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Tony Hawk DS

some new info

The DS game will incorporate a more "toon shaded" appearance to more separate itself from the console product, as well as to push effects that are more in line with the Nintendo DS system's capabilities. It's a style that really sets the game apart as its own brand, and should prevent the usual "console-to-handheld" comparisons that happen when developers port from home to portable systems.

The result, so far, is an incredibly smooth and fast Tony Hawk experience on the Nintendo DS. The game looks absolutely fantastic in its early form, running at a silky smooth 60 frames per second in huge and expansive environments with plenty of rails to grind and ramps to jump.
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Though many of the DS-specific features still need to be implemented, we got a glimpse of a few cool functions. Players will obviously be able to track their whereabouts on the DS system's lower touch-screen with an overhead map. The touch screen will also be used for specific touch-screen specials that players will pull off by tapping the on-screen icons at the proper time. Player avatars and board textures can be doodled up in the game's paint program as well. And here's a unique feature: you'll be able to record your voice using the DS system's microphone and use that sample when your character bails during a jump, or pulls off a special move. These custom textures and voice samples can apparently transfer over to other people's systems when you link up wirelessly for multiplayer challenges.

looking forward to it. here's hoping the DS's lack of power makes for more THPS2/3 style level design.
 
That's.. really fucking cool.

And I had absolutely no interest in this either.

It's not a straightforward console to handheld port, it has unique (and cool) features, and it will (hopefully/probably) play more like THPS2/3.

Awesome.

This was said to have online play too, right?

EDIT: Okay, one thing: the combo text is fucking HORRENDOUS. Kill it NOW.
 
That looks great. If it is anywhere near the fun as THPS2 for the GBA (still amazing that the game was a launch title), I'll pick it up.
 
Johnny Nighttrain said:
some new info


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looking forward to it. here's hoping the DS's lack of power makes for more THPS2/3 style level design.
It ALMOST looks like they ripped the graphics engine from USM.
 
warhead said:
The character looks so different from the surroundings, it sucks.
Agreed. The sorroundings look pretty cool nevertheless. The special combo thingie using the touch screen sounds like crap, while the recording of your own voice for the tricks is a neat feature.
 
Cell-shading actually works pretty well on DS. I kinda wish Nintendo had cell-shaded Mario 64 DS now, to give it different flavor.
 
CoolTrick said:
Is it easier on the system to crank out 3D environments (and without slowdown) if it's celshaded?
No, but it looks better generally imo. Plus it's not too taxing on the system (like it was for PS1/N64) since DS has hardwired cell-shading support on it's 3D instruction set.
 
CoolTrick said:
Is it easier on the system to crank out 3D environments (and without slowdown) if it's celshaded?

No, the number of polygons is the same... It's the DS' lack of texture filtering that is less of an issue when Cel-shading is used.
 
CoolTrick said:
Is it easier on the system to crank out 3D environments (and without slowdown) if it's celshaded?

As mentioned, usually not in terms of poly count. But with the more abstract style you could leave out details that you don't model at all. Also, when you make a game cel-shaded there is an opportunity to take shortcuts with the textures. In fact in places you could eliminate the textures entirely, or at the least have smaller size textures.
 
Count me interested. Hopefully, this new art direction focuses the developers to stay away from the underground bullshit, and back to THPS 2/3 bliss. No crappy car driving, no getting off my board, just arcade skating perfection.
 
StarscreamLSU said:
Maybe. Didn't the original Spider-Man (PSOne) and Tony Hawk share an engine? Maybe the same is going on here?


They both came from the Apocalypse engine from the Bruce Willis game on the Playstation. A decent enough game.
 
The Main Event said:
Any details on the online option yet?

Yeah I'm looking forward to hearing about that. I'm assuming that they're going to be like the old school Tony Hawk game's multiplayer options. Tag and stuff like that.
 
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