Initial thughts

[JABBERJAW]

I like the feel of the ship, and even on b speed it is fast on most tracks. The tracks are harder than I expected, but harder in a different way than normal wipeout. You can pick up ALOT of time hitting all speed pads, but it is difficult to do.

THIS GAME is screaming for a tt head to head mode,

Needs custom controls

Weapon mode is choppy

Racing is pretty smooth

TT is very smooth

I haven't done Speed laps yet, they are in the 2049 season, I just finished the 2048 season.

I cannot verify Leungboks questions about the fact list until I play much more.

I di not like not being able to choose tt or race and play at all. It might open up later, but if it doesn't, it is going to be clunky to choose races

[leungbok]

Try to check online leaderboards Al, and see if there's all tracks at all speed classes on several modes ;)

[Dogg Thang]

When you say weapon mode is choppy, do you mean frame rate? Pretty fundamental question but how does it feel? In feel and handling is it very much an extension of HD/Fury as it looks?

Saw the little box yesterday and, man, I can't afford a Vita but I may not let that stop me...

[JABBERJAW]

I can't even get online, I don't understand why at this point ( for 2048). Yes the framerate drops to 15 maybe, all ships onscreen, AND this is what you want so you can take out opponents easier. The feel is different than hd, hard to explain but I like it though.

[Dogg Thang]

Huge shame about the frame rate considering the apparent power of the system. Thanks for the impressions! I'll be really curious to see how people rate it after they settle into it.

Edit: Wow, almost your ten year anniversary Jabberjaw.

[JABBERJAW]

1) there appears to be NO RECORDS SECTION for you to check your records on your game. There is no tt, race, speed lap choice, then track, speed, ship, NOTHING! Not for choosing race, not for checking any records. It takes out everything that makes a wipeout game great (AS FAR AS CHOICES ARE CONCERNED). these options were in HD, so why take them out? It is baffling

2). The game keeps track of experience points, speed pads total, weapon pads total,
Laps, zones, brs, side shifts, and PICTURES TAKEN TOTAL.

3) the game is signing me out of playstation network every time I enter, so checking anything there is impossible

4) seriously guys, this is making a pretty fun game not very fun. I will set up a petition tomorrow, for what is needed( yes needed) for a patch, and I hope you all sign it, unles you want to go bald (or balder) very quickly.


5). I like the game better than HD AS FAR AS THE GAMEPLAY is concerned

6). This game is Harder than HD to run a good race, which is awesome. You can get out of control easier and it is much harder to hold the best line, even on B class

[MrSmadSmartAlex]

1) there appears to be NO RECORDS SECTION for you to check your records on your game. There is no tt, race, speed lap choice, then track, speed, ship, NOTHING! Not for choosing race, not for checking any records. It takes out everything that makes a wipeout game great (AS FAR AS CHOICES ARE CONCERNED). these options were in HD, so why take them out? It is baffling

And there's the deal breaker. No SL/TT, no buy.

Thanks for the info, Al. :)

[JABBERJAW]

Wait though! They have them in events, it's just they are not set up to be able to choose. It really is frustrating as hell, but I am hoping that they open up. Normally though, they would be light gray or blacked out options, which is why I am extremely worried. They should not have taken out these options in favor of having a "cool screen" setup. It would seem online they would have to have a normal setup, but since I can't go online, who knows.


At this point I like the gameplay better than hd and pulse, you can get out of control much easier unless you are on the ball ( I am not :) )

[MrSmadSmartAlex]

Okay, I misunderstood :lol. So are there records, online leaderboards, and all that stuff? I'm not at all interested in single race or multiplayer with the abysmal framerate and almost total lack of weapons balance that this game seems to have, so an amazing TT/SL (maybe Zone, etc. too) mode is really the only way I could enjoy this game.

edit: Also, when you say "events", does that mean you have to go through some big thing with crappy weapons and races just to have an attempt at a TT or SL? Or you can keep choosing the TT/SL, and the game only lacks the Racebox mode from Pulse/HD?

[JABBERJAW]

There is no racebox. No selection screen for tt, zone,SL, or single race( runs smoother than weapon challenge). I am hoping this will open up after beating single player campaign, but there is no hint of it. So I'm saying, that it could be the case of no option for this ( terrible), or it might open up later, so don't decide just yet. This game seems more graphics intensive than HD, BIGGER environments. I bet it runs hd perfectly

[fdmstryct]

The only thing that I'm concerned about is custom soundtrack, yes or no? :D

[amplificated]

I'll try get back to you on this, but I *think* you just use the media player app in the background and that acts as the functionality. As I indicated though, I'm not sure.

[JABBERJAW]

It seems to be getting choppier in SR as the speed increases, and the ai gets tougher, actually affecting gameplay. The graphics are too good, it should have been cut back some, especially after seeing smooth zone mode. Now we really need tt head to head in download. And no, weapons off is not the same, no turbos. On last race of 2049 season, a tough one ( because it's choppy)


Altima is not called altima 7, a few shortcuts here and there. It keeps the main spirit of the track, except one shortcut off the big jump, although I just noticed it

Just played sol three times, last place, they said I was unlucky :). This is the hardest wipeout track I think I have played, and in the WO tourney

[G-Hob]

Thanks for the impressions, even though they make the game sound quite disappointing.

[JABBERJAW]

I now really love the feel of the ships. At fast speeds it is VERY different from HD. You can get out of control easy if you aren't paying attention and pitch control feels like it's going to be very important again ( except empire climb)

SOL is the track I have been thinking about since I wrote up a design about 10 years ago.

At this point the gameplay I would give an A-, only because some SR tracks get choppy when all the ships are on screen. I'm hoping the better you get, you can get ahead and minimise this.

Contol options get an F-

User interface. I cannot comment unless I finish the game, and see if tt, zone, and SR show up and where

[Hellfire_WZ]

Have you had a chance to try out the various craft types?

[Temet]

Sorry for the questions but... does "choppy" means that the framerate gets lower?
(Eh eh, english is not my native language...)

[JABBERJAW]

Yes to temet, that is what it means.

I have tried out different craft, and they feel different. I only have the speed ships of Ag and feisar right now, so I use those for the tt and races. I have a proto feisar, it has a changing top speed that depends on wall hits, and how many pads you hit ( pads charge it). If you are a precise racer, this is for you. I am still trying to beat the game, but am not playing straight through ( kids).

[KamatsuKyoto]

No Eliminator or Zone Battle?

The game looks in general a bit rushed... At least on the interface and processing optimization on Vita.

[amplificated]

No Eliminator or Zone Battle?

The game looks in general a bit rushed... At least on the interface and processing optimization on Vita.

Eliminator is in the game, just a little different. I think there's a time limit and the objective is to get as high a score as possible in that time, rather than a score limit.

Also, I personally don't have a problem with the interface at all so far. Probably isn't perfect, but it's not bad, either.

Zone battle? Don't know if it's in the game. Also, personally, ZB was my least favourite mode in HD so I can't say I'm fussed either way.

Not sure I'd call it rushed, other than the restricted control options based on what I've seen.

[Colonel]

Can somebody confirm whether you get a score at the end of a Zone run? Or does it just say "Zone 71" or something?

[Ragsus Maxima]

As far as I know, or at least in the Campaign mode if I can call it by that name, once you end a Zone session, you only see the highest zone you reached and the experience points you racked up.

Oh, some of you may already have seen this, but I'd like to share it anyway. :P
The Zone mode (parts 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzVHRpqXquI) and 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-81lchy97c)). Personally I also like it in this new Wipeout.
Suddenly I had the urge to do some Zone sessions. :D

[Colonel]

With the lack of a Racebox, and Campaign Zone failing to even give you a score, I'd say that's pretty much sealed it for me to be honest. 2048 Zone looks great visually, but if you can't play it competitively, what's the point?

[Ragsus Maxima]

So right... :(

[leungbok]

With the lack of a Racebox, and Campaign Zone failing to even give you a score
Racebox don't exist like in HD, but i'm sure all the modes will be possible to set at will. About the scores, i already have access to the global leaderboard, from my speed lap side menu or for the zone events on the campaign, you have access to those leaderboards when you pause the game ;)

[anderkovver]

Is it possible to make your own playlist with music..... Like in HD.. Can anyone confirm this?

[JABBERJAW]

I will try and remember this tonight.

[Darkdrium777]

I played the demo today at the mall, and the load times were agonizingly long :blarg
I Elite passed that one race wohoo :g (5+ s lead)
The game's very pretty. It's basically a portable PS3 in this case. I would've stopped with photo mode (If it was there I don't know) and admired if my parents had not been with me.
The race intro sequence is pretty sweet, with the maintenance bots flying around.
Adjusting to the tiny buttons was weird (And I have tiny hands so careful with that.)
The combat action seems to be pretty good, but Empire Climb is really easy and wide so it's not a good track IMO.
I managed to get all the skillcuts on the three laps except the second one on the first lap because lolquake.
Barrel rolls seem to be very responsive, so no worries there (It's really fixed guys!)
I'm kind of wondering how you can see weapons coming, the first game had "Warning", ever since the second game the weapons were all called out, and now we have nothing? Seems a bit weird. I'm hoping I've missed a flashing icon somewhere, but it should be more obvious if there is one.
Also the consecutive shield activation bug where the second one you activate immediately after the first is invisible is still there. Bahahaha :g Rockets on Feisar Speed are near useless, because it shoots one slow rocket in front.
A lot of stuff was locked out but this game definitely needs more than three control schemes. The reps kept talking up the touch features to me but I told them for WipEout I found them horrible, the game's too fast for them. For some others it works, but not WipEout, at least not for me who has played with buttons all my life.
Also the menu is very prettyfied (not an adverb I know) but I feel it's another case of UT3 UI design. Very pretty but a lot of work to get to the meat of things. Except UT3's was also ugly, so it's not really that.
Couldn't try the custom music and whatever but the reps mentioned it so I'm sure it's there.

[Temet]

I played today, invited by Leungbok (thanks mate).
If the design, the tracks, the ships, the gameplay, etc are really FANTASTIC! ... the menu interface is a total sh*t :
- You never know what you are selecting (you have to select first to see)
- You are forced to use the touchscreen (ask Asa how much my hands are sweating when I play, I really want to avoid touching the screen)
- You have to try 3 or 5 times to touch the event you want to select...

Well, as said before, this so little part of the game is really ruining a game that would be near from perfect!

The speed is astonashing, it makes HD/Fury a game for kids!
Speed B is more or less equivalent to Phantom on HD/Fury, and you have 2 faster classes after. I think HD venom and flash lovers can forget the game.
The gameplay is better.
The tracks are absolutely NOT easier than before! In class A+ on Sol, I think Asa tried dozens of laps before not respawning for a single lap.
Apart Empire Climb, all tracks look awesome (but I didn't play a lot... need to be confirmed)

Ships feel very different from on other to each other.

Luckily, I don't have large hands and fingers so I have no problem to handle the vita. I don't have issues with the right stick neither. I think even if no custom control is added, I can play it correctly.
If you have large fingers... DO try a psvita before buying one : buttons are REALLY small and close.

Well, time to sleep, I'm tired! :)

[Darkdrium777]

Yeah I remember trying to use the buttons for five seconds on the menu and wondering why it wasn't doing anything.
It's quite bad because from what I've seen, the finish on the screen is the same as the original PS3. That thing was a dirt magnet, so it could be really horrible to be forced to touch the screen all the time.
If they sell a screen protector, I'd recommend getting one unless the finish is improved and scratch/dirt resistant. I'm using one on my phone right now, I think it's ZAGG Invisible Shield and it's very good. It's been months, there's no bubbling, no dirt stuck on it, no scratches, and I'm constantly pulling my phone out of my jeans pocket. It comes with a spray you have to use before applying it (Just a detail because I'm not sure of the brand, so look out for that if you buy.) If they make one for Vita, git!

[G'Kyl]

I'll put this under "initial thoughts", because... where else. *g*


I absolutely ADORE the way the female announcer says "Ottopilot". I'm totally in love with the way she makes it sound! :)


Also, the audiovisual treat that is Zone is blowing me away - once more.

Anything else has already been said. I think. ;) Go get that game!



Oh, just one more thing: We need customizable controls!!!!

[amplificated]

The speed is astonashing, it makes HD/Fury a game for kids!
Speed B is more or less equivalent to Phantom on HD/Fury, and you have 2 faster classes after. I think HD venom and flash lovers can forget the game.
The gameplay is better.

As someone who has put more time into Venom than any other class in HD, I really, really disagree with that. The handling and tracks are designed for speed; and it's a lot easier to handle the tracks, bar a minority of the skillcuts.

You say B is almost the equivalent of Phantom? I got a top ~2 time in 40 laps of SL the other day on that class - I know it's early days, but you're saying as I played Venom I should stay away from 2048? You sound like an elitist jerk with that statement, honestly... not to mention incorrect.

And the gameplay is better..? I don't think it's that simple. 2048's gameplay is focused on getting lines and speedpads, whereas HD requires mastering ship control and nailing BR's - even though the core of the games feel similar in many ways, you're required to approach each quite differently. IMO HD has a higher skill ceiling, and it would be much more difficult to do the things you have to do in HD with a Vita's controls.
That's not to say 2048 isn't fast and feels good, I'm just saying (as I always have whenever some ignorant hack claims Venom doesn't require skill) that speed isn't the only determining factor of difficulty.

[Asayyeah]

but speed is almost THE determining factor, being a good wipeout or not.
and trust me this is a real good one.

I know you are a HD slow class lover with insane trick to be done to acheive what your goal was being the world venom master.
Hats off you reach it.

But for most of dedicated pilots over the years, wipeout needs to be fast, hard to control, finding perfect lines : that's what we have now with 2048 A+ ( never through HD) and i am so pleased with that.

[Temet]

I never thought being good at Venom doesn't require skills mate.
Most of the people that are great Venom players are far better than me in Phantom.
I'm just an average player you know :)

The point is, on Venom and Flash on HD, you can do crazy tricks. Yes they require skill... but yes I totally hate this way to play the game. Just personal feeling ;)

I said I think HD Venom and Flash lovers can forget the game because I don't think these crazy tricks can be done on 2048. Maybe I'm wrong, I just played 1 hour ;)
As you said, 2048 focuses on the line. And that's why I love it :)

EDIT : I'm no elitist at all mate, I'm far from elite myself :g

[leungbok]

but speed is almost THE determining factor, being a good wipeout or not
I agree 100% with that.
Racing slow classes and trying to set records can be fun anyway, but it should be the warm up and experiment field to compete for fastest classes IMO.
To me, greatest wipeout pride are when you succeed to race properly at maximum speed, adrenaline is there !! People shouldn't avoid that feeling, it's awesome ! :)

[love9sick]

I'm all about the time trial/speed laps. Always trying to break my previous time. How does that work in the game now?

[Temet]

You have speedlaps (need to be unlocked), no time trial yet ;)

Ghosts management is awesome. It as already been explained, you can find it ;)

[lanceurdehache]

the question i have for the ghost management, can you only choose one ghost or you can take your one, one of your friend at the same time ?

[Asayyeah]

not at the same time, only one can be displayed.

[JABBERJAW]

Played queens mall A+ challenge, and went to check my time for the event vs kateru. There are NO records for the SINGLE RACE events :(

[leungbok]

Yes there's records ! Maybe you were disconnected, it happens to me each time i let the vita pauses.
You're at 5.35.00 must be top 20 ;)

[JABBERJAW]

Nice, that was only a couple tries. What ship for this do you think? I really need those custom controls, I'm using 1 brake. Also, my only bad spot is that last turn, I think I'm losing 1 second per lap on that at least

[leungbok]

For A+ challenges i use mostly ag-systems speed, but for some tracks (the easiest) feisar speed ;)
I'll try feisar prototype on capital reach with it's numerous speed pads series :beer
About records, are you able to see more than the 8 first times on global leaderboards ?

[amplificated]

The psn disconnects if you look at the vita the wrong way. I constantly have to reconnect.

Have you tried the Qirex speed much Leung? I had a few laps in it and it seems like a workable compromise between the feisar and pih-rana(sp?) speed ships, got a top 3 B sl within 20 laps on some track today.

[leungbok]

I use often qirex speed below A+, very good ship. I've some WR with it on A speed ! ;)

[love9sick]

Oh you lucky people, I can't get mine till Feb. 22. You guys get such a head start, I want my wipeout 2048 already.

[JABBERJAW]

I think I can see 10. Are there 10 A+ challenges? I would love to see these 10 lap challenges for TT, seeing as the AI is cheap as hell when you are racing well

[leungbok]

There's 10 A+ challenges, only 2 to elite pass and i'll complete offline campaign :beer

[JABBERJAW]

Are they all single race?

[leungbok]

Yes, 10 laps with bastards AI ! :robot

[gmrtom7]

I don't get to enjoy 2048 until the 22nd either, but I got a chance to try it today at Gamestop. Wow. The game looked incredible, and the ship physics felt really great as well. Granted, I was given the Feisar Speed Ship on Empire Climb on C Class, but it was still really fun. Definitely looking forward to it.

[love9sick]

I got to play it at the Chicago promotion cafe. Honestly I must be the only one disappointed with the physics again. It is just more of Wipeout HD when in reality I just want it to feel like XL/2097 and Wipeout 3 again.

[G'Kyl]

Same here. And while I'm sure XL/3 physics won't return anytime soon, they could at least go back to Pure, which in my opinion is far superior to everything that came after.

[love9sick]

G'kyl, I couldn't agree more! I like Pure more than pulse because of the stiffer feel to the ships. It made me think that they at least tried to mimic the physics of XL and 3. I actually prefer Pure over Wipeout HD also. Well, at least it isn't Fusion haha.

[JABBERJAW]

2048 has far looser physics than HD on the fast speeds, kinda like pure, but not so stiff. It is not close to the same feel at A +

[love9sick]

A+ or phantom I had not been able to experience yet. Will have to wait till release.

[G'Kyl]

I don't quite like the physics at A+. At A+, they tune the ship's reactions so you can take very tight turns at ridiculously high speeds. The latter is good ;), the former gets to a point where realism is so apparently absent - in my book that's not quite WipEout any more.

EDIT (this paragraph): Just figured out another way of describing it... It doesn't feel natural any more. It looks and feels like a movie in FastForward.

The physics has always been one of the strengths of the series and while 2048 is about as good as any of the post-Pure iterations, A+ goes too far in making speed accessible. Well... to me anyway.

Ben

(And I'm not even talking about the superglue between track and ship at high speeds...)

[leungbok]

The physics has always been one of the strengths of the series and while 2048 is about as good as any of the post-Pure iterations, A+ goes too far in making speed accessible. Well... to me anyway
Accessible ? except on empire climb and sol ? You mean hitting perfect laps after perfect laps, taking all the skill cuts without never releasing the thrust on unity square for example ? :eek

[G'Kyl]

Accessible is not the same as easy. :)

[leungbok]

Then all wipeouts at maximum speed are accessible !
2048 is more accessible at C and B class on the main route of each tracks, maybe, but A+ is still the experimented pilot's category !:nod

[G'Kyl]

Then all wipeouts at maximum speed are accessible !

Not quite. It's a fact that players not familiar with AG racing find it difficult to wrap their heads around air brakes: Many can't quite handle the way flying craft keep going forwards until the brakes "kick" in. After 3SE that kind of sliding was significantly reduced. That's the kind of accessibility I was referring to. Also after 3SE, the ships stuck much closer to the track, which too makes the AG concept more comprehensible for players unfamiliar with the series.

[leungbok]

Sliding is enhanced in 2048 if you compare with pure/pulse/HD, of course it's more obvious with qirex or pir-hana than ag-systems agility !
I still don't get that you mean by "accessible". Finishing a race without blowing ? Beating AI ? Performing a clean race with a time less than 5 seconds from the top ? IMO only the first case is accessible at A+ and not on all tracks.

[G'Kyl]

One: With the ships sticking tighter to the track it's easier to understand the game at all. Easier than it was with the PSone games.

Two: However, the amount of "stickyness" in A+ is unbelievable to an extend where I feel it looks silly.

[leungbok]

Sticky ? We're not playing the same game then, i got enough air at numerous turns to perform decades or BRs on most tracks !

[JABBERJAW]

A+ speed is not sticky at all, and there is as more sliding/out of control feeling than in the previous three games by far. It is also extremely difficult at A+ to get anywhere near the top times, which is awesome actually. I think that maybe GKYL thinks the inherent flaw is the side shift, which causes the game to feel like old wipeout mixed with fzero. Also the pitch on flats doesn't bring you higher off the ground on flats, which makes the game feel significantly different than wo1,xl,64,3. I like that feel better, however, if the game is going the way it is, this is a very good playing version ( sans all the stupid front end stuff ).

On a side note, these prototype ships play significanty different, it seems to me, one of the prototypes should be a ship without side shifts, slidey brakes, no barrel rolls, and the pitch brings the entire ship off the ground higher like the old games, and be very fast ( compensate for no BR). They could fit this into the story of how ships started to change

[leungbok]

Pir-hana prototype is a speed type ship, maybe it'll have some of those caracteristics you're talking about ! ;)

[love9sick]

Damn it guys, I don't have 2048 yet! lol .

[JABBERJAW]

I doubt it, but it would be cool. I just hope it's really fast :)

[G'Kyl]

A+ speed is not sticky at all

The way the ships bounce around the track, the way they react to inputs and yes, the way some nose control is missing - whatever it is, it feels sticky to me. Un-WipEout-ey in a way I don't think it should.


and there is as more sliding/out of control feeling than in the previous three games by far

I actually feel like mostly I'm in complete control, because of the tight controls, while at certain points I lose it completely (which might be what you're saying). I'm well aware that the latter is due to a lack of skills. :) I just don't like the way these two (needed) components come together. Doesn't seem right somehow.


I think that maybe GKYL thinks the inherent flaw is the side shift, which causes the game to feel like old wipeout mixed with fzero.

You're right. That aspect is quite pronounced in 2048.


Anyway... just trying to clear up what I was saying. ;)

[lanceurdehache]

Pir-hana prototype is a speed type ship, maybe it'll have some of those caracteristics you're talking about ! ;)

You mean the ship that can only turn with Air brake, have 2 slot for their weapon and always have the gas button on like in Zone mode ?

[leungbok]

Oh, i missed that... hmmm, it can be interesting on slow classes or on easy tracks :D

[lanceurdehache]

Perfect Pir-hana (Silver trophy) : Get a Perfect Lap in the Pir-hana Prototype, in the A Class, Unity Square, Speed Lap :o

[leungbok]

haha, yes, i look forward that trophy, it will be funnier to do than this stupid combat event on altima ! :)

[JABBERJAW]

A+ challenges are a bit much, the damn computer ships are onscreen all the time unless you are superhuman. That's not the issue though, it's the choppiness it causes, the framerate drops makes it hard to steer right, AND you absolutely need to steer right to get an elite pass, heck even normal pass is tough as hell, almost just as hard. These will be awesome though IF we get a TT with these or head to head online. Heck, even 4 might run well, BUT NOT 8

[G'Kyl]

it's the choppiness it causes, the framerate drops makes it hard to steer right

Yep, I feel exactly the same about those challenges. I'm doing fine far in the back and in first place. But the feel for the ship is quite gone once the AI gets into the literal picture.

On a side note: It's a strange design choice to make the entire field fly within what feels like a few meters.

[morfeo378]

I saw a video today, and for the first time I see a wipeout, speaking Spanish, someone who has French version or a language other than English, the language also can confirm?

[G'Kyl]

I've been searching the forum, but couldn't find a remark regarding perfect laps in 2048. So I'll put it in here: It just needs to be said that finally, they made it so that perfect laps indeed need to be perfect. No more going off track and still getting a PL!

I've been bitching about this more than once, which is why I feel I should mention the fact that this time they got it right. :) Being rewarded for falling off the race track never made sense to me. Good to see the new system does! :rock

[SoA_Booney]

Went into the town cntre today to find they have a try before you buy vita set up, immediately i think, have they got wipeout 2048 om there? Im happy t say itdid and i tried out the demo version with many onlookers who seemed to like my racing style ;)

I only had one race on empire climb but haveto admit i rather enjoyed it, everything seemed to run smoothly and the implementation of the attacking and defensive weapon pads will prove effective online and allow much more strategy to the game :)

the barrel rolls feel nice although at the first lap i struggled with the rather small analog but for you half decent wipeout players im sure youll get acustomed in a race or too :P

Only 9 days! <3

[Mad-Ice]

Went into a shop in my town to get my hands on the PSVITA! :)

Immediately booted up 2048 and I was very happy with what I saw and felt! Eventhough it's the slowest speed in the demo, it's quite fast and especially with added turbo's and BR's. The tracks look amazing and the feel of the ship is great. It's not easy to control the ship and keep the line you want at first. I don't know how difficult it will stay when you play the game a lot!?

Anyway, I think the small dip just before you go straight up on Empire Climb will be pretty hard to do a BR every lap. Just as the skillcuts on Metro Park, the first to the left with a side shift and then the BR is not easy at all but landing back on the track with a BR just before the tunnel is easy. Then a small bump before the turn right into the green park is difficult to BR every lap. Queen's Mall is my favourite right now, it's fast and the skillcuts are awesome. I tried to BR in the last turn to the right after hitting 3 speedpads in a row while sideshifting and nosing up it did not work. Did someone already succeeded that BR on this speedclass? (Yes, I am looking at you Leungbok ;)

Unity Square is awesome too. Right after the start there is a turn with a dip in the track, but with all the ships in the way it's really hard to BR. The next turn straight after has a bigger dip so it's easier to BR. The skillcuts are really narrow and will be very hard in the fastest speedclass.

Greetz Mad-Ice

[leungbok]

Did someone already succeeded that BR on this speedclass? (Yes, I am looking at you Leungbok ;)
Yes ! And i do a special BR in another location on A+ class (you'll discover it with my ghost :D)

[Dogg Thang]

Well I have made it through the single player, although not yet got elite passes on everything. My thoughts at this point - no, not liking it. Of course I knew it wasn't going to go back to anything like classic WO and I knew what I was getting. And yet I'm left baffled as to any reason why they'd set it in 2048 when everything just follows on from HD and Fury with all that came with the Pure-era WO games - barrel rolls, sideshifts, camera rooted to the nose while the ship just acts as a tail. Nothing goes back in time here. Forget about the zen-like racing experiences of old WO, this isn't really a racing game. It is (as I think someone else put it once) a combat game with a finish line.

But even accepting it for what it is, a Pure-era WO game, I'm seeing nothing here that wasn't done better on Pulse or Pure.

Visually, the individual modelling is gorgeous. But there seemed to be no bigger picture design sense at all and just about everything is thrown into frame at once. It's really messy and very difficult to make out some of the tracks. Add the warpy trails and fireworks in there and it's just mucky. And then the frame rate drops. And the track design, with some exceptions (Subway) seems sub-Pulse with very little feel of focus.

The ship handling follows the Pure model (led by the nose) but is looser here and the back end sways around all over the place, which I find very off-putting and always reminds me of that nose-driven mechanic. Can't buy for a second that these ships are being propelled by the engines. The swing combined with the visual issues above makes for something very hard on my eyes. It carries some of the issues from the more recent WO games, like the freedom that comes with an early lead (getting 1st place early on is almost a guaranteed win) while the mid positions are warzone.

And then there is the single player structure which follows on from Pulse. Only now with even more weird restrictions on ship types. How about a racing tournament? That's probably my own perception problem that WO should be a racing game...

Overall, my feel is that it's all just messy. Not seeing any improvement from Pulse except for the obvious technical achievements but that's hampered by kitchen-sink school of design. All that said, it's not like it doesn't have anything to offer. I have enjoyed some of the time trials and a few of the tracks are pretty good. But, for me, it could well be the worst of the post-Pure WO games and of course it's nothing like the classics (not that it is trying to be so that's to be expected). You never know though, it could grow on me and I'm not going to completely write it off yet.

It does have a great soundtrack.

[UB3R~JKP]

It's amazing how taken aback people can be by even the slightly skilled WipEout player. :lol

Played it in my local GS and collective jaws dropped as I simply performed average.

I like it, Now I wants a Vita.

[Dogg Thang]

Go for it. The Vita is excellent. I'm really liking it. And WO was part of my decision to get it so I do have to thank 2048 for that.

[infoxicated]

Thanks for projecting ahead and summing up my thoughts, Dogg Thang - I think I'd arrive at the same conclusions given more time with it.

I got my Vita this afternoon and picked up WipEout 2048 for old time's sake. But playing it is nothing like old times... it's pretty much like the times where I stopped liking WipEout and gave up on the franchise, only more so. The ship/camera balance is all over the place, the course design (from what I've experienced so far) is lacklustre - they're far too long and visually messy for me to get into a rhythm with them.

I'm a bit gutted, actually - I traded inFamous 2 in when I got it and I wish I'd kept it now. I'll get most of my money back if I trade WipEout 2048 without using my online pass, but that won't bring inFamous 2 back and I really did get a pittance from Gamestation for it.

I'd keep playing 2048 to see if I warm to it, but after updating it the game says it's broken now and I just get an error code on start up.

Wish I'd got Virtua Tennis 4 instead, if I'm being brutally honest about it.

[UB3R~JKP]

VT4 is a great game on PS3. :+

[infoxicated]

After dicking around with my router ports I managed to get another 20 mins out of 2048 before it crashed again with the same error. The only way I can play it now is to be signed out of the PSN, otherwise it either doesn't boot up or crashes when it has.

Bollocks to it - I bought it thinking it might rekindle my interest in WipEout, but all it's done is confirmed that I hate barrel rolls and that I should have trusted my instincts from when I played the demo of it. The game has diverged so far from what originally got me into WipEout that there's probably no going back.

I'm hoping Gamestation will let me return it.

[Mu5]

What an awesome game! :D

loving ...

AG SYS Agility :+
Soundtrack - especially Dirtyloud and Prodigy
Sol :clap
Prototype craft
Skillcuts


All in all an excellent wipEout experience. Cant wait for new content and skin editor :) :+

[Stardragon88]

Sol is really beautiful, I notice even online where people tend to pick combat, whenever a Sol race comes up as an option it always gets the vote :D because it's so much fun to race on.

[Frances_Penfold]

Foxxy and Dogg Thang, sorry to hear the game isn't your cup of tea :(

So far, my feelings mirror those that Jabberjaw expressed earlier in the thread, in particular...
1. The racing is fast and challenging;
2. Ship steering has a looseness reminiscent more of PurE than Pulse/WOHD;
3. Speed pads are really critical components of racing lines (not "just" barrel rolls).

The aesthetics of the game are similar to Pulse/WOHD, admittedly, but I had hoped the gameplay may have appealed to fans of the older games more than those games.

Personally having fun with the game so far, especially in the Time Trial segments, which have silky smooth framerates and relatively difficult criteria for the "elite pass" reward.

Like others here, I am *bewildered* by the lack of user control on the details of the game experience. No custom flight controls, no music track controller or even identification, no obvious racebox-type arrangement, no obvious leaderboards. Do some of these options open up later in the game?

Looking back on recent WipEout games, I think that there have been an enormous number of gameplay options that may be bewildering to newcomers. I mean, gosh, there have been a dozen or more courses, 4-5 speed classes, time trials/single race/tournaments/speed laps/eliminator modes... it's a huge grid of possibilities that could be overwhelming or, worse, make the game seem like work.

WO2048 seems designed to move the player through a series of thought-out challenges rather than moving one-by-one through every combinatorial gameplay possibility. That's cool, I guess. I'll be pissed if there isn't a proper Time Trial mode with leaderboard in the endgame, though!

IMHO, Sony was smart to get the game out early on the Vita platform, when there isn't much competition in the racer genre and the game showcases the power of the new hardware-- just like PurE on the PSP, back in 2005-2006. With DLC and cross-play with WOHD, hopefully it'll be an "evergreen" title with a long tail of software sales.

[yawnstretch]

Can't believe anyone here has anything negative to say about this game.

It's the best wipeout game since 2097 and it's strongly reminiscent of my favourite in the series - number 1.

Ship design is spot on. Ambience is "reality". Music is crazy-good. Lovely swoopy feeling to the gameplay - nose of ships are nice and sensitive.

I have to admit lack of racebox and serious lack of control options is not great, but the trade off (a completely new, thought-infused, re-imagining of the early days of AG racing presented so lovingly) is well worth it.

Engine sounds are brilliant.

Ship voiceovers are sexy.

Weapons work perfectly.

Track designs are fresh and exciting - detailed, unusual and reflective of reality rather than over-saturated/shiny.

Performance is ridiculously high (resolution of the game with distant objects appearing crisp/detailed and steady framerate).

Love the intro - very inspirational.

Original menu map animations (although I'd like to skip the weapon/fighting and zone modes).

Nostalgic tone with complete technological overhaul.

Well worth the price of the vita - which is the cheapest launch console I've seen in my life (especially with such a strong games launch - and tonnes of cheap psp back catalogue including pulse and pure on the store).

I actually cried playing this.

Haters need to hand in their pilots licence.

[Dogg Thang]

*hands in pilots license*

We're the ones missing out to be honest. I went back through the archives last night to see what my reaction to Pulse was and the sense of excitement was fantastic to revisit. It was out here in Dublin before just about anywhere else and it was a new thrill. Each track was an exciting experience. Yes, I had my criticisms and I'll always wish WO remembered its roots but I can still love the newer games for what they are.

I got none of that this time around. I got pretty much the opposite, which kind of sucks. And, yes, I'm the one missing out. I envy you guys loving it and long may it continue - I wish you happy Wipeouting! Great to see many familiar names here like you Yawnstretch getting that same buzz from a new Wipeout. So I don't want my own negativity to bring anyone down.

But, yeah, you're right. Time for me to hand in my license.

[yeldar2097]

^ What Dogg Thang and Foxx said.

I mean, I can see why people like it, as a game it has a lot of cool features/content...but it's just not WipEout. That WipEout feeling isn't there.
....more like F-Zero on a future Nintendo product.

Poor Fox, losing I2 and 2048 not working oO
Thankfully I was using a friend's :P

[JABBERJAW]

I'm in the middle, love the game at fast speeds, but if they do not incorporate custom controls, and racebox in single, online AND adhoc ( full racebox options in all) it will be a complete failure for me. It wouldn't be the first great playing game to be a failure due to stupid front end design, or lack of MP options ( SW RACER, HYDROTHUNDER ( + sequel), ridge racer 7). All games I would play still if not due to CPU assist to the person behind, making practice irrelevant. Why play it if I cant play others n a reasonable way. The options are worse than wipeout 1!


This being said, it has finally gone completely away from wipeout, it feels much much different, and that is the reason I like it I think, it is a new feel, a different game. Where pure,pulse,hd tried to keep the formula, but always felt like a dumbed down version of the originals, this one actually is a new game.

[gmrtom7]

While I'm definitely among those hoping for updated online, options, racebox, controls, etc., I'm really enjoying 2048 so far. The physics are really entertaining, and the game radiates a sort of uniqueness that I haven't felt in the past couple of iterations. The sheer speed of the higher classes certainly helps as well. :)

[leungbok]

but it's just not WipEout. That WipEout feeling isn't there

It's more wipeout than HD !

[Aeroracer]

i just played wipeout 48...ive just completed a season one

wow what a fantastic game i love it..
love the engine sounds effects
some music tracks are really good
graphics and fantastic
gameplay is fantastic
love everything
demo is cool...really good...much better than hd which didnt even have on

negative points---none at present

if you have not played wipeout48 yet you must play it or you are missing out on fantastic game..

@yawnstretch..i agree with your post on other page its fantastic game..

control options may upset some players if their set up isnt i there..luckily i use the wipeout layout so i didnt get affected

:)

[Dogg Thang]

It's more wipeout than HD !

I don't think I'd end up disagreeing but in what ways do you mean?

[leungbok]

I just played HD one week ago, after one month playing 2048 and i surprisingly felt that the ship was on rails !
2048 is more "slidy", it reminds me the older wipeouts (plus BRs ;))

[Dogg Thang]

Yes, HD is much more locked down. I agree with that. Although it's still the same system as Pure/Pulse/HD - the difference really just seems to be the amount of swing they give the ship as you pilot the nose, which they made tighter and tighter since Pure. Until 2048 which has loads of swing so, yes, it does give the feel of more slide compared with HD, agreed.

[Boycey83]

God I really despise some of these combat events. I'm at the point where I wish they just weren't in the game at all. Gaining the Elite Pass on some of these is nothing but a tedious and frustrating luck check with absolutely no skill involved at all. I just want to get on with some racing, but I can't not get the elite pass for everything.

[Hacker X]

Well, I have to disagree with you guys saying that this game doesn't feel like Wipeout. I mean, to me, this game (physics wise) feels more like a wipeout game than HD and Fury. Like its been said, HD and FURY's physics were changed from older Wipeouts. I accepted it as more of an "evolution" of AG Systems Lore technology in that the ships got stablizers or something that made them feel more locked down. I accepted it, but I never really liked it.

I have been playing Wipeout since the original in 96', and the physics of Wipeout, Wipeout XL, and Wipeout 3, are what drew me to the series. The physics were totally taken out in FUSION...ugh I hated that game. It was brought back a bit in PURE, and then started to fade more and more with PULSE and was totally gone by HD, and FURY.

The original "floaty/gliding" type of control is back in 2048. It is a welcome return and a breath of fresh air that I'm glad is back. The Fzero style speed pad and extreme speed gameplay IMO makes this Wipeout the best in the series yet, and not to mention that this is the first REAL next-gen Wipeout as HD and FURY were moreover upgraded tracks of the PSP games.

The only things missing in this game as far as I'm concerned are the racebox, and other neat features that PURE, PULSE, HD, and FURY had which were intricate stats of your playtime, configurable online racing sessions, etc. Otherwise this game is a good upgrade to the series. Worst Wipeout so far IMO has always, and always will be FUSION. That wasn't a WO game, that was an experiment that went horribly wrong to try to evolve the series.

Anyway, I am about to unlock the A+ series in the sp campaign. Good job on this SL! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE add Racebox back though. That is verymuch missing in this game.

[Frances_Penfold]

Could some veteran pilots that have put significant time into WO2048 comment on the importance of barrel rolls in top-tier racing vs. WOHD/PulsE?

Just wondering if the importance of the speed pads and slidier physics of WO2048 end up reducing the importance of BRs in time trials/speed lap competition...

[Amorbis]

I'm missing the racebox and the mulitplayer lobbies quite a bit. It was nice to see a lobby with a name I recognised, or to have a race with my own rules.

The lack of racebox isn't too much of a concern due to the events on the grid having leaderboards, but with the random online opponents I'm not sure if the game will retain the same level of interest and community as HD did. I know the Vita has a party system so perhaps it would be an idea to create a room for WipEout Zone, like the WOZ text chat room that was running on the PS3 for HD.

[mrDMG]

...it has finally gone completely away from wipeout, it feels much much different, and that is the reason I like it I think, it is a new feel, a different game. Where pure,pulse,hd tried to keep the formula, but always felt like a dumbed down version of the originals, this one actually is a new game.

Kinda like Fusion, right? :p

[infoxicated]

God I really despise some of these combat events. I'm at the point where I wish they just weren't in the game at all. Gaining the Elite Pass on some of these is nothing but a tedious and frustrating luck check with absolutely no skill involved at all. I just want to get on with some racing, but I can't not get the elite pass for everything.
Agree with you there - for people who think it's gone too far in the combat direction it's like having your nose rubbed in it. One of them near the end of season event had a score of 15 points to attain, whilst another earlier event had 75 for a pass. What the heck is that all about? I blew past 15 points in one lap and had achieved an elite pass by the second lap, whereas with the event with a 75 point base pass and a 100 point elite pass was just a tedious chore of trial and error until I was gifted the right combination of weapons.

I decided I'd complete the first season of events before seeing what I'll get for it if I trade it in tomorrow, but it's having to get through those combat events that's making me hate the game all the more.

Add to that the lack of Time Trial mode and it's just highly frustrating game design - Here, struggle through a combat event on a track you've never practised on before with every turn being a wall of explosions and special effects. Genius! :rolleyes:

[yeldar2097]

It's more wipeout than HD !

I'll agree the ship physics will be preferable for most people over HD. Better old school feel. It's alright. Although more of a swinging feel than a slidey-glidey feel imho. It's just the rest of the game. I don't know...modes etc will hopefully be patched for people, but there's something about the overall aesthetic of the game that doesn't sit well with me. It feels like a song with too many sounds going on. The ideas and sounds individually can be awesome, but all on top of each other it's just a bit of a mess. Destructive interference and that :P.

Not trying to hate on 2048, I'm sure it's a lot of fun. I just wish it didn't make me so sad :/

[Temet]

@Rob : I think the offline interest of the game are really A+ Challenges.
If you like challenging friends, you can send them near challenges also.
I agree the campaign is not wonderful... but 2050 season is better (less combat, more speed... and Sol + Altima).
Zone mode is also by far the better zone experience in any Wipeout so far ;)

[Darkdrium777]

I must be dumb as **** because I have always been of the opinion that Pulse was always slightly worse than HD in the sliding department. Regardless that's not my main beef.
It irritates me a little that some can go ahead and criticize a game that still ranks as one of the best on PS3 years after it's release like they seem to be doing.
Considering that it's one of the few that does actual 1080p, has great graphics that create a cohesive visual style, tons of options and extras, and is a great value... I don't know man. I feel bad reading this kind of stuff.
Especially when all I've seen from 2048 that's better seems to be the physics so far, because it lacks everything else for now (hopefully patches yadda yadda yadda.)

Rant over.

[yeldar2097]

^ wut he said



Zone mode is also by far the better zone experience in any Wipeout so far ;)
:(.

[leungbok]

Wipeout HD is an awesome game, no doubt with lot of options (some useless like eliminator online :P) and i had great fun with it. But now with 2048 and his speed and handling, i see the limits of the ps3's episode. Gameplay is all !! 2048 must have those options and feature that everybody miss to become a very entertaining wipeout, but i just had no more fun playing HD now. That's all ! King's dead ! Long live the king !!

[JABBERJAW]

It's nothing like fusion, by completely different I mean the tracks are no longer wipeout at all, BUT it is so different, and the physics are nice, and the game is hard and out of control again, and that is what I like. Fusion took out flying, which was really bad, but if you look at it, the sliding is more old school wipeout than pure pulse or hd, not that it made it too fun without the pitch. Fusion was a poor new game, 2048 is a really good new style of game.

I would say this is what f zero should be, instead of a buggy mess with idiotic cheats.

The speed pads do help on this, but barrel rolls are still very important to hit. The speed pads are a complete necessity to hit, which I like, more important than HD I think, since you can string them together if you can hold your line on the track, which is hard to do.

[Hacker X]

I must be dumb as **** because I have always been of the opinion that Pulse was always slightly worse than HD in the sliding department. Regardless that's not my main beef.
It irritates me a little that some can go ahead and criticize a game that still ranks as one of the best on PS3 years after it's release like they seem to be doing.
Considering that it's one of the few that does actual 1080p, has great graphics that create a cohesive visual style, tons of options and extras, and is a great value... I don't know man. I feel bad reading this kind of stuff.
Especially when all I've seen from 2048 that's better seems to be the physics so far, because it lacks everything else for now (hopefully patches yadda yadda yadda.)

Rant over.


Well I hope that my post didn't insinuate that I disliked HD or Fury. I really love those iterations of Wipeout. Don't get me wrong. Its just that I have been missing the old WO/XL/3 physics for a long time. They still aren't 100% in 2048 but they are at least there. But yeah, HD and FURY are still verymuch appreciated, and are very good games. Especially at their price points, they are awesome! I really have enjoyed the series as a whole and hope SL continues to keep them coming.

With each release of the series, there is always some sort of change in gameplay which is what makes me keep coming back, as long as the changes makes sense and aren't as drastic as FUSION which didn't feel like a WO game. I can't wait for the full releases of HD and FURY as the DLC for 2048. They are great WO race experiences and only strengthens this series as a whole for those who are fans of AG racing.

[Autechom]

The offline campaign is great. I just wished I could play it on PS 3. Since I always play with internal view, it´s really hard on the Vita to foresee everything and react. Zone mode is alright, but the still of HD is much more appealing imo.
What I really like are the length of the tracks. It takes time to discover the possibilities and find out the perfect route. And longer tracks mean more diversion and longer races : ) On the downside it´s quote boring to only race in the New York environment. Something taking place in N.Y. is so worn out. Besides the subway track standing out, no other track has, at least for me, a really individual touch.
But well, all in all, I am happy with the game. If we get a racebox and more detailed stats, I am happy.

[yawnstretch]

What about Altima?

It's like a combination of two "countryside" tracks from wipeout 1, Karbonis and Altima VII.

[leungbok]

Something taking place in N.Y. is so worn out. Besides the subway track standing out, no other track has, at least for me, a really individual touch
And sol ? and altima ? ;)

[infoxicated]

Played a bit more on the train to work this morning, completing the 2048 season and unlocking the speed lap challenges.

Wahey! Finally I have a game mode that lets me practice for the game mode I just completed.

The only thing I don't have an elite pass for is one of the combat events and you can't really practice for those, as they're just trial and error in the hope you get the right weapon combinations.

Ami told me on Twitter that there are less combat events and more races in the second season, so I think I'll hold off until the end of the week before I decide to trade it in.

I can't help but shake the feeling that Nu WipEout is not for me, though. There were times during the combat events I played last night where I knew I wouldn't even be playing the game if it didn't have WipEout in the title.

[Boycey83]

It's really disheartening to see how much negativity there is around this game. I think it's amazing.

If you've only completed the 2048 campaign, then you've got a lot more to see. Getting the elite pass on some of the time trials is quite challenging and has been the highlight of the game for me so far. I'm agreed that the combat events are pretty crap, but it's not something I'm going to return the game over.

In fact, I get the feeling I'm going to be playing this game for quite a while. If we get all the HD and Fury courses and a racebox for them then all the better.

[UB3R~JKP]

Fanbases for games are more critical that outsiders. Most of the complaints about this game seem legit and I will take them on board when I get 2048. Then again, I hated Pulse and thought it was the most boring WipEout I've ever played.

[JABBERJAW]

You will be happy to know it doesn't feel like pulse at all. I don't mind pulse, but it's too grippy for me.

The problem now is that there really is nothing to return to without a full racebox incorporated into the three options now given. There are only so many speed laps I'm going to want to do, and a limited number of A + challenges considering the choppiness of it. My objective shouldn't be to get the lead so the game runs smoother. The way it is now, I have zero interest in the online campaign. It is a waste of time except to get to level 50. I am thinking like Rob on this one, if it did not have wipeout in the title, I wouldn't play this mode even once. I'm really going to be upset if we get more online objectives to get to level 100 BEFORE a racebox appears. This should be the #1 thing in the queue right now, screw everything else ( except controls) until this is done. I don't care if it's 100 new tracks, it won't be fun without racebox.

[mangaroo]

Haven't got the game or the console yet but I found some news (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/337485/wipeout-2048-will-get-new-features-new-ways-to-play-in-future/) that pertains to some of the complaints here:


We're looking into other things to enhance the toolset of the game. So we're looking on to custom controls, potentially some kind of multiplayer extension,said Jones. [Karl]


New features are going to be added, new ways to play. I can't really talk about that now but the AR museum is a good example. We've shown it, it is coming, we just didn't have to get it nailed before release.

The team has moved on but they have a few remaining people to work on the game.

As you may have thought:


Deadlines are strict, you've got to hit your dates, but there's so much stuff that developers want to get into their games that some stuff got to get cut. The beauty of it now is that it's not always cut forever. There's DLC but there's also free stuff you can patch in, stuff that's 90% finished before launch that need that extra 10%, you can release that stuff for free.

Seems like they will continue to add paid DLC aswell, if there is a demand for it and also a few new features. No specific mention of a racebox..."enhance toolset of the game" ...maybe?

[Hacker X]

/\/\/\/\/\ I just saw that on a couple of websites. Awesome news!

As I've said before, SL has supported EVERY WO game since PURE, so I don't understand the talk of trading in the game at this point. It was only $40 for crying out loud, but if people don't like it, they just don't like it. . I hope this game does well. I'm enjoying the heck out of it, and want more. Sorry if everyone isn't enjoying it, but you just can't please everyone all the time. I can't wait for more DLC for this game, and patches to improve on what it has already. Good times.

[JABBERJAW]

Custom controls and racebox were NOT going to get put in until a ton of complaints emerged. The new downloads were not that very important ( irreplaceable) element to the game.

[mangaroo]

Glad they are at least listening to the customers and fans and will attempt to fix what they missed. I also can't phathom why people would return the game or trade it in....whatever its shortcommings, it's wipeout!

[Temet]

We must continue to express ourselves until we have racebox-like and custom controls!!
Don't think we have won yet ;)

[Darkdrium777]

phathomCareful there, you're playing too much WipEout.
It's fathom ;)

Yes, of course they will support it with patches and DLC. I don't expect any different personally.
What I would find absolutely horrible and would never let go of is if they didn't. I'd honestly be first in line in the crusade against them if that became true somehow. Especially since this game absolutely requires a free racebox and controls patch.

[JABBERJAW]

A free FULL racebox for all three modes. I think it is vital they get this, otherwise we will get it in one mode, and not the options we need to enjoy the game.

[yeldar2097]

Free total rebuild works too :+

[leungbok]

A free FULL racebox for all three modes
It's a minimum of what we can expect !!

[infoxicated]

Last night I completed the second season and that opened up extra tracks for the speed lap challenges. This allowed me to practice tracks like Rockway Stadium and Subway without forcing my ship head long into a wall of fire just to ping pong off the walls.

I'd actually skipped the first event of the season because it was pissing me off so much - skipping events is a neat feature, actually, but it would't be required if it was possible to just practise, practise, practise before I had to go up against the other ships.

I can't help but think the game design decision to force you onto new tracks against competitors is going to piss off more people than just me - especially with the amount of weapons pads there are on these long courses.

After a dozen or so speed laps of Rockway Stadium at B class I went back and won the first race of the season first time out with the FEISAR speed for an Elite Pass. A much more enjoyable experience. Speed laps at the Subway track followed and I really began to enjoy the game for the first time. I'm not the biggest fan of split tracks, and this one is a doozie in that department, but Subway has got great flow to it. Going up top in the final section appears to be way faster than down low, though, so that's a bit contentious!

Unlocking other ships seems a bit slow going compared to tracks - I've used the FEISAR speed for pretty much everything, except for the Combat events which I grind through with the Qirex Combat ship. Hopefully the speed versions of other ships become available soon.

So, in summary, I'm warming to it - just a shame it's been such a frustrating experience to get to this point. I wouldn't have stuck with it if it were any other game. :)

[leungbok]

Cool to see you can finally enjoy a bit the game Rob :)
But you're right, i find it risky from the devs to constrain players to jump on new tracks/speed class/game modes without any possibility to practice. My first encounter with sol at A class was a respawn fest and was very frustrating.

[Temet]

I'm happy to read this from you Rob.
If you like speed, you will enjoy A class.
Sol is a wonderful track and an amazing Zone experience :)

[chalovak]

So, in summary, I'm warming to it - just a shame it's been such a frustrating experience to get to this point. I wouldn't have stuck with it if it were any other game. :)

Really nice to read this. :)
After these words the hype train I'm on now reached Phantom speed, so there is little chance for me to jump off it.
When I get news about Pure on Vita, my decision considering buying Vita with 2048 will be finally settled.

[Colonel]

Well I downloaded the game last night and have done a few events today. It's pretty tough I have to say, I like the general feel of the ships, and there's an intensity to the races that you can't fault. Zone mode is immediately a treat, despite feeling totally different to HD.

If I have one major gripe (this was mentioned in a review somewhere) it's that there doesn't seem to be the obvious contrast between tracks and their environments, so I find myself really struggling to see where I'm going half the time. I know any racing game relies on learning the tracks but it seems like it will be harder on 2048 than other games. And of course the courses are longer than in HD - not a bad thing in itself.

Had one go at Combat mode, not mad about it to be honest, it's the only event I've failed so far. It didn't feel as well executed as Eliminator in HD.

I am looking forward to getting into 2048, I have a feeling it's going to require a huge amount of patience though.

Edit - Sorry for the 3 HD references in this post, 900+ hrs playing a game will do that.

[infoxicated]

The Combat events remind me of what the mighty Lunar once said about Citta Nuova (http://www.wipeoutzone.com/forum/showthread.php?3232-Most-Hated-Track&p=57727#post57727) - doing them is like wearing a pair of shoes three sizes too small; it's nice when you take them off.

That said, I have Elite Passes on most of them for no reason other than I just repeat them until I get an Elite Pass to save me from ever going back to them.

Strangely I got an Elite Pass in one last night by complete fluke after about a lap and a half. Can't remember which track (most of them are so long as to be forgettable, I find) but there are three weapons pads in a row and I was slightly behind the pack coming up to a 90 degree left hander. I just let off the gas and kept mashing square as I went over the three pads and lucked into the right combination of weapons that eliminated or drastically damaged most of the field. I think I ended up with over 120 points and there was still close to a minute left.

Kind of proves that the Combat Events are a damn sight more to do with luck than they are to do with skill. :|

[novide]

i like the game, but the vita controlls to small.. its not made for my fingers :(

[Dogg Thang]

If I have one major gripe (this was mentioned in a review somewhere) it's that there doesn't seem to be the obvious contrast between tracks and their environments, so I find myself really struggling to see where I'm going half the time.

When I eventually noticed the speed lap mode, I was pretty amazed to see there were eight tracks. It felt like about five to me and no more and the reason is that many of them sort of blurred together into one. So as well as making the tracks hard to figure out at first, I find the wild shotgun approach to design has also resulted in less distinct personalities for the tracks. Sol is a standout, as is Subway. And then they begin to merge for me. Haven't got them here in front of me but is the lighting pretty much the same in all of them? Are we lacking weather, time and so on that help give a track its personality?

This is one area where Pure excelled - in fact, 2048 has given me a renewed appreciation for that one.

Yes, Rob, the combat events I find a bit of a chore and yet at times oddly easy if luck is on my side. My big racing gripe, tracks aside, is that the races don't always feel all that different to the combat events. The aggression of ye olde Citta Nuova is very apprent here, as it was with HD and Fury.

The time trial Elite passes are a nice challenge here, which is good. That's the mode I find myself enjoying the most and removing the other ships from the tracks helps the visibility and frame rate.

[Colonel]

Out of interest are you guys generally getting Elites for all events first time? I've finished the 2048 campaign this evening and I've only got Elites for about half of them. I wanted to experience as much of the game as possible then go back and get Elites, but I think I might be hamstringing myself by doing that. Do extra events and ships become available if you get all Elite passes?

Oh and novide, have to agree mate, I'm not getting on at all well with the Vita's small D-pad and buttons.

It really is a beautiful game, great in the headphones too, I just have a horrible feeling I'm always going to suck at it.

[Temet]

Honestly it's easy to have Elite passe for the 3 seasons.
For A+ Challenges, it's really a lot harder :)

[Aeroracer]

ive completed the offline campaign..just got to get my elite passes on all events...

I totally agree with rob in I find it silly that you have to win on the track to earn the right to practice it..
i had a propper shock when i got to SOl track and noticed there are no rails and i fell off like 40 times

i do not like eliminator as theres simply way to much going on i have no clue what im doing apart from just fly over lots of pads and keep pressing fire and hope i got lucky on pickups..way to much luck involved at present..

i like wipeout 2048 but i personally find it hard especially on a small screen .i never got into the psp wipeout scene so it is all new to me ..
i must say how fast some players are already at wipeout48 looking at the records too.

[infoxicated]

Back at it again this morning and it throws another new track at me that I can't practice. Altima seems like a nice track - just have to grind through a few weapon & barrel roll festivals on it to see if it'll let me skip it.

Really think I'll order a new game today just to give myself a break from 2048 - there's only so much frustration I can take from doing something that's supposed to be enjoyable. :¦

[anderkovver]

i raced the first 5 days with autopilot on (normal) it helpt me a lot off getting used off the new controls...at least give it a try

[Olivario]

I've started the 2050 campaign and my thoughts so far are those expressed by JABBERJAW. I'll not speak about the absence of Racebox and the disaster that online is at the moment, these are things that are well known by everyone here, but I want to say that I'm hating Combat more and more as I advance in the campaign. It seems that SL wanted to give the same importance to combat and to racing, and that's a very bad decision in my opinion. While Eliminator in HD is a very good mode and very enjoyable, I'm finding Combat even boring.

[Dogg Thang]

On that thought, it bugs me that on a couple of the 2050 race events, you get the Elite Pass through eliminations. Back to the combat again.

[leungbok]

It seems that SL wanted to give the same importance to combat and to racing, and that's a very bad decision in my opinion. While Eliminator in HD is a very good mode and very enjoyable, I'm finding Combat even boring.
SL must know how combat online is played by a majority of players : they just go back and forth in a location with 2 or three weapon pads, without even completing a single lap :rolleyes: . in those conditions C or A+ speed classes don't matter at all.
I'm at level 16 online and i never encountered yet faster single race (non combat) than B class :(

[Olivario]

Yeah, sometimes I find myself driving for 30-40 seconds without seeing any other ship. And I don't know if tracks are random, but this afternoon I had to do 6 consecutive combats on Altima; it's a good track but 6 consecutive times? seriously?

[Hellfire_WZ]

Only real bugbears at the moment (besides the obvious racebox, custom controls, etc...)


Objectives, especially the later ones, are too geared towards combat. Hitting a specific player with a weapon is pretty much impossible if they're at the back and you're leading, and I'll be buggered before I let the whole grid overtake me just so I can do that. Also, there seem to be certain nodes where the Elite pass is easier than the standard one!
The AI in the A+ challenges is infuriating. Even the slightest mistake in your racing line and you get leapt upon. I've had 5 second leads reduced to less than one second because I scraped a wall! Take the lead and you get greeted almost instantly with a rocket/missile barrage. Try taking an open sided skillcut and you just get rammed off. I'm always up for a challenge, but this just isn't fun.
Combat events should not be in single player campaign. Far too much luck involved to reach a completely arbitrary score in a given time.


On the plus side though, Combat is a much more enjoyable experience online than in single player, mainly because it goes back to the old Eliminator formula of "first past the post wins". Still prefer to race though.

The handling is taking some getting used to. I'm very used to airbrake abuse from the older games, and I've learned very quickly that doing it at high speeds in 2048 leads to a short sharp appointment with Mr Wall. Interesting to see how my racing style is changing to suit the new physics engine.

[Temet]

Honestly guys, I'm surprised by these complains!
In 2097, you could not practice Gare D'Europa, Odessa Keys or the Phantom tracks in low speed class, you had to win the Challenges for that!

Hellfire, you made 2 videos on Wipeout HD "Elite my arse" because the AI in HD wasn't tough enough for you, and now we have a real challenge you complain because it's too hard in 2048?

Yes the AI is a bitch in A+ challenge, yes it's hard to pass them, yes they fire at you permanently ... but if you're 3 seconds ahead, they won't appear magically after a turn unless you make a mistake, it's not over cheated.
I'm having a hard time winning these challenges (7 unlocked, 6 with Elite pass so far), but I'm happy to struggle!
What's the point in winning at first try?

Yesterday, I did Rockway Stadium... I finished first attempt 15 seconds behind the AI. I thought I would never make it. Well, after a tenth of tries, I won :)

Come on, A+ Challenges are the ultimates challenges in 2048, and this is classical single race, no shitty Combat!
Be happy guys :g

Thank you SL for this hard challenges, I love it! :g

[leungbok]

yeah, for A+ challenges and altima's combat event on 2050 even if i found it over cheated, i looked at the leaderboards and told myself : "if some guys can make it (even if they're japaneses bots :p), i'll too !!" :banzai

[amplificated]

I don't even think the A+ challenges are that tough... it's just a matter of not ****ing up too much over 10 laps, which shouldn't be that hard on all but maybe 2 or 3 tracks.

And I don't really love them at all, they're too simple. Learning to race and enjoying racing is the best thing about wipeout, rather than doing a basic test to see if you know the tracks well enough at that speed and have consistency. That's all that A+ is, a speed test that tries to annoy you with random weapons.
Speedlap is still more fun and more challenging.

You're trying way too hard to praise SL in the face of negative comments, temet... Don't get me wrong, some people are being incredibly overdramatic, but there's no need to be overly enthusiastic about a product that's quite tame as a whole and less than standard in many respects for a WipEout title, either.

[Temet]

You have a definitely selective memory Amplificated.
I have been complaining A LOT with the lack of custom controls and racebox mode.
I'm complaining with combat.
I'm complaining with shitty online.
I've contacted two French websites (and one is the first French website of video games) to ask for a support making a news about the lacks of the game, based on Hellfire discussion with devs.
I've informed on forums to ask to complain on youtube, facebook and twitter for racebox and controls.
So no, I not SL's little pet, but when I like the gameplay, the speed and the tracks.
Racing against AI in single race is the basics of wipeout. I like speed laps also, so I don't disagree with you neither ;)

[infoxicated]

In 2097, you could not practice Gare D'Europa, Odessa Keys or the Phantom tracks in low speed class, you had to win the Challenges for that!
2097 was made 15 years ago - game design has changed substantially since then.

In terms of game design it's trial and error of the most primitive kind. In 1997 it was deemed okay for Lara Croft to be impaled by a set of unseen spikes 20 minutes of gameplay from the last check point. Nowadays, the hell it is - nobody is going to stand for that.

I just think the game design of the single player campaign in WipEout 2048 is fundamentally flawed - having the player start from the back of the field and push through a wall of fire on a track they've never seen before at a speed class they've never experienced before is just so ridiculously punitive that it's not an enjoyable experience.

The very best case scenario when they do that is that we replay the event over and over in a display of masochistic perseverance in order to meet the criteria for progression. Worst case scenario is that we rage-quit and play another game, which is what I've done more than a handful of times in the week I've owned it - the latest being last night when I opened up Sol and forced myself through the 9 laps it takes for the game to ask if you want to skip the event. Oh. Yes. Please.

The intro video depicts a future where Anti Gravity racing is an evolution of the purest form of racing - the continuation of over a hundred years of speed and competition.

However, I'm willing to bet a huge amount of money that at no point in the 2012 F1 season will Lewis Hamilton be expected to drive a VW Camper van against the rest of the field in order to progress to the following Grand Prix. Nor would he be expected to do so on a course he'd never seen before, with unknown engine power, into an onslaught of special effects that'd have Michael Bay shaking his head in disbelief.

Bernie Ecclestone would say "Okay Lewis, I concede that this was Alonso's idea, but on you go out and have a few practice laps in this VW Camper van just so you can get a feel for it before this ridiculously contrived race we're going to throw you into. Remember, though, if you can't come higher than third then you don't get to come to the rest of the events. Well, except if you finish last three times in a row - then you can come to the next event where me & Alonso have cooked up a little scenario involving a track - can't tell you which one - with pits of lava on the outside of corners instead of barriers. That shouldn't piss you off too much at all."

In summary, there's a difference between a hard challenge and a contrived, frustrating scenario that forms a barrier to progression.

[leungbok]

AI in A+ challenges becomes far more enjoyable to race against than those noobs doing back & forth seeking for quakes in online combat b****t !

[Dogg Thang]

And as much as we all love 2097, that failing checkpoints thing on your first trip around completely new circuits was a major source of frustration. At least, it was for me! Although at least you could see where you were going in 2097. My first go on Unity Square was a mess of ship trails, explosions and busy scenery. It took a while before I could actually make out where the track was. Imagine if they added in the 2097 checkpoints too - nasty.

[Amorbis]

I'm going to have to agree with people about the abundance of combat events. The later combat events which require 100 points to get an Elite pass are frustrating and will probably go un-passed for a while. Combat events online can be OK, but not when some lobbies are only voting for combat. It gets worse when you leave the lobby, only to rejoin it because I can't pick the lobby I want unless I join a friend.


However, I'm willing to bet a huge amount of money that at no point in the 2012 F1 season will Lewis Hamilton be expected to drive a VW Camper van

5935

[UB3R~JKP]

They look so smug. :lol

[infoxicated]

Ooh - a multiplayer game...

I'm going to have to agree with people

combat events

can be OK

when you

join a friend.
Selective quoting for the win! ;)

[Colonel]

Excellent rant Rob, and hits the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned. I ended up ditching the Vita and playing HD last night, such was my frustration. However I got up early this morning and gave it another go before work (erm, and at lunchtime) and I'm glad to say today's been a much happier affair.

Some tracks though, Subway springs to mind, just seem impossible to me. I CANNOT SEE WHERE I AM F**KING GOING. I hit walls I coudn't see coming and I take bends that won't arrive for another 100 metres. It's not a diffculty thing either. Sol's bloody hard but at least it's comprehensible because I can see where I should go (even if I actually fall off every 10 seconds).

[leungbok]

Of course Rob ! ;)
But using the "join a friend" option for a combat event rather than a normal race would be a kinda betrayal of my wipeout's values :p

[JABBERJAW]

You cannot compare 2097 or XL's difficulty to 2048. You needed top 3 and you got to continue to play. It was also very easy AI and the difficulty was learning the tracks. It was not the hardest thing to pass, especially if you had played wo1. The new challenges are too difficult. I know I will pass them, but that doesn't make them fun, with ships ramming the living crap out of you, causing your steering to be garbage while they are not affected at all. Yes you can get the lead and get away, but it's not really that fun, one minor mistake, lead gone, getting rammed again, and cannot steer. It is too hard for a new player, they WILL NOT finish the game. Now that I'm writing this, it's the AI smashing into you that makes it not very fun, not being able to steer. If I was losing because I was hitting too much, ok, but not because I can't steer the ship.

[Dogg Thang]

And that has been the issue since Pure. It really has been baby steps since then. Why was Citta Nuova a hard track? The hairpin? No, not really. It was that is was infected with rabies or something and the AI were super-aggressive on it. I really loved Pure but, at the hardest races, what made the difference between a win and a lose was not how well you raced but how lucky you got with your enemy's weaponry. That final lap bombardment was a killer. Same with Pulse, again only really noticable on the harder races. But HD and Fury? Well those two seem based around that and it seems quite deliberate. They're incredibly aggressive games.

Here, I haven't got that far to experience that yet. But it's why I'm getting the most from the time trials right now.

But you do make a very good point about the new players and people not finishing. There is this weird paradox going on with WO right now. The default controls have been simplified, a pilot assist added to actually help you ease around the track as if all to make it very accessible and easier. And yet they'll happily bombard you with weapons and sit you in the middle of a warzone that is entirely down to luck and randomness of AI behaviour and I'm pretty sure there are few things as off-putting to any gamer, especially in a game they're new to, than losing in a situation where you felt it's not your fault. Lose because you crashed into that billboard? You learn, improve, no problem. Lose because you were quaked at the finish line? That's frustration. But I don't know - I actually have to idea what a new player would make of 2048. I do suspect the constantly switching modes would baffle.

And, as a side note, I think if they managed to smooth up the handling and camera system, they wouldn't need as much pilot assist. It all looks really twitchy, which makes it harder I think. That's not about losing the AG feel. Quite the opposite - in fact I think it would get smoother if they got back that feeling that the ships are actually flying over a section of air. It would be softer. The movement on this (and I'm pretty sure it's the same system in every game since Pure just with tweaked parameters) is all horizontal. It all swings from that nose. Go back to the classics and you'll feel in the vertical too, like you're floating. It's just as hard if not harder to control, of course, but it feels smoother and I think something closer to that would ease players in better.

[Temet]

The 3 seasons are just easier than any other WipEout campaign.


It is too hard for a new player, they WILL NOT finish the game.
A+ challenges are a gift to us, not to new players ;)
There is no reward to win them. You beat them only if you want ;)

[JABBERJAW]

Winning them gives you points to open up the other ships, all useless except for combat. It's a gift, kinda like a punch in the face. it's not not fun due to the ramming. Love the 10 laps, like the speed of the opponents, don't really mind the weapons to much, except it screws up the framerate badly with all those ships onscreen. The ramming is stupid. Perhaps they want people to throw the vitas and have to buy another :)

[Temet]

I just won Metro Park A+ challenge.
I improved my initial time by 35 seconds to win :)

Agreed, the ramming is boring and frustrating. It's not obvious on all tracks but was a real pain on Metro Park.
I surprisingly tolerate the framerate better than I expected.

[JABBERJAW]

The bad part is the framerate could be really good with some tweaking. I'm just playing SL when I have a little time until ( if) we get a racebox.

[yawnstretch]

Just start the combat level, put your vita down for a minute or two and then retry when the "race" is over. The game lets you SKIP the level then.

[JABBERJAW]

Not f you want to earn the money to get all the ships though. It's much faster getting 20000 a race than in the 100s

[Seraphim1982]

Well I just got this and I think it's great. It does need a bit of tweaking like the combat races the enemy ships are incredibly aggressive and getting an elite pass is more down to luck but the track design is excellent, it's like I find something new on every lap. Altima and Sol are just amazing to race on (and difficult but this is wipeout not little big planet). I'm looking forward to the HD/Fury tracks and I hope they make the new tracks available to its big brother too.

[Dogg Thang]

When I eventually noticed the speed lap mode, I was pretty amazed to see there were eight tracks. It felt like about five to me and no more and the reason is that many of them sort of blurred together into one.

I may have been very slow on the uptake here... Am I right that most of the tracks have the same scenery because they're all in one place? Are even some track parts the same?

[Hellfire_WZ]

Yes they are, they're all set in the same city. For example, you can see the Queens Mall sign backwards while racing on Empire Climb.

[Dogg Thang]

Heh, that was my tip-off! I also saw the stadium at the side of another track somewhere. That explains my difficulty in telling the tracks apart. I guess that probably saved dev costs and time. I wonder why they wouldn't have used different times of day or weather to help give them their own identity... although dev costs and time probable explain that one too.

[Boycey83]

There's 10 tracks, and they don't reuse any sections as far as I can tell.

[SoA_Booney]

On queens mall and empire climb the same part of the track is used .. the first split section on empire climb and the final split section on queens mall, just reversed :P im not complaining though i just noticed xD

[Boycey83]

whooops. I wouldn't be surprised if other parts are reused then.

[mangaroo]

After reading all the posts, checking out a lot of the videos and getting a chance to play the demo on a friend's vita 2 days ago I'm going to splash out for it. I was tempted to wait for a vita revision / further announcements as I always seem to buy the first edition of Sony consoles and usually regret it after a year or so. Don't think I can hold off much longer though and will be picking the console and wipeout up today. There isn't currently any other game I would pay retail price for unfortunately but will grab the 16GB (14 useable) for when the psn titles come raining down. Being extremely stupid and borrowing for it !

[Temet]

Be careful mate, if your main interest is online racing, I recommand you NOT to buy it!!
If you like speed laps and zone, then go for it ;)

[mangaroo]

Be careful mate, if your main interest is online racing, I recommand you NOT to buy it!!
If you like speed laps and zone, then go for it ;)

Thanks for the warning, but yep speed laps and zones for me! Just turning it on for the first time now >:)

[yeldar2097]

Bleh, they ****ed zone mode completely. -_-

[Temet]

Explaination please o_O'

[Boycey83]

The only thing I can think of is that they done away with a score for zone mode, so the high score table is ordered by zone reached instead.

[Temet]

I don't play for a score table, I'm not concerned :)

[Dogg Thang]

It's pretty nasty visually but I'm not seeing anything that doesn't work with zone mode here unless I've missed something. The 'insert coin' is a bit cheesy though. Hardly a deal breaker for me.

[Colonel]

The only thing I can think of is that they done away with a score for zone mode, so the high score table is ordered by zone reached instead.

Is this definitely the case? They've appeared to be ordered by XP when I've looked, which is essentially a score that rewards the same things it did in HD - perfect laps, zones, BRs and speed pads. If not it's a bit daft because there's no incentive to really push for a good run, but merely to survive as long as possible.

[Olivario]

They are ordered by total number of zones. When two or more players have the same amount of zones, then the one with the higher score wins the other.

[Boycey83]

it's a bit daft

Unfortunately that's a phrase that's going to be running through your head quite a bit while playing 2048. I still think it's a wicked game, but some of the decisions they took are just baffling.

[chalovak]

after trying 2048 at some store, i bought vita and wipeout. Really impressed by this game, especially love online campaign.
oh, if you get a chance, try pulse and pure, because of the higher framerate these games run like crazy! My vita is wipeout stuffed now, how cool is that? )
ps. oh, and pls add me if you wish, my psn is the same as my nickname here.
cheers.

[JABBERJAW]

Pure and pulse run faster on the vita? Smoother?

[mangaroo]

If that were true...might sway me..damn you sony. Pure dlc will be missing though?

[Darkdrium777]

The WipEout PurE DLC is available here (http://www.mediafire.com/?r0cty7z2p65m1) and while I haven't got a confirmation of exact installation instructions yet for the Vita (If I do, I will update the ReadMe files in the archives), there are reports that it is compatible and working. Of course the region restrictions still apply, unfortunately.

[chalovak]

Pure and pulse run faster on the vita? Smoother?
Faster, smoother, harder, better. :) the way it should be.


If that were true...might sway me..damn you sony. Pure dlc will be missing though?
I (and Dogg Thang) confirm that all pure eu dlc packs (music and track packs) work.


The WipEout PurE DLC is available here (http://www.mediafire.com/?r0cty7z2p65m1) and while I haven't got a confirmation of exact installation instructions yet for the Vita (If I do, I will update the ReadMe files in the archives), there are reports that it is compatible and working. Of course the region restrictions still apply, unfortunately.
I posted the instructions in the WipEout Pure thread "pure on vita".
link to the post with instruction (http://www.wipeoutzone.com/forum/showthread.php?8684-WipEout-Pure-on-PS-Vita&p=212778#post212778)

[stin]

Pure and pulse run faster on the vita? Smoother?


Faster, smoother, harder, better. :) the way it should be.

Seriously?!!!!!, now you got me thinking!

stevie:o:o

[Dogg Thang]

Pure does seem to run a good bit smoother (although I have not directly compared - I should and will if I get a chance). Pulse seems about the same to me though, screen tearing and all.

And yes, I can confirm that DLC for both titles works on the Vita. Although for whatever reason Pulse's Mirage pack can't yet be downloaded directly to the Vita - has to be transferred through PS3.

[Darkdrium777]

Well I updated the instructions then.
Send me a message if they aren't clear enough.

[chalovak]

Pure does seem to run a good bit smoother (although I have not directly compared - I should and will if I get a chance). Pulse seems about the same to me though, screen tearing and all.
Strange, no tearing for me. Tested zone mode, because of the higher frame rate it appeared to be harder but more enjoyable.

[mangaroo]

Tearing is there for me in Pulse. Compared to my original v1 PSP they both run so much better!

Also:
5977

Clean wallpaper (http://imgur.com/K51U2)

[chalovak]

I had my first race on Subway track yesterday. To say that I'm impressed is to say nothing. :clap
Really love these "limited" challenges with only one lap to race or with a specific weapon on.
With them in the game the absence of racebox (both in sp and mp) seems stupid.

Anyway, I enjoy the game.
It seems tougher than the previous games mainly because of the higher speed class races right from the beginning of the campaign. And that's pretty good. Sometimes I switch to Pure - I started it from scratch - so Vector class is unbearably boring. :)

[mangaroo]

Subway is a beautiful track, the glow effect looks great in the tunnels. Also replaying pure and know what you mean, although I'm appreciating the break from the speeds!

[chalovak]

Oh god! O_o I've just raced on Sol. Speechless.
Though hard to stay on track, lol.

[Colonel]

Yeah, Sol's my favourite track, followed by Rockway Stadium. Not a fan of Capital Reach or Subway though to be honest.

[LJtheZombie]

Aside from some questionable design decisions in the game, the racing is great, even if I'm still pretty bad at it (Not being able to use a dual shock is killing me). Can't say that I care for combat events though, and that's coming from someone who loved Eliminator in HD. No shields - really?

[Colonel]

Thus removing any sense of strategy and turning it into "who can shoot the most in 3 minutes?". It really is a poor do.

[JABBERJAW]

It's a jousting match back and forth most of the time. It came down to who doesn't miss the weapon pads wins. You do have to get a good rhythm going though.

That being said, it's awful to have to do it

[chalovak]

At the beginning of the Combat race it's written - Don't Race!
That's what I do. I always hit on breaks before any weapon pad, so I don't miss it. I don't worry about catching up with others because they are too busy shooting at each other. As a result I usually got Elite Pass on my first try. :)

[JABBERJAW]

I was Talking about multiplayer combat. Wipeouts main focus should be racing to win, then the other stuff is like a bonus. I never once would care about, " come in top half, destroy one player, and hit another with a weapon". Nor would I care in single player about scoring 40 points in a combat race. NONE of this is wipeout. But in his game, it's the main focus ATM.

[leungbok]

As a prequel (and not a spin off) how can a combat based game, lead to a pure racer like wipeout (the original) ?
I can accept everything about the gameplay of the game about the release date of BRs, mag strips or teams to fit in the story, but about the game's kind, it's just undefendable !!

[infoxicated]

I haven't been back to WipEout 2048 in over two weeks now.

Starting to think that, unless there's a complete overhaul in the form of a patch, I might not ever go back to it. :|

[MarcoM]

I haven't touched it for 3 weeks, untill last night. I fired it up just to look at the amazing graphics and then in an all hectic combat race on Sol I was destroyed again. It is just unbelievable how much I would like to play this game, but I just can't do it anymore.

SL, please give us what we want!

[stin]

If the patch comes up then I will buy vita, if not?, I will think about it till Autumn coming.

stevie

[Temet]

Don't buy it my friend.
The only interests in the game currently are speedlap
and A+ challenges. Unless an amazing dlc is coming, my recommandation is to boycott Wipeout 2048.

[yeldar2097]

Seems like we have a mutiny on our hands :pirate

[chalovak]

Meanwhile info about 1.02 patch appeared.
"Patch 1.02 will fix any issues in our game and you should no longer have to do port forwarding,UPNP disabling or static IP set up."
I wonder if this patch contains something else.

Still, I believe all the major things we are waiting for will be added when HD/Fury DLC is released.

[Temet]

@Yeldar : well, I stil have the same position : fast, good gameplay, beautiful. Interests are A+ Challenges, Zone mode and Speed Lap.

Online is crapiest online ever... it's a bit of an issue for a wipeout game :'(

[Colonel]

I feel very fickle when it comes to 2048, one minute I love it and the next I hate it. The times I hate it are invariably online. I've had to start the online campaign twice now and it's such a ball ache. I can't be arsed trying to hit a specific player with a weapon (how do you tell who it is by the way?), I just want to race. You can pull off the best race you've done on a track, beating a field of players with higher ranks than you, just to be told you've failed and you've only got 700xp for your efforts.

Also, now we all know how asinine the voting system is, but it doesn't even seem to work properly. In around 100 online races I think I've got to race at Sol once, and Altima 2 or 3 times, it's pathetic. Last night I had about a dozen races, Queen's Mall came up 3 times, DownTown 4 times, Metro Park twice and Capital Reach twice. All on B class, except one C Class race. Every online session I've had has been the same, there's no balance at all between different tracks and classes.

Seriously Studio Liverpool, people will soon be ditching this game in their thousands.

On the plus side, I got to Zone 90 at Sol earlier today, was chuffed to bits. Aiming for Zone 100 by the end of the week :g

[goddessloviatar]

I've finally given in and spent a wad of cash on a vita and 2048... I've tried to hold off from judging the game as long as possible as its only fair to see a decent amount of the game before coming up with a considered viewpoint..
So far I can't say I'm enjoying it...
One of the biggest issues I'm having is sight- on hd I'm always rubbish at tracks like talon's junction as most of the track is the same colour, on 2048 it's grey instead of blue but my middle aged eyes just can't see where the track goes....
Weapons fire doesn't help this, it seems on the rare occasions where I would be able to see where I am going there is a huge cloud of smoke from the constant weapons spam...
I never had a psp so I've downloaded pure and pulse for the sake of completion and to catch up on what I'd missed of the series, and I've been having far more enjoyment playing the older titles than 2048. They just seem to have more of the wipeout "essence" if you will. I appreciate that 2048 is a series reboot and the intent is there to expand the number of players and fan base, but I've always seen the game as about piloting above combat and I think this goes too far on the combat front- if I want to blow things up I can play call of duty. If I want to fly something down a huge twisty track, swapping positions with a rival and holding on to a weapon until the perfect opportunity to fire then wipeout it is!
I'll be playing the older games to get that buzz- ill play 2048 to completion but if I wanna race, properly and online then I'll have to play hd/fury as I don't think 2048 ticks enough boxes to knock hd off the top spot of the series.

[Temet]

I can't imagine that most of people consider HD as top spot of the series ;)
But yeah, Pure and Pulse are better than 2048. Not on all the aspect, but on the overall ;)

[goddessloviatar]

I think for me hd had that WOW factor thanks to the online play- its one of the fastest loading ps3 games I've come across, and the online mode is all there ready and waiting. Hopefully we will eventually get a decent online structure and then it might tempt me back!

[Xavier]

Wow... all this negativity! I just got the game the day before yesterday and am totally chuffed to see (1) my home city of New York as the main venue (for 2048... do they expand into other cities for '49 and '50?) and (2) a bright, beautiful, positive, non-dystopian future. I love it!

I only played online a little bit, and the challenges went from easy stuff like "finish the event and hit one opponent with a weapon" to tough conditions like "hit this opponent and that one with weapons (and you only have a few laps to do it)".

Still, it's more Wipeout and it's a lot of fun!

[stin]

Pure and pulse run faster on the vita? Smoother?

Faster, smoother, harder, better. :) the way it should be.

Well, got Vita and 2048!:) but, only played 2048 for one hour till Pure came along, paid it and download it and played it ever since!

Right, just to be confirmed, Chalovak are spot on! just like Pure in HD!

Even better, me and asa have had been experimented Cross play PSP aaaand Vita, believe it or not, it`s working on both side. Even better news, been tested on Ad-Hoc and it does work, but!, it has not been tested on somebody yet, yet we will find that out tonight on Pure session with Mad-Ice, asa and stin.

stevie:)

[chalovak]

Don't forget to get all the addons for Pure to extend the pleasure. :)

[stin]

Yes we did but one problem over Gamma pack which freezes the game!:(, is any possible to fix that?

stevie:)

[chalovak]

Hm, never happened to me. Try another Gamma pack, maybe it might help. :(

[stin]

Asa discovered the problems of downloads packs, we were just unfortunlate to have them. However, he is fixing the problems and so far, everything starting to look positive!

stevie:)

[kaori]

Yes we did but one problem over Gamma pack which freezes the game!:(, is any possible to fix that?

stevie:)

I had the same problem with my PSP, I had to delete the pack and re-install them in the "right sequence"

[chalovak]

Well, the necessity of racebox in multiplayer struck me yesterday at last while playing online campaign, combat race to be precise. Instead of racing and fighting, everybody was circling around one place with pads, shooting at each other. It reminded me of a sandbox with kids fooling around. WTF?

[DjManiac21]

I just wrote this on thei FB page, on their maintenance announcement:

========================
Online RACEBOX is a must, not having the chance to race A+ online is absolutely disappointing. I bought a Vita for 2048, and will be returning/selling it soon if things keep going like this.
Online play is unfortunately a repetitive "combat" affair, leaderboards are already showing broken times, the ramming is excessive and game-braking and the lack of leaderboards with barrel rolls turned off makes racing for fast times a gimmicky chore of finding impossible barrel rolls.
Technically the game is excellent and I do love it, but omitting Racebox, custom controls and more stats-tracking are the reason why I haven't touched this game in over three weeks, other than to check for updates.
========================

I agree with Jabberjaw, we need to keep reminding them that even though we love the new Wipeout, it's not at its full potential just yet.

[Amorbis]

Well, the necessity of racebox in multiplayer struck me yesterday at last while playing online campaign, combat race to be precise. Instead of racing and fighting, everybody was circling around one place with pads, shooting at each other. It reminded me of a sandbox with kids fooling around. WTF?

That's exactly what happens to me on combat races. It doesn't help that you can pick up from the same weapon pad more than once a lap, which is what causes this to happen. It's like playing Call of Duty rather than WipEout, the whole event feels like a waste of time with the winner being determined by luck more than anything.

[Colonel]

So glad Amorbis and chavolak have said this, I couldn't agree more. I did a combat "race" the other night and nobody completed a single lap, it was pathetic. "Sandbox with kids fooling around" is a perfect description. The mode is already a mess compared to Eliminator in HD, without the players making it even worse. It's a fking racing game for God's sake, try taking a few corners, see what happens. You might even like it.

And whilst I'm ranting, I just want to say something about the online campaign, and how I think it should have been implemented.

1. Select "Online"
2. Enter a lobby - hosted by a player, with modes, classes and settings of their choice; or start your own lobby.
3. When the race settings have been confirmed, Campaign objectives unique to that track / mode, and dependent on your state of progress in the campaign, as well as the rank of the other players in the lobby, are determined for each player. For example, if it's a C class race at Altima, set me a specific lap / race time to beat. If I'm rank 50 and the other players are lower ranked, set me a margin by which to win. If it's a combat race, tell me how many kills I need for an elite pass. And set a minimum number of laps for every player to avoid this FPS bullsh*t.

Yes it's more complicated to implement, but if you're going to make an online campaign, do it properly. What exists at the moment is just a waste of time and thoroughly frustrating. How do I hit 2 specific players with weapons in a race I've led from the beginning, asides from spraying mines everywhere (assuming I get any) and hoping for the best?

Besides which, chucking mines everywhere has always been considered bad form as far as I'm aware, annoying the hell out of players when they're quite a way behind you. 2048 is making me play like a tw*t for the sake of this online campaign and I don't like it. Last night I lost a race because I found myself slowing down to try to hit people. It won't happen again, I felt like a right dick. From now on I'll race to win and f*ck the campaign.

Edit - apologies for the amount of swearing in this post, but I really am very pissed off.

[kaori]

That's exactly what happens to me on combat races. It doesn't help that you can pick up from the same weapon pad more than once a lap, which is what causes this to happen. It's like playing Call of Duty rather than WipEout, the whole event feels like a waste of time with the winner being determined by luck more than anything.

I wrote about that Studio Liverpool, and gave them an easy idea to implement in the game : give 10 points by lap completed rather than 2.

[Asayyeah]

I couldn't agree more with you guys (Jabb, Colonel, Amorbis, Chalovak, Dj). You perfectly described the flaws & limits from 2048.
Just my 2cents of feeling : I was at Stin's house for a week with his new shiny vita and guess what? we played pure on it because 2048 is simply the most unfriendliest wipeout game, eva !
Starting adhoc with my mate, choosing race over combat(god sake!) and get capital reach B class, to me is ok i know that track a bit but Stevie :| a bit harsh to start with that track and speed class when you don't know the game an once : let me have the choice to set up what i want to get a friendly welcome to newcomers to 2048 and A+ races with my skilled mates. Not even talking about multiplayer and lack of lobby ==> you got a list of 100 PSN friends and you can't raced them properly : in exchange you got random players with their 'high strategic' fancy combat game.

Result for me : I skipped 2048 fair and square (except for zone from time to time ==> hypnotically addictive :donut - :donut )

There's a bit of hope tho, coming from Kaori & Hellfire, I want to beleive in you, and will wait to a soon patch/dlc.

Hell yeah! Even skyrim has got his brand new shiny patch yesterday :g

[chalovak]

After completing Single Player Campaign in 2048 I realised that there were no tournaments... Now I'm sitting and thinking "WTF?" :)
Anyway, I feel like I'm getting used to the physics of the game and to the game itself. It takes you more time than any WipEout before.

[Amorbis]

Gadaffi's implementation would make the online campaign more enjoyable. The same objectives over and over make it tire quickly, plus I have no desire really to hit people deliberately because the game told me to. The idea of an online campaign is really good as it had the potential to add longevity to the game, but instead it means online people don't actually race as they would instead prefer to fulfil their objective, which means they probably wont be trying to race but instead trying to eliminate each other.

As it stands I would add an online mode without the campaign. This way I wouldn't see players slowing down to hit each other but maybe have a proper race. The worst case I have seen is someone hanging around a weapon pad waiting for their target to lap them so they can hit them.

When it comes down to it all I really want is an online mode identical to HD's. That way we can properly organise races and have tournaments, building a community around 2048's online.

[Mu5]

Dear Studio Liverpool

Seeing how you only delivered me half a game - can i have half my money back? :)

Also, please remove combat mode - worst decision ever made :-

"Biggest and best wipeout game ever" ? Wish it was. Online is a joke! :turd

[rego]

am i the only one who has grown to hate this game as i have gotten more proficient with it? i simply cannot get over the control schemes offered in this game. i never feel fully in control like i do in hd, i feel like im constantly struggling to make due with how they force me to play.

i want to love this game but it keep doing things that make me put it down

[mangaroo]

Well....not being able to even choose adhoc race modes...pretty ridiculous.

[JABBERJAW]

Agreed, my worry is if the game is fixed, Adhoc will be forgotten. I have patience for the bug fixes, because they have said they are fixing it. I have none with this because they have not said they are going to fix it, 3 months in almost now.

[Mu5]

My worry is that 2048 can't actually run at A+ class online. Please SL prove me wrong :)

[leungbok]

It's enable on online combat races, Which is totally useless when most guys stay around 100m perimeter in a place with several weapon pads :rolleyes:

[stin]

From 2048 to 2050, it`s like a stroll in a park till darkside comes along, A+?, Welcome to hell:nod, first attempt, five tries, won it!, the rest are starting to get harder but I love it! But Sol track, friggen amazing, possibly the best track of the whole series.

Now, since Monday there, I decided to play serious 2048, average 5hrs a day. I`m now rank 30, hitting 50% unlocked Auricom Prototype. Already passed two A+,
Capital Reach, trecherous bends, working on that!
However, I`m dreading for online issues!, because, everything are going well at the moment. I`m preparing for it.

Yes, Racebox are a absolute must!

It`s an amazing game apart from Combat race.:mr-t

stevie:)

[chalovak]

I really love A+ challenges, that's where real WipEout is, no right for mistake.
And continue hating Online Combat events, they are useless. There should be some penality for not racing, less laps you complete, more points you lose, something like that.
I want to race real zoners, not the bunch of kids (no offense :))
People from SL, if you are visiting this forum (I know they used to, but then the team changed), please hear us!!

[kaori]

...There should be some penality for not racing, less laps you complete, more points you lose, something like that...

Yes it can be a good idea, checkpoint in combat event ! If you fail to finish a lap or a section before the time you have, you lose 5 points :twisted

[Cerium]

Well... I finished single player some time ago and I've been grinding my way through multiplayer, but my god is it a chore. The online play is an absolute joke. 90% of the time, everyone selects combat and just sits on a cluster of weapon pads mashing the button -- and the winner is often the lucky bastard who happens to get the most quakes (which, from what I can tell, is more likely if you use the Qirex fighter, so guess what everyone uses...). Worse, in the few times there IS a race, the players range from bad to terrible and I often end up winning by 5-8 seconds per lap. Fun fact: Did you know if a requirement is "beat a specific player" and you win by such a large margin that they can't finish the race, you don't get the elite pass experience for it? Even worse yet, these wins are going to build my ego up to the point where I think I can compete with the rest of you guys again, which will result in a very painful realization that I'm still horrible when the random match making sillyness happens to throw me in a room with someone from here. Ugh. Though, I will say that I find it kinda funny that a few of you guys are complaining about the ramming thing. I don't think it's any worse than HD/Fury (though it still pisses me off quite a bit). I guess now you all get to experience what I was dealing with. :D

Anyway, single player wasn't bad. Quite enjoyable, actually. The A+ challenges were brutally hard at first, but I grew to love them. But wow did they ever phone in the multiplayer. It's frustrating that the only (reasonable) way to finish the last 20 or so ranks is by grinding out pud combat matches online.


Yes it can be a good idea, checkpoint in combat event ! If you fail to finish a lap or a section before the time you have, you lose 5 points :twisted

I don't remember combat being so terrible in Fury. But, then again, you got energy for completing laps, so there was some incentive to keep moving. If it were me designing the combat mode, I'd do something like this:

- Remove leach beam. Regaining energy is bad enough, but the innate shields that come with it is game breaking.
- Allow each weapon pad to be picked up a limited number of times per lap. After that, deactivate it until the lap is completed.
- Slight regeneration (25%) at each lap/checkpoint.
- Adjust points for weapons. Significantly reduce quake points, Increase points for cannon, slightly decrease points for missile or slightly increase points for rocket.
- Make kill reward dynamic. If you dealt 75% of their damage, you get the kill reward * 0.75. It's kind of annoying watching people swipe kills with a missile or quake and get bonus points for being in the right place at the right time.


That's just my little rant. Back to lurking for a few more years. :D

[JABBERJAW]

Remove combat 100%, how's that? :)
Remove weapon hit goals online 100%

Neither is fun, so why have them

I think going back and forth like jousting is more fun than trying to kinda complete laps, but stay in behind others to hit them with weapons. However I find both to be garbage anyway.

[Amorbis]

I don't think the problem is the objectives that ask you to hit someone, its that the objectives are the same for racing and combat. If the objective wasn't determined by the online campaign grid you are one and was determined by race type/speed/track it could work, like what Gaddafi said.

[Sausehuhn]

Haven’t played WO2048 yet, so where’s the difference between Combat in 2048 and Eliminator in HD? Actually, I enjoyed Eliminator pretty much. Okay, if played with more than six players the quake turns out to be a real deal breaker, but played with less people: Much fun.
In HD, weapon pads have a significant pause before being reactivated, you earn points for completed laps and get back energy, which is important for surviving the battle.
But I really like your idea about „dynamic reward“, Cerium. Other than that, what was wrong about Elminator and why change it?

[chalovak]

Sausehuhn, imo the main problem is Online Combat events in online campaign. Because of the requirements to get a pass in each challenge, the combat event turns into combat only, instead of race AND combat. Meaning that everybody just gathers in one place with pads around shooting each other until some lucky player wins.
As for the single player combat event, the only difference that may bother someone - time limit (in addition to the score you need to get). Otherwise it's the same Eliminator, which I personally love.
Oh, and the thing I love about 2048 Combat mode is different weapon limitations for different combat events: in one event you can use missiles or cannon only, or you should use ships of a specific class and so on.

[JABBERJAW]

Being forced to play Online campaign is the problem. You have to play this way( jousting). Going back and forth is the best way to achieve the goal and to get all the goals done in a reasonable amount of time. also, there actually is a lot of Skill involved in " jousting". You cannot mess up by missing pads, or not firing at the proper time, or you get behind on your ability keep up on points.

Weapon hit goals and racing do not go together, they are counter productive, and just not fun in general.

Combat should be set to arenas ( twisted metal) and not on wipeout tracks. It could be incredibly fun with the physics of an ag ship.

[chalovak]

JABBERJAW, so you didn't like Eliminator in Pulse and Fury, right?

[JABBERJAW]

I hardly played them, so I wouldn't say hate. I didn't like them enough to continue. I would rather race every time I turn on the game console. I still play every wipeout game every once in a while, and don't have time for something I don't really care for. I do hate every combat event in 2048 though, probably because I'm being forced to play with NO light at the end of the tunnel.

[mangaroo]

Does anyone feel that the image quality has dropped since the 1.02 patch? Loading times are definitely no longer annoying but the first thing I noticed was that it was ever so slightly smoother but the image quality seems to have dropped slightly too. Perhaps the dynamic resolution is dropping down more often after the patch not quite sure what it is. I was hoping they would do something like this later on to make the game more stable...but resolution? :( It might not even be that but wanted to get some other opinions... 1.02 thread was locked.

Just looks a little more fuzzy in front of you and I notice some rare pop-ins in the distance as well which I didn't before.. Not sure if I like the sacrifice for smoother gameplay due to the pixelation affecting the clarity. Anyway wonder what you all think, or if there is any difference for you lot at all? I've been playing a lot of lumines recently.. might be it.

[rego]

it actually look sharper to me. the game itself always had a "sub native" look to it

[chalovak]

Does anyone feel that the image quality has dropped since the 1.02 patch?

I noticed that the main menu became blurry, these lines that form a grid doesn't look sharp anymore. Am I seeing things? Also there is a bug with zooming. Every time I go back to the campaign grid after an event, I get it at maximum zoom, not very convenient.