I Came To Bring The PAIN

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My Peoples, it’s no secret that PAIN is the People’s Game. Our community has asked us for certain features or types of gameplay, and we’ve taken that feedback and turned it into modes, characters, bug fixes, and so on. No doubt, continued development of PAIN is a time-consuming process filled with pitfalls and turmoil, but in the end, it seems to be working out for the best. We never seem to be able to give you enough content quickly enough, but we get some quality feedback every time we release new content (not just praise – constructive criticism is welcome, too).

PAIN was never designed with online play in mind. The sheer number of active objects flying around at any given time during a single launch is ridiculous to process, and then when you factor in the possibility of each of those objects hitting another object – perhaps an exploding one – the situation becomes even nuttier. With that in mind, we were a bit stupefied when the People said that they wanted PAIN online. That is by no means a small task, but somehow the evil geniuses at Idol Minds have managed to pull it off, and the patch is now live. The patch is free, and it will allow you to play all your favorite multiplayer PAIN Modes against your buddies online. You can get your text chat on, of course, but it wouldn’t be PAIN without being able to talk trash, so we’ve included voice chat as well. Personally, I think that getting a strike or even a spare in PAIN Bowling with Jarvis’ L2 + X pose says more than I ever could, but it’s your world.

We’re about to drop the Smack Pack on you (sold separately), which includes the Darts and Fortress game Modes. As I’m sure you know, traditional Darts wouldn’t be suitable for PAIN. We wouldn’t dare make something as simple as launching a character into an oversized dartboard. Instead, you have to launch you character toward a giant sticky billboard with multiple bullseyes painted on it, in the process grabbing another character (or bomb) and chucking it at the billboard. Sounds simple enough, eh? Oh, I forgot to mention the fact that your opponents have distractions to jack you up during your flight to the billboard. It makes it even more satisfying to clear the distractions and pull off a bullseye, so I hope your game is in order.

PAIN Update Screenshot Darts


Fortress is the other half of the Smack Pack, and it pits you against up to three opponents, each of you with a giant fortress on a floating platform in the sky. On offense, your task is to aim at an opponent’s fortress, launch and grab an exploding object, and chuck it at their fortress to inflict maximum damage. Every bit of damage you do costs that player points, and when their score reaches zero, that player is eliminated. Obviously, we’d never make it easy for you to do something like that, so at the beginning of each game, every player gets a chance to select their defenses, which range from everything from reinforcements that toughen up your walls, to flying mailboxes and cereal that knock launching enemies out of play, to blue screens that fly up and take out enemies and/or their projectiles. Fortress is a blast to play (no pun intended), so make sure your trash talk is ready.

PAIN Update Screenshot Fortress

Like all of the current offline multiplayer Modes in PAIN, Darts and Fortress are playable offline, too. In both modes, the various objects and distractions in the game depend on the environment in which you’re playing. For example, if you’re playing Fortress in the Amusement Park, you’re grabbing and chucking exploding teddy bears. Likewise, if you’re playing Fortress in the Movie Studio, you might see some cameras being used to strengthen your opponents’ walls. Both Modes will be playable in all future environments as well.

As always, we look forward to hearing back from you all on online multiplayer once you get a taste. It’s a nice addition to the world of PAIN, and I have a feeling that everybody’s going to be “leveling up” their PAIN skills as a result of the new competition within the community. Let us know what you think. As always, we’re listening. So get out of here and GO ONLINE LATER TODAY!!!!!!

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90 Comments

20 Author Replies

  • I love PAIN. You guys are the best in bringing all this content out for this little game. Easily the best downloadable game ever.

    Thanks!

  • sweet :-)

  • You the man Jason! PAIN is one of my all-time favs from the PSN. Sure PixelJunk and Warhawk are on that list as well, but this game takes the cake!

    I love the dev support for this game. I have been there for the good ol days before trophies, before the HOFF, and before the Smack Pack! This game has more than fulfilled my expected ROI! Again great work and you have my vote as one of the top devs this generation.

    ps. The only thing I would love more about PAIN is if we could have a map editor, nothing too fancy like making an entire level, but perhaps you could do something similar to Halo 3’s forge mode. Give us the maps and allow us to customize the obstacles and gameplay options. Would make online replay value unlimited!

    Thanks!

    • Thanks for the props, Joostin. A level editor is something we have considered, but it is a huge, gargantuan task that would essentially prevent us from releasing more content. However, I wouldn\’t rule it our as something we could revisit down the road.

  • Pretty cool, keep up the cool updates

  • I’ve already updated and love the new online aspects of the game. Can’t wait for the darts.

  • Really wish there was a kid friendly version of this game.

    • Understood. Between Travis (Senior Producer), Idol Minds, and myself, we have a collective maturity level of about a 15 year-old, so the T rating didn\’t surprise us. We wanted to keep some silly, juvenile, slapstick humor in the game, and that certainly kept us out of \”E\” territory. What we DIDN\’T want to do was make it a really violent mess. People have actually asked us for blood and guts in the game, but that\’s not really funny to us. I laugh when I see a Dad take a shot in the groin on a funny videos show because I know he\’s OK, and I think PAIN is along those lines. ….with the occasional potty joke thrown in for good measure.

  • you guys should just make a new game already

  • should get moar celebs and playstaiton characters.

  • I do love PAIN although I am horrible at it, but I will say, HARDEST TROPHIES EVER!!!! I don’t even have 1!

  • “Really wish there was a kid friendly version of this game.”

    Huh?

  • Nice Jason, I love the community support you guys show. Keep up with the DLC. This game rocks!

  • @10…what is there not to understand?

    PAIN is rated T…I’d like a E version

  • Great game and it’ll be interesting to try out online play. :)

    A little sad we have to purchase Darts & Fortress modes. When does this pack release and how much?

    When will you be announcing the new environment?

    • Within the next week or two, we\’ll be letting it all hang out, my friend.

      P.S.
      The next environment is called \”Sore Spots\”. DON\’T TELL ANYBODY!! It\’ll be our little secret.

  • Thanks for the excellent support Idol Minds, Travis and Coker.

  • Nice, Downloading now!

  • Yeah, I have to agree. The trophies are nothing more than an evil tease. I hadn’t touched this game in months and probably would have deleted it if it wasn’t for my huge hard drive. Now, I’m going to have to give it another look.

  • Whoa, wait…online multiplayer is live NOW? Coolness!

  • Excited for you guys… very nice. I might try it out!

  • And Andy Dick is coming to PAIN! lol.

    http://www.ps3-sense.nl/showthread.php/comedian-andy-dick-pain-7633.html?t=7633

    PAIN is a great PSN game, ill be sure to tell my bro about this, he loves PAIN to death.

  • nice im gonna start to play this game cause… with no online mode it was boring :)

    Thank you idol minds

  • Will you guys release a character packs? Kinda sucks having to download them one by one.

    • BuckNazT – First off, that\’s one of the illest login names ever. Secondly, that\’s a very cool idea, and it\’s something we\’re going to try and make happen.

  • Pain is fabulous, and you people at Idol Minds rock.
    Thanks for all the great updates.

  • Great News (Would have been better from Travis) so is sackboy ever coming to pain or was that just an awesome rumor?

    • Jon_Mclane – My apologies for my inability to be Travis. If it\’s any consolation, I\’m trying to grow several inches taller and get a better sun tan. As for Sackboy in PAIN, it\’s nothing that I\’m aware of.

  • This should have been there from the beginning, was very bummed when I bought it and there was no online play. Thanks you for making this update free, you’ve vindicated my original purchase. :)

  • yea another pain game goodie

  • Awesome news! Cant wait! :)

  • I love how in Japan this game is called “Mr. PAIN” lol.

    Reminds me of Mr. Sparkle.

  • Jason Cocker:

    I just want to know when are going to add Online Multiplayer Support?

    • …not sure who this \”Cocker\” guy is, but please read above. It\’s out today. …like… NOW, baby!

  • I hate Andy Dick. Thank you for putting him in Pain.

  • Sounds good. Honestly I have been pretty bored with PAIN. But this might freshen things up a bit and give me a reason to go and play it again.

  • PAIN team is amazing. Always coming up with fresh content

  • AWESOME! I can’t wait!

  • Uterlly sweet! :)

  • “Fortress is a blast to play, (no pun intended).”
    LOL “pun” are the 3 letters in my name ^_^
    yay im famous again!

  • How about some multilayer trophies now :)

  • This is just the thing! I was playing PAIN for the first time in ages, and actually used the video editor for the first time. I was wondering when these were going to come out. I can’t wait to get knocked up.

  • Wow, the dev support from this game is astonishing. Lots of people keep bashing this game but the devs just keep coming back and continuing their support adding even more additions to a great game. KUDOS!

    • NOBODY is gonna keep a good game down! We really don\’t have a problem if folks don\’t dig PAIN. No game is for EVERYbody, and to perfectly blunt, some people just LOVE to hate (and the anonymity of the Internet makes it that much easier). But we really do love the game, the community seems to dig what we\’re doing, and we\’re gonna keep on keepin\’ on. Thanks for the support.

  • It’s about effing time you guys put in the online multiplayer. NOW I have a reason to actually play this again and perhaps even buy stuff for it.

    Thank you!

  • Free?……Satan is super cold right now

  • Now I’ll finally get to play with other people! Thank you so much Idol Minds!

  • Cool stuff! A thought off subject;

    Want a PS3 price cut? Would it be feasible to offer a low end PS3 at a reduced manufacturing cost and retail cost?

    Release a system with the bare-bones minimum to play games and enjoy PSN. Take out the wireless adapter, remove the rechargeable battery from the DS3, make the included controller wired, shrink the HDD back down to 20 or 40GB.

    If people want wireless, they can buy an adapter. If they want a rechargeable wireless DS3, buy it separately. If they want a larger HDD, buy a new one.

    There you have it. The “PS3 Essential”.

  • …why couldn’t we have a simple darts game? The whole grabbing and throwing mechanic is painful sometimes…

  • best running support for a PSN downloadable title for sure! this much content is too much too handle. great job travis and congratulations to the rest of the guys on the team for creating such an awesome game.

    peace,
    Lh

  • Avatar photo

    @Xoonaka: Team PAIN does nothing simple. Come on we laugh in the face of danger Hahahahahaha

    @Darkfire: Thanks dood!

    @Obi: Today mang! Get in there.

    @Jon_McLane: Jason Coker is the AP on PAIN since day one. He’s been at Sony longer than I have. You need to give the man his props as he’s one of the prime movers of PAIN.

    @Stryker: We’ve said this before. There are some things we think should be free and others shouldn’t. We were always dedicated to making sure the BASE package of PAIN is always worth the 9.99

    @Buck: I think we are considering it. That’s a marketing question and not a Product Development one. We just make the donuts we don’t sell ’em.

    Have fun with Online! I am sure Jason will be answering questions too.

  • Pain + On-line = No Sleep.

    It has been a few months since I’ve fired up Pain, but that changes tonight!

  • @40

    1. The marginal cost difference between 20GB and 80Gb is about $6 in bulk…you can’t even find a manufacturer of 20GB HDD 2.5″ anymore.

    2. Wired controllers…how does SONY recoup the cost of a new manufacturing line for these new controllers? You also need to have retailers commit more space to this product…ain’t gonna happen.

    3. Removing wireless. Could be done but again a Wireless B module in bulk is under $10.

    So you’ve gone back in time to the original SKU and shaved about $20 off the cost without addressing the controller manufacturing costs.

    How about: PS3 selling through at same or better rate at this point in its life cycle as its HD competitor did while maintaining a price well in excess of that competitor.

    Congrats SONY on your sweet machine….Now back to Idol Minds.

  • Yeah I’m glad you guys put this in. Besides my 7 year old son I had no one else to play it with. My wife use to but well she moved on she kept getting whipped when we Pain bowled. So this is great. It makes me actually want to consider buying more modes. So will they be multiplayer support for the add ons? Also can we unlock some of the multiplayer trophies online?

  • @ 40, wireless controllers, try plugging in your usb cord to a port in a laptop and then into your controller, now try to play flower, OH YEAH REAL COMFORTABLE!

    All of the features are a big part of why the ps3 is a great system, because its included! I hate hate hate recharging AA batteries..

  • Woo hoo! Thanks for the patch. This is the only thing I have really wanted in Pain. Great job to you all.

  • Sadly, I’m done with this game until you GIVE US THE ABILITY TO CHANGE CHARACTERS WHILE ON THE LAUNCHER. Quittting the whole game just to change characters is too PAINful to bear.
    That said, you guys still rule.
    -Foo

    • I will try to get this in Leet, but no promises. My Lead Programmer Carl hates my face when I make him add features I don\’t warn him about.

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