Support NeoGAF

[androvsky]

We've had a report from one other guy about it hanging on the full game on the screen that shows our logo, not the Loading... bit, and it was due to a problem with how GameSpy is pulling down your PSN buddy list. I found in the meantime it un-hangs after a couple minutes and I'm working with them on a fix.

If it's hanging before that, all I could suggest is deleting the save data for the game if there is any, redownloading the demo, and/or loading it with a different PSN account. I'll run some more tests on the demo at work tomorrow but hard to reproduce that sort of thing, sorry for the inconvenience.

Turns out it works if I use my wifi connection instead of my ethernet. My ethernet connection has a fixed ip address, I used DHCP for my wifi (will try DHCP on ethernet later after the Fatal Inertia demo downloads). Sorry to worry you. Btw, the online game was more fun than I expected, I might pick this one up next paycheck.

 

[ickingfudiot]

There's nothing wrong with the save system. It was my fault, I had accidentally logged into my account on his Playstation 3 so his saves from his account weren't showing up.

I have a quick question, are all the cars the same with a different body or does each car have their own benefits such as more strength, better acceleration, etc. If each car has their own specialty would it be possible to show us that information?

I had told my brother about this topic on NeoGAF and he asked me to put out the idea of making a battle mode similar to the Rush 2049 battle mode. Machine guns, missiles, etc. Long shot I know.

The battle mode exists in a sense, it's just not anywhere near shippable, we could theoretically throw it in in an expansion down the road.

The cars are all the same statistically with the minor difference that when doing aerials/dodge moves/etc you hit the ball a bit different with each since they are shaped differently. We tried a stats system but it didn't feel right - especially with this gametype, it's hard to generate sensible stats and then how to balance them is tough. For instance, you could make one car "slow" and have it hit the ball harder but in all instances it's better to have the faster car. Or you could have a car have better jumping ability but what do they sacrifice for it? We settled on just cosmetic differences since we wanted to retain as much of the "pure" sports aspect as possible and not have to worry about one car being "cheap", etc.

 

[BobJustBob]

I decided to pick this up. And I guess I was just very unlucky with that first online game, because I haven't had lag nearly that bad since. I'm enjoying it, the replay editor is fantastic (set the camera to rigid lock on the ball to test your susceptibility to motion sickness), but there aren't a lot of people playing. Every ranked match took a minute+ to get going, and the host left after one goal in the one unranked match I tried. Surely a Sunday afternoon would be a peak time for this sort of thing. I hope it doesn't get buried in the holiday glut.

 

[ickingfudiot]

I decided to pick this up. And I guess I was just very unlucky with that first online game, because I haven't had lag nearly that bad since. I'm enjoying it, the replay editor is fantastic (set the camera to rigid lock on the ball to test your susceptibility to motion sickness), but there aren't a lot of people playing. Every ranked match took a minute+ to get going, and the host left after one goal in the one unranked match I tried. Surely a Sunday afternoon would be a peak time for this sort of thing. I hope it doesn't get buried in the holiday glut.

Yeah, not sure, I'm showing 93 people online playing right now so games should show up pretty quick but tomorrow we're going to discuss a server browser and other ways to get people matched up quicker if we don't get a bigger pool of players going soon.

 

[Spy]

Had some awesome games today. It was my 7 year old brother, 27 year old brother, cousin who was visiting from out of town and I playing unranked matches. We won the majority of games. I've convinced two people to purchase this game so far. I hope it's not going to be an underrated gem.

 

[WiCkEd_Co]

Ok so today I had both my brothers playing with me and they loved it and want to do a 4 vs 4 with friends here at the house. My question is can I game share this to my brothers PS3 in the same house and he have 4 people log on and then I have 4 people log on mine, can we both play it online on both PS3 with a game that is being shared?

 

[BobJustBob]

Yeah, this is a lot of fun. I made its case on Planetcrap and Qt3, but people listen to me there about as much as they do here (reference to tag yet again).

Small suggestion: when saving replays, I would love for the first slot to always be empty. I'm saving every replay and it requires me to scroll down through all the saved replays to get to an open slot. It would be much more convenient for the first slot to be "new file" or whatever, with the saved replays afterward in case I want to overwrite a file.

 

[sykoex]

Yeah, this is a lot of fun. I made its case on Planetcrap and Qt3, but people listen to me there about as much as they do here (reference to tag yet again).

Small suggestion: when saving replays, I would love for the first slot to always be empty. I'm saving every replay and it requires me to scroll down through all the saved replays to get to an open slot. It would be much more convenient for the first slot to be "new file" or whatever, with the saved replays afterward in case I want to overwrite a file.

Qt3? So like, did you first have to explain to them what a Sony PlayStation 3 actually was?

 

[BobJustBob]

Qt3? So like, did you first have to explain to them what a Sony PlayStation 3 actually was?

I was expecting a "LOL PS3 has games now?" post but nothing yet. Which is funny because PS3 has just as many exclusives as 360 now but they're so invested they can't see it. I hate console fanboys. Anyway, did I mention this game rocks? This game rocks. One tactic I've seen in the last few games is people positioning themselves under the ball and jumping to keep it airborne and away from the other team. I'm not skilled enough for that yet. Once I get the hang of airborne boosting, that tactic is going down.

 

[gbovo]

I was expecting a "LOL PS3 has games now?" post but nothing yet. Which is funny because PS3 has just as many exclusives as 360 now but they're so invested they can't see it. I hate console fanboys. Anyway, did I mention this game rocks? This game rocks. One tactic I've seen in the last few games is people positioning themselves under the ball and jumping to keep it airborne and away from the other team. I'm not skilled enough for that yet. Once I get the hang of airborne boosting, that tactic is going down.

The game requires a lot of skill though to score from across the map. I feel the game could use some additions/mods for the vehicles to help controlling/maneuvering the ball a bit easier i.e. modified grills on the cars that latch onto the ball for a short period of time/magnets on the front of the car, to allow better aiming of the ball with the car.

 

[BobJustBob]

The secret of gaming is that people whine about challenge but no one really cares about challenge -- they only care about what the game makes easy. When you get a great game like Crackdown or Mercenaries 2 or Spiderman 2 that just hands you awesome controls and great power with no restrictions, you love it. That's what this game nails. Whether you win or lose, you're still jumping and barrel rolling and somersaulting and boosting around and exploding cars and knocking the ball all over the place, and it feels good even if you don't score a goal. There's a depth and challenge beyond that but the key is to nail the basics and let the rest take care of itself.

 

[levious]

The game requires a lot of skill though to score from across the map. I feel the game could use some additions/mods for the vehicles to help controlling/maneuvering the ball a bit easier i.e. modified grills on the cars that latch onto the ball for a short period of time/magnets on the front of the car, to allow better aiming of the ball with the car.

the game gets easier (or more manageable) when you come to grips with the ball cam and get better at keeping the ball in front of you. Seeing a team effectively "head" the ball to each other down the field (like Bob mentioned) and score an assisted goal is pretty satisfying and impressive.

 

[chubigans]

Played some three player splitscreen against some bots. My friend hated the game, but I kept pressing him to play...a few rounds later, he was hooked. There's a steep learning curve there, but once you get over it it's an awesome game.

 

[Spy]

Is there an ETA for the patch?

 

[ickingfudiot]

Is there an ETA for the patch?

We're hoping to get something sent to Sony within the next week or so. Past that it's just how long it takes Sony to certify it and put it up, but we don't want to get into a Castle Crashers situation where you don't see improvements for a long period after release. It's a very high priority, but since there's that lag because of re-certification we want to cram as many fixes as we can in along with the fourth map.

We've already fixed a lot of minor problems with the buddy list, custom music tracks repeating, sign-in timeouts, etc. Currently working on voice problems and headset insertion/removal, adding "players met" support, MOTD support, and a lot of effort is going into online lag issues - making sure it's very unlikely slow connections will end up hosting, and reducing the impact on the odd occasion you do end up in a laggy server. Also considering adding a server browser with a lag meter.

Will let you guys know once we ship something off, but unfortunately due to turnaround time on patch cert it will be at least a few weeks before it gets to you.

 

[levious]

get this out in Europe! It's being criminally ignored in the US.

Is there an option to have your team's voice chat come through your speakers if you're not playing with a mic? I want to at least hear if someone's yelling at me to get out of their way before they knock me across the field.

 

[ickingfudiot]

get this out in Europe! It's being criminally ignored in the US.

Is there an option to have your team's voice chat come through your speakers if you're not playing with a mic? I want to at least hear if someone's yelling at me to get out of their way before they knock me across the field.

Unfortunately one "feature" of Unreal that we've since fixed is that you don't get any voice data unless you had a headset plugged in when the game loads. You don't have to use it and you can unplug it or turn it off later, but if there's no headset present on load, no go. (EDIT: Just to be clear, this is fixed in the patch.)

We're looking at submitting to final ship in Europe with the same build we're releasing as a patch (next weekish), so I'd say Early-Mid Nov Euro release barring any unexpected problems in SCEE certification.

 

[AndyD]

Played some three player splitscreen against some bots. My friend hated the game, but I kept pressing him to play...a few rounds later, he was hooked. There's a steep learning curve there, but once you get over it it's an awesome game.

I got the hang of hitting the ball quite well, what I cant do is the minigmae where you have to survive for a minute or two... Even if I run away at full speed and full supersonic boost, they still smack into me...

 

[levious]

I got the hang of hitting the ball quite well, what I cant do is the minigmae where you have to survive for a minute or two... Even if I run away at full speed and full supersonic boost, they still smack into me...

90 degree turns ever few seconds. You should be able to hear when they're close to you.

 

[Jim]

I got the hang of hitting the ball quite well, what I cant do is the minigmae where you have to survive for a minute or two... Even if I run away at full speed and full supersonic boost, they still smack into me...

I would just get full speed and boost up the walls and swerve wildly. Then repeat. I almost cleared it w/o getting hit at all on the first try.

The 2 vs 1 Half Court match is EVIL.

 

[levious]

Sandstorm is evil! I'm so glad All Stars is only a Silver since I'll never get it.

 

[ickingfudiot]

I would just get full speed and boost up the walls and swerve wildly. Then repeat. I almost cleared it w/o getting hit at all on the first try.

The 2 vs 1 Half Court match is EVIL.

Yes, I have trouble on 5 stars and I've been playing this game for a lot longer than you guys

For the survival mini-game, I've always had the most luck boosting along the walls and dropping down to grab boost once in awhile. Can pretty reliably 5-star it that way.

 

[SetUhatU]

Having played the demo, I have a feeling that this game could become a hidden gem on PSN. I will pick it up when the price drops a bit and hopefully more players adopt it.

 

[Speevy]

This is a really entertaining game. I'm glad I bought it.

 

[Flunkie]

HOLY FREAKING CRAP! This game rocks. :lol I love it! The controls, the gameplay, everything.. is hilarious, over-the-top fun! We need to get some GAF matches going on.

Edit: I just read over the stuff that I missed in this thread, and I just love when developers/people associated with the game come in threads and answer all kinds of questions - it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and like you guys actually care. I feel really glad about my purchase now. I want to thank you for including split screen, because I can already tell that this game is going to be a hit with my friends (and because the days of split screen multiplayer is dwindling).

I can't wait for the patch and the DLC.

 

[superbank]

Why oh why is this game $15? I had a great time with the demo and was ready to purchase. Went into the PSN store hoping for $5, expecting $10.

I'll be all over this when the price drops. $15 for a simple yet fun game is asking a bit much.

^ Oh the devs actually post here? Great game guys, just drop the price.

 

[WiCkEd_Co]

^ Oh the devs actually post here? Great game guys, just drop the price.

they post more at the official forum.

http://www.psyonix.com/forum/

 

[Spy]

ickingfudiot, is your PSN ID psyonix-adam? My brother was playing ranked games last night and he said he was paired up with two people with psyonix in their names but since the game couldn't find more then three people they left.

In the standings would it be possible to add win percentage and an average score per game ratio? Would it also be possible to make it so you can invite people to join your game as long as they're playing SARB? There's times when I can't invite someone to join my game because they're playing single player.

My brother mentioned the idea of making an "any" option. Within choosing 1 vs 1, 4 vs 4, etc. why not have an option for people who don't care about how many players they play with?

 

[AndyD]

I played with the Psyonixes as well.

This game needs something to make matching better. I would gladly play a 2,3,4 player game, but having to select one at a time then sit there and wait is useless. Especially when there are 6/8 in a room, after a bit it should let us play a 3 on 3 game.

I cant imagine getting close to the Trophy requirements if the online is as dead as it is now just after launch. In a month or two, it will become impossible to even play a game, let alone play enough to score enough wins.

Also, the crate mode and the wind blowing mode needs to be in multiplayer.

 

[ickingfudiot]

ickingfudiot, is your PSN ID psyonix-adam? My brother was playing ranked games last night and he said he was paired up with two people with psyonix in their names but since the game couldn't find more then three people they left.

In the standings would it be possible to add win percentage and an average score per game ratio? Would it also be possible to make it so you can invite people to join your game as long as they're playing SARB? There's times when I can't invite someone to join my game because they're playing single player.

My brother mentioned the idea of making an "any" option. Within choosing 1 vs 1, 4 vs 4, etc. why not have an option for people who don't care about how many players they play with?

I'm psyonix-corey, haven't played much lately. Adam is an artist and is way too good at the game.

You can see average goals per game by changing the filtering with Triangle I think. Win % would probably be there as well if you do average wins.

I'm looking into making an "any" team size option the default for matching, I've already implemented a full server browser you can view while in matchmaking and join servers that way in lieu of the suggestions box with playercount and ping so that should alleviate some problems.

I played with the Psyonixes as well.

This game needs something to make matching better. I would gladly play a 2,3,4 player game, but having to select one at a time then sit there and wait is useless. Especially when there are 6/8 in a room, after a bit it should let us play a 3 on 3 game.

I cant imagine getting close to the Trophy requirements if the online is as dead as it is now just after launch. In a month or two, it will become impossible to even play a game, let alone play enough to score enough wins.

Also, the crate mode and the wind blowing mode needs to be in multiplayer.

Hopefully the aforementioned server browser will help some, we've also attempted to alleviate some of this by making map preferences just preferences instead of hard filters so you can select Urban but it'll just match you into the closest game with the lowest ping it can find.

I can look into making games start if they sit forever, the problem with that being some people might really only want to play a 3v3 and not a 2v2 so they'd be pissed if their ranked match downsized, but we are a lot more focused on just getting games going so I'll see what makes sense before the patch submission.

We get a lot of requests for crate, not so much windstorm, in multiplayer but you run into the problem of splitting people up too much in multiplayer. We already have ranked, unranked, and team - adding special modes would just further complicate things, and make it even harder to find a game. Maybe down the road.

Anyway, patch is nearing completion, hoping to submit next week and not sure what the turnaround will be. It'll also include the fourth map, lag fixes, voice fixes (headset insertion problems have been fixed, working on voice quality), MOTD support, server browser as mentioned, and other random things.

We're considering a lot of ways to boost the online community in the near future because we really don't want it to die out, so just hang in there.

 

[Flunkie]

I just played for three straight hours online last night. This game is so great. It got a little frustrating towards the end because of lag, though. I really cannot wait for the DLC/patch/update.

 

[LakeEarth]

The thread title keeps reading as "Aerobiz Supersonic" in my head, and then when I re-read it it makes me sad.

 

[AndyD]

This game is virtually dead in online ranked, and awesome in unranked due to split screen. I wish the servers would allow ranked with split screen, then we would have a decent amount of servers and players in ranked.

I just played for a couple of hours straight in unranked with all sorts of split screen people and it is a blast. On the flip side, I sat for 15 minutes in the beginning and now at the end trying to get into a ranked game and its completely dead. Not one game seemed to be going on, while on unranked I was playing within moments.

The best thing about this game is the split screen, as my friends and I found out over the weekend, and it seems everyone plays that way, so the ranked servers are deserted.

Another issue is when you get disconnected, you lose your stats for the game in progress. I got DCed 4 times yesterday from ranked games, and in all 4 I was ahead by a goal or two, and all those stats are gone. So people can just DC if they dont want a loss on their record... And since it takes forever to get into a ranked game, it was a great big waste of time.

Psyonix needs to either allow split screeners into ranked games or to give some good rewards for ranks so that people are encouraged to play it, otherwise, no one will ever get those trophies.

I am waiting for that patch and server browser, if its still dead after, this game is done.

 

[ickingfudiot]

This game is virtually dead in online ranked, and awesome in unranked due to split screen. I wish the servers would allow ranked with split screen, then we would have a decent amount of servers and players in ranked.

I just played for a couple of hours straight in unranked with all sorts of split screen people and it is a blast. On the flip side, I sat for 15 minutes in the beginning and now at the end trying to get into a ranked game and its completely dead. Not one game seemed to be going on, while on unranked I was playing within moments.

The best thing about this game is the split screen, as my friends and I found out over the weekend, and it seems everyone plays that way, so the ranked servers are deserted.

Another issue is when you get disconnected, you lose your stats for the game in progress. I got DCed 4 times yesterday from ranked games, and in all 4 I was ahead by a goal or two, and all those stats are gone. So people can just DC if they dont want a loss on their record... And since it takes forever to get into a ranked game, it was a great big waste of time.

Psyonix needs to either allow split screeners into ranked games or to give some good rewards for ranks so that people are encouraged to play it, otherwise, no one will ever get those trophies.

I am waiting for that patch and server browser, if its still dead after, this game is done.

Couple things -

We're hoping the patch will help things out a good bit as far as online players go though it is a busy holiday season. Lag is massively improved and the server browser as you mentioned will be present.

I can't promise any help in the specific area you mentioned - Team support is specifically there for you to play "ranked" matches with friends and/or splitscreen players, so I don't expect any changes in how "ranked" and splitscreen interact. Hopefully Team games will pick up some with the server browser too. You do gain stats as a "ranked" match in a team game so that does count towards your trophy goals, etc.

You should only lose stats if the host disconnects from the game. It's an unfortunate technical limitation.

The basic breakdown for stats posting is as follows:

"Host" leaves game:
- Since game was not finished and cannot be finished, people do not get wins or losses, but the host receives a major hit to their rating for that bracket for forfeiting. In a team match however you will actually receive a win/loss/etc, but in ranked we don't want to punish random players. That said, if the host actually forfeits and doesn't just go offline, you should have your STATS (goals/saves/etc) posted. If not it's something I can look into.

If another player leaves the game and the game finishes, things should post as normal.

Edit: Also meant to mention, I modified the calculations on the backend for wins/losses - if a player leaves a match he's written as "disconnect" which the rule now evaluates as a loss, so leavers SHOULD get both a loss and a huge hit to their rating.

 

[ickingfudiot]

Sorry to thread necro, a few updates:

- The US patch is going out today, the 18th, with major fixes to online lag and playability, a new map, "Cosmic", a server browser you can use during matchmaking, lag indicators, and some other bug fixes.
- The price is dropping to $9.99 today.
- The Euro version is still in Sony Europe certification but will be out in January barring them finding any more problems with it. We're really sorry about the delays but hit a bunch of snags with European ratings boards, localization, etc.

 

[gantz85]

Sorry to thread necro, a few updates:

- The US patch is going out today, the 18th, with major fixes to online lag and playability, a new map, "Cosmic", a server browser you can use during matchmaking, lag indicators, and some other bug fixes.
- The price is dropping to $9.99 today.
- The Euro version is still in Sony Europe certification but will be out in January barring them finding any more problems with it. We're really sorry about the delays but hit a bunch of snags with European ratings boards, localization, etc.

Have you guys made a profit on the game yet? Sensitive question, I know.

 

[Flunkie]

Sorry to thread necro, a few updates:

- The US patch is going out today, the 18th, with major fixes to online lag and playability, a new map, "Cosmic", a server browser you can use during matchmaking, lag indicators, and some other bug fixes.
- The price is dropping to $9.99 today.
- The Euro version is still in Sony Europe certification but will be out in January barring them finding any more problems with it. We're really sorry about the delays but hit a bunch of snags with European ratings boards, localization, etc.

Great news about the patch, I'm really excited for it; but to get more people to bite, I think a bigger price drop would help considerably.

 

[WiCkEd_Co]

$15 was a steal for the amount of time I have played this game online, $10 is just pure rape.

 

[BobJustBob]

BUY IT PIGFUCKERS. THIS IS 100X BETTER THAN ANYTHING CAPCOM HAS EVER DONE.

Whoops, caps lock.

 

[Torgo]

BUY IT PIGFUCKERS. THIS IS 100X BETTER THAN ANYTHING CAPCOM HAS EVER DONE.

Whoops, caps lock.

I couldn't agree more. This game is awesome through-and-through.

 

[°°ToMmY°°]

i tried the demo on the PSN US and loved it, when will this it the EU store? i want it!

 

[ickingfudiot]

i tried the demo on the PSN US and loved it, when will this it the EU store? i want it!

January. Will announce a date once we have one. Sort of out of our hands at this point.

 

[IcebergSlim3000]

I wasn't sure if that was the name of the game or the thread title.

 

[AndyD]

Is the patch coming later today?

 

[ickingfudiot]

Is the patch coming later today?

Yeah I'll post something as soon as it's up I guess, we got approved for it yesterday but not sure what time it'll become available today.

 

[Jim]

Press Release about the patch and price cut, fyi:

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars' Holiday Update

Psyonix Studios Delivers the Goods This Holiday Season

El Segundo, Calif. - December 18, 2008 - Psyonix Studios announced today that Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, the action-packed game with the insanely long name has received a five-dollar price break and is now available for download on the PlayStation®Network on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system at the steal-of-a-deal price of $9.99.

In addition to receiving a generous price break, Psyonix Studios has also released the latest multi-feature update that only adds to the overall gaming fun-factor and experience associated with SARPBC.

Features included in this update:

• New "Cosmic" arena
• Improved performance in network games
• A server browser has been added during matchmaking
• Players can now view leaderboards during matchmaking
• News updates appear on the online page
• Meters added to evaluate players' connection speed
• Headsets can be plugged-in or swapped during gameplay

At absolutely no cost to the player "Cosmic," the newly added arena, presents a brand-new challenge to Battle-Cars combatants by integrating quarter-pipe ramps that lead up to each of the goals. Gamers will be graced with the majestic view of deep-space as the arena orbits a beautiful yet mysterious uncharted planet. Like other SARPBC arenas, "Cosmic" places the focus on teamwork and communication, but never lets fun fall in second place.

SARPBC features unique rocket-powered cars with incredible physics-based maneuverability, including the ability to rocket into the air or accelerate at supersonic speeds on the ground by racing over boost strips, obtaining boost capsules or by performing a rapid succession of acrobatic flips. While in the air, cars can roll, flip, jump, dodge or spin in a freestyle fashion. In the team-based soccer game, players maneuver their vehicles to perform breathtaking saves, awe-inspiring shots and of course achieve supersonic speeds that literally turn your opponents into scrap metal. These abilities, combined with the players' own creativity and skill create a unique and thrilling experience every time.

"We really wanted to give back to our growing community for the holidays," said Dave Hagewood, Founder/Development Director of Psyonix Studios. "We've added the most requested features, lowered the price of the game and added a free new arena. You get more Battle-Cars for your gaming buck!"

Wide-ranging community involvement is supported through team and league play, as well as extensive and thorough statistical tracking, rankings and rewards for individuals and teams, including support for PLAYSTATION®3 system trophies. The game features three single player modes as well as team and league matches and scrimmage matches online. Using the full featured in-game video editor, players have the ability to save, upload and share their amazing triumphs and hysterical battle-car antics to their PLAYSTATION®3 system harddrive or upload clips directly to YouTube™.

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars is available now for only $9.99. A free trial version of the game, featuring both online and offline gameplay, is also available on the PlayStation®Network.

For more information please visit www.battle-cars.com.

 

[ickingfudiot]

Patch is live, most of the Psyonix devs should be online tonight playing. Hope to see some of you on there.

 

[WiCkEd_Co]

My rumble no longer works, does anyone else's work?

 

[ickingfudiot]

My rumble no longer works, does anyone else's work?

Check your profile, something with the patch and existing profiles is causing it to reset to "Off" by default.

 

[kuYuri]

I bought this game for you ickingfudiot.

Though I won't be able to play it tonight.