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IGN said:IGN: We know that Slant Six already had a turn with the series on the PSP with Tactical Strike, but what was it like taking over the reigns on the console series from Zipper? Given the fervent fan base, that must have been quite an undertaking.
David Seymour: When we first discussed working on a SOCOM game, we spent days reading forums and looking at what everyone had to say. We soon realized that people what everything: the same classic gameplay with lots of PS3 innovation - and they want it right now. There is a huge amount of expectation and love for the franchise. Developing Tactical Strike enabled us to dig deep in the SOCOM mindset well before Confrontation got started, and we'd been working with the SEAL consultants and the team at Zipper so we knew what would be required when we signed up.
IGN: Besides better visuals and sound, what does the PlayStation 3 allow you to introduce to the franchise that wouldn't have been possible on the PS2?
David Seymour: SOCOM: Confrontation uses a brand new game engine which was specifically created to provide a next generation experience on the PlayStation 3. Being able to run simulation tasks via the SPUs allows us to enhance details, such as bullet penetration, animating foliage, shadows, physics-driven shell casings, completely procedural climb detection and so on, while maintaining our performance. The SixAxis also enabled us to bring on an extension of the old SOCOM "lean". This feature is a really open-ended and skill-driven feature that lets the player use cover in the environment in a very open way.
IGN: How does the SixAxis cover and leaning work?
David Seymour: Our preference was to use SixAxis for something that truly represented an addition to the play, and not to simply move a function to the tilt sensors that would be just as well served by a button. The SixAxis provides the range to lean and stretch out and allows for more flexibility with how you use objects in the environment. By tilting the controller, you stretch your character up to full extension or lean him out or any combination of the two. So you can lean up and out just enough to clear the tip of your barrel over the roof of a car or to fire through a gap in a broken wall. It is extremely flexible, and is pretty much an open-ended tool that players will find many uses for. You are still able to shuffle and aim, so both analog sticks are active while you are leaning. Lastly, there is a "bailout" position that you access by tilting the controller down, causing your character to pull his head down for cover behind low objects.
Realistic 3rd person and the shittiest 1st person PoV's ever, although gunfights were somewhat realistic.IGN: Has the level of realism changed from past titles?
David Seymour: The SOCOM experience has always been about realism and authenticity. On the weapon front, only authentic weapons are used, the same as what's currently in the field. From a content point of view, the resolution of the new motion captured animation, the fidelity of the sound and the detail in the environments and characters are going to take the experience to a new level.
Zipper Interactive did a REALLY good job with vehicle combat in Socom 3 and Combined Assault, so I know I'll be missing those days of sitting in a Humvee behind the .50 cal.IGN: We hear that vehicles are out of the picture now. Why is that, and how does that affect the size of maps?
David Seymour: We wanted to focus on a more intimate play experience. When you add vehicles, you immediately need to increase the size of the map dramatically in order to accommodate them. This has a big impact on the density of the map. We wanted to have an experience which was much more about the alley to alley and corner to corner gameplay where you encounter enemies at a close distance rather than off on the horizon.
The mappers for Socom's online maps need to get a raise, most of them are done flawlessly with areas for everytype of combat (save Citadel on 3 and Combined Assault, which was primarily a CQB/Ambush style mapIGN: What returning maps will be present, and what sort of tweaks and changes will we see to them?
David Seymour: We will have three classic maps that will return, each rebuilt with the original source data as reference. To date we have announced Crossroads will be back. You will have to stay tuned to see what else in will be included.
There has never been a lack in weapon diversity in any Socom, so why expect Confrontation to be different?IGN: What about the weapon load out? What will be available? Will anything be region-specific?
David Seymour: Over 40 Weapons will be available, and each Special Forces will have their own unique primary & secondary weapon. There will be customizable load outs and each weapon can be modified with up to 2 attachments.
Please note, you can only get the headset with the In-store purchase version of the game.Although I'm sure it will also be sold separatelyIGN: What can you tell us about the headset?
David Seymour: There are a ton of really cool features that we aren't ready to discuss just yet, but the goal of the Bluetooth Headset for PS3 was to provide a superior online voice chat. It delivers enhanced clarity through a dual-microphone design for active noise cancellation and has the ability to support accurate speech recognition.
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/874/874021p1.html