"The Real SOCOM" Blog presented by David Doel

Rumor: SOCOM 4 in development, by Zipper?

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:48:38 PDT

PS3center.net has posted the rumor that SOCOM 4 is in development, based off the fact that PCB Productions lists "SOCOM 4 - (motion capture direction) - PLAYSTATION 3 (in development)" on their page.

In addition to that, PS3center has speculated that Zipper Interactive are the ones in development of SOCOM 4 due to the fact that Slant Six is currently working on Fireteam Bravo 3 for PSP. I think that's a large jump to make considering that many studios work on more than 1 project at once (Zipper is currently working on MAG afterall), but at the same time it's an interesting assumption.

SOCOM: Confrontation DLC FINALLY announced.

noreply@blogger.com (TK42OnE) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:39:02 PDT

Not exactly a earth shattering announcement, but hey, at least it's something.

http://www.socom.com/en-us/Blog/Post?id=245

SOCOM Confrontation DLC

Posted by Confrontation Online Team

Many of you have been eagerly awaiting information on the SOCOM: Confrontation DLC pack and today we’re happy to announce that DLC will be available to the community later this summer.We'll be unveiling a lot more information on the contents of the pack in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, here are the basic things you can expect to see in this huge update to SOCOM: Confrontation…

All new Area of Operation
New Features
New Game Mode
New Maps
New Characters
New Weapons & Attachments
New Music
New Voice-Over

We’ve got a lot in the pipeline for this so please stay tuned!

P.S. Here's a little glimpse of what is to come...

You can comment on this post here.

New Blog post up, 1.50 AND 1.60 information

noreply@blogger.com (TK42OnE) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:08:18 PDT

Finally some offical news. I'm excited, but also a little dissapointed. I'll explain that in another post. For now, I'll enjoy the news of the return of my favourite weapon... the friggin' 9mm sub!

http://www.socom.com/en-us/Blog/Post?id=241

1.50 Update:
Posted by Confrontation Online Team
The 1.50 Update for SOCOM: Confrontation is feature complete and currently in test. Due to the number and scope of the feature set of 1.50 the testing cycle has taken longer than anticipated. We remain committed to releasing this patch as soon as the remaining open issues are resolved. It is extremely important to us to make sure the 1.50 update is as problem free as possible when it is released and we are working towards that goal rather than pushing it out as is on a specific date.
A number of features in 1.50 are of such a scale that it will not be possible for us to fully predict how they will behave before public deployment. An example of this is the tournaments, each of which can accommodate 1000s of players. To account for this, we will ramp the size and number of tournaments during the first weeks after release to monitor and address any issues which may arise. We have also been working on a 1.60 Update which will incorporate any fixes that are required as Tournaments and Clan Ladders become fully populated.
FREE Downloadable Content:
We are happy to announce that the 1.60 Update will also contain additional features and content. We’ve heard your requests for new content and we are happy to provide free downloadable content with the 1.60 update. The following free Downloadable Content will be available to all players:
New Special Forces: The Dutch KCT and the Italian COMSUBIN Special Forces. Each Force includes new heads and voice + a light, medium and heavy variant of their own torso and legs (each with a unique camouflage pattern).
Two new primary weapons will be immediately accessible to players who select to play as the new Special Forces; the 417 assault rifle for the Dutch KCT and the SPAS 15 shotgun for the Italian COMSUBIN Special Forces.
Four new weapons will be available to all players regardless of assigned Special Force. These are the 9mm Sub Machine Gun, M82A1A, Ak-74 and SR-25. The 1.60 will also include a number of weapon updates and adjustments to existing weapons.
In addition to the free DLC included with the 1.60 update we are also working to add 100% Random Medleys in the 1.60 update. We know this is a highly requested feature and we really want to get it out to you.
More DLC coming! - We can also confirm that we have been working on a major content release/pack. Look for an announcement later in the month.
We will release more information on Patch 1.6 after 1.5 has been released.
You can comment on this post here.

Some info on the 1.60 patch

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:24:55 PDT

Blog reader Adam Halliwell was gracious enough to email me this info from the European Playstation Message Boards about patch 1.60.

Today the European producer Shijima made a post on the European SOCOM boards detailing some server changes and restrictions, which will be implemented in patch 1.60.

Shijima wrote:

Well, I'm not sure how well this will be received as some people don't seem to understand exactly what goes into making a game and how complicated the process can be, but I sincerely appreciate the patience of those who do understand and who have done their best to 'enlighten' others.

I can now confirm that Slant Six Games and SCEA have agreed to implement some functionality into the game that will allow people to restrict the games they play only to the region they are playing in. The most straightforward solution to this challenge (and yes, it was a challenge to retro-fit something into the base techology) is to set-up different channels for different regions, as well as an overall global channel. Medley and custom games in the regional channels will be available to players who have chosen that region only. Medleys and custom games in global channels can be played by everyone, with all the associated risks and potential for abuse that entails (you have been warned!).

This is due for implementation into patch v1.60 because the team have been too busy working on implementing tournament and clan ladder functionality into v1.50. This is also the reason why it's taken a little time to establish a solution to the problem, simply because the team have been too busy working on resolving issues with the current patch in development and haven't had the bandwidth to focus on extra feature requests.

Perhaps people can bear that in mind in future...

Shijima.

Source

SOCOM Home space releases tonight

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:01 PDT

The SOCOM Home space (also called the 'Tactical Operations Center') will be releasing tonight and actually looks kind of promising:

You can plan strategies on the maps using a telestrator tool, check out the latest stats and leaderboards, and also dress up in SOCOM apparel.

Now, lets hope the thing we all actually want, the new patch and DLC, isn't far behind.

Greetings from TK42OnE

noreply@blogger.com (TK42OnE) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:43:08 PDT

Just wanted to say a quick hello to the readers of therealsocom.com.

I’ll be doing my best to come up with informative and hopefully interesting stuff for this blog in the future.

I had been on sort of a hiatus from the game for the last few weeks, partly because my PS3 died a tragic death recently, but with the return of the PS3, and SOCOM, in my life, I’m excited to get back on the horse and find stuff to put up here.

Thoughts are swirling around in my noggin about what’s “blog worthy.”

One thing I wanted to mention was how relieved I was when my (sort of) new PS3 arrived, and I fired up SOCOM, remade my load outs, and played a round, that my rank and rating returned to what they were before the meltdown of my old PS3.

All my save data from other games was gone, but thanks to SOCOM statistics being captured on the games servers, and not the PS3 hard drive, I was able to pick up where I left off. Yay! I worked too damn hard for that .75 KDR.

E3 Week!

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:06:43 PDT

Hey folks,

So I fully don't expect to see any real SOCOM news this week. If we're lucky maybe we'll hear about the Confrontation DLC, and obviously some more footage previews on FTB3, but 4-player co-op was already announced for that, so I don't expect any more surprises.

Regardless, if something comes up I'll be reporting on it. I'm working all this week but the moment I have time I'll undoubtedly be checking out all the E3 news and press conferences.

SOCOM.com adds community features

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:12:10 PDT

http://www.slantsixgames.com/2009/05/13/socomcom-out-of-beta/

Great news! You can check out your stats, trophies, friends list, inbox, clan, etc.

Greetings from Wrath-x-

noreply@blogger.com (wrath-x-) — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:38:56 PDT

I am a new contributor to this blog, but some of you may be familiar with me from socom.com. I look forward to contributing to this blog in the near future, but for now, I just wanted to stop in and say hello. Remember, if we want this game to continue to get better, we need to continue to fight for what we want.

-Wrath-x-

Want to be a contributer to the blog? Now is your chance

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:27:16 PDT

Today I was struck with an idea. The whole reason this blog was created was to give a voice to the SOCOM fans. So what better way to accomplish that then to open up the blog to the community, allowing you to post about your experiences, hopes, feelings, love, and hate about the SOCOM franchise.

So how am I going to accomplish this? Send me an email at daviddoel@therealsocom.com and simply tell me why you feel you deserve to be a contributor to the blog. Right now I have no limit on the amount of people I'm willing to add as authors to the blog, as long as you feel you have something to say and can translate that into well-written sentences, then I'll add you.

Like I said, this blog was created for the fans. This is just taking that idea one step further and truly making TheRealSOCOM.com an integral part of the SOCOM community.

Zipper Int. taking SOCOM advice for the development of MAG?

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:56:01 PDT

In the live chat that took place yesterday on the Playstation.com blog, MAG developers, Zipper, answered some questions about their upcoming online game. This answer I found particularly interesting:

Ed Byrne - Creative Director @Zipper:
Phoniex - there aren't the traditional game modes you might expect from smaller FPS titles. Basically each map has an associated game mode. We have a more tradiitonal team v. team mode for 64 players. We have a "capture the objective points" game mode for another set of 64 maps. the 128 maps have Attackers trying to steal a vehicle from the Defending side. 256 is an all-out battle for control points.

Hmm, interesting. This is the exact thing I've been pushing on Zipper and now Slant Six, since SOCOM 3 came out. I believe the real thing that killed SOCOM 3 & CA were that each map were no longer built for a specific mode, as in SOCOM 1 & 2. And that's why the quality of the maps went down so tremendously from the first two games.

Now, don't get my wrong. SOCOM Confrontation's original maps are not as bad as SOCOM 3's, but at the same time they do not stand up to the maps in SOCOM 1 & 2, and I still believe its for that same reason. To really create the best map layout possible, you need to have it designed around 1 mode.

MAG is NOT SOCOM - My short audio rant

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Sat, 02 May 2009 10:49:31 PDT

As in my previous post, ya, I'm pissed that I have to keep reading this shit. So I decided to get some frustration out through podcasting! I know it's not much, but damn, I'm still so passionate about keeping this franchise alive while retaining it's own identity. Cause if we aren't vocal about it, then the same kind of people who caused SOCOM 3 will cause it to happen again.

Direct Download
RSS here
We are also on iTunes here

And I end the short rant with a great song off K-Os' new album 'YES!'

Enjoy!

MAG info pummels the net, SOCOM fans get defensive

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:19:00 PDT

So, a ton of information and hands-on reports on Zipper's new game "MAG" have hit the internet today. It still amazes me that "journalists" (and I use that term VERY loosely) feel the need to take a jab at SOCOM Confrontation in these write-ups that have NOTHING to do with SOCOM.

Take for example Joystiq's write up (and if you read their blog, you know they are the farthest thing from journalists, but this is worth noting as its a popular website), where they state:

Forget SOCOM: Confrontation -- this is the next-gen SOCOM, only taken to a whole new level.

I mean...why? Was that really needed. Clearly the person who wrote this doesn't play SOCOM or has any idea how many people play SOCOM on a consistant basis. Or rather, what the game is even about! MAG is not SOCOM, SOCOM is not MAG. Just because they share a previous developer does not mean they are supposed to be in competition with eachother. They are clearly going for two different things. If this writer wanted to retain any sort of integrity he could have done his research and found that out in about 20 seconds.

Do we really need to deal with this shit again?

Fire Team Bravo 3 & I'm not dead

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:34:56 PDT

Yes, as you all already know I'm sure, SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 was announced on SOCOM.com. Go check out the trailer and details. Though I dabbled in FTB2, I never really got into the PSP versions of SOCOM. Never the less, I know they have a huge following so I will be covering them.

Anyways, as you can see, no I'm not dead. The reason the blog has been so dead is simply because I've been working full-time this past month and really haven't had much time to game or think about videogames. But I'm still here and will be updating the blog more regularly as more info about patches/DLC/FTB3 comes in.

Also, most of you are also very familiar with VOODOO from the Playstation.com boards and the RMD clan. Well I've added him as a contributer to the blog, so he is free to come in and post something anytime he wants. So hopefully you'll be hearing from him as well.

I will try to get a podcast up sometime in the near future as I have been playing a lot more SOCOM recently, and once the patch hits there will be even more to discuss. So keep a watch out for that.

1.50 patch details. Finally a reason for us all to return

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:25:31 PDT

Details here.

This patch sounds REALLY good. One hit kill snipers and DE, sounds like old SOCOM to me :)

SOCOM patch 1.40 is up

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:12:44 PDT

Went up this morning, finally just finished downloading for me. Took about 6 hours...and downloads are never that slow for me on PSN. Must be a ton of people online right now, especially with the European launch this week. Anyways, below is a list of what the patch does, taken from SOCOM.com:

XMB presence - Medley Game information has been abbreviated, displaying all information required to identify the location of the player.
Late Join 'Hitch' improvements - addresses the pause experienced by players when someone late joins a game.
Navigating Screens With Large Clans – slow down issue fixed
Increased speed of fade at the beginning of the round.
Quick Match -
Increased countdown timer in Quick Match Pre Game lobby from 20 to 60 seconds.
Enabled Quick Match team switching.
Ranked, Unranked and Unranked Respawn games, each contains 6 different playlists: 3 8vs8 and 3 16vs16 players.
Claymores can now be detonated when player is in the prone position

"The Real SOCOM" March 1st Bitecast

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:29:59 PST

I promised you SOMETHING this week, and I held to that promise. Here is a short conversation me and Hellman had, mostly about SOCOM & KillZone 2. I'm hoping there will be more for us to discuss in the future when both of us have more time to devote to playing Confrontation along with the future potential of DLC.

Direct download: TRSMar1stBitecast.mp3
RSS here
We are also on iTunes here

Show Links:
http://www.twitter.com/daviddoel
Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack

If I can promise you one thing this week...

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:36:07 PST

It's that I'm going to record and post new podcast. If Hellman is free then it will be a full podcast, if not then it will be a bite-sized podcast. Regardless, I WILL post something for you this week, but since there really isn't a lot to talk about, how about you post some questions/suggestions you might have in the comments sections below.

Thanks!

Confrontation gets a European release date

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 09:39:28 PST

Finally, for those of you in Europe there is a solid date for when you'll be able to pick up your copy of SOCOM Confrontation.

13th March (UK), 18th March (EU) and 19th March (PSN)

Source Joystiq

Sloooow month

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 06:54:42 PST

Well, other than the update in early January, it was a pretty slow month for the game with not much to really discuss. We're still waiting for DLC announcements because we have to know its on the way.

Do you guys/girls have any suggestions of what you'd like to see from me and this blog in droughts like this? More podcasts? A new direction of some sort? Don't be afraid to leave a comment.

"The Real SOCOM" January 9th Bitecast

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:54:05 PST

This is just a bite-sized, roughly 8min, podcast, hence the title. Hellman was busy so I did this one on my own (no, this won't be a trend. I just wanted to quickly get my thoughts out about some things). I discuss my thoughts on what happened over at EGM/1up, and of course give my impressions on the 1.30 patch.

I might try to do more of these bite-sized podcasts as me and Hellman are both really busy with our own lives making it hard to find time to record an entire podcast.

Download here
RSS here
We are also on iTunes here

Show Links:
http://www.twitter.com/daviddoel
Rebel.FM (Re-emergence of 1up FM)
1up Show 8-bit theme

Hope you enjoy!

1.30 finally out!

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:55:54 PST

Yup, so download it now. Trophy support, match-making, tons of tweaks to the gameplay, all detailed somewhere on SOCOM.com.

But as of typing this, the servers are still down (presumably to reset the stats, which they ARE doing as I predicted). So you might need to wait a couple hours from now before you can play.

EDIT: Servers are up and running smooth!

Trophy list posted online

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:53:42 PST

Check it out! Means it's definitely done and patch should be on the way soon.

Anything cool that sticks out to you?

EGM is Dead, 1up recieves massive firings

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:27:08 PST

I know this is supposed to be a blog about SOCOM, but I just want to express how fucking pissed off I am, while at the same time depressed about what happened today. If you haven't already heard, UGO bought 1up.com, while in the process killing EGM and firing 30 people from the EGM/1up.com staff. Meaning no more 1up Show, and no more 1up podcasts.

Just a few months shy of a year ago, Mike Cruz (who at the time was Associate Art Director of EGM) personally sent me an email with the exclusive image of their SOCOM Confrontation cover story for me to post on the blog, which of course I did.

It was a completely selfless gesture on the part of EGM for me and my tiny number of followers, and of course ended up exposing this blog to a number of large traffic grabbing sites like Kotaku and Joystiq, who picked up the cover story via my blog post. If it wasn't for the kind hearts at EGM/1up, I wouldn't have got the amount of traffic or number of podcast downloads that I did.

For me, this is easily the worst thing that has happened to the game journalism business since I've been alive, and I hope as much of the core group can stay together as possible to go on and create much bigger things. Whatever they chose to do, I know their talent won't go to waste.

SOCOM needs your vote!

noreply@blogger.com (David Doel) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:40:52 PST

If you believe that SOCOM Confrontation was the best online game to be released this year, then head on over to page 2 of 1up.com's Reader's Choice Awards and vote it for "Best Multiplayer". Then go to page 3 of the nominees and vote it for "Best Downloadable".