Answers by: Jeramy Cooke (Game Director, Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway, Gearbox Software)

BIA has always been a violent series, mostly because of the topic it's covering. Will BIA HH follow the same path?
BiA HH will continue to show the horrors of war be they physical gore or mental trauma.  We feel it's important to treat the subject with respect but at the same time help people feel the intensity of the violence.  War is at its core a violent act and gore is something that goes with the territory.

We all have in mind the incredible opening scene in Saving Private Ryan and BIA has always tried to be very realistic. How did you reach a decision for the level of gore that you wanted in the game?
Really it was a very straightforward decision.  Each area of the game that depicts violence is specifically to illustrate an important story point or convey the terrible nature of war.  We never really ask ourselves about the "Gore Level" instead we focus on the drama and purpose of the scene or game system.  If gore happens to be a part of that experience then so be it.

What is the biggest technical challenge that you had to face during the development of the new gore system?
The main challenge was making sure the physics was fast enough on each of the different platforms.  Since each platform has different performance characteristics we had to tune the simulations to match.  As well it was a challenge dealing with the additional memory required to break apart different enemy types in so many ways.

Finally, did you cut some of the gore features you planned on implementing in the game originally?
Actually the gore system landed a fair bit ahead of where we had originally planned.  Since our game is not about gore we generally wanted to keep it in the background and thus we didn't plan on spending big into the tech.  However there were a number of features the team promoted internally such as headshot specific gore and dripping blood on walls that weren't in the original plan.

ALSO

Ubisoft and Gearbox Software, announce that Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system has gone gold and will ship to stores in North America on September 23, 2008.

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This week we’ve added new video content from the following television series:

We’ve also added the following feature films to the Store:

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Between the 1080p racing at 60 frames per second, the awesome trophy support, motion steering via SIXAXIS, online racing and A LOT more, the excitement level is understandably high. Well, we have some more wipEout HD goodness to share today in the form of an OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE.

Your wipEout HD thirst will be quenched on September 25. Yes, that’s right, just 10 days from today. For just $19.99, wipEout HD will be available for download only and includes the following awesomeness:

• Full HD Visuals
• 5 Game Modes - Single Race, Tournament, Time Trial, Speed Lap and Zone Mode
• Online play that supports up to 8 racers competing on a track at a time
• 2-player split screen (horizontally and vertically) offline
• 8 reversible tracks and 12 teams
• Optional use of SIXAXIS motion controls to steer your ship
• A great soundtrack remixed in Dolby 5.1 AND the option for custom playlists that allow you to race to whatever playlists you have on your HDD
• And more, including Trophy support, which we’ll outline for you in a future post - so keep your eyes peeled.
  

About the game:

Get ready to race at blazing speeds and experience adrenaline-filled, anti-gravity racing action in full-1080p High Definition (HD) running at a breathtaking 60-frames-per-second on PLAYSTATION 3 Featuring a selection of the best tracks taken from previous versions of the wipEout franchise, wipEout HD offers meticulously crafted and fully reworked tracks that showcase the processing power of PS3. And for the first time, players will have the option to navigate their ships utilizing the SIXAXIS wireless controller's motion sensing technology.

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We’re finally able to announce that our latest free downloadable Burnout pack bikes will be out 18th September!!!

Criterion Games will unleash motorcycles in Burnout Paradise on September 18, 2008. The Bikes pack is the latest FREE game upgrade for Burnout Paradise. This pack brings motorcycles to Burnout for the first time ever! that’s this coming Thursday!

here’s what’s coming:

• Pick from 2 motorcycles featuring male or female characters and start on a whole new progression to earn your Bike License.
• 38 new against-the-clock race events – Burning Ride and Midnight Ride.
• A brand new in-game 24 hr day / night cycle that impacts traffic density and available events. (It’s fully customisable – you can make it day/night/change the clock speed – it’s up to you.)
• Dynamic weather brings an all-new look to Paradise City.
• And if that’s not enough, we’ve got 70 more Freeburn Challenges too.

Freeburn is Burnout’s uninterrupted drop-in / drop-out online play. It’s a cool collaborative experience, so it’s all about hanging out with your friends, messing around in vehicles while racing, pulling tricks and crashing in a massive open world city.

With the new Bikes pack, players pick from two fast and sleek motorcycles featuring a male or female driver and start on a whole new progression to earn a bike license. There are 38 new against-the-clock race events; some tailored for the day (Burning Ride), others designed for night runs (Midnight Ride). Not only will players be able to watch the sun rise over Paradise City at dawn or watch the amber sun fill the sky at dusk, but the brand new in-game 24-hr clock changes the way the game plays by clearing the roads at midnight when folks are home sleeping or filling the streets with morning traffic.

The bikes in Burnout Paradise can also be enjoyed in the game’s signature online mode: “Freeburn”. This mode offers uninterrupted drop-in / drop-out online play. The mode is designed to get players into the online experience with ease, hang out with friends, pull tricks and crash in a massive open city. Burnout Paradise already offers 350 collaborative challenges in Freeburn mode, and the Bike Pack adds another 70 to the mix.  These 70 bike-exclusive challenges are split 50:50 between regular challenges and timed, against-the-clock challenges for those who enjoy a little more intensity.

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