MotorStorm Downloadable Content Impressions
We got a first look at some of the new content heading our way during our recent visit to Evolution Studios.
By Guy Cocker, GameSpot UK
Posted Mar 9, 2007 3:47 am PT
MotorStorm DLC See the new Eliminator mode in action.
It's fair to say that after it was unveiled at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2005, MotorStorm was one of the most anticipated titles for Sony's PlayStation 3. The end result didn't quite live up to our high expectations, but some of the criticisms leveled at the game appear to be addressed by a series of downloads that are due for release in the coming months. With new multiplayer modes and new tracks already nearing completion, we made the journey to Evolution Studios' headquarters in the north of England to become the first in world to see some of this new content in action.
Many of the negative points made about MotorStorm revolved around the game's multiplayer mode, which lacked variety beyond the single-race mode. While that in itself was fun enough, and the game was more than capable of allowing 12 players from across the world to hit the dirt, it lacked the depth of the majority of its contemporaries. While split-screen multiplayer remains off the cards because of technical issues, Evolution plans to appease the online community with a number of new modes, two of which we saw on our visit. The eliminator mode should be familiar to players of such games as Burnout Revenge, where the car in last position is forced to retire at periodic intervals. The tried-and-tested time trial mode will also be making an appearance.
MotorStorm DLC Watch a video of the new ghost cars in time trial mode.
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The Evolution offices made a perfect environment to see these new modes in action, and the design team wasted no time in booting up nine PlayStation 3s over their local network to demonstrate the fruits of their labour. The elimination mode works by retiring the person in last position. So every 30 seconds, someone was removed from the race. It's up to the host to decide this exact time period, as well as the other match parameters, but 30 seconds seemed like a decent amount of time to produce the necessary frenzy at the back of the field. Once eliminated, players can view the current last-place competitor until the end of the race, while those still in the race can dish out taunts via voice communication. As with the single-race mode, only the winner is given points that count toward the winner's online ranking, but it already looks as though this will become a popular alternative to straight races.
Meanwhile, the time trial mode looks as though it will become a surefire way of sorting the wheat from the chaff when it comes to online competitions. The game gives you the chance to prove your mettle on any of the courses and in any of the vehicles while ghost cars record your performance every step of the way. Once completed, you can compare your times to those of the best around the world and upload the ghost details if you're in the top 100. It's fairly simple stuff in the grand scheme of things, but hopefully the time trial mode will combine with the eliminator mode to extend the appeal of the multiplayer offering. Evolution is still tweaking both game modes, but the developer hopes that people will be able to get their hands on both downloads in the next couple of months. No price has been announced formally for either release, but it is very likely that there will be some charge involved. There were some strong hints that the time trial mode may be offered as a free download, but we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed until an official announcement is made.
The final piece of downloadable content unveiled during our visit was the new Coyote Revenge track, which will be the first new circuit added to the original set of eight tracks. While Coyote Revenge is a reversed version of the first Coyote track, which was the first track designed for the game, it has been updated with some subtle upgrades. The team believes that even masters of the original Coyote will have a hard time navigating the reversed track. To make sure of this, the team dropped in a new turn at the beginning of the course, as well as added in more festival details, such as caravans, hot air balloons, and even a giant coyote skeleton in the middle. The team also changed some of the mud and dirt to balance it out for different vehicles, and the thin, winding roads promise to pose quite a challenge for multiplayer races.
Clearly, much of this new downloadable content offers much-needed longevity to the original release, so the only downside is the likelihood that we will have to pay for it once it hits the PlayStation store. The new eliminator and time trial modes look likely to match the original race mode in terms of popularity, while the new Coyote Revenge track will hopefully pave the way for some completely new tracks in the future. The game is set for release alongside the console in Europe on March 23. We'll be sure to keep you updated on any developments with this new downloadable content.
http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/driving/motorstorm/news.html?sid=6167144
how these bastards even DARE to charge for new content for a game that is clearly INCOMPLETE in so many obvious ways absolutely baffles me. No splitscreen. No hint of addressing the obvious problems with the online play. One weak additional race track that's nothing more than a revised old track. #@#$&#$! evolution studios.
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