EA’s SKATE – Uber-Controls Detailed in Video Format
Is this the killer USP to trump Tony Hawk?
You might remember from SPOnG’s recent preview of EA’s SKATE that the game's producer Jay Balmer and his dedicated team of skate-or-die buddies over at EA's Vancouver Studio are currently beavering away on a game that we at SPOnG simply cannot wait to play.
From the first look and all-too-brief hands on session we had with the game earlier this year we pretty much concluded one thing – if SKATE is to seriously compete, going up against the well-established skating videogame behemoth that is the Tony Hawks series, then it will be because of the game’s USP convincing gamers and skaters alike to part with their hard-earned.
And that USP is that EA’s Montreal Studio has attempted to implement a control system in SKATE that is as fluid and intuitive as actually riding, ollie-ing and kick-flipping an actual skateboard under your feet.
SPOnG thinks it’s going to work, though in all honesty it’s going to take many hours of gameplay before we can make a definitive call on the matter – and make proper comparisons between SKATE and Tony Hawks.
Check the just-released controller video right here to see why we’re so pumped about this game:
From the first look and all-too-brief hands on session we had with the game earlier this year we pretty much concluded one thing – if SKATE is to seriously compete, going up against the well-established skating videogame behemoth that is the Tony Hawks series, then it will be because of the game’s USP convincing gamers and skaters alike to part with their hard-earned.
And that USP is that EA’s Montreal Studio has attempted to implement a control system in SKATE that is as fluid and intuitive as actually riding, ollie-ing and kick-flipping an actual skateboard under your feet.
SPOnG thinks it’s going to work, though in all honesty it’s going to take many hours of gameplay before we can make a definitive call on the matter – and make proper comparisons between SKATE and Tony Hawks.
Check the just-released controller video right here to see why we’re so pumped about this game:
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Comments
DoctorDee 5 May 2007 08:09
1/7
That looks awesome. But rather than being totally innovative, it does seem to borrow quite heavily from THP8's Nail the Trick mode... OK, it implements it on the flatland, but otherwise, using the twin analog is a total cop.
alexh2o 5 May 2007 10:23
2/7
thats really cool! it might get me buying this game... i havnt bought a skating game in aaages! they got played to death from thps1.
first thing that comes to mind tho... Fight Nights 'total punch control'! It worked really well for that so i can only assume this will be just as good.
first thing that comes to mind tho... Fight Nights 'total punch control'! It worked really well for that so i can only assume this will be just as good.
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DoctorDee 5 May 2007 12:03
3/7
alexhooren wrote:
first thing that comes to mind tho... Fight Nights 'total punch control'! It worked really well for that so i can only assume this will be just as good.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is gonna rock. I'm kinds surprised that Neversoft didn't implement it for flatland tricks in THP8. Maybe they were keeping it back for THP9 to add some longevity to the series.
I'm totally pumped (and stoked) in anticipation of Skate!
Bob Fossil 5 May 2007 14:54
4/7
DoctorDee wrote:
I'm totally pumped (and stoked) in anticipation of Skate!
The left analogue stick is used to move your body weight over the board - and you can push with your left or right foot (front or back ... if you're goofy... if you're not it's t'other way round/ you're weird) using 2 of the buttons - A and X I seem to remember. The control system is just incredible. I cannot wait to play it. It's my most-wanted game of 2007, by far. Forget GTA IV and Halo 3... I'm looking forward to SKATE and SEGA Rally this xmas.
Oh - and if you haven't seen it check out the Mark Gonzales video at http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=17380&type=mov&pl=game - nothing to do with the game, but the fact that it exists seems to assure me that the EA Vancouver SKATE guys *understand*
headcasephil 5 May 2007 16:26
5/7
itmremides me of the control system for TransWorld Snowboarding for Xbox wich i enjoyed but it could of been better hope it works like but with inprovmets lets just see what happens i can all so see this game coming out on the wii with you doing the movments with the wii mote a bit that would be cool to see abit like ssx blur on a skatbord fantastic
im up for getting this and this will be the fist skatbord game that i have got since tony harwk 4 for the gc
im up for getting this and this will be the fist skatbord game that i have got since tony harwk 4 for the gc
Bob Fossil 5 May 2007 19:55
6/7
phil c wrote:
itmremides me of the control system for TransWorld Snowboarding for Xbox wich i enjoyed but it could of been better hope it works like but with inprovmets lets just see what happens i can all so see this game coming out on the wii with you doing the movments with the wii mote a bit that would be cool to see abit like ssx blur on a skatbord fantastic
im up for getting this and this will be the fist skatbord game that i have got since tony harwk 4 for the gc
im up for getting this and this will be the fist skatbord game that i have got since tony harwk 4 for the gc
I disagree - I don't think the Wii controller could do this game justice. If you have ever tried to do an Ollie and then tried to recreate the sensation with a 360 controller you would understand. Wii is just not able to properly recreate that sensation.
DoctorDee 6 May 2007 07:00
7/7
Bob Fossil wrote:
If you have ever tried to do an Ollie and then tried to recreate the sensation with a 360 controller you would understand.
Whoa, unless you are talking about Skate (and maybe Nail the Trick in THP8), where has the 360 controller ever been used to "realistically" recreate the "sensation" of an olly? And let's be realistic here, an Olly is something you do with a piece of wood under your feet, and a 360 controller is a piece of plastic you hold in yout hand... how can they be sensationally similar?
Wii is just not able to properly recreate that sensation.
Don't really see how you can say that. I can't see that there's anything the 360 controller could do in Skate that the paired Wii controllers couldn't do. In fact, I think the paired Wii controllers could be far, far better. You would be able to use motion sensing to evaluate the speed and pressure of the rear foot for ollying. Then use motion sensing for foot action in the air. That has GOT to be more realistic than using two analog sticks...