Welcome to the world of mission design! Jumping into the deep end and figuring it out on your own can be fairly daunting, but Sucker Punch has been listening to feedback gathered from your experiences in inFAMOUS 2 and we want to make mission designing a breeze!

Check out the introductory video below and, if you want to learn more about User-Generated Content (UGC), take a gander at our UGC Tutorial Video series that details everything from how to create waypoints to the best use of triggers.

Tutorial Video 1: Getting started with inFAMOUS 2 UGC

This tutorial video is a good place to start if you’ve never experienced inFAMOUS 2 UGC before. It covers the basics: entering the UGC Menu, creating missions from Templates, and playing missions from within the editor.

Tutorial Video 2: Logic Boxes and Smart Text

Logic Boxes and Smart Text are the bread and butter of inFAMOUS 2 UGC. Once you figure out how to use them effectively, you’ll be able to turn New Marais into a rich, lustrous city teeming with mission objectives and unique experiences.

In this video, we cover: Introduction to Logic Boxes, how to connect Logic Boxes, and the dynamically updating smart text.

Tutorial Video 3: Groups

Did you know that setting up individual Groups within your inFAMOUS 2 UGC mission can infinitely increase the possibilities of what you can create? They’re crucial to keeping your mission nice and organized. Parent Groups add another layer of control and organization, so view on, faithful inFAMOUS 2 mission designer.

In this video: How to effectively utilize Groups, creating unique Groups, editing Groups, and the function of Parent Groups.

Tutorial Video 4: NPCs and Paths

Moving an NPC from point A to point B is simpler than it seems. You can create an NPC’s path and even choose his movement speed with just a few logic boxes. After viewing this tutorial video, you’ll become the puppet master of NPCs.

In this video: creating paths, placing NPCs, and placing and connecting the logic required to move NPCs.

Tutorial Video 5: Waypoints

Waypoints are a great way to tell the player where to go. With just a few logic boxes you can determine how and when they appear on the player’s mini-map, and when they disappear. After viewing this tutorial video, players will never be lost within your missions again.

In this video: how to create and remove waypoints with the Object Modifier, and how to assign waypoints to Groups.

Tutorial Video 6: Triggers

Triggers allow you to create a sense of randomization within your mission, and allow you to alter individual objects within the same group. They’re great for fine-tuning your mission and for providing you with a larger degree of control.

In this video: what a trigger is; how to utilize triggers with Volumes, Monitors, and the Object Modifier; Trigger Groups; the Selector logic box.

Tutorial Video 7: Switches

Want to build a Karma Moment? Switches allow you to change up your logic connections based off how the player plays your mission. After viewing this tutorial video you’ll be able to create drastically different endings to your missions, and control in which order the player completes your objectives.

In this video: how to use a switch to enable or disable connections between logic boxes.

Tutorial Video 8: Play Testing and Publishing Missions

Play testing is something every good mission designer needs to do—in fact, it’s something you literally MUST do before you can upload your inFAMOUS 2 UGC mission. Everybody wants to be Famous, and this tutorial video will help get you on your way by providing some tips for what Sucker Punch looks for when picking Featured missions.

In this video: tips on play testing and polishing your UGC missions; the “Play to Publish” feature; how to upload and update your UGC missions.

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For the last couple of weeks I have been hanging out with colleagues from various departments to give you a window into the inner workings of SCEE and some insight into how a love for games can become a career.

Ali Bergstrom-Allen is the PlayStation Home Service Producer meaning she works with developers to create games, spaces and other content for PlayStation Home.

(more…)

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Today, SEGA and Headstrong Games are proud to reveal The House of the Dead: OVERKILL Extended Cut box art. The game will be releasing only on PlayStation 3 across PAL regions from 28 October.

We announced the Extended Cut of the House of the Dead: OVERKILL just before E3 this year. It was quite an exciting moment for us as this is the first time we will have released a House of the Dead game on an HD console and the PS3 is the perfect home for an arcade shooter like OVERKILL. With the Move Motion Controller support and the 3D TV mode, we’re really making this the best in the series so far.

These posters and our box art pay homage to our signature retro b-movie look and hopefully you would have recognized the legendary Agent G and Detective Washington. This time around we also wanted to give Varla Gunns higher billing to the point where she became the headline character on the box art. This is no fluke; she plays a bigger part in this Extended Cut and we’ll have more details on this soon.

Exclusively for you PlayStation.Blog followers, we are also releasing some fresh screenshots and the fact sheet detailing all the new features of the OVERKILL Extended Cut.

Here is the complete list of exclusive features, only for PS3 owners:

• PlayStation Move and Sharp Shooter compatible
• OVERKILL fully remastered – available in high definition graphics and stereoscopic 3D for the first time ever
• Extended with two additional levels not in the original game
• Exclusive crossbow weapon
• New baby mutant type
• New Hardcore mode – mutants can only be killed with headshots
• New Classic mode – play through the entire game using only the AMS Magnum
• Exclusive missing reel – an extended boss fight with “Mother” in “OVERKILL”, the game’s final level
• Online leaderboards to track high scores and stats
• Collectibles to grab throughout all levels to unlock bonus materials; comic pages, music tracks, 3D models and 2D artwork
• New PlayStation trophies to unlock
• Improved boss fights in all levels
• New and improved cut-scenes using motion capture

We’ll keep revealing more details in the near future so keep it tuned to the PlayStation blog and our official game page.

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Following two action-packed days at the Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria (yes apparently it is the place where Steven’s name originated) we have our winner and proud owner of a brand new SLS AMG. Marco Calvo from Spain might well consider himself to be the most fortunate twenty something alive.

The 24 year-old Spanish student emerged as a deserved winner from amongst the ranks of the 15 Gran Turismo gamers who qualified for the Austrian grand finale by winning through the B-Spec-based competition within the GT5 Signature Edition game.

Over the course of two days the contestants faced a combination of GT5 and real-life, track-based tests of nerve and driving skill designed to establish who should take home the extraordinary prize of an SLS AMG.

Day one consisted of a GT5 time trial which saw the Italian finalist Matteo pull off a set of stunning, faultless drives to finish the first day at the top of the leaderboard. Unfortunately for him, his challenge unfolded in the latter stages of day two when we decamped to the famous Red Bull Ring for a series of real-life driving tests in a stunning fleet of SLS AMG vehicles.

Under the watchful eye of ex-F1 star David Coulthard who joined us at the track to assist in the technical supervision of proceedings, the finalists were eventually whittled down to four.

Finally during a series of high adrenaline, head-to-head drag races, a seemingly nerveless Marco managed to out-accelerate and out-brake all other competitors to climb from his car at the end of the final drag race against Guy Foster, the Irish contestant – the owner of the Stuttgart supercar.

So the journey is now complete for our Signature Edition owners and we congratulate Marco on his fantastic achievement, though one might guess that he may well be inundated with requests for lifts for some time to come!

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So, you noticed some videos not working? Some videos not being available? Well yes, as we have said there has been some issues stopping you getting exactly what you want, and yes we have cried ourselves to sleep every night about that very fact… But now we can announce that:

• ALL VIDEOS ARE WORKING AGAIN!!! That means no more skipping videos, what is displayed will now play!
• LOADS MORE NEW VIDEOS – All available over the next couple of weeks, but this week we have… Alexandra Stan, Jenifer Lopez, Eminem, Rihanna, Limp Bizkit, Owl City, Rye Rye, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Bad Meets Evil, The Black Eyed Peas, Take That, Little Wayne, Nicole Scherzinger, The Saturdays plus hundreds more just to get you started!
• EVEN MORE TO COME - More great new videos as soon as we receive them plus updated channels and playlists to keep you on VZ for HOOOOUUURS!!!

We are so excited to be back firing on full cylinders… and we know you were hating not having all the videos you wanted and so were we but now you can get back to VidZone and get back into the VidZone (Sorry… when I get excited, the puns get worse)

THIS WEEK

Artists Of The Week – Eminem (All ex Germany)

Wow it feels good to talk about these artists again! Eminem has his brand new video “Space Bound” out now hence why he is this week’s AOTW.

Artists Of The Week – Selena Gomez (Germany)

Selena Gomez wants to “Love You Like A Love Song” well that is what her song is called, it might not apply to you specifically, but one can only hope!

Artist Spotilight – Nicki Minaj (All)

You all probably know her already, “explosion” is the only words to describe her entrance to the scene, but if the blast missed you then we have all videos including “Superbass” and “Did It On Em’”.

Hot New Videos (All)

Some real scorchers from all your favourites this week including videos from Lady Gaga, LMFAO and Rihanna.

One To Watch – Mann (UK)

18 year old wunderkind has already worked with Sean Kingston, Jason Derulo and 50 Cent now he teams up with Snoop Dogg in his new video ‘The Mack‘.

Lovebox Festival (UK Ireland), Benicassim Festival (Spain), Les Vieilles Charrues 2011 (France)

Festival Fever continues with a trio of European festivals, as always a huge selection of artists from all of them so you can get a taste before the real thing.

Triple J – Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time (Australia)

The hottest Aussie bands of all time according to Triple J (and they should know!) Featuring videos from Powderfinger, Wolfmother, John Butler Trio, Crowded House and Silverchair.

Directors Series – Spike Jonze (All)

Continuing with the quirky and insanely clever world of Spike Jonze featuring videos from Pharcyde “Drop”, Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”, Daft Punk “Da Funk”, Weezer – “Buddy Holly”, Fatboy Slim “Praise You” and more!

The Saturdays celebrity playlist

Featuring hand-picked videos by Una (Jennifer Lopez), Vanessa (Amy Winehouse), Molly (Katy Perry), Frankie (The Maccabees) & Rochelle (Lily Allen).

NEXT WEEK

One To Watch – Bad Meets Evil (All)
Eminem and Royce Da 5’9″ team up again for your viewing pleasure like they have done (on and off) for years now. Watch their new video “Fast Lane“.

Artist Spotlight – 360 (Australia)
Think Aussie rapping over Whitest Boy Alive and you are pretty much there. Featuring his new video “Throw It Away featuring Josh Pyke“.

Ibiza 2011 TV
With the “White Isle” partying full steam now we thought we would give you a chance to have a taste of what you are missing with the Ibiza anthems now and from the past including Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta, Deadmau5 and Tiesto.

Artist Spotlight – Rise Against (all excluding Finland, Australia)

Chicago based punk rockers Rise against have been rising into people’s consciousnesses for a while now. Watch all their videos including their new video “Make It Stop (September’s Children)“.

Official PlayStation Magazine (All)
More videos picked like a wizard picks ingredients for his next potion… i.e with care, for your viewing pleasure.

OTHER STUFF

Remember to check out our ever changing Video Of The Day which you will see as soon as you open VidZone and as ever, if you want to contact us about anything then use the following channels below:

Twitter – http://twitter.com/vidzone
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/vidzoneofficial
Website – http://www.vidzone.tv
Video Requests – playstation@vidzone.tv
Customer Support -ps-problems@vidzone.tv

I’m off to watch all those videos I have been missing, you should definitely do the same…

Ben

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