SingStar PS3 UK Interview

[cliffbo]

UK, January 23, 2007 - It might have a slightly heftier price tag than any of us would necessarily like but, in other ways, Sony's determined to make sure the PlayStation 3 is going for a song. Specifically, with the impending arrival of the next-gen version of SCEE's hugely popular karaoke franchise SingStar. While the game is still finding its feet in the US, Europe has already enjoyed a wealth of content expansions ranging from axe-wielding hair-whippers in SingStar Rocks! to glitter-tossing anthems so camp, even Graham Norton would blush.

Now though, with plenty to prove in the online stakes, Sony is poised to push its new PlayStation Network into the very heart of SingStar PS3, with an ever-expanding selection of downloadable tracks available from the SingStore, guaranteeing a constant stream of fresh content for karaoke afficiandos. What's more, SingStar PS3 also boasts the My SingStar community service, enabling users to upload and share their personal warbling highlights, both in audio and visual form.

As the SingStar team readies the game for release later this year, we caught up with SingStar's senior producer Paulina Bozek to peel back the curtain of secrecy that's shrouded the title up to this point. What's more, you can also follow the team's progress on SingStar PS3 over at IGN's brand new official SingStar PS3 blog.

IGN: Despite massive success in Europe, SingStar has yet to find a significant following in the US. What do you attribute this to, both in terms of the games market and gamers in general, and how do you hope SingStar PS3 will rectify this?

Paulina Bozek: SingStar has just as much potential for success and audience attraction in the US as it does in Europe. The gameplay and experience is universal: we've seen it appeal to everyone from young kids to cool kids, to college kids and parents, all across Europe and Australia. We've been enjoying SingStar for a little longer here in Europe, since 2004, and we're expecting the interest and momentum to build over time in the US as it did in Europe. It's not your typical kind of videogame - it's simple and social and mainstream and really needs to be played to experience its full potential.

Since the US release, in November 2006, SingStar Rocks! has already done really well. Building a fan base in the US is a new challenge for us and we're excited for audiences to hear about it, try it and hopefully love it!

IGN: Much has been made of Nintendo's commitment to 'non-gamers' with the DS and Wii. However, SingStar has been targeting this audience since its inception. How important do you think this sector really is to a company like Sony and what's the key to creating a game which can successfully appeal to a massive, perhaps non-traditional, audience?

Paulina Bozek: It's hugely important. Engaging the non-gamer audience has many positive points. For one, it opens up the gaming landscape, new gameplay and experiences are created, which adds variety and diversity to what we know as gaming. It gives us game developers new ideas for creativity. Then there is the obvious economic advantage of expanding the audience base. Making games an entertainment option for mainstream audiences adds to the growth potential of our industry. SingStar has been a huge success with non-gamers and it's something we're going to continue exploring.

In terms of what is key to appeal to a massive, non-traditional audience - I would say there are several things that help - make sure your core theme is something that the audience can relate to and understand. Creating a social experience that can be shared taps into natural socializing dynamics such as hanging out with friends, parties, events, family gatherings and so on. And creating gameplay that is simple and quick to engage draws people in quickly. Mainstream audiences have pre-conceptions about video games, they think they are complicated, will take up a lot of your time and are not fulfilling in any significant way - challenge those assumptions and surprise them!

IGN: What are the most significant gameplay and technology improvements we can expect from SingStar PS3? How has the PS3's increased power helped to refine the existing SingStar voice recognition engine?

Paulina Bozek: The key technology improvements for SingStar on PlayStation 3 is the addition of the SingStore™ and My SingStar™ Online. The SingStore will enable players to create their own SingStar play-list by downloading the songs of their choice. My SingStar Online is a community platform that will enable players to share their best, funniest and most memorable moments with friends. It's a little bit like iTunes meets MySpace.

For SingStar on PlayStation 3 we really wanted to focus on two main elements - choice and customisation, as we feel these two fundamental themes really enhance the SingStar experience. Whenever a new SingStar disc is released, everybody always comments on the song list and has their own ideas of what songs they would pick, so we are going to give audiences what they really want - a choice in the song list for the first time! The gameplay will be the same simple and social gameplay that everybody knows and loves with SingStar. Although we've got ideas and plans to start delivering something new there too.

As for the pitch detection system, this is already very accurate. We've actually deliberately made Easy quite forgiving but if you try it on Hard you will see the detection system at its most accurate. At the moment, the detection system measures you on your pitch and timing. We could potentially include word recognition, but this would actually make the game extremely hard, therefore we prefer to stick to pitch and timing for singing. However, we are working on our rap feature and will be enhancing this in the future.

IGN: We already know that online functionality plays a major part in SingStar PlayStation 3 in terms of delivering content. That being the case, how will the game likely be distributed and how important is it to deliver a disc version that ships with a core selection of music?

Paulina Bozek: Online is a natural step for SingStar - it makes sense to deliver music this way as this is how more and more people are accessing their music. Plus it's available at any time, so next time you're with friends and somebody asks "Do they have that song?" or "Remember that song…", you can simply download it and have it as part of your SingStar collection.

We are very excited about the SingStore and delivering content digitally, but we will still be distributing a disc version. We do recognize that not everybody will be online right away so we want the normal disc experience to still be enjoyable. And in order to reach the most amount of people with the SingStar PlayStation 3 launch release, we still believe we need to distribute on disc, through shops and so on. In terms of the song selection for this launch disc, we're still going to deliver the best compilation we can, but we hope that users will start using the SingStore to customize their collection.

IGN: What are your plans for downloadable music tracks at present? Will the song roster be limited to tracks licensed for previous SingStar releases? How will the track database grow over time and how will new songs be selected?

Paulina Bozek: We are going to launch the SingStore with the SingStar back-catalogue and new songs that have never appeared in the series. We'll be launching with 350 songs and this will certainly grow over time. Initially we'll be updating the store monthly and will update more frequently after the first couple months. The song selection is going to be broad. We want to host a wide variety of songs from the latest chart hits to classics. You'll be able to get your Bob Dylan and your Beyonce.

IGN: If SingStar PlayStation 3 becomes popular enough, how likely is it that third-parties will be able to license SingStar technology, having full autonomy to release their own additions to the SingStar library? What possibilities have you considered as far as enabling users to upload and share their own self-created musical content for public consumption - similar to sites like MySpace?

Paulina Bozek: Licensing the technology to third parties is not something we are considering at this stage. My SingStar Online is going to be a platform for users to upload and share their audio and video performances. We are going to build all kinds of community features, but ultimately, we think it will be the creativity of the users that will really make it take off. And if there was somebody really good contributing to My SingStar Online, we'd definitely want to hear what their original recordings might be like. We're launching the platform with a suite of features but have plans to enhance and expand this over time.

IGN: What sort of payment models are in place for downloadable music content in SingStar PlayStation 3? How difficult is it to hit the 'sweet spot' when establishing a pricing system and what price points are you currently looking at for downloadable content?

Paulina Bozek: At launch, you'll be able to purchase individual songs, as well as song compilations. The SingStore will be linked to the PlayStation Network and the store itself will be fully integrated into the game, so you don't have to leave the game to buy new songs or just browse. I can't disclose the price points just yet, but we have been doing a lot of research and analysis to find that 'sweet spot.'

IGN: At E3, much was made of the video-based community features in the PlayStation 3 version of SingStar. How does this work in its present form and how do you hope to expand the community features of the game further down the line?

Paulina Bozek: My SingStar Online is also fully integrated into the game. While you are playing SingStar, you can capture video and audio recordings as well as photos and upload them to your space on My SingStar Online. You can create your profile, link to your friends' spaces, rate videos, check out the highest rated videos and most recent uploads. All of these features will be available at launch and My SingStar will continue to evolve and expand over time. We're already working on new features that will go live shortly after launch.

It is a platform for sharing with friends and also with the world. Just looking at the popularity of shows like American Idol and the craze of lip-synch videos online, singing contests and performances are timeless - and putting it online is like hosting the 21st century Talent Show! It's an exciting space to design for and we're expecting that the users will inspire new ideas as much as we will. We do think it is important to keep the community platform active and have a long-term plan to do that.

IGN: In terms of multiplayer, will the number of simultaneous warblers still be capped at two in face-to-face scenarios? What plans are in place to allow for competitive and co-operatively wailing online and how many participants can participate at the same time?

Paulina Bozek: At the moment, it is still all about two people battling it out on the mic. Online singing contests and competitions is something we're really excited about - stay tuned...

IGN: After the original SingStar's release, follow-up games have been themed around a particular genre. What are the challenges of collating a successful song roster and how do you envisage the PS3's potentially unrestricted track listing either helping or hindering this process?

Paulina Bozek: Some people might think it is super easy to compile a SingStar playlist, as if we just pick our favourite songs! But, in fact, there is a lot of research, evaluation and balancing that goes into it. First of all we start with the target audience and genre for that particular release. Then we build an extensive list of all songs that fit the audience/genre brief. We often start with a list of two hundred or more. We then test every song according to a set of criteria which includes looking at the musical structure of the vocals, evaluating if it is hard or easy to sing, looking at its popularity and profile across Europe or the US and, of course, analysing whether it would be fun to sing.

When it comes to the PlayStation 3 release and the SingStore, we're going to relax this criteria a little bit. We will no longer have the space restrictions of the disc, we no longer have to find the perfect 30 songs which tick every single box on the brief and criteria. Seeing as we're moving to a digital space, we can offer much, much more and let the user be the critic or editor of the song list. Although every single song will still be tested according to the design criteria to make sure certain "essentials" are met - i.e. it has lyrics! You'd be surprised the number of times people ask for songs which have the same lyric repeated over and over, or very few at all!

IGN: With the current success of instrument-based games like Red Octane's Guitar Hero, how easy might it be to marry SingStar voice technology with other peripherals in the future to make for a complete 'band' package? How likely is it that we'll see the SingStar franchise expand in this direction? Also, can you chuck in some dance mat support too, just so you haven't left anything out?

Paulina Bozek: It's difficult to say whether it is easy or hard. It is possible from a technology point of view, but first we have to test out the gameplay experience. I think it would be quite cool to combine SingStar with Guitar Hero. I woudn't throw in the dance mat though, not that many people are so supremely coordinated! The band concept is interesting although I think it would take a lot of practice to make it sound/look good - but it would be fun to try.

Don't forget, you can keep an eye on SingStar PS3's progress by checking out Paulina and the team's regular updates on IGN's official SingStar blog.

http://www.gametab.com/news/794286/

[Smokey]

Edited :)

ive never played it but i might give it a go with PS3

[cliffbo]

what the hell is that crap at the top cliffy

ive never played it but i might give it a go with PS3

i've deleted it now Smokey. i've posted this because i think this is going beyond a game... its Ipod with pop vids. its going to be huge

[Smokey]

i've deleted it now Smokey. i've posted this because i think this is going beyond a game... its Ipod with pop vids. its going to be huge

yeah could be fun i reckon. how big is singstar exactly cliff?

[Fats]

Personally, I don't think it's going to be huge, it's much too early yet as it's far to casual a game. When the price of the PS3 comes down and the user base increases I'd see a game like this being popular.

[Smokey]

is this actually played with a giutar periferal?

[Fats]

No, it comes with two Microphone peripherals.

[Coded-Dude]

Your thinking of Guitar Hero smokey

[Smokey]

Your thinking of Guitar Hero smokey

lol yeah just hit me when i seen your & butters post.... DUH

*hides quietly*

[cliffbo]

butters, smokey. yes you can play the game but you can also just watch the pop vids and there are many more that will be downloadable in the future. watch these on your PSP through wi-fi or memory stick and you have Sony's answer to the Ipod. singstar the game was a trojan horse

Paulina Bozek: We are going to launch the SingStore with the SingStar back-catalogue and new songs that have never appeared in the series. We'll be launching with 350 songs and this will certainly grow over time. Initially we'll be updating the store monthly and will update more frequently after the first couple months. The song selection is going to be broad. We want to host a wide variety of songs from the latest chart hits to classics. You'll be able to get your Bob Dylan a

[Fats]

Cliffbo, saying that it's Sony's answer to the iPod is a little sensationalistic, I don't think the installed user base of the PSP + the need for a PS3 is going to make this Sony's answer to the iPod. It's a little too complex in comparison to the iPod connect to Mac/PC setup. However, it's certainly convenient for anyone who wishes to view music videos on their PSP.

[cliffbo]

Cliffbo, saying that it's Sony's answer to the iPod is a little sensationalistic, I don't think the installed user base of the PSP + the need for a PS3 is going to make this Sony's answer to the iPod. It's a little too complex in comparison to the iPod connect to Mac/PC setup. However, it's certainly convenient for anyone who wishes to view music videos on their PSP.

Sony Ericsson... i used to post articles on these phones here on this forum because i can see the potential

[Coded-Dude]

Connect is the REAL competition to iTunes, but this feature(my singstar) will help Sony compete even more against Apple's media distro monopoly. Honestly I wish they would partner up and expand both of their libraries to compete M$.
(but thats a different topic)

[Smokey]

have too agree with butters on the IPOD thing. my daughter has a PSP but she still wants a IPOD for music as the PSP is a bit bulky to carry around just for music. but videos thats another thing. also the problem with this TAP into your PS3 with your PSP anywhere in the world is a bit unrelistic. because id have to have a mobile account & were talking $$$s there

[cliffbo]

have too agree with butters on the IPOD thing. my daughter has a PSP but she still wants a IPOD for music as the PSP is a bit bulky to carry around just for music. but videos thats another thing. also the problem with this TAP into your PS3 with your PSP anywhere in the world is a bit unrelistic. because id have to have a mobile account & were talking $$$s there

thats where google comes into the picture, something else i used to post about here... ;)

to me, its all going to plan, but we have to (sorry Cabbage) WAIT...

[Coded-Dude]

Densely populated Cities will soon have hi-speed wifi available throughout its streets.
Google is already trying to accomplish this in Frisco, and Japan is way ahead of us.

this feature will be along time coming for some small towns, and midwestern/central states.

[Smokey]

thats where google comes into the picture, something else i used to post about here... ;)

to me, its all going to plan, but we have to (sorry Cabbage) WAIT...

got me stumped?

[cliffbo]

Densely populated Cities will soon have hi-speed wifi available throughout its streets.
Google is already trying to accomplish this in Frisco, and Japan is way ahead of us.

this feature will be along time coming for some small towns, and midwestern/central states.

Sony bring out game that allows us to sing along to many pop vids. then they allow you to watch those vids on your PSP and your vid enabled Phones. then they spread Wi-Fi by supporting google. remember my thread on 'google in bed with Sony'?

[Coded-Dude]

yep....is sure do cliffy! ;-]

[Smokey]

ok thanks for the answer both of ya :) remember im in the darkages of AU

[cliffbo]

For SingStar on PlayStation 3 we really wanted to focus on two main elements - choice and customisation, as we feel these two fundamental themes really enhance the SingStar experience. Whenever a new SingStar disc is released, everybody always comments on the song list and has their own ideas of what songs they would pick, so we are going to give audiences what they really want - a choice in the song list for the first time! The gameplay will be the same simple and social gameplay that everybody knows and loves with SingStar. Although we've got ideas and plans to start delivering something new there too.

google offer free wi-fi. Sony pay them a percentage of every pop vid sold... and hello new Ipod (but we have to wait

[Z]

I like their community direction. interesting. :)

[OmniCloud]

This would be the perfect game--If PS3 was cheaper:-(

And what device is everyone using to do all this video and audio capturing and uploading anyway?

[Angelcurio]

The concept is really interesting. I hope to see something like that in the next guitar hero game as well. I would love to see Guitar Hero 2 on ps3 with the Soundtrack of the original Guitar Hero available for download.

[Z]

And what device is everyone using to do all this video and audio capturing and uploading anyway?
it may come with a camera. but I think it will likely be a side option and thus require you to get an independant camera. they may refer to the Eye of Judgment one. also, maybe some PC cameras can work on PS3?
This would be the perfect game--If PS3 was cheaper
you are still thinking about two things that may be a little similar:
1- buying PS3 for one game.
2- casual gamers won't buy a PS3 just for this game.

first off, more and more games and services are coming to PS3 that are adding to the 'worth' of the purchase as a whole. the second one is that casual gamers don't have to buy their own systems yet. every PS3 gamer could have a lot of casual and non-gamers to check out the game. the game gets popular and more people would want to have their own karaoke parties and host friends over. and that would rise the interest in PS3 and the loop continues. a similar situation happened with PS2's first Guitar Hero and SingStar, I think.

[BruceWayneIII]

New screenshots:

... see attachments instead...

More here:

http://media.ps3.ign.com/media/819/819473/img_4276746.html

[OmniCloud]

LOL...this actually looks...KINDA FUN!! hahahahhhaha....Simple stuff makes you smile don't it? I hope it takes off Z..I don't wanna be the only idiot singing in front of a camera!!!

[EvilTaru]

it may come with a camera. but I think it will likely be a side option and thus require you to get an independant camera. they may refer to the Eye of Judgment one. also, maybe some PC cameras can work on PS3?

you are still thinking about two things that may be a little similar:
1- buying PS3 for one game.
2- casual gamers won't buy a PS3 just for this game.

first off, more and more games and services are coming to PS3 that are adding to the 'worth' of the purchase as a whole. the second one is that casual gamers don't have to buy their own systems yet. every PS3 gamer could have a lot of casual and non-gamers to check out the game. the game gets popular and more people would want to have their own karaoke parties and host friends over. and that would rise the interest in PS3 and the loop continues. a similar situation happened with PS2's first Guitar Hero and SingStar, I think.

Right now to me the PS3 is totally worth it, I'm playing it more than anything else and Resistance at least 3 nights a week with the gaf clan, it's been really awesome, I just wish Ninja Theory would just hurry the hell up and get Heavenly Sword out already. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v500/EvilTaru/Indifferent2.gif

[cliffbo]

everyone keeps thinking in terms of games... i'm telling you (in a gentle tone of course) the game is only the tip of a very large iceberg (hyperbole) think about watching vids on your PSP or Phone Wi-Fied from your PS3. and i wouldn't mind betting that PS3 sells more than 200 million. momentum is gathering. think like Sony fellas (future proofing takes years)

[cliffbo]

to complete the picture. Singstar = big pay day for Sony

[OmniCloud]

^You think a social game like this can rival sales of Halo 3 and GT5? We'll see Cliffbo...

[cliffbo]

^You think a social game like this can rival sales of Halo 3 and GT5? We'll see Cliffbo...

i'm sure of it Omni. what if more than one PSP can access pop vids from your PS3. its not a game, its a trojan horse to rival IPOD

[OmniCloud]

True but how easy it is the get into the Entire Singstar experience is just as important. SIngstar needs to be bundled with a next-gen Eyetoy to boot. PS3's price needs to drop. And the entire experience needs to be very seamless, user-friendly, and pick-up and play style. Easier said than done right?

[cliffbo]

True but how easy it is the get into the Entire Singstar experience is just as important. SIngstar needs to be bundled with a next-gen Eyetoy to boot. PS3's price needs to drop. And the entire experience needs to be very seamless, user-friendly, and pick-up and play style. Easier said than done right?

its going to be integrated with the online store. there is going to be a wider variety of music and how big of a slice of the music business does sony own? its success is bound to bring others on board and full albums will follow.

forget the gaming part of it and think music vids

[curryking1]

It certainly has the potential to explode and be that good, but the market has to see it first and climb over the hump of a price.

But this thing is something that could seriously catch fire with the general public. Sounds wicked.

[Fats]

It WILL NOT rival the iPod.

[cliffbo]

It certainly has the potential to explode and be that good, but the market has to see it first and climb over the hump of a price.

But this thing is something that could seriously catch fire with the general public. Sounds wicked.

exactly! theres also home vids and the potential for online jamming with our friends across the great divide

The band concept is interesting although I think it would take a lot of practice to make it sound/look good - but it would be fun to try.

[curryking1]

It's at times like this I wish I had at least a pinch of musical aptitude....

O well, my 2 year government required public school music lessons have long passed.... no more saxomophone from me.

*turns on iTunes* hahahaha

[Fats]

It's at times like this I wish I had at least a pinch of musical aptitude....

For Singstar you don't need any! :)

[cliffbo]

wooops

[cliffbo]

woops again

[curryking1]

It's at times like this I wish I could pay some attention.

That looks really damn sexy btw.

[cliffbo]

It's at times like this I wish I had at least a pinch of musical aptitude....

http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/757/757631/singstar-20070123033038879.jpg

its going to be great

http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/757/757631/singstar-20070123033037535.jpg

look... just a vid, no game

http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/757/757631/singstar-20070123033041332.jpg

so much to watch on your PSP

[curryking1]

Omg... I want that sooo bad.... that looks so god damn cool. ****!!!!!

Can I put my music from say like iTunes or mp3 files and whatnot onto this thing?!?!

[cliffbo]

Omg... I want that sooo bad.... that looks so god damn cool. ****!!!!!

Can I put my music from say like iTunes or mp3 files and whatnot onto this thing?!?!

perhaps this is the connection with Apple we were teased with a while back... just a consideration

on a side note it has been hinted that you will be able to use many cams and it doesn't have to be an eye-toy, which, IMO, was always meant for this reason. clever tactics from Sony if you ask me

edit. perhaps eventually they could have a sister site that rivals youtube

[OmniCloud]

The only thing a Sony needs to do with this is make the website resolutions awesome...Youtube is great-but the quality is garbage...

[curryking1]

That's really great if they allow different cams, I'm sure the Cell thing can handle the different resolutions and whatnot. When I get a PS3, I am almost certain I'm gonna get this stuff, looks dammmmnnn awesome. I'd love to play my music on that thing, it just looks so god damn cool!

I don't think they can touch youtube btw... that's google esque success, I don't think Singstar can match that or it's not likely I mean.

[OmniCloud]

Is this still a European Launch title?

[kaphwan]

For this to really work (as the iPod destroyer or whatever people are saying) the PS3 has to be at an accessible price point.

I'll buy it.

[Applefiend]

Think I'm going to get this for my next BBQ party, last one stared Wii Sports.

My BBQs are the best man. :)

[BruceWayneIII]

New Singstar video. Supposed to be a part of the intro of the game:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7639207254031643984&q=ps3&hl=en

Cliffbo: I posted those pictures on the last page ;) :

http://forums.e-mpire.com/showpost.php?p=1386973&postcount=26

[cliffbo]

New Singstar video. Supposed to be a part of the intro of the game:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7639207254031643984&q=ps3&hl=en

Cliffbo: I posted those pictures on the last page ;) :

http://forums.e-mpire.com/showpost.php?p=1386973&postcount=26

good contribution fella. when i say to rival the Ipod i don't mean Ipod killer by the way. IMO it will take many years for this to really take off, but now is a good place to start. to give you an idea of how far ahead i'm thinking: 150 million PS3, 100 miliion PSP, then add phones and the possibility of many devices accessing one PS3. remember how many HD streams a PS can view at once (think its twelve) 150,000,000 times 12 = 1 800,000,000 ;)

[OmniCloud]

Yeah...looks like the Singstar trailer is getting some buzz...Let's go Sony!

[cliffbo]

Wallpapering, SingStar Style
The last week or so has been good fun here working on SingStar. Obviously the big news of the week that we're all talking about was the announcement that the PlayStation 3 is going to be launched on 23rd March in Europe.

We're all looking forward to the launch and being a Sony internal development team, we've been lucky enough to play some of the games already. For you American and Japanese readers of IGN, this will be old news, but I'm sure you can appreciate how exciting it is for us Europeans.

Charlie has been playing a copy of MotorStorm during his lunch hour and he's been raving about it. He has designed a few racing games in his time and he's quite a harsh judge of any new racing game, but MotorStorm has really impressed him. Charlie has also been on the Resistance: Fall of Man online trial where he's been busy shooting the President of Sony's Worldwide Studios, Phil Harrison. I'm not sure if shooting Phil is a very wise career move, but apparently it's a lot of fun.

As for me, I've had a go of an unannounced multiplayer game which is like nothing I've ever played before. There was a large group of people gathered around the TV watching four of us play -- they had been attracted by all the laughing and shouting. I can't tell you anything about it other than it was simple, hilarious and very imaginative.

In the world of SingStar, we've been looking at one of our new features for the PlayStation 3 -- customisable background wallpapers. The idea of customising the background is to allow the player to change the look of the game. There will be a number of wallpapers available on the disc and people will also be able to buy and download new backgrounds from the SingStore. Alex has created a number of wallpapers already and a group of 10 of us met up to see what new ideas we could add to the wallpapers to make them even better, and also to come out with lots of ideas for new wallpapers.

http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/761/761342/singstar-20070205094257804.jpg

Sometimes coming up with ideas can be difficult, but there are a number of techniques you can use to encourage creative thinking and the rapid generation of solutions and ideas. One of the techniques I used is called 'Random Entry'. The idea is that you say a noun and get people to think of ideas based on that noun or associated with that noun. For instance, I said 'shark' and the group started thinking of words associated with sharks, such as fins, jaws, fish, sea, teeth, and so on. From there they made more associations with the new list of words. The word 'fin' made people think of surfboards, which then made us think of the retro surfing film Riding Giants. We thought wallpaper with surfing photography would be very cool and from there we thought that wallpaper based on images of extreme sports would also be nice. So from 'shark' we ended up with an idea to create different wallpapers with surfers, paragliders and skiers, which is a lot of ideas generated in a little under 10 seconds! In fact in one hour 10 of us generated around 170 ideas for enhancing our existing wallpapers and around 80 ideas for new wallpapers, which I think is fairly typical for a creative session like that.

Apart from the wallpapers, other things that we've been discussing are ideas for new genres for future releases of SingStar on PlayStation 2, both in Europe and in the US. We have to work several versions ahead of time because the process of evaluating and licensing music is quite a lengthy one. We're constantly listening to music, both new hits and old classics. It's a lot of work and it's become impossible not to listen to songs without thinking whether they'd work well in SingStar.

Sometimes it's good to switch off from evaluating music and as I write this, I'm listening to soundtrack from the mad Japanese PlayStation game, Vib-Ribbon. If you can track down a copy of it, you should buy it for the music alone.

We've been having a lot of meetings lately trying to resolve the final issues and narrowing down on the finer details of the game. Right now I'd say that we were 95% complete, but it's the last 5% of polish that takes a long time and makes the difference between a good game and a great game. Every day brings lots of questions and it's my job to try and answer those questions and find solutions to any problems that may arise along the way.

Outside of work I've begun my new diet and fitness regime. My gym instructor, Michelle, has set me up with a new work-out programme which includes weight training, fitness training and boxing. I've been boxing for a couple of years now and it’s completely exhausting but a lot of fun. The new Rocky movie has inspired me in my quest for a thinner tummy. I might get Alex to video me training and then post my own Rocky training montage!

Michelle also gave me some dietary advice. She recommended that I have a proper breakfast of scrambled eggs or cereal, plus I should graze on fruit and nuts throughout the day and have smaller meals for lunch and dinner. There is to be no more chocolate, no more crisps and no more fizzy drinks. So I started the diet last week and it's going well. I haven't felt hungry and I seem a bit more alert. Hopefully, I'll start seeing results in the next week or two.

Another cool thing that happened last week was that I've started playing in a five-a-side football league. We play every Tuesday night and we have three matches of 12 minutes each. Last week we drew one and lost two, which wasn't great, but it was the first time we'd played together as a team and everyone enjoyed it. Hopefully we'll get better as the season progresses and maybe we'll even win a game.

And that's the news from me for now. I'm not sure who will be posting next but I think it'll either be Richard or Alex, so until I post again, take care, have fun and please keep reading our blog.

http://www.gametab.com/news/806656/

[OmniCloud]

It is releasing with Euro-launch Cliffy?

[cliffbo]

It is releasing with Euro-launch Cliffy?

i'm not entirely sure Omni, but i hope it is. we need to stop thinking gamecentrically when it comes to the PS3. even if it doesn't interest some people, they have to realise that the bigger the audience for Sony, the more PS3/PSPs they will sell, which conversely is good for everyone. speaking of the PSP - i think it will soon reach a point were both PSP and the PS3 will become truly synonymous and Singstar is one of the titles to begin this... thats why i believe Singstar to be one of the most important elements of Sony's strategy.

[curryking1]

^You didn't bold the names.... :cry2:

I like your thought with the non game centric stuff here, hopefully Sony will push this and Singstar can be displayed to the people who would be interested, like... me lol.

Sony, please for the love of god, do some better pushing, where is your uber powerful advertising and marketing?!?! I know it's there!!! I mean look at the material in movies, games, non-game games, disc formats, the frigging PS3!! Where iz da adverbatising!!!!

[cliffbo]

^You didn't bold the names.... :cry2:

I like your thought with the non game centric stuff here, hopefully Sony will push this and Singstar can be displayed to the people who would be interested, like... me lol.

Sony, please for the love of god, do some better pushing, where is your uber powerful advertising and marketing?!?! I know it's there!!! I mean look at the material in movies, games, non-game games, disc formats, the frigging PS3!! Where iz da adverbatising!!!!

i like Sony's strategy, Curry, it may be frustrating sometimes but ultimately its going to create more excitement... slowly, slowly catch the monkey

[curryking1]

The monkey? lol! Ya, I'm in the idea that Sony will soon start to generate it's good ol' buzz again. I hope they will be able to generate a lot of it again, and sooner rather than later.

They have my confidence to do well right now.

[cliffbo]

The monkey? lol! Ya, I'm in the idea that Sony will soon start to generate it's good ol' buzz again. I hope they will be able to generate a lot of it again, and sooner rather than later.

They have my confidence to do well right now.

take a look at this forum today Curry the buzz has begun already, but we're too battle scarred to notice. Eye3, Beats, Ice team... its there, just extrapolate ;)

[curryking1]

Extrapolate? Argh? Not again!!! Man, I've done waaaay to many graphs for chemistry today lol!

[cliffbo]

Extrapolate? Argh? Not again!!! Man, I've done waaaay to many graphs for chemistry today lol!

skip to the Xbox360 forums and take a look at the thread 'whats wrong with u' to see how things are going in japan. it is truly unbelievable

[curryking1]

What the ***k? That's... not cool.

[cliffbo]

What the ***k? That's... not cool.

thats desperation fella. Blu-ray means victory in japan

now lets see if 1up or joystiq report it and we'll have our proof about those two sites

[curryking1]

1up is a load of balls, ***k 1up, I hate them. Worst gaming site ever, just a bunch of stupid sensationalist garbage.

[OmniCloud]

DICE 2007: SingStar Interface Revealed
Is this the future of the Cross Media Bar? We can only hope.
by Hilary Goldstein

February 8, 2007 - At a panel held during DICE 2007 in Las Vegas, Phil Harrison gave the audience a taste of the upcoming PS3 version of SingStar. The popular karaoke game has earned a powerful facelift for PS3 with an intuitive and, quite frankly, beautiful interface. Sadly, Harrison did not play SingStar, so we didn't get to hear the singing voice that brought Europe to tears. Instead, Harrison demonstrated some of the cool features that gamers can look forward to.

Leveraging Sony's monstrous song library, and including songs from other labels to boot, SingStar offers hundreds of tunes for download from the PlayStation Store and instantly integrates them into SingStar. Each video includes a streamed preview and downloads in the background as you play SingStar. That's right, downloads won't prohibit your ability to use the PS3. Imagine that.

Along with songs, both free and premium wallpapers can be downloaded. Harrison added a lovely image of the ocean at dusk to the background. Animated birds flew at the edge of the horizon for added "oohs" and "ahhs."

The interface itself is slick, colorful and could easily be mistaken as an Apple product. Yes, it looks that good. Graphics heavy, the interface offers quick and easy access to all of SingStar's functionality.


My SingStar, clearly inspired by MySpace, is geared towards community interaction. The dynamic homepage provides the ability to meet gamers with similar music interests, enter weekly contests ("It's Elvis Week!") and upload video performances. Users can also rate and rank other gamers' videos. These features speak to Sony's desire to expand the PS3 to include more community interaction. It looks very promising.

Harrison's demo was brief and didn't delve too deeply into SingStar's offerings. Still, it gave enough of a glimpse to show the potential for greater interactivity in future Sony titles. As for a change to the PS3's Cross Media Bar, that may just be wishful thinking. Harrison told IGN that he liked the current look of the Media Bar very much, but that some improvements were coming soon. Looking very interesting Cliffy...I didn't realize how much of an extension this was going to be to the PS store. They should really offer this title as a bundle package with the new EyeToy. I can see people easily having just as much fun downloading songs and videos than putting up there own on the network. And with multi-tasking, the experience will be all the more seamless. Now this is how you sell a game to a world-wide global audience. Easy, simple, pretty, and something everyone can enjoy. Could very well end up a killer app for PS3. I'm keeping an eye on this one.

[cliffbo]

Looking very interesting Cliffy...I didn't realize how much of an extension this was going to be to the PS store. They should really offer this title as a bundle package with the new EyeToy. I can see people easily having just as much fun downloading songs and videos than putting up there own on the network. And with multi-tasking, the experience will be all the more seamless. Now this is how you sell a game to a world-wide global audience. Easy, simple, pretty, and something everyone can enjoy. Could very well end up a killer app for PS3. I'm keeping an eye on this one.

aaaaa you see it too ;) its going to be BIG

[jaxmkii]

IGN: If SingStar PlayStation 3 becomes popular enough, how likely is it that third-parties will be able to license SingStar technology, having full autonomy to release their own additions to the SingStar library? What possibilities have you considered as far as enabling users to upload and share their own self-created musical content for public consumption - similar to sites like MySpace?

Paulina Bozek: Licensing the technology to third parties is not something we are considering at this stage. My SingStar Online is going to be a platform for users to upload and share their audio and video performances. We are going to build all kinds of community features, but ultimately, we think it will be the creativity of the users that will really make it take off. And if there was somebody really good contributing to My SingStar Online, we'd definitely want to hear what their original recordings might be like. We're launching the platform with a suite of features but have plans to enhance and expand this over time. my god... it could be the intenet version of American Idol... but this time your in it.

did not care for the show but more people voted in AI than the presidetal elections. this is a possible bombshell

[cliffbo]

my god... it could be the intenet version of American Idol... but this time your in it.

did not care for the show but more people voted in AI than the presidetal elections. this is a possible bombshell

it is perfect fella. like i said we have had our eye taken off the ball by all the talk of games... THIS is Sony's bread and butter. BOMBSHELL? hell yes ;)

coupled with Beats and Eye3 and all the new downloadable IPs due, i think we can safely say we have the online we dreamt of

[BruceWayneIII]

Found this from SCEE's presscenter about Singstar. Haven't seen some of this information before:

Take centre stage and wow the crowd with your performance as SingStar arrives on PLAYSTATION®3. Packed with new features, for the first time ever SingStar lets you personalise your playlists by downloading the songs of your choice – so you can sing along to what you want, when you want it.

Customise your SingStar experience by downloading the latest tracks and menu skins from the SingStore (an in-game shop that is easy to use and accessible directly from in-game), set the world alight by uploading your best performances to the online SingStar community and go wild with superstar moves with the exclusive new silver microphones.

Download the entire PlayStation®2 back catalogue of songs [more than 300], as well as new songs available online to create bespoke playlists saved to either the memory stick or the hard disk drive. Share your performances as you instantly upload photos and videos captured via the EyeToy® camera, taking the best bits on the go on your PSP™ [PlayStation®Portable] – so you can be a star wherever you are…

SingStar on PLAYSTATION 3 stays true to the original SingStar experience – featuring fully licensed tracks and videos from the worlds leading stars.

KEY FEATURES
• Your playlist: select and sing the songs you want
• 300+ songs: entire SingStar PlayStation 2 catalogue and more available for download on day 1
• Customisable: new skins, new voice effects & artist images from SingStar online
• My SingStar: all new SingStar online community allows users to upload and share audio feedback, EyeToy performances, EyeToy Snapshots & Scores
• Connectivity: transfer your best bits from PLAYSTATION 3 to PSP and take your performances with you on-the-go
• New microphones: designed exclusively to replicate mics used by artists
• Suggestions: SingStar makes content suggestions based on users’ downloading choices
• Alerts: when new tracks are available for download
• Slick new look: the visual style has evolved with a stylish new look that is true to the SingStar heritage and familiar for SingStar fans
• PSP compatibility: save vocal/ EyeToy performances on memory stick


I am soooo going to get this title...

[NeoPlayStation]

Is the new EyeToy available for PS3 Euro release?

[OmniCloud]

We don't know??! Sony's all "hush hush" when it comes to this stuff. March update, GDC, Phil Harrison! Euro Launch-HURRY UP AND GET HERE!

[Red_Eyes]

I am not into karaoke, but I have girl friends who'll love this game, which is not a good enough reason to buy this game. Lol.

[VG Aficionado]

I am not into karaoke, but I have girl friends who'll love this game, which is not a good enough reason to buy this game. Lol.You could have a lot of girls at home because of that and you don't think it's a good enough reason? :huh:
:drunk:

[cliffbo]

Alerts: when new tracks are available for download

it would be really cool if your PSP could scroll a message across the screen when new content was available. come to think of it, it would be great if all games could do this.

[cliffbo]

singstar demo

http://www.gametab.com/news/840858/

edit: can't get it to work damn

SingStar Remixed
We are coming up to the end of the project now, a time of heated debates, late nights and loss of sanity - so far, so good!

I'm focusing on finishing the UI, working closely with the game designers, coders and - with help from Nigal our motion graphic designer - we aim to create a seamless user-friendly experience. It's all looking very cool: there are still some things to iron out, though I'm confident we'll get there.

If you've played SingStar on PlayStation 2, you would have noticed the simple and minimal interface. We took this direction for several reasons: we knew there were going to be more PS2 versions coming out and, taking into consideration the competition at the time, we went down a totally opposite and less familiar route - more inline with music television channels than a 3D generated game environment. This look had to serve as an umbrella for future versions, where the look wouldn't be dependent on a specific genre, maintaining the SingStar style across all releases, with a clean and contemporary design, that users of any age can understand.

http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/772/772103/singstar-20070312070342968-000.jpg

With SingStar on PlayStation 3, we changed the rules a little bit to fit in with the new features offered on this next-gen update. We wanted to retain some of the style of the PS2 version, but take it a step further in all areas, including the packaging.

The first challenge was designing an overall look for SingStar that would feature online content including a store, a community section and customization (wallpapers) - all this had to be flexible in design for any future changes/updates. We looked at the game as a whole, based the direction on the simplicity of the PS2 version and came up with a fresh new look, not yet seen on game consoles. The flat 2D feel of the PS2 version remains but now in a 3D space and we remixed a few things along the way.

Designing GUIs for games can be restrictive at times, more so than web, broadcast and print design: it's not so WYSIWYG and design can sometimes be limited typographically by the need to consider localizing the game for other countries and supporting Standard and High Definitions. Also, the use of a controller to navigate rather than a mouse can be tedious - these are some things we consider when designing a UI and is all part of the challenge.

The online SingStore and community sections were designed from scratch and the use of grids were a fundamental part of the design. Our biggest challenge though was the background customization feature which consists of full motion HD backgrounds with a content-heavy interface sitting on top. At first this was difficult to work around - the UI had to be viewable on any detailed background and the motion of the effects on top had to be subtle without taking the focus off the UI. After weeks of testing and modifying, we've come up with a solution that works very well. We hope you enjoy these wallpapers as much as we have creating them. We plan to make more available for download soon after launch.

SingStar's GUI is just wrapping around the most important art assets in the game, the 'original' video content. These are edited and processed by our resident, talented video production team - Andrew, Delaine and new team member Michael who also focuses on motion design.

If you're wondering what's up with that cat picture, he's mine. A lazy cat in a chilled out kind of way, he spends his life back in NZ, over eating, drinking and hanging out with other cool cats.

I hope to bring you an update of what's happening next a bit later on, hopefully from an island in Tahiti. Now that's what I'm talking about!

http://blogs.ign.com/Sony_SingStar/2007/03/12/49046/

[curryking1]

That is about the sexiest menu I've ever seen.....

[cliffbo]

PS3 SingStar to come with 30 tracks on disk
Pricing confirmed for songs?
Details on SingStar for the PlayStation 3, a game where gamers sing songs against their friends and are graded based on their tone and pitch, are slowly becoming revealed. A pamphlet sent out to Australian retailers confirms a few small details on the upcoming game.

The pamphlet confirms that the game will come packaged with thirty tracks on the Blu-Ray disk, each of which will include a high definition video. Players will also have their own My SingStar page where they can upload videos and photos of their performance.

Thanks to a heads-up from forum member Maikii we can also confirm that the pamphlet reveals one of the songs costs ₤1.49 (AUD $3.64 / EURO 2.17).



http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=7002&title=PS3+SingStar+to+come+with+30+tracks+on+disk

[VG Aficionado]

2 euros for each additional song + videoclip + karaoke version and script and whatnot? If it's like that, it's really cheap!

[Fats]

2 euros for each additional song + videoclip + karaoke version and script and whatnot? If it's like that, it's really cheap!

Yeah, very much so!

[OmniCloud]

What's 2 euros in U.S dollars?

[Fats]

2.66 as of now.

[cliffbo]

has this been posted:

My SingStar Online
Thanks to everyone for reading our blog and to all of you who responded to Paulina's request for song suggestions. Some of your suggestions such as Hoobastank - The Reason, Europe - Final Countdown and Maroon 5 - This Love have already appeared on previous PlayStation 2 versions of SingStar over here in Europe, but you'll be able to download these gems (and plenty of others) from the SingStore.

Those of you who read my last blog posting will hopefully now recognise the unannounced game that I'd been playing. It was LittleBigPlanet and it's going to be a monster hit. If you haven't seen it in action, you need to check these videos of the GDC unveiling and a playthrough of one of the levels.

So that's LittleBigPlanet, but what's happening in the world of SingStar?

Well, last time Paulina talked about progress with the development of the SingStore. This week, I thought I'd tell you something about the other big feature for SingStar on PlayStation 3 - My SingStar Online.

The idea for My SingStar Online came along very early in the development of SingStar. We were spending some time researching how people were playing our game and we kept finding photos and videos of people's SingStar parties. People were using sites like Flickr and YouTube to share their experiences. We thought this was great and we wanted to capitalize on this and give users the chance to share their performances from within the game. Obviously, with Flickr and YouTube, you're relying on someone having a digital camera, access to a PC and the technical knowledge to be able to upload their content. We wanted to enable the user to share their experiences and then continue playing the game in as seamless a way as possible - and so the idea for My SingStar Online was born.

When playing SingStar, if you have a USB camera plugged in, the game will record a short section of video and it will also take ten photos during your performance. The game also records your vocal performance. After you finish singing, you can check out all of your media and you can choose to save it to your HDD and then upload it to My SingStar Online.

When you upload, you can choose to share your performances with everyone in the SingStar community or, if you're shy, you can choose to just share with people on your friends list. I think it's going to appeal to a wide range of people and a lot of different people will be uploading - if you're a bit of a diva, you'll want to show off your vocal talent. If you're an entertainer, you'll be uploading videos of you doing something stupid. There really should be something for everyone in My SingStar Online.

So, in the last few weeks, we've been testing My SingStar Online and it's been great fun. Lots of people on the team have been uploading their videos, rating snapshots and leaving comments on other people's profile pages. It's good seeing it all come together and we're starting to get a sense of how it will be when it all goes live. Exciting times indeed.

Although it's cool seeing performances on My SingStar Online, it's all the small things that are making my day at the moment and one thing that is making me laugh is the nationality selection in My SingStar Online. When you first go online, you're asked to create a profile, part of which is selecting your nationality. When you do this, your country's flag appears on your profile page. We've gone a bit over the top with our nationality selection as we want to make sure that everyone is represented. There are roughly 260 nationalities to choose from and some really mad flags. This week I'm pretending to be a SingStar from Antarctica.

Once it goes live, I'm really looking forward to finding out where people are from and to see which nations are represented in My SingStar Online. If you're from Christmas Island, Myanmar or the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, then say 'hi' in the comments section, so that I can prove to Richard that people do actually live in these places.

Talking of sandwiches, my diet and exercise regime is going out of the window a bit. I try to eat lots of dried fruit and nuts, but I'm not getting to eat properly in the evenings as I'm usually working late - and because I'm working late, I don't get to go to the gym in the morning. It's a bit of a vicious circle, but I'm sure that once the game is done and normality resumes, the diet and exercise regime will prove to be a winner. My goal is to be a rippling beef cake, just like Jean Claude Van Damme. I'll let you know how I get on.

Other exciting news is that after nearly a month of interviews, we've found a new junior designer to join our team. He starts at the beginning of May and he'll be joining our small but happy band of weirdos. He'll be joining the likes of Chazzie G, Mantonio and The Viresh Prince of Belle Air. Wish him luck - he'll need it.

I think that's about all the news for now. Thanks again for reading our random ramblings and please keep checking out this space. As a fun little game, I've mentioned five SingStar song titles in this blog. Let us know how many you can find.

I'll sign off with some relevant lyrics from one of the songs that will soon be making an appearance on SingStar - see if you recognise it...

"I've seen so much I'm going blind and I'm brain dead virtually".

http://blogs.ign.com/Sony_SingStar/2007/04/16/52351/

[cliffbo]

a tiny bit more info:

Australia, April 19, 2007 - Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today formally announced a few more details for SingStar on PlayStation 3. Out of the box, the game will come with 30 new fully licensed tracks and videos from the likes of Gwen Stefani, OutKast, Coldplay, Pussycat Dolls, Razorlight and Wolfmother, but that's - of course - just the tip of the iceberg. The game will be heavily focused on online functionality, and on launch day the 'SingStore' will have a massive back catalogue of more than 300 tracks from the previous PS2 titles available for purchase and download.

Sony hasn't yet revealed a release date for the game, but did confirm that new tracks and content created specifically for the PS3 game will be added to the online store on a monthly basis from June onwards. I think we can safely assume then that the game will be out in June at the latest - in Europe and Australia at least.

As you would expect, players will be able to create their own playlists for the game to suit any mood or group of friends. Only want 80s synth pop? You can do it. That's only the beginning for the game's customisation too - you can change skins, backgrounds and voice effects, not to mention use the Media Gallery to save your photos, video and audio, which can then be uploaded for friends around the world to check out via 'My SingStar Online'. The online experience will very much be based around community - not only will players be able to share their own content with other users, but they'll be able to create their own profile, link to friends and other users, vote in polls, and browse and rate videos.

Sony also confirmed that the PS2 SingStar mics are compatible with SingStar on PS3, and that new wireless mics are on the way.

[curryking1]

Sounds hot and I really want it lol.

But I ain't buying my music, it's their fault for making it too easy not to ahhahah.

[cliffbo]

Sounds hot and I really want it lol.

But I ain't buying my music, it's their fault for making it too easy not to ahhahah.

i've got to come clean here: i don't think i'll actually get this... but it does interest me anyway, because of its potential to make Sony a hell of a lot of money and that's going to effect the success of the PS3 in the long run. i still believe that this could be one of the biggest successes ever for Sony, perhaps reaching Yutube levels of success.

[KRA]

i've got to come clean here: i don't think i'll actually get this...

yeah me neither but i have this feeling that we all end buying this :)

[cliffbo]

yeah me neither but i have this feeling that we all end buying this :)

lol you're probably right, but i'll never F**k a cow... lolololololol ;)

[KRA]

lol you're probably right, but i'll never F**k a cow... lolololololol ;)

heheh you don't have to fuck cow. we are sony gamers :)