Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Moves Closer to Gold

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Hello again! The countdown is on and we are only two weeks away from a Gold Master. We’re down to the point where every minute matters. The QA departments are working around the clock (and around the globe … in Europe and Japan) looking for any last bugs that we need to get cleaned up before we can ship.

Things are hectic around our studio as we’re trying to juggle several tasks at once. Not only are we trying to wrap up production on the game, but we’re also working frantically on helping with the package design and the strategy guide as well. We’ve also scheduled one last impromptu focus test this weekend in our office so that we can check to make sure that any of the last minute tweaks we’ve made to certain aspects of the game haven’t thrown off any of the previous game balance tuning that we’ve done.

Richard Lemarchand was up North in the Bay Area doing a whirlwind media tour on Thursday and Friday of last week. He stopped by the offices of many magazines and websites to show off the latest build of the game and to give some last minute updates before we send off the final disc for review. Be sure to keep an eye out for coverage and gameplay footage online. This preview from IGN is one of the first I’ve spotted.

We’re also preparing to create another trailer to be released in the coming weeks. Taylor Kurosaki, our video editor, is working on selecting the music to use in the next one and planning out the flow and the structure to tease the story just enough without giving too much away.

The final mixes of sound, music and dialog are all being added to our cinematics and it’s really coming together nicely. We’re also getting back all of our localized assets so that we can ship Uncharted simultaneously around the world in 13 languages!

For more information, be sure to visit the official game Web site.

Also Read:
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (Update)
Inside the Developers Studio: Evan Wells & Richard Lemarchand

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217 Comments

4 Author Replies

  • Hi Evan !

    So the http://www.gametrailers.com and http://www.gamevideos.com videos of the Harbor cutscene that have been posted last week, are very old ?

    Last question from me.

    TTP has been rasing the issue regading the aligment of the gun and the crosshair. In the videos we can see that the guns are not aligned with the crosshair on the screen. Is this has been fixed ?

    Thank you very very much.

  • Hey Evan, I’d love for you to answer this question for me.

    Will the original Red and White T-Shirt design of Drake make it in the final game. We’ve already heard about unlockable costumes but never any examples.

    Also is there any costume selection for the first play through and/or are there codes we can type in to unlock those for the first play through?

    One last thing, Limited Edition of the Game and/or Preorder bonus for those good boys and girls ;)

  • Awsome!!

    Hopefully there’s an aqua type level. The game looks good, hopefully it gets at least an 8.5/10 that will justify me buying it.

  • awesome I can’t wait

  • Can’t wait!!!

  • Damn I want this game so bad. Evan thanks for taking the time to keep us all updated.

  • I agree with #100 comment. I really liked the red/burgundy baseball shirt and think it’d be cool to play with in the game. If it’s not unlockable then maybe a download would be nice? Also why did you guys change it anyway?

    Also, I read in the latest EGM that there won’t be Home support but maybe costumes for your avatar to wear. I for one would like to see Trophies in the game even if they come after the game’s release!

    And lastly, you might as well settle this here: There is no nude code a la Tomb Raider, correct? ;)

  • I can’t wait for this to come out :)

  • Awesome! Evan hit all my questions and concers out of the park… Thanks so much for answering these questions. I know some of them had to be tricky but you came thru, even if it wasn’t what everyone wanted to hear. I’m happy about every aspect you’ve listed. I could care less about the screen tearing eve if it was bad. I’d love to see some really cool unlockable costumes, though. This is probably the 1 game where I’d go thru as many times as possible to get them. HA!

  • IGN “”Enemies also take fewer hits now to kill than they have in the past. This is a great change for multiple reasons.””

    I was so worried about this in the videos, thanks for fixing it up!

  • Well I for one think this game looks horrendous… horrendously AWESOME!!!!!!!! All hail Naughty Dog

  • Direct quote “Oye pero nosotros aca en la macrosofty nos estamos chupando el dedo o que? Porque en verdad la mierdabox esa solo existe por el juego coronita de angel, como es en ingles, este… Halo como dicen los americanos, pues por eso na mas es que existe nuestro producto, cuanto quisiera trabajar en la Sony, tienen Equipaje de metal 4, Espada de Dioses, Aguila de Guerra, Pequeño Grande Planeta, Ojo de juzgamiento, Zona de matanza 2 y Tormenta de motores.”

    Can someone please translate this?

  • Okay this one is for TTP…

    The issue with the gun not consistently lining up with the reticule has been addressed. The biggest issue there was with our tracers. Because we have a breathing animation layered on Drake, the barrel of the gun has a subtle motion on it. For gameplay purposes we always need the projectile to strike within the center of the reticule. But if you have the tracer draw a line from the tip of the barrel to the center of the reticule, you will see some inconsistencies. Now they aren’t really noticeable when you’re in the heat of battle, but for the perfectionists in all of us, we’ve decided to fix the problem.

  • 30 fps? I thought it was going to be 60 fps.Oh well doesn’t change my mind at all I’m still getting it.Madden 08 has a horrible frame rate but I still enjoy it.But unlike Madden at least even said it has a steady frame rate.

  • Even Wells …. I got to thank you for answering so many questions for us.I already trust you.lol. Never has this blog got this much love.Thanks again and for the record Uncharted is what pushed me to get my PS3 in 2007.

  • So I was wondering something… Did you guys purposely leave out an active targeting reticule? I mean where when you shoot, it expands and decreases according to rate of fire, closeness, and accuracy and such?

    Because I find games with those kind of reticules often make it surprisingly more visceral. As simple as it is, it tricks the player into thinking there’s never a dull moment (because something will always be moving, even if it’s just the reticule), I think.

    And will there be some sort of SLIGHT auto-aim? This game seems to have a 360 degree camera-system (due to it’s adventure elements, I guess?) unlike other third-person shooters that can get away with just one camera (over-the-shoulder).

    So I think a slight auto-aim would help fight against reviewers and potential customers who will have trouble with the small reticule, completely-freed camera system, and movement simultaneously (at least when your not behind cover or in over-the-shoulder mode) Maybe you can make it an option?

    Other then that though, this game looks so awesome! It’s about time we start getting quality platformers for the system. Love the pulp-fiction feel to it all too, and I can’t wait.

    Don’t make us wait too long for that demo!

  • @RoAcH2285
    The problem was that madden was a lousy port, it was ported wrong, and they choose the lousy frame rate to carry the lousy port.

    The difference here is that this game was built on 30fps, and everything has been leveled to work in sync .

  • Also, the grenade effects and hand-to-hand fighting are PERFECT. Their so awesome-looking, I love it!

  • @ KnaveX

    Yeah I know.Ea sucks with those PS3 ports.Thanks
    for the feedback though dude.I hope next year that Madden is actually built on the PS3 instead of a 360 port.If I wanted to play 360 games I would got a 360,you know?

  • I don’t know if you guys care but this is what’s making me buy a PS3, I have the money in my bank account waiting, I just didn’t think the PS3 was worth it (though I ama big PS fan owning both PS1 and 2 with over hundreds of games for each).

    This game changed my mind completely.

    Does anyone know if Sony is going to release 80GB in UK.
    I REALLY don’t want to buy the 40GB one and if by the time Uncharted comes out, only 40GB is on the market well….I might have to re-think stuff.

  • Thanks Evan for you timely and informing responses!

    You by far have made this blog worth coming back to!

    thanks for all your hard work and i hope the game will sell millions!

    cheers

  • Evan you da man. Thanks for answering TTP’s question.

  • this is why i love this blog. questions get answered. thanks a lot Evan.

  • Uncharted: Drake s Fortune Moves Closer to Gold - BlogStuffPro.com

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  • Would be funny if one of the unlockable outfits was shorts, a blue tshirt, thigh holsters and a pony tail :)

  • hi, i was watching one of the videos. I would like to see Nathan Drake necklace move. its like glued to his shirt. Please fix that before gold please. thanks.

  • Thank you so much Evan and all the staff at Naughty Dog software for this masterpiece !

    I will myself do some help to get the game more advertising by speaking of it to all my friends.

    If other devs would do this kind of PR like you do.

    You guys are GODS !

  • In the most recent gameplay footage on 1up (the scene after Nathan goes off to pickup the boat) Nathan jumps and barely catches a ledge with one hand. In the very next frame of animation both of his hands are on the ledge. Are minor issues like this something that will be ironed out in the final build? Or is a fundamental flaw in the animation engine?

  • @evan

    while playing gears of war on my 360 i realized something, uncharted NEEDS multiplayer. so far all my ps3 games have had 0 lasting appeal. if this game had multiplayer, it would a major AAA+ title.

    even if it’s downloadable later on, it NEEDS it.

  • Thanks for all the info Evan. I am glad to hear about the gun alignment being addressed, since I’m one of those perfectionists.

  • If i had to wait in line overnight for this game, i would, i love it so much and am counting down every day. ( not really but ) i think this game will be amazing and hope it boosts sales, acually i hope it gets game of the year. Nice work naughty dog, on making another awesome franchise.

  • @ XxBigP123xX – dude I respect all of your posts that I have read until now. You are just as bad as any other xbox fanboy or troll to come on this blog for you to say something like especially after all that Evan has said concerning this title and it never going to be a multiplayer game. You say that Jak is one of your all time fav games. Its one of mine too along with the original psone crash bandicoot games… well is that multiplayer??? You need to understand that with all of the extra content that ND has loaded into this game you are gonna go back and play this game and I bet you everytime you go back to play it, it could be a different experience. It looks like one of those games where you choose how great your experience with it will be. I’d say like maybe each time you play through it you might be like, “wow i never saw that before” or “jesus, i didn’t know about this…” somehting to that degree. I hope that you really try to get back to your early gaming roots and respect what Evan and the team at ND are bringing to us THIS fall. It is going to be a AAA title WITHOUT multiplayer because of its sheer brilliance.

    oh yeah one more thing… don’t ever compare gears of war on your 360 to uncharted on the PS3. you really gotta work to gain my respect back now bro.

    Peace,
    Lh

  • @128 No, this game does NOT need multiplayer. This is all about concentrating on providing a great SP experience, not on diverting resources to a half-assed MP mode.

    If you want MP in November, pick up the PS3 exclusive Haze. Or go get Resistance, Rainbow Six Vegas or GRAW 2.

  • A tacked on multiplayer would be wrong just plain wrong, this game can stand on it’s own.

    I think something like a deathmatch or capture the flag would feel completely out of place, whats it going to be Drakes v pirates???

    If Uncharted were to have a multiplayer feature it would have to be a new take like the Kayne & lynch multiplayer.

    The sooner I can play this game the better, rachet is next.

  • I’ve said it before.

    Naughty Dog will save the PS3

  • If the triggers don’t shoot and bring up the sights… what are they assigned to in this game?

    Why weren’t the triggers chosen for shooting and bringing up the sights?

  • @ 128: Yes, Gears needed multiplayer… because it was about 6 hours long. If 10 hours is the low end for Uncharted, it should be fine without it. In fact, 10-12 hours is probably my ideal for adventure games of this nature. Heavenly Sword was a bit short for my liking (being about 6 hours long), but Uncharted looks more and more like it will get everything right.

    @ Everyone Else

    This, Haze, and Crysis (PC) are my most anticipated games of the holiday season!!! I wish there were 26 hours in the day just so I could put two more to gaming.

  • Not every damn game needs multiplayer… I hate when people try to force every game into online multiplayer… Understand that even with the games out now that support multiplayer, not every gamer has a chance to play them all and or get enough out of them. It’s a waste of time for most every developer who isn’t Epic, Bungie, Insomniac and now Incog… Ubi with Rainbow six aswell. Face it… Not alot of gamers spend hours on multiplayer anymore, if it’s not the right kind of game. Uncharted has nothing to do with multiplayer… how could it?

  • Well, I take that back… I think it’d be cool if you could have 2 man multiplayer or up to 4, actually. Each picks a character and a treasure is located somewhere in a level and you have to race to find it 1st… That’d be cool for this game.

  • Can you folks stop whinning?! This game looks awesome, if you are PS3 owner or are going to became one, then this is A MUST game to have.

  • I’m hoping that the estimate of 10-12 hours is on the conservative side because Heavenly Sword had an original estimate of about 15.

    Glad to hear about the difficulty level setup though. I’m really annoyed by games that push you to play on normal and then unlock hard, followed by Very hard. I’ll try it on Hard and hopefully it’ll prolong the game time.

    Considering how nice the combat looks, multiplayer would be a hell of a lot of fun. That sort of thing always needs a lot of testing though so i think the only way we could get it would be as DLC. Personally i think it’s a good idea in that it reduces the number of people selling their games back to the store. The more people who hang on to it means more units sold. Still, the game is decent enough that i’ll probably hold on to it if only to play it again.

    If i want multiplayer online, then i’ll play Warhawk or RFoM.

    Thanks for the feedback Evan. Your enthusiasm for the game is infectious.

  • Thanks Evan for clearing up all my questions with-out asking them personaly ;-) good job and good luck with the game! (still hoping for some PSP connectivity.(just a map may’be?)

  • Now this is what the PSblog is for! Evan Wells, thanks for actually taking time out for answering questions that we’re giving! :D

  • You rock Evan! :)

  • Check out Gamespy’s new hd trailers of this thing… WOW! The 8 seconds of pain hd trailer easily has the best looking textures I’ve ever seen in a console game. Gears of War wha???

  • http://media.ps3.gamespy.com/media/812/812550/vids_1.html

    Don’t know if I can link, but there ya go… They have new one’s on their new walk thru. It’s amazing. Simply amazing!

  • I hate to flood this topic, but damn…

    http://media.ps3.gamespy.com/media/812/812550/vid_2155121.html

    That’s beautiful, folks. That’s the ps3 promise being delivered.

  • Thanks for answering the questions, Evan ^^
    hmmm, about the demo, will it be a long one? or just as short as the heavenly sword demo? damn that demo was like 5 minutes or so.

    Uncharted is going to ROCK!!

  • @Soliden

    that’s the point, to keep you wanting more :)

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