What with the release of DiRT Showdown on PS3 inching ever closer, we turned to twitter to find out what you guys need to know about the game, and then had those questions answered by Mike Chapman, Senior Designer on the game.

Is this just something to keep us going until Dirt 4?

It has to be said that the idea for a game like DiRT Showdown has been in the studio’s collective mind for some time. After we finished work on DiRT 3, we knew that the time was right for the DiRT team to explore some new avenues. First and foremost though, the game will be an exciting DiRT experience in its own right and we’re confident that our existing fans will appreciate the direction we’ve taken, especially with what that means for future games in the series.

DiRT franchise is awesome! Thoroughly love the way it’s progressed. Would you guys ever return to GRiD?

It’s great to see that, years after its release, the original GRID is still such a popular game and that people have hopes for a sequel. Matching and exceeding expectations would of course be our highest priority though if a sequel were to be made. However, I’m afraid to say that we don’t have anything to announce right now.

Will there be a demo before the release date?

The demo for DiRT Showdown will go live on May 1st and will give players an early first look at some of our Demolition modes.

Will the Outbreak game mode be in Dirt Showdown?

Outbreak hasn’t made it into DiRT Showdown. Transporter makes a welcome return though alongside some new online Party modes. This is of course in addition to all of the destruction, race and Hoonigan multiplayer modes that we’re sure players are going to love.

Are there going to be any licensed cars in showdown?

All of our Hoonigan vehicles are fully licensed. However, we made the decision to fictionalise our Demolition and Race vehicles in order to push our damage model further than we ever could before. These fictional vehicles are still based on real world examples however and it’s allowed us to offer a greater amount of visual variety between the vehicles.

Will there be a YouTube upload feature and if so how much data/video will we be able to upload?

Players will be able to upload any 30 seconds from a replay. We decided to limit uploads to 30 seconds so that the whole process was as speedy as possible. Players will also be able to upload their favourite crashes straight away through our new Crashback feature.

Will there be any mechanisms in online to protect from excessive and pointless ramming?

Direct confrontation is very much encouraged in the majority of the game modes. We do however activate several anti-cheat measures should players try to cheat or otherwise exploit elements of the game play.
In the split/screen mode, which I know is up for 2 players, will we be able to add AI cars?

Yes, players will be able to add AI opponents into the mix as well as form teams and play co-operatively against them. Playing DiRT Showdown with a friend is fantastic fun and we expect split screen play to be especially popular.

Will the Gymkhana mode be returning?

Gymkhana lives on in our new Hoonigan modes. Players will be able perform tricks and stunts in some new modes in addition to exploring more expansive areas in the improved Joyride feature. We’ve paid particular attention to improving the handling model in order to alleviate frustration when playing these modes for the first time.

Will DiRT Showdown support any motion controls? Head tracking would be cool.

We always have an eye on ways to improve the player experience in our games. PS Eye and PS Move support didn’t feel right for DiRT Showdown though.

Any plans for a PlayStation Vita version of the game?

Definitely can’t rule anything out but we don’t have anything to announce I’m afraid.

Score:

• 10 Comments
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook

Hi there, on behalf of all of us at Codemasters we’re very excited to be able to reveal to you for the first time the latest title in our award winning DiRT series, DiRT Showdown.

Before I tell you a bit more about the game, why not take a look at our newly released announcement trailer to give you an idea of the kind of high-octane action you can expect to see in the game.

DiRT Showdown is due out on PS3 in May 2012, and is brought to you by the same team that brought you the other titles in the award winning DiRT series. The game combines pick up and play controls with electrifying events, frenzied crowds and stunning graphics to deliver high octane, dive in and drive thrills straight from the first event.
(more…)

Score:

• 19 Comments
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook

Knowing how large and vocal our F1 community is on PS3, along with how meticulous F1 fans are in general, we recently put out a shout out on Twitter via @formula1game and @playstationeu to ask for the most detailed F1 2011 related questions you could throw at us. The response we had to the call for questions was enormous, and our thanks go out to everyone who took the time to submit a question, the majority of which we’ve had answered below by Steve Hood, Chief Game Designer of F1 2011.

(more…)

Score:

• 26 Comments
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook

Here at Codemasters we’re working hard on Operation Flashpoint Red River. In Red River players embark on a full expeditionary campaign set in the remote and beautiful country of Tajikistan, bordered by China and Afghanistan. A fictional conflict with contemporary geopolitical themes unfolding over three distinct acts, presenting unique challenges which can be experienced in both single player and co-operatively by up to four players online. Dispensing with corny heroics, corridor gun-play and unrealistic set pieces, players deploy real life tactics in a range of new scenarios and against new enemies.

Whether you enjoy sitting down and playing through a compelling storyline, or brutally pushing through the enemy insurgents in a bit of co-op, it’s always satisfying seeing that little popup that lets you know you’ve just unlocked a trophy. Trophies are your badge of honour, given for performing your best, proof of just how good you are at any given game. So who better to give them a clever name than you, the players! We’d like to get the Playstation community to put their thinking caps on and name one of our trophies. The winner not only gets the bragging rights behind the name, but also wins an exclusive t-shirt and a copy of Operation Flashpoint Red River at launch.

Taking part is simple! First think of a cool name for the following Trophy:

“Destroy an enemy vehicle with the FIM-92 Anti Aircraft Weapon“

Then, just head over to the Red River Facebook page and leave a comment with your suggestions before the 17th November. Sion Lenton, Creative Director on Red River, will be sifting through your comments for the most imaginative names, so start thinking! We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest Operation Flashpoint Red River news by following us on Twitter and Facebook.

Score:

• 49 Comments
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook

Hi and many thanks for all of your questions and great comments about the Overlord II demo. As promised in the original article, we’ve tried to provide answers to all of your questions below:

xKillerMonkeyx: In a few words how would you describe the game?

Overlord II is, I think, best described as an action fantasy adventure, with a pafutrticular slant on being evil. The action is based around the horde gameplay afforded by the incredibly violent, mischievous and ultimately funny Minions under your direct control. In regards to being the evil one, as the Overlord you are a despotic megalomaniac who explores the world, dominating or destroying everything in your path with the help of your four Minion types; Browns (melee fighters), Greens (stealth assassins), Reds (pyromaniacs) and Blues (zen-like healing minions). There is a rich story to the whole Overlord series as well which was written by renowned games writer, Rhianna Pratchett.

Ultimately, Overlord II is one of the very few games that allows us to become the despotic megalomaniac that hides within each of us. Did I mention that you can also acquire a total of three mistresses as you progress through the game?

Grind_Axis: Here’s a question for you: Will this game be supported by additional downloadable content?

I think downloadable single player content fits this game just fine. Downloadable content is an important part of Codemasters’ strategy, and we will be looking into this at great length in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled for future announcements.

(more…)

Score:

• 22 Comments
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook