GC 2008: Eden bringing Alone in the Dark PS3 fixes to Xbox 360 with patch
Did you find yourself driven just a wee bit mad by some of the design decisions in Alone in the Dark for Xbox 360? Well, you're not alone, and developer Eden Games isn't in the dark about what it did wrong.
During a Leipzig Games Convention presentation, the studio owned up to the title's shortcomings, promising that a number of them are being addressed in the upcoming PS3 version. Specifically, the camerawork is different (it's pulled back more, and players will have free control using the right analog stick); the player character, Edward Carnby, runs by default; and the atrociously twitchy car handling has been mellowed out.
While this is good news for PS3 owners still eager to experience the game, they won't be the only ones to reap the benefits of Eden's hindsight and extra development time. It's been announced that an upcoming patch will bring these fixes – and potentially more – to the 360 version, although no firm date has been given for its release (it'll presumably hit when the PS3 game does in November).
During a Leipzig Games Convention presentation, the studio owned up to the title's shortcomings, promising that a number of them are being addressed in the upcoming PS3 version. Specifically, the camerawork is different (it's pulled back more, and players will have free control using the right analog stick); the player character, Edward Carnby, runs by default; and the atrociously twitchy car handling has been mellowed out.
While this is good news for PS3 owners still eager to experience the game, they won't be the only ones to reap the benefits of Eden's hindsight and extra development time. It's been announced that an upcoming patch will bring these fixes – and potentially more – to the 360 version, although no firm date has been given for its release (it'll presumably hit when the PS3 game does in November).
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
NaeemTHM @ Aug 21st 2008 1:35PM
This is brilliant! What a great age of gaming we live in. Horrid controls and bad game designs can now be rectified by DLC.
Hopefully it's not too late to save what looked to be an awesome game.
Shame nothing can be done about Carnaby looking like a baboon's ass.
Tiptup300 @ Aug 21st 2008 5:03PM
I remember how great the dreamcast one was. I played the demo of this one and was a wii bit confused.
CJLopez @ Aug 21st 2008 5:09PM
If ya are talking about the console gaming age then I concurr with ya, cuz this way of fixing bugs via patched had been on the pc for quite a while
Lars @ Aug 21st 2008 8:05PM
Indeed. That's one of the reasons I was never into consoles, just PC's.
I'll have to rent this again when the patch hits and see how it fares.
Obie @ Aug 21st 2008 1:35PM
Too little, too late I'm afraid.
Draco Basileus @ Aug 21st 2008 1:40PM
In my mind this naturally has to be compared to the Lair patch. And the question I would have ask at this point would be "is this going to make the game any better?"
The Lair patch helped, but ultimately didn't make that much of a difference for the overall experience.
PS - What's up with the buggy Joystiq comment system? When's there going to be a patch for that?
j.howlett @ Aug 21st 2008 1:52PM
after the last lair patch i tried to play with my new DS3 and i couldn't play right. i was fairly good before. i should probably go back to the beginning and train some more.
anonim1979 @ Aug 21st 2008 1:58PM
It's not a bug!
It's a *feature*!
Brandon @ Aug 21st 2008 1:44PM
I don't understand how games come out with bad controls. WHO are they letting test their games?
Fenix @ Aug 21st 2008 1:57PM
Too Human devs?
The_Punisher @ Aug 21st 2008 2:23PM
It's going to be $30 when it launches on PS3. I just might get it.....
Mr.Ironic @ Oct 10th 2008 8:18PM
I'll just point out that it's not the testers who authorise changes or the testers who go back in and code it right.
theturtle363 @ Aug 21st 2008 1:47PM
Glad to hear it, It really seemed like it had a lot of unique and innovative ideas, but i just couldnt slog through all that crap
Mike @ Aug 21st 2008 2:01PM
yawn.. too late losers.. you f'd up and word is out. No one is going to buy your piece of shit game. Way to go.
ChomskyKnows @ Aug 21st 2008 2:08PM
a lot of ppl tossed it on ebay 2 minutes after popping it into the tray. what a piece of garbage game. worst of 2008 (that and Turning Point).
Jakka @ Sep 27th 2008 6:49AM
Dude, 75% and 45% aren't bad games. Play a REAL bad game but until then shut the hell up and stop giving an impression of a spoiled brat(alternatively an IGN reviewer) to whom everything that's below 80% is UTTER SHIT!
Mr.ESC @ Aug 21st 2008 2:35PM
Those are valid reasons and why I don't give a crap about what people have to say.
Now real issues with alone in the dark:
1-Borked physics system, this one isn't a big deal...until you get in a car but this one is only frustrating at the end of chapter 2 oh and yes it seems you can’t drive over a slightly inclined surface but you can drive over stairs...yeah.
2-Stupid camera set in the less useful angles.
During the game the camera is actually good but some scary and plot cut-scenes are totally messed up by the camera suddenly pointing to the sky or at Edwards Elbow. I think I missed 3 cut-scenes that way.
3- Swearing.
I think I swear too much and I think people swears too much in general but Alone in the Dark goes to the point you want to wash the mouth of the guy behind of the dialogue with soap. Seriously there was this part I couldn’t pass (Goo of doom) because I didn’t know that I could combine the glowsticks with tape, probably the 3rd most useful combo in all the game, to pass and I had to sit through this cut-scene with a guy swearing over and over to the point I muted the game for good.
And the voices in Castellano don’t help either.
4-Lack of explanations at the end.
This one is hard to explain but the ending doesn’t make a total sense but it was pretty cool.
Other than that the game is alright and to be honest the mix of Puzzles, terror and adventure could’ve been Epic but it isn’t a bad game. If you are into the genera like me you know that terror and survival game shave the most awkward controls and camera angles and to be honest the gameplay is pretty good.
ChomskyKnows If you think that’s bad then you haven’t played a lot of games also is quite entertaining and the music is great, I would like to buy the OST.
Mr.ESC @ Aug 21st 2008 2:38PM
*games not shave.
Also I enjoyed more Alone in the dark than Assassin’s creed why? Because Alone in the Dark was frustrating while Ac was insulting.
Duke @ Aug 21st 2008 2:03PM
Great news. I was very frustrated by the controls in this game and stopped playing quick because of it. Once the patch is released I will be looking forward to trying it again and hopefully enjoying it.
ObiBen @ Aug 21st 2008 2:06PM
This is some good news for me. I was very interested in playing this game on the 360, but after playing the demo I was totaly turned off. I'll have to try the game out after this patch is released.
Jakka(Why the fuck am I banned for the 5th time?) @ Aug 21st 2008 2:25PM
Why the fuck am I banned again?
Jack of No Trades 85 @ Aug 21st 2008 2:30PM
What did you do again?
Jakka(Why the fuck am I banned for the 5th time?) @ Aug 21st 2008 2:35PM
That's the punchline.
Unlike all my other bans, I can't find a reason why so for now let's blame that naked Peach.
Fenix @ Aug 21st 2008 2:39PM
Maybe they're trying to give you a hint...
Mr.ESC @ Aug 21st 2008 2:41PM
They ban Jakka but they can't ban Noredringsforme?
The mods sure act in mysterious ways.
Mr.ESC @ Aug 21st 2008 2:42PM
Also why the ban Jakka when they could be banning Anticrawl?
Jakka(Why the fuck am I banned for the 5th time?) @ Aug 21st 2008 2:56PM
Out of curiosity, what's your beef with Anticrawl?
Fenix @ Aug 21st 2008 3:09PM
Jakka
Did you change or add anything to your previous screen name? Because I know I did that one time and it would not let me post because of it. It would just say..."You Did It!" lol So I thought I was Teh Banned too. I fixed my name back and viola! All fixed. Dont know why they would do that since all I did was put my name as
xFenixKnightx (I can't quit you Dom)
:P
Mr.ESC @ Aug 21st 2008 3:29PM
He is just an ahole and drinks too much hateorate.
Also I have the feeling he votes up himself using other accounts,weird huh.
Jakka(Why the fuck am I banned for the 5th time?) @ Aug 21st 2008 3:30PM
I'm pretty sure that "My Naked Peach is better than Samfish's" isn't anywhere near as bad as "Why the fuck am I banned for the 5th time?". Also I've already went through the trouble of making a new account so I might as well stick to this one.
Mr.ESC @ Aug 21st 2008 2:40PM
1000/1000 in Alone in the Dark.
I Can has DLC plz?
(Lolcats are stupid,I like the cats tho' , but the internet seem to like them)
Fenix @ Aug 21st 2008 2:45PM
1000/1000, really? Easy ch33voz in the game or what?
Mr.ESC @ Aug 21st 2008 2:49PM
As long as it doesn't requieres me to play online or play more than 3 hours straight I can get the achievements.
I'm doing Condemned 2 and 1 plus Oblivion right now.I stop playing Bad Company since I had some serious Lag Issues.
Fenix @ Aug 21st 2008 3:03PM
I dont know what it is about Bad Co but since I got my 360 back from MS I havent popped it in for a go. I hate when that happens to me. I lose interest in a game for whatever reason...
:(
I haven't even beaten it yet.
Mr.ESC @ Aug 21st 2008 3:27PM
Same happened to me with Oblivion and I'm playing it again.
Also is suppose to be fun if you don't feel like it don't play it.
Fenix @ Aug 21st 2008 3:36PM
I hear ya.
Courtney @ Aug 21st 2008 2:40PM
I just bought a new video card and got AitD as a "free gift" (translation, clearing out stock). I should install it and see how it runs on the PC. Wonder if this patch is coming that way too...
maRco @ Aug 21st 2008 2:41PM
If this happens it might need a regrading from every review site...
Mr.ESC @ Aug 21st 2008 2:46PM
No site will do that.
GS for example never changed KZ:L score after the DLC with the extra chapter and Multiplayer modes.
Man that game was good.
OMGOMG @ Aug 21st 2008 3:50PM
The game had it's shortcomings, but honestly, in was one of the most innovative games of the year if you can get past some of the maddening controls. I really enjoyed the game. I just hope this game doesn't scare developers from innovating in their games and instead taking the safe route (Blizzard!)
Residentevil72501 @ Aug 21st 2008 4:00PM
P.S. Too Human is actually fucking awesome, stupid reviewers and their shitty opinions.
Jayslacks @ Aug 21st 2008 4:16PM
Yeah, this is bullshit. A game should ship with no bugs. At all. I'm really tired of this "patch" crap. What other media product patches after release? Oh, this movie sucked. Let's patch it. Developers need to step their game up. For reals.
Fenix @ Aug 21st 2008 4:18PM
"Oh, this movie sucked. Let's patch it."
lolz!!!
Thanks for that :)
FSK405K @ Aug 21st 2008 4:50PM
Actually, this does happen, usually when a producer or studio has a different movie in mind that what the director wants, and, you could also argue, when movies are altered to downgrade their ratings. Most directors' cuts are significantly different from theatrical releases not only in length and depth but also thematically or with a different plot; sometimes, though, the "director's cut" just means there's more nudity and swear words.
For an example of a director's cut being quite different (and better!) than the theatrical version, check out both of Ridley Scott's 2005 film, Kingdom of Heaven.
Mike @ Aug 21st 2008 8:21PM
And The Abyss was a much better movie with the 'extra' stuff.