Infinite Monkey Theory

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High Velocity Bowling
Hi everyone. This is PJ, and I’m a senior producer at SCEA San Diego. There has been a ton of talk about the origins of High Velocity Bowling since the title was shown at Gamer’s Day in May. We didn’t get a whole lot of coverage during the event, due to all of the other amazing games that were shown, and High Velocity Bowling kind of got grouped with the other PlayStation Network games. It’s a pretty common misconception that High Velocity Bowling is Sony’s “answer” to Wii Sports Bowling. We came up with the idea of using the SIXAXIS controller for bowling on August 23rd, 2006 – I know the exact date because it was my birthday…Eddy Cramm (who is a Sr. Designer on MLB ’07) and I had taken the day off to get a couple rounds of golf in, a rare luxury these days. Out on the course, we talked about using the controller as a bowling interface (we both carry 200+ averages in our current bowling league) and both loved the idea. He sent a text message to our studio director that night and my team (small, but dedicated) started work on it the next day. While we weren’t surprised by the inclusion of bowling in Wii Sports a month later, we knew that we were taking it a step further once that game launched. I know I’m looking forward to the launch of High Velocity Bowling and hope you all like the ladder/progression/unlocking mechanic that we’re going with.

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119 Comments

  • Should Be fun game

  • 1st baby, forget wii bowling…….. I WANT THIS

  • Cool!!!!! I can’t wait for this to be released on the PS Store. When will it be released!!!!!!!

    []^X0

  • it would be nice if you could indicate when this will be available even if only Q3 etc.

    Thanks

  • that’s what’s up! i’ve downloaded all the PSN games (except Super Sprint, Joust and the PS1 games) and have been pleased. Tekken was a great addition. Calling all Cars and Rub A Dub were even fun (Calling All Cars with 4 controllers on a 60 inch screen = PURE MADNESS! lol).

    this looks cool. i’m looking forward to Go! Puzzle too. What’s up with some older games like the first Toejam & Earl (Sega just makes games so isn’t it possible?) or Wipeout and the PS1 Road Rash games?

    oh and before i go…SAN DIEGO IN THE HOUSE! WHAT WHAT?! lol.

    peace.

  • ye that looks pretty cool, just as long as you guys nail the control system ill b happy

  • nevermind. i was going to ask for an estimated release date but i see people arleady asked. lol. so uh…yeah. what they said.

    ps3: my bowling average is 230. if you guys have a players vs staff tourny let me know. i’m always in to walk away with some bragging rights and a little extra PS swag. lol.

  • This looks like its going to be a blast. One thing I ask is don’t include a Party Bowling mode. You know where the lights go out and there is lasers all over the place, black lights, and chicks in short white skirts. Fine leave the chicks in short white skirts.

    How can they ever compare this to Wii bowling for one this is in HD.

  • An Idea popped into my head today as to how these blogs could help the developers of the XMB on the PS3.

    The Idea would be to have a selection of Icons that are found on the XMB selectable through this site or the GAP.

    Posters select an Icon to post about and give input on how that Icon could be better for us.

    That Icon would show up beside our avatar or our post.

  • Looks cool, thats a pretty nifty fact that you guys were thinking about using motion since way before wii was on the market. I hate hearing that “Emulating the Wii” crap. Even though our black boxes certainly are more than capable of “emulating” the wii.

  • Oh I forgot, can you include a link for a High-Res screenshot? You guys should do that with every picture you post.

    It is amazing how many ideas have been created out on the golf course. That is pretty cool thanks for the insight.

  • Hmmm I am quite sceptic about this. But I hope I’ll be convinced that its more than it looks like at first sight.

    I find it to be slightly a uninspired by ripping wii sports. Its hard not to compare it, hopefully I’ll be proven wrong.

    Keep at it PJ! :)

  • cool

    @SDKngsht – wipeout is already available in the ps store

  • Moderators who read these post could then just select an icon and see all postings for that Icon.

  • Seems nifty I guess. I for one prefer to keep my serious games and my motion controls separate.

  • Great Bowling! We still want XMB durring games and custom soudtracks. Why is this so hard to understand? I have had my PS3 since launch and love it but that day I got home with it and tried to play R:FOM with “Drowning Pools – Bodies” and a few other rock songs and couldn’t I felt a little peice of me cry.

    Why was something done last gen not done this gen even if it was on the other system? Please release a firmware update soon with this option to play our own music in games. And to Access the XMB in games to. I hate quiting a game to see a message a friend sent me.

  • What I wonder is why it’s so difficult for some to stay on subject.

  • Cool, I will get this along with Calling All Cars.

    []^X0

  • Nice one.

    Are there plans for a demo?

  • “All the world’s a stage,
    and all the men and women merely players:
    they have their exits and their entrances;
    and one man in his time plays many parts…”

    I just noticed:
    What is up with the reference to the Infinite Monkey Theorem?
    The reference comes across as though you are pissed to have to write entries into the blog. Are the big wigs making you guys submit entries?

  • Great, but you dont have to defend your self. I’am growing sick of al the Wii fans that are saying Sony stole the idea from the Wii-mote for the sixaxis, Sony stole the idea of the Mii chanel for HOME, and you have stole this game-idea from Wii-sports yadayada… Who carres? If the game is good thats it.
    Nintendo wish they had a game like LittleBig Planet, Nintendo wish they had something like HOME

    Keep up the good work and keep the info coming…Hell I LOVE THIS BLOG!!!!

    Greetings from the Netherlands

  • holding the controller would be kind of odd though!

  • I knew it, Sony did not steal this idea from Nintendo’s Wii Sports, not that it will matter because I am sure that this game will play and look alot better that Wii Sports. This is what I am talking about, keep the blogs coming.
    []^X0

  • Hey PJ! I’m from San Diego too. This game looks exciting. I’m a little bit hesitant w/ the wireless sixaxis feature and there’s been a lot of resistance on the wireless sixaxis for some other games like flow or rub-a-dub, but hopefully it will do good on this game this time. I’m hoping for an optional feature to disable sixaxis like the motorstorm, in fact they should have the options on all games w/ sixaxis feature, I wish they were on flow or rub-a-dub. A demo would be lovely too! Good luck!

  • i love the direction this game’s going, keep it up SCEA!! keep the updates coming :D

  • Avatar photo

    Hey DooM – thanks for the support…but I do care. =) I absolutely agree that the game will speak for itself – that being said, I just wanted to let people know that good ideas aren’t always isolated to one developer.

    Herby – we are absolutely not being required to blog. I, for one, am thrilled to finally have an outlet to share stories from the development process. The title of this blog was actually a small little jab at the people who don’t believe that great ideas can be come up with in two isolated locations. =)

    Thanks for the comments, guys, I’ll be lurking for sure.

  • It looks great, and I can’t wait to play it. The only casual sport game that could get me more excited would be a fishing game*Hint, Hint*

  • @Howzer

    Oh yeeessss. There are hardly any good fishing game and there is a wide thins you can do with it.

    Imagine the movement to caught the fish. Although I can not imagine how to reel.

    But well..

    Back on topic..I just saw the trailer and looks really nice. I love the characters and the wat some of them trough the ball.

    Does it mean that if you move the sixaxis that way (like a jab) the character will do that?

    That would be awesome.

  • @ PSnavely

    That is great to hear. I am also thrilled that you guys have an outlet. When you read stories like this it actually makes you appreciate the game a little more. To hear the background of where the idea was brought to light is really cool. I got to start playing golf.

  • You guys do get a very large amount of negative press concerning “stolen” ideas and whatnot, but what they (the general media, fanboys, etc) completely ignore is how you guys, while definitely up for the fight of your lives this generation, are still managing to collect the most hype and have easily the most matured style out of any of the companies. I, for one, am not so much a fanboy, I do enjoy PlayStation products, as that there is always more options as far as software selection goes. But my main gripes with your competitors are currently too much for me to just overlook, as so many gamers have. The Wii does have an interesting idea behind it, but Nintendo does not have the ingenuity with their relations to 3rd party developers to make original IP’s, I.E. all the Mario franchises and whatnot that seem to be recycled every year. And Microsoft does not have my support, because I have had several friends who have had their 360 die on them, which shakes my faith in their “honesty” with the public. I put honesty in quotes because as much as PR guys are supposed to kind of bend the picture to make it look pretty, they really skew it, and it is horrible that so many consumers fall into the trap. Their manufacturing agendas are completely terrible from a business standpoint (such as their “moving target” idea) and how they convey their concerns to the public is completely out of line. I have a lot of faith in the PlayStation 3 as a product, as that your craftsmanship, while costly for now, is top of the line, and your games, while sparse for the moment, will take off just as all the previous PS generations have. I know this was long, and mainly off subject (I really am looking forward to the bowling game, and Home!!) but I am just glad to see that you, and others at Sony are looking, reading these posts, and responding. That is very rocking guys. Keep it up, and we’ll see you at Home.

  • PSnavely, you are absolutly right…but if you see great ideas in a game, you can bet on in you will see it in another game from another developer back..
    Take MGS for instance, how many developers took idea’s from that game?
    Thats normal and there is nothing wrong with it, if you give your one twist., and thats what you are doing with this game. but I know what you mean.
    Thanks for your reaction!

  • I can tell that this game will not be a Wii Sports rip off, I have noticed a few differences between the two games. They are:
    1. High Velocity Bowling or HVB, has much better graphics and in HD.
    2. I am sure that this game will not be free, Wii Sports was packed in with the Wii Console.
    3. HVB will have online multiplayer, something that nintendofanboys can only dream off.
    4. The control schemes sound similar, but they are pretty different actually, since the controllers are really different.
    5. Plus, I think that High Velocity Bowling will be an online, Playstation Store game not an actual full priced game like Wii Sports was or tried to be.
    6. I also have heard that this game will have a create a character feature unlike Wii Sports.

    See, the games are actually pretty different and most importantly not a rip off, but a casual, online multiplayer game.

    P.S. Tell me what you guys think

    []^XO

  • Since when did someone steal an idea about bowling? You mean because you use a controller jeez people just go play your system that you like and stop posting.

    If you have something better to do then do it. If you want something better then post it.

  • It does sound interesting, and unique in it’s own way even though fundamentally both games are Bowling games. I don’t know if it’ll be one that I would buy personally, I mean, as a human, how many virtual bowling games can I possibly want, but I’ll read some reviews, check the price, and see if it’s worth it :)

  • To whoever GreyWulf is

    I read from Kotaku and Ign that HVB was sopposed be Sony’s answer to Wii Sports and it is obvious you dont have anything better to do either. [DELETED].

  • THis just wants me to get a PS3 even more.

  • i dont see the point in arguing over who is copying who.

    its not like the idea of motion controlled sports is some epic idea that no one would ever have thought of.

    magazines were speculating about sports games being controlled by the motion controllers as soon as the controllers were announced.

    and really… its pretty common sense, especially for something like bowling.

    the question is.. which game will be more fun… bowling on the wii or bowling on the ps3.

    and hopefully this game will prove that ps3 CAN do motion control right.

  • I don’t care about the comparisons between this and Wii Bowling. It’s going to happen. Their both bowling games with motion controls.

    I just hope Sony comes out with a controller that is more ergonomic for motion sensing games. N got it right with that remote stick thing. I don’t see why Sony can’t do the same.

    Make a ball, or a handle, or a glove…whatever. But make it feel natural to hold in your hand. Make it feel like it was meant to be swung about.

  • I guess this sounds pretty cool.

  • Man, I can’t wait to play this game! It’s like a playstation WII 3! Thankfully I can always find a playstation 3 to play this on at the stores, so I might pick on up.

  • I still want XMB support in game as well as Flash Player 9, or even chat rooms to go to perhaps as a downloadable adon or thats what HOME is setting out to be a virtual chat room.

  • So how does this mesh with the bowling that will be free in home? This sounds like it’s a lot more fleshed out and it even includes motion control. I understand that it will be sold for $$$ but isn’t that a little redundant? Why don’t you put it in Home and maybe make it a download for access to the “premium” bowling to replace the “free” bowling for those who have paid?

    Game sounds neat. I’m looking forward to it but it makes me wonder if you could integrate it into home. Then you could even have tournaments or something that people could watch.

  • If you have virtual beer, I’m in.

  • Thanks For Staightening That Out, And Can’t Wait To See More On This Game!

    I Was One Of The Only Few Who Really Looked Into That Title When It Was Barely Followed On At The Gamer’s Day..

    Also Hope To See Some Other Games That Make Interesting Use Of The SIXAXIS Controller And Others, Like The PS EYE..

  • it’s goin to be fun

  • On the Wii the only game I enjoyed when hanging out with my friend was Wii Sports, specifically Wii Bowling and Golf since those two worked rather well with the controller and made it feel like the real thing.

    I look forward to this game because it is the kind of game that would convince me to get another home console, some good party games and games to play with friends are what I’m looking at.

  • Gamecovered.com » Blog Archive » SONY : Bowling was not our answer to Wii Sports.

    […] Source : US Official Playstation Blog […]

  • yeh game looks great! make sure to add it to the australian ps store as well!

  • I will buy the game, it looks fun, but who will pay for my XBR3 if somebody flings the SIXAXIS? :(

  • demo this in home … game over.

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