PlayStation Move is about bring to the thrill of the fight right into your home. Producer John McLaughlin has the perfect smack talk to get you in the PS Move mood…
How do you use PlayStation Move in The Fight?
We make use of PS Move's incredible precision to track the players' punches in a one to one situation; punch high, wide, low or as fast as you can and PS Move keeps up with you. We also make use of gesture recognition for all of the dirty moves in the game. We use all of the motion sensors in conjunction with the sphere to achieve this.
What are the benefits of using PS Move in The Fight?
You now have direct control over your fighter's punches. Aim them where you want to and try to knock ‘em out. This gives the player a real sense of achievement. No longer are you hammering buttons to try and win a fight but you are throwing punches for real. Never before has a fighting game felt so empowering - you now have total control.
How has the high degree of accuracy and speed afforded by PS Move helped in creating The Fight?
Before PS Move we could not have had the possibility of throwing real time punches and seeing your character do exactly as you do. Of course the downside to that is if you fight like a wuss, your character will too...
How does the inclusion of PS Move change the way you approach and play The Fight compared to other titles in that genre?
It helps in creating a new gameplay experience. There have been motion control based fighting games before, but once you get over the fact you can cheat by flicking the wrists then those games lose their sense of fun for me, personally. Now I am in control. If I extend my arm slowly and twist the PS Move motion controller I will see my fighter twist his arm, moving his fist in different directions, just like I am actually doing in real life. I can now pick my own fighting style - do I use an effective jab and follow it up with a devastating uppercut, or do I go hell for leather with wild swings hoping I get lucky?
What is the most exciting aspect of using PS Move in The Fight?
Utilising all of its features, from the one to one movement of the PS Move motion controller right down to using the PlayStation Eye camera to track the player's head movements, so they can also bob and weave as if they were in a real fight. All we are missing is a big fist on a spring to pop out of the TV to smack you in the face!
What are your favourite moments so far in developing The Fight with PS Move?
I think it has been the reaction to seeing people play the game... once people understand that they can't cheat by flicking their wrists, it is quite funny to see them take out all of their frustrations on a virtual character...
What challenges did you encounter in creating The Fight with something as innovative as PS Move?
Working with any new hardware is extremely challenging because design is an iterative process and both the hardware and supporting libraries are improving all the time. For a long time you only see potential - and once libraries and hardware start to become more final you start to see the fruits of your labour and it is very rewarding indeed. The big challenge away from the hardware side of things is in creating a game that adds something different to the mix and makes people think "I have gotta play that" and with PS Move's total one to one capabilities we are going to see some incredibly innovative games.
Is there anything else you want to add about The Fight and PlayStation Move?
Watch out for The Fight and come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!
Obsession Confessions: PlayStation Move
