Many gamers and critics may have had a hard time with Lair's controls, and Factor 5 definitely noticed the complaints about the game's control scheme. So is it possible that they may send a out a fix for Lair's motion sensing controls or - even better - release an entirely new optional control scheme? Read the full article to judge for yourself.

Suffice it to say that Julian Eggebrecht is an interesting sort of fellow. As if it wasn't enough that the folks at Factor 5 and Sony were cheeky enough to release a guide to reviewing Lair, it seems Eggebrecht is also on the offensive, berating the motion control that can be found in another game on the PlayStation 3 roster: Warhawk.

Games Radar reports that during a talk with Julian Eggebrecht about the motion-sensing controls in other games, he was quick to denounce the way other games had pulled the system off. "Warhawk's controls are... eurgh!," he explained. He continued with a remark about how motion sensing should be used, "I see motion-sensing as a complimentary, additional new step in terms of controls and where it fits you should use it and where it doesn't fit, don't force it. Please don't force it."

Perhaps that is the case, but it should be noted that while Warhawk makes motion-sensing an optional addition to the gameplay experience, Lair's motion-sensing controls are a completely compulsory experience.

Factor 5's boss Julian Eggebrecht has been talking about the possibility of another Star Wars: Rogue Squadron game. He said that if they were to do it, then it would be based on the Classic Star Wars universe and not the new trilogy.

This is pretty exciting considering Eggebrecht said that it won't be just an HD port. He noted that the game would have to innovate and focus more on gameplay considering the Star Wars IP was well-represented in the last generation of consoles.

Speaking of innovations, he also said that motion control, while good for controlling a dragon (ala Lair) might not be a good idea with Rogue Squadron: "If I was to do a game with an X-Wing, I don't know if I'd necessarily use motion control. It might be [analog] stick, because that is how you'd be controlling the craft - it might be more appropriate."

Unfortunately, the game isn't very high on the company's list of priorities at this point, as they're still tied up with other projects. Just as well, since it'll give them time to think of a a new hook, or reason to make players want to jump into the cockpit again.

Is it another controversy waiting to happen? In an interview by MTV, Julian Eggebrecht, head of development at Factor 5, revealed an unlockable content in Lair that he wanted to call "Hot Coffee." It's old news, yeah, but Sony and Factor 5 didn't want to call it that.

When you put in the cheat code - which is 686F7420636F66666565 for the curious - you get... Well, you'll have to watch the video at the end of the article to find out for yourself. It's hot.

Eggebrecht also commented on the motion-only dragon controls in Lair, which some people didn't take to. He explains that it's not perfect, and even he can't get some moves all the time, but that it's the inherent nature of motion-controlled games (even the Wii's) to not always be able to recognize "ever-varied gestures":

The Sixaxis motion control itself feels a lot more organic and free-form than the rigid controls of other flight games and does much better for casual players, as we saw in focus tests. It does seem to alienate some reviewers who are at the top of the hard-core crowd and seem to have a passionate hate for all things motion, be it ‘Wii Sports’ with sometimes absurdly low scores for what might become the defining game of this generation, or ‘Lair’ as their newest poster child of evil. It’s an unfortunate development that, if the players themselves listen too much to the motion-hatred message, will divide the gaming community. Our potential for growth as an art form for the mainstream is in the easier-to-access control schemes that might be less precise but a lot of fun.

The Hot Coffee video can be found at the full article!

All eyes were on Factor 5's Lair for the PlayStation 3 before its release, but bad reception from the press made gamers think twice before grabbing a copy. However, Sony doesn't seem to be much bothered. Dave Karakker, who's about to leave his post as PR Head, told Next-gen that consumers are more important in quantifying the title's success.

Karakker acknowledges the hype and anticipation that came with Lair as the dragon-flight simulator set forth in its adventure. Taken from a phone interview he had with Next-gen:

At the end of the day, I'll be interested in the consumers' response, because the consumer awareness for this title was so huge. I've spoken to any number of people who really like it, and there's other people that find it a challenge. What really matters is whether or not the consumers are having a good experience, because they'll tell us on the [PlayStation] blog.

Even Lair's director, Julian Eggebrecht, is not worried about what reviews say. He described critics as "hardcore" with "passionate hate for all things motion."

The game has taken flack due to its poor SIXAXIS control mechanics despite having high production values and being one of the most visually impressive titles in the market. Word has it that PS3 Firmware Update 1.92 made controls tighter and substantially better; here's to hoping Lair will be seen in a new light.

Leipzig's heralded opening keynote has come to a conclusion, and Factor 5 president Julian Eggebrecht had much to say regarding authoritative hindrances to the development of games as an art form. In his delivery, Eggebrecht said that the ratings board of the game industry wasn't taking games seriously, especially in the art form viewpoint.

 

In the past, games have often been crusaded as a new form of art, complete with expression of creative content and the ability to interact with that expression. But more often than not, the game industry is besieged by elements from the outside. And even for a simple, sincere campaign to have one game viewed as an art form, there are plenty of other entities who wouldn't share the same views.

Even references to certain topics, rendered in satires, were restricted to some extent. Factor 5's Lair included hidden content of a real-life coffee maker - obviously in reference to GTA's "Hot Coffee" hidden content - but Factor 5 didn't have the liberty to call the cheat as "Hot Coffee" even if they willed.

"Everyone thought it was hilarious...but we couldn't call the cheat 'Hot Coffee', because that would imply we were mocking the authorities investigating Hot Coffee," Eggebrecht added. Later, he pinpointed how easily a game can be plucked from shelves simply because of an Easter Egg that suggested a sexual act, in contrast to movies. He also said:

I would be happy if in games we could talk about homosexuality, but we're not even at the point where we can admit that humans have heterosexual relationships, and that is a real problem - and it tends to show that games are not being seen, even by our own ratings boards, as an art form.

Though much of his speech would be considered flak against the U.S.' Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), he did offer some constructive criticism. He suggested that a new ratings scheme be drawn up to differentiate levels between Mature and Teen, where some games could be viewed as both due to differences in viewpoints. But overall, he said it would allow games to be rendered as art forms, and push the envelope a little further. He concluded:

I hope that we actually can prove that this is an art form. Show me something that proves on all levels that games are indeed an art form - push the violence, but also push the sex, and push it in an artistic way where it's not really gratuitous, but where it gets my thinking brain going.

 

Just another couple of updates for the day, in case you're keeping an eye out for the upcoming Games Convention Developer's Conference (GCDC) 2007 at Leipzig. The organizers have just sent out a press wire to say that they've now released the schedule for this year's event. In line with this quick update, the following speakers have also been confirmed to be present:

• Julian Eggebrecht (USA)
• Peter Molyneux (UK)
• Michael Lewis, Cryptic Studios (USA)
• Chris Mottes, Deadline Games (Denmark)
• Jeff Hickman, EA Mythic (USA)
• Jeffrey Steefel, Turbine, Inc. (USA)
• Don Daglow, Stormfront Studios (USA)
• Patric Palm, Hansoft (Sweden)
  

As Sean Kauppinen, GCDC advisory board member, and vice president of Kohnke Communications, said regarding the speakers expected to make an appearance.

We had a tremendous number of potential speakers this year and the task of deciding which topics and speakers to choose has been an intense process because there is so much going on in the industry right now. The board feels that we have put forth a top-notch program and we look forward to the reaction of the conference attendees.

This year's GCDC will take place at Leipziger Messe (Germany), from August 20-22. The full event schedules should be available over at the official GCDC site, accessible via the read link provided for below.

 

Julian Eggebrecht, Factor 5 president and lead director, has been announced as the opening keynote speaker for the GC Developers Conference (GCDC) 2007 in Leipzig (also known as the Leipzig Games Convention). Details of his speech have yet to be revealed, but we can expect it to be interesting at the very least. Factor 5 is currently working on the PS3-exclusive game Lair.

Peter Molyneux, Lionhead Studios' president, will also be giving a keynote focusing on the company's classic games. The GCDC 2007 will be held from August 20 to 22 in Leipzig, Germany. Other GCDC 2007 international speakers will include:

• Jason Manley (Massive Black)
• Christopher Schmitz, (10Tacle Studios)
• Jennifer MacLean (Comcast Interactive Media)
• Dr. Michael Wimmer (The University of Vienna)
• Alexander Fernández (Streamline Studios)
• Cindy Armstrong (Webzen)
• Amir Taaki (Crystalspace)
• Jeff Strain (ArenaNet)
• Vlad Ihora (Telia Sonora)
• Barbara Lippe (Avaloop IT Solutions)
• Pamela Kato (The GamerX)
• Uwe Nikl (Level 3)
• Matt Firor (Ultra Mega Games)
• Konstantin Ewald (Osborne Clarke)

As the game that holds the distinction of very possibly being the first PS3 title to show just what Sony's next gen console can do, Lair certainly has a lot riding on its shoulders. Factor 5 co-founder and president Julian Eggebrecht seems to be taking it all in stride, though, revealing a few more details on the game in a recent PSU interview.

The creatures in Lair are pretty diverse. On the ground, there are ground army types, horses, and more advanced beasts like the Taurus and elephant-like warbeasts. The skies, meanwhile, are full of flying mantae filled with Hydrogen, different dragon races and types, and several types of spider-like flying insects. Perfect for laying waste to the game's destructible environments.

On the online side of things, Eggebrecht revealed that some story strings that had to be cut from the game could resurface as downloadable content. "Those levels would fit right in and would make the game into a true director's cut. In addition, we are talking about new armor types and other upgrades to help the player. Well, and then there is of course the issue of additional dragon types."

Lair currently doesn't have a multiplayer mode, but Eggebrecht revealed that they are "keeping it for potential sequels." A demo also seems to be in the works. "I don't know about the 'when' just yet, but I expect that we will do a demo."

 

Often the root of many Xbox 360 versus PlayStation 3 wars, the Dragonlancer-esque game Lair is in itself one amazing title that needs serious horsepower stocked under Sony's next-generation console's hood. Not surprisingly, in an interview with GamePro, Factor 5's Julian Eggebrecht, chief creative director, said that they were impressed by the power of the PlayStation 3.

We were blown away by Cell. Not so much by the graphics chip because that was basically what was known and what we expected, but the Cell suddenly made it possible to use techniques in Lair that we had talked about before, but which we never thought a system would be fast enough to actually support. We were able to make this insane level of detail changes possible from the very, very highest point up in the sky all the way to the ground.

Eggebrecht explained that in their former flight title Rebel Strike for the GameCube, they had to "cheat around" with massive levels, making them look massive by loading the next level once the fighter landed. It wasn't a fluid, smooth option from going all the way up to all the way down, but it worked.

Now with the PlayStation 3's CELL processor, however, that's a whole different story. In fact, Eggebrecht revealed that their AI uses the processing units dynamically. Instead of dedicating certain AI tasks to one of the SPUs, the game would allocate processing resources to an idle unit.

They have animations running on some of the SPUs, with a full-blown physics engine. They also have actual fluid mechanics being simulated for the first time in a game, thanks to the CELL. But perhaps the worst of it is, that for all that power and capability, the game isn't coming with a multiplayer mode.

Instead, it will have a ranking, online mode. But if Lair becomes a success and they get to work on a sequel, Factor 5 promises to put multi-play "on the table."