[THE_FORCE]

Nobilis and Frozenbyte announce Trine on the PlayStation® Network and PC.

Lyon, France, the 5th of December 2008 – Immediate release. Nobilis and Frozenbyte are proud to announce that the fantasy action game “Trine™” (PlayStation® Network and PC) will be released in Q2 2009.

Trine™ is a fantasy action game where the player can create and use physics-based objects to beat hazardous puzzles and threatening enemies. Set in a world of great castles and strange machinery, three heroes are bound to a mysterious device called the Trine in a quest to save the kingdom from evil…

The gameplay is based on fully interactive physics - each character’s different ability helps the player battle an army of un-dead and defeat hazardous contraptions. The player can at any time freely choose whoever is best suited for the upcoming challenge or puzzle: The Wizard is able to summon objects to help solve puzzles and create new ways to overcome obstacles, the Thief uses her agility and dead-on accuracy to swiftly surprise the monsters, and the Warrior unleashes mayhem and physical destruction wherever he goes.

“This is the first game we publish on the PlayStation® Network and we are thrilled to work with Frozenbyte on this very exciting game project!” declares Arnaud Blacher, CEO of Nobilis Group.
“Trine™ is a true testament to Frozenbyte’s new strategy focusing on original IP. We can’t wait to have the game released on the PlayStation® Network and PC,” said Lauri Hyvarinen, CEO of Frozenbyte, and he continued: “Nobilis has been a great partner to us all these years and we look forward to combining our efforts even more closely to make a great game!”


Debut Gameplay Teaser Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXILzS03HCo
Official Website (with a link to download the HD video): http://trine-thegame.com

Looks a bit different from anything else at the moment, and worth keeping an eye on.

[Decadence1]

Yh I was just about to post this. Looks really cool! Couldn't believe it was a PSN game at first. Looks quite different to anything I've seen before. Looking good. The whole ceate something and leap on it could work very well imo. Hopefully it will be competetively priced. The create thing makes it seem a little like LBP to me.

[THE_FORCE]

Yea I agree Adnan, the create and leap part was what grabbed me first of all too.

Mods why has this been moved to the PSN section though ? Isn't this for games that are already available on the PSN ?
That's why I posted it in the relevant Preview section to begin with, seeing as Bomberman and Fat Princess threads are also posted there too ?

[mabo]

Apologies, my fault, it was early in the morning and my brain wasn't in gear.

Sorry for that. *cough* i meant to say "what are you talking about, it is in the preview section already"

[THE_FORCE]

Originally Posted by mabo

Apologies, my fault, it was early in the morning and my brain wasn't in gear.

Sorry for that. *cough* i meant to say "what are you talking about, it is in the preview section already"

Lol nice one.

Cheers Mabo. This preview sections a good idea btw.

[Heroik]

Looks like a cool game....but i like the music the most

[sparced]

I agree the music is amazing. I replayed the video a couple of times in the background while doing other stuff. Really talented composer.

Game looks great. The cursor movement makes it look like Wii HD title and then you see its also for PC. That explains the fluid mouse movement. Shouldn't be a problem drawing objects with PS3 controller but could lose a point in reviews.

[Decadence1]

Last December, developer Frozenbyte and publisher Novilis announced “Trine,” an upcoming fantasy action title on the PSN and PC. The launch trailer looked pretty interesting, and not only created anticipation for Frozenbyte’s next game, but also made me want to know more. I managed to get in touch with Frozenbyte designer and CEO, Lauri Hyvärinen, and got some of my questions answered. While nothing groundbreaking could be answered (and several gameplay-related questions had to go with “no comment”) due to the early stage of the game, Lauri did tell us a little more about where the idea for “Trine” came from, who the three characters in the trailer are, and what teh game will be like.

Brendon Lindsey: How did the original idea for “Trine” come about? Is it based on anything?

Lauri Hyvärinen, Designer and CEO of Frozenbyte: I could say the idea for “Trine” came mostly from our expertise of two-dimensional gameplay and our passion for great games with stunning audiovisual presentation. The idea started off a little smaller and has later evolved into the current “Trine.” One of the “final” big design changes was in the spring 2008 when we made player-created physics a much more important part of the gameplay instead of just “normal” physics that the game had from the very first day.


About how long has the game been in development, and how many people are working on it?

We have had “Trine” in design/pre-production since spring of 2007, and we shaped the idea until early 2008 when we started the real production. The pre-production team was a couple of guys, while the current production team is 16 developers.


Will the game have a story element it focuses on? And if so, will it be a central narrative driven by the game, or more a means of advancing the game through stage after stage like it was in “Shadowgrounds?”

The game will have a strong but simple story, and it will be present both in some cutscenes and in the game. The gameplay itself progresses from level to level, but inside the levels the player will have unlimited number of choices to progress past certain challenges. The story is about a kingdom in a war, and about three different heroes who, for various reasons, are not currently participating in the war, but are soon thrown in the middle of it, and what’s worse, they have to do it together.

You guys added multiplayer in “Shadowgrounds” pretty late in development because fans were asking for it. Are you guys developing “Trine” with multiplayer in mind, or is it going to be strictly a solo affair? And if it will allow multiplayer, will that be co-op, online, split screen, etc.

The existence and extent of multiplayer features of “Trine” will be announced in early 2009. I can’t say more yet, sorry!


Looking at the video, it looks like players will switch between various classes throughout each level in order to progress. Is that something that’s going to be required, or is it more of an optional choice? Like, will people have to switch to a different character to get past points or is that just one of several ways?


Switching between the three characters – the Wizard, the Knight and the Thief – is a core idea of the gameplay, but the player has a lot of freedom in using them. Most puzzles and situations can be solved with any character or any combination of two characters. Every puzzle has a solution that is the hardest to figure out but allows the “smoothiest” solution, and they also have the most obvious solution which is usually the hardest to execute.


Ultimately the player gets to pick and choose his own solution.


Speaking of the the three characters, can you explain how they differ from one another?

The Wizard never finished the wizarding school and never learned the fireball spell, but he is able to summon objects of varying kind that help in solving puzzles and create new ways to overcome obstacles.


The Knight is the king’s loyal but a bit simple-minded knight and capable of causing physical destruction and mayhem everywhere he goes – unintentionally, more often than not.


The Thief stole the ancient Trine object but her treasure turned into her prison, and she now has to use her agility and dead-on accuracy to swiftly surprise the monsters roaming the once-flourish lands. We will be revealing more information on the characters later.

The game looks a lot like a sidescrolling platformer with some elements of player creation—at least with the wizardly fellow. Can you talk a little bit about that? Will “Trine” be like “LBP” where players are both a player and creator simultaneously?

Our focus is more on the of object creation as a gameplay element, not in that the players have to create the levels itself. Our difference is in the freedom of allowing the player to create the objects wherever and whenever in the game and using those objects to solve puzzles and get past difficult situations.


I may be totally off base, but the trailer makes it look like there’s quite a bit of platforming, some puzzle solving, and some action, and it’s all sort of mixed together. How would you say that’s broken down in terms of what players will be doing most often?

We are going to balance it somewhat equally, and give the player a choice in how he or she wants to tackle each situation. If you want to fight your way through with the Knight, you can, or if you want to be a bit sneakier with the Thief, go right ahead.


There are some moments when a certain character is required but expert players can probably figure out some alternatives to those too. The final balance is still under development and we’ll make some adjustments based on player and tester feedback. However, the intensity of fighting can be adjusted from the game’s difficulty setting directly, as the higher difficulties will bring in more enemies to battle against.


The trailer shows a lot of various action, but one constant throughout is the cursor which seems to move independently. Can you talk a little bit about that? How will players control it, and what role will that play?

The final way of controlling the game on PS3 is still under testing. Currently we have the PC’s gesture system variation and a more simplified object per button option as alternatives. The idea of the game is not to challenge the player in the object creation itself but to challenge the player in where and when to create the objects in order to pass the challenges.

Was there a reason you guys went with the PSN over XBLA? Or is it more “That’s just how it happened”?

I’d say it’s more how it just happened. That said, the final platforms list may have more than two, but this is dependent on various things, especially if we consider possible sequels and such.


We’ve seen a lot of requests to have the game on XBLA or WiiWare and it’s nice to read, even if it’s not happening right now. We have been very happy with how things have progressed with Sony and are excited that our first console release is for PSN. We are big believers in the downloadable markets so we are really looking forward to releasing Trine.


I have to ask, but will there be trophy support on the PSN release, and will the game make use of SIXAXIS controls?


We will have both Trophy support and use of SIXAXIS. The extent of both is still being evaluated and tested.


And you probably knew it was going to come up, but any hint on what your other two projects in development are? I don’t suppose one of them may be “Shadowgrounds” and PlayStation 3 related?

Our future plans will definitely include PS3 and console platforms in general, in addition to PC. “Shadowgrounds” is a successful brand fully owned by us, so we could say it’s likely that we will see more “Shadowgrounds” in the future. So a combination of PS3 and “Shadowgrounds” might not be that far-fetched…


However, our next title to be announced in 2009 is not a “Shadowgrounds” game but again a totally new IP, and if “Trine” didn’t surprise you, this definitely will!

This game looks really charming. Can't wait to hear more about it.
Source

[Decadence1]

Developer QA. Looking good!

Q: How did you come up with the idea for Trine?

Lauri Hyvärinen: Trine has been a team effort and the idea has changed a few times during the development process. It was originally initiated by our lead gameplay programmer, before evolving a great deal in a short space of time and becoming the game that we now know. The relationship between us designers and the artists has been critical to the whole project. Designers can inspire artists with ideas and artists in turn create such fantastic art that it motivates designers to create great gameplay, and so on. We also have regular design evenings with the team. This usually results in good ideas being presented at the start of the evening and more wild ideas developing as the night goes on. Ultimately, the programmers are the ones who have to implement all the suggestions, so our producer works hard to eliminate the not-so-good ideas.

Q: What exactly is the ‘Trine’?

Lauri Hyvärinen: The ‘Trine’ is an old artefact which has been placed in the Astral Academy and is protected by powerful spells. However, the peace of the kingdom is disturbed as the undead armies begin to march and the protection around the ‘Trine’ weakens. Whilst this is happening, our character the Thief has a cunning plan to steal it and makes her way to find it, where she also happens upon the other characters, the Wizard and the Knight. This causes a commotion that ends up binding their souls to the ‘Trine’ and changing the course of history. Now only one character can be outside the ‘Trine’ at the same time and our game’s heroes begin their journey looking for clues as to what the ‘Trine’ might be, why they have been trapped inside and what they must do to get out.

Q: What are the most important and entertaining features of Trine?

Lauri Hyvärinen: I think the most fun element in Trine is the creative and clever use of the three characters. Players can use any one of the characters to crack any puzzle, although with some characters solving certain puzzles is much harder than with others. Our level design team worked really hard to improve each level and make it challenging enough whilst still keeping the fun and the flow of the game. There are multiple solutions for each puzzle, some more difficult than others, and often the easiest solution is the hardest to carry out. Test players have also solved puzzles in ways that we never thought of which is simply fascinating.

Q: What inspired the choices of characters and the gameplay in Trine?

Lauri Hyvärinen: The characters are based on our art team's vision and there must be a dozen different images for each part of each character, making a total of hundreds of images to create just one character. The gameplay is based around the idea “what if the player could freely create and bring physical objects into the world” and this is mostly displayed through the abilities of the Wizard. With regards to the other characters, we had numerous very good gameplay ideas and we split these between them. Eventually we had created three totally different characters, not just by their personality and looks, but also their individual abilities and this is the core of the game.

Q: Considering the Trine graphics engine, what specific things can players do in Trine?

Lauri Hyvärinen: Trine has almost all of the latest visual effects and new ones can also be added easily. However, the best part of the game comes from the solid attachment to the PhysX engine for the physics element in the game. Unlike normal games, we use physics as a major gameplay feature and players can freely create and bring physical objects into the game. In other words, physics is not just seen as ‘eye candy’ because players simply cannot advance in the game if they don't use the physics simulated objects or machinery to their advantage.

Q: Playing in co-operative mode is not that common in a platform-based game, what made you come up with this idea?

Lauri Hyvärinen: We had some sort of co-operative gameplay in one of our previous titles Shadowgrounds and thought it would also be perfect for Trine. Of course, given that the game has only three characters that is also the maximum number of players that can play in co-op. Players can invent hilarious solutions to puzzles, for example, using the Knight to throw a box in the air whilst the other players use a different character to stand on the box. In our test sessions the co-op has proven to be really popular with all testers.

Q: Finally, can you tell us a little bit about Frozenbyte?

Lauri Hyvärinen: Frozenbyte consists of a team of 20 game enthusiasts, located in Helsinki, Finland. We are most known for our Shadowgrounds action game series, although behind the scenes we have also helped other developers with their games. Finland is home to a lot of high technology expertise and the gaming business is increasing at a tremendous pace. For example, when Frozenbyte was founded in 2001 there were only a handful of game companies and there are now over 50.

Trine will be released on PlayStation Network and PC in June 2009.

WorthPlaying - Xbox 360 (X360) , PlayStation 3 (PS3), Nintendo Wii, Xbox, PlayStation 2 (PS2), GameCube (NGC), PSP, Nintendo DS (NDS), GBA, Windows PC - All about games !

[Decadence1]

Preview the finely detailed fantasyland of Trine in this latest gameplay video. The video shows you how co-op gameplay will work. Game developer Frozenbyte and publisher Nobilis will be bringing the side-scrolling action game to the PlayStation Network and PC in June 2009.


Details from Nobilis:
"The second trailer showcases the co-operative mode, where the three characters – the Wizard, the Knight and the Thief – work together to overcome obstacles and beat enemies. In co-op mode the players can invent even more creative solutions to puzzles and battles using each character's strengths to their advantage. Players can also join in at any time and leave freely, making the game perfect for co-op."

YouTube - Trine gameplay trailer #2 (April 2009), coming to PlayStation Network and PC

New trailer shows co-op gameplay.
Gaming Bits - New Trine trailer showcases co-op gameplay [video]

[Stonker]

Looking at that co-op video, it looks like different characters have different abilities. This is an amazing little touch. I can't wait to try this.

[Decadence1]

Originally Posted by Stonker

Looking at that co-op video, it looks like different characters have different abilities. This is an amazing little touch. I can't wait to try this.

Yep, taken from the Q&A.

Speaking of the the three characters, can you explain how they differ from one another?

The Wizard never finished the wizarding school and never learned the fireball spell, but he is able to summon objects of varying kind that help in solving puzzles and create new ways to overcome obstacles.


The Knight is the king’s loyal but a bit simple-minded knight and capable of causing physical destruction and mayhem everywhere he goes – unintentionally, more often than not.


The Thief stole the ancient Trine object but her treasure turned into her prison, and she now has to use her agility and dead-on accuracy to swiftly surprise the monsters roaming the once-flourish lands. We will be revealing more information on the characters later.

[Decadence1]

Joystiq hands-on with Trine. Shaping up to be one of the best PSN titles.

The initial gameplay trailers for Trine teased some incredible potential. Yet, in spite of our excitement for Trine, we couldn't have predicted how engrossing the title would be. Even in its early state, we were mesmerized by the game's impeccable presentation and accessible, innovative gameplay. Although it's a PlayStation Network game from an independent studio, the production values of Trine are rather surprising.

The game begins with a rather charming narrator telling the tale of a thief looking to steal a valuable, guarded treasure. Here, a simple tutorial teaches you the basics of using the thief's grappling hook, and bow and arrow. She's able to easily traverse the environment, swinging across large gaps quickly and smoothly. All the while, the narrator continues telling his tale; it's a perfect blend of story and gameplay that helps Trine capture a truly whimsical feel. Eventually, the thief lays her hands on the treasure ...

The screen fades to black and you then take control of a wizard. You'll learn to use his ability to telepathically pick up objects with the right analog stick -- and not only can he move objects around, but he can create blocks by drawing a square in the air. Once again, the narrator continues speaking as you make your way to the same room as the thief did.

Finally, you take control of the warrior. Sword in hand, he's able to slash his way through anything that stands in his way. Eventually, he'll stumble upon the thief, and the adventure of Trine will truly begin. The three characters have been inexplicably drawn to the mysterious, titular artifact, and their souls are now inexorably tied. You'll have to switch between all three characters to make your way through the game's puzzle and trip-laden story.

The introduction to Trine is well executed and incredibly charming. Not only is the narrator appropriately cast, the three heroes are all voiced as well. Playing as all three characters individually made it clear what their strengths are, and the mystery of the Trine is set up so well that we're already intrigued to find out more. Thankfully, the demo didn't end there.

The first level is filled with various puzzles and undead enemies to slash through. Players must simply go from the left to the right, but the level is filled with a surprising amount of verticality and depth. There are many ways to traversing the level. You could use the thief to swing across a gap, or use the wizard to create a makeshift bridge. There was a tricky platforming path we avoided altogether by creating a block and jamming it in a gear, opening up a new path that was previously inaccessible.

Every object in the world operates with realistic physics. Seeing a bridge buckle under your weight is a simple cosmetic touch, but it makes it so easy to become engrossed in the world. However, what if you dropped a large rock from a high place onto the bridge? Would it break? The answer is ... yes. You may have discovered a brand new route, or a hidden item. Since every object can be manipulated, it encourages you to take advantage of all three characters and figure out the best way through a level.

Movement is very easy, and the animation is superb. Battling enemies with the knight is made even more fun through his very fluid animation. Enemies are affected by every blast of his sword, and will jump, dodge, block and counter. Players can use the right analog stick to wield the shield, a fast and refreshing way to block enemies that surround you. Combat is surprisingly visceral, and when numerous enemies fill the screen, challenging.

Trine is easily on its way to becoming one of the best PlayStation Network releases to date. While there were some stability issues with the preview build we played, the ambitious design and terrific presentation make it easy to overlook those flaws. The preview only offered single-player options, but the full game promises three player co-op, a mode that will undoubtedly showcase the best of what Trine has to offer. If Trine hasn't been on your radar yet, it should be now.

Joystiq hands-on: Trine (PSN)

[sparced]

£16.99

An Introduction To Trine: Coming Soon To PSN - PlayStation.Blog.Europe

Have a good moan, here's your chance.

[humanfish]

if it has 12hrs of gameplay, or more, i think that is fine. It would be a pretty full release and i don't think people could complain. Just because it is a downloadable doesn;t mean it has £12 or under.

[simon147]

I agree humanfish.
I think a few people still think that just because it's on arcade/psn it automatically should be fairly cheap. I think you will find that more and more games will be around £15-20 mark. I personally have no problem with this as long as you get a good game that gives you around the 10-15 hours gameplay.
After all, you can buy £40 single player games that probably sometimes don't even get that amount of gameplay.

[sparced]

You can buy a "£40 single player" for £16.99 a couple of weeks after it's been released.

WipEout HD was a bargain, £11.99 perfect price point for more premium titles. Online multiplayer and a campaign that can only be finished by the truly dedicated.

Trine will be the most expensive game thats only available through download. Warhawk, Sireen, GT5p, Socom, Burnout you have the choice of blu-ray.

The only other game that comes to mind was the latest Rachet but wasn't that below a tenner?

How much was Braid on the 360? If they're going to get similar stella reviews sales will fall well short in comparison.

[Moogle]

More to the point why are people moaning and whining about the price of the game before they have even played it and know what the production values of the game are as well as it's length. Besides it's £20 on PC so at least it's cheaper on the PSN.

[Jack-Deth]

Originally Posted by moogle

more to the point why are people moaning and whining about the price of the game before they have even played it and know what the production values of the game are as well as it's length. Besides it's £20 on pc so at least it's cheaper on the psn.

+1

[sparced]

Originally Posted by Moogle

More to the point why are people moaning and whining about the price of the game before they have even played it and know what the production values of the game are as well as it's length. Besides it's £20 on PC so at least it's cheaper on the PSN.

-1

How do you intend we do that? You did read there's not going to be a demo.

If I can come around for a cup of tea and a quick go thats fine and I'll accept your invitation.

[Moogle]

Originally Posted by sparced

-1

How do you intend we do that? You did read there's not going to be a demo.

If I can come around for a cup of tea and a quick go thats fine and I'll accept your invitation.

You could wait until the game is reviewed and others here and elsewhere have played it before buying it. Regardless slating a game fro it's price before it has even been released seems a bit silly to me. Braid cost £15 pounds on the Xbox 360 and overall people didn't have a problem with that. This is a similar game with what looks like higher production values and lengthier game play.

[Dancook]

I played Trine on the PC for about 10 minutes.

The fate of a thief, wizard and knight binds them.

It's a platform game, where you can switch between the three classes to use their abilities to traverse the obstacles.

Knight - Sword / Shield
Thief - Arrow / Grappling Hook
Wizard - Power to move objects / Summon object (create a square with mouse movement to get a block)

Maybe I'm just getting bored of games a bit too easily nowadays, or maybe I'm getting picky or refining my genre... but that's all I can be bothered to write about it, and it's unlikely I'll play it again.

[simon147]

Another video here. I am really tempted now to get this

Trine Video Game, Forest Gameplay HD | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com

[Moogle]

The PC demo is available on the official web site for anyone who wants to try it out. I downloaded it and had a go and apart from being frustrated by the keyboard and mouse controls it's great and I think definitely worth the money. I'm looking forward to playing it on the PS3.

http://trine-thegame.com/site/

[jackinov]

Originally Posted by Moogle

The PC demo is available on the official web site for anyone who wants to try it out. I downloaded it and had a go and apart from being frustrated by the keyboard and mouse controls it's great and I think definitely worth the money. I'm looking forward to playing it on the PS3.

Trine

That's if it ever comes out. Seriously, what's with the big delay?

[Decadence1]

Originally Posted by jackinov

That's if it ever comes out. Seriously, what's with the big delay?

Sony say TRINE is coming this week.

Sony Say Trine Is Coming This Week - TheSixthAxis - PS3 and Xbox 360 News, Trophies And Opinion

[Moogle]

Originally Posted by Killzoneftw

Sony say TRINE is coming this week.

Sony Say Trine Is Coming This Week - TheSixthAxis - PS3 and Xbox 360 News, Trophies And Opinion

Well it's not this week as both the UK and US updates have already come and no sign of it.

[ViolentReaction]

I watched the Gametrailers review of the PC version. Said it was very good, and the coop especially so, however it did say at only 15 levels there is not alot of content

Looking forward to it, so will have to see what the definately is when it hits. When you compare it to Battlefield 1943 which was a tenner though, I've had hours and hours play from it.

[Moogle]

Originally Posted by ViolentReaction

I watched the Gametrailers review of the PC version. Said it was very good, and the coop especially so, however it did say at only 15 levels there is not alot of content

Looking forward to it, so will have to see what the definately is when it hits. When you compare it to Battlefield 1943 which was a tenner though, I've had hours and hours play from it.

If I recall correctly there is no co-op in the PS3 version. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that is the case.

[ViolentReaction]

Originally Posted by Moogle

If I recall correctly there is no co-op in the PS3 version. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that is the case.

Surely not? If they drop that feature then I definately wont get it

If this is a modern homage to the old school 2D sidescroller, thats the whole point!! Getting a buddy round on the sofa with a few beers and working through it