Turok special on Gamer TV this weekend

For those of you looking forward to Turok, or if you're still on the fence about this dino-powered FPS, there's a 30-minute special on the game this weekend on Bravo.

Gamer TV is one of the top gaming shows on British television and they often have entire episodes devoted to a particular game. The last was Uncharted, which we think was frankly worthy of a full hour rather than the 30 minutes it got!

You can catch the Turok special at the following times and then decide if it was worthwhile or if you'd like half-an-hour of your life back:

• Saturday 2nd Feb - 11.30 am - Bravo
• Sunday 3rd Feb - 11.30 am - Bravo
• Monday 4th Feb - 08.00 am - Bravo

Brand new Home images show progression

Home has been going through a number of changes based on the feedback from the various Beta testers out there, but so far we've only been 'told' what to expect.

Now we can actually see what's happening courtesy of an update on the official Japanese PlayStation website.

They have added an entire Home section with dozens of screenshots and details. You can see all the important screens in the gallery below.

We'll be back with more information on all the recent changes soon. With rumours that we'll see Home before the Spring is out, it is interesting to see that Sony's own websites are starting to push it properly.

US PS Store updates for 31st January

Due to the time difference between the UK and the US, we're often first to the punch when it comes to the European update but always last to announce what is new.

So going forward we're not going to do any announcing.

You'll be able to go straight to the full list of updates at the Official PlayStation Blog from his update each week but here we will just concentrate on our opinion of what was released.

So what do we think?

Nice to get a Conflict: Denied Ops demo. We haven't seen much of this game as of yet so it will be interesting to see if this can compete in a world full of FPS titles.

The Rock Band DLC is always welcome, and we just don't get any of that over here, but otherwise it seems to be a pretty weak update.

The only thing that makes me somewhat jealous are the two Folklore packs. Folklore has been one of the big 'sleeper' hits of 2007 and these two downloadables mark the end of the available DLC for Folklore. I do hope they don't forget to release them in Europe before they stop for good!

I'm hoping for better things next week on both sides of the pond, as this week has been fairly thin in terms of decent releases.

European PS Store updates for 31st January

It's that time again - the PS Store is updated and ready to roll.

So what tasty morsels do we find within the pages of the store today? Mostly the US store's sloppy seconds I'm afraid.

As stated on the PS3 Attitude PlayStation 3 Events Calendar, the Devil May Cry 4 demo makes its appearance in Europe today. Of course, you may have already played the Japanese or US versions by now, but it has arrived nevertheless.

We also get the MX vs ATV Untamed demo that appeared in the US all the way back on November 20th!

You do get three nice PS1 games today though, which goes some way to catching up on the massive amount of retro titles available in Japan. The fact that Theme Hospital is available does make up a little for a generally lacklustre update.

Here's the complete (and very short) list:

PS1 Games (for PSP and PS3)

Fade to Black (£3.49)
Motorhead (£3.49)
Theme Hospital (£3.49)

Demos (all free)

Devil May Cry 4
MX vs. ATV Untamed

Trailers (all free)

PixelJunk Monsters

Pretty grim I'm afraid. I wonder what the US store will come up with later today in comparison.

Official: Tiscali aren't blocking Call of Duty on purpose

There has been a minor news meltdown recently on the subject of Tiscali alledgedly 'blocking' PS3 Call of Duty 4 players from enjoying their favourite FPS title online.

The fact is, many ISPs block or 'throttle' certain types of traffic at certain times of the day due to network strain issues. If they didn't then the majority of customers would suffer as a result of activities carried out by the minority.

The ports and type of traffic Call of Duty 4 uses would appear to be similar to the kind of P2P traffic generated when downloading files via BitTorrent, and so Tiscali (like other ISPs) limit this kind of traffic for the good of the majority of their clients.

Certainly there is one thing that is true - Tiscali are not blocking CoD4 players on purpose. We asked Tiscali to put the record straight:

"Reports suggesting that we were deliberately blocking specific games are
incorrect. We are constantly working to upgrade and refine our network to ensure
our customers can enjoy their favourite applications. Work is currently underway
on routine updates and we will keep you informed." - Tiscali UK

We'll keep you up-to-date on the results of these 'routine updates' but I would suspect that this issue will go away soon for Tiscali PS3 gamers.

Getting grief online? Here's how to deal with it...

We love online play at PS3 Attitude. The PlayStation Network is so easily accessed in almost every title on the platform, and we don't have to pay any monthly subscription to use it.


But 'the Network' it isn't always a good place to be.


Every now and then one of us will be playing our favourite game only to have it ruined by some fool who has decided that their headset or PS Eye should be used as a tool to spread their bigotted, vile nonsense to whoever is playing at the time.


The good news is that you don't have to just sit there and listen to it. If the nastiness is directed at you, you don't have to put up with it.

But do be clear about what you are dealing with. There is a difference between someone getting a little angry at being fragged for the 50th time or crashing their car into a wall 30 yards from the finish line, and someone who needs to be dealt with.

Here's a few ideas about what should not be tolerated whilst playing online:

• Sexual harassment
• Racial abuse
• Religious Abuse
• Cultural abuse

Whilst it would be a good feature for a future firmware update, the PS3 doesn't include a standard abuse reporting system (Sony, are you listening?).


So here is a guide to how to best deal with the issue and what you should do next:


1. Don't fight hate with hate


If someone is hurling racial or sexual abuse at an individual or the group, by all means ask them to stop in a calm manner. If they don't stop, ask everyone else in the game to quit that session, quit out of it yourself and go find a session that doesn't include the abusive person. Before you quit, take a note of their PSN ID, the date and the time. If they track you down to start up again, add 'Stalking' to the list of things they were doing online.


2. Carry on playing


Gaming is about having fun, so by all means find a different session and carry on gaming, or switch games for a while. The good news is that the idiots haven't taken over the asylum - abusers and griefers are a minority and you are likely to find that you can put the incident behind you for now and carry on having fun online.


3. Report the abuser


Once you're done, or the next day if necessary, report the person. Don't just let them get away with it.


Sony allow you to report anyone playing a First-party title using their Grief Reporting system.

Some third-party developers provide their own mechanisms for now since there is a lack of a standard reporting system inside the PS3's firmware, but we could only find the instructions for EA at the time of writing, which is a shame.

Here's how to make sure the offending person is dealt with:


First-party titles


Visit the PlayStation Grief Reporting website and complete the form.

PlayStation Network abuse

If someone uses the chat facility or another part of the PSN (i.e. when you're not playing a game) there is a PSN Complaint Form you can complete.


Third-party titles


Electronic Arts

• Visit http://support.ea.com and click 'Contact Us'.
• In the Platform & Game drop-down menu, select Sony PlayStation 3, then select the game you were playing (Burnout Paradise, for example).
• In the Category drop-down menu, select Technical Support, then select Connectivity & Lag.
• In the Question text field, provide the following information - 1. Your PLAYSTATION Network Account name and the e-mail address associated with the account - 2. The suspect's PLAYSTATION Network Account name - 3. A detailed explanation of the incident: (i.e., what happened, when it occurred, etc.)

As we discover more abuse reporting systems for third-party developers, we'll update this story.

In the meantime have fun and enjoy the Network. If we all do something positive about the minority, they will find that the PSN is not a place for them to ply their nonsense and abuse.

Sony's gaming division goes back to black

Sony sold 4.9 million PS3s in the last quarter, helping generate a profit for the first time in a while.

Whilst Sony have adjusted their forecast down from 11 million to 9.5 million PS3 sales for the financial year, they have increased their projection of PSP sales from 10 million to 13 million units.

Sony's profits rose a whopping 25% for the quarter on the back of increased units sales and lower manufacturing costs, which is all good news in our books - and theirs.

February fallout; PS3 Attitude Big Three

Yes, it's that time of the month where we run down the three titles you really have to seek out in February.

As a quick reminder, the PS3 Attitude Big Three takes in UK and European release dates only and is for titles that will be released in February.

1. Devil May Cry 4 [pre-order] [pre-order Limited Edition version] [pre-rent]

Oh how we cried, got angry and cried some more (not really, but some people did) when Capcom took one of our favourite sons to 'other platforms'. Shock horror!

Regardless of whether you have got over their decision or not, Devil May Cry 4 remains true to the series. Outstanding images and set pieces. Crazy combos. Devilish enemies. And slightly camp heroes with white hair. It's all there.

Everything you would imagine you'd like in the first next-gen DMC is included. It's a great game for the month of February but just because it is exactly what you'd expect, it may be one of those titles you rent until completed rather than own. Let's face it, the DMC series was never that big on replay value...

2. Unreal Tournament III [pre-order] [pre-rent]

It's been a long time coming but we finally get to see UT III on this side of the Atlantic this month.

We were genuinely worried that by the time UT III arrived in the UK and Europe that the reports of issues and problems with the US version would have warned us off.

But it seems all is fairly well with the game now and there is no denying it is one of the best FPS titles available on the platform to date.

Add to that the fact that the mod cooker application is now available and in the hands of the best amateur designers out there, and you have a game that will continue to expand and improve over the course of the year.

UT III is a genuinely exciting title and one that comes to us already polished and ready for action after the delay.

3. The Club [pre-order] [pre-rent]

Once again, this is a title I would more likely rent than buy, just in case. In case of what?

Well the demo was fun and this does appear to be a nice twist on the run-and-shoot game genre. But we're worried that The Club doesn't offer enough variety or longevity to be a 'must buy' game.

Having said that, the gameplay is immediately accessible and the premise of scoring points and combos whilst running through a timed level does remind us a little of Chilli Con Carnage, just without the bad jokes and Central American stereotypes.

The Club does have it's own set of stereotypical characters from all around the world of course, and we're hoping there is more depth in their background stories to further push this title up the wishlist.

Against other February releases such as Turok, FIFA Street 3, NFL Tour and Blacksite, we think The Club just pinches it for third place in the Big Three.

You'll have noticed that for the first time we are providing links to both pre-order the game and pre-rent.

We understand that some people prefer to rent certain titles so the pre-rent links will ensure you get an oportunity to try the Big Three out first from one of the UK's leading rental firms - GameFlirt. Anyone opening up a new account will get 10 days free rental as well as a little 'thank you' from us...

US arty types rejoice; Warhawk painting competition

SCEA have announced an official Warhawk painting contest where you - yes YOU - can have your aircraft paint designs and insignia made available to Warhawk players around the globe!

50 winning insignias and 20 paint schemes will be picked by Incognito to include in the forthcoming v1.3 patch. In addition, each winner will also receive a limited edition Warhawk statuette.

Be warned though. Despite the nice prizes the rules are complex and require your complete attention.

Click to devour the terms and conditions and download the templates you need. Good luck to all our US-resident arty cousins - have fun!

120Gb PS3 not coming to the UK

As you may know we try not to do 'rumour and speculation' at PS3 Attitude.

That's why we've held off on talking about the possibility of a 120Gb PS3 whilst the rest of the Internet seems to be all abuzz with suggestions of a new SKU.

But now we do have something concrete to add. SCEE have confirmed that even if a 120Gb device will exist in the near future, it won't be coming to the UK. Bad news?

Well here's the thing. It is so remarkably simple and cheap to upgrade your PS3 internal hard drive (or attach an external USB drive) that existing PS3 owners shouldn't really care all that much anyhow. And new PS3 purchasers will initially be happy with whatever is included safe in the knowledge that they too can upgrade without invalidating their warranty.

I know there are already some choice videos available on how to upgrade your drive so go sniff out your favourite on YouTube. All you need is a 2.5" SATA drive and you're away.

European PSN sales close to 'double-digit millions'

In a recent interview David Reeves of SCEE has explained how even they are suprised at how well the PSN and PS Store have performed.

“One thing that has surprised us is in the Network purchases and the
general level of interest that has been shown around the Network business”

“We’ve gone from zero to almost double-digit millions in terms of what
people have purchased in euros."

David goes on to explain that there are around two million registered users in Europe who have downloaded approximately 33 million files. Two million is close to 40% of the European user base, which is excellent saturation at this point.

In our opinion this success is in the face of some fairly mediocre updates over the last year in comparison to the US Store. The European store has probably 'won' the weekly battle against the US only twice since March 2007.

What happens when we start to get some of the promised content - and PlayStation Home - can only be speculated on. We'd say that the future certainly looks good though.

Game releases this week

Just a reminder that you can keep up-to-date on all UK and Europe PS3 game releases via the supremely handy PS3 Attitude PlayStation 3 Events Calendar.

You'll notice just the one title this week, but don't fear - February is nearly upon us and it's looking like a good month for us all. Look out for more details in the PS3 Attitude Big Three later this week.