Drfox
02-05-2010, 11:50 AM
We get an exclusive hands-on with Sony's impressive portable version of the upcoming PS3 kart racer.
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/
Modnation Racers is the upcoming kart racer for the PlayStation 3 being developed by United Front Games that is set to carry on the “play, create, share“ movement introduced in Littlebigplanet. The game was first shown off at last year's Electronics Entertainment Expo and offered a fresh addition to Sony's growing PS3 software library. While we've had a few updated looks at the game in the months since its debut, it looks like Sony has been keeping a secret that we discovered on a recent visit to SCEA's San Diego development studio: a PSP version of the game. While it may sound like crazy talk to hear that the Modnation Racers experience is being converted to the PlayStation Portable, we're pleased to say that it's happening and going shockingly well. We had the chance to get a look at an early, work in progress version of the game and were shocked by how well it's coming together.
[ Watch Video ] (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)
Comment on this video (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/video/6249530#generic_comments)
Watch this video in High Def (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/video/6249530?hd=1)
If you haven't been following Modnation Racers, the unique kart racer features your standard single and multiplayer racing modes with a robust and easy to use content creator. If this sounds a lot like the model set by Littlebigplanet, that's because it really is the spiritual successor to Media Molecule's groundbreaking little title. One of the key differences to the experience--aside from the difference in genre--is an even more accessible, and surprisingly robust, content creation tool that's basically a triple threat. The game's three creation “studios“ let you create unique mods (drivers), karts, and tracks using thousands of props and a freeform road-layout tool for a staggering amount of combinations. While this whole package makes sense on the PlayStation 3 given its processing power, a successful and faithful portable conversion clearly poses a pretty hefty challenge.
Sony tapped its San Diego development studio to take on the task of creating a unique Modnation experience on the PSP that was faithful to the PS3 game. In order to pull the ambitious task off, the team reached out to two studios, United Front Games who were obviously pretty well versed in the Modnation world, and, Studio Liverpool, Sony's UK dev house responsible for the awesome Wipeout games on PSP. United Front Games obviously offered guidance and assistance around the assets used for the game to ensure that the art style remained faithful to the overall aesthetics of the PS3 version. Studio Liverpool made a unique contribution to the project in the form of the game engine the team developed for the Wipeout games on PSP.
The result of this work is a full featured recreation of the PS3 game on the PSP that comes packing nearly all the content from the console game, sharp visuals and an impressive sense of speed. The game retains the urban vinyl look of its console cousin and sports a stylized look that fits the action. There are obviously some tradeoffs to detail given the PSP's horsepower and display resolution but Sony San Diego's work to tweak the Wipeout engine for its needs is paying off nicely. The game looks super sharp and retains its quirky personality.
[ Watch Video ] (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)
Comment on this video (http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/driving/modnationracers/video/6249531#generic_comments)
Watch this video in High Def (http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/driving/modnationracers/video/6249531?hd=1)
On the content side, Modnation Racers PSP features a single payer story mode that has you working your way through a series of levels facing off against bosses. In addition the game features the three content creation studios that let you customize your driver and kart as well as create entire tracks from scratch. While this may sound daunting, each of the studios features an easy to use interface that makes drawing on the hundreds of different items to create something a breeze. Many of the items in each editor feature some level of additional customization, such as color or detailing, that you can use to finetune your items to your liking. The game stays true to the interface of the PS3 game's content creation modes and should accessible for just about anyone to play around with. The track editor is especially impressive given the scale that you work in.
As far as the multiplayer goes, there are a few options to choose from. The multiplayer experience lets you mix it up in adhoc or infrastructure matches for up to six players. You'll find all the different match types from the PS3 game on hand in addition to a brand new mode for the PSP. Besides the traditional multiplayer options, Modnation Racers will also let you upload your custom content as well as download the work of other players as well.
But, while this all sounds well and good, cool graphics and content creation tools don't mean much if the game sitting at the heart of everything blows. We got some hands-on time with two tracks in the game and are pleased to report there is no blowing going on here. The racing mechanics are sound and the controls are responsive, which makes for a fun kart experience. Your goal, as in the PS3 game, is to outrace your opponents through windy tracks filled with hazards, weapons, jumps, and shortcuts. An interesting new wrinkle to this solid set of mechanics is a new stomp move added to the PSP game that lets you smack around an opponent even if you don't have a weapon on hand. One of the big keys to the game's success here is the framerate which is fast and smooth even in its unfinished state. The game's audio wasn't quite as polished up as the visuals were so we didn't get a proper sense of what to expect, but we reckon it should be pretty close to what we've heard in the PS3 game.
So after going through Modnation Racers PSP, our big question was around how or if the game was going to synch up with the PS3 title. The team was pretty tight lipped on any cross platform communication or functionality, although they noted that their goal as well as that of United Front Games was to make the best possible game experience on each of the platforms. We'll be curious to see just what, if anything, ends up going on between the two platforms but we have to say that the PSP does stand up pretty well all on its own.
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2010/035/988580_20100205_embed002.jpg (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/images/6249535/2/?path=2010%2F035%2F988580_20100205_embed002.jpg)
Based on what we saw and played, Modnation Racers is shaping up to be one of the most promising PSP titles we've seen this year. The game's smart and faithful conversion of the PS3 game is an impressive feat matched only by its smooth framerate. Anyone hungry for some kart racing or content creating on their PSP will do well to keep an eye out for the game. Modnation Racers is slated to ship later this year for the PSP in tandem with the PlayStation 3 game, look for more on both in the coming months.
Read and Post Comments (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535#post_comment) | Get the full article at GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)
"PSP | Modnation Racers PSP First Look (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)" was posted by Ricardo Torres on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:18:29 -0800
More... (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/
Modnation Racers is the upcoming kart racer for the PlayStation 3 being developed by United Front Games that is set to carry on the “play, create, share“ movement introduced in Littlebigplanet. The game was first shown off at last year's Electronics Entertainment Expo and offered a fresh addition to Sony's growing PS3 software library. While we've had a few updated looks at the game in the months since its debut, it looks like Sony has been keeping a secret that we discovered on a recent visit to SCEA's San Diego development studio: a PSP version of the game. While it may sound like crazy talk to hear that the Modnation Racers experience is being converted to the PlayStation Portable, we're pleased to say that it's happening and going shockingly well. We had the chance to get a look at an early, work in progress version of the game and were shocked by how well it's coming together.
[ Watch Video ] (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)
Comment on this video (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/video/6249530#generic_comments)
Watch this video in High Def (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/video/6249530?hd=1)
If you haven't been following Modnation Racers, the unique kart racer features your standard single and multiplayer racing modes with a robust and easy to use content creator. If this sounds a lot like the model set by Littlebigplanet, that's because it really is the spiritual successor to Media Molecule's groundbreaking little title. One of the key differences to the experience--aside from the difference in genre--is an even more accessible, and surprisingly robust, content creation tool that's basically a triple threat. The game's three creation “studios“ let you create unique mods (drivers), karts, and tracks using thousands of props and a freeform road-layout tool for a staggering amount of combinations. While this whole package makes sense on the PlayStation 3 given its processing power, a successful and faithful portable conversion clearly poses a pretty hefty challenge.
Sony tapped its San Diego development studio to take on the task of creating a unique Modnation experience on the PSP that was faithful to the PS3 game. In order to pull the ambitious task off, the team reached out to two studios, United Front Games who were obviously pretty well versed in the Modnation world, and, Studio Liverpool, Sony's UK dev house responsible for the awesome Wipeout games on PSP. United Front Games obviously offered guidance and assistance around the assets used for the game to ensure that the art style remained faithful to the overall aesthetics of the PS3 version. Studio Liverpool made a unique contribution to the project in the form of the game engine the team developed for the Wipeout games on PSP.
The result of this work is a full featured recreation of the PS3 game on the PSP that comes packing nearly all the content from the console game, sharp visuals and an impressive sense of speed. The game retains the urban vinyl look of its console cousin and sports a stylized look that fits the action. There are obviously some tradeoffs to detail given the PSP's horsepower and display resolution but Sony San Diego's work to tweak the Wipeout engine for its needs is paying off nicely. The game looks super sharp and retains its quirky personality.
[ Watch Video ] (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)
Comment on this video (http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/driving/modnationracers/video/6249531#generic_comments)
Watch this video in High Def (http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/driving/modnationracers/video/6249531?hd=1)
On the content side, Modnation Racers PSP features a single payer story mode that has you working your way through a series of levels facing off against bosses. In addition the game features the three content creation studios that let you customize your driver and kart as well as create entire tracks from scratch. While this may sound daunting, each of the studios features an easy to use interface that makes drawing on the hundreds of different items to create something a breeze. Many of the items in each editor feature some level of additional customization, such as color or detailing, that you can use to finetune your items to your liking. The game stays true to the interface of the PS3 game's content creation modes and should accessible for just about anyone to play around with. The track editor is especially impressive given the scale that you work in.
As far as the multiplayer goes, there are a few options to choose from. The multiplayer experience lets you mix it up in adhoc or infrastructure matches for up to six players. You'll find all the different match types from the PS3 game on hand in addition to a brand new mode for the PSP. Besides the traditional multiplayer options, Modnation Racers will also let you upload your custom content as well as download the work of other players as well.
But, while this all sounds well and good, cool graphics and content creation tools don't mean much if the game sitting at the heart of everything blows. We got some hands-on time with two tracks in the game and are pleased to report there is no blowing going on here. The racing mechanics are sound and the controls are responsive, which makes for a fun kart experience. Your goal, as in the PS3 game, is to outrace your opponents through windy tracks filled with hazards, weapons, jumps, and shortcuts. An interesting new wrinkle to this solid set of mechanics is a new stomp move added to the PSP game that lets you smack around an opponent even if you don't have a weapon on hand. One of the big keys to the game's success here is the framerate which is fast and smooth even in its unfinished state. The game's audio wasn't quite as polished up as the visuals were so we didn't get a proper sense of what to expect, but we reckon it should be pretty close to what we've heard in the PS3 game.
So after going through Modnation Racers PSP, our big question was around how or if the game was going to synch up with the PS3 title. The team was pretty tight lipped on any cross platform communication or functionality, although they noted that their goal as well as that of United Front Games was to make the best possible game experience on each of the platforms. We'll be curious to see just what, if anything, ends up going on between the two platforms but we have to say that the PSP does stand up pretty well all on its own.
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2010/035/988580_20100205_embed002.jpg (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/images/6249535/2/?path=2010%2F035%2F988580_20100205_embed002.jpg)
Based on what we saw and played, Modnation Racers is shaping up to be one of the most promising PSP titles we've seen this year. The game's smart and faithful conversion of the PS3 game is an impressive feat matched only by its smooth framerate. Anyone hungry for some kart racing or content creating on their PSP will do well to keep an eye out for the game. Modnation Racers is slated to ship later this year for the PSP in tandem with the PlayStation 3 game, look for more on both in the coming months.
Read and Post Comments (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535#post_comment) | Get the full article at GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)
"PSP | Modnation Racers PSP First Look (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)" was posted by Ricardo Torres on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:18:29 -0800
More... (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/modnationracers/news.html?sid=6249535)