Move Games

[Prophecy2k]

The PS Blog released a 4am demo last week or so:

Whoa

 

[Prophecy2k]

That's the thing though. Sony is great at showing tech with ptoential, and we get all excited, but why does so little come of it? It's like this is a demo to get other developers interested in using this style interface for their full games. This is an obvious interface for something like Heavy Rain. You can slap someone, open a door, etc., all extremely naturally. But instead Move seems to remain niche.

Fully agree Shifty...

That's why it annoys me that Sony isn't really pushing to publish full Move based games. It's like they were really vocal about how they were behind Move initially, then the device released without any serious heavy-hitter launch titles and Sony seemed to have abandoned it.

I was really hoping for Sorcery to make a big splash, and that seems like it's not been given the attention or investment it needed. I'm hoping Datura is a proper game though, so there's hope for that.

I guess i'm happy about the Move support in stuff like InFamous, KZ, Socom and Bioshock Infinite. All the various lightgun shooter HD ports are good stuff too (as i can't get enough of them).

But i am a bit frustrated by Sony's lack of vision regarding Move. From the more recent comments they've made however it seems like Sony themselves are relegating Move to an interface device for the casuals, which is itself a contradiction to their orignal positioning of the device as a core gamer's motion control device (which it still has every potential to be - its just needs to game sto prove its worth).

Sony needs to get Naughty Dog on Move "tout de suite". And all their other core teams to build unique and awesome games that take advantage of what it offers.

I hope that Guerilla's new team's game is a Move enabled one too

 

[patsu]

They try too hard sometimes. I was looking forward to a small create-your-own-tank PSN game, but they hid the technology deep inside a $60 EyePet instead.

Other times, they simply let the games survive on their own, with very little marketing. Developers added proper Move support in the game, but Sony did not market them aggressively. They simply let the userbase "discover" these games on their own. e.g., RUSE, Under Siege, John Daly ProStroke Golf, Top Darts, Deadmund's Quest, Tumble, Sports Champions, ... have solid Move mechanics but I have never seen Sony orchestrate their adoption. Sports Champions bundle is a given, but they could have done more.

Yet other times, they zoom into something even more niche. KZ3, MAG, R3, and other shooters support Move. Instead of refining the Move controls for broad base, consistent usage in all FPSes, they created and actually marketed a gun attachment that is used in only 2-3 shooters.

Given a good starting concept, sometimes they also give up too early. The EyeToy only games (e.g., Eye of Judgment, Kung Fu Live) show some early promise but they never follow up. They applied a hit-n-miss title business model on a long term tech platform -- which is unfortunate.

These alternate games (Datura, 4am, Journey, ...) are actually pretty interesting and fun to watch. But I don't think Sony know how to orchestrate something greater out of these individual titles.

From the outside, all these look like top management issues. The marketing chiefs have left the company though. I don't know how good the new marketing VP (Guy Longsworth) is, but from early indication, it seems that at least he's more aggressive than his predecessors.

I have not seen Sony execs talk passionately about any PS3 and Vita product _details_ the way Steve Jobs demoed a Mac or iPhone. It's something Andrew House, Shuhei,and other top management need to address.

Individual teams like Polyphony Digital, NaughtyDog probably want to focus on their tight deliverables instead of worrying about Move. The top management will need to groom specialized resources to complement these core teams.

In a sense, Playstation Home also suffers from the same problem. It needs to innovate beyond its current user base, but Sony may not see it as a priority.

 

[patsu]

Another experiment...

Hands-On Datura And Sony’s PlayStation Move Powered Virtual Reality Helmet
http://www.siliconera.com/2012/03/1...ystation-move-powered-virtual-reality-helmet/

One really neat bit of technology Staniszewski showed me was a virtual reality version of Datura that uses a head mounted display. When this option is enabled, audio and video is streamed into Sony’s Virtual Boy-like helmet. The headset doesn’t detect motion, so the team at Sony Studios Santa Monica attached a second PlayStation Move controller with velcro to it. This lets players turn their head to change the camera and use the other wand to interact with the game’s world.

Playing Datura with a headset was an immersive experience, but Staniszewski isn’t sure this feature will be part of the final game. Right now, they’re just testing it.

The standard Move SDK is pretty low level. The Move.me server is a half-hearted attempt for an easy-to-use Move SDK.

To get app and game developers to adopt Move, Sony may need a PS Suite-like effort (e.g., built into interface builder, high level class library, marketing support).

 

[Shifty Geezer]

In a sense, Playstation Home also suffers from the same problem. It needs to innovate beyond its current user base, but Sony may not see it as a priority.

PlayStation home has basically stagnated as a social hub. I know this because I was chatting with a guy who had worked on creating Home content and was wanting to make his own stuff, and when he presented various ideas to Sony, they basically just want dead simple social interactions. The opportunity exists to expand Home to provide game experiences that'll draw in more people, but Sony don't want to do that.

And I think that kinda sums them up. They'll create something, see what happens to it in the initial months, and then leave it like that. Move is now 'that shooter controller with the small gimmicky games' because that's all that became of it in 6 months, and they won't do anything more with it. They don't look at the potential of their systems and back them and grow them. They just look to the next new thing. So my hopes for Move are extremely limited now. I don't believe we'll see a Skyrim or Heavy Rain using this amazing, immersive first-person experience that currently only Move offers. There'll be a few more gimmicky titles, one or two small gems, and a number of 'also has Move tacked on' experiences before the platform is dropped for PS4.

 

[Prophecy2k]

Sadly i fear you might be correct Shifty.

Sony just doesn't seem to believe in their products, and I think that its the source of the problem.

Their initial support leading up to the launch of Move was lacklustre. And now that they have PS Vita to really throw all of their attention and support behind it seems like they're not interesting in Move anymore

 

[Arwin]

All this while there is a tonne more support for Move than almost anything before. Just because Move only titles aren't high profile enough I imagine?

 

[patsu]

Sadly i fear you might be correct Shifty.

Sony just doesn't seem to believe in their products, and I think that its the source of the problem.

Their initial support leading up to the launch of Move was lacklustre. And now that they have PS Vita to really throw all of their attention and support behind it seems like they're not interesting in Move anymore

I'd say it may be a sign of top management don't want to risk their *ss and $$$ in non-mainstream ideas. I have seen many companies falter by throwing money into everything (The "Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom" model). e.g., Google+ started off really well due to the initial hype, but despite all the hoo-hahs, it doesn't seem to gain traction.

I think they are still behind Move because it's an officially supported platform, but they may need to plan the next evolution/revolution for Move quickly. It's the same for PS Home. It's treading water now, but they need to detail the next step, or prepare an exit strategy.

PlayStation home has basically stagnated as a social hub. I know this because I was chatting with a guy who had worked on creating Home content and was wanting to make his own stuff, and when he presented various ideas to Sony, they basically just want dead simple social interactions. The opportunity exists to expand Home to provide game experiences that'll draw in more people, but Sony don't want to do that.

What were his ideas ?


Home could swing both ways. Google canned Google Lively but Home survived. Latest social/community effort from Google is Google+ but they seem to be hitting a wall. I suspect given Playstation's content focus, its community projects should be better received than Google's utility services.

As for Move, yeah, some update from Dr. Marks would be great.... in addition to more Move games trickling in.


EDIT: It just dawned on me that the latest iOS hit, "Draw Something" can also be done with Move easily. Sony has Beat Sketcher but sold it like a traditional title, and Beat Sketcher is a single user experience. For social platforms like Home, I think Sony tried to capitalize on them too quickly. They need supporting apps and services to build a base first.

 

[patsu]

Ninja Gaiden Move Analysis by iWaggle3D:

Basically, it says "Stay away from Move in NG3"

 

[patsu]

2 more Move titles coming...

The Amazing Spider-Man Move Support Confirmed
http://www.iwaggle3d.com/2012/03/amazing-spider-man-move-support.html

Jonathan Gendron, PR manager at Beenox (a subsidiary studio of Activision in charge for the development of the game) kindly confirmed to me today that The Amazing Spider-Man will indeed feature PlayStation Move support.

"This is the final Box Art and the PS3 version will effectively support The PlayStation Move motion controller", Jonathan said.

Disney Epic Mickey 2 Revealed. Features Move Support
http://www.iwaggle3d.com/2012/03/disney-epic-mickey-2-revealed-features.html

Disney has officially announced that the sequel to the 2010's Wii exclusive Disney Epic Mickey is indeed in the works for all the current home platforms. Meanwhile, on Amazon.com, the official cover reveals PlayStation Move compatibility is in.

Titled Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, the new adventure by Deus Ex and Thief creator Warren Spector will apparently improve over the original in various ways, beyond the enhanced visuals.

As revealed to Associated Press, Epic Mickey 2 will feature a better camera system, talking and even singing characters (the original Wii version was rather silent), as well as drop-in drop-out co-op thanks to the introduction of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Walt Disney’s first cartoon star created in 1927) as a Mickey Mouse companion.

 

[patsu]

Foosball 2012: Play Table Football Like You Are Used To
http://www.iwaggle3d.com/2012/03/foosball-2012-play-table-football-like.html

Just looking at the PlayStation Move, there are so many things you can think of controlling with it: a sword, a racket, a bat, a magic wand. A virtual hand even. But a table football bar? Bet you never thought of that. And yet, it makes so much sense!

One of the (many) things that excites me about the PlayStation Move technology is the wealth of its possible applications. Some of them are easy to imagine, but then there are times when someone comes out with one that makes you feel dumb for not having thought about it yourself.

Well, that's what Grip Games did with Foosball 2012.

Supporting both local and online multiplayer, Foosball 2012 is a digital recreation of the table-top game going by the same name (also know as "table football", "footzy" or "bar football").

...

 

[Sigfried1977]

Ninja Gaiden Move Analysis by iWaggle3D:

Basically, it says "Stay away from Move in NG3"

You should stay away from NG3 one way or the other anyway.

 

[Prophecy2k]

2 more Move titles coming...

The Amazing Spider-Man Move Support Confirmed
http://www.iwaggle3d.com/2012/03/amazing-spider-man-move-support.html




Disney Epic Mickey 2 Revealed. Features Move Support
http://www.iwaggle3d.com/2012/03/disney-epic-mickey-2-revealed-features.html

I have to say it is a little encouraging to see more games with Move support announced.

I just want to see more core games that can benefit from it's control scheme announced for it.

Of the top of my head Max Payne 3 could be patched post release for it. Sony could also pettition pubs/devs to do paid post-release Move support DLC for the PS3 versions of their shooters ;-)

A Move patch for Skyrim, which would have been perfect as being a SP game means they'd have no issues with MP balancing, would be amazing. And I'd easily pay hard cash for a DLC that patches in Move support.

 

[patsu]

iWaggle3D Asks | Insomniac Games (Resistance 3)
http://www.iwaggle3d.com/2012/03/iwaggle3d-asks-insomniac-games.html

Today I'm pleased to introduce "iWaggle3D Asks", a series of special interviews aimed at investigating what it's like to work with the PlayStation Move. Joining us for this debut episode of "iWaggle3D Asks": Insomniac Games.

Having shipped one of the best Move compatible first person shooters out there, I couldn't feel more honored to get the "iWaggle3D Asks" ball rolling by having the creators of Resistance 3 share some insights into the Move implementation process.

...

For people interested in homebrew Move software...
http://forum.iwaggle3d.com/topic/9471479/1/

Hello, I'm looking for other Move.me developers interested in fleshing out some Move-related ideas into a game prototype. I'm specifically interested in RPG concepts using 1:1 mapping and have some prototype IK set up. Send me a message or reply here if so - thanks!

 

[Billy Idol]

Book of spells:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJuvrMHKrGA&feature=g-all-u

I wonder why Sony does not advertize this game with full force? I guess that every little Harry Potter fan out there is a potential consumer...

 

[Arwin]

Sports Champions 2 is pretty good. I can heartily recommend it.

It also features an interesting innovation: no calibration at all. All the titles have slowly been moving in this direction, needing less calibration each time (Move Fitness is very nice in this, only measures your body dimensions once, and the rest is automatic), but this is one of the first. That is, if the game still does full 1:1 tracking, because I'm actually not sure it does - the way these games work, tilt might actually be enough. May do some tests later.

But at any rate, it's very good.

Re: Book of Spells, I reckon it will get advertised plenty around the holidays.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Book of spells:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJuvrMHKrGA&feature=g-all-u

I wonder why Sony does not advertize this game with full force? I guess that every little Harry Potter fan out there is a potential consumer...

I saw a TV advert the other day. Targeting kids TV channels would be far better than marketing to gaming websites I think.

 

[JPT]

This looks like fun

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gutefabrik/sportsfriends-featuring-johann-sebastian-joust

 

[JPT]

This looks like fun

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gutefabrik/sportsfriends-featuring-johann-sebastian-joust

Is it only me that thinks Joust looks like fun? Whats wrong with you people? ;D

 

[Prophecy2k]

I saw a TV advert the other day. Targeting kids TV channels would be far better than marketing to gaming websites I think.

I've been seeing a metric tonne of adverts for this now... Sony's been doing pretty well with it imo. Even bookending X-Factor and all the major Uk TV shows.

I think they're smart going for the big casual push in Europe over xmas (particularly because there are next to no big first party AAA core games). I just hope that all their big dogs scheduled for release next year (e.g. TLoU, GOW:Ascension etc etc), get the support they each deserve.