SCE signs Heavy Rain (?)

[Titanio]

This is being reported by some french sites..the reason for the question mark in the title is that the wording of the news and the press release doesn't sound exactly like the typical publishing arrangement, but more like a partnership. Effectively it may mean the same thing. Anyway, the report:


http://www.jeux-france.com/news20706_quantic-dream-sur-un-nouveau-titre.html

Babelfished:

Sony Computer Entertainment has just announced the signature of a partnership with the studio Quantic Dream for the development of a title on PlayStation 3. ' We are really filled with enthusiasm by the prospect to work for the first time with Quantic Dream and to have thus an advisability of still improving the interactivity of our plays and of bringing to the players feelings which they never will to date have felt. We hope, very soon this year, capacity to say some to you more on this new very particular title, ' declares Michael Denny, Vice President of SCE Worldwide Studios Europe. Moreover fuller information should be revealed very soon.

A translation of the press release:

Paris, July 3th 2007. Sony Computer entertainment worldwide studios and the developers at Quantic Dream have the pleasure to announce their collaboration for a title on PlayStation 3, more information will be put available soon. Quantic Dream is already known for making cinematic and interactive games that have a lot of 'emotion' in them. This new project will make heavy use of the processing power of the Cell and technology found in the PS3 to achieve emotional sensations never reached before in previous attempts.

The french development studio Quantic Dream was founded in 1997 by David Cage. Already Quantic Dream has made a reputation for themselves in the videogames industry, in particular for interactive narration and emotional content. The most important realisations form this studio are: Fahrenheit (called Indogo Prophecy in the USA and Canada), a game that has won a price in 2005 and mixes game and cinema, completely renewing the adventure genre.

Michael Denny, Vice president at Sony computer entertainment worldwide studio Europe affirmed: "We're really enthousiastic by the prospect to work with Quantic Dream for the first time and thus having the opportunity to further improve the interactivity in our games and to bring gamers new sensations they have never experienced before. We hope we can share more information about this new title as soon as possible this year."

Although the title isn't named, it should be reasonably obvious it's Heavy Rain. Which was this game, if you don't recall:

edit - Just noticed that the release is dated for tomorrow, so I guess this might be a leak..though I'm not sure if Jeux-France sourced the story officially or not.

 

[AlexV]

I seem that the Heavy Rain demo was more proof-of-concept than anything, the devs stab at producing digital actors. Did they have a game in development using this stuff?Cool.

 

[Nesh]

Is this an exclusive PS3 title then?

 

[Titanio]

I seem that the Heavy Rain demo was more proof-of-concept than anything, the devs stab at producing digital actors. Did they have a game in development using this stuff?Cool.

It was just a prototype that was shown, but this is a game in development. There's an interview on it here where they discuss what's planned for the game, a release window is even mentioned:

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/711/711613p1.html

 

[Inane_Dork]

If true, it's the best move SCE has made in months. Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy was easily a good enough game to make me interested in whatever the developer does next.

 

[one]

Was the PC version canned?

 

[patsu]

Heh heh... I love these pushing-the-envelope, alternate games.
(Whatever happened to Afrika ?)

 

[Titanio]

Confirmed. It will be a PS3 exclusive. Still no specifics on the game, but Heavy Rain seems like the only candidate.

http://www.quanticdream.com/

They're launching their new site on July 25, so I guess we'll get more then at least, if not by E3..

edit - ...or maybe not, depending on what 'later this year' means..

 

[aselto]

but I guess it's just the same as the leaked PR..?

Yes

 

[uumai]

Great news, best I've heard in a while. I can't wait to see their new game (heavy rain or otherwise).
Loved Fahrenheit, and the trailer they have shown for heavy rain is my most watched PS3 trailer.

Happy once more to be a PS3 owner

 

[patataboy]

Great news, best I've heard in a while. I can't wait to see their new game (heavy rain or otherwise).
Loved Fahrenheit, and the trailer they have shown for heavy rain is my most watched PS3 trailer.

Happy once more to be a PS3 owner

This Game Studio did some very interesting games, Omikron was my favorite and I still love to play it again and again. I hope this association with Sony will help them being as creative as they were but also give them some technical back-up...
An Omikron 2 with a Naughty Dog like computer engineer skills would have been my greatest wish (unlikely to happen anyway)

 

[Titanio]

Raist on neogaf has translated the first part of an interview with David Cage, a french interview, found here:

http://www.overgame.com/items/20251_quantic-dream-le-pari-ps3-partie-1.html

The GAF thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6945180

It seems the game will be unveiled at TGS. He's very coy about whether it is Heavy Rain or not, whether it's Heavy Rain with a different name, or something else entirely. Hard to get visibility on that. He discusses the process of choosing a publisher - indicates they'd been negotiating with several others and basically had their pick (including among platform holders edit - or..well..it depends how you read his sentence on that one..).

Strange this won't be unveiled at E3, but I guess - as he says - TGS is only some weeks or so away anyway.

 

[slider]

I don't know if this thread is too old to bump-edy-bump-bump but I have...

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=30820

A report on QD buying some mo-cap equipment for their next title.

Acclaimed Fahrenheit developer Quantic Dream has bought the latest motion capture technology from Vicon for its top secret PlayStation 3 exclusive.

Anyone in the know anything interesting about Vicon?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I don't know if this thread is too old to bump-edy-bump-bump

Not a specific game title that's yet to be released. And 4 months isn't much of a bump either. Certainly not necromancy!

 

[DieH@rd]

It seems that Quantic aim to claim the title of mocap animations. So far, Heavenly Sword is on the top.

 

[DJ12]

Beowulf tells me maybe they shouldn't bother.

If you don't have Andy Serkis on board, it's probably not going to turn out that great.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Uncharted's animation is based on motion capture. In fact many games (if not all realistic titles?) are these days, with the article commenting other devs are hiring out the mo-cap studio.

 

[DeanoC]

Uncharted's animation is based on motion capture. In fact many games (if not all realistic titles?) are these days, with the article commenting other devs are hiring out the mo-cap studio.

Non of the combat or in game movement in HS is mocap'ed, only things that are, are the cinematics'.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Non of the combat or in game movement in HS is mocap'ed...

I was just thinking that after posting. There aren't many available ninja's capable of pulling off Nariko's moves. I don't think even Andy Serkis is up to the job...

 

[Kittonwy]

Non of the combat or in game movement in HS is mocap'ed, only things that are, are the cinematics'.

DeanoC if you guys ever get the chance to do another Heavenly Sword game on the PS3 please put some platforming in there and no more QTEs thank you so much.