PlayStation Blog - Asia | Philippines

The Last of Us Development Series Ep. 3: ‘Death and Choices’

ericm@hoge.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:56:12 GMT

We took a look at the Infected in our first video in The Last of Us Development series. We then explored the game world and nature’s reclamation of civilization as we know it in our second video, Wasteland Beautiful. Our third video, Death and Choices, investigates what it means to be a survivor in the world of The Last of Us and how Joel and Ellie cope with the harsh realities of post-pandemic society.

Survival is moment to moment in the world of The Last of Us. There are stark consequences to every decision that’s made and if Joel and Ellie want to survive they’ll need to scavenge the environment for every possible advantage. Learning to craft more potent weapons from makeshift materials or take defensive precautions using found objects will be critical to their continued survival.

Up next, our penultimate video in the series will spotlight the combat mechanics and the intimate nature of conflict in The Last of Us. The in-depth documentary we have been creating grew so large that we are currently seeking a unique way to distribute it. We’ll have details about how you can get the feature-length documentary of the making of The Last of Us in the coming months. The Last of Us will be available 14th June 2013.

Diablo III: Conversations With Creators

lylirra@hoge.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:13:19 GMT

Deep within Blizzard Entertainment’s secret underground game development compound, a team of modern day blacksmiths and alchemists has been hard at work reforging a legendary game experience for an all-new legion of heroes. Once finished, this finely-tuned version of the bestselling Diablo III will transport PlayStation gamers to a dark and dangerous world of fast-paced action, thrilling adventure, and piles upon piles of epic loot. Pour yourself a flagon of your favorite brew, kick up your boots, and feast your eyes on this Diablo III developer diary, part of PlayStation’s “Conversations With Creators,” an ongoing series featuring numerous industry-leading game studios.

In this video, you’ll hear from three of the developers behind Blizzard Entertainment’s action role-playing epic: Production Director John Hight, Lead Designer Joshua Mosqueira, and Senior Designer Jason Bender. Together, they’ll explain how bringing the game to PS3 and PS4 has empowered them to viscerally transport players into the foreboding, demon-besieged world of Sanctuary by putting the action in the palms of their hands.

According to the team, the most critical component of the Diablo III experience on the PlayStation platform is the controller. That’s where the player develops a relationship with the character on the screen. Blizzard developers believe that “control is king,” so with Diablo III, that has translated to “the controller is king.” From a player’s perspective, there’s a fundamental difference between indirect control, with a mouse cursor, and direct control, which can be achieved with a PlayStation controller. In this video, they highlight key reasons why this method of interaction truly drives home the excitement offered by this genre-defining action role-playing game.

It’s desperate times, and innocents have been caught between the forces of the High Heavens and the Burning Hells. If you’d like to learn more about how you can do your part to save humanity, visit the official Diablo III community site and interact with other heroes of Sanctuary on Facebook and Twitter.

See It First, 11st June

raze.lok@sceh.sony.com.hk — Tue, 21 May 2013 02:18:39 GMT

Watch PlayStation’s E3 2013 Press Conference live on 11st June starting at 9.00am SGT.

Assassin’s Creed 4 on PS4: Conversations with Creators

gabeg@hoge.com — Fri, 10 May 2013 03:02:02 GMT

We’re always trying to push the envelope with the Assassin’s Creed series, but with Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, we have new, advanced technology to help us accomplish our lofty goals.

PlayStation 4 is enabling our teams to deliver more graphical detail, a new dimension of social connection and the kind of seamless gaming experience we’ve always dreamed of offering. Join Creative Director Jean Guesdon and Associate Producer Sylvain Trottier as they discuss advancements we’ve been able to harness for AC4 on PS4.

It’s a new generation of gaming on PlayStation 4, and the AC4 team is dedicated to pushing these new boundaries beyond anything fans have seen before! Join us under the Black Flag of Assassin’s Creed IV!

The Last of Us: Meet the Infected

sids@hoge.com — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:22:23 GMT

I’m ready for “The Last of Us”. This morally grey gem from the brilliant minds at Naughty Dog combines exploration, scavenging, and brutal hide-and-seek combat against hordes of deadly Infected that prowl the remains of a ravaged United States. June 14th can’t come soon enough!

Not long ago, we asked “The Last of Us” Creative Director Neil Druckmann and Game Director Bruce Straley to give us an intimate tour of the game’s sights and sounds. Among many other topics, our new interview details the disturbing origins of the game’s Infected, an idea which sprouted from nature documentaries. Our discussion also plunges deeper into the turbulent but vital relationship between Joel and Ellie, as unlikely a pair of game protagonists as you’re likely to find.

Please watch, and then leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Watch_Dogs: PS4™ Development Diary

niks@hoge.com — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:31:44 GMT

Today we're pleased to debut a “Watch_Dogs” developer diary as part of PlayStation's "Conversations With Creators," an ongoing series that focuses on PlayStation®4 game development with some of the most accomplished game studios in the world.

In this video, you get to meet two of the driving forces in the “Watch_Dogs” dev team: Dominic, our senior producer and Jonathan, the creative director. Together, they discuss the vision of “Watch_Dogs” and ultimately, some of the development details for the PlayStation® platforms.

By working in close collaboration with PlayStation, the team is working to harness the full power of the PS4™. This gives them the opportunity to create a truly no-compromises experience with high-resolution environment textures and advanced special effects. The game experience, much like the city you’ll get to play in, will be rich, deep, and detailed.

As Jonathan and Dominic explain, connectivity is truly at the heart of the “Watch_Dogs” experience. We already know Aiden is connected to his own environment, but we also want to give the players new and different ways to connect with each other, and working with PlayStation makes this possible.

In the end, we want to let you experience what it truly feels like to be in a hyper-connected world, whether it be in single player, multiplayer, at home, or even on the go.

Remember, you can always visit the “Watch_Dogs” Facebook page and Twitter account for great content and conversation. You can also pre-order your copy on the official website.

DualShock 4: Developers Speak

scottr@hoge.com — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 02:48:09 GMT

We are incredibly excited about PlayStation 4, and we can't wait to share more features and details with you as we get closer to launch.

As you know, one of the first major reveals during PlayStation Meeting 2013 was the new DualShock 4 Wireless Controller. Today, we’re pleased to share a brand new video where developers discuss some of their favorite DualShock 4 features, what makes each feature unique and how it will make your gameplay experience much more dynamic.

Be sure to come back and visit PlayStation.Blog for the latest news and updates.

Trailer: The Invisible World of rain

daisk@hoge.com — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:53:09 GMT

Hi everyone! It’s been a while since we made the announcement of “rain” at Gamescom, but ever since then, we have been working hard to ensure the wait for more information was worthwhile.

“rain” was developed by the creative minds from PlayStation C.A.M.P!, the team behind unique titles like “TOKYO JUNGLE” and “echochrome”. “rain” evolved from a truly unique concept where an imaginative world comes to life once it starts raining.

The story of “rain” is the enchanting tale about a boy who chases after a girl with an invisible silhouette. After discovering that the girl is being hunted by ghostly creatures, he embarks on his own journey into the mysterious world of rain to save her and discovers he has also become invisible. Players will play as the boy, whose silhouette can only be seen in the rain. Using the unique ability to appear and disappear under cover players must learn to navigate through the unknown to advance. Just like in the real world, what can be seen isn’t everything and using imagination is the only way to reveal the truth.

Throughout the game you will be challenged to think ahead and plan your movements to advance. For example, when you direct the boy underneath cover, he will disappear from enemy view, or to draw enemies away from your path you may need step into the rain to become visible or can pick up items to taunt them. More details will be shared on these mechanics and puzzles at a later date. However, we are pleased to share with you – for the first time – our first gameplay video from the beginning of the game, “The Children and the Night”. Watch the video at the top of this post, and make sure to turn your speakers up for the full experience!

The world of “rain” is full of “uncertainty” and as you play through the boy will experience both a sense of fear and excitement as he explores the unknown world. Told through an artistic approach to narration, rain’s expressive sounds, those of rainfall and splashing water, combined with this otherworldly tale is designed to awaken the sense of uncertainty and solitude inherent in every player as well.

In Last weekGDC we will also be showing our first live demo to media, so keep an eye out for even more news on “rain”. We are very excited to have shared these early details and are looking forward to providing you a deeper look at “rain” very soon.

BEYOND: Official Selection by Tribeca Film Festival

dereko@hoge.com — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 02:30:41 GMT

Two weeks ago, Oscar-nominee Willem Dafoe was added to the cast of “BEYOND: Two Souls”, and we announced pre-order bonuses for North America. Today, we’re talking about how “BEYOND” is blurring the lines between film and gaming – “BEYOND” has been chosen as an Official Selection by Tribeca Film Festival, the first such selection of this kind for a video game.

On April 27th, we will be hosting a screening at the festival where we’ll show a new one-hour scene from the game, debuting a major trailer and a new behind-the-scenes look, alongside a Q&A panel with Ellen Page and director David Cage discussing the way “BEYOND” is pushing the boundaries of storytelling. The entire team here is hugely excited that Tribeca is recognizing the powerful story of “BEYOND”, its star-studded cast, and the stunning visual technology that have contributed to the game’s uniquely cinematic experience. We’ll also be live-streaming the event right here on PlayStation.Blog (US PS Blog).

Earlier this week, 100 journalists from around the world visited Quantic Dream’s studio in Paris for an exclusive “BEYOND” event. In the surrounds of the very motion capture room where Ellen’s and Willem’s performances were recorded, writer and director David Cage showcased several new scenes from the game, featuring both the Jodie and entity gameplay.

Press were shown the Aiden entity gameplay in a scene featuring a young Jodie taking part in a scientific experiment under the watchful eye of her mentor Nathan Dawkins (Willem Dafoe). And then they were treated to a full playthrough of what promises to be one of the most powerful scenes in gaming, which sees Jodie living on the streets, fighting for her life and those of the homeless people around her. David Cage also unveiled the brand new in-game user interface, which provides an even more immersive and seamless experience than the game’s predecessor “Heavy Rain”.

The new user interface allows for promptless contextual control in both general navigation and action sequence controls, while increasing the level of direct control the user has and opening the door for far more exploration than players experienced in “Heavy Rain”. To end the day, press were invited to be the first to play the game, and try out the new UI and gameplay for themselves.

All of the press write-ups should be going live, so keep an eye on the web for their reactions to “Beyond”’s new gameplay from this event.

Direct from Paris! Be Impressed of Hollywood Blockbuster Style “BEYOND: Two Souls”

star.platinum7777@gmail.com — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:40:10 GMT

PS3™ exclusive title “BEYOND: Two Souls” by Quantic Dreams has made a pioneering decision in the gaming industry by casting Ellen Page (one of my favorite actresses who has starred in “Juno” and “Inception”) as the heroine as well as the Green Goblin actor from “Spiderman” to play the scientist. Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Limited was invited to visit Quantic Dreams headquarter in Paris on 19^th March and had a tour of the huge shooting studio for Motion Capture, sneak peek of freshly released gameplay and interviews with producers David Cage and Guillaume de Fondaumière to unveil the mysteries of this Hollywood-style game.

Press from all over the world visited the Quantic Dream headquarter for a trial session of the anticipated new title “BEYOND: Two Souls”.

Quantic Dream boosts more than 200 employees. David Cage showed the press around the office area with a huge fullview glass window. Game production does not mean working around the clock without seeing daylight.

In Search of Two Souls: Jodie & Aiden

“BEYOND: Two Souls” is due to be released in October this year. Those who have played “Heavy Rain”, a title also produced by Quantic Dreams, should have found its impressive cinematic storyline charming. This cinematic title has always been my favorite game. However, this time around Quantic Dreams has chosen not to produce a sequel to “Heavy Rain”, instead, they started this brand new title “BEYOND: Two Souls”, which does not tell of a murder like “Heavy Rain”. “BEYOND: Two Souls” takes players through the story of heroine Jodie Holmes (Ellen Page) from the age of eight to twenty-three. Since she was born, Jodie has been connected with Aiden, an invisible entity. She is gifted with supernatural powers but plagued with pain known to nobody. According to the producers, the game proceeds with flashbacks taking players to revisit Jodie at different ages including her childhood, adolescence and adulthood so they could identify the reason and result of each incident through rearranging the pieces.

Consequences from Small Decisions

During the hands-on session, players could freely control Jodie or Aiden, facing challenges along the way to continue the story. For example, there is a scene of Jodie being inside a fire scene when the elevator fails to work. Players can play as Aiden to leave the elevator, pushing away luggage stuck at the door of another floor so that the elevator can function again. The entity Aiden is invisible, flies and can pass through any object. Aiden can also move objects and even possess people. It’s up to players to consider how to make use of Aiden’s abilities depending on the situation to overcome challenges and continue through Jodie’s life. Retaining “Heavy Rain”’s choice-centered gameplay, players will be constantly making decisions, and each small decision can lead to a different ending - just like in real life. Once a decision is made, there’s no way back.

PS3™ consoles were placed in the venue for the press to try playing a part of “BEYOND: Two Souls”.

Jodie Learns Fighting But Not QTE Controls

Different from “Heavy Rain”, “BEYOND: Two Souls” does not use QTE controls. Those who have played “Heavy Rain” before should remember that when close battle takes place they have to press buttons according to the directions displayed on-screen to unleash attacks. The same QTE controls is not used in “BEYOND: Two Souls”, instead, during the hands-on session we saw Jodie receiving close combat training. Players can make use of the analog sticks to unleash attacks of different levels, such as kicks or uppercuts. Actions also slow down during battles to facilitate easier controls. By not retaining QTE controls, “BEYOND: Two Souls” lets players be more immersed in the gameplay and to experience together with Jodie a grappling and thrilling life journey spanning 15 years.

Hollywood Stars and Their Eyes Took Part in the Acting

Lastly, what must be mentioned about this title is that Hollywood stars Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe have taken part in the development of this title by actually “acting out” the game characters. Most scenes of the title were produced by Motion Capture- sensors placed onto the actors’ faces and bodies, to detect each action and expression for further production. More than 90 sensors were placed on each actor’s face, no wonder producers claim that even the actors’ eyes have taken part in “acting”. More than 12 months were spent filming for the game, involving more than 300 characters, which is something that makes this title a much anticipated one, not to mention the brand-new game engine!

David Cage, Creative Director of “BEYOND: Two Souls” presented the title to the press inside the Motion Capture studio. Sixty five cameras were placed inside the studio, where Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe acted out every scene of the game.

Coming Soon:

We will have interviews coming up of David Cage and Guillaume de Fondaumière, the title and studio directors! Stay tuned!

The entity Aiden is constantly protecting Jodie; but on the dark side, it also has a jealous and violent character.