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[gogogow]

A big key in there is how long it takes to develop. We don't know where it was at in development, other than they were targeting next year. They first started showing tech from the game in 2005. Even KZ2 didn't have tech shown that early.

They could've cancelled 8 days and getaway to make other hardcore games that takes less time to make, but no they didn't, they quit making hardcore games in favor of social games.

That was my entire point to begin with. No more hardcore games for them, but more social games.

 

[Kittonwy]

Three years is not a long time for a big project. The new Prince of Persia game coming out in December started production in 2005 although I don't think it was announced until last year.

Prince of Persia is hyped to shit already, and it's only been shown for mere months, unlike Eight Days which has pretty much been written off.

 

[Sean]

Well I've gotta eat my words a bit... That cover system looks pretty good, really fluid. Hopefully that technology will be used in another game.

 

[nelsonroyale]

hmmm, this did have some hype considering just one trailer was shown...quite alot of people were impressed and skeptical about the original trailer

 

[Ether_Snake]

Looks awesome. I remember this guy used to work at Ubisoft. Great animator, I hope they'll have a chance to use this tech in a future game.

 

[Kittonwy]

They could've cancelled 8 days and getaway to make other hardcore games that takes less time to make, but no they didn't, they quit making hardcore games in favor of social games.

That was my entire point to begin with. No more hardcore games for them, but more social games.

Hardcore games take time to make, they're expensive to make, if people don't buy them they're in trouble. Everytime Sony releases a first-party mature game it feels like they're basically crossing their fingers hoping it would break a million, when you make a simple social game for a couple of million and sell 500k worldwide you'll probably have recouped your costs, the math is pretty clear, so much negative press against Sony ever since the PS3 launched, sometimes I wonder if they should even stay in this business, sometimes I think people here hate Sony just because they're Sony and it's kind of sad when they make a lot of great games.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Three years is not a long time for a big project. The new Prince of Persia game coming out in December started production in 2005 although I don't think it was announced until last year.

Three years is as much as you need now, unless you make something quasi-revolutionary. And you're wrong about PoP, it has been in prod only recently.

 

[Kittonwy]

Im gonna cry now.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

HOLY SHIT how did I miss this thread!? IMPRESSIVE animations. Best animations I've seen in a current generation game. How did SCEE do this!? As impressive as Uncharted's animation was, I hope the sequel looks just as good as this game's animation.

 

[MorisUkunRasik]

Impressive, shame about the cancellation.

 

[Madman]

Prince of Persia is hyped to shit already, and it's only been shown for mere months, unlike Eight Days which has pretty much been written off.

No shit it didn't have much hype. They showed one CG trailer in 2006 and canceled it. Had footage like this been leaked, I think people's feelings would have been different.

 

[gogogow]

There wasn't enough hype for sure, the game basically fell off the radar for the most part, people don't really talk about it, the media certainly didn't really give a crap about it, all they did was doubt the game. With Getaway there was at least the name, the brand, all there was concerning this game was how the footage couldn't be real,

Dude, you are making a lot of stuff up. The media was interested in the game and was very positive about the game.
Check the archives.

Here I dug it up for ya:

ign e3 impression

gamespot impression

They were only having doubts whether it was realtime or not, but were very positive about other stuff, gameplay elements, graphics etc.
It even got nominated for IGN E3 awards.

 

[Kittonwy]

Dude, you are making a lot of stuff up. The media was interested in the game and was very positive about the game.
Check the archives.

Here I dug it up for ya:

ign e3 impression

gamespot impression

They were only having doubts whether it was realtime or not, but were very positive about other stuff, gameplay elements, graphics etc.
It even got nominated for IGN E3 awards.

The whole "is it even real" thing was a real buzz-kill, nothing would really matter if the footage was not real. The only games that have ever survived that were maybe Motorstorm and now Killzone 2.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Once again, I think the cover system was implemented into Killzone 2... It looks too similar.

 

[Kittonwy]

I do think the cover system as it was shown tend to be too slow when it comes to controls, the sliding over/under objects was certainly cool, I hope someday Sony will bring it back although it's unlikely, nice to see the animator still working at Sony and making Eyepet, because the Eyepet animates amazingly.

 

[Barkley's Justice]

yo the level graphics suck.

 

[Madman]

Once again, I think the cover system was implemented into Killzone 2... It looks too similar.

Probably not. The Killzone 2 cover system is based on and done by the same guy that did Liberation's. Odds are, the animations in this video is the first and last time they will be seen.

 

[gogogow]

The whole "is it even real" thing was a real buzz-kill, nothing would really matter if the footage was not real. The only games that have ever survived that were maybe Motorstorm and now Killzone 2.

That doesn't even make sense.
They both "survived" the "it was only CG" part, because realtime footage were shown afterwards.
Eight days didn't had the chance to show realtime footage and was canned.

So we will never know whether people will give a crap about it or not BACK THEN.
But obviously people do give a crap after seeing the real time stuff NOW, if it was shown in 2006, it would've generated lots of hype, since we haven't seen that kind of animation back then.

 

[Darkpen]

Haven't you heard Yoshida talking how he wants the Wii owners to upgrade to the PS3?

All these games are definitely an answer to the Wii, no doubt about it. Why do you think they (an entire studio) are only allowed to make "lifestyle games", just a pretty word for non-games.

Casual friendly games doesn't work when the PS3 costs 399 euro/usd. That isn't exactly a "casual gamer price", that's an "hardcore gamer price".

SCEE London were pushing these games out (eyetoy games, singstar games) when the PS2 was $149. Even then, most of their "casual friendly"games didn't sell, Eyetoy chat, kinetic, groove etc. except for Singstar.

Considering Phil's game development philosophy, and the success of Singstar in Europe, as well as the bashing comments Phil made on SCEJ at GDC before he announced his job change, I'd say otherwise.

You could say that new projects, post-wii success, are a direct response, but the mentality behind these games isn't new. PSeye (formerly eyetoy) games say hi.

 

[Shockgamer]

Oh no, a shooter is not coming out. What ever will the gaming world do?

The mechanics will be repurposed into another game, or recreated by another developer. Don't worry gaf, you'll have your slightly improved alien/demon/nazi/terrorist/gangsta stop and popper in no time.

 

[Darkpen]

I do think the cover system as it was shown tend to be too slow when it comes to controls, the sliding over/under objects was certainly cool, I hope someday Sony will bring it back although it's unlikely, nice to see the animator still working at Sony and making Eyepet, because the Eyepet animates amazingly.

Well, it might not look terribly visceral, but with what's shown in the video, its clear that the cover system is very smooth and, in a word, logical. Its the kind of gameplay footage you'd look at at think "hey, I think that would control really well."

There are far too many times in Uncharted where I fumble with the fucking cover system, and Drake doesn't do what I want him to do, especially in crushing.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

Hot damn thats friggen awesome, now im actually upset it got cancelled.

 

[gogogow]

Considering Phil's game development philosophy, and the success of Singstar in Europe, as well as the bashing comments Phil made on SCEJ at GDC before he announced his job change, I'd say otherwise.

You could say that new projects, post-wii success, are a direct response, but the mentality behind these games isn't new. PSeye (formerly eyetoy) games say hi.

Have you read my entire post?
I'm saying Sony shouldn't focus on making those by appointing an entire studio to create social games. I'm not talking about the origin, mentality of these games or whatever. The PS3 is too expensive for that. At this moment the PS3 needs more hardcore games and not eyepets.

Eyetoy said hi when the PS2 was $149.

 

[Ether_Snake]

The whole "is it even real" thing was a real buzz-kill, nothing would really matter if the footage was not real. The only games that have ever survived that were maybe Motorstorm and now Killzone 2.

So then we can imagine 8 Days would have survived that also eh?

And bullshit about the speed. People always say that, but if the game is built around this realism of motion everything's fine.

 

[nelsonroyale]

So then we can imagine 8 Days would have survived that also eh?

And bullshit about the speed. People always say that, but if the game is built around this realism of motion everything's fine.

yep, based on the work that went into the animation alone, this was looking far from mediocre...sony were idiots to can this....

 

[CitizenCope]

I hope they implement that cover system in Home. I don't care if it's just to play tag.

 

[methane47]

WOW This video just RUINED MY NIGHT!!!!!...

THANKS ALOT SONY

 

[jett]

Oh wow the animation is excellent! Actually lived up to the CG trailer...goddamn Yoshida. You really can't have some wapanese in charge of SCEWW, wtf can they know of decent next-gen gaming.

 

[KongRudi]

I don't think that the cancellation of this game is Phil's fault.
The cancellations were made after Kaz took his job. Phil were the one who agreed that this game should be made by that studio, in the first place. :-/

Many upcoming firstparty shooter-franchises on PS3; Resistance, Warhawk, Uncharted, Socom, Killzone, MAG, and so on.
With the exception of Uncharted all those games seems to be heavy with online-features, wich everyone says is a must-have in the future.

So it might be that Kaz chose the right games to cancel, if they couldn't sustain the budget, at that time (before MGS4 had become the game it is). :-/
Hopefully more fence-sitters will invest in a PS3 soon, and buy more 'hardcore' games, so Sony will not cut more games, they are missing out on alot of really good first-party stuff.. :-/

That said, the video in OP of the animation of the main-characther looked damn good.
It's very sad if that will never see the retail-shelves. EyePet look good aswell tough, hopefully it becomes sucessfull, so the developers dosn't get even work down the drain. :-/
I do not think that those studios will be stuck only doing 'life-style' games, from here on and in. The studios are too good for that. :-/
I take it for granted that the studios with less technical expertise, like Relentless, and similar, will handle that.
While the Cambridge-guys and others, wich are really good at bigger productions, gets to work on cutting-edge products.

 

[TheHeretic]

 

[DrPirate]

Oh wow the animation is excellent! Actually lived up to the CG trailer...goddamn Yoshida. You really can't have some wapanese in charge of SCEWW, wtf can they know of decent next-gen gaming.

Ashamed to say, but I agree with this statement. No intention of being racist. But honestly...Yeah.

 

[Vustadumas]

Yeh, good shit Jim's got there. Was sorry to hear it got canned, but he's on to bigger and brighter things now!

 

[kenta]

That looks freaking amazing, no doubt. Two things come to mind though:

1. Sony studios share tech and even if ND doesn't use this exact code, I think it's a safe bet to expect the cover system in Uncharted 2 being "inspired" by what's in the video

2. I would absolutely love a coop shooter, which is why I'm stoked for Faith and a 45.

So in a roundabout way I'm sure I'll be satisfied but I really would like to play the game I just saw

 

[borsdy]

They can turn this into a paintball mini-game in home.

holy shit

++

 

[rollingstart]

I've watched this like 4 times now. Why the FUCK isn't this game being made? I mean, I am going on just the animation and CG video from 2 years ago, but I dig what I see so far...and by so far I mean ever. Bastards.

 

[AmMortal]

Another thing the succes of the Wii has taken away from us

 

[Replicant]

That looks like a much friendlier cover system than Uncharted (sorry, Kittonwy). I've always wanted a cover system where your character ducks according to the height of the cover instead of popping up when the end of your current cover ends. Also, it'd be nice if I can decide which part of the cover I want to stick to instead of being assigned to a default cover and got shot because the character stands behind the wrong side of the crate, etc.

 

[SolidSnakex]

1. Sony studios share tech and even if ND doesn't use this exact code, I think it's a safe bet to expect the cover system in Uncharted 2 being "inspired" by what's in the video

Uncharted's animation system is already capable of replicating something similar to what's in this ED video. Here's a post mortem video that ND showed off at GDC. Skip to 1:32.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/180700.html

So the engine is already capable of doing it. So are you willing to allow the developer to sacrifice your controls to allow these animations to take place? That's something ND talked about with Uncharted. They were constantly tweaking the animation, because while it had to look smooth it also had to be very responsive because of the style of game Uncharted is.

 

[kenta]

So are you willing to allow the developer to sacrifice your controls to allow these animations to take place? That's something ND talked about with Uncharted. They were constantly tweaking the animation, because while it had to look smooth it also had to be very responsive because of the style of game Uncharted is.

No, I'm not willing to make that sacrifice, but the interesting thing is that neither was Eight Days. There are several points where you can see the dude "jump" to another animation which is exactly what I want to see in a game (prioritizing my commands over ultimate fluidity). So I don't think there's a compromise to be made in this department, both developers appear to have their eyes on the same goal

Which... is probably what prompted Sony to cancel the game. Honestly I think this all but confirms Uncharted 2 will have co-op as well as a cover system tweaked to be more like what we see here. But man I would have really liked to play this game, it looks so much better than I expected. I really like the character design, too

 

[Afrikan]

how about Sony London lending its 8 days graphics engine & animation to SCEA for who ever ends up developing Syphon Filter for the PS3.....game could be ready by late next year or early 2010.....

this cover system would work great with Syphon Filter.....

 

[DrPirate]

Uncharted's animation system is already capable of replicating something similar to what's in this ED video. Here's a post mortem video that ND showed off at GDC. Skip to 1:32.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/180700.html

So the engine is already capable of doing it. So are you willing to allow the developer to sacrifice your controls to allow these animations to take place? That's something ND talked about with Uncharted. They were constantly tweaking the animation, because while it had to look smooth it also had to be very responsive because of the style of game Uncharted is.

Holy crap, this video is incredible, I never saw this before.

I think it's a fair expectation for Uncharted 2 to have this type of animation with the vaulting and Drake landing unbalanced, etc.

Thanks

 

[kaching]

I guess it's like some lady said once... you don't know what you got 'til it's gone.

Posthumous appreciation, nothing new. Guess that means games really are Art.

Three years is not a long time for a big project.

It's not exactly a short time, either. I suspect most games still average in at 2 yrs or less for development. It's only the special cases that go over that. And it looks like it would be more like 4 years in this case, end to end since I forgot the first showing of ED related tech was in 2005.

 

[Y2Kev]

Oh wow the animation is excellent! Actually lived up to the CG trailer...goddamn Yoshida. You really can't have some wapanese in charge of SCEWW, wtf can they know of decent next-gen gaming.

Did you consider that maybe the game sucked? Hasn't Sony funded enough pretty next-gen stinkers at this point?

 

[AmMortal]

Uncharted's animation system is already capable of replicating something similar to what's in this ED video. Here's a post mortem video that ND showed off at GDC. Skip to 1:32.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/180700.html

So the engine is already capable of doing it. So are you willing to allow the developer to sacrifice your controls to allow these animations to take place? That's something ND talked about with Uncharted. They were constantly tweaking the animation, because while it had to look smooth it also had to be very responsive because of the style of game Uncharted is.

oh, wow!

Anyone know where i can get that artwork/concept art?

 

[Kittonwy]

That looks like a much friendlier cover system than Uncharted (sorry, Kittonwy). I've always wanted a cover system where your character ducks according to the height of the cover instead of popping up when the end of your current cover ends. Also, it'd be nice if I can decide which part of the cover I want to stick to instead of being assigned to a default cover and got shot because the character stands behind the wrong side of the crate, etc.

They already have that in UNCHARTED!!!111!!!, Drake does duck in lower cover versus cover from a taller object.

This might look fancier, but the lateral movement while in low cover is WAY slow when compared to UNCHARTED!!!111!!! where movement from left to right while in cover is much quicker for the player. Do you REALLY want to INCH from side to side which takes forever versus one continuous movement?

It's all about responsive player controls.

 

[Foil]

how about Sony London lending its 8 days graphics engine & animation to SCEA for who ever ends up developing Syphon Filter for the PS3.....game could be ready by late next year or early 2010.....

this cover system would work great with Syphon Filter.....

Yeah Syphon Filter is one of the first games I thought of for this cover system. Perfect fit in terms of gameplay style and needed movement.

 

[Bodom78]

Sony needs to push games that have promise, and this was one of them.

 

[Kittonwy]

Oh wow the animation is excellent! Actually lived up to the CG trailer...goddamn Yoshida. You really can't have some wapanese in charge of SCEWW, wtf can they know of decent next-gen gaming.

Wtf does he know when he was in charge of SCEA game development giving go-aheads to projects from Resistance to UNCHARTED!!!111!!! to Ratchet and Clank FTOD, while SCEE was still fiddling around with Getaway and Eight Days, his studios provided the big games for the holiday seasons.

Both UNCHARTED!!!111!!! and Eight Days had debut trailers at E3 2006, the game under Yoshida's charge came out in November 2007 as arguably the best game on the system, the other one got canned a year later with some animation video coming out now without ever having a playable build available to the public, yeah wtf does Yoshida know. Maybe if the game was ready to come out this year they wouldn't have to end up cancelling it.

 

[Kittonwy]

No, I'm not willing to make that sacrifice, but the interesting thing is that neither was Eight Days. There are several points where you can see the dude "jump" to another animation which is exactly what I want to see in a game (prioritizing my commands over ultimate fluidity). So I don't think there's a compromise to be made in this department, both developers appear to have their eyes on the same goal

Which... is probably what prompted Sony to cancel the game. Honestly I think this all but confirms Uncharted 2 will have co-op as well as a cover system tweaked to be more like what we see here. But man I would have really liked to play this game, it looks so much better than I expected. I really like the character design, too

Eight Days' lateral movement under cover is SLOW while sliding over, something that would NOT work well during actual gameplay, and I would NOT want to have a cover system play like that. It looks nice but when you're actually getting flushed with grenades and getting flanked by AI, it gets annoying. The point is UNCHARTED!!!111!!! sacrificed some animation smoothness and realism for better controls which was their number one priority, and it's ALWAYS better to have on-the-dime controls.

 

[Kittonwy]

how about Sony London lending its 8 days graphics engine & animation to SCEA for who ever ends up developing Syphon Filter for the PS3.....game could be ready by late next year or early 2010.....

this cover system would work great with Syphon Filter.....

Internal teams are already using Edge Tools part of which was developed by Naughty Dog programmers. Bend is a small studio though, maybe that's why they're working on a PSP game at the moment. Things like animation blending are already part of the toolset.