Havok in PS3 software development kits
Late
last week at Sony’s annual ‘PlayStation Meeting’ in Japan the
company said they have entered into agreement with the Dublin based
middleware provider Havok. The
deal sees Sony gaining sublicensing rights for Havok’s physics and
animation engines, with the middleware tools been incorporated in
PlayStation 3 Software Development Kit.
“Havok’s technology has been used by major developers all over the
world in more than a hundred games. Our agreement with SCEI opens the
door for all PS3 developers to use Havok to create spectacular game
worlds with incredibly realistic special effects and interactive game
characters”, commented David O’Meara, CEO of Havok.
Separately, Havok have middleware products that support all current
generation consoles, as well as the Xbox 360, and PC. As physics in
games started to substantially alter gameplay they attracted the
attention of gamers and the games media, Max Payne 2 (2003) — which
featured Havok physics — was one of the first to cause widespread
notice.
Recently the publishing giant Electronic Arts picked up what is seen as Havok’s main rival, RenderWare,
when they acquired the UK-based ‘Burnout 3′ developer Criterion. Unlike
Criterion who are a games developer as well as a middleware provider,
Havok are focused solely on middleware. The company has its roots in
the Department of Computer Science at Trinity College Dublin.
First Xbox 360 in Ireland?
Above is what
Microsoft says is the “first Xbox 360 games console in
Rowat. The 360 launches worldwide later this year, it is the first of the
so-called ‘next generation’ consoles. Meanwhile, Sony’s PlayStation 3 is set to
make its first appearance “Spring 2006″ - although it is thought this date will
not include
At the time of writing Microsoft had not replied to our questions
regarding whether what is pictured is a 360 console, or just its shell.
20,000 visit Sony’s tent
PlayStation Portable to feature at upcoming music events around the country
SCE Ireland has said more then 20,000 people have so far visited
their ‘PlayStation Dome’ tent. With 16 gaming pods, Sony pitched the
tent at the two-day Oxegen music festival two weeks ago, as well as the Killarney Summerfest, Coldplay, Destiny’s Child, Oasis, and Anastasia.
“Tekken 5, God of War, and GT4 have proved to be the most popular
games to date with SingStar emerging as major hit with female visitors”
stated Sony.
Leading up to the launch of the PlayStation Portable console on
Thursday September 1, the PSP will be shown off in the ‘PlayStation
Dome’ at three BudRising music
events - the Chemical Brothers (Fri 19 Aug, Marlay Park); Basement
Jaxx, and Underworld (Sat 20 Aug, Marlay Park); and at the Scissor
Sisters, Franz Ferdinand, and Maroon 5 (Wed 24 Aug, Lansdowne Road).
Shortly following the PSP’s launch the tent will move to Stradbally, Co Laois, for
‘the Electric Picnic‘
(Sat 3, Sun 4 Sept), and then to Slane Castle for Eminem, and 50 Cent
(17 Sept). The PSP launches in Europe nearly a year after Japan.
REVIEW: Forza Motorsport
Developer: Microsoft | Publisher: Microsoft | Format: Xbox
Reviewer: Craig Gallagher The
average gaming store shelves buckle under the pressure of a thousand
different racing sims. A few stands above the rest in a league of their
own, this elite club into which few may pass. Microsoft attempt to
penetrate this club with Forza Motorsport, the Xbox’s alleged answer
to Gran Turismo 4.
The game is any car nuts wet dream — photo-realistic graphics,
realistic driving, and a fleet of the best cars in the world. FMS is
one of the most realistic depiction of motor sport to grace any
console.
Once you get past the above the game falls flat. The racing lacks
excitement and this coupled with the lifelessness of the other drivers
results in gameplay which will bore anyone who doesn’t get off on car
magazines. Visually the game may be impressive but it feels too clean.
There’s no real sense of speed and the danger of driving at insane
speeds is nonexistent.
REVIEW: Unreal Championship
Developer: Digital Extremes | Publisher: Atari/Infograms | Format: Xbox
Reviewer: Craig Gallagher There’s
nothing better than shooting your best friend in the back of the head
and then watching his brain matter, spatter the walls. [Really? I'm
lucky I don't think of you as a friend then - Ed] Good wholesome fun.
Unfortunately mortality doesn’t allow us to indulge this simple
pleasure, so that’s where video games come in.
Unreal Championship like its PC equivalent is a non stop barrage of
running and gunning. There’s no plot, just a constant battery of loud
explosions, gun fire and, well that’s it.
Basically the game boils down to this, now pay attention this is the
science bit:. You + friends + Xbox + Unreal Championship = Fun, fun,
fun.
Unreal Championship isn’t going to tax the brain or offer an intricate
plot but what it does offer is something much more. It offers you hours
of non stop fun, and let’s face it, what more do you want from a game?
REVIEW: Tekken 5
Developer: Nacmo | Publisher: SCEE | Format: PS2 (coin-op)
Reviewer: Craig Gallagher Tekken
dropkicks its way back in a bid to reclaim its crown from Soul Calibur
II. Tekken was always way ahead of the game, it was the Gran Turismo
of beat-em-ups. Or rather it was till the mighty Soul Calibur II
stole that privilege. Soul Calibur did what no other beat-em-up did, it
appealed to people who don’t like beat-em-ups, which is something
Tekken never did.
Tekken 5 plays like a stripped down version of Tekken 4. The amount of
moves at your disposal has been reduced and combined with the larger
fighting environments results in faster more aggressive fights.
The reduction in moves is great news for anyone who was disappointed
with the overtly unfriendliness of trying to play Tekken 4. But apart
from the addition of three new characters and a couple of new game
modes its exactly the same ass Tekken 4. The new characters fell stuck
on and the games modes are a side scrolling beat-em-up, and a fan boys
only make your own fighter.
Tekken 5 lacks the charm and style of Soul Calibur II and the substance
of Virtual Fighter Evolution. It’s a mediocre beat-em-up that will only
appeal to fans of the genre.
PlayStation, Xtra-vision sign to GameCon
Sony Computer Entertainment Ireland, and retailer Xtra-vision, have become the latest companies added to the ever-growing list of sponsors of the Irish multiplayer event GameCon.
With just over three weeks until GameCon 7,
less then half of the maximum attendance has been filled. The
publicised maximum attendance of the latest event is down from the 300
of GameCon 6 to 200. At the time of writing 58 people - including the
organisers - were signed up to attend.
At the event, new sponsor Sony plans to have working PlayStation
Portables (PSP), while old sponsor Microsoft according to the event’s
organisers “will be bringing the Xbox 360 to GameCon 7. So you will all
get a hands on impression of this new badboy before it hits the shops”.
[Games Toaster imagines this refers only to the retail shell of
the console, not actually an Xbox 360 - developers have just recently
received Xbox 360 beta kits]
The full list of sponsors for the event now stands at 13, with games
console makers and publishers Sony (PlayStation), Nokia (N-Gage), and
Microsoft (Xbox); game publishers Activision, Digtal Jesters,
Electronic Arts, and Take Two (owner of Rockstar); hardware maker
Creative Labs; PC and hardware vendors Alienware, and Elara Systems;
retailers G3, GameStop, and Xtra-vision. [Edit 18/07/2004: On GameCon's
website Elara Systems, and Nokia, are no longer listed as sponsors]
GAA game in August - retailers, “We have nothing further to report” - Sony
Early today Games Toaster asked Sony Computer Entertainment Ireland
for any fresh information on the GAA computer game for PlayStation 2,
‘Gaelic Football 2005′. “Maybe a release date/month this year?” we
asked. Sony replied telling us “We have nothing further to report on
the game, sorry!”, adding “As soon as we do, you’ll be the first to
know”.
However, retailers are currently telling a different story, at least one retailer, Smiths Toys, displaying an in-store release of August. While the website of Game, the UK games retailers with Irish stores, game.net states “Aug-2005″
(pictured above). But it is worth noting that retails often get release
dates wrong, and are known to retract them after articles similar to
this are published.
The license for a GAA game was originally with the now defunct Irish
developer Pooka Games. In October of 2003, Sony and the GAA held a
press-launch stating the game, then titled ‘Gaelic Football 2004′,
would be released mid-2004 - at the time the news was coved by the
national press, including the Irish Times, and the Independent, which created overwhelming interest.
At this point the development was - and to our knowledge still is - in the hands of IR Gurus,
an independent Australian games developer. Gaelic Football is expected
to be made using an edited version of the developer’s game engine for
their ‘AFL Live 2005′ Australian football game. At one stage it was
said that a Hurling title would be looked at if the GAA football
project went well.
Once Games Toaster knows any more you’ll be the first we’ll tell…
Related articles
- GAA game delay, normal for games industry (January 28, 2005)
- GAA Football Computer Game for 2004 (October 28, 2003)
A photograph of games art?
Games Toaster just thought we might as well share this piece of games-related art we spotted while in LA for E3, and this wasn’t in the LACC, or LACMA, but on Venice Beach:
Dublin’s GameCon back, now up to 36 hours
NOTE TO VIEWERS FROM GOOGLE NEWS: This is an archive article. For news on GameCon
8 in February, 2006, click here.
GameCon, the multiplayer games event billed as ‘Ireland’s
biggest gaming event’, is set to continue in August, starting at 9pm
on Friday 5th running until 9am Sunday 7th.
“It’s an all format gaming weekend so you can expect PC, Xbox,
PS2, GameCube and handhelds. Throughout the event we will be hosting
numerous competitions with some truly excellent prizes,” reads the
event’s publicity statement.
The bring-your-own-PC and console event is to once more take place
at Citywest Hotel in south-west Co Dublin. However, GameCon 7 has
dropped in proposed capacity, down 100 places from the publicised 300
capacity of GameCon 6.
Entry is 30 euro pre-pay, or 40 euro on the day. Games to be played
include Battlefield 2, HalfLife 2, Halo 2, FarCry, Call of Duty, Unreal
Tournament 2004, Splinter Cell 3, CC Generals, Dead or Alive
Ultima, UEFA Champions League, Pro Evo 4, Soul Calibur 2, Project
Gotham 2, Topspin, and NFS Underground 2.
Registration is open at http://gamecon.ie/; our article on GameCon 6 is here.