Christmas is awesome. No doubts there! But spare a thought for our moderation team who, like mad little elves, furiously work all the way through the holiday season. They’ve decided that the best way to get through the long days is to… well… shoot the socks off of you lot!

Here’s a message from community moderator Yaster to tell you all about it

Hello everyone out there in Blog reading land!

I’m Yaster and I’m here to tell you about a great event we have scheduled for Boxing Day over on the Official PlayStation Community. In order to celebrate what has been a great year for PlayStation 3 games, We’re planning a MAMMOTH session on Killzone 2!

I’m going to be hosting an 8 and a half hour long Warzone game on Boxing Day, ideal for nursing those hangovers from the Xmas festivities or even those who’ve been given the game for Christmas.

All you need to take part is to load up the Warzone on Killzone 2 between 10am and 6.30pm (GMT) on the 26th of December, find the game entitled “BOXINDAYKILLZONE”, input the password (found on our forums here) and join in with the fun!

Oh, and I have WAY too many goodies, come along – and you might just grab them

See you on the battlefield!

Yaster

So – get involved. I’ll try and drop in too, in between mince pies and throwing balls of wrapping paper at my cat

Chat soon -
MB

I was recently asked to contribute to a new volume in Ballistic Publishing’s line of digital artist master class books, titled d’artiste: Character Modeling 3. The request surprised me a little at first, because I’m not a character artist myself; I’m a director of character artists. As my job title implies, I direct other artists in the creation of assets for the Killzone franchise, making sure their output is consistent with the gritty, ‘hard sci-fi’ look for which our games are known.

However, I soon realized this would be a good opportunity to share my unique vantage point overlooking the entire character creation pipeline at Guerrilla. The resulting chapter has become a rather comprehensive overview of the character creation process used for Killzone 2. Taking Rico Velasquez and the Helghast Sniper as examples, the book walks the reader through every step of their development – starting with the rough initial ideas, and ending with their finalized in-game models. Along the way, various tools and techniques used at Guerrilla are explained in detail.

In addition to the chapter on Killzone 2, d’artiste: Character Modeling 3 also covers the works of Giovanni Nakpil and Cesar Dacol Jr., both renowned character modelers for major Hollywood productions such as Pirates of the Caribbean and 300. Their contributions to the book are nothing short of breathtaking, and I was extremely honored to see my name featured on the cover alongside theirs.

In short, if you’re a budding character artist or just a hardcore Killzone fan who’d like to know how characters are created at Guerrilla, d’artiste: Character Modeling 3 is a book worth tracking down. It’s the sort of resource I wish I’d had when I just started my career in the games industry. You can preview the entire book on the Ballistic Publishing website, or purchase it from their store in both limited and slipcased editions.

Publishing Information
ISBN #: Limited Edition: 978-1-921002-66-3 / Slip cased: 978-1-921002-67-0
Pages: 208 pages (Slipcased) / 208 pages (Limited Edition)
Authors: Cesar Dacol Jr, Jan-Bart van Beek, Giovanni Nakpil
Publishers: Daniel Wade, Mark Snoswell

It has been a exciting week at Guerrilla Games with the release of the third DLC map pack “Napalm & Cordite”, the release of patch 1.29, the latest update to www.killzone.com, the announcement of the “Map Pack Bundle” and the opening of “Our World” an art exhibition here in the Netherlands based around the visually creative process of making the Killzone 2 universe and those that inhabit it.

So to celebrate all this we have decided to give back to the folks who have supported us through thick and thin since the release of Killzone 2: You. The most attractive and charismatic fans any video-game can have. (Yes, flattery won’t get me anywhere) And what better way to thank ones loyal fans than with POINTS!

This weekend from Friday at 17:30 GMT till Monday morning at 09:00, any games created will give extra XP points to let you guys rank up quicker and unlock those Badges and climb up the Leaderboard.

That way you get more bang for your buck, more meat on your sandwich, more points for your prizes, more sauce on your fries, more … okay I think you get it.

A Win will earn you a 2.5 multiplier and a Loss will still grant you the normal multiplier for a Win: 1.5. This applies only to individual points, not Clan Valor and will be available in all regions during this time.

We hope all those coming new to Killzone 2 and the veterans alike will take part in this celebration and make sure to keep an eye out for people with [GG] in front of their handles. We’ll be rocking the new DLC this weekend too.

Tomorrow our third DLC “Napalm & Cordite” will be released, allowing you to nail or toast your enemies with the addition of the Boltgun and Flamethrower. For those of you that might have only just picked up Killzone 2, or have not jumped on the DLC wagon yet, we’ve got an announcement to make.

Also going live tomorrow is a Bundle of map packs Steel & Titanium, Flash & Thunder and Napalm & Cordite combined. And we are calling it the ‘Map Pack Bundle’, original I know, but it does what it says on the lid.

So enjoy all the destruction and beauty of Killzone 2 Multiplayer DLC with these 6 great maps.

Seb, MotherH, Downie

Napalm: The VC1 Flamethrower
Found in the Suljeva Cliffside map, the VC1 Flamethrower projects an ignited stream of flammable liquid at high pressure. Consisting of low-octane gasoline and an unidentified component indigenous to Helghan, this form of Napalm is extremely effective for clearing out enemy trenches and bunkers.

Cordite: The Boltgun 4400
Also known as “The Handyman”, the semi-automatic Boltgun 4400 can be picked up in the Arctower Landing map. It uses Cordite to propel metal bolts at an extremely high velocity, often pinning its targets to walls and other objects. In addition, each round contains a time-delayed explosive charge – so if impalement doesn’t finish the target off, the ensuing explosion will.

Napalm & Cordite – an explosive cocktail
Both of these weapons radically alter the Killzone 2 multiplayer dynamic, delivering an experience that’s as fresh as it is intense. If you’re a veteran Killzone 2 online player looking to mix it up, or if you simply liked wielding these weapons in the single player campaign, Napalm & Cordite is your ticket. Look for it in the PlayStation Store from July 23!

For more information visit Killzone.com

As with any good DLC, it needs a great patch. We’ve been scouring the forums, stopping and interrogating you in the streets and using futuristic mind-reading technology* to find out what you wanted changed in Killzone 2 and have done our best to try and accommodate that with our patches. So it is time for the latest and greatest update to come to Killzone 2, imaginatively titled: Patch 1.28. (How we come up with these snappy names I’ll never know)

So without further ado, here is the official press-release with the list of new features and fixes for you to go through and discuss further. I’ll be hanging around the comments section for a wee while, so feel free to ask any questions you might have regarding the below, or anything Killzone related.

Over and out. Seb “MotherH” Downie

*Futuristic technology comprising mainly of some rope, a hammer and some knee-caps.

On Tuesday, June 14th 2009 at 8AM Greenwich Mean Time, Guerrilla Games will release the 10th update for the visceral shooter, Killzone 2.

Patch 1.28 will be 91MB in size (316MB for Asian release) and will be released worldwide simultaneously pending a server update. There will be an anticipated server down-time of about 2 hours while the patch is rolled out and the server updates are completed and tested. The following fixes and features are included in this latest release:

• Feature - Code support for DLC pack III “Napalm & Cordite”. The update will enable players to create games with the newest maps “Suljeva Cliffside” and “Arctower Landing”
• Feature - Code support for DLC to allow the additions of the Flamethrower and the Boltgun to multiplayer.
• Trophies – New trophies added for DLC pack III “Napalm and Cordite”.
• Feature - Detailed information screen when browsing games. Items displayed include: Friendly Fire, Faction Balancing, Custom Weapons and Custom Badges as well as the region, game size, selected maps and allowed Missions and Badges.

• Feature - Higher values for Bodycount mode. Players can now create games with 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 100 and 200 points to increase the time of the mode for 32 player games.
• Feature - Moderators can now create double-points events.
• Fix for persistent squads now working correctly when users using separate Japanese accounts join Friends.
• New loading screens.
• Moderation – Additional powers and functionality for online moderators.
• Fix for Clan Leader leaving his clan before an active Tournament of Clan Challenge.
• Fix for score replication on different clients.
• Fix for a Clan Challenge results displaying a won/lost games as a ‘Draw’.
• Fix for incorrect Tournament timings being displayed for (semi)-final.
• Fix for an empty message pop-up being displayed.
• ‘High Precision Mode’ now defaulting when requested.
• Fix for stuttering audio on the Asian version.
• Fix for network error displayed when trying to log in with another users account.
• Fix to reduce network traffic and improve performance.
• Fix for occasionally being displayed an empty background when ‘Join Friend’ via Communications tab.
• Exploit – Pyrrhus Rise map boundary fix.
• Exploit – Radec Academy collision fix to prevent players being revived inside a pillar and using it to their advantage.
• Cosmetic fix for Medic Gun visual effects.
• Cosmetic fix for Search & Retrieve object being cloaked by the Scout.
• Cosmetic fix for Scouts body remaining cloaked after being mortally wounded (i.e. headshot).
• Gameplay – Damage from Sentry bots tweaked back on request of the community.
• Collection of minor code fixes.

For the latest new content, news and all things Killzone, visit www.Killzone.com which will also reflect the changes made to the game such as being able to view Battle Replays of games played out on the new maps or being able to use the new settings to create Clan Challenges or Tournaments. Further features and fixes to www.Killzone.com include:

• Feature - Tournaments – Full tournament functionality enabled once again.
• Feature - Upcoming Tournaments are now displayed in a clan’s calendar.
• Feature - Upcoming Tournaments are now displayed in My Killzone upcoming events.
• Feature - Upcoming Tournaments are now displayed in clan communication center.
• Feature - Tournament and Clan Challenge support for DLC Pack III “Napalm & Cordite”.
• Feature - Additions of sounds in Battle Replays.
• Feature - Additional animations in Battle Replays.
• PlayStation®3 landing page updated.
• Higher selectable Bodycount values when creating Tournaments or Clan Challenges via www.Killzone.com.
• Various bug-fixes and minor updates.

Firstly, the magnificent Killzone 2 Visari Throne Room will be available from the Shopping Centre as of tomorrow morning. To celebrate the launch of this great personal space, we’re giving you the chance to get hold of an exclusive Killzone 2 PS Home Reward – the Visari plant & container. This exclusive item will look great in your new Visari Palace Throne Room, (or Harbour Studio at a push…) just bear in mind it takes up quite a lot of space…!

The Visari plant and container PS Home Reward

To get hold of this rare item simply keep an eye on the EU blog over the next couple of days. We will publish a promotion code, as a comment within this article, which you will need to redeem; (T’s & C’s apply – click here) but you’ll have to be quick; the promotion code will be valid for one week only!

Update: The promotion code is now in the comments below as promised, but it’s becoming rather tricky to find it! So, to make things simpler, here it is, to save you hunting through lots of comment pages:

J7BH-C4BR-2RTN.

To redeem the code, go into the PlayStation Store and select the [Redeem Codes] icon from the [Store Top], then just follow the onscreen instructions – the plant will be in your inventory when you log back into PS Home.

In addition to the Visari Throne Room, this week you will also be able to get your hands on an exclusive Helghast Tacticians outfit (for both male and female avatars), some fantastic Killzone t-shirts, as well as a variety of furniture items to kit out the Visari Throne Room – check out the screenshots below.

There will also be a second limited edition promotion code available on Killzone.com which will unlock another exclusive item for the Visari Throne Room. I won’t give too much away here, however be sure to keep an eye out Killzone.com, since no Visari Palace would be complete without one of these rare items…

In addition to the Killzone news above, you’ll be very pleased to hear that we also have the SOCOM Tactical Operations Centre launching in the SCEE region tomorrow. Great for all you SOCOM fans, check out the post here for more info on this new space.

And last, (but by no means least!) we will also be launching the fantastic inFamous ‘Abandoned Docks of Empire City’ space tomorrow morning (including the great Reaper Shock mini-game). Here’s what SCEA’s blog team had to say about this great new addition:

“The Abandoned Docks of Empire City marks a first for Home in that it will broadcast exclusive media developed by Sucker Punch specifically for the hardcore inFamous fans. We also managed to squeeze a mini-game into the space – a scrolling shooter-type button masher called Reaper Shock that lets the community compete for high scores on the built-in global leaderboard (and rewards the most highly-skilled with some rad reward items to decorate your avatar and your personal space with).”

I’ll be around for a while so if you have any questions about any of the above, blog away – otherwise, be sure to keep an eye out for that Killzone promo code

Best
Elliott / iELL

Have you ever peered out of the windows of your cosy Harbour Studio apartment and wished that the view was a little less… serene? Maybe you’ve stared down at the calm, sunlit marina and wondered what it would be like to overlook a burning, war-torn cityscape. Perhaps you feel that the clean, contemporary architecture of the Studio doesn’t quite possess the grandeur to match your megalomaniacal ego.

The Visari Throne Room apartment for PlayStation Home is just what you need. Based on the throne room inside Visari’s Palace from the final mission of Killzone 2, it combines the majestic proportions of Helghast architecture with the regal aesthetic of the Autarch himself. Tastefully lit by a hellish, alien sunset, it is guaranteed to impress and humble anyone you invite over for a chat.

Of course, no palatial chamber is complete without stately furnishings to match. For the Visari Throne Room, we’ve created five pieces of furniture based on actual palace furnishings from Killzone 2: two types of Visari-style chairs, an administrative desk, a plant container with authentic Helghan vegetation, and a freestanding painting which portrays an important moment in the colonial history of the Helghast. In Killzone 2 these were mostly used by Radec’s elite guard to barricade the palace hallways, but don’t let that stop you from arranging them however you like.

The Visari Throne Room and matching furniture are scheduled for release in the second half of June, with pricing TBD. Be sure to visit Killzone.com soon for a closer look at the new PlayStation Home content, including additional images of the throne room!