PlayStation LifeStyle » Motion Controller

Party On with PlayStation Move: Move Party Developer Diary

Dan Massi — Sun, 02 May 2010 05:33:23 +0000

Please, just stop the teasing. The PlayStation Move motion controller launches this fall for the PS3, and well, it’s just too long of a wait. On top of that, we are continually bombarded with these awesome Move developer diaries – which just make us want to get our hands on the upcoming motion controller even more.

The latest PlayStation Move diary – Move Party for the PS3 – has been released. In the diary, the video showcases the PlayStation Move title Move Party. Check out the video below and tell us what you think!

PlayStation Move launches this Fall.

PlayStation Move to Bring New Hardcore Gaming Experiences

Anthony Severino — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 04:45:13 +0000

This generation of consoles has witnessed a sudden surge in casual games. This trend is thanks in most part to the success of the Nintendo Wii and its user-friendly motion controller, which makes simple, social gaming more accessible and approachable for people of all ages and skill levels. Despite the Nintendo Wii’s dominance in the console wars, it has received a poor reputation for playing host to a plethora of half-assed, low quality games also known as ‘shovelware’.

Microsoft and Sony have focused their efforts on catering to the ‘hardcore’ gamer crowd, who care more about graphics, processing power and a strong online component. Looking to steal some of the Wii’s thunder, Microsoft and Sony have announced their own motion controller devices, Xbox 360′s Natal camera and the PlayStation 3′s Move motion controller.

The PlayStation Move has a better chance of tapping into the Wii’s audience since the controller appears to control the most similarly to Nintendo’s ‘Wii-mote’, only with more accurate 1:1 motion tracking thanks to the combination of a glowing orb at the end of the Move paired with the PlayStation Eye camera. However, even with all the obvious potential the PlayStation Move offers, hardcore gamers are deeply concerned that the PS3 may also be a dumping ground for shovelware, even ports of Wii games.

However, Sony is reassuring the hardcore audience that makes up the current PS3 install base that the PlayStation Move will create “hardcore gamer games” that have “never been done before”.

Speaking in a recent interview with the Financial Times, SCEA’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, Peter Dille talked about what sets the PlayStation Move apart from its competition:

“the biggest differentiator is the technology itself – the Wii has been wildly successful but at the end of the day it’s not a very precise experience and it relies on the wand. Microsoft’s’s approach appears to be no wand, no controller, just a camera, which means that your body’s the user interface. Our solution and point of differentiation is around precision, because we’ve got the camera – the Playstation Eye – and the motion controller which has the light at the tip, and the camera tracks the light very precisely in 3D space. The combination of that precision along with the button on the controller means that you’re now able to develop and play games that you can’t do with the Wii and Natal.”

Along with more casual “family-friendly” games and “games for young kids”, Dille also believes there is plenty of opportunity to make interesting titles for the hardcore audience as well thanks to the PlayStation Move’s precision.

“Hard-core gamers have looked down their nose at motion gaming: it’s not particularly satisfying for them because it’s not terribly precise or challenging, it’s more social.”
“That level of precision gives you different types of experiences like a [first-person] shooter”
“So we’ll have games that the whole family can play that are very social , but we’ll also be able to do hard-core gamer games via a motion device that has never been done before”

Even though Dille seems confident the PlayStation Move will appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers they aren’t ready to hedge their bets on a “killer app” for the controller Sony will be pushing as the “de facto” PS3 controller along side the Dualshock 3 this Fall.

“It’s too early to say what the killer app or signature game is but we’ll continue through the spring and late summer before we make a decision on which game is the poster child or the best one to move the Move.”

There is one thing that is for sure, the PlayStation Move is brimming with endless potential having been described as the “paintbrush to the PS3 canvas“. It’s up to Sony and developers to give gamers the unique experiences they so desire.

PlayStation LifeStyle recently got our hands on the PlayStation Move controller, read our full impressions in our PlayStation Move preview.

Jack Tretton Takes Aim at Natal

Anthony Severino — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:11:38 +0000

While discussing PlayStation Move and the benefits of actually having a controller in your hand on tonight’s episode of GameTrailersTV with Geoff Keighley, Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, took a stab at Microsoft’s “Natal” motion camera.

The Sony CEO believes PlayStation Move is true “next generation motion gaming”. But what does he think of Natal?

“I think it is a big idea, if you really want to get involved with playing with a camera, I suggest you go out and buy a $99 PlayStation 2 and play some of the great technology that we invented 8 years ago.”

Tretton isn’t the only person representing Sony that has taken digs at Natal as of late. Kevin Butler joined in on the fun in his latest commercial for PlayStation Move.

Both PlayStation Move and Microsoft’s “Natal are set for a Fall release.

We’ll update with the entire interview with Jack Tretton, once it becomes available.

Motion Fighter Screenshots Make Debut

Dan Massi — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:19:58 +0000

Motion Fighter (working title), has gotten its first screenshot batch, and the motion title is looking great. The game will utilize the PlayStation Move, and is expected to release alongside the new motion controller.

[Source]

PlayStation Motion Controller Officially Named; Detailed

Anthony Severino — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:18 +0000

Since it’s debut at E3 2009, the PS3 motion controller has been known by the boring working title ‘Motion Controller’. Just a few weeks ago it rumored to be named ‘Arc’, a trademark and a domain name registration backed up those claims. However, a recent finding of a trademark for the name “Move” threw us for a curveball. Finally all the speculation can end, as the real name for the PS3 motion controller has officially been revealed.

Tonight during Sony’s GDC press conference, the PS3 motion controller has been detailed. Among the new information was a confirmation of the name Move. It will launch with 20 games, and support from 36 publishers.

More details are coming in, we’ll update you further when all information has been revealed.

Here are a list of games debuted tonight:

Sports Champions
MoveParty
Motion Fighters

Here are the full details known so far:

Will be sold as a starter kit that comes with a game, controller, and PlayStation Eye for under $100
Will also be sold bundled with the PlayStation 3
Nunchuck confirmed, call PlayStation Move Sub-controller

Below are some pics of the games available for the upcoming controller:

Tiger Woods Hooks Up with Move, Tells Natal They’re Just Friends

Steven Garcia — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:28:51 +0000

In support of Sony’s promise to deliver a wide array of Move supporting titles, comes word from Electronic Arts that their next installment of Tiger Woods PGA Golf Tour will please both golf and motion controller enthusiasts.

On the eve of GDC, Electronic Arts sent out a press release officially announcing the inclusion of The Ryder Cup tournament in Tiger’s next game slated to be on store shelves June 8th. In addition, EA pledges compatibility with Sony’s Move will deliver an “authentic interactive swing experience.”

Interestingly, while the title will also support Wii MotionPlus, information regarding Microsoft’s Natal was noticeably absent, giving greater credibility to Sony’s claim that Move will have more games available as a result of being less challenging to develop for.

[Source]

‘Move’ Over Arc, Sony Trademarks New Name

Anthony Severino — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:06:41 +0000

For weeks now the media has been referring to the PS3 motion controller by its rumored name, Arc. Originally dubbed internally as Gem, Sony’s motion controller is going to be a main focal point at Sony’s GDC press conference tonight. It’s expected that an official name will be revealed tonight as well. According to a new trademark filed by Sony, it looks like another name could be sending ‘Arc’ on the ‘Move’.

Just yesterday, Sony Computer Entertainment filed a trademark for the name ‘Move’. The trademark covers “game controllers for consumer video game consoles”. That would definitely cover the PS3 motion controller, and ensure there is no legal battling over the name Arc, which is the name for a line of Microsoft computer mice.

Along with the trademark, a logo has been uncovered. (pictured right)

So does this new name ‘move’ you? Let us know below…

[Via]

Sony’s Dr. Richard Marks Talks PlayStation Move

Steven Garcia — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:31:39 +0000

Since the official unveiling at last year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, Sony has released a number of demo reels exhibiting the technical abilities of Sony’s PlayStation Move , however the firm has been pretty tight lipped regarding how and in which ways it will perform when tasked with everyday, in game uses. To answer some of the Move related questions most of us have been wondering, Gamespot sat down with SCEA’s R&D Manager of Special Projects, Dr. Richard Marks.

In response to a question regarding the Move’s mechanics and the ability for the glowing spheres to change colors, Dr. Marks stated:

The Motion Controller’s high-precision embedded sensors detect the sensitive movements and rotation of the hands, and the PlayStation Eye tracks the glowing sphere on the controller to precisely detect the position in real-life 3D space. The colors of the sphere can be changed by the game programmers to provide visual feedback that reflects changes in gameplay, or to differentiate between players.

When asked about the development process and Sony’s decision to implement motion control, Dr. Marks replied:

We learned a lot from our experience creating EyeToy, from our consumer research, and from the experiences we have observed for other products. We also studied many different technologies over the last few years, including 3D cameras, ultrasonics, and magnetic sensors. We believe the combination of the camera and other sensors we have selected provides the best possible interactive solution for games. Our primary goal in creating the Motion Controller technology was to finally allow players to feel completely immersed in a game across all genres–sports, shooter, action, party. There’s really no limit with the types of game that the Motion Controller can enhance. Nothing currently on the market delivers an innovative experience that’s intuitive for casual gamers and engaging for hardcore fans, and that’s the opportunity the PS3 Motion Controller will fulfill.

It’s encouraging to know that before deciding to begin developing the Move, Sony thoroughly considered and looked into different types of technologies with which to build upon. Not only does this ensure the best possible experience, but also implies a notion contrary to the popular belief that Sony rushed into using their already established camera technology in an effort to combat the popularity of Nintendo’s Wii.

We understand all this talk about motion control might have you bummed considering a concrete release date has yet to be announced, but Dr. Marks was generous enough to reveal Sony’s plans to bring the motion controller on the road, allowing gamers the opportunity to swing about ahead of its scheduled fall release.

Hit up the source link for the full interview, and be sure to check back with us over the course of this week as we bring you the best PlayStation coverage you’ll find anywhere out of GDC.

[Source]

Sony Trademarks PlayStation Arc

Anthony Severino — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:15:08 +0000

Next week, during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Sony plans on educating potential developers during a 60-minute presentation dubbed “introducing the PlayStation 3 motion controller“. Not only are they planning on showing what the upcoming controller can do, it seems Sony is preparing to announce the name of the device as well…

The motion controller,which is set to release this fall, has long been rumored to be named Arc. Various industry execs have seemingly backed up those claims, referring to the controller by that same name during investor conference calls.

Following our discovery of Sony registering the domain PlayStationArc.com comes news of a trademark filing for the name, PlayStation Arc. Surprise, surprise. Sony has just filed the trademark in Japan, most likely in preparation for the official announcement of the name PlayStation Arc at this year’s GDC.

Sony has been calling their PS3 motion controller the “de-facto” PS3 controller alongside the Dualshock 3 and plans on supporting the controller with an extensive line-up of games when it releases this fall.

[Source]

What’s Next for the PlayStation 3 After God of War III?

Jonathan Leack — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:58:09 +0000

We’re nearing the end of first-quarter 2010, and the year has already begun with a storm of phenomenal titles. While 2009 was a great year for PlayStation owners, many anticipated what has been widely considered as one of the strongest first-quarters in gaming ever. Both MAG and Heavy Rain were smash hits, and Final Fantasy XIII as well as God of War III are about to make their vigorous debuts. However, nobody has questioned the strength of the first-quarter library. The question is, what is there in store for PlayStation 3 owners after March?

Gran Turismo 5

Gran Turismo 5 is arguably the most anticipated title of this generation. With roughly 5-years of development and a staff of over 100-people, Gran Turismo 5 looks to solidify the series’ reputation as being a step ahead of the rest. This title looks to sport over 1000 cars, over 50 tracks, a robust online mode and tons of realism. There is no doubt that Gran Turismo 5 will be a solid title and a must-have for car enthusiasts everywhere.

The Last Guardian

Team ICO. That’s all that needs to be said to demand attention to this title. A couple trailers have been shown which show a deeply emotional experience within beautiful environments. As with the previous games by the developer, expect a captivating experience unlike any other.

3D Dot Game Heroes

To many, 3D Dot Game Heroes is just a strange-looking RPG. To others, this is a reincarnation of the golden days of gaming with an updated spin. 3D Dot Game Heroes looks to recreate the gameplay and style of vintage RPG titles such as Zelda on the SNES. Expect a simple but incredibly fun action RPG with some unique twists.

ModNation Racers

The recent closed beta for ModNation Racers left some great impressions for those who had a chance to try the title out. As with LittleBigPlanet, ModNation Racers has the potential to appeal to a wide-audience and is simply a lot of fun to play. Casuals will have a blast with the addictive and multi-layered core gameplay, while hardcores will have the deep online system and impressively-detailed level creator to keep themselves occupied. ModNation Racers is shaping up to be a huge hit.

Agent

Unfortunately very little is known about Rockstar‘s upcoming title named Agent. Announced at E3 2009, Agent looks to try its hand at the world of espionage and assassination. Rockstar have always been consistent in their ability to develop incredibly polished titles, and hopefully Agent will be no different. Not to mention a Rockstar representative called the game “something truly spectacular”.

Epic Mickey May Invade Other Platforms

Zak Islam — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:45:16 +0000

Warren Specter’s upcoming Wii exclusive, Epic Mickey will revamp the Mickey Mouse squeaky clean (pun-intended) image that the Disney icon has had for decades, reintroducing a darker, troubled, more wicked side of Mickey. Epic Mickey features “ink and paint” gameplay perfectly suited for the Nintendo Wii-mote. However, since Epic Mickey isn’t due out until September, which is right around when Sony’s PS3 motion controller is launching, could Epic Mickey make its way to other platforms aside from the Wii?

Speaking at the DICE summit, Disney executive’s Steve Wadsworth and Graham Hopper they might have changed their plans for Nintendo Wii exclusive title, Epic Mickey, a second time around if they thought a bit earlier about it.

The key mechanic [in Epic Mickey] is an ink and paint mechanic”, said Hopper, adding that it seemed “completely intuitive to people” to play the game on Wii.
We have a very large audience base that has Wiis in their home. That’s not to say that we won’t go to other platforms [in the future].

Speaking about the game coming to other platforms due to motion peripherals releasing soon for PS3 and Xbox 360:

If we started it 6 months ago we would have potentially thought differently about it.

Epic Mickey is a platform game with some RPG elements and gives players choices on how to progress through each level. The game features a morality system similar to inFamous, hailed as a Hero, or feared as a Scrapper, changing his appearance depending on the path taken by the player. Sounds awesome, who wouldn’t want to see a darker side of Mickey Mouse?

Sony Sets ‘Arc’ GDC Plans in Motion

Anthony Severino — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:18:13 +0000

Although Sony’s upcoming motion controller has been delayed to Fall 2010, we’ll be getting more information on the controller early next month when the Game Developers Conference hits. Sony has booked a 60 minute session dubbed “Introducing the PlayStation 3 Motion Controller”…

The session is aimed at educating potential developers for the controller/platform and is being presented by David Coombes (Platform Research Manager, SCEA Developer, SCEA), Kirk Bender (SCEA Developer Support, SCEA). The description on the official GDC website reads:

“The soon to be released Motion Controller for PlayStation 3 will allow developers to create new game play experiences, by allowing players to interact with their console in high definition using their bodies. The Motion Controller uses 3D position and orientation tracking, camera input and a controllable RGB LED to bridge the gap between camera, motion and traditional interfaces.”

Stay connected to PlayStation LifeStyle for all your GDC coverage. GDC takes place on March 9-13 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA.

Moore Believes Arc Will Deliver “Different Experience than Wii”

Zak Islam — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:33:21 +0000

EA Sports president Peter Moore has given his thoughts on the codenamed ‘Arc’ PlayStation motion controller, saying that Sony’s invention will be “a different experience” from the Nintendo Wii.

Speaking in an interview conducted by CVG, the EA Sports boss talks about Sony’s motion controller.

I’ve seen the technology working. I think it’s going to be a great complement to what’s out there. Sony will put their collective technology and marketing might behind it.
It’s a different experience than Wii and we’re watching it with great interest. As you might imagine, we’re working on stuff – in particular on what sports can bring to it.
One thing we’ve learnt with the Wii is that we can afford [to spend time on building bespoke games]. The two that stand out in terms of authentic sports motion on Wii are golf and tennis. If you can capture that motion, that brings the game to life in a very unique way. We’re looking at how we bring that sports credibility and authenticity to life with Sony’s new platform.

Recently, THQ CEO Brian Farrel all but confirmed the ‘Arc’ name for the motion controller.

PlayStation Arc Name All But Confirmed by THQ Exec

Steven Garcia — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:03:19 +0000

Since it was first announced back at E3, the official name for Sony’s motion controller has continued to be shrouded in mystery. Sure, there was that anonymous source who first leaked the “Arc” name which subsequently sent the internet into a speculation fueled frenzy. Oh, and lets not forget about the time we discovered that PlayStationArc.com is indeed registered by Sony, along with the more recently created EyePetArc.com. However, if you’re still not convinced, head on past the break for even more Arc supporting material.

During a quarterly investor call, THQ CEO Brian Farrell relied heavily on the name, using it multiple times when referring to the motion controller.

“We are focused on our continued leadership in [casual games], taking advantage of the lower hardware price points that we expect will attract new mass market gamers, and new family-friendly platforms such as Microsoft’s Natal and the PlayStation Arc motion controller,”

Assuming the name has been kept on a need-to-know basis, we’re confident in our belief that being the CEO of a major game developer netted Brian Farrell the benefit of needing to know. Still, despite the growing pile of evidence, this is the closest the name has come to being used in any official context, and probably the last until it’s formally announced somewhere between now and fall. Just don’t forget to act surprised, mmmkay?

[Source]

EyePet to Play Nice with Arc Motion Controller

Anthony Severino — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:36:08 +0000

One of the hottest topics of 2010 is Sony’s upcoming motion controller, rumored to be named Arc. Not only have we found more evidence that Sony’s motion controller will be named Arc, but we’ve also found evidence that EyePet will be playing with the controller when its finally released.

Following up with our search that uncovered Sony’s registering of the domain, PlayStationArc.com, we’ve found yet another interesting domain registered to none other than Sony. This time the domain we’ve uncovered via a “whois” search is EyePetArc.com, which suggests EyePet will work with Arc when it finally releases this fall. The combination is a natural fit considering both EyePet and Arc will require a PlayStation Eye to function.

The domain being registered to Sony also adds credence to the name Arc being the eventual official name for the motion controller, a controller that Sony says will be the “de facto” PS3 controller alongside the Dualshock 3.

EyePet is currently not available in North America, but has been available for some time in other territories. Sony may have held EyePet’s North American release to coincide with the launch of the motion controller which was originally planned to release in Spring of 2010, but was recently announced that it’s been pushed back to a Fall release.