Play Like A Pro: Joe Danger

Joe Danger developer Hello Games shares some tips on how to defy death and become the world’s greatest stuntman.

Joe Danger is all about becoming the world's greatest and most fearless stuntman; but how do you jump tanks of bloodthirsty sharks, dive through rings of fire and scale solid walls, all whilst riding a motorcycle?

Grant Duncan, David Ream and Ryan Doyle from Hello Games provide some tips and inspiration to send you into the record books.

"Joe Danger is a platformer" - Grant Duncan, art director.

"I'm the sole artist and I designed most of the levels for Joe Danger. I wanted to create levels with that crazy feeling of speed, those sudden leaps of faith and the fluid feeling when you are in the zone. You might be on a bike, but for me Joe Danger is a platformer at heart - just at 200 mph."

Grant's Tips:

Air control: for amazing air control, use the R2 and L2 buttons.Air boost: aim your boost in a direction; use it like a jet pack!Double jump: to jump, press the Square button. Double tap to double jump.Super jump: crouch then jump at the top of ramps.Mega jump: double jump and boost at the top of a ramp.

"Joe Danger is a stuntman" - David Ream, creative director.

"I'm the gameplay guy on Joe Danger. I'll basically do anything for a multiplier. It's all about that extreme tension when you've built up some huge combo, and just one mistake will wipe it all out in an instant. Joe Danger is fast and frantic, but really it's all about high scores for me."

David's Tips:

Combos: wheelies, spins and stunts feed your combo.Perform a 100 per cent combo: wheelie from the start of the track and hold your combo until the end.Don't button-mash: you need to hold tricks for big scores.Perfect: release tricks just before you land for a perfect score.Stick it: land in a wheelie to maintain your speed and get a score bonus.Score decay: repeated tricks get decreased scores, so keep it fresh.

"Joe Danger is a racer" - Ryan Doyle, technical director.

"I'm the main technical dude at Hello Games. I'm that guy who loves nothing but racing games, speed runs and time attacks. Joe Danger is never anything but fast, whether you're trying to grab every coin in Coin Dash, or neck and neck racing for the finish line. It's all about boost. Stunts feed your boost, allowing for even bigger jumps and crazier stunts. Boost is that glue between racing, comboing and platforming."

Ryan's Tips:

Punch: to punch press the Circle button. Hit it twice for a takedown.Lane switches: click or hold the left stick up or down.Earning boost: stunts, spins and wheelies all earn boost!Boost: wheelie on the spot to earn boost.It's tricky: big tricks earn big boost.

Download Joe Danger from PlayStation Store now and put these tips into practice as you strike your claim for daredevil glory.

‘Avengers’ Heroes All Have ‘Big Egos,’ Chris Hemsworth SaysWeekend Essentials – Issue 31

minis developers answer community questions

Read the highlights from the live web chat on PlayStation.Blog with four minis developers.

Following on from the announcement that the minis category on PlayStation Store had reached the one million downloads mark, four minis developers recently took part in a live web chat at blog.eu.playstation.com.

Taking part were: Antonio Jos of StormBASIC Games (Tehra Dark Warrior and Dynogems); Paul Croft of Mediatonic (Monsters (probably) Stole My Princess); Joe Dixon of Tag Games (Car Jack Streets); and Martin Brouard of Frima Studio (Zombie Tycoon and Widgets Odyssey).

In what proved to be a lively discussion, these minis development representatives fielded questions live from the PlayStation community as well as from SCEE Blog manager James Gallagher.

On the subject of setting up development for minis, Paul Croft of Mediatonic explained that "we managed to get up and running pretty quick - we brought in an experienced developer to help us out as it was our first time. The development environment was new to us but the way [we] designed and built the artwork was very similar to games we had built in the past."

When commenting on how long it took to develop a minis title from start to finish, Martin Brouard of Frima Studio commented: "Zombie Tycoon and Young Thor being huge minis took around six months to develop."

Commenting on Tag Games' new title, Car Jack Streets, Joe Dixon said: "It's a top-down real time action game with a lot of shooting, driving, stealing and money-grabbing. Essentially the in-game clock is the same as the real world clock. And the missions themselves have a real time element too. For example, a mission may require you to steal a car and then pick someone up at 15:30 - if you don't make it on time, you'll fail the mission!"

In terms of advice for budding minis programmers, Antonio Jos of StormBASIC Games listed the following requirements: "A great game and some money, fill paperwork to be a licensed developer, purchase a development kit, [set up] a team to develop the game and [fill] paperwork for PEGI age classification of your game."

Read the full discussion at blog.eu.playstation.com and keep an eye on PlayStation.Blog for more live web chats in the coming weeks and months.

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Watch movies on your PC

Enjoy the latest blockbusters and movie classics with PlayStation Store Video Store.

Experience a whole world of movies and entertainment with Media Go through the PlayStation Store Video Store, including hundreds of classics and all the latest blockbusters.

With Media Go you can now play movies you have purchased from the Video Store while they download, which means you can start viewing your favourite movies straight away on your PC.

Media Go allows you to cue up multiple items for download, so that means you can pick a fantastic line-up of movies; start downloading, and watch each one on your PC at your own leisure.

If you don't want to view your purchases from PlayStation Store on your PC using Media Go, simply transfer them to your PSP and enjoy them on the go or from the comfort of your sofa.

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New features in Media Go 1.5

Take a look at the latest Media Go features.

Check out all the latest features made available in Media Go 1.5, released 29 June 2010:

•Progressive download for video content, so you don't have to wait for a download to complete before starting to view it.

•Automatic check for Media Go software updates.

•A message that lets you know whether you've already backed up content on your PC before you delete it from your PSP.

•An on-screen bar that shows you how long it's going to take for your downloads to finish.

•A streamlined interface design that makes is easier for you to use Media Go.

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Weekend Essentials – Issue 38

Share the latest PlayStation news on Facebook this weekend.

Start spreading the news...

Want to share the latest PlayStation news with your friends? Want to recommend your favourite PlayStation titles to others? You can now share your favourite PlayStation products and content on eu.playstation.com using your Facebook account details.

If you see some breaking news or a competition that you think the world should know about, simply select Recommend on the page, and it will appear in your friends' newsfeed on Facebook. You can also let your friends know which games are the pick of your crop by clicking Like on the game page.

Don't forget that you can also show off your hard-earned trophies on your Facebook profile. Simply link your Facebook account to your PlayStation Network ID and install the PSN application to your Facebook profile. You'll be able to check out your PSN friends list, look at their PSN status to see if they're online, view their trophy collection and invite Facebook friends to become PSN friends.

Log in to your Facebook account now and start sharing your news, games and triumphs with friends.

Downloads and demos

This week Earthworm Jim HD will be launching on PlayStation Store. Join him on his quest to rescue Princess What's-Her-Name across a weird and wacky galaxy of surprises.

Also available on PlayStation Store this week is the classic Premier Manager for PlayStation 3, along with a brand new demo for Madden NFL 11. Keeping with the sporting theme, there are now downloads available for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11. Get your hands on some fantastic new courses, from the notoriously challenging Pebble Beach, Florida, to a fantasy, vine-covered course set in an exotic Mexican jungle.

Head over to PlayStation Store now to check out the latest downloads.

PSP summer picks

As the weather gets hotter and school comes to a close for another year, there is no better time to kick back and relax in the sun with your PSP. The PSP Essentials range is packed with loads of great PSP titles that won't break the bank.

Take on some colourful characters over six courses in Everybody's Golf, challenge yourself andyour friends with Buzz!™: Master Quiz or go on a thrilling adventure to save Earth in Ben 10: Alien Force.

Check out the great range of PSP Essentials this summer and experience everything from sport to sci-fi.

Get yourself to gamescom 2010

Fancy winning a trip to gamescom 2010? And maybe a fantastic VAIO laptop and bloggie™ camera to document your trip? Your chance is here.

That's right; you and a friend could be jetting off to Cologne, Germany, to attend Europe's biggest videogame show, courtesy of PlayStation, in association with Sony Electronics. All you have to do is submit a review of your favourite PlayStation 3 or PSP game.

The most original, entertaining and interesting review will win this once in a lifetime prize, along with exclusive entry to the Sony Computer Entertainment Europe press conference, flights and accommodation.

gamescom 2010 is waiting for you, so get writing!

PlayStation.Blog just keeps getting better

Over at PlayStation.Blog, a few changes have been made to make your blog experience even more involving. You can now watch videos from the blog on the PS3 browser so you are always up to date with the latest news, as well as share any blog posts that take your fancy with your Facebook friends.

Watch out for more new features coming to PlayStation.Blog soon.

The Friday Debate - Can games be art?

This week the topic up for debate at PlayStation.Blog is the presentation of games - do you think that games can be classed as art? Do you appreciate settings, music and character design; or are you just in it for the thrill of the gameplay?

Take a look at everything from retro classics to recent chart-toppers and share your words of wisdom at PlayStation.Blog.

Keep an eye on PlayStation Blog at blog.eu.playstation.com for the latest PlayStation news as it happens.

Be sure to opt in to receive PlayStation emails when you sign up for a PlayStation Network account. If you already have an account, sign in to your PlayStation Network account settings at eu.playstation.com/registration or via the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) and opt in. That way, you can keep bang up to date and receive the latest PlayStation news direct to your inbox.

Weekend Essentials – Issue 31‘Captain America’ Star Chris Evans Researched ‘Origin Stories’ For Lead Role

The future makes history with the WipEout® Museum in PlayStation Home

Celebrate WipEout’s 15th anniversary at the newly opened WipEout Museum in PlayStation Home and take your senses for a spin…

A dedicated space for the iconic WipEout series has launched in PlayStation Home, the engaging, interactive online world for PlayStation 3 available on PlayStation Network. Celebrating the popular futuristic racing game's 15 years on PlayStation, the WipEout Museum blasts away from the perception of a dusty old museum exhibit with a stunningly high-tech offering.

By exploring the WipEout Museum space in PlayStation Home, you can take a look at some of the high-speed racing machines that have enthralled millions of anti-gravity race fans over the last 15 years, compete in numerous challenges, including WipEout 2D arcade cabinets and the brand new WipEout Shooter mini-game, and take part in the Team Logo Hunt to win exclusive PlayStation Home merchandise. Don't worry if your skills aren't fast enough to keep up - there's also the opportunity to buy WipEout related furniture, clothing and ornaments, all for your PlayStation Home avatar and apartment.

If you want to just hang out and take in the turbo fuelled atmosphere, there are WipEout themed seating areas, posters, team information holograms and screens, a viewing deck space where you can look out onto the beautiful city vista and racetrack, and even a DJ area where you can select the background music while you kick back and enjoy the WipEout culture. Who says videogames can't be art?

Head over to PlayStation Home now and enjoy the futuristic delights of the WipEout Museum.

Note: PlayStation Home supports the following languages: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

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Win a trip to gamescom 2010 plus a VAIO laptop and bloggie™ camera

Send us your very own game review to be in with a chance of securing a once in a lifetime trip to Europe's biggest videogame show.

PlayStation, in association with VAIO, is giving you the chance to get your hands on the hottest games before they go on general release and even give us an official report on the event with your new laptop and bloggie™ camera.

On 18 August 2010, gamescom 2010 opens its doors as game publishers and developers from the world over descend on Cologne, Germany, to show off their most anticipated upcoming titles.

If you and a friend would like to join them, then all you have to do is email us a 150 to 250 word review of your favourite PlayStation 3 or PSP game. This can be either a disc-based game, or one that you have downloaded from PlayStation Store.

The most original, entertaining and interesting review will win an amazing trip to gamescom 2010 in Cologne. The prize includes:

Flights and transfers to and from Cologne, plus accommodation for you and a friend.Exclusive entry to the Sony Computer Entertainment Europe press conference.Two days at the show for you and a friend. VAIO laptop and bloggie™ camera. Find out more about VAIO at sony.co.uk/hub/vaio-p-series and about bloggie™at sony.co.uk/hub/mobile-hd-snap-camera.

To help you on your way, we will give you a brand new Sony Vaio P-Series laptop, the most portable VAIO laptop yet, and a Sony bloggie™ camera to help you capture all of the excitement of the show. Two lucky runners-up will also receive a bloggie™ camera.

At the end of gamescom 2010, your review of the show will be published on the official PlayStation Blog at blog.eu.playstation.com.

If you'd like to get involved in this fantastic competition, send your game review (including your address and phone number) to competition-UK@uk.playstation.com before midnight GMT on 3 August 2010 and our panel of creative directors will pick a winner based on how original, creative, interesting and informative it is. Of course, they'll also be looking for a good command of language, spelling and grammar.

The winners will be informed on 9 August 2010 and you and your lucky chosen companion need to ensure that you are free from the 17 to 20 August 2010 in order to attend gamescom 2010.

All entrants must be over 18.

Please read the terms and conditions carefully.

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