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Sony's London Studios - Eight Days in full production, The Getaway to follow

G

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
The Guardian got a peek into what Sony London is up to. Some tidbits in there, most notably that contrary to rumour, Eight Days is in fact ramping into full production now. The Getaway is in pre-production, and will go into full production once Eight Days is complete.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/apr/28/sonylondon

Haigh leads us on a tour of the London Studio, starting on the second floor, where the Eye Toy team resides. Sony hasn't yet confirmed it is making a version of Eye Toy for the PS3 and its new PlayStation Eye camera, but heavy hints are dropped, suggesting that in the "medium-term" just such a game will be released, and we see some interesting technology demos that use a torch and polystyrene ball as a pointing device, and also recognise pictures that you draw – this, the team points out, would let you use Eye Toy to create your own landscapes and environments.
Click to expand...

The torch and ball demos just sound like the old demos they've had for ages..but the whole drawing stuff (ala that tank game) could be neat if it made its way into a full eyetoy game.

Moving up from floor to floor, we see Eight Days – which is just ramping up to full production. To get an idea of the scale of development required on next-gen consoles, the team, currently numbering 63, will expand to about 80 with
a further 40 or so outsourced workers. A small team is working on pre-production for the next iteration of The Getaway, in preparation for being joined by the bulk of the Eight Days team when the latter is completed.
Click to expand...
 
L

Luckyman

Banned
I expect the visual gap between GTA and Getaway to be the same as on PS2. But Getaway will never be a better game..
 
R

reakt

Member
It's very interesting to hear what they're up to at their posh studios in Soho. I've walked past the office many times. I found it by accident - it doesn't say Sony or even SCEE on the doors but if you peer through the windows you'll see that the walls of the reception area are clad with lots of PSPs! Maybe some day I'll be lucky enough to work there.
 
N

nelsonroyale

Member
YESSSS BITCH!

I expect the new getaway to be incredible...some of the locations in the original genuinely made you feel like you were immersed in real world locations....more so than GTA... Well prob because they were actually based on real world locations, but the atmosphere felt just right. When you enter that drugged out yardy den with the jungle music blazing...that was GREAT
 
D

Dizzan

MINI Member
Can't wait for 8 days! Good to hear that it's still in production.

Generally how long is it from the start of full production until release?
 
P

pswii60

Member
Looks like they've really ramped up their team. They have two pre-production and one full production team, so could that mean three games in the pipeline?
"Of course, that's been taken on very well by Nintendo now, but we're still doing it, along with others, which is great. And now, with Home, we want to take the same approach to the online experience, and for it to be very much a PlayStation experience – I think everyone knows what we mean by that – not a PC wired into the back of a TV. So you turn it on and intuitively have an enjoyable social time."
Click to expand...
Which console is he referring to here? The one that offers instant, seamless, universal and non game-dependent online gaming and messaging without the need to install the games before you play them? That's nothing like a PC wired in to the back of a TV. Or is he talking about the one that couldn't be any further from a PC if it tried?
Dizzan said:
Can't wait for 8 days! Good to hear that it's still in production.

Generally how long is it from the start of full production until release?
Click to expand...
Well, if we take Insomniac as an example, 12 months. But then Insomniac are undeniably rapid.
 
D

Dizzan

MINI Member
pswii60 said:
Well, if we take Insomniac as an example, 12 months. But then Insomniac are undeniably rapid.
Click to expand...

Yeah but for a human developer
insomniac are definately not from this planet
 
V

Visualante

Member
I expected the Getaway, nay both to be further along. Good scoop from the Guardian, another quality blog btw, albeit less updated- if you read N'Gai you should be reading this too.
 
B

Busty

Banned
Though this article does at least confirm what we already knew (sight unseen) that Eight Days (and to a lesser extent The Getaway) are still on their way I don't think it's really gives us an insight into just what Sony London has cooking beyond what's already announced.

pswii60 said:
Looks like they've really ramped up their team. They have two pre-production and one full production team, so could that mean three games in the pipeline?
Click to expand...

It wouldn't surprise me at all if they did. With HOME due this year (..apparently) and SingStar PS3 out already I assume that this frees up Sony London to work on more actual disc based games/projects than apps.

Ages ago I heard that Sony London were working on a massive project/game that was to have been their biggest undertaking to date. I'm sure this was after the HOME reveal. I assumed that it was The Getaway but I suppose it could be Eight Days or something not yet announced.

Wasn't it Xun (?) who claimed to have knowledge that Sony London were developing a FPS rather than moving ahead with The Getaway.
 
N

nelsonroyale

Member
Busty said:
Though this article does at least confirm what we already knew (sight unseen) that Eight Days (and to a lesser extent The Getaway) are still on their way I don't think it's really gives us an insight into just what Sony London has cooking beyond what's already announced.



It wouldn't surprise me at all if they did. With HOME due this year (..apparently) and SingStar PS3 out already I assume that this frees up Sony London to work on more actual disc based games/projects than apps.

Ages ago I heard that Sony London were working on a massive project/game that was to have been their biggest undertaking to date. I'm sure this was after the HOME reveal. I assumed that it was The Getaway but I suppose it could be Eight Days or something not yet announced.

Wasn't it Xun (?) who claimed to have knowledge that Sony London were developing a FPS rather than moving ahead with The Getaway.
Click to expand...

whoever it was, it turned out to be rubbish...which is bloody good thing. No more fps... Well more, but not from studios that dont produce them usually
 
B

Busty

Banned
nelsonroyale said:
whoever it was, it turned out to be rubbish...which is bloody good thing. No more fps... Well more, but not from studios that dont produce them usually
Click to expand...

Agreed. Though, in saying that, if Sony London could do something different, like say a FPS set in the Getaway 'world' that could be interesting.

But if they go with a 'space epic' or some Middle Eastern set shooter I'm really not interested.

The only studios I'd like to see turn their hand to a sprawling (non space marine) FPS space opera are Insomniac or perhaps....RARE
..from ten years ago
 
P

pswii60

Member
Busty said:
Agreed. Though, in saying that, if Sony London could do something different, like say a FPS set in the Getaway 'world' that could be interesting.

But if they go with a 'space epic' or some Middle Eastern set shooter I'm really not interested.

The only studios I'd like to see turn their hand to a sprawling (non space marine) FPS space opera are Insomniac or perhaps....RARE
..from ten years ago
Click to expand...
Wasn't there a rumour that The Getaway PS3 would be set across two cities, London and Paris or something?
 
J

JCtheMC

Member
pswii60 said:
Wasn't there a rumour that The Getaway PS3 would be set across two cities, London and Paris or something?
Click to expand...

Early Techdemo's showed off London's Trafalgar(?) Square, but the E3 2006 trailer was set in Amsterdam... I'm really hoping Amsterdam makes it to the final game, the downtown area would make an awesome world to play around in.
 
A

anddo0

Member
Sweet!

I own both Getaway games but never finished them because of the poor controls.
The franchise has a lot going for it but they need to fix the damn controls.
 
K

keyrat

Member
pswii60 said:
Which console is he referring to here? The one that offers instant, seamless, universal and non game-dependent online gaming and messaging without the need to install the games before you play them? That's nothing like a PC wired in to the back of a TV. Or is he talking about the one that couldn't be any further from a PC if it tried?
Click to expand...

I think he's actually talking about bad efforts on the PS3; at least that's what it sounds like.
 
F

Firewire

Banned
I've been eagerly awaiting both games. I hope Eight Days keeps much of the style that was shown in the tech demo, also I hope they take their time with The Getaway.
 
KZObsessed

KZObsessed

Member
Reading now, awesome news.

"Recently, we've been more about sharing," Haigh says, diplomatically. "We, for example, have people helping out with products like LittleBigPlanet and Killzone 2, along with people from Cambridge, and the external development team at Liverpool."
Click to expand...

Is every Sony UK team helping out with Killzone 2? :lol
 
B

BobsRevenge

I do not avoid women, GAF, but I do deny them my essence.
What do you guys think? Eight Days 2008 and The Getaway 2009? It looks like a lot of work has already gone into the Getaway even if it is on the back burner so a 2009 release wouldn't suprise me.

By the way, on the PSEye stuff... the fact that Eye-Toy stuff is medium term sounds exciting. I'm suprised they haven't stepped it up a notch earlier, but if they actually deliver on the promise of the technology that'd be sooooooo amazing.
 
G

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
I'm just kind of glad The Getaway is coming after Eight Days. I want to see, if nothing else, what they can really do visually and technically in terms of simulating a city, so I figure the chances of something really great are higher if it'll be their second title (and also benefiting from shared work on other projects in the meantime).
 
KZObsessed

KZObsessed

Member
Doubledex said:
It's just one group with Cambridge and Liverpool guys. What's so funny! It's been known before
Click to expand...

...and now London guys as well. :) I just thought it was amusing, not knocking Killzone 2, I'm anticipating it as much as anyone.
 
P

Pimpwerx

Member
Pre-production on Getaway...still??? That's nuts. What are all those London assets for then? Why were they demoing an engine for this game back in 2005? Pandemonium. PEACE.
 
B

Busty

Banned
tanod said:
So what have they been doing since 2005 when Eight Days was first shown?
Click to expand...


Taking apart Wiimotes with screwdrivers to see what makes them work and prank calling RARE.
 
T

tanod

when is my burrito
Jason's Ultimatum said:
Ooh. I bet we're going to see some cool shit for EyeToy at E3. :D
Click to expand...

They need to bundle the Eye in with the PS3 and make it part of the standard package. It also doubles as a quality microphone, don't ya know.
 
W

Wax Free Vanilla

Member
anddo0 said:
Sweet!


The franchise has a lot going for it
Click to expand...
Agreed.

All they need to do is clone Uncharted's setup and fix the damn framerate when driving and during the big shootouts.

I hope we see something from both these games when Sony's Gamer day kicks off.
 
K

kaching

"GAF's biggest wanker"
Jesus, they're slow this gen. Nice to see Eight Days is still in production, but for it to have taken this long to get to full production is just ridiculous. And the Getaway isn't even in simultaneous production?

EDIT: Not to mention a "medium-term" release for EyeToy followup? Blegh.
 
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