If you’ve been keeping up with the blog, you know that there were some difficulties with getting the pre-order cards to the stores last week, but all that’s been taken care of now. At least it has on our end.

But a lot of you have let us know in our forums that you are still having trouble getting your hands on the cards from your local shop.

So we have set up a new area in our LP forums so you can tell us exactly what’s going on in your area. If your local store doesn’t have the cards yet, or the clerk looks at you like you’re crazy when you bring it up, LET US KNOW! Our Sales team will take care of making sure the cards get to the stores that don’t have them as soon as possible.

—Brian

In the beginning, when I was just a tiny girl gamer with futuristic visions of pixel pushing, my dad brought home an old ATARI game system. My very first game was Adventure! I was beyond thrilled, since I had only ever peeked over shoulders and watched my family play text adventures. But now that I was barely old enough to play too, I picked up that joystick and took my first teetering steps toward a long videogame journey. In Adventure as a small and mobile square, I could be chased and eaten by actual rectangular dragons while looking for a key bigger than my square self. Lemme’ tell ya, it was a joyous day when I defeated both the Red and Black Dragons.

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I trust that by now you have all logged in enough hours on the Lost Planet multiplayer demo to have found your best controller layout pattern and sensitivity type and setting.

And I hope you have been able to get your pre-order card to unlock the special version of the demo with 2 maps. There weren’t really enough people to play in that demo last week, but we cleared up some issues and hopefully there will be plenty of people to play against from now on in the separate demo. If you enjoy the Pirate Fortress stage, doing the pre-order is definitely worth it to be able to play in Dilapidation as well.

If you’ve been playing lately, though, you may have noticed some strange goings-on. Players doing strange things, like hoisting their guns in the air or slapping their own arses. You may have even seen people spinning around the bridge at the top of the map.

Supposedly this was all discovered by some Japanese players, as the videos that surfaced (see below) originated from a Japanese website. I have a hunch it was some of the developers or testers showing off online that started it.

So how do you do this stuff?

Click to read the rest and see videos of it in action.

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You spoke. We heard. We fixed.

In Elimination multiplayer matches, the score shown in the upper left-hand corner is too small for some people to see on their TVs.

Well, we are fixing that, and now you will be able to see everyone’s points nice and big.

Click to see comparison screenshots.

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My second developer interview is with Mr. Kenji Oguro, Director and main designer for Lost Planet. He had some great thoughts to share.

Enjoy!

Click for larger size

Click to read the full interview.

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If you pre-ordered Lost Planet and were met with dumbfounded looks when you inquired about the pre-order card with the code for special version of the multiplayer demo, you are not alone. There were some issues, which we are truly sorry for, and things should be back on track now.

Here is Sven’s run-down of what happened:

Ok, there’s been much powwowing among the sales team, our retail parters and our executive group here.

Gamestop (including EB Games) has proven to be the one people are most interested in so let’s start there.

The tokens were shipped to GS in advance of Black Friday, however they were unable to move them from their distribution center to the store levels in time because of the holidays. I apologize profusely for that.

As of this Friday (most Gamestop stores nationwide should have it now, but let’s say Friday to be sure ALL stores have received the tokens) anyone who has preordered at any time should be able to go back into their Gamestop and pick up a token to receive the extra map.

Click to read the rest of the post.

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Following up my interview with English Localizer Eric Bailey, here is my first of many exclusive developer interviews. I’m kicking things off with an interview with Kouji Wakasono, graphic designer in Capcom’s development studios in Osaka, Japan. I asked him some questions about the multiplayer level design. Kenji Oguro, Director and Lead Designer for Lost Planet, also sat in on the interview.

Click for larger size

Click to read the rest of Part 1 of the interview.

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We just got the Collector’s Edition box into the office here, so I wanted to share it with you. Unfortunately I can’t show the back or the inside of it yet, but here’s what the front looks like (click on the picture for a bigger version).

—Brian

I trust you’ve already checked out other coverage of our recent MVP Summit at Microsoft. Well, I’ve finally had a chance to catch up a bit with my other work and get around to posting my pictures from the event.

So I flew down on Thursday afternoon with Alicia and Phil. We checked into our hotel, and then swung by MS to check in with the Community team there. They were busy setting up the two rooms we would be using the following day.

After that we had some time so we headed over to the Redmond Town Center. We popped our heads into the EB Games there, and then stuffed our faces (after a noon flight with no lunch) at Claimjumper’s.

Click to read the rest and see the rest of the pics.

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Our snazzy theatrical trailer for Lost Planet started showing last Friday. If you haven’t dragged yourself to the theater yet, you have a nice long weekend coming up so you have no excuse!

Anyway, this is our first time working with theaters, and apparently not all the theaters got the memo. Here’s a post from Charles-in-Charge from our forums:

Have you seen the Lost Planet In-Theater Trailer?

It is currently showing at theaters listed here: http://www.capcom.com/locate.php

Including before the new James Bond 007 movie “Casio Royale” and “Borat” as well as all PG-13 and R rated movies, again at theaters listed here: http://www.capcom.com/locate.php

If so can you let us know how long before the movie trailers started did you see Lost Planet, if the sounds was up and you could hear it and finally if the lights were dimmed.

We are hearing that some theaters have placed the ad before its allocated time, with no sound and with the lights up. This is not what was in the contract and we’re looking for feedback from the Lost Planet community on how it was presented in your local movie theater.

Any feedback would be welcome.

Thanks again for all your support.

Charles

So if you have seen the trailer yet, or if you go check it out in the coming weeks (it’ll only be in theaters through the end of the month), please be sure to swing by here and share your experience with us, good or bad!

—Brian

The third and final Lost Planet webisode will be out next week, so keep your eyes peeled.

Also coming early next week is the first (technically second when you count English Localizer Eric Bailey) of my series of exclusive Lost Planet developer interviews. Ill be kicking it off with Lost Planet Multiplayer Design Lead Kouji Wakasono, just in time to whet your appetite for the multiplayer demo that goes live on Thanksgiving.

See ya next week, and don’t forget to hit the theater this weekend to check out the brand new Lost Planet theatrical trailer!


—Brian

Tom J, our main web technologist (aka “webguy” ), wrote this cool little app and I’m here to share it with you.

Basically you go here and enter your state or Zip Code to find which movie theaters in your area you will be able to go check out the brand-new LP trailer.

The trailer is going to be shown before Casino Royale and all the other PG-13 and R-rated movies, starting tomorrow and running through the end of the month, at all of the theaters listed there.

So go check it out, then come back to the forums to let us know what you think!

—Brian

Okay. So you know about the bonus map for the MP demo you’ll get when you pre-order the game (technically it’s a separate version of the demo that has 2 maps instead of one).

And you know about the art book, music, and all the other goodies that come in the Collector’s Edition special case, as well as the additional MP map you’ll have months before anyone else when you get the CE.

Well, we have more goodies for you.

Click to read the rest.

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I trust you’ve already checked out the first LP webisode that came out a few weeks ago.

Well, the second webisode just came out (some of you are already talking about it), and is up on the http://www.lostplanet-thegame.com/ website, along with the first webisode if you missed it.


What?! A transforming Vital Suit?!

Transformers! More than meets the eye! (wink wink)




EDIT: I just found out these two webisodes are also available on Marketplace.



—Brian

Last week I mentioned a little event we were doing up at Microsoft. Well, the event has now come and gone…

We got to hang out with a great bunch of guys and talk all things “Lost Planet.” Thursday night we had a great sort of round-table discussion in the hotel lobby while we waited for the rest of the crew to roll in. Friday morning we headed over to MS to finish setting up (the MS Community team did most of the work) and run through our agenda for the day before the arrival of the MVPs. I took the crew through the single-player mode with the first 4 stages during a Q&A session about the game. Then it was time to take a tour of the Xbox facilities, including the XOC (Xbox Operations Center) before heading to the on-site Microsoft Cafe. After a hearty lunch, we moved into a different room for some multiplayer action.

I’ll have a full report and lots o’ pictures tomorrow. I forgot to bring the cable for my digital camera to work today, so you’ll just have to wait.

In the meantime, check out the coverage done by our guests at the event…

Click to read the rest.

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Yes, that’s right, the cat has officially left the bag.

I’m sure you have heard of the new James Bond movie by now, Casino Royale. Well, starting on November 17 and running through the end of November, if you go to see Casino Royale, you’ll be able to catch the amazing theatrical trailer we’ve put together for Lost Planet on more than half of the big screens in the country. And that of course includes Casino Royale along with a host of other “PG-13” or “R”-rated movies we’re working with, . This time we’re going all-out to put together a stunning CG piece truly worthy of being shown on the big screen that will absolutely blow your mind. I’ve only seen a few rough iterations which are basically like storyboards put in sequence, and I can already tell it’s gonna be frikkin’ amazing. I guess now I have a good excuse to drag myself to see the new Bond flick. :>>

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, my fellow gamer geeks…

Click to read the rest.

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Okay, so it’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been out sick this week. So sue me.

A couple of things…

I’m heading up to Redmond this afternoon for a Lost Planet event we’re doing at Microsoft. I’ll be taking plenty of pictures and have a full report for you guys and gals next week.

Also, check back here soon, as I have some VERY big news to share with you in the coming day(s).

—Brian

The first Lost Planet webisode was just unleashed on the public, giving a sneak-peek into the rich story that drives Lost Planet. This is to be the first of three webisodes, with the next installment due out in the coming weeks. It should be up on our website pretty soon, and you can also find it on other websites that feature game videos and trailers. Check it out and let us know what you think!


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—Brian

We announced the final details of the Collector’s Edition today!!

Here’s the basic run-down:

• One exclusive bonus multiplayer map that will only be available in the Collectors Edition until summer 2007
• Custom designed exclusive cover art, for collector’s edition only
• Premium packaging in a sleek SteelBook metal case
• Exclusive art book with concept sketches from all stages of development including character renders, VS renders and enemy art
• Soundtrack of select songs from the game
• Fan kit assets for gamers to create their own Lost Planet websites
• Action packed videos and trailers
• Wallpapers, AIM icons, board icons and signature banners
• Digital art files including screens, character art and environment shots

Discuss it here.


—Brian

Although I was a little late in rallying the troops yesterday, we had three intense rounds of Lost Planet multiplayer to end the day with a bang. Here’s the low-down on what went down.

Round 1:
I set up the first round as a Team / Rockets match, so Team Elimination with the starting weapon being the rocket launcher. I assume if you are reading this, you’ve already played through the demo that’s been on Marketplace since May a at least a few times, so you know about the rocket launcher that you dig out of the snow outside of the first hangar in the first stage. We had 7 people for this round, 4-on-3, and I was on the team with only 3 players.

Click to read the rest.

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We sent out some playable versions of LP to certain press outlets, and it looks like coverage is starting to surface on Lost Planet.

If you haven’t already, check out the Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Preview on Gamespot, IGN’s Lost Planet Hands-On, and Team Xbox has their own Lost Planet Hands-on Preview. They all played through the first four stages or so, and they all have their own unique take on the game. Some even have new screenshots and videos, so look out for those too.

—Brian