PlayStation 3 no fun to develop on? “Ha!” say Kane & Lynch devs IO Interactive, “HA” they say. While most teams working on cross platform games have moaned about how hard it is to make the PS3 versions, IO Interactive succeeded with no frame rate drops on the PS3 version. IO’s Morten Heiberg says:
It’s a new platform for us. It’s our first PS3 game. It’s a challenging platform to develop on, but it’s also one that has a lot of potential that’s just waiting to be unlocked as people get to know it better and as developers get more skilled at utilising the machine.
What a delightful attitude! There’s more of this uplifting story after the jump:
MotorStorm fans should be waking up any minute now to two downloadable surprises. One’s a server update (3.0) , which not only adds DualShock 3 support but also Sixaxis sensitivity settings. They’ve also made some changes to multiplayer races, with grid order for the first race randomised and subsequent races seeing the first-place winner go to last on the starting grid (and vice-versa). On the DLC side, there’s a new race ticket (with ten new races) and five new vehicles.
MotorStorm Devil’s Weekend [PlayStation.Blog]
See that tag right up there? That says “rumor,” so we don’t know how true this is. We’ve had no problems with our 60GB PLAYSTATION 3s, but apparently Belgian game retailer Games Mania claims that 40 percent of the new 40GB models have been returned because of hardware defects that result in the machine not being able to read discs. Forty percent? That’s a lot. Like we said, our 60GB models have been super solid, so we’re slightly hesitant to go jumping to conclusions. Anyone out there have problems with the new models? Hit us up in the comments section. That’s what it’s for.
Problemen met PS3 40GB? [Gamed via Gamer via Game|Life]
That right there is the Gamerator. As far as custom-built MAME cabinets go, it’s alright. Costs $US 2000 (OK, that bit’s NOT alright), comes pre-loaded with 180 games, plus it’s got the internal AV hookups to let you throw your PC or console inside as well. Not too shabby. The kicker comes in its “auxiliary” role. See, the thing also doubles as a keg. It’s got a tap and everything. Our Christmas wish list begins, and ends, right here.
PlayStation 2 RPG Persona 3 is getting its own TV anime spinoff. The show, called Persona -trinity soul-, takes place ten years after the game in a city where the dead have risen with their skins turned inside out. Yummy! The cartoon character designs are being created by the game’s character designer, so expect the to hopefully have that same Persona 3 look. Show starts this January in Japan.
P3 TV anime [Moon Phase via AnimeNewsNetwork]
So Shawn’s grand adventure draws to a close, and we find our hero…abandoned by his “uncle” and working as a drugs mule for a Mexican cocaine dealer. Oh dear. On the bright side, things should be better once he hits France. Sure he’s got “family” there that can help him out.
Get out those Pokémons, it’s time to learn kids! Nintendo of America has teamed up with The National Institute of Aerospace and Nortel LearniT to create an in-school science program that uses characters and themes from Pokémon Diamond & Pearl. Nintendo’s George Harrison says, “We’re honored to have our characters take what sometimes may seem like dry topics and help make them come alive for students.” Fair enough. The lesson plans are online, and here’s a sample:
In the Pokémon world, Palkia’s legendary ability to control space captures our imaginations. Similarly, in our world, comets have perplexed and amazed us for centuries.
M’kay. Is it me or does this seem tacked on? Master The Science [Official via GamesIndustry]
Anecdotal evidence? Sucks. While we’ve heard plenty about Super Mario Galaxy launching “quietly” and response being tepid, it seems that Wii gamers in Japan are still taken by the Italian plumber, especially when in a galactic setting. Mario’s first proper Wii adventure captured the number one spot on this week’s charts with a healthy quarter million sales. True, Ace Combat 6 for the Xbox 360 had a great week, boosting The Idolm@ster and Earth Defense Force 3 sales, both now part of the Platinum series.
For those keeping score, DS Nishimura Kyotaro Suspense Shin Tantei Series: Kyoto Atami Zekkai no Kotou – Satsui no Wana also saw a nice little bump in placement and weekly sales. For the rest of the stuff, check the jump. Media Create sales for October 29 to November 4 are below.
01. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) – 251,000 / NEW 02. Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (Xbox 360) – 77,000 / NEW 03. Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (DS) – 51,000 / 193,000 04. Super Robot Wars Scramble Commander The 2nd (PS2) – 21,000 / NEW 05. DS Bungaku Zenshuu (DS) – 18,000 / 72,000 06. DS Nishimura Kyotaro Suspense Shin Tantei Series: Kyoto Atami Zekkai no Kotou – Satsui no Wana (DS) – 18,000 / 115,000 07. Wii Sports (Wii) – 16,000 / 2,182,000 08. Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day (DS) – 15,000 / 676,000 09. World Soccer Winning Eleven DS Goal x Goal! (DS) – 15,000 / 44,000 10. Pokémon Mysterious Dungeon: Time Expedition Party (DS) – 14,000 / 552,000
Sure, Sony Computer Entertainment bossman Kaz Hirai isn’t happy with Home. But what does he think about Capcom’s Monster Hunter 3 totally ditching the PS3 for the Wii? That franchise is huge in Japan! According to Kaz,
It is my understanding that it is up to the game companies to make business decisions on which platform to release their titles. The series has helped in the success of PS2 and PSP. Capcom has plans to release Monster Hunter Portable 2G for the PSP in March ’08 [in Japan]so we hope to continue our partnership with the company.
You hope?! Kaz Interview [1Up]
Bungie have got chatty about two more Halo 3 maps you can expect to buy/download/play in the near future. Vandelay is a “blank canvas” kinda deal, crafted specifically for Forge players in the hopes it “could become a test bed for new ideas from both Bungie and the playerbase”. The other map discussed is Purple Reign, which is bowl-shaped and will also feature…ramps. When can we expect these maps? Who knows. That whole DLC-within-30-days thing went out the window a loooong time ago. Halo 3: new maps and modes revealed [CVG]