Commander Fury

Name: PlayStation - WWE 2K23 - DLC 4: Revel with Wyatt Pack | PS5 & PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury WWE 2K23 - DLC 4: Revel with Wyatt Pack | PS5 & PS4 Games PlayStation - WWE 2K23 - DLC 4: Revel with Wyatt Pack | PS5 & PS4 Games

Name: PlayStation - Walkabout Mini Golf - Laser Lair DLC Launch Trailer | PS VR2 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Walkabout Mini Golf - Laser Lair DLC Launch Trailer | PS VR2 Games PlayStation - Walkabout Mini Golf - Laser Lair DLC Launch Trailer | PS VR2 Games

Name: PlayStation - EA Sports FC 24 - Gameplay Deep Dive | PS5 & PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury EA Sports FC 24 - Gameplay Deep Dive | PS5 & PS4 Games PlayStation - EA Sports FC 24 - Gameplay Deep Dive | PS5 & PS4 Games

Name: XBox - Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island - The Journey to Mêlée Island Launch Trailer Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island - The Journey to Mêlée Island Launch Trailer XBox - Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island - The Journey to Mêlée Island Launch Trailer

Some of the best coming-of-age stories happen in times of great upheaval: war, revolution, calamity… but graduating high school while you’re staring down your almost-inevitable extinction, at the hands of one of the greatest disasters to ever hit planet Earth? That’s some rough stuff. Such is the setting of Goodbye Volcano High, a dramatic, narrative-driven tale of awkward proto-avian teenagers at a turning point when they should have the rest of their lives ahead of them–except they don’t. Montreal-based indie studio KO_OP has been working on Goodbye Volcano High for several years now, and its tale of prehistoric high-school life is releasing very soon on PS4 and PS5. We sat down with the game’s director, Kyle McKernan, to get a deeper dive into character writing, wrangling the narrative, and how to weave mini-games into the fabric of a sprawling drama. A drama for the Stone Ages “The themes at the core of Goodbye Volcano High are love, friendship and youth facing what feels like an inevitable catastrophe,” says McKernan. “The game explores what it means to embrace family and found family in a time of crisis and the different ways people cope with impending disaster… One of our driving focuses was how you reconcile all your wants, needs, goals and love when the time to reach closure has been cut short.” No matter what species you are, being a teenager isn’t easy, and the narrative of Goodbye Volcano High can often tackle some tough subjects: love, facing others’ expectations, drug use, and the looming specter of premature death. “Crafting the narrative was challenging because it demanded we probe some serious and often difficult topics for ourselves in order to realize them in our characters,” McKernan continues. “Facing mortality isn’t an easy thing to ruminate on, and it especially isn’t easy to focus on for years of development. Making sure we honored those feelings in our story was important to us and we placed a lot of pressure on ourselves to get it as right as we could.” Tough situations means sometimes making tough choices, and when faced with tough decisions, you’ll be able to peer directly into the mind of protagonist Fang. “Our UI can reflect Fang’s thoughts to the player. When the player is making choices, they aren’t just picking something, they’re seeing what Fang thinks and what they are willing to do or say.” Prehistoric personalities Key to crafting an engaging narrative are characters that players come to love (or love to hate.) Volcano High’s students include: Fang, a would-be indie band vocalist; songwriter and guitarist Trish; drummer and dungeon master extraordinaire Reed; shy Student Council president Naomi; and straight-laced class president Naser–who also happens to be Fang’s brother. To help the narrative connect with players, the KO_OP team put extra care into developing the personalities of these central characters, along with the many other faces at Volcano High. “The key focus for us is to let the player see themself in our characters one way or another,” says McKernan. “In games, you have a lot more tools at your disposal for doing that because the player is directly engaging with and influencing the game itself. We want the player to get inside the mind of Fang and draw out the experience they get from it naturally. Our cast of characters has a wide range of reactions to the end of the world–we hope we’ve provided a space for players to engage with their own internal struggles through our characters.” The central cast went through quite a few iterations as development progressed, as McKernan tells us. “Our characters went through a lot of revision and refocusing as our overarching narrative and mood of the game settled into place. As the threads of our story evolved, the characters’ voices and personalities needed to match them and vice versa. It was a long process to make the characters’ internal struggles feel real and realized in the context of the game’s story. The push and pull of development requires a willingness to toss things out and break things down so that you can reform them.” Ultimately, McKernan hopes that players will find themselves connecting to the gang. “We wanted the player to feel what our characters feel in the game. Not just fear and anxiety (which we have an ample supply of in the real world) but love, camaraderie, creativity, and hope amplified in the face of immense crisis. Even though the core of our narrative is difficult in a lot of ways, we want the player to come away from it feeling hopeful. That’s not to say there aren’t a lot of ups and downs there–we hope it’s all keenly felt. To us, authentic characters are critical to any narrative art, so for us it was extremely important that we feel our characters have an authenticity to their behavior, thoughts and feelings–especially for us to feel a connection to our work.” Jurassic jams One of the story’s main elements is Fang and Trish’s band, VVORM DRAMA. The band isn’t just a piece of background information–there will be parts of the game where you’ll need to play a rhythm mini-game to belt out a jam. As McKernan explains, these portions are just as emotionally charged as the rest of the game. “In order to let the music performance moments shine emotionally, it was important that we create rhythm mechanics that let the player be a part of the music while not being overly challenging. We wanted the player to engage with Fang’s fantasy around music and let them in on everything that means to the character.” You won’t just be alternating between making decisions and playing tunes, though–there are also bits of experiential gameplay that help set the stage for what’s currently happening. “We have moments in the game where you get to look around at people in the world and get thoughts on them, or take a look at their social media posts that help to give a sense of place to the world our characters inhabit. We also have moments that show the emotions specific characters are feeling and engage the player in them: moments like doom scrolling social media when things get bad or playing music for your friends and hoping they like your song. Our mini-games serve to flesh out the world on a larger scale and the relationships/characters on a smaller scale.” This prehistoric story may have been 66 million years in the making, but you won’t have to wait much longer to hang out with Fang and friends. Goodbye Volcano High will be available digitally for PS5 and PS4 on August 29. View the full article

Name: PlayStation - Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes - Definitive Edition - Launch Trailer | PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes - Definitive Edition - Launch Trailer | PS4 Games PlayStation - Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes - Definitive Edition - Launch Trailer | PS4 Games

Name: PlayStation - Frank and Drake - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Frank and Drake - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games PlayStation - Frank and Drake - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games

Name: PlayStation - Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon - Storyline Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon - Storyline Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games PlayStation - Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon - Storyline Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games

Name: PlayStation - Tekken 8 - Claudio Serafino Reveal & Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Tekken 8 - Claudio Serafino Reveal & Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games PlayStation - Tekken 8 - Claudio Serafino Reveal & Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games

Name: PlayStation - The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails - Gameplay Trailer | PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails - Gameplay Trailer | PS4 Games PlayStation - The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails - Gameplay Trailer | PS4 Games

Name: PlayStation - Dolphin Spirit - Ocean Mission - Reveal Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Dolphin Spirit - Ocean Mission - Reveal Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games PlayStation - Dolphin Spirit - Ocean Mission - Reveal Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games

Name: PlayStation - Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening - Launch Trailer | PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening - Launch Trailer | PS4 Games PlayStation - Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening - Launch Trailer | PS4 Games

Name: XBox - Atlas Fallen -Combat Trailer Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Atlas Fallen -Combat Trailer XBox - Atlas Fallen -Combat Trailer

Name: PlayStation - Atlas Fallen - Combat Trailer | PS5 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Atlas Fallen - Combat Trailer | PS5 Games PlayStation - Atlas Fallen - Combat Trailer | PS5 Games

Name: PlayStation - The Spirit and the Mouse - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/20/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury The Spirit and the Mouse - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games PlayStation - The Spirit and the Mouse - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games

Ever since we announced Firewall Ultra, the next evolution of the Firewall franchise, last year here on the PlayStation Blog, the outpour of encouragement from the community has been nothing short of amazing. The pure excitement in all your comments, messages, tweets, and posts have us all even more motivated to make the game as great as it can be. Which is why we’re so excited to debut our new gameplay trailer featuring fresh PvP gameplay footage! To cap off that excitement, today we’re thrilled to announce that pre-orders are officially live for Firewall Ultra starting today with a launch date of August 24, 2023 at 10PM (Bangkok/Jakarta) / 11 PM (Singapore/Kuala Lumpur/Hong Kong/Taiwan) / August 25, 2023 at 12AM (Seoul). Play Video Firewall Ultra puts the next-gen VR features embedded in the PS VR2 front and center to deliver a compelling and immersive first-person shooter experience. This includes eye-tracking for innovative use cases like closing your eyes to avoid the effects of a flashbang, incredible haptic feedback in the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers for realistic weapon feedback, headset feedback when you take damage or toggle on night vision goggles, and so much more. Firewall Zero Hour players know how much we continue to support and build on the game after launch, and that we value feedback from our community – so we will be looking to explore adding more content such as new weapons and contractors, maps, additional game modes, and possibly manual reloads post-launch. Keep an eye out for our operation calendar and more info on our post-launch plans as we get closer to the release of the game. In the meantime, we are excited to reveal that we’ll be offering ways to acquire unique variants of our weapons when playing Firewall Ultra for the first time ever. These unique weapons* will come pre-fitted with great attachments, an exclusive skin, and legendary versions will even have a different look all together. * Unique Weapons require game progression We’ve also overhauled the game’s internal infrastructure with an immersive social lobby area and shooting range in our Safehouse between game sessions, dedicated servers to help minimize dropped network connections, and a new best-of-three round-based player-versus-player (PvP) format that will have you spending less time waiting and more time playing. You can read more about all of this in the PlayStation Blog’s hands-on report right here. What is Firewall Ultra? Firewall Ultra is the next evolution of the Firewall franchise following the 2018 hit PS VR shooter, Firewall Zero Hour. The primary PvP game mode called Contracts pits two teams of four against each other in a best-of-three series of matches that feature tense tactical combat across a variety of maps. In each match a defending team must protect a laptop full of classified intel using an assortment of gadgets and weaponry while the attacking team attempts to bypass the security access points and hack the laptop. Tools at your disposal include proximity mines you can place in crafty locations to catch attackers by surprise, door blockers to fortify your position, and many more. Attackers need to tread carefully around maps and work as a team to decrypt the intel before time expires. It is vital to be aware of your surroundings at all times while playing Firewall Ultra. Nighttime outdoor maps like Oil Rig, as seen in our gameplay trailer, or even the dark, decrepit corners of indoor maps like Office can get incredibly dark and dangerous. Thanks to the dynamic lighting and realistic shadows afforded by Unreal Engine 5, we’re able to deliver an incredible sense of tension, immersion, and visual fidelity in real-time. Firewall Ultra will feature a brand-new player-versus-environment (PvE) game mode that will let either you by yourself or you and up to three other contractors take on deadly enemy AI across the full selection of maps. It’s a whole new way to play Firewall and we can’t wait to share more about that mode soon. Cutting-edge FPS immersion We use eye tracking in a number of ways to enhance actual gameplay in Firewall Ultra. For example, you can close your eyes physically to avoid the blinding light of a flashlight. You can also close your non-dominant eye when aiming down the sight of a gun to make the view even tighter for slightly more precision. These are both natural things players find themselves doing while playing, so we reward you for getting lost in the experience, having a sense of presence, and giving into the immersion. Using eye tracking you’ll be able to quickly swap weapons on the fly without needing to take time away from the action and foveated rendering ensures you’ll always have a sharp and crisp look into the world thanks to PS VR2’s powerful 4K HDR** display. Just wait until you play one of the darker maps and witness the dynamic lighting from your side barrel flashlight attachment for the first time. There’s nothing else quite like it. Finger touch detection and the adaptive triggers elevate things even further, letting you feel the different resistance levels of each weapon in your hand. Pulling the trigger of a pistol is completely different from the trigger on a sniper rifle and experiencing the intense haptic kickback of a shotgun is incredibly visceral. Using the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers you’ll be able to flip a knife across your fingers for stealth takedowns – or simply show off this nimble hand movement to friends. You can even make realistic hand signals and silent commands to team members for better tactical realism and interactivity. The PS VR2 Sense controllers make for an incredibly immersive game experience. We leverage the amazing hardware features of PlayStation 5 to make it easier than ever to join your friends. If you see your friends in a game of Firewall Ultra, you can quickly hop directly into the squad immediately from the card in your PS5 Game Base if there’s room. Load times are blazing fast to cut down on friction. Pre-order details We want to thank all our fans for patiently waiting on new information to come out about Firewall Ultra and are pleased to reveal that your patience is being rewarded with pre-order and edition details. Choose between the Firewall Ultra Standard Edition for SGD 54.90 / MYR 169 / IDR 579,000 / THB 1,290 which includes access to the full game or the Digital Deluxe Edition for SGD 79.90 / MYR 249 / IDR 879,000 / THB 1,990. When you pre-order Firewall Ultra before launch, you’ll get access to one of our favorite legendary weapons: the Reaper X75. This is included for both Standard and Digital Deluxe Editions when pre-ordered. For those that purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition, you’ll receive early unlock of four of the game’s contractors (Meiko, Skip, Fang, and Node—pictured above,) which includes their unique skills, as well as alternate outfits for each contractor. The Digital Deluxe Edition will also include four weapon camos that can be applied to customizable weapons in the game and you get access one post-launch Operation Pass*** for Firewall Ultra. We can’t wait to see you all in-game when Firewall Ultra launches exclusively for PS VR2 on August 24. Don’t forget pre-orders are live now so you can secure everything you need to prepare and be ready to squad up next month! ** Consists of two 2000×2040 OLED displays *** Access to complete content for one future Operation (date TBA). PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 required to play. PS VR2 is not for use by children under age 12. Internet connection & PS Plus membership required for online play. PS Plus is subject to a recurring subscription fee taken automatically until cancellation. Full terms: play.st/psplus-usageterms. View the full article

Name: PlayStation - Killsquad - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/19/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Killsquad - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games PlayStation - Killsquad - Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games

When PlayStation VR2 released earlier this year, it offered players a chance to experience virtual game worlds bristling with detail and immersive features. PS VR2 was the culmination of several years of development, which included multiple prototypes and testing approaches. To learn more, we asked PS VR2’s Product Manager Yasuo Takahashi about the development process of the innovative headset and PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller, and also gained insight into the various prototypes that were created as part of this process. Yasuo Takahashi, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Global Product Strategy & Management Dept. Section #1 Principal Product Manager Developing the PS VR2 headset PlayStation Blog: When did development for the PS VR2 headset start? Yasuo Takahashi: Research on future VR technology was being conducted even prior to the launch of the original PlayStation VR as part of our R&D efforts. After PS VR’s launch in 2016, discussion around what the next generation of VR would look like began in earnest. We went back and reviewed those R&D findings and we started prototyping various technologies at the beginning of 2017. Early that same year, we began detailed conversations on what features should be implemented in the new product, and which specific technologies we should explore further. Play Video For additional context, take a look at the PS VR2 Headset Teardown video which digs deeper into the features of the headset and its inner workings. PSB: Which feature or design element took the longest to develop? YT: From the concept planning phase, we were already thinking about introducing new features that would represent a generational leap compared to PS VR. These included eye tracking, headset feedback, and a single-cord setup. We also needed to include these features into the headset while maintaining a light and compact design. To achieve this, it was important to design a system that handled all the functions efficiently. Our teams worked very closely from the beginning to produce detailed technical estimates, and discussed how they could achieve an optimized design. It was a very important part of the early stages of the project, and although the research itself did not take that long, we were constantly optimizing even after the prototype was built. Additionally, we dedicated a lot of time into making sure that the headset was comfortable to wear and hold. PSB: Looking at these initial headset prototypes, I’m guessing that the weight significantly reduced during the development process? YT: Yes, the initial prototype was focused on evaluating functionality rather than weight, as we were considering how to incorporate new features into the original PS VR design. We were also exploring the best system for tracking, and with our first outside-in/see-through prototype, we were simultaneously testing the see-through view camera as well. After we performed functional evaluations, we then integrated the components into the actual system. The “tracking system study prototype” was a prototype created just prior to the integration, and although it was very large and heavy, it served an important role for evaluation. Outside In/ See through prototype: “The first prototype of would become PS VR2 featured IR LEDs for outside-in tracking, and a see-through view camera on the front and center part of the headset.” Outside In prototype. “A second prototype was created in parallel with the Outside-in/See-through Prototype. This one featured multiple IR LEDs for outside-in tracking placed on the front of the headset to test out tracking capabilities. A second prototype was created in parallel with the Outside-in/See-through Prototype.” Inside Out prototype. “This prototype was equipped with four cameras for inside-out tracking, and was created to evaluate the headset’s new tracking capabilities.” After we performed functional evaluations, we then integrated the components into the actual system. The “tracking system study prototype” was a prototype created just prior to the integration, and although it was very large and heavy, it served an important role for evaluation. Tracking camera positioning prototype “Prototype used for considering the position and angles of the four cameras. Using a dial, the position and angle of each camera could be finely adjusted.” Tracking system prototype “Prototype for testing the four cameras on the front of the headset by connecting them to an evaluation board. This was performed prior to the production of the SoC (system-on-chip), which is responsible for integrating all components.” In parallel, we also assessed the comfort and wearability of the headset. Since we already knew its expected weight, we evaluated numerous configurations of how the headset can be worn based on that estimate. We added many features, but in the end, we put a lot of thought into the materials and shape to make the headset feel lightweight. Each component itself was made lighter, the design was made as simple as possible, and the thickness of the plastic was made as thin as possible while maintaining strength. The mechanical engineers worked hard to achieve just the right balance between weight reduction and durability. PSB: PS VR2’s eye tracking feature is really impressive– how was this developed? YT: We wanted to push the boundaries of play with PS VR2, so we were exploring eye tracking as a new UI feature. Eye tracking technology had been around for some time and we knew it was a great fit for VR, so we wanted to make sure we leveraged it appropriately. We also looked at foveated rendering to achieve a high-fidelity visual experience, which is a technique that optimizes the resolution of where the player is looking at, while reducing rendering performance of the surrounding peripheral vision. PSB: Did you encounter any difficulties when testing eye tracking? YT: Some people wear glasses and everyone has different eye colors, so the feature needed to accommodate all kinds of players. To ensure the feature was tracking correctly, we spent a long-time testing and optimizing the feature with a variety of users. PSB: Headset feedback is unique to PS VR2. How was this first added as a new feature and how did you go about developing it? YT: Mechanical design engineers removed the rumble motor from a DualShock 4 wireless controller and attached it to PS VR to try it out. They found that it actually increased the feeling of immersion and sense of reality, though there were challenges when trying to actually integrate the feature into the headset. That’s why we created the next prototype, “Eye Tracking Evaluation Prototype Part 2” with a built-in motor, and tested how the motor affected eye tracking and head tracking. Eye tracking evaluation prototype 2 “Testers were asked to look at different screens to test the eye tracking. The sides of the device can be opened, so that the developers can visually check the distance between the lens and the eyes. This was done because without visual confirmation, it was difficult to know if the device was being worn at the correct lens distance.” We worked closely with PlayStation Studios to evaluate what kind of headset feedback would be the most effective based on what we learned from the prototypes. We compiled our findings into a design guide so that other developers could learn from it, and many developers used it as a reference. PSB: What PlayStation Studios feedback did the team end up incorporating into the final PS VR2 headset? YT: The placement of the tracking camera was adjusted based on their feedback, while confirming the range of hand movement expected in actual gameplay. When PlayStation Studios members gathered in San Francisco for an event, we brought prototypes from Japan and made adjustments based on the feedback we received there. Skeleton prototype “This is a prototype that allows the internal structure of the headset to be visible from the outside.” Developing the PS VR2 Sense Controller Play Video Check out the PS VR2 Sense Controller Tear Down Video for an in-depth look at the internal structure of the controller. PSB: When did the development of the PS VR2 Sense Controller start? YT: As with the headset, we kicked off discussions in 2016 and began prototyping in 2017. The inside-out method is a tracking technology that is paired with the headset, so we considered this from the initial stages. We also discussed other features we wanted to add, how many buttons the controller should have, and to what extent we could incorporate features from the DualSense wireless controller for PlayStation 5. Members included those from electrical design, mechanical design, R&D, as well as mechanical design. The mechanical design team was integral to developing and exploring various shapes for the controller. PSB: What were the features or design aspects that took the longest to develop? YT: The PS VR2 Sense controller incorporates key features from the DualSense wireless controller, such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. We also added a sensor for finger touch detection, and we spent a lot of time adjusting the controller to make it easier and lighter to hold. We also conducted extensive user testing. PlayStation Studios has a dedicated user testing team, and we worked closely with the team in Europe to ensure that we had as many people test the controller as possible. PSB: How did you land on the final design and shape for the Sense controller? YT: In the earliest prototype we used a different tracking method and utilized the sphere from the PlayStation Move controller. It also included features such as adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, finger-touch detection, and L1/R1 shoulder buttons. We equipped these features in the prototype to verify which features were the most important. Prototype 1 “This is one of the earliest prototypes. This was a prototype to test the effectiveness of adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and finger touch detection in VR controllers. Tracking was enabled by the PlayStation Move motion controller sphere.” The next prototype used inside-out tracking, and this was how we determined where the IR LEDs should be placed and started experimenting with several different shapes for the controller. Prototype 2 “This prototype was built for tracking performance study,evaluating the performance when the IR LEDs (for tracking) were placed separately on the top and bottom of the controller.” Prototype 3 “A prototype for the tracking performance study. This prototype was used to evaluate the performance when IR LEDs were placed on a ring on the back of the hand.” This next prototype is close to its current final shape, but the main difference is the size of the grip. The shape is the result of adding various features, such as adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and of course, the battery. However, it was too large to hold for extended game play sessions, so our mechanical and electrical engineers worked hard to optimize the grip to make it thinner and more comfortable to hold. Prototype 4 “Another prototype for the tracking performance study. This was to evaluate the performance when IR LEDs were placed around the controller with both design and features in mind.” PSB: What kind of evaluation process did you go through when adding completely new features such as finger-touch detection? YT: We created a prototype that incorporated features such as adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, finger-touch detection, and other elements that achieved a stronger feeling of immersion in VR experiences. We considered various forms of finger-touch detection, including ones that required button presses. Each time we created a prototype, we asked for feedback from PlayStation Studios and used those insights for further testing. We asked how they wanted to utilize the controller in their games, and determined which features we wanted to include and how to include them. The optimal number of buttons, for example, is something that game developers can provide the best feedback for, so we closely listened to their thoughts during development. PSB: The final shape of the controller feels natural in the player’s hand. Why and how did you decide on this final design? YT: Our goal was to balance the weight and center of gravity to make the controller easier to grip and hold for longer gameplay sessions. We conducted extensive prototyping and user testing in order to achieve a comfortable fit. It was not enough to simply piece the components together; we had to make drastic changes to the internal structure. The next prototype is close to the final product, but the fit is not yet fully optimized. Prototype 5 “This prototype is equipped with all final features and incorporates the unique “orb” shape. It was also used to evaluate the tracking feature, which was close to final at this stage. The grip design and comfortability were not yet fully optimized.” PSB: It seems like the team put a lot of effort into IR tracking during development. When creating the prototypes, did you have to make any drastic changes from your initial planning? YT: At the start of the project, we weren’t sure whether inside-out or outside-in tracking was better, so we explored both possibilities in parallel. We split into two teams and produced prototypes for both. After that, we decided to focus on the inside-out method and continued to optimize the tracking. The prototype produced to test the placement of the headset tracking camera enabled us to fine-tune the position and angles of the four cameras with a dial. It was also used to verify the range that the cameras could detect. PSB: Were you involved in software development at the initial research phase? What feedback did you incorporate? YT: We couldn’t fully envision how the controller would act and perform in an actual game, so the PlayStation Studios team provided feedback on the proposed product specifications early on in the technical review process. For example, if the player is standing and grabs an object at the waist, the head must remain facing forward, so we made sure the camera could detect an object below the headset. On the other hand, if you are pulling out a bow and arrow from your back, your arm will not be in the range of the camera. In instances like this when the controller was out of range from the camera, we had to make adjustments based on feedback, so that the tracking felt more natural. Optimizing ergonomics while incorporating both adaptive triggers and haptic feedback was challenging, but we followed through due to strong demand from the software development team. The adaptive triggers must be located near the fingertips, while the haptic feedback needs to be incorporated where players grip the controller. The adaptive trigger modules are reasonably large, so if you account for the modules as well as the battery, various components end up crowding the grip area. This is not ideal ergonomically and sacrifices comfort. Originally, we intended on utilizing the same adaptive trigger components as the DualSense wireless controller, but we ended up creating a customized, dedicated module for the PS VR2 Sense controller. All the prototypes for PS VR2 headset and the PS VR2 Sense controllers. PSB: Finally, what are you proudest of with regards to the final PS VR2 headset? YT: The original PS VR was used by many game developers to expand the world of VR games, and we believe that the PS VR2 pushes the boundaries even further. PS VR2 is capable of rendering stunning 4K HDR visuals (2000×2040 per eye), and eye tracking also delivers high-quality graphics with efficient rendering techniques. Combined with the controller, headset and comfortable design, players can fully immerse themselves in the extraordinary VR worlds created by game developers. The diverse portfolio of VR games will continue to expand in the future, and we hope that players will enjoy them to the fullest. ● Learn more about PS VR2 ● Read more PlayStation Blogs about PS VR2 View the full article

Name: PlayStation - Remnant 2 - Surviving The Post-Apocalypse | PS5 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/19/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Remnant 2 - Surviving The Post-Apocalypse | PS5 Games PlayStation - Remnant 2 - Surviving The Post-Apocalypse | PS5 Games

Name: PlayStation - For Honor: Ocelotl Hero - Reveal Trailer | PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/19/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury For Honor: Ocelotl Hero - Reveal Trailer | PS4 Games PlayStation - For Honor: Ocelotl Hero - Reveal Trailer | PS4 Games

Hello everyone! This is Masayoshi Soken, the main composer of Final Fantasy XVI. People often have a conception that composers only think about music, but I’m actually a gamer through and through. While I do talk about music a lot, to be honest, I enjoy talking about video games more than music. I’m an old guy that’s a gamer from head to toe. Now, we composed the music for this title with the idea of going straight to the core of the dark fantasy genre. I believe a lot of people would agree with me, but I feel that the music is an essential element of the “Final Fantasy” game experience. We composed a lot of in-game music that will stir the hearts of the players and enrich their game playing experience to the fullest this time around as well. FFXVI is packed with these kinds of tracks, so it would make me very happy if fellow gamers can give the game a try. If you’re planning to play FFXVI, please enjoy and turn the volume up a bit louder than usual! 1. Land of Eikons This is the very first track that plays when you launch FFXVI. When you’re launching a “Final Fantasy” game, you’d want the Prelude to play before anything, right? But tracks with major key progressions, as with the traditional Preludes, didn’t fit at all with the world of FFXVI…Because of that, we transposed this track into a minor key and arranged it so that it more closely represents the world of FFXVI. 2. The Lion and the Hare – The Nysa Defile This track also plays early in the game. In order to have players audibly recognize early on that they’re playing a Final Fantasy game, we arranged the melody from the Prelude for this track. The arrangement for this track changes interactively in the game depending on the situation, but due to the constraints of an original soundtrack, the track included in it has separate arrangements split between the first half and second half. 3. To Sail Forbidden Seas This track plays during the face-to-face battles with Dominants. FFXVI has numerous battle tracks, but did you notice that all of the standard battle tracks share the same melody?? When you listen closely to the melody of this track, you’ll see that it’s the same melody as the track you hear when you fight standard monsters on the field..! FFXVI required a tremendous number of tracks, but if we had just composed a lot of tracks thoughtlessly, we would have ended up with a large variation of unique melodies, and there was a risk where the music of the game could have lacked overall consistency because of that. To address this, we composed melodies that would be used across the iconic elements of the games, such as characters and regions, and arranged them for every situation. By doing this, we were able to avoid having various melodies scattered across everywhere. 4. My Lady Going off on what I just discussed for the third track, this track is an arrangement of “Jill’s Theme” that was specifically composed to fit into a certain cutscene. Now you might ask, “Then what’s Jill’s theme?”. To answer your question, her theme is a track called “My Star.” This track is featured in the FFXVI original soundtrack, so please be sure to pick it up if you are interested…! Oh no! I just put out a blatant advertisement! 5. Find the Flame When you listen to this track as a single piece of music, there are no ups and downs, and it’s a bit of a childish track that just goes straight ahead from beginning to end. That being said, this track is supposed to go “Bang!” during a situation in the game, where it gives off a “Full throttle!! Step on the gas!!” vibe. So, this track was intentionally designed to be this way. Anyone who has played FFXVI to a certain point should be pumped up when they hear this track. Please give a listen when you want to charge yourself up and power through work, studying, housework, etc. However, please be sure not to step on the gas too much when you’re driving… — Needless to say, we put in a lot of hard work to compose the tracks for FFXVI, and made sure that they were tailored to the game. Listening to the music by itself before you play the game is fine, but I’m sure you’d be able to enjoy them a hundred times more if you listened to them after you played the game, as they were made specifically for FFXVI. That’s all from me! Please play and enjoy FFXVI. And if you end up liking the music, please consider introducing the music of FFXVI to your day-to-day life, and indulge your thoughts in the world of FFXVI, anytime and anywhere. View the full article

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Name: PlayStation - Firewall Ultra - Gameplay Trailer | PS VR2 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/19/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Firewall Ultra - Gameplay Trailer | PS VR2 Games PlayStation - Firewall Ultra - Gameplay Trailer | PS VR2 Games

Name: PlayStation - Legend Bowl - Release Date Announcement Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games Category: Gaming Industry Videos Date Added: 07/19/2023 Submitter: Commander Fury Legend Bowl - Release Date Announcement Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games PlayStation - Legend Bowl - Release Date Announcement Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games