Hi there! It’s great that Criterion Games has made it to the PlayStation.Blog, so with this first post it’s best that we bring everyone up-to-date with what’s been happening since Burnout Paradise was released at the end of January.
The truth is – we simply haven’t stopped.
We’re into our “Year of Paradise” – 12 months where the Burnout Team keeps on developing exciting new stuff to expand and change Burnout Paradise (and in the process, we aim to radically change what everyone expects of downloadable content).
We’ve so far released our 1.1 update, and our second update, codenamed: “Bogart,” packed with fixes and game-enhancing features.
Now, we’re expecting our third FREE update codenamed: “Cagney” that’s coming on 10th July (yes, that’s FREE – just put your Burnout Paradise disk into your PLAYSTATION 3 and it’ll download automatically), and we’re really excited about it as we count down to its release.
We’re talking:
3 new Online Game Modes
- Online Stunt Run – you and up to 7 others compete for the highest stunt score
- Online Road Rage – where you team up and try to stop the other team from reaching their destination
- Online Marked Man – someone gets called out and everyone else tries to hunt them down
70 new Online Timed Challenges
- Everyone teams up to pull off stunts and other feats in the world, against the clock
New Vehicles (including the Hunter Olympus)
Major improvements to our Ranked Racing system
Plus heaps more, including:
- 1080i support for PlayStation 3 owners with “almost HD” sets
- Improved Standard Definition rendering for PlayStation 3
- Support for Custom Soundtracks on PlayStation 3
Outside of the game, our website, www.criteriongames.com is changing too – we’re posting up to 4 stories daily direct from the team and we now have an audio and video podcast from the team that goes out on a weekly basis. This week’s podcast released on Friday, we’re talking in detail about what to expect in “Cagney” and the other game-changing updates beyond that.
The pace of change here at Criterion is breathtaking, so we’re going to be posting here on the PlayStation.Blog at least once a week to let you know more about what’s happening and what’s coming to Paradise City.
This is the first DISK GAME to have custom soundtracks isnt it??
Burnout Team Rocks! Big fan of the podcast and looking forward to playing road rage online. Can’t wait to see what else criterion will do this generation.
Simon, doesn’t 2.40 have the ability for custom soundtracks?
That’s cool they’re adding 1080I support for people who don’t have it. Some dev’s could learn from this.
Anyways, I never bought the game because I couldn’t get past the part where no one was driving the cars, myself. It seemed like controlling a really big RC car, I suppose.
I think I’ll go and pick it up for the sake of something to play now, though.
Good on your guys for making good on new content!
I must admit I wasn’t sure if I wanted Burnout Paradise at first, but with the promise of all these updates, I don’t think I can resist any longer.
awesome news I have a copy but havent played in a while(grand theft,cod4,metal gear4)this is a good reason to hit the pavement ill be checking this out good work guys.
I still don’t own this game, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be grabbing it pretty soon. My son absolutely loves the demo (he still plays it to this day). Got to say, the continued developer support and free content updates really have spurred me to just go ahead and pick it up next time I’m out.
i love the new suv, and the custom soundtrack.
good job guys realy apreciate it and im gonna pick it up again when the update will be released
Great news with the update, Criterion definitely has the best DLC model to date.
Any word on “other projects” *coughBLACK2cough*.
Custom sounds yessss
Just got this game for my birthday yesterday and it rocks… Best one since burnout 2 :D :P Looking forward to the up dates….
Keep up the great work :D :P
I kept telling everyone here that 2.40 is not going to allow custom music and that all games will need to be patched to support it. Simple as that. the odds of Games like MGs4, GTA4, Uncharted, R&CFTOD, Heavenly Sword, Motorstorm, LAIR and all the rest getting those updates is very slim.
We’re lucky these guys are willing to stand behind their product, though. For that I am seriously looking to buy it now. I just can’t get past that absurd no driver thing.
You’ve done a great game and it’s great to see that our experience continues to grow with this updates, congrats!
Criterion Games is one of the few Developers that other Devs should look to as an example of how to make PERFECT Cross Platform games!
You guys ROCK! Burnout Paradise came out and worked right out of the box without having to wait weeks for a patch to play a game that was just bought.
The graphics are awesome the game play is fun the soundtrack rocks and now with custom soundtracks, WOW!
I have always loved the Burnout series but this has really stepped it upa notch!
So GREAT WORK and keep it up you guys no how to make the PS3 perform!
I look forward to the DLC and future games from Criterion Games!
Gamesblow:
1. You don’t have any idea how Custom Soundtracks in 2.40 will work. So please don’t pretend that you do.
2. If you really didn’t buy Burnout Paradise because you can’t see drivers, well, you’re missing out on a great game for a really, REALLY silly reason.
You guys may have just sold me on this one. Great work, and the free updates are AWESOME!
Really appreciate the 1080i support, but calling 1080i TVs “almost HD” is a real [DELETED] move- just because you don’t like it doesn’t make it a real HD res. My 1080i CRT tv will blow the doors off 75% of the LCDs out there in the picture quality department.
That having been said, I think I’ll probably pick this game up now.. thanks!
In the next update can you add a restart race option this is the only reason I dont play the game any more thanks
Very nice Criterion games :D
So, I guess that since games are patching in Custom Soundtracks, the Firmware 2.4 update will not allow you to access in game music through the in game XMB.
What a huge let down. Why call it in game XMB at all if the only thing you can do is in game messaging? Seriously, why no in game music feature through in game XMB for all games Sony?
Now thats AWESOME more developers should be inspired like criterion!!!I mean constant updates + ACTUALLY working on feedback by us now this is something WORTH appreciating.
But it has kinda made me worried that if 2.40 would have custom soundtracks because trophies and in game messaging was announced but sony did not mention anything about custom soundtrack I think sony should make it clear because otherwise there would be a lotttt of pissed off people here and everywhere as it is sony takes unwanted negativity.
Dark:
Don’t listen to Gamesblow.
He’s a troll. And he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Think my first reply got censored… ;)
We really appreciate the 1080i support. However, calling 1080i TV’s “almost HD” is a good way to piss off those same people you were doing a favor for. My (“almost HD” as you call it) 1080i CRT will blow the doors off of 80% of the modern LCDs on the market now as far as quality goes… so let’s keep the snide comments and insults aside please.
Anyway, we appreciate it, and I think I may actually pick this one up now.
Leetfoo,
Fact is: 1080i is not full 1080P, and hence not really full HD.
So, it’s almost full HD. But it isn’t.
And trust me…all the games you’re forced to play in 480 because your tv can’t handle 1080p makes me think that “maybe your tv won’t be blowing the doors off anything”.
but its not full hd, so whats your problem?
he should have said almost sd instead, lol :)
With such a commitment to the community, you guys deserver all the praise that can be placed on you. Kudos for adding new features, tweaks and support for a great title.
This is a far cry from paying for an addition like a course or character, or even clothing for that matter.
@leetfoo
Full HD is considered 720p or above, 1080i is equivalent to 540p..
They didn’t say “almost full HD”, they said “almost HD”. It’s a sneaky insult- just pointing out that it didn’t go unnoticed.
@23 I play no games in 480 except for my old PS2 and Wii games. My PS3 is a hi def system and I don’t pay for low def games for it.
@24 I promise they don’t consider 720p (their native res) “almost HD”, which they should by your definition.
@27 ugg. 1080i is not even close to 540p, this is nonsense that self proclaimed “experts” spout off with no thought. 540p = 960*540 refreshed every time. 1080i = 1920*1080 refreshed as two seperate 1920*540 fields. It’s not even close.
Everytime someone says “1080i is the same as 540p” a kitten dies.
Anyway, Criterion, thanks for the 1080i support! I’m not going to have this flamewar here once again, I don’t have the patience for it today.
I wonder why the PSP games didn’t get anywhere near this backing or any downloadable content.
I was on the fence about this game for some time because there were some aspects that were left out that I LOVED in the last game.
However, since these announced updates, ESP the night racing one, I made the purchase (about 2 months ago mind you).
I really love the game and thanks for supporting it.
Very nice update kind of offtopic question but related to Burnout games in general, any chance of another installment of the Burnout series for the PSP?
looks good liked the demo but never baught it but for sure this gives me more reason to buy it, maybe after i beat MGS4 for the 6th time, then ill start burnout!!! thanks for the updates sweeeeeettttt :)
I thought gamesblow was banned months ago for misinforming people, flamebaiting and general trollery.
It’s amazing how everything posted on forums and blogs devolves into an argument, eventually. Who cares what we’re calling it, if 1080i support is being put in, then just be glad that Criterion is supporting it. No need to feel insulted on the labeling of almost HD, because I’m sure that wasn’t the motive.
Sadly, I still haven’t played this game. I guess I need to go download the demo.
gotta love this game. keep the good updates coming in criterion.
@nmc75
I know, it’s absurd how people are. They’re hurt cause they have 1080I sets? If you want to get technical about it it is “ALMOST HD” Cause we all know 1080P is “true” hd.
Stop crying people. Play your games and above all else be happy now that you can actually play the game in HD if you only had 1080I tv’s to begin with. Think about the poor Motorstorm or Resistance people. They still can’t see the games in HD if they have those sets.
WHOOSH!!!!!
“almost HD” went right over some people’s heads in here.
He was being playful when he wrote that obviously…1080i IS HD, its an HD resolution, just interlaced.
I would put money on how many people couldn’t tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p on the same size set.
Custom soundtracks and 1080i support… yay!
and gamesblow, please don’t walk your dog in here anymore, it’s just pooping on everybody’s feet
Awesome update.
Since you’re bringing day/night cycles to Burnout Paradise, do you have any plans to add weather?
I can only imagine how great a rain-soaked Paradise City would look, with lighting flashes/bolts going off and the sound of thunder rumbling.
It would be spectacular. =D
One of my favorite games on the PS3. This is the best update I have a seen a video game receive. Can’t wait to get my hands on this update! You guys rock!
@Madness3120
No, MLB 08 had custom soundtracks.
I wonder how this will work. Will we pull up up the In-Game XMB and choose our song or is it implemented through the game menus. I think pulling it up through the In-Game XMB menu is a lot easier and a lot more responsive.
Online Marked Man sounds like fun
Every game should have something like that.
Burnout Team Rocks! I am reall enjoying Burnout Paradise. Free updates are always welcome.I really wish the firmware 2.4 discussion does not infect every blog post but it does. 1080i users are just upset they have a TV set that is not High Definition, but some limbo device sold before the standard was set. I cant wait to crush fools in the Hunter Olympus.
This is the way updates should be. Free of charge. Hopefully alot of other dev teams catch onto this and start supplying updates free of charge.
Guys there are two types of “custom soundtracks”:
1. The game uses music from the HDD. This is what we’ve seen in SSHD, Pain, MLB08, is coming to Burnout, and we know will be in Wipeout HD.
2. The other sort is where the PS3 OS just plays music over the top of the game audio. This is the sort that may be possible with in-game XMB. But it is not as good as option 1.
Just because some games are getting patched for custom soundtracks does not mean that in-game XMB won’t allow you to play music. It just means that some games are doing it _properly_ :)