.uk/register to have regular news and content updates delivered directly.

See the Future of PS3. First.

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