Sony: 80GB PS3 Motorstorm bundle discontinued [Joystiq]

Evolution may have changed up the setting, but they haven't mucked much with the MotorStorm mechanics, as players of the first will feel right at home. The vehicle line up is almost exactly the same, but handling on the rides felt just a bit looser, making it harder to avoid obstacles than we remember. Unfamiliarity with the new Pacific Rift tracks more than likely accounted for our many, many crashes. It certainly wasn't a skill issue.

The newest, most notable changes come in the form of engine cooling by driving through pools of water—watch out though, motorcycles simply can't handle deep water—the new monster truck vehicle class and splitscreen multiplayer.

We only tested out the splitscreen mode briefly and only with two players. After our hands-on time with that particular mode, we don't expect to revisit it often when the game is finally released. With such expansive tracks and the option of taking multiple routes, slicing one's horizontal view in half doesn't make for the ideal MotorStorm experience.

Taking the monster truck for a spin, however, is certainly something we look forward to revisiting. The vehicle class's pros, cons and quirks weren't immediately apparent in our handful of monster truck races, but its promise—quad crushing and better-than-a-big rig handling—is exciting. As expected, the thing can overturn rather easily, meaning you'll probably do more braking than with other classes.

As we mentioned before, the game was still early; only 40% complete, reportedly. That was certainly apparent, as the frame rate wasn't close to consistent and much of the environmental effects seemed to be missing. We didn't seem to notice much in the way of land deformation, nor did explosions and the kicking up of mud impress. What did, though, were the ragdoll physics. Launching a motorcyclist across the finish line from an exploding bike was far more rewarding than in the original. Visually, though, the game looks rather flat at this point.

MotorStorm: Pacific Rift certainly has promise. We're definitely concerned about the current lack of "oomph" in the build we played and that the tropical setting may make for more cramped, less nail-biting thrill rides. Given that Evolution says it still has a long way to go—and that we still had fun—we're definitely giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Motorstorm? Loved it. Probably loved it more than you did, as I played through the entire thing, sticking up for it during the public picking apart of it's graphical promise. "It doesn't look like that E3 2005 footage!" they said. "La la la! I can't hear you! Vrrooom!!" I said. Motorstorm 2? I'm concerned. I keep looking at that ever present "pre-alpha 40% complete" reminder, but, man, does that water look less interactive than I'd hoped—even though the cooling properties are nifty. Still, monster trucks! And that lens flare? Just like the real thing. Whaddya think?

Motorstorm 2 'SCEE Gamers Day' HD [GameVideos]

There is commercial pressure from Sony who want us to create a viable business product but we're more after the critical acclaim. I think there's less pressure now because when we were an independent developer we had the pressure of paying the wages every month. Now we don't have to worry about the next game or what we're going to be doing.

SCEE: LittleBigPlanet Delayed, Not Coming Until October
Killzone 2 Dated for 2009
Resistance 2 will Feature Eight-Player Co-Op, 60-player Multiplayer
Motorstorm 2 Gets Named, Detailed
Gran Turismo Racing Academy Announced
Sony Gamers Day UK Info Dump: Resistance 2 to SOCOM Confrontation
Men In Black Becomes First International BD-Live Title
Episodic Siren Blood Curse Hits PS3 This Summer
Sony Brings Indie Music to PSN via Movement
Europe Getting MGS4 Bundle After All
SCEE Plays Up Social Gaming At Gamer's Day 08
PlayStation 3 Outsells 360 In Europe
Mirror's Edge In Motion

LIVE: EU PlayStation Day dawns [GameSpot]

Instead of mud, rocks, dust and the occasional cliff, MotorStorm 2 will feature natural hazards like "tangled undergrowth, swift flowing rivers, choking volcanic clouds and searing lava pools." Sounds just fantastic. The official release on the matter talks up an Autumn release, arriving with a "host of game modes and rewards." Now about those vehicle loading times...

We're waiting patiently for our issue of OPM to arrive with the smattering of details, but if the countdown clock on ThreeSpeech is accurate, we'll probably see the goods within the next 48 hours or so.

Motorstorm 2 to have monster trucks, plus more water [PS3Forums via N4G]

Two New MotorStorm Tracks Tomorrow [PlayStation Blog]

MotorStorm got a new update today, bringing a 2D option to the selection screen, mirrored tracks, a new mode, and two new songs to the off-road, over-the-top racer.

MotorStorm 3.1 will let you either use the traditional 3D selection screen or a 2D grid of the vehicles, which will likely greatly speed up the selection process. The game host can also now choose to use mirrored tracks, forcing everyone to run on tracks where the entire geometry has been reversed, something that should certainly breath new life into some of the tracks that have been run into the ground.

The patch also include a new proximity meter in MotorStorm Mode and finally they've added 'Devils Crossing' by Elite Force and 'Beat The Devil' by Jiffster to the soundtrack.

Sounds like enough to make it worthwhile to dive back into the game for awhile.

MotorStorm 3.1 Update - new features [Playstation League]

The full list of tweaks and twists is after the jump, but I'll save you the Ctrl + F "fixed loading times." There's no mention of less than unbearable vehicle selection speeds.

* Added vibration support for DUALSHOCK 3 controller with adjustable sensitivity settings.
* Grid order has been randomised for first race in any online lobby.
* Finishing positions in your last race now determine your starting grid position in the next race within the same online lobby.
* On-screen indicator has been added to show whether voice comms are issuing from TV or headset - As before, please press and hold L1 (R1 if using control scheme 'B') to toggle headset output through TV or Headset.
* Sensitivity Settings for SIXAXIS™ Motion Sensor control have been added.
* 'Gloating Index' has been added to the Stats card - The Gloating index gives guidance as to a racer's online prowess. It takes into account the number of people you've beaten in each race and the number of people that have beaten you. Use the gloating index to spot the players to beat in each race! Try and rank your Gloating Index up to the perfect '10'!
* Several causes for an occasional snagging issue which would destroy vehicles on suspension impact have been addressed.
* Further fixes to prevent the occasional statistics reset issue have been applied.
* Fixed an occasional issue with inaccuracies in Eliminator finishing results.
* Fixed an issue where winners leaving Eliminator before race completed could cause issues for other players in lobby.

Motorstorm 3.0 client update available 25th October [Official PlayStation Community via NeoGAF]

But if we have any corporate buyout specialists who'd like to run some numbers and post them in the comments, please, by all means. Until then, we'll get back to drooling on our laptops and coming up with catchy headline words like, "Moneystorm."

Evolution Set Sony Back £16 million [nextgen]

MotorStorm owners can pick up the Revenge Weekend add-on ($5.99) which consists of one new track, five new vehicles (including a school bus!), a new online mode and nine new events. Four of those vehicles may be purchased individually for 99 cents each, if you're so inclined. For Ninja Gaiden Sigma players looking for more punishment, the Weapons Master pack adds five survival modes for $2.99. But wait, there's more!

Trailers for upcoming games include:

• Turok "Quiet Kills" Trailer
• PixelJunk Racers Trailer
• Heavenly Sword "Making Of" No. 5 and Anime No. 5
• Lair "World in Chaos" Video
• MotorStorm "Coyote Revenge" Video

On the Hollywood front we have:

• Drillbit Taylor Trailer
• Resident Evil: Extinction Trailer

Finally, a single Heavenly Sword wallpaper has been thrown on the pile. Fire up those fiber optic lines, kids, it's gonna be a busy night.

The 2.0 updates will bring about the following changes.

Vehicle Select enhancement - your last-used vehicle in each class will now be presented as the default choice during vehicle selection.
Assigned player colours are now displayed in the lobby to make keeping track of your friends and rivals easier during online races and Eliminator matches.
Further Player-Stat Improvements.
Purchasers of 'Coyote Revenge' can now race this track in Online and Time Attack.
Purchasers of Eliminator Mode will find results from this mode also contribute to their Fame Ranking.
Track Exploits for Grizzly and Raingod Mesa have been addressed.
Headset support - An occasional firewall conflict with headset communications has been resolved.
Headset support - voice comms output now available exclusively through headset.

In addition to the oozing sex appeal of addressing firewall conflicts and other mysterious "improvements and tweaks throughout the game", details on the "Coyote Revenge" download were also disclosed.

Coyote Revenge - mauled into a completely new experience; more technical, new routes and more skilful rivals to battle against.
New Tickets - to get the most out of Coyote Revenge try to master these Revenge Weekend tickets; they cover all difficulty stages and completion will earn a nice surprise.
2 New Vehicles - a pair of special Revenge Weekend machines, chosen for your delectation.
Eliminator Mode - played online yet? In this brand new online multiplayer mode being last is a REALLY bad idea; if you can't hack the pace, the consequences can be quite explosive...

The new MotorStorm DLC is confirmed for our European brethren for the 6th of September, but we're still unsure when the new colonies can expect to get content updates. We'll keep you posted.

MotorStorm 2.0 available for download 4th September 2007 [EU PlayStation Forums]

For other areas, MotorStorm was an influence, and I was a big PGR3 fan, and of course we have some other guys who are racing game fans. But the driving side of it isn't intended to be a racing simulation like PGR3 or Gran Turismo. It is intended to have the feel and response that you would expect, and one of the things we had to prove to ourselves internally is that we had the capability to drive around in vehicles and have that be a significant aspect of the game and fun.

Rage's foundation, definitely, is first person shooter, because that's what we do best... There's obviously the first person shooting, then there are the driving games that are more arcadey. For me, I'm not a big Ridge Racer fan. The driving isn't going to be like that, it's going to be more like MotorStorm, more like Burnout. I really want people, when they play the game, to say, "You know, it wasn't what I expected from id, but I had a great time doing it.

I've also gotta buckle down and spend more time with Persona 3, largely out of obligation. I hope to start posting impressions and semi-review snippets starting Monday, with updates continuing throughout the week. If anyone has questions about the game, feel free to leave 'em in the comments.

Anyway, let's get down to business. What are you playing this weekend?

Microsoft were reportedly "not surprised by Sony's reaction to the market" and make none-too-subtle hints about playing the wait and see game on a future Xbox 360 price drop. MS also wanted to make sure the company got this stinging analysis of the price shift plan.

We'll see if it makes a difference. It's interesting to note that they've significantly dropped their price in the first eight months while Xbox 360 has continued to sell well at our launch price for more than a year and a half. We're right where we want to be right now — it's all about choice and bringing the best games and entertainment to homes around the world.

That almost reads like Microsoft isn't planning a 360 price drop in the very near future. It also reads like whomever this MS rep is, he or she is made up of one part press release and one part pure Sony hate.

Pre-E3 2007: MS Comments on PS3 Price Drop [IGN]

A Belgian retailer is taking pre-orders for a Motorstorm PS3 bundle. Nothing's been announced, but the box does look kind of officially (click the link below for a better look). Plus, we don't doubt that Sony has bundles planned for the various territories. The 60GB pack is listing for €619.99 (US $834) on the retailer's site. The console usually retails for €599, so this is a slightly better deal considering a game is included. Wonder what game they'll bundle for America... Something different from Hot Shots and Motorstorm. Guessing is fun! Brian Ashcraft

Pre-Order Bundle [Smart Toys via Siliconera]

Hooray, the update that adds a new time attack mode to MotoroStorm hits the Playstation Network today... and it's free!

Here's the full rundown of the PSN updates going live today:
• MotorStorm Time Attack (free): See if you've got what it takes to set the pace by downloading the new MotorStorm Time Attack mode. Race against the clock to set the best possible lap times on each of the tracks, then check out the global leader boards to see how fast you really are. Create and share ghost car laps that you can race with to improve your skill, or show off your technique to the world.
• Hot Shots Golf 2 ($5.99*): Put on some plaid pants and head out to the course in Hot Shots Golf 2.
• CoolBoarders ($5.99*): CoolBoarders presents a most awesome and excellent challenge: to out-shred the best boarders on the pro circuit.
• The Heartbreak Kid Trailer (free): Download a new trailer for the upcoming comedy, The Heartbreak Kid.

I can't wait to check out the new MotorStorm mode and I might even splurge for a little CoolBoarders action. I played the hell out of that when it first hit. Brian Crecente

Unfortunately, it appears that online play is region specific, so our global Motorstorm death race will have to wait. Michael McWhertor

MotorStorm [PlayStation.jp, thanks Riyu!]

The other big nominees include the European developers behind Motorstorm, Viva Pinata, DEFCON and Formula One Championship Edition. The full list of nominees for each award are listed at Gamasutra. Michael McWhertor

Crackdown Tops Develop Award Finalists [Gamasutra]

Today's game content-light PlayStation Store update isn't being helped by the (I'm sure very necessarily) delayed downloadable updates for the two PLAYSTATION 3 games most often listed as reasons for owning one, Resistance: Fall of Man and Motorstorm.

IGN reports that Sony has given new release dates for the Motorstorm 1.2 update, which should now hit June 11th in-game and 14th on the Store, and the Resistance map pack which is scheduled for... the future! In other words, Insomniac and Sony are still nailing down some last minute things. I'm sure we'd all rather have working updates than broken ones.

Good thing PlayStation 2 games are still being released on a regular basis, no? Michael McWhertor

PSN Content Interrupted? [IGN]

Irritating thing about MotorStorm in Japan? No online. Irritating thing about Resistance online? The games were server based. So living in Japan meant that I'd only play with Japanese folks — Which is fine. But, you know, sometimes you want the death matches to have an international flavor. Sony just sent out an email saying that Resistance will be on region-less servers now, meaning Japanese people can play online with North Americans and Europeans. Other details? Sony also mentioned that a FolksSoul (Folk Lore) will be getting a playable demo starting June 1st, and the Japanese version of MotorStorm will *finally* be getting online. Guess I shouldn't have sold back Resistance. Guess I should buy MotorStorm! Brian Ashcraft

Thanks, Riyu!

There's plenty of much deserved love for Motorstorm and Resistance: Fall of Man and the PS3 hardware itself, but UK gamers weren't holding back on the criticism. It's the same old story; too expensive, not enough games, the PlayStation Store is a content wasteland. In general, it's fairly civil (until the UK: Resistance readership shows up to make things more interesting) and full of quality feedback that is hopefully taken to heart. Michael McWhertor

TWO MONTHS IN... [Three Speech]

Also included in the new downloadable content is a series of fixes and tweaks to the game to make it a little bit more playable. Fourteen items are addressed (see the list after the jump), but for me the most significant is Game Status being show in the online games list. Entering race after race only to find that the other players had already started and I'd have to wait for several minutes was frustrating enough for me to stop playing. Maybe I'll try again come June.

And yes, we noticed the 'new downloadable content' was 90% patches, but we won't say anything if you won't. Michael Fahey

MotorStorm for PS3 - New Downloadable Content Announced

Show the world how fast you really are with the new MotorStorm Time Attack mode.

Since its March 6th launch date, MotorStorm on the PLAYSTATION 3 has been solidified as the must have off-road action adventure title of the year. The wild and dirty ride continues with the availability of new downloadable content. Sony Computer Entertainment American along with the development team at Evolution Studios is delighted to announce the arrival of the Time Attack Mode, a new and cost-free automatic patch exclusively for MotorStorm on the PLAYSTATION 3.

In Time Attack gamers can set their best times on each track with any available vehicle classes, then race against ghost laps in subsequent Time Attack races. Extra-fast times will see your ghost laps automatically uploaded to the global leader boards for others to compete with. Additionally, gamers will have the option of racing against up to seven ghosts at a time, beat their friends' efforts then let them have their ghost lap to prove it. Players can race against their own recorded ghost, take on the best runs recorded by other players (downloadable from the online leaderboards), or try and beat the expert ghosts from Evolution.

The Time Attack mode will be unlocked with a free key that will be available on the PlayStation network store starting June 7th. Before installing, please load MotorStorm from the Blu-Ray Disc, select "Online", an appropriate game universe, and install any updates if prompted.

PLAYSTATION 3 gamers will also have access to new and improved additional downloadable games and content. These upgrades include:

1. Game List Improvement
- 'Game Status' is now displayed with the game list in the online lobby making it easier to find a session where you'll be able to join and race promptly.

2. Host Identification
- Within the game lobby the host is now clearly identified by a 'host' icon visible to all players and updated during host migration.

3. Boost Exploit
- A bug involving the boost system that allowed a player to use boost in an exploitative manner has been resolved.

4. Buddy List Size
- This has been updated to support up to 50 friends.

5. Text Cut-off
- When playing in standard definition all messages will now display as intended.

6. Improved Stability Online
- Online gameplay stability has been improved.

7. Audio issues
- All known issues with 5.1 / 7.1 surround have been fixed. Audio issues within the front-end have been resolved.

8. Player Ranking
- Players were found to be ranked incorrectly due to a bug. Because of this all online rankings will be reset and the ranking system should now function correctly. Evolution and Sony apologize for this measure but it will result in a fairer and more stable ranking system for all players.

9. Auto-Start
- Races will be forced to start after a fixed countdown which should dramatically reduce the waiting times in lobbies. Hosts may delay this countdown up to three times.

10. Save Data Corruption
- When quitting the game using the PS button it was possible to corrupt the save game data. This will no longer occur.

11. Lobby Information
- Upcoming track and current lap details will be displayed in lobbies.

12. Vehicle Damage
- When restarting a single player race during a death camera the damage wasn't always reset at the start of the next race. This has now been resolved.

13. Missing Audio
- Audio effects were missing from the death camera, these have now been reinstated.

14. Name Tags
- Added ability to switch the player name tags on / off during online races using a single button press (L1).

A patch will be hitting MotorStorm in the next couple of weeks to fix a bunch of minor issues and revamp the ranking system for the PS3 game.

The full list is on the jump, but the patch seems to mostly be a laundry list of minor fixes for things like text in standard definition, a boost exploit and some tweaks of the lobby system. What I found most heartening about this announcement was that while SCEA initially said the ranking fix was going to result in a full reset of all ranks, they changed their mind after listening to the player feedback in the forums.

Now the only thing be reset with the patch will be the FAME rating. I love it when developers actually listen to their fans, more of them should do that.

Hit the jump for the full list of fixes. Oh, and next time around, give us some new vehicles or maps. You know you want to. Brian Crecente

MotroStorm Update 1.2 [Playstation Forums, thanks Paul]

Patch List
1. Game List Improvement
- 'Game Status' is now displayed with the game list in the online lobby making it easier to find a session where you'll be able to join and race promptly.

2. Host Identification
- Within the game lobby the host is now clearly identified by a 'host' icon visible to all players and updated during host migration.

3. Boost Exploit
- A bug involving the boost system that allowed a player to use boost in an exploitative manner has been resolved.

4. Buddy List Size
- This has been updated to support up to 50 friends.

5. Text Cut-off
- When playing in standard definition all messages will now display as intended.

6. Improved Stability Online
- Online gameplay stability has been improved.

7. Audio issues
- All known issues with 5.1 / 7.1 surround have been fixed. Audio issues within the front-end have been resolved.

8. Player Ranking
- Players were found to be ranked incorrectly due to a bug. Because of this all online rankings will be reset and the ranking system should now function correctly.

Evolution and Sony apologise for this measure but it will result in a fairer and more stable ranking system for all players.

9. Auto-Start
- Races will be forced to start after a fixed countdown which should dramatically reduce the waiting times in lobbies. Hosts may delay this countdown up to three times.

10. Save Data Corruption
- When quitting the game using the PS button it was possible to corrupt the save game data. This will no longer occur.

11. Lobby Information
- Upcoming track and current lap details will be displayed in lobbies.

12. Vehicle Damage
- When restarting a single player race during a death camera the damage wasn't always reset at the start of the next race. This has now been resolved.

13. Missing Audio
- Audio effects were missing from the death camera, these have now been reinstated.

14. Name Tags
- Added ability to switch the player name tags on / off during online races using a single button press (L1).

Next-gen? Not quite yet. PlayStation 2 title God of War II pwned March by shifting 833,000 units — That's more than double the number two title, Ubisoft's G.R.A.W. for the Xbox 360. Following that were Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360, Wii Play for the Nintendo Wii and Motorstorm for the PLAYSTATION 3. Glad to see the focus back on actual games and not on pieces of hardware. Brian Ashcraft

GoW II Winner [Reuters]

Man, when the first images of MotorStorm appeared, I was so excited! Then the next year, the footage didn't look as a amazing. It looked okay. Still, my interested remained. And when the game finally arrived in Japan, where I live, it lacked online. Poof! My interest was gone. Says the game's lead designer Nigel Kershaw:

Well, the European and American versions have online. The Japanese version does not, they weren't as bothered about online. We also tweaked a lot of things under the hood. Nothing you'd probably notice — we played around with some of the numbers and some of the graphics — but the main thing we did was add online play.

Sure, I can't speak for Japanese people, but I know that no online convinced of one thing: Not buying MotorStorm. Bet I wasn't alone, either. Brian Ashcraft

Interview With Nigel [The Wire]
Image Comparison [1Up]

The Godfather, Guitar Hero II, Motorstorm, Excite Truck, SSX Blur, Def Jam Icon, we played it all. In fact, last night, one of the Geek Night attendees even busted out a WonderSwan after a round of intense voting on the Everybody Votes Channel. Yeah, we partied that hard.

So, tonight, after work is done, the dishes are washed, Grindhouse has been viewed, and we've imbibed into a near coma as is our wont, we'll probably just snuggle up with some Dragon Quest Heroes Rocket Slime and dream of tank battles. What about you? What are you playing this weekend? Michael McWhertor

That's why, if you stop by McWhertor Manor, you'll find me chained to the couch, playing Def Jam Icon, Motorstorm, and NBA Street Homecourt. Thanks to the lovely folks at EA, my mailbox has been flooded with no less than SIX games over the past three weeks. Plus, I'm on the hunt for a copy of Puzzle Quest for the PSP. Lord! Why am I made to suffer by excess entertainment?!

While you may not burn in the blistering flames of The Hell of 1000 Videogames as I shall this weekend, I'm sure you've got more than ample software to play. So what's on tap? Let us know what you're playing in the comments, k? Michael McWhertor

From the release:

Any PS3 owner playing MotorStorm online will receive Time Trial Mode automatically - you won't even need to download this one from the PLAYSTATION Store. Take any vehicle out on the track of your choice and go hell for leather to lay down the quickest lap time. You can race against ghost vehicles of your previous efforts, other players' times and the best attempts from the MotorStorm development team - and then upload your best times to the global online rankings. In addition, more tracks, vehicles and game modes will be available later in the month, and thereafter on a regular basis.

More tracks? More vehicles? Ghost data from the Evolution Studios team? Love it. Michael McWhertor

PLAYSTATION NETWORK / DOWNLOADABLE PACKS RELEASE [ThreeSpeech]

The new feature will be available right from the main menu after a quick patch and reboot. Isn't patching your console games, like, the best thing ever? Michael McWhertor

BuddyStorm for MotorStorm [IGN]

Well I make no apologies for Halo 3's lack of splitscreen multiplayer, primarily because it WILL of course have splitscreen multiplayer. That's a vital part of the Halo experience and one vastly improved by the advent of high def TVs. Basically with a big LCD or plasma, the splitscreen experience takes on almost luxurious overtones.

Everyone done wiping their brows? Good. Keep on reading for more Halo 3 progress, including graphics updates, A-hole button changes, and, yes, even grass technology improvements. Michael McWhertor

Bungie Weekly Update [Bungie.net]

Hit the jump for our world famous bar graph and Frankenreview, because even though you might not own a PS3, you want to find the slightest flaw in this title to take your rich prick friend off his high horse for being an early adopter.

PSXtreme
MotorStorm is yet another fine example of what this generation of gaming is capable of bringing us...and within its infant stages, no less. Environments are painstakingly detailed to feature gorgeous textures, immense structural detail and the best damn mud ever. It's definitely impressive, because up until now, I've yet to see mud this good looking in a game. And as awkward as it is to talk so enthusiastically about mud, once you see it for yourself you'll understand where I'm coming from.

Gaming Age
The races in MotorStorm take place in wide-open environments and the various sounds effects and engine noises sound appropriately spatial, especially with a 5.1 surround sound system. Ripping through thick mud with a semi truck or sliding along the dusty mesa top with a dirtbike sounds both distinct and correct. The soundtrack is full of variety and progressive, with bands/songs ranging from Nirvana's Breed to Reverend Horton Heat's Big Red Rock of Love... The audio actually does a great job in keeping up with the high level of the game's visuals.
PGNX
...every race in MotorStorm is great fun. The courses are designed to make you take risks: do you want to shave a few seconds off your time by boosting through a corner? Do you want to make try to fit a truck in a narrow nook? And when you're not fighting the courses you have actual opponents to consider. The other vehicles in the game behave realistically and intelligently without coming off as pre-programmed.
Gamernode
To compete in the races and get into the action, you'll need to select a ticket. [But] the ticket system...is really the only mode of gameplay you'll get offline. There's no quick race or exhibition race option, meaning you can't pick a track, pick a vehicle and then take off — you'll need to find the ticket with the right track/vehicle [combination] you're looking for.
Rocky Mt. News
...as you and your fellow racers tear around and around the same stretch of land it starts to change: Mud forms, ruts are created. And these changes aren't just visual... it effects the way your vehicle handles. As the the ruts form, you get bounced around more driving through them. It's an amazing experience and deeply impacts the way you play the game, forcing you to find alternative routes and deal with surprise bumps in the road on the fly...It's obvious that the developers had a lot of fun coming up with ways to show off the Playstation 3's robust muscle power.

I'll probably pick up a copy (partially because the game looks fun, partially because I have almost nothing else to play on my PS3).

Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, available in Japan since last December, is finally landing on North American Playstation 3s via the Playstation store.

The downloadable, 800 MB game will sell for about $20 and feature 1080p resolution, but no online play.

Thursday will also bring a free MotorStorm behind-the-scenes video that shows how the game, set to hit stores next week, was designed. The video will include footage from the team's shoot in Utah's Monument Vally and interview with the designers and producer.

Finally, Sony points out that the latest firmware update for your console not only allows you to resize the video chat on your console, but also adds support for all USB video class compliant cameras. That's kinda cool. Must test out the Xbox 360 Vision Camera on the PS3. Brian Crecente