Sushi Brings a Nugget: Title Update!?

Mar 20, 2009 Hi All,

Ron here aka allucanEAtsushi.

I'm filling in for Cuz this week since he's currently out on Spring Break.  He apologizes for not getting a blog in before he left, but did promise that he would come back with a Cuz Gone Wild re-cap video.  Not too sure what that's all about, and I'm not too sure I want to know.  

So for the past week I've been trying to figure out what I would throw into the blog in addition to my weekly graphic picks.  I was searching for some type of Nugget, as Cuz likes to call it.  I was completely blank until a few days ago when I got looped into an email chain titled, ‘Skate 2 Title Update'.  HUUHH??  Title Update!?   I was pretty sure that qualified as nugget material, so I took it upon myself to do some digging.  Going into full on Investigatory Journalist mode, I tracked down Brian Lindley (the sender of said email) and tried to a get bit more information.  Here's what he had to say...

Ron: First off Brian, since you are the all-knowing and all-seeing online wizard for Skate 2, I have to ask you..do you have a favorite custom graphic?

BL: I'm quite partial to the awesome ShamWow graphic:



Ron: How about a favorite skate.reel video?

This one always makes me laugh, the shot of the pedestrian is priceless: http://skatereel.ea.com/members/1/175665077/408149.aspx


Ron: Ok, now on to the important stuff.  Can you explain to me what exactly a "title update" is?  

BL: A ‘title update' is the fancy term Microsoft uses for a software patch on the Xbox 360.  For you PS3 owners, you get to use the slightly less fancy term ‘patch'.


Ron: Aahh gotcha.  So when can we expect this thing to go live?

BL: The title update (Xbox 360) and the patch (PS3) goes live on Monday, March 23rd.


Ron: What are some of the things you're most excited about in this title update?

BL: I'm pretty excited about the improvements we've made with the feel and responsiveness of off-board controls.  And, of course, I'm quite pleased that we've been able to get in numerous fixes/improvements for online, especially for the issues in Hall of Meat, Spot Battle and S.K.A.T.E.  I'm also quite happy that we've been able to add-in support for custom soundtracks on the PS3, rock on PS3 owners!

Lastly, I want to pass on a word of thanks of to our forum members for their help regarding the issue with the missing Thrasher challenges.  Their feedback was essential to us being able to isolate and resolve that problem.


Ron: Looking at the list, I see you've tweaked one of the challenges that people were having a really hard time with.  Were you impressed with all of the "Can you Spell GIRL" Challenge tutorials that were done?

BL: Definitely, the persistence and creativity of the skate community never ceases to amaze.


Ron: And lastly, aside from working on all things Skate, I hear you're a big basketball fan.  Any predictions for this year's March Madness Tournament?

BL: Yes, there will be upsets and Gonzaga will not win (sorry Spokane). :)


Thanks to Brian for answering my questions, and for providing me with the full list of fixes below:

-Improve responsiveness of off-board controls, modified left stick behavior to improve feel of off-board movement

-Eliminate scoring exploit for Hippie Jump 180s in multiplayer Spot Battle

-Eliminate the wipeout exploit with off-board and the Superdude trick

-Fixed mute and stale grab tricks to use proper hand when performed in conjunction with a hand gesture

-Fix the occasionally popping of visual indicators (sign-ups, arrows, etc)

-Added support for custom soundtracks for the PS3

-Face and Body settings will now load properly in saved replays

-Character models will be in high detail when viewing a replay

-Visual indicators (sign-up icons/arrows) are no longer visible in replays and videos

-Remove the confirmation pop-up when retrying a challenge

-Reduce potential for pedestrians to spawn in an active challenge location

-Modified "Can you spell Girl?" challenge so the player starts with the lead

-Remove the 3,2,1 countdown when retrying a film challenge

-All Thrasher challenges unlock properly in the career progression

-When starting an Own the Spot via the Challenge Map, the player's session marker is automatically set for them

-Updated the online mini-map so skaters appear as the same color indicated in the player HUD

-Improved quality of character images generated for display on skate.reel web profiles

-EXP is no longer awarded for players that don't attempt a trick during a Ranked game of S.K.A.T.E.

-Modified deathrace intro sequences to eliminate camera clipping

-Online Freeskate Activities (Survival) - Increase the tolerance for ‘skating too slowly' while in the air

-Online Spot Battle/Hall of Meat - Spectators can again trigger hand gestures during another player's turn


Graphics of the Week

Ok folks, there's just over 2 weeks left in the Graphics Creator Contest, so make sure to submit your entries to skatecontest@ea.com.  I've been seeing some really nice stuff lately, and yes Demzilla, i've got all your new links. 

Here are few of the hottest graphics I've come across this week.  If the creators live in Canada or US make sure to come up with an original graphic and submit it for the contest!


ONE LOVE by reeb84




Kuma by deucebabagnosh




Muppetfellas by HARDatLURK




Untitled by mistermoan




Clips of the Week

Ok, so i know I promised Fantasy Factory COTW to be up this week, but i didn't count on our video editor heading out of the office for Spring Break as well.  Why didn't anyone tell me about Spring Break!?  Since I dont have an ounce of editing skills in my bones, i wasn't able to compile clips.  If someone wants to volunteer to throw a video together out of the clips in this thread, please be my guest and the best compilation will get featured next week.  A new Community COTW challenge is going out next week as well. 


That's all for this week, hope you guys enjoy the title update/patch!


Cheers,

allucanEAtsushi