Operation: Omega Dawn

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We’ve just finished development of our v1.2 patch and our first Booster Pack, Operation: Omega Dawn!…which is very different than “Red Dawn” or “Dawn of the Dead” :-)

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I’d like to give our blog readers a bit of info on our first downloadable content – and I’ll try to keep in away from sounding to much like a sales-pitch filled with shallow marketing-speak. The team and I really wanted the Omega Dawn Booster pack to add a new gameplay experience and to enhance the replay value of the core Warhawk game. Not be some nickel-and-dime upgrade that takes advantage of our player community!!! (That’s my own personal opinion on DLC so I’ll get off my soapbox now)

So without further ado…

The Omega Dawn Booster pack adds 3 key things:

* A night-time battlefield with 6 layouts called the “Omega Factory”. It’s huge btw.
* New 7-player aircraft called the KT-424 Combat Dropship.
* And 5 updated bonus layouts for battlefields from the original game so that you can play using the new Dropship.

First let me ramble on about the new battlefield: Many of you all wanted a night time level so that’s what we did. The battlefield takes place at night well… actually at early dawn. We wanted to make this level a bit more challenging and visually improved than our previous levels. It has more involved building layouts with more vertical structures, platforms and detailed spaces for ground troops.

Here’s the map of the entire battlefield.

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This more advanced layout compliments the dropship really well as there are some places in the level that are only accessible by air. This is especially cool for transporting vehicles! We also added some macro scale color changes to the bases to help players communicate locations within the symmetrically balanced battlefield.

You’ll see all of this more in these screen shots so I’ll stop talking about the new battlefield now :-)

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The Combat Dropship is pretty damn sweet I gotta say. During the entire Omega Dawn dev-cycle I was trying to have us deliver on the crazy notion of a “Multiplayer BOSS”. Something that a team could all work together to control and that would require other players to work as a team to defeat the opposing team’s “BOSS”. We’ve had several just wicked memorable moments playing with our testers that felt like classic BOSS battles … but in a fast-paced multiplayer game!

What else?

Oh yeah…we also integrated the Combat Dropship in the 5 biggest layouts from the original game. It really changes the way those levels play which is good ‘cause it gives them a fresh feel … like an Irish spring!

Ahh…there are 2 things you will all ask immediately I’m sure: “when does it come out?” and “how much does it cost?”

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We are in our final global test phase right now (internally it’s called format testing). Once we pass and go “gold” (which is a pretty odd term given a purely digital distribution but whatever) then I can announce a specific date. But we are still on track for our “December” release.

And as far as pricing goes – the Omega Dawn Booster Pack will sell for $7.99 on the PlayStation Store. Why don’t we just charge $8.00? I mean seriously? Does that one penny really fool anyone? :-)

I’ll probably need to make some follow-up posts once you all have had a chance to comment. So smash this site with questions and I’ll do my best to post a FAQ about the upcoming Booster Pack!

As always … Rock on!

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349 Comments

  • I got another question dylan. When you enter the KT-424 as a passenger can you free roam in the ship? or is it going to be like flying as a passenger in a warhawk? probably a dumb question, but I was pretty much just wondering if the vehicle layout is going to be the same for the dropship.

  • Actually, forget being able to turn off auto-aim, it only affects the machine gun (mostly). Maybe just reduce the effectiveness of it?

  • Thanks for the info, and sorry that once again every topic quickly degenerates into an endless series of “I want to see the following 37 new features”, and “Why the hell aren’t we given everything we want for free in life?!”

    To the point: (1) Can we get more information on how things will be handled for people who don’t buy the pack? I’m assuming they won’t be allowed to enter a game with the new content; something like the server filter for max. rank allowed? A new icon or different color in the server browser to indicate games with expansion maps?

    (2) Any chance of an early peek at the expanded layouts for existing maps?

  • @everyone who has the Blu-ray version and is complaing they won’t be able to get the update

    Just because you have the disc version doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get the new map pack. There’s this little feature under Game called “Game Data Utility” Also, Resistance only has a disc version and the expansion packs for it work fine, so don’t worry about Warhawk

  • I have put a little over 120 hours into Warhawk (I play at least a couple rounds everyday) and I have loved every second of it.

    The dropship is going to change the game in a massive way, forcing a different balance of offense and defense and ever more cooperation. And the futuristic new level and the new lighting effects for the old levels look great.

  • Ok now obviously you all had to expect to be asked all the previous questions after talking about your expansion to Warhawk etc, so my Question is, if you do decide to make night versions of the old maps, would they be for free then? or would you charge for that type of an update?

    anyway, looking forward to Warhawk 1.2
    and +

  • Yeah I’m looking forward to the New War Hawk Map Pack Omega Dawn- hopefully no more people cheating! Nick who works for Sony should be fired! He is so rude and acting like he knows everything! When he don’t know squat!..Damn.Xmb he told me thats up to the developers screw you Nick!..I didn’t buy the PS3 for just my games I bought it for the Multi Media etc.Stupid idiot!!..$600 bucks and you can’t provide me with a HDMI cord! Source G4TV-

  • @HisMajesty: What’s the problem with making wishlists? It’s all in good fun. It’s not like it’s stopping everyone from asking the very same questions you just asked.

    I do agree on the point about people complaining that everything should be free though.

  • Thanks for the update. This one looks cool.

    Question; is there a plan to increase the maximum number of players in the game ? It will be more fun to play these maps with 64 people (or more) :)

  • Definitely looking forward to this New Map Pack 1.2 Omega Dawn:.I just hope theres going to be more Places to hide so they can’t kill you all the time so quick!..lol…I do like War Hawk but not the cheaters or spawn campers etc.That just ruins the fun of the online play to everyone who’s trying to play fair and rank up!..

  • LOL .. We need to send Poppa over to Slant Six and have him make sure that they are doin’ it up right on SOCOM Confrontations. Since your in the neighborhood! :o)

    Cheers,
    Dark

  • Haha, ya for sure (but isn’t Slant Six in Vancouver?). I can’t wait for SOCOM Confrontations. Should be amazing.

  • @HisMajesty

    of course we need to ask for features we want!

    Even if they don’t make it into Warhawk, at least the developers will know what people like and want for Warhawk 2!

  • This is sweet! This will most likly be my first ever purchies on PSN! ROCK ON!

    Also please add in some more non air combat vehicles! We need an APC for ground troops, as well as some boats! I mean we have all this nice water and nothing to get into it with! Give us some boats, and some kind of heavy duty ground baised troop transport for the love of god man!

  • I hope this pay for a map scam fails. it’s should be SERVICE to keep people’s attention on this game.. If you want me to pick this game up for an update like this make it free. And don’t forget the disc-crimination too all the people not able to buy on PSN. 30 dollar for the full game and 5 maps.. 8 dollar for just a map…hmm what’s wrong here.

  • @zapruder: Disc discrimination? Disc owners can still download and use the map packs. See Resistance Fall of Man for proof.

    And the game wasn’t $30, it was 40. $40/5 maps = $8/map. You get the new map and a new vehicle with 5 new layouts for the old maps. Seems like a fair deal to me.

  • Great update guys, can’t wait to see how this works out…especially the relying on the Dropship pilot not to kill me bit!

    I have the disc version and will eagerly await the download. I’m a big fan of physical copies, of games at least, but you guys are winning me over with stuff like this and Pain. And to all those crying about some B.S. discrimination…shut it!

  • So I’d love to purchase this but I’m still not comfortable with putting my credit information on the PS3. Basically what I’m asking here is where are the PSN cards? I’ve missed so many sales on PSN network games and just haven’t bought the ones I want because I can’t pick up a card in stores and use it. The sooner those are out, the sooner I get this expansion, until then I’ll have to deal with the pain of not having it, which means my WH experience is going to go downhill…..sad panda I am. Not trying to be a total punk on my first post here, but I really want to buy some stuff and I’m still waiting as I’m sure many others are….

  • Personally I think that 5$ is more reasonable for a new map and vehicle but whatever. the new map looks great and I hope you continue to upgrade the game via PSN.

  • just asked my dad today and he said he can get it for me (= i better start playing warhawk again and get ready for the update.

  • @Poppa; ow? so it first (warhawk) was a bluray game with single player..then they made it a network only game..then they released it only on PSN… and for those not able or not allowed even to buy online they made a disc version.. a real version one to putt in my collection.. nice…. only thing is the way it is going (just like resistance) is that it will end up collecting dust because I can’t move on.. and others like some in my clan can buy online and some can’t. You need to understand that overhere we don’t have a creditcard culture like ‘you’ the US has. We actually have cash. If people think a bought the disc version for the headset then I’m sorry but that thing is [DELETED]. That was a known fact before the game came out.

    so yeah disc -discrimination!

    btw it should be simple to make a billing system in warhawk just make those cards Incognito!

  • @poppa; think about it.. or did you think i got it for the headset? no.. so WTH do you mean? if i can’t get it in the firstplace only on disc how should i get the updates? not everybody need credit.. i got cash… and not everyone is allowed to buy stuff online so for them too.

    eitherway it is very simple to make a billing system IN warhawk so Incognito just do it!… do it now!

  • 217; if the dollar was actually worth something it wouln’t look as bad as it does now.

  • credit cards have huge safety issues that’s why i’m never gonna get one.

  • When can we expect PSN cards in the states? there is so much stuff i want to buy from the PSN and i simply cant. Sony let me spend my money buying your games =/

  • I dont know why a bunch of you are complaining about the price, do you know how much i have to pay for stuff with half this quality on the 360, usually they are $10, but sony is offering us this great product for $7.99, so you need to stop complaining and get this pack day on.

  • will the updates included in the bluray version or do i still have to buy it ? i mean..

  • I just wanna know:
    If I bought the blu-ray version of the game, will the update work properly?

  • i wonder if you devs will release warhawk the game, you know the offline game you were working on before you decided to release the online version only!?, i still have the original trailer of bucket loads of ships attacking a huge airship and tons of soldiers doin some mad stuff etc etc, i’d buy it

  • Ok i jus have one question, to allow ur teammates out of the craft will u need to land? i know ure gunna fix the falling “glitch” where u dont recieve damage from falling in patch 1.2 so i was wondering since landing such a huge ship to release 6 soldiers cant possibly be very practical with the pase of this game

    @everyone complaining about the prices
    unless u wanna pay for online play shut ur mouths… it takes money to maintain servers and develope these things. ur lucky ur not being over charged for booster packs (~19.99 for a Battlefield 2 booster). if u dont want to pay $8 for the booster dont buy it plain and simple. jobe has the rite to put any price on his products

  • I will pay with pleasure if Sony releases the PS cards! Until then I can do nothing.

  • I hope the Canadian pricing is $8. I still don’t understand why the prices are different…

  • i think u guys should just add all the vehicles from starsiege tribes (u already got the fighter and dropship and tank) and also add a disc launcher

  • hellllllll yeah.. give this to us as fast as possible!!!!!!!!!!

  • One question. Is the tank glitch gonna be fixed?

    I’ve encountered this too many times now and feel it is the most destructive glitch i’ve come across in a long time. It takes all the fun out of the game, use could choose to leave it in and just give us a voting system instead, either way the glitch can be taken care of.

  • Um, that map really reminds me of Island Outposts map. The way its put together.

  • Fantastic upgrade booster pack (or whatever its called). A dropship, imagine the points you get for taking it down with a TOW ;-)

    Question on the night level: will there be new extras like a set of night vision googles? Can imagine that you may have really dark areas, and these NVGs might be a great addition.

    I hope you release this booster before Christmas time !!! Regarding the price, I am really interested why you do not charge 8 instead of 7.99… I never upload $x.99 into my ewallet LOL …

  • Sony! Not that I like the other box, but this is a update!

    http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemupdates/20071204-features.htm

  • I’ll be purchasing this as soon as you guys make it available!

  • I’d like the ladder bug fixed please! You know the one where you find yourself frozen on a ladder. It doesn’t happen terribly often though. I’ve often heard others over their mics asking for help. I tell them to menu suicide like I do.

  • I <3 me some Warhawk. Seems a little pricey, but I will still pick this up when it becomes available. Can’t wait to try to take down a dropship with a squadron of Warhawks!

  • THE BEST THING IS THAT THIS PEOPLE FROM WARHAWK NEVER REPLY TO ANY OF OUR COMMENTS. I PLACE COMMENTS IN EVERY OTHER GAME AND I ALWAYS SEE THE ACTUAL PEOPLE ANSWERING.
    WHEN IS THIS BOOSTER PACK COMING OUT??????????????????????????????

  • You guys are seriously complaining about the price? Did mommy and daddy buy your PS3 and Warhawk for you? How sweet. GET A JOB!

    Do you people have any idea how long it takes to make one of these maps? The reason there’s so few maps is because they’re HUGE! The dev teams have to make all the textures, all the models, the terrain, everything, all while creating a map with strategically placed features.

    You sit there and play the game for hours and hours on end having fun while someone else sits there for so much longer trying to create ways for you to have MORE fun… and you b*tch about having to pay for it? Seriously… get a job. Thats just pathetic.

    The parachute idea is definitely awesome, kinda like in Battlefield. It would be cool to be able to place a mine on your own Warhawk, fly towards the enemy base & eject before the plane hits! I’d buy it :-)

  • @235: LOL! Did you even bother to read any of that, or are you just impressed by the length of the list? “Improved consistency in storage naming across all areas”; “Added support for Left Trigger button on controller to rewind”. Yay. Take it somewhere else – this is not the place.

    @239: CTFO. Both Incog and Sony are being very responsive to comments and questions. Just take it easy, hit the caps lock, and take your Ritalin.

  • This is AWESOME, now make a SNOW level! and add some kickass new weapons in the 2nd expansion pack.

  • I agree with the dude above me- a snow level with more weapons in the next “booster.” I’m tellin ya though- some sea battles with carriers, swift boats, and islands would be a hit.

  • A few things I wanted to add in from my previous statement. These are some suggestions I’ve been saying all along.

    Customization! This is a key feature that has made a certain game about a space ring so popular. Sure, we can custom our characters and Warhawks, but we only have a set of like a few game types etc. The most we can customize the game from there is how many points.

    Let us play with the weapons on the map, vehicle types allowed, better time limits for the games (unlimited so there WILL be a winner), amount of “lives” a player has (1-25 and infinity) to create some strategy instead of rushing in.

    Let me elaborate a bit more.

    First, I think every map should have the option for a night/day/evening but it isn’t that big of a deal. Would be cool.

    I mentioned weapons. “Shotty Snipers” comes into mind for those who know what I’m talking about. Let us pick what weapons we start with and what weapons spawn on the field. Someone earlier mentioned Snipers only matches, awesome!

    Vehicles, the same as above. Obviously, some match modes would simply not work if you turned off Warhawks (full Destroyed Capitol map) but I’d think the game could be smart enough to not let you turn Warhawks up in those map types.

    Sometimes I just like to get a few friends and play around on a map doing stupid things (Jeep Races and such). Give us the chance to put an unlimited time limit on the game where you HAVE to score to end the game.

    Player lives! I love games like Rainbow Six etc that once you are dead, you are dead! Same with SOCOM. This sets up games to allow more strategy than just rushing in, dying and come right back to fight again. People will have to work in groups, sneak around and if they only have 1-5 lives etc, it would really make people have to work. It also opens up Elimination game modes! Kill the other team completely and you have it.

    I’d also think a few more match types would be great. Assault/Defend game types where your team has to protect a base from having a bomb planted in it. This would give campers a game type where they could thrive!

    A deathmatch game type would be a “Juggernaught” type where you stop the guy who is all powerful (maybe 3x the life) and then you become the power guy. Every person you kill, you score the point. Every time you kill the jugger, you get a few points.

    There’s tons of game modes that I would love to see, feel free to explore them. I’m a huge fan of “Zombie” game types or “Infection” in some games its been called. I think it could be fun in Warhawk but I’m not sure how well it would work. Would be fun to be a soldier or two, sitting in a tower with a sniper and looking out to see you are the only two humans against a wave of 20 or so Zombies coming at a swarm! Your bullets are gonna run out sooner or later :)

    I’m such a fan of that type that my friends and I created a game type “Zombies, Humans and Vampires, OH MY!” I won’t go into it but it definitely m

  • @lagerblad

    in case you didn’t know, Microsoft only does 2 updates a YEAR. so while you think their update is good, go back 6 months and take all of the features that have been added to the PS3 over those 6 months. then compare the list of features that have been added through updates.

  • @Sony or someone who’s able to correctly answer it :

    Just how many CPUs are enabled on the PS3 ?

    Cell BE has 1 PPC unit and 8 SPU cores, now I heard there were only 7 of 8 enabled for yeld reasons, and one of the sevens is dedicated to the OS or only sound operations.

    The issue is what is the point to disable one core if the CPU isn’t experiencing overheating ?

  • I think without the PSN cards this expasion will be lost on space for me. Please Sony, bring the PSN cards!

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