Improving graphics and sound will only go so far, says MGS creator

CVG reports~

"The "next level" of gaming is not yet possible on current-gen hardware, says Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima.

Speaking to BBC’s Click program, Kojima said that improving the visuals and audio in games will only go so far in future console generations.

"We will keep on making games for consoles and the graphics and sound quality will get better and better," he said. "But I think no matter how much we improve the quality, there is only so much we can hear or see.

"The next level will be when we start improving the backgrounds, the things you don’t instantly see but enhance the experience. For example, there are leaves in the background and when you water them they grow. Instead of the backgrounds being pre-programmed, they actually respond to what the player does.

"This is not possible right now but maybe in the future it will be, and that is when we will have entered the next era of gaming," he added.

He’s as technology-obsessed as ever then. Not that we’re complaining; MGS4 is a massively impressive game, and a terrific showcase for the PS3.

Kojima is currently rumoured to be working on a new game based on RPG series Snatcher, with No More Heroes mastermind Suda 51."

(source: CVG)

In an apology on the official MGO website Konami…

"The release of the Expansion Pack "Gene Expansion" on 17th July was marred by major system related problems resulting in great inconveniences for all our customers.

We have been taking numerous corrective measure since the problems initially started, but unfortunately there are no permanent solution we can announce at this present moment. With the problem still going, we felt it would be our obligation to publish a timelined report in to the problems."

So in short were sorry but there is no fix it all in sight anytime soon but we are trying our best to correct things until then. Click on the image above to see the report.

(source: MGO website)

1up chats with Ryan Payton, the ex-videogame journalist turned assistant producer of MGS 4, about his career and everything MGS.

Click on the link below after the snipit for the full interview.

"1UP: When did you first get your foot in the industry’s door?

Ryan Payton, associate producer, Metal Gear Solid 4: When I was at university, I joined a program run by the Japanese government called JET [Japanese Exchange and Teaching Programme]. After I graduated, I had a couple of months before I was going to be shipped off to some unknown location in Japan. At that time, I was already writing for the school newspaper, and being a fan of XBN Magazine, I contacted them directly and asked if they needed a Japanese correspondent.

1UP: How old were you at that time?

RP: I was 22. An XBN editor named Greg Orlando wrote me back and said that he was interested. I sent him a number of articles — videogame reviews for my school newspaper — and he seemed to like my style. My first assignment was to write about where Xbox was in Japan.

Xbox wasn’t successful there, but the magazine work was a great opportunity because it allowed me to meet people in the industry, travel around Japan, and get close to gamers. The Xbox community in Japan was small — Microsoft only moved 500,000 hardware units there — so any time I’d go to a press event, I’d meet the same people. We’d talk about what makes Western games different from Japanese games, what they like about Western videogames. I started writing for Wired, Japan Times, and other Ziff Davis and Future publications."

Kojima Production’s Ryan Payton Interview

(source: 1up)

" The much awaited ""METAL GEAR ONLINE GENE EXPANSION"" is now available!! DO NOT miss this opportunity to become a part of the evolution that is MGO!! Throw yourself onto new and unconquered Maps!! Make use of a whole new set of gimmicks and Characters! Why not try out the awesome new game mode "Survival"!?

At the same time, we will be opening the "Reward Shop" for business!! Get you character some new gear by earning Reward Points in the game!!

But that’s not all… The "METAL GEAR ONLINE GENE EXPANSION PLUS" comes with all of the above plus 1 MGO Extra Character Slot!! If you were looking to create another Character, then this is a great opportunity!!

The ExpansionPack includes an amazing 3 new Maps!! See below for details!!

Coppertown Conflict / City of Sorrow

Wide streets, underground passages, and rooftop areas.
Suitable for close- to medium-range combat.

Tomb of Tubes / Underground Waterway

An intricate labyrinth of underground passages.
Suitable for close- to medium-range combat.

Virtuous Vista / South America Power Station

An outdoor map with natural terrain.
Suitable for medium- to long-range combat.

Ever wanted to play as a character from MGS4 on MGO? Now’s your chance as 2 seasoned warriors join the ranks!

Play as:

Meryl Silverburgh

Johnny (AKIBA)

Do you think love can bloom even on a battlefield?

Why not? One of the joys of this Expansion pack is to use the Reward Points you earned in "Survival" so that you can kit out your female characters in the latest gear!!

"Survival"mode and the Reward Shop

Reward Points you earn by playing "Survival" mode can be spent at the all new Reward Shop where you will be able to exchange them for all sorts of gear! They can be equipped onto your characters in other game modes too! Set yourself apart from the crowd!

* The "METAL GEAR ONLINE GENE EXPANSION PLUS" comes with an MGO Extra Character Slot. Have you ever wanted to create a female Character but felt reluctant as you would have to delete your current one? Then this is the Expansion Pack just for you!

(source: MGO website)

Ripten reports~

"A new Metal Gear Online mode has made its way onto the game’s servers. Taking inspiration from the existing “Sneaking Mode”, which sees Snake use Octocamo to collect Dog-Tags from warring teams, this mode is a battle of two teams with different gear.

The mode consists of a Sneaking Team and a “Normal” Team going head to head. Like Snake, the Sneaking Team is stealth-equipped (thus virtually invisible) and to win must either eliminate all enemies or return KEROTAN or GA-KO to their goal. The defending team must defeat the sneaking team or keep KEROTAN or GA-KO safe to win.

The defenders needn’t be overwhelmed, since if they spot one of the sneakers the whole sneaking team will be visible for 5 seconds. Moreover, the sneakers will only be able to equip non-lethal weapons, as opposed to the defenders who can use all weapons.

Sneaking Mode was really the only MGO mode to set the game apart from other online games and shout “original”, so we hope this new Team Sneaking mode will be as fruitful.

You can now also select “Headshots Only” for every game mode except Team Sneaking. However, take note, you’ll die if you kill somebody by any other method."

(source: Ripten)

PS3Fanboy reports~

We’re not sure we’d class these new MGS4 camouflages "DLC" as such, but they’re definitely appreciated. Mostly because they’re free, but also because they actually add something interesting and quirky to the game. Two new camouflages for your OctoCamo are now available to grab from the "Extras" section of Metal Gear Solid 4’s main menu. These are named "Laughing Camo" and "Raging Camo" — no doubt "Crying Camo" and "Screaming Camo" will be coming at a later date.

These new camouflages look pretty cool when applied via in-game menu, covering Snake in large Japanese script, but the fun really happens when you approach an enemy whilst wearing them. Depending on which one you have currently donned, you will cause your opponents laughter or rage rating to increase, sometimes causing them to burst out into hysterics or rawr at the sky. The easiest way to see this is grab someone in a CQC hold for a little while and then let them go. We have no idea whether this works on bosses, but we’d love to find out. Consider this your 4th of July homework. Class dismissed.

(source: PS3F)