Official Sony GDC 2008 Discussion Thread


Recommended Posts

Hey all!

I decided to make a thread where we can discuss and post news about Sony stuff from GDC 2008. If you find any news let me know and I will add it to the first post here :)

Name: Game Developers Conference 2008

When: February 18-22, 2008

Where: San Francisco, CA USA

About:

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is the world’s largest professionals-only game industry event. Presented every spring in San Francisco, it is the essential forum for learning, inspiration, and networking for the creators of computer, console, handheld, mobile, and online games.

Official GDC 2008 Website: http://www.gdconf.com/

Where to find Sony GDC coverage:

Official Playstation Blog

Official Playstation Twitter Site

IGN PS3

PS3 Fanboy

Playstation Universe

PS3 News:

GDC 2008: More Warhawk DLC Incoming; Single-Player Later?

GDC 2008: Echochrome Hands-On

GDC 2008: Playstation Coverage

GDC 2008: G.I.R.L. Got Game

PSP News:

GDC 2008: flOw Hands-On

GCD 2008: Secret Angent Clank Hands-On

Edited by American Ninja
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think anything interesting is lined up for the first few days.

Think we'll need to wait till around wednesday for the good stuff.

Still, props on having one topic for it all, I nearly done this myself :p (Y)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm hoping they announce that you can send image attachments bigger than 1mb to other users via PSN messaging!! Or the ability to scale down images so that they fit on emails!! lol. Ok, maybe an announcement isn't needed, just a firmware update.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would also personally love a HOME beta to be available, while I don't quite know whast going on in it these days, the ability for me and some online friends to socialise, maybe play soem pool or chess, or even with random people from elsewhere would be interesting, and entertaining to do.

I can't remember the last time I have been able to go into a pub, play a game of pool with a random stranger and actually be abel to talk about game related things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, Sony aren't actually hosting a keynote?

From what we know, nope, nothing dedicated to Sony like in previous years.

But that doesn't stop games and stuff being shown off by the developers under Sony, lol.

Here's hoping for some Final Fantasy XIII news. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think anything interesting is lined up for the first few days.

Think we'll need to wait till around wednesday for the good stuff.

Still, props on having one topic for it all, I nearly done this myself :p (Y)

Yeah, the first couple of days are all tutorials and crap like that.

The show doesn't even start up until Wed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, the first couple of days are all tutorials and crap like that.

The show doesn't even start up until Wed.

How you enjoying it?

Be sure to report back ;)

ps. Home GDC 07

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM7IxKMhgl8

Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubAsU__V5dc

Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRfPmYB28ec

Part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu7iDy4RlUo

"Home will be launching later on this year..." - No it won't phil :rofl:

Looks so "complete" back then as well :laugh: They better of done a ton of work since then ;) (we've seen how much the "square" has changed!)

Edited by Audioboxer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How you enjoying it?

Be sure to report back ;)

Basically spent the last 6 hours in a tutorial on new data structures, vertex programming, normal mapping, etc.

A bit over my head as a student, but I figure I'll pick something up.

Just had a convo with one of the lead console devs from Turbine :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Basically spent the last 6 hours in a tutorial on new data structures, vertex programming, normal mapping, etc.

A bit over my head as a student, but I figure I'll pick something up.

Just had a convo with one of the lead console devs from Turbine :)

I wouldn't of understood any of that! Heh

GDC08: flOw, Everday Shooter creators talk indie gaming

indie-games-021808-1.jpg

An early morning session titled "Scattershot of Play - Potential of Indie Games" saw the creators of flOw (Kellee Santiago of thatgamecompany), Everyday Shooter (Jonathan Mak / Queasy Games), and Pekko Koskinen (of Scandinavian outfit LudoCraft) discuss some of the various issues of developing independent games.

First up to the plate is Kellee Santiago who pondered the metrics used to quantify the value of a game: is it length? She points out that reviews of gaming-culture darling Katamari Damacy criticized the game's short length (while simultaneously noting its immense replayability and budget $20 price), while games like God of War seem to bypass such criticisms while charging 2.5x as much. Sandbox games are often considered a better "value" since their replayability is virtually limitless. She says this metric "assumes we have loads of time to get rid of" and asks why we don't more consider "the quality of the time that is spent." Jonathan Mak says he considers the memory of a game when considering replayability, equating the experience to a movie or book whose experiences can last with you for years.

Mak kicked off his component of the presentation by addressing what he calls "input/output theory." In short he says, "gameplay over graphics is a total misconception" and the inverse is also true, that graphics over gameplay is a similar misconception. To illustrate his idea, he says "The gameplay in Guitar Hero sucks. The game is good because the game tells you if you press the red button at the right time, we'll output rock music." He showed off an early tech demo of Everyday Shooter, pre-graphical polish, and then flipped the graphics on, noting the same "sucked" before the graphics were added. Kellee Santiago raised some eyebrows (in a room full of independently-minded persons we presume) saying that "publishers aren't all stupid." Skinning the same mechanics can lead to innovation.

indie-games-021808-2.jpg

Though they didn't quite say it by name, it's a lesson that isn't by any means exclusive to independent designers; we're reminded of last year's litany of incredible first-person shooters. Are BioShock, Call of Duty IV, Halo 3, Portal just simple first-person shooters utilizing the same basic input mechanic and, therefore, derivative and without value?

Is this a proponent of aesthetics over design? After saying that he didn't care much for Call of Duty 3, Mak said "What if Call of Duty 3 had Rez graphics, I would be totally all over it." He cited Japanese rhythm title Rhythm Tengoku, saying that despite enormously simple gameplay (hit the A button in rhythm) "the game is awesome because it always gives you a different output."

indie-games-021808-3.jpg

The final speaker's presentation was far less simple to relay (or understand, to be honest). Pekko Koskinen presented an idea to create "reality games" that aren't virtual environments but instead are "lenses" placed between a player and their real environment. His theories see the role of game design in designing player's behavior, calling it "an art of making fictional behavior." Unfortunately, his presentation stopped at the conceptual phase, never giving us any real-world examples to calcify his ideas (though we've heard the Finnish government is financing his project).

All in all, a curious panel which bandied about from one issue to the next, culminating in a project that we're struggling with identifying as a "game" despite its interactive elements.

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/18/gdc08-fl...k-indie-gaming/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Basically spent the last 6 hours in a tutorial on new data structures, vertex programming, normal mapping, etc.

A bit over my head as a student, but I figure I'll pick something up.

Just had a convo with one of the lead console devs from Turbine :)

Turbine has console devs? Turbine as in the people who made Asherons Call/DDO/etc? I didnt know that! :)

I also hope for some FF13 info :D.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Turbine has console devs? Turbine as in the people who made Asherons Call/DDO/etc? I didnt know that! :)

I also hope for some FF13 info :D.

I think on Thursday or so, Squeenix is having a lecture on the White Engine, and demos of the tech used in FF13.

Oddly, one of Sony's lectures is going to be on the Phyre Engine. I've never heard of this, anyone else know anything about it? All I know about it is that it's free :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oddly, one of Sony's lectures is going to be on the Phyre Engine. I've never heard of this, anyone else know anything about it? All I know about it is that it's free :)
Recently, Sony announced a new tool set that will be free to all developers known as "PhyreEngine" that will offer highly optimized lightweight libraries for CELL SPUs. These libraries will provide code for animation, compression (expected to greatly improve loading times), and many more features. The package will also provide 'GCM Replay', a powerful RSX profiling tool to allow developers to gain the most out of the PlayStation 3's graphics chip.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ps3_games

you looking into a career in video game programming?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm the Phyre Engine sounds interesting. I am guessing that free to developers doesnt mean that anyone can download it and play around with it?

Hopefully during their demos SE will show something cool from FF13 or FFv13.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

gdc-ps-lounge-6.jpg

The single biggest gripe PS3 owners have - CONSTANTLY - is not being able to access the XMB menu while in a game to change settings, chat and send messages and invites (think the 'guide blade' on Xbox 360).

Well, these T-shirts have been spotted at GDC(Game Developers Conference)... and it would seem sony have found it rather amusing.

Is In-Game XMB just days away?

We can but hope!

http://frag-cast.blogspot.com/2008/02/in-g...-of-humour.html

Rofl, heh.

Id love one of those. :p

Official Sony ones apparently, they are either going to release it soon, or they just want us to know how evil they can be. :p

and also.

Sonyguy32

You really cant tell, But Warhawk is in progress. U can sort of see the clouds.

figured you would want to see this.

dcfc0017ta3.jpg

dcfc0018dz1.jpg

dcfc00191nk2.jpg

dcfc00201ff8.jpg

dcfc00211ow1.jpg

dcfc00231jr6.jpg

http://psnathome.com/plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?11762

Hoping its real. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^ pretty sure those are fake. the second to the last pic has what looks like a 360 vision cam on top of it...and i don't think sony would have one of those at gdc. plus the tv doesn't look like a sony tv. :p

i'd like to be proven wrong though. :laugh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

gdc-ps-lounge-6.jpg

:laugh:

If that is official, I expect in-game XMB on thursday! ;)

Apparently they are, were in teh Sony lounge, the shot is itself on Joystiq.

*sits and waits for In-game XMB, Home, everything else*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.