In this show floor discussion, I ask House about PlayStation Suite, his outlook on the Western launch of PS Vita, and his goals as CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment.

With his victory at the FIWC11 Grand Final in Los Angeles, Cruz earned $20,000 in prize money and a priceless invitation to the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala. At the Gala, Francisco talked tactics with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, played FIFA 12 against Wayne Rooney and Gerard Piqué on a nearby PS3 and shook hands with superstars such as Lionel Messi, Xavi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Dani Alves. The morning following Francisco’s incredible night at the Gala, the team at FIFA.com spoke with him as he reflected on the experience.

This must have been an amazing experience for you. Does any specific moment stand out?

Francisco: I can’t really say what my favourite moment was. All of it was incredible. Beating Wayne Rooney at FIFA 12 and talking to Sir Alex Ferguson were certainly highlights. And of course meeting Lionel Messi, my favourite player. There have been so many highlights, I have to watch out that I don’t forget anything!

What did you discuss with Sir Alex?

Francisco: For me he’s a true legend. He’s been with Manchester United for more than twenty years now so I was very happy that I had the opportunity to talk to him. We talked about the best ways to cope with mental pressure in tough games. This was really helpful for me and I’ll definitely try to apply his advice at this year’s Grand Final.

You mentioned your EA SPORTS FIFA 12 match with Wayne Rooney. What was it like to play against one of your idols?

Francisco: It’s a dream playing against one of my favourite players. It’s a new experience and I would like to do it again next year, he is a good player. He kept possession of the ball well with England but he could not transfer that into goal scoring opportunities. He said he was the best FIFA 12 player at Manchester United and I believe him as he was very good. I had some good chances and I scored, but he could have scored one or two goals.

You brought your cousin to the Gala. Why did you choose him to accompany you?

Francisco: My family is very important to me. For the 2009 Grand Final in Barcelona, where I placed third, I invited my sister. Last year, my father came with me to Los Angeles, so now it was my cousin’s turn. He’s just as crazy about football as I am, plus he’s a really good friend of mine.

Did you ever imagine that you would be part of such a special night when you first played the FIFA series?

Francisco: No, not at all. It is still unbelievable. I mean who would have thought that playing EA SPORTS FIFA would one day take me to the FIFA Ballon d’Or! And now, here I am, among stars like Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney!

Is this day at the FIFA Ballon d’Or a strong motivation for you to defend your title?

Francisco: I’m very competitive and I want to win every game. Of course, this day is very special for me and If I could be part of this once more it would be fantastic. I’ll definitely give my all and try to defend my title!

Beat Hazard Ultra – The Basics

Beat Hazard Ultra is a twin stick shooter that is powered by your music. The game turns any piece of music in to a level. Everything in the game is powered by the music in some way, from your weapon power to the type and formations of the enemies, and all accompanied with intense visual feedback!

Copying Music to Your PS3

Before I start, here’s a quick tip about copying music to your PS3 using a USB memory stick. On the XMB go to Music->USB Device. Then press TRIANGLE and select ‘Display All’. From there select ‘Copy Multiple’. This will ensue your PS3 will find and copy all the music on the USB stick.

The Bad Guys

Aside from basic fodder, you will come across the following bad guys. And here’s how to deal with them:

Pulsar Pack: These bully boys form a ring and try to close in on you. Not much of a threat though.
Best Defence: Don’t waste powerups on these. Kill with standard weapon

Bulldog: These form a line and chase you down. Medium Threat.
Best Defence: A well aimed Ultra Beam blast can take out 4 or 5 at a time

Miner: Drops homing mines that stop you firing if you hit them. These can be very dangerous if left for too long. You can soon be swamped by mines.
Best Defence: Standard weapon or Micro Missiles if no direct line of fire

Stalker: Use a powerful tractor beam to pull you in. Range proportional to music intensity.
Best Defence: Micro Missiles. Shield will neutralize pull force

Repulsar: Use a powerful repulse beam to push you around. Dangerous in packs.
Best Defence: Micro Missiles. Shield will neutralize push force

Reaper: Releases a hail of homing missiles when destroyed. Number of missiles proportional to music intensity.
Best Defence: An Ultra Beam will kill the ship and most of the missiles. Kill with shield to convert missiles to your side!

Mini-Serpent: Head & Tail are invincible so shoot from the side. Flips between chasing and random movement.
Best Defence: Micro Missiles or Ultra Beam to the flank

Perks

Ultra has 23 unlockable & upgradeable perks. A perk is unlocked each time you level up. Each perk must be purchased and upgraded using in game cash.

To start with you should unlock the ‘POW POW POW’ & ‘Pump Up the Vol’ perks. Enabling these will give you more firepower at the start. And when fully upgraded you will start with maximum firepower and the Beat Hazard weapon activated.

After that I would recommend unlocking Micro Missiles followed by either Ultra Beam or Reflect Shield. These will give you a lot more fire power and allow you to tackle harder difficulty levels.

Once you’re a badass, you can start to focus on the scoring perks. Enabling these in any combination will massively increase your scoring ability – remember Beat Hazard Ultra uses a non-linear scoring system, so you can quickly go from scoring a few thousand per song to a few million! So don’t feel bad if your scores seem low compared to those on the leader boards.

Perk Loadout Tactics

Perks split into two categories, scoring and firepower. Scoring perks increase your ability to score points in various ways, for example ‘Score Booster’ adds a percentage to any points you gain. Firepower perks enhance your ability to kill / survive the onslaught of bad guys.

Choosing the correct loadout can massively change your survivability and potential score. You need to get the balance just right to get the highest score for any particular situation. You can go in armed to the teeth but might not score much, or die a horrible death in the middle of a tune through lack of adequate weaponry.

In general, the longer the song the more weapons and survival perks you will need. With short songs you can sacrifice all this in favour of a complete scoring loadout.

Weapon Tips

There are 3 unlockable weapons, Micro Missiles, Ultra Beam and Reflect Shield.

Micro Missiles: Fires a hail of homing missiles. Each missile will target the highest threat on-screen. Incoming enemy missiles are the highest threat followed by Bosses and then Mini-Serpents, Repulsars and Stalkers.

Ultra Beam: Fires a concentrated beam of death and destruction. With a good aim this weapon can do massive damage. You can take out a boss turret or a string of ships in one blast. Good for path clearing.

Reflect Shield: This is the awesome shield of awesomeness. Not only does this shield protect you from all impacts it will deflect any incoming projectile and turn it against the enemy! Used on a swarm of missiles can cause devastation to the enemy hordes.

BIG TIP: One important tactic to remember is that all three weapons are stackable. That is if you fire the shield 5 times quickly the game will stack 5 shields one after the other. Try it, it’s useful!

Trophy Hunter

Ultra has 42 challenges to complete. Each time you complete any 3 challenges you will receive a trophy. Complete all 42 to unlock all the trophies.

Here are a few tips on some of the more difficult challenges:

Don’t Panic: Don’t fire for 60 seconds (Tip: play on Easy)

Boss Slayer: Kill 8 bosses in 1 game (Tip: Easy when you play Boss Rush)

Brutal Boss Kill: Kill a boss before it fires (Tip: Easiest to kill one of the small bosses by flying over it quickly and setting off a lot of super bombs. You can get more super bombs by using the ‘Jamie likes big boom’ perk)

Pwnage: Get a 1,000 kill streak (Tip: Kill 1,000 enemies in a row without dying. Takes about 4-5 mins on Hardcore level. Probably easiest on Survival mode)

A Real Dare Devil: In Standard play get the Dare Devil multiplier 10 times (Tip: Play on Easy and just don’t fire for periods of time until you get 10 Dare Devil bonuses)

Survival Champion: Reach 20 Minutes in Survival Mode (Tip: Best done when you’ve unlocked Extra lives, Extra bombs and the Missiles, Reflect Shield & Ultra Beam Perks)

Perk MAXED: Buy all the upgrades for a Perk (Tip: It’s really cheap to fully upgrade the ‘Goodie Bag’ perk)

Ultra Beam of Death: Kill 150 enemies with 1 Ultra Beam blast (Tip: Ultra Beams can be stacked so you can use all your beams in one go and the time will add up. Also, unlocking the ‘Ultra Ultra Beam’ perk & the ‘Extra Ultra Beam’ perks will make this easier.)

Reflection: Reflect 150 projectiles with 1 Shield burst (Tip: Shields can be stacked so you can use all your power-ups in one go and the time will add up. Also, unlocking the ‘Stay Hidden’ perk & the ‘Extra Reflect Shield’ perks will make this easier.)

A Real Mine Sweeper: Collide with 50 mines in one track without losing a life (Tip: Mines are the round orange spiked balls that come out of the back of the Mine Ship. Just crash into 50 of these over the course of a song and complete the track without dying)

Tug of War: Have a 10 second tug of war with a Stalker (Tip: Play on easy & just hang out near a Stalker for 10s)

Boss Dance: Survive with 4 bosses on the screen in Boss Rush mode (Tip: Play Boss rush and try not to kill the boss completely)

Boss King: Get to Wave 30 in Boss Rush mode (Tip: Best done when you’ve unlocked Extra lives, Extra bombs and the Missiles, Reflect Shield & Ultra Beam Perks)

2 Player Tips

If you’re playing online or local head to head, here are some cool tips:

• Bosses are scored per hit, so don’t go for the kill, get as many hits are you can
• If your opponent dies, grab all his pickups before he re-spawns
• Hang out near the top of the screen to grab bombs and multipliers
• Steal kills with a well timed super bomb. E.g. when a ring of Pulsars are on screen
• Play chicken at the start. Try to build up your dare devil multiplier before the carnage starts
• The yellow Beat Hazard logo will be next to the score that is the highest. Useful for checking if you’re winning with a quick glance.

Lastly, Some Nice Tricks/Tips

• Turn on the Shield and sit over the boss turret. Missiles fired will instantly change sides and go for the boss! (You can also do this with Reapers)
• Play Boss Rush and turn off weapon perks to collect lots of cash
  The Serpent boss will try to coil around you when he’s 70% dead. Watch out!
• The Octo-Boss will coil up when you get close. When coiled he’s invincible. Spread your fire around in a wide arc to kill him quickly.
• The Last Star Fighter Death Blossom looks nice, but it’s not an effective tactic on harder levels.
• Play Chill Out mode if you want to try weapons you’ve not unlocked yet.

Well, that’s it for now. I hope you enjoy the game and that this guide helps you kick some music butt!

I’ll be hanging out here on the blog so if you’ve got any other questions, fire away. You can also email me here, or follow me on Twitter here. Join the Ultra facebook fan page here or check out my website here.

X-Men First Class is the prequel film that blew away audiences around the globe earlier this year – so when 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment invited us to an exclusive media event for their Australian Blu-ray launch of the movie this week, we quickly accepted!

The event took place at an appropriate location at Sydney’s Darling Harbour, aboard the naval ship HMAS Vampire – in homage to the amazing visual effects during the naval battle scene at the climax of the film. The highlight of the event would be a live Skype chat with two-time Oscar®-winning visual effects supervisor John Dykstra (of Star Wars fame).

On Blu-ray, X-Men First Class looks simply spectacular. The whole package is impressive, and it’s not just because it features some genuinely great bonus material and interactive features – like Cerebro – the interactive mutant tracker that lets you classify all of the different mutant characters spanning all of the X-Men films ( including their abilities and connections to each other). The Blu-ray also offers incredible value for purchase, shipping with bonus DVD and digital copies (for mobile devices).

It all comes back to the film itself though, and half the reason why X-Men First Class is such a great movie is because of the amazing job that John Dykstra did with the visual effects. I had the opportunity to ask John a burning question in regards to my favourite scene from the film

Nino: John, my favourite shot in the film was when Magneto is shown to levitate an entire submarine clear out of the ocean in broad daylight. It’s mesmerising to watch – could you describe what was involved in creating that entire sequence?

John: Well first, we decided that there was a shot that you’d like best, so we set to figuring out how to make it. So it was you – you were the genesis of that shot! (laughs) Seriously though, obviously there were some pretty weird constraints on this particular shot. The idea that Magneto was going to levitate this vehicle that weighs thousands of tonnes, and displaces a huge amount of seawater, all in a very limited amount of time – it was one of the biggest challenges of the shot. Simply making the submarine come out of the water, and running the water simulations around it was something that we already knew how to do. The really difficult part was figuring out how to make the scene move fast enough, and be exciting and dynamic, but at the same time have ‘scale’, so that it didn’t feel as though it was a bath toy being lifted out of a bath tub. We worked extensively on the dynamics of the water, the specularity, how big the reflections were, and how ‘bright’ they were. Also, we considered how the wind and other air currents moved the water around. That’s what gave the shot a sort of a ‘lacy’ feel. There was movement as the spray came off the sub – it was blowing to one side. These were all the things that gave it a proper scale…or a scale at least, that was believable. It was a lot of fun working on it, the guys at WETA studios did that shot for us, they did a terrific job, and it was a huge number of layers on the shot, something like twenty layers of spray alone (before we even get to the actual water). And then just finally, because we’re working in the digital age, we now have the added benefit of trying out many different angles to find the best perspective for the shot, and so we find what eventually looks best.

X-Men First Class is now available to own on Blu-ray & DVD. (Note: submarine not included!)

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone that made such a fantastic trip happen. Here’s hoping all that sand has whetted your appetite for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, which launches from November 2nd, only on PlayStation 3.

Recently, Ubisoft invited us to sample the first few hours of Assassin’s Creed Revelations for PS3. I learned a lot during that play session:

• The control scheme has been revised, pushing Eagle Vision to L3. This frees up the Triangle button for secondary weapons such as daggers.
• Altair comes into play via flashbacks following the thrilling Masyaf key retrieval missions, which are the successors to Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood’s Lairs of Romulus.
• The game map now has a Google Maps-style satellite view that I enjoyed while skipping around the sprawling city of Constantinople/Istanbul.
• The Den Defense mission brought tower defense-style sequences that are completely unlike anything I’ve seen in the Assassin’s Creed universe.
• I saw someone actually *use* the Apple of Eden.
• I noticed some different UI in the Animus, and started to wonder why the interface was different (and no, Ubisoft wouldn’t tell me).
• I saw Ezio stab a dude with a guitar – I think they called them “lutes” back then.

And I saw it all in 3D – those leaps of faith are now even more impressive. But it’s not about what I wanted to see; I went in to Ubisoft aiming to get answers to some of your questions. Read on to learn more about the dangerous world of Assassin’s Creed Revelations.

Will Ezio need some prune juice when he eats… because he is about 60 years old? (via @BeyondJizzy26)

While it’s true that our Ezio Auditore da Firenze now looks like The Most Interesting Man in the World, with experience comes wisdom. Early on in Revelations, Ezio is introduced to the hookblade, which enhances Ezio’s parkour skills in a couple of notable ways. When leaping into the air, you can hold down the Circle button to project the hookblade, giving Ezio an extra bit of reach. I adjusted to the move pretty quickly, and experienced noticeably fewer trip-ups while running across rooftops. It also grants compatibility with ziplines, which medieval Constantinople was apparently rife with. And what good would ziplines be if you couldn’t launch assassinations from them? Of course you can.

The hookblade is also battle-ready – the new Hook and Run move allows you to vault over enemies like a 70s action star slides across the hood of a car.

Hookblade aside, I noticed a new leg sweep move (Johnny would be proud), and a chest stomp that wouldn’t be out of place in the WWE. All of this is on top of the impressive arsenal of tricks Ezio earned in previous games, like double assassinations, disposable parachutes, an arm-mounted rifle and more. Would that we were all this spry in our 50s.

Is the super-cool feature where you can call assassins out of nowhere to attack still in the game? (via @francisganzo)

Yes, Ezio still can call in fellow assassins to create a diversion or to get him out of a jam. The feature has been upgraded for Revelations; you still recruit new assassins and send them around the Mediterranean on missions to level them up. When you level up one of your killers to the level of “Master Assassin,” you can assign him to protect one of your dens, preventing further Byzantine attacks.

There are also new challenges associated with these moves which yield tangible benefits. For instance, using your arrow storm and calling in your assassins a set amount of times will reward you with a faster recharging assassin signal, allowing you to use them more often. Similar challenges also applies to bomb usage and the various guilds, encouraging their use.

How many new weapons have been added to the game? Or are there new upgrades to it? (via @Allelujah00)

The aforementioned hookblade is the main difference, but the addition of bombs can change the way you play as well. I’ll be honest, after seeing Revelations demoed at E3, I was a bit worried that Assassin’s Creed was turning into a third-person shooter, but after my hands-on session those fears have been allayed.

Ezio’s bombs come in three flavors: lethal, tactical, and diversion. By combining different shells (impact, tripwire, sticky), actions (explosion, stinkbomb, smokebomb), and explosion radius, you can use bombs to perform a wide variety of actions. You could tag a guard with a stinkbomb to repel people, disappear in a huge puff of smoke, or just chuck explosives into a crowd for some good ol’ high-impact killing. You can only hold three of each type of bomb at any given time, so don’t expect to blast your way out of situations by chucking ‘nades.

Trophy list?! (via @max01payne and many others)

I took a peek at the Trophy list, and it’s got a similar mix as Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. Some Trophies awarded for multiplayer success, and many are for single player, both for advancing the story and for performing certain skill actions, plus a range of completionist stuff. If I had to guess, this won’t be an easy game to Platinum.

Will we see Leonardo DaVinci? (via @Dean147)
I looked on the map for you, but didn’t see his icon as in past games. However, it seems that Da Vinci did do some consulting work for the sultan, so fingers crossed.

Is the PS3 version getting exclusive missions like last year? (via @snowman2149)

Exclusive missions? Try a whole game! Ubisoft is taking advantage of the extra space afforded by Blu-ray to gift you the entire original Assassin’s Creed as a free added bonus!

Assassin’s Creed Revelations hits PS3 on November 15th. Look for more here on the Blog in the leadup between now and then.

We followed in the footsteps of T.E. Lawrence – better known as Lawrence of Arabia and one of the historical figures that has a large role in the Uncharted 3 plot – in search of gold coins, with the team to gather the most booty at the end of the day collecting prizes including a beautiful (and valuable) watch, a Garmin GPS device and a Belstaff jacket. All attending winners will also receive the Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Explorer Edition on launch and one of the first PlayStation Vita consoles from the production line, along with Uncharted: Golden Abyss.

I’ll have a video documenting the entire event for you next week (as soon as we’re done editing it) but, in the meantime, check out these pictures and a breakdown of the challenges the Jordanian desert had in store for our intrepid contestants.

Sand Balance challenge, Lawrence Spring (GPS N 29 33.509 E 035 24.682)

A local Bedouin awaited our adventurers with a set of scales containing gold coins. Our contestants had several sacks of sand of different weights and had to choose which one balanced the scales perfectly.

Little Bridge (GPS N 29 31.207 E 035 26.548)

Our teams encountered on overturned Jeep in the desert and had to search it to find a scroll. Then, they moved over to a marked off square of fine sand and had to dig with their fingers in search of up to ten gold coins, against the clock.

Middle Bridge, Um Fruth (GPS N 29 28.127 E 035 26.938)

Our teams had to approach a local Bedouin tribesman and correctly say the phrase ‘Ahtaaju an atadarraba ‘ala al Arabia’ (which translates as ‘I need to practice my Arabic’) and were then allowed to take on the challenge, where they were given three throwing axes and had to get them to stick in a wooden board from a distance.

Large Bridge, Burdha Bridge (GPS N 29 28.58 E 035 29.026)

After using their GPS devices to locate a scroll, the treasure hunters found a shooting range in a gully and tried to hit three targets using a standard .22 air rifle.

Parachute Landing (GPS N 29 31.325 E 035 27.944)

Our adventurers followed their GPS devices to an abandoned parachute in the middle of the desert. Close by was a suitcase containing various items. They had 20 seconds to memorise as many of the items as possible and then write them down afterwards.

Lawrence’s House (GPS N 29 31.701 E 035 27.559)

The treasure hunters rode camels to the bottom of a rock formation and then had to search for a scroll containing their next clue. They then rode back to Lawrence’s House and drank tea with local Bedouin tribesmen.

Alameleh Inscriptions (GPS N 29 33.363 E 035 27.164)

A scroll was hidden beneath a loose rock next to the inscriptions.

Sand Dune (GPS N 29 33.216 E 035 26.725)

Our adventurers climbed a huge sand dune where they found a hand poking out from the sand, clutching a rifle and the next scroll (remind you of the first Uncharted 3 trailer?)

Al Shallaleh (GPS N 29 34.438 E 035 24.774)

Our teams climbed the side of the rock face to a waterfall and had to fill three bottles with water and take them over to a cylinder with fake coin at the bottom; the idea was to fill the cylinder so that the coin floats to the top, as quickly as they could.

Final Location, The Nabataen Temple (GPS N 29 34.670 E 035 24.876)

The scrolls collected at each location were combined to show the co-ordinates to the final location and our teams had to input them to the GPS devices and navigate their way to the Bedouin trading post. There they handed in the gold coins to be counted and decide who would be the overall winner.

We then returned to our camp at Bait Ali in the Wadi Rum region to clear sand from ears and prepare for the evening reception, where Taylor Kurosaki and Arne Meyer of Naughty Dog gave a presentation of the desert gameplay in Uncharted 3, and Nolan North and Emily Rose offered some insight into the lengths they go to in performance capture to bring their characters to life.

We then presented Dario Ripamonti from Italy with the top prize of a Tag Heuer Grand Carrera watch, and Rui Unas from Portugal and Spain’s Alvaro Soria Salinas with the Garmin GPS 62ST mapping system second prize and the Belstaff Road Master jacket respectively.

It really was a fantastic trip and every attendee that I spoke to agreed. However, and most importantly, the event signifies that Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is less than a month away from release and I know you’re looking forward to it as much as we all are. Like I said, we’ll have a full professional video showing all that happened next week and, as a bit of a tease in the meantime, here’s some really rough footage I shot on my flip camera from the back of our jeep.

Hello Everyone,

This Monday there were nervous, sweaty fingers aplenty poised on any manner of gaming peripherals…the reason? A special Gran Turismo 5 driving event that could possibly be the biggest ever race.

At precisely 15.20 BST on Monday, over 7500 Gran Turismo gamers lined up on a virtual starting grid in a unique 3-way simultaneous race that saw F1 legend David Coulthard put his driving reputation on the line in a real versus virtual driving battle quite unlike any other.

Coulthard’s real-life challenge on the Dunsfold circuit, better known as the Top Gear Test Track, was beamed live via internet to thousands, he was joined at the track by F1 race commentator Martin Brundle who presented the live race action.

Meanwhile at Brooklands, Mercedes-Benz’s UK flagship experience location, six anxious competition winning contestants sat awaiting the starting flag with motor racing commentator Jonathan Legard doing his best as compere to calm fraying nerves.  The second set of virtual would be giant-killers were the hordes of GT5 gamers joining the race from home in a specially created in-game seasonal event – the Mercedes Benz Driving Event.

Standing between the gamers (and Coulthard) and glory was a tense 15 minute F1-style time attack on the famously challenging track.

In the end it was an incredibly close race, but experience won.  Coulthard managed to set an unbelievably quick time of 1’16.320, before cooling his tyres and spinning off as rain started to fall. It was enough to see off the challenge of the winning driver at the Brooklands event, Jason Birt who managed a more than respectable 1’16.868.

Even if his duel with the ex-F1 driver ended in a narrow defeat, Jason now has the rather sweet consolation prize of all expenses paid trip to the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix to look forward to.

Commenting on his experience an elated Jason said;

“This has been a real buzz,” he said. “It has been a very impressive day with the off-road, SLS and drifting experiences this morning and then the GT5 racing has been excellent. I only got the call on Thursday to say that I was taking part and so I am really happy to have won the virtual race and be going to Brazil. Shame I didn’t get to beat DC, but he is a real pro and it would have been quite a feat to beat him. A massive thank you to Mercedes-Benz and PlayStation for making this happen.”

Highlights of the event can be viewed at www.mercedesliverace.co.uk.

Gran Turismo 5 is now available in the Platinum range and the Mercedes-Benz Driving Event is available in GT5 until 23.59BST 26^th September with the live leaderboard viewable throughout this time on gran-turismo.com.

Me and my crew are just coming to the end of the long post-production process on our sci-fi short film ‘Fracture’. The grade (colouring of the film) only has a few days left and then we render our final export before it begins its journey to the Home Cinema.

Let me begin by telling you a little bit about myself and why I proposed an online premiere at PlayStation Home cinema.

I have worked on numerous projects, from corporate videos, music videos, promotional clips and new media – some of which have seen me travel around the world.

I’ve written and directed several short award-winning films and am currently involved in the development of a mobile phone game. It’s great fun and not too dissimilar from the creative process of film-making.

Yes, I’m also gamer! It began back in the Eighties with a ZX Spectrum, followed by a Sega Master System, right up to my current PS3 console. It saddens me to say that, due to my job and various projects, I don’t have as much time to dedicate to games as I once did. That said, I still book a week off to play the bigger titles.

I tried PlayStation Home for five minutes when it first launched. I didn’t launch it again until March 2011 after my writing colleague and friend, Paul Atkins, suggested I check it out again.

Appetite whetted, I immersed myself fully within the world, got to meet people and generally be part of the ever-expanding community.

Impressed with the changes and the possibilities of the software, I found myself standing in front of the online cinema, scratching my head and thinking ‘why are there no short films playing here?’

It’s perfect – the films are short enough to enjoy a narrative without encroaching on free time. That was the moment I sent an email to Sony about ‘Fracture’.

Home to me is about many things – it’s about sharing, communicating, self expression. Gamers are experiencing an expanding, living, breathing community. I think the idea of creating an online facility where friends can sit down to watch a short film, and then talk about it afterwards, is bringing the community experience even closer.

It’s pushing the cinema in the direction it needs. It breaks the ice with strangers, or continues a conversation thread with friends. Whatever the audience gets from it I’m certain it will be a richer experience than simply watching a movie trailer.

In short, I think the future of Home is bright indeed – which is why I’m so excited about premiering ‘Fracture’ on the Sony Home Cinema. I see so many possibilities to explore and hope to have the opportunity to bring some of them to fruition.

Games and media are a huge part of my life so I will follow the developments with great interest – and hopefully even get chance to contribute. I’d like to hear some of your ideas, too!

So after all that I guess you finally want to know about the actual film we plan to screen?! Let’s start with the trailer:

‘Fracture’ is a short film produced by Fxhome Limited. It was pitched as a world-wide community project – a ‘no-to low-budget’, non-profit movie.

We had a five-day shoot in a small industrial unit at Henderson business park in Norwich, England, before the project entered a lengthy post production, with many effects being created by our vfx supervisor, Sebastien Regert.

The film is set on the bleak and unforgiving surface of a distant world where a fragile mining base stands isolated, relentlessly battered by brutal storms. The crew have known loneliness, love and betrayal in their time there, and in such a claustrophobic environment secrets can’t stay hidden forever…

If you would like to know more, watch the pre-production videos or listen to cast and crew interviews you can do so at: www.fracturemovie.co.uk

You can show your support to the project by following us here:
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Fracture_movie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_133817466659119

Hello Everyone

Have you ever watched a F1 race and dreamt what it would be like to pit your driving skills against a F1 driver, well if you have a copy of Gran Turismo 5, now is your chance.

In a unique race on Monday 5 September, David Coulthard will take the wheel of a real 6.3 litre V8 powered Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. GT5 fans from around the globe will simultaneously be able to pit their driving skills against the world-class professional driver, driving the same car through a specially created in-game seasonal event – the Mercedes-Benz Driving Event.

To make the race that little bit more dramatic, the world famous track located in Europe which will be the race location is to remain a secret until race day to give all competitors a fair chance at victory.

Meanwhile, back at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands, England, 24 prize draw winners will be battling to qualify for their place in the big race, and for those lucky few who set the top six qualifying times there will be a chance to compete against Coulthard in real time at the flagship venue where visitors are welcome to come and watch the action for themselves.

For the winning contestant at Mercedes-Benz World an all expenses paid trip to the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix in November awaits.

So here’s what you need to know if you want to get involved.

- The real and virtual races will begin at 15.20 BST. Real-time footage of the action from the secret track location and Brooklands will be streamed through a specially created site www.mercedesliverace.co.uk.

- Live coverage on the day will begin at 15.00 BST and will be presented by F1 commentator Martin Brundle.

- Leaderboard information for virtual racers brave enough to take on David Coulthard via the Mercedes-Benz Driving Event will be available on gran-turismo.com.

The in-game Mercedes-Benz Driving Event will be available until Monday 26 September so there’s plenty of time to keep honing those times. But the question is have you got the skills to take on and beat an F1 driver?

It’s hard to believe that Resistance 3 is coming out next week! It’s been an amazing journey for those of us at Insomniac Games, we’ve spent the last three years ensuring this is our most polished, focused, and consistent entry in the Resistance franchise. We’re very excited to share it with you. As we get close to release, it’s time to show you our very last Dev Diary – this one focused on the high-tech weapons created or influenced by the Chimeran invaders. We were extremely pleased to work in collaboration with the PlayStation.Blog on these diaries, and we hope you love them as much as we do.

As you may know by now, the Resistance 3 Multiplayer Beta is winding down on September 4th, but we wanted to get one last blast of testing on our servers, so we’ve made the beta available to all on the PlayStation Store. We also wanted to acknowledge that while the R3 beta wasn’t always smooth sailing, we totally appreciated those of you who helped us test the game and stuck with us through the rough patches. We’ve announced a Beta Player Appreciation program – if you download and play a few rounds of the Resistance 3 Beta before it ends on September 4th, you’ll receive a couple of cool rewards for the final game. Check out our announcement about the Beta player appreciation program for more details. We’ll be continuing to update and tweak Resistance 3 with new patches and updates, as well as DLC in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.

That’s all for now, we have a few more exciting things to show you here on the PlayStation.Blog in the next couple of days, so keep coming back for more. And in the meantime, check out all the latest breaking news on Resistance 3 by following Insomniac Games on Twitter, Liking us on Facebook, or joining the conversation at MyResistance.net.

In the midst of all this Gamescom madness (did you see the Starhawk interview with Dylan Jobe? Jetpacks, “Strap it on and go!”) I’ve got some very exciting news for all you UK people. PlayStation Access Live is back, and we’re touring the country.

For those who just pulled a confused face – PlayStation Access Live is your chance to get hands on with unreleased PlayStation software and hardware. It’s also your chance to meet up and socialise with fellow gamers, listen to live acts, eat and drink lots, meet some PlayStation staff and generally have a fantastic PlayStation experience. If you haven’t gotten involved with our Facebook fan page yet, you can redeem yourself by clicking here.

Right now I want to talk to you about our first 2 Access events. One in Birmingham and another in London. Read on…

Access Live Birmingham

Access Live hits the Rainbow Rooms in Birmingham on Thursday 25th August and won’t be leaving until Saturday 27th August.

With your first chance to get hands on with Resistance 3, Journey, ICO and Shadow of the Colossus HD, LittleBigPlanet Move Edition, DanceStar Party, Medieval Moves, After Hours Athletes AND jam to a live performance from Yasmin (she’s worked with the likes of N.E.R.D and Taio Cruz, more about Yasmin here) on Friday and Saturday; this is one hell of a PlayStation experience and you do not want to miss out. We’re still waiting for a couple of games to confirm their attendance too – so keep an eye on the PlayStation Access Facebook page for any last minute news.

Yasmin will be performing live at Access Birmingham on Friday and Saturday – be sure to select those sessions of you want to see her!

We’ve got 120 pairs of tickets to dish out across 4 sessions and they usually go like hot cakes – so go over to the Facebook page now, choose your preferred session and submit your entry. We’ll let you know if you’ve got a ticket early next week.

Oh, and I’ll be there. That’s a major attraction too, right?

…and darkness descended. A PunchDrunk adventure inspired by Resistance 3.

Now this one is really special.

Coming to London’s Waterloo Station Arches between 1st September and 4th September, this spectacular event will take you on a theatrical journey into the Resistance 3 universe. Here’s a snippet of the plot line from our friends at PunchDrunk…

London has fallen. Society has broken down. The Chimera have ravaged the city and only a few survive. The audience are charged with finding the last pocket of human resistance and sending a vital message to Resistance 3 Hero, Joseph Capelli, to aid his operation in the USA. To complete their mission, participants must work as a team, navigating their way through a disorientating and terrifying environment, encountering the survivors and remnants left in the aftermath of the brutal Chimeran invasion.

Taking PlayStation game mechanics and making them real world, the audience become characters in a narrative which relies upon them in order to move forward. The environment they explore is physically tangible and multi-sensory: lights, sound and smell inspired by Resistance 3 all heighten the level of immersion and pull the audience into this desolate world.

The threat is very real. Not only are the Chimera known to be within the immediate vicinity but the humans who remain have turned to extreme and savage acts in order to ensure their survival.

Just like any PlayStation survival horror game, the ultimate threat is that if the audience fail to escape their enemies, they are eliminated from the experience. Crucially, the success of the mission is in the participants’ hands, it is their responses and reactions which dictate its triumph or failure…

I’m hideously excited about this one. There’ll also be consoles at the event for you to play Resistance 3 on, so don’t miss out. There’s 75 pairs of tickets up for grabs, so head to the Access Facebook page to get your mitts on them.

These two events are just the start. PlayStation Access will be bringing you much more over the coming months, so get ahead of the crowd and join our Facebook Fan Page. Just be sure to hit the Like button once you get there so we can keep you posted about everything we do.

Catch you soon,

MB

Today we’ve got the brand new trailer for Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One for Gamescom.

There’s lots more trailers to come so stay tuned.

Tonight at the SCEE gamescom press conference, Jim Ryan will take to the stage as part of the handover that will see him take over the role of President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

It is the culmination of 17 years with the company during which time he has gone from international finance officer to the position that will place the future of PlayStation in Europe under his supervision. I caught up with him to find out what his average working day entails and get his perspective on the last 17 years of PlayStation. For more background you can also read his interview with my colleagues over at eu.playstation.com

In his own words:

I get in to work at 8am because I’m a good early morning person and between 8 and 9 I clear all of my emails. Well… I do my best to clear all of my emails and then typically I’m in meetings for the rest of the day. I travel a lot and 30-40% of my time is spent overseas on business.

The beauty is that I get to experience many different cultures and I meet hundreds of people, many of whom are long-standing friends. Working in so many different countries is fascinating. Russia and India, for example, are very different places to do business – different planets, almost.

I’ve been at PlayStation for almost 17 years and the biggest change I have seen is simply the sheer scale of the company, from the number of people we employ to the range of countries we work in. When I joined it was nothing and now it is a multi-billion dollar business.

While embracing growth we’ve worked really hard to retain some of the small company values we had right at the beginning. You won’t see many people walking around in suits and ties and we’ve kept the humanity that small businesses have – we haven’t become too monolithic.

I remember setting up the German office and actually having to go to a furniture store to buy the desks and chairs. We did pay extra to have someone put them together though, which was really pushing the boat out in those days.

To pick a standout achievement for the PlayStation business over the last 15 years… that’s a good question and I honestly couldn’t pick one out. There are so many things that have been outstanding and that is not a word that I ever use lightly. I’m incredibly proud of what has been achieved over a sustained period of time.

My reason for joining the company back then was simple: I needed a job. Back then we weren’t called Sony Computer Entertainment, we were called Sony Electronic Publishing Ltd. and PlayStation was still clouded in secrecy.

It was only after I had been working for a few months that the mist around this project called PlayStation started to clear and we started to realise that it was something quite special.

Outside of work, I’m passionate about good novels, fine wine and Newcastle United. I’m a huge fan of Charles Dickens and I’ve just finished Barnaby Rudge, which was the only one I hadn’t read yet. The first half was hugely disappointing but it redeemed itself in the second half.

The gamescom press conference will be my first keynote and anyone that doesn’t profess to being apprehensive about standing in front of a thousand journalists would be lying. But, over the years, I’ve done quite a lot of public speaking and a great deal of preparation so I’m sure it will go well.

The future of SCEE is looking very good. We’ve introduced new products such as PlayStation Move and we have a network offering that is growing more confident by the month. We have PS Vita coming and fantastic software as far as the eye can see – it would be a foolish man that wasn’t confident about these prospects.

the_ghost__NL: what can we do in the co-op mode?

Co-op Mode enables you to play through a single season alongside a friend. Imagine the single-player experience (minus the paddock) with your friend as team-mate. It brings an entirely new dimension to Practice, Qualifying and Race sessions… can you win the Constructor’s together?

Tom_Sheldon: Is the co-op championship available online or just split-screen only?

Co-op is only available Online. Elements of it are too complex system for Split-Screen

mylandro_: Will the ability to save more than four or five car setups at a time be added – perhaps one dry/wet per track?

The save system is the same as 2010 but the Quick Car Setup allows Dry-Adaptable-Wet bias.

jamespurdy: Will F1 2011 include safety cars?

I’m never asked this question! What I can tell you is that it will never include a number of Safety Cars.

Scorpion760: Will engineers and pit crew change depending on which team you are driving for this time?

Yes, the team personnel now change when you switch teams.

mylandro_: How has KERS been implemented and how does it impact gameplay – specifically in local/online multiplayer games?

KERS does exactly what it says on the tin – it’s true to real life. So what you see the drivers doing on TV you can do in-game. I tend to save KERS when being chased in a race so that I can try and counter the chasing driver’s use of DRS.

mylandro_: Are there any other new modes added to this year’s game, such as a Spectator Mode to sim races or saved replays?

Yes, we’ve new modes like Co-op Championship which enables you and a friend to play out a season as team-mates versus the AI. We’ve also new modes in Time Attack, Split-Screen, Spectator Mode… plenty of new things to enjoy!

Scorpion760: Can you please put in all the full rules for longer races, like safety cars? Or at least have the option to turn them on or off?

Safety Car? Never heard of it.

AndyDYoung: Will F1 2011 feature the podium?

We considered the podium but that’s been done to death in Formula One games so, for this year, we’ve included Parc Ferme which is more immediate and personal.

JonHamley: Are we able to design our own helmets or are they preset?

You can’t design your own helmets this year (might add this when it would be seen more often) but we have dropped the nationality helmet designers in favour of original creations.

BlaZeeexD: Can you find out just how the Career mode has been changed/reworked: interviews, contracts etc?

I can find out for you! Quite a lot of the fundamental systems have been reworked to eradicate some of the things people didn’t like last year. It works far better now and is much more enjoyable.

justingt5: Is there going to be more comprehensive timing info than in F1 2010?

Yes, timing is key in Formula One and the 2011 game reflects this. Biggest change is the On-Screen Display; it’s a million times better this year.

HurricaneHaines: Sirs, Will we get to view other cars when we have completed a race, rather than staring at a static leaderboard?

Yes, you can now view the cars as you wait via the all-new Spectator Mode!

FakeJensButton: Is the KERS battery red?

Once it was green, now it’s red

Muerte75: What improvements have been made to the AI?

This year a new system has been put in place to enable the AI to consider and act upon several things at once. Last year we had difficulties making the AI competitive on the hardest difficulty but this year… well… they are fast!

mickeycarty: Could we have the Official FIA intro like here http://t.co/gDgV1hl in the game?

Unfortunately, that is not in this year’s game but one for the future if they allow it!

AshWoody90: This time, is there going to be the facility to save the game midway through a race?

There is no mid-race saves in 2011 but with the all new handling you will go so much faster, you’ll not want to save!

FakeJensButton: KERS malfunctions in the game?

Yes, KERS, DRS and other elements can malfunction.

JourneyTH: Will the co-op campaign be only a season long or will the amount of seasons be adjustable?

It’s a single season, which can be quite a long time if you factor in Practice and Qualifying.

theFakeVettel: Will my pointy finger make an appearance on the game?

We’re sending a free copy to Vettel so you’ll be able to find out soon enough.

F1archives: Will there be retro F1 DLC?

This is something we desperately want to include but I’m sure you can imagine it’s a bit of a licensing nightmare. We’re working on it.

MattMarquard: Has the crash damage improved? And if it’s not in this game, proper deforming tyre barriers would be cool. Almost like in Grid.

We’re balancing the damage so the cars are more fragile but as for an overhaul of the damage system, we’d like to, but feel there are bigger things to tackle first.

Liffonmelsmork: Have the long waits in the pits been fixed?

Yes, fixed! Entirely new pit system was implemented after we reviewed last years work.

Stormcat13: In what detail has the dynamic weather been improved?

The visuals better match the actual track conditions. An amazing sky system has been included so you can see the weather coming in and changing conditions. It does often look beautiful!

harrytulloch: Apart from 24 cars online, what other new features will there be for online racing

The Race Engineer is now available online so you’re not left in the dark like you were last year. Co-Op Championship enables you to play with a friend through a season as team-mates. Spectator Mode means you’re not left staring at results waiting for others to finish.

Kandol20: When loading a race, could the chain (Fleetwood Mac) be heard as opposed to a generic tune?

We’ve looked into this but there are issues around it. I’d like to see it included… one day!

Stormcat13: Did you fix the 3rd sector time on the display when in the garage? All other drivers came up but not the player. Major problem!

Yes, this was fixed

Scorpion760: Will there be a system similar to ‘Autolog’ that will let you challenge friends to lap times etc, to enhance Multiplayer?

There is something similar, built around challenging friends.

clarkbatfan: Have you got a new penalty system?

Yes! And a new designer to look after this system! It’s very complex but an improvement over ’10.

adrianhui: Will drivers get control of the car in the pit lane or is it still fixed path.

You can opt to have more control or leave it on automatic.

MickyFer: In the game will there be the audible ‘beep’ that an F1 driver gets through their headset when a gear-shift is required?

No, as this isn’t needed in the game as you can easily hear the engine and see the on-screen indicators. Besides, it’d become annoying and interfere with the beep we use for DRS availability in races.

Damocool: Will the game focus on maintaining tyre and brake temperatures?

Yes, temperature management is more of a concern for players running simulation options this year.

Damocool: Will cars on an out-lap move when I’m on a hot-lap?

Yes, they get out of your way and generally lap slower when cruising.

chuckcb: Will we be able to use all parameter changes F1 drivers use? Brake Balance/KERS/DRS/Revs/Diff on track? Tyre PSIs?

You can use some of the elements we deem to be useful to the current game and in the media spotlight.

Woodsy921: Have the mirrors been fixed, can you see anything behind you?

The mirrors are so small I don’t think they will ever be amazingly helpful – we have new on-screen indicators to help you locate chasing drivers.

RedBullRacer: Can I toggle the ghost on and off in Time Trial mode?

Yes! You can finally do this

JB59HD: Will the cars have different engine sounds for each team? And will the pop and crackle of the off throttle exhausts be simulated?

Each engine manufacturer has its own engine sound. Off-throttle audio is not included.

MrTaffyMann: Will we be able upload clips to Youtube like in Dirt 3? Also, can they be longer than 30 seconds and be a montage of select clips?

No, this system does not feature in 2011 but I’d like to include it in the future.

MattyyyNewman: Team orders in Career mode & (or) Co-Op mode?

No, it’s a complex field that and one we want to get right if we are to include it.

JB59HD: Will you be able to see damage on your tyres when you flatspot them? And more so than in 2010, will slicks be useless in wet conditions?

Flatspotting is not in 2011 but the tyre compounds and their optimum conditions have been completely altered. You cannot get around a soaking wet track on slicks!

JB59HD: Any future plans to have more customisation of your Career Mode character? Such as fitness, personality and driving style?

No, because you’re driving the car, not a character you’ve created.

JB59HD: have you fixed the AI in qualifying so that the cars on track are not just for show but actually do real lap times?

Yes, all the AI cars set proper times in all sessions now.

EricZehnder: Has pit release been made more realistic (i.e. don’t need gigantic gaps between cars to be considered safe)?

Yes, with an entirely new system you can forget getting stuck in the pits like last year. The pit-crew won’t let you out in dangerous conditions though!

NeoBazza87: Will you include a Spectator Option Online after u crash out or finish the race early like the DiRT series? Badly needed IMHO.

Yes, Spectator Mode is included this year.

JB59HD: In Career mode will Kobayashi eventually get into a better team and win the championship? If not, why not?! He is awesome!

The terms of the license prevent driver moves.

DJrocks569: Has the penalty system for online MP races been refined to stop those using the car in front as a brake in corners?

Yes, the penalty system has been completely overhauled and it’s much better than the one found in 2010.

F1archives: One more! Why can’t we view the car in the pits from any camera (trackside included)?

For technical reasons

TorethSOE: Are there be plans for a full career mode including driver transfers and new drivers? Possibly a team management mode for 2012?

Driver transfers are not allowed by the license but I am interested in team management… in fact we’ve loads of ideas for that…

Frazzledrew: Will DRS be automatic or manually controlled?

Manually controlled of course! You can’t really make it automatic in Qualifying – we might spin you out!

Blairy20: Are we able to attack the kerbs this time around? F1 2010 spun you around way too much!

The kerbs will now be your best friend… yes; you can attack them in 2011 now the all new suspension system is in place.

Agamer2006: Are there any plans for cross play between the PS3 and PS Vita versions in the future?

In the future everything is possible.

f1vgfan: Will breaking assist be in the game?

Yes, braking assist is available.

3l3CTRONICA: Will you be able to put Lewis Hamilton in a Red Bull?

No, driver transfers are prohibited by the license (unfortunately)

top_shell: Do you plan to have visibility options for players with red-green colour blindness?

The Dynamic Racing Line has a 3D option to overcome this issue. In time we’ll look to do even more – it’s important to us.

About the Game

Beat Hazard Ultra is a twin stick arcade shooter that is entirely powered by YOUR music! Just copy some music on to your PS3 hard drive, or use the built in songs choose a track, and be dazzled by the eye-bleeding visuals and enjoy blasting away enemy ships to the sound of your favourite pumping tunes.

Everything you see in the game is dictated by the music in some way, from the firepower of your ship to the number and patterns of enemies coming at you. Each track produces a unique (but, most importantly, repeatable) level.

In addition to Standard play, Ultra has plenty of cool gameplay features to keep you busy, including Boss Rush and Survival modes, 23 perks to unlock and 42 in-game challenges that award 14 trophies. There are also three awesome tactical weapons: Micro Missiles, Reflect Shield and Ultra Beam to unlock & upgrade, turning you into a mean music-driven badass.

Beat Hazard Ultra is designed to be a real ‘in yo face’ experience. It doesn’t pull any punches as the visuals pump and pulse to the music. However, you’ll be glad to know you can turn this down if you need too. But if you’re in the party mood you can turn the visuals up to 200% for the most intense action you can get.

And if you’re feeling like a challenge, you can jump online and play either co-op or head to head. Online play is crazy! Watching two powered up ships on Suicidal mode with 200% visuals is completely mental.

About me and the Development for PS3

This game was written from scratch by just me, in my bedroom. I started writing games when I was 14 back in the 8-bit days. After graduating from university, I spent 15 years working as a designer and programmer for bigger studios such as D.I.D, Rage Games and, most recently, Juice Games and THQ. Although I enjoyed working with the big guys I always wanted to go back to bedroom coding and working for myself. I got the push I needed to go Indie two years ago when I was made redundant. That was when Beat Hazard was born and, due to its success, I’ve not looked back since.

I’ve always been a massive PlayStation fanboy (I even had a Net Yaroze back in the day, anyone remember that?). I was ecstatic when Sony approved Beat Hazard Ultra for release on PSN last year. Once I’d finished jumping around and started to think of the challenge ahead, I suddenly realised I might have bitten off more than I could chew. Attempting to write a console game from scratch is a huge challenge and I knew I had a lot of work ahead.

And a massive challenge it was! However, as with any big project, I just broke it down and took it a day at a time. With the help of the awesome support guys at Sony, six months later here it is – Beat Hazard Ultra running on the PS3! I can’t tell you how rewarding that feels!

In that time I’ve learnt many new skills, from writing a renderer on the PS3, to coding a Digital Signal Processor which runs asynchronously on the PlayStation SPUs and is used to analyse the music in real time.

I get many emails from budding game designers and programmers asking about going Indie. Well here you go – even one guy can write a game for PSN, and it’s all there for you if you have the time and dedication to go for it. I hope Beat Hazard inspires more Indie guys out there.

Beat Hazard Ultra should be out this September. I really hope you enjoy the game.

I’ll be hanging out here on the blog to answer any question about Ultra or its development process. You can also email me here, or follow me on Twitter here. Join the Ultra facebook fan page here or check out my website here.

Until now. In Rey‘s lovingly produced video feature, Levine touches on the origins of Songbird, the enigmatic guardian of Columbia who jealously seeks ownership of a supernaturally gifted girl named Elizabeth. “There’s a lot of mystery around Songbird, and I think people will be surprised by his relationship with Elizabeth — it’s a complicated relationship that has elements of light and elements of darkness.” He also muses on the PlayStation Move motion controller and Killzone 3‘s much-praised FPS implementation, as well as PS3 gaming as a whole. “I think the platform is really hitting its stride right now,” he told me. “The exclusives have been great and it’s been a really interesting platform to watch develop.”

PlayStation.Blog: How is work proceeding with the PS3 version of BioShock Infinite?

Ken Levine, President and Creative Director, Irrational Games: Look, I’m not blowing smoke here. We were Xbox-exclusive for the original game, and now we have something to demonstrate to the PlayStation 3 audience. We love the platform. I have three PS3s at my house. It’s a great game system and I love the kinds of games that are coming out on PSN.

The PS3 has a different architecture than we had encountered before, but because we helped port BioShock to the PS3, we’ve become very familiar with the platform. And we have a new engine for BioShock Infinite, so we started the game knowing we’d be on PS3. We started thinking about how to leverage the multiple cores from the start, so we’re in a much better place this time on PS3.

PSB: Are you working anything into BioShock Infinite that you wanted to include in the original game but couldn’t?

Levine: Combat, for one. In the original BioShock, we gave people this huge tool set but never demanded that they use it. We want to expand the player’s gaming vocabulary — I think that’s one missed opportunity with the original BioShock.

So now we have these traditional BioShock spaces, but also big, expansive areas where enemies are hundreds of yards away. You’re fighting one guy, or 15 guys, so crowd control becomes meaningful. Long-range weapons like sniper rifles become very meaningful.

PSB: What’s been the most challenging aspect of creating BioShock Infinite?

Levine:With this game we got behind this idea of building this relationship between Booker and Elizabeth. We’re really focused on a relationship that is earned, a relationship that is believable. Our focus is, what forms a bond between two people? Making sacrifices for each other — that will build a relationship very quickly. Not just, “these two people are drawn together because they’re attractive.” The same way that in BioShock, I didn’t want Atlas to betray the character so much as the gamer. When Andrew Ryan tells you that you’ve been manipulated the whole time, you think, “Screw you, man!” In the same way, I want the player to build this relationship with Elizabeth in BioShock Infinite. That’s the challenge of what we’re doing.

PSB: Replayability is a major concern for single-player-focused games. Have you been thinking about ways to encourage replay, maybe a New Game Plus mode? Is that up for debate?

Levine: I’ll just say that yes, we do think a lot about this topic. I can’t talk about what we’re thinking specifically. If we’re going to do it, we want to find a BioShock way to do it. People will see more as time goes on.

PSB: Are you intrigued about any gaming applications for stereoscopic 3D?

Levine: For me, it’s all about having something interesting to say with it. I’m never interested in technology in terms of checking a box. We didn’t do multiplayer for BioShock because we thought we would be checking a box if we did. Anything we do has to be unique, interesting, and be appropriate for the game.

So we’re thinking about that stuff now. So if we have that, then that’s a road we may go down.

PSB: What’s your secret for building mystique and mystery in a game like BioShock Infinite?

Levine: I think it’s an issue of detail, of the creators not being satisfied until they really understand their worlds, which takes time to develop. Some creators carry these things in their heads for a long time, or have had a lot of time to make a lot of mistakes.

It’s about consistency, having a consistent aesthetic. It’s difficult. It requires that you not be satisfied with any old thing. It’s the difference between some guy making a crappy action film versus the Coen brothers. They care about the details, they care about the consistency from frame to frame. Each Coen brothers movie feels like a full world. Look at A Serious Man versus True Grit versus Miller’s Crossing. They’re such different worlds, but they’re so rich. There’s no magic formula: It comes down to sweating all the details.

PSB: Based on your Tweets, you’re pretty positive on PS Vita. What do you like about the concept?

Levine: I’m a gamer, right? I like playing games on iPad… but deep down I want that level of control. What’s cool about PS Vita is that it seems to have all the benefits of an iPad-type device with the touchscreen and motion controls. But it has dual analog sticks….and I love shooters. You can finally play a shooter, a real shooter, on a handheld. Seriously, that’s a hole in my soul right now. Now I’ll have something I can play real shooters on, and that’s really important to me. It’s awesome.

I Tweeted a while ago that it did everything but make me an omelet. It sort of has everything and the kitchen sink in it, which is great as a gamer.

PSB: Andrew Ryan thought free enterprise was the solution to the world’s problems; the citizens of Columbia seem to think it’s purity. What does Ken Levine think?

Levine: [laughs] I don’t like to say what I think. It would just get in the way of what the games are saying. I love that some people play BioShock and think that I’m an Objectivist, or that I’m a rabid anti-capitalist. I don’t really Tweet much about politics, not because I don’t have opinions but because we make games that touch on politics.

If you’ve played the games, I think you can probably suss where I’m at. We tend to make games about characters caught between larger forces. They’re just trying to get by, and they’re surrounded by ideologies and incredibly powerful people. I think a lot of people feel that way. I sure do. I have strong feelings about this or that…but the only thing, politically, that I come out about is gay marriage, which I feel so strongly about. People should be able to marry who the hell they want, and it affects so many people that I care about. I’d rather not have a career than not talk about that.

In general, I get very nervous when people are absolutely certain about anything.

PSB: Are you looking forward to UNCHARTED 3? Are you a fan of the series?

Levine: Yeah, of course! How can you not be an UNCHARTED fan? They’ve managed to make characters that are so appealing, you just love being around them. There aren’t a lot of interesting characters in video games, and that’s why Amy and Evan and their team are so good at what they do. The technology is so competent, the controls feel responsive, the characters are great…how can you not love UNCHARTED?

We wanted to make the game as accessible as possible, just let players play, harkening back to the ‘old school’ days of gaming. You should be able to play alone, call a buddy over and play locally or jump online and find a party of adventurers to group with. There are definitely development issues with balancing and performance having a downloadable game that is fully featured but we felt strongly about the usability of the game. Besides, isn’t that what D&D is about, freedom of play?

It was also important to us that the player has a persistent character without restrictions that he/she can continually develop whether they were playing alone or with others. No playing as a “henchman” or sidekick; the XP you get is yours, the loot you grab you keep. Much like the pen and paper D&D game, your character is yours to do whatever you want with. We started going through all of the D&D materials we can get our hands on and we set up a few pen and paper campaigns in the studio. We looked at D&D’s current rule set as well as older ones and found that the 4th edition rule lends itself closer to video gaming than any other. We chose to use the 4th edition rules as a starting point for all of our systems. The first task was then to re-create the system digitally. Although it is a huge task to take the rule set and re-make it for a video game, that was not the biggest challenge. The bigger challenge was to take the system and tune, tweak and re-design it to support an action RPG title.

For the action component, the “moment to moment” gameplay, needed to be fun and as with any action title out there worth their weight that means making the action satisfying. We started at the root. 1 player, 1 enemy. First is making the hit and react, then make that satisfying. Then we boarded out with multiple ranges with multiple attack types (swords, arrows, spells, etc.) After that comes the real fun – hordes and multiplayer.

One of the biggest part of the D&D experience is character development. So we started laying out the 4th edition rules against the overall playtime we were going to have. Very early on we decided to concentrate on the first 10 levels of the 30 level characters within the rule set. Pen and paper campaign can take a long time to play through and even though “time” is accelerated in a video game, we need to have a good character development curve to pace out all the abilities and powers that a player would earn. This was by far the longest part of the gameplay development process – the balancing. These RPG systems all rely on the moment to moment action components to determine what the frequency of XP acquisition is through the DPS (damage per second) so that a proper flow to the action/RPG experience can be set.

The other big part of the role playing experience is the narrative. The narrative is arguably the most important part of the pen and paper experience and it is equally important here. It is the context to your actions, the “why?” As with any great fantasy story we needed a great villain. This villain needed to be hated by the player motivating them to continue on, yet cool in his/her ruthlessness. Someone you wanted to face and best. And thus, Rezlus, the High Cleric of the Zhentarim was born. With Rezlus comes his… wait for it… evil plan to conquer the Dalelands and specifically, Daggerdale. The history of Daggerdale and the Zhentarim black network was a perfect backdrop for the game. Rezlus’ plan plays on the events of Daggerdale’s bloody past that fans of D&D will surely recognize.

So we have fun and satisfying action, a deep robust role playing system plus a good story. Now comes the hard part, making them work seamlessly together throughout the entire play experience…

We’re excited to introduce a new PlayStation Network event: PLAY. PLAY is a brand-new annual program, where we’re bringing you four of the season’s hottest PlayStation Network action titles. With every purchase of a PLAY title in PlayStation Store throughout the duration of the program (which ends on 20 September 2011), you’ll receive a separate piece of DLC for each game, plus a new theme with every pre-order (pre-orders will be available for a limited period prior to release of the game, see details below). If these incentives aren’t enough, if you purchase all four PLAY titles in PlayStation Store by 20 September 2011, you’ll get a PSN voucher code for PayDay: The Heist as a bonus gift. And, PlayStation Plus subscribers will get an automatic 20% off every purchase of a PLAY title if they purchase them by 20 September 2011.

Pre-orders will be available for all four PLAY titles starting next week on August 10 in PlayStation Store. Remember, in order to qualify to receive PayDay: The Heist as a bonus gift, your purchases must be made by September 20, 2011.

Participating countries only. Age restrictions and other terms and conditions apply. Full details will be available on eu.playstation.com/legal from 10 August 2011.PlayStation Network PLAY is going to be an annual program.

Here is the 2011 line-up:

August 24: The PLAY program kicks off with Capcom’s highly-anticipated Street Fighter III Third Strike Online Edition, available to pre-order until 18 August, 2011. This action-fighting title features 20 playable characters, HD graphics, more than 200 pieces of unlockable content, more than 100 trials and more than 100 challenges When Street Fighter III Third Strike Online Edition is purchased through PLAY, purchasers will be able to unlock GILL, the self-proclaimed god, without having to beat the game with every character, as day-one DLC. All pre-orders will also receive a Capcom-produced theme. Street Fighter III Third Strike Online Edition will be €14.99 and is rated PEGI 12+.

August 31: Hothead Studios’ The Baconing will be available to pre-order until 25 August 2011. This action-RPG title is the third in the popular DeathSpank series. Attempt to defeat the Anti-Spank and his army of Cyborques, before they cast an evil shadow over Spanktopia. Discover exciting new worlds and battle hordes of enemies as you search to unlock the secret within the Fires of Bacon. When The Baconing is purchased through PLAY, purchasers will receive an additional co-op character, Roesha – One Bad Mutha. All pre-orders will also receive a static theme, exclusive to PLAY. The Baconing will be €12.99 and is rated PEGI 12+.

September 7: Majesco Entertainment‘s BloodRayne: Betrayal will be available to pre-order until 1 September 2011. This 2D side-scrolling platformer features 15 bloodthirsty levels where Rayne attempts to infiltrate a treacherous castle, take out a fiendish horde and stop an evil vampire massacre. When BloodRayne: Betrayal is purchased through PLAY, purchasers will receive a BloodRayne: Betrayal virtual item for their PlayStation Home avatar and an exclusive dynamic theme. In addition, all pre-orders will also receive a static theme exclusive to PLAY. BloodRayne: Betrayal will be €12.99 and is rated PEGI 16+.

September 14: The SEGA title Renegade Ops will be available to pre-order until 8 September 2011.This top-down, driving shooter from SEGA features a huge variety of vehicles, guns and endless enemies. The game features Sandbox-style missions, so there are many different ways to play. When Renegade Ops is purchased through PLAY, purchasers will receive a Vehicle & Character Pack with two new vehicles and special weapons. All pre-orders will also receive a static theme, exclusive to PLAY. Renegade Ops will be €12.99 and is rated PEGI 12+.

Bonus gift: PayDay: The Heist. This gritty, first-person shooter from Sony Online Entertainment lets players take on the role of a hardened career criminal executing intense, dynamic heists in constant pursuit of the next “big score.” A PSN voucher code for PayDay: The Heist will be provided to buyers of all four PLAY titles as a bonus gift if they make their purchases by 20 September 2011. The game releases on 5 October 2011. The game can also be pre-ordered separately from 21 September 2 2011 until 29 September 2011, and all pre-orders will receive a static theme.

What gamer doesn’t want to get more action? Get ready because PlayStation Network PLAY pre-orders start next Wednesday, August 10.