Killzone 2 runs at 720p/30fps, Supports Trophies, Trial and Home

248w ago - BongoFrenzy of the EU PlayStation Community (linked above) has just posted up a huge Q&A session regarding Killzone 2. He confirms that the game will run at 720p at 30fps, there is a public BETA trial coming up, there will be 8 online maps at launch, and HOME will definitely be supported as well as trophies!

To quote: KillZone 2 Q&A

1) Q: What resolution and frame rate does the game run at?
A: 720p at 30fps

2) Q: Will PlayStation Trophies be supported in game?
A: Yes definitely, there will be unique trophies to be won, earned both in the offline game and while playing online.

3) Q: Will there be a public Beta Trial for Killzone 2?
A: Yes, we are planning on running a closed public beta later this year.

4) Q: How many online maps will there be at launch?
A: The game will include 8 maps each with their own style and setting, some will be smaller, to suit 16 players others will be much bigger, designed for 32 player matches. If you want to get an idea of what some of these look like, check out the new video on the PLAYSTATION®Store.

5) Q: How does the lobby system online work?
A: We have taken to heart all the feedback from the first Killzone game and aim to give players as much flexibility as possible. You can list all the games currently being played, and then filter that list. We are busy putting as many different filters in as possible, so you can find a game which is perfect for you.

6) Q: Does playing offline unlock stuff in the online game.
A: Not directly no, however, there are absolutely loads of things to unlock within the online game, from badges/classes to medals and ribbons.

7) Q: Media Molecule did a video trailer for LittleBigPlanet featuring Sackboy in a killzone outfit, any plans to do something similar, including Sackboy in a Killzone trailer?
A: *laughter* Great idea! No-one had thought of that, so no... no plans.

8) Q: Which aspect of the game are you most proud of, which you feel sets Killzone ahead of the competition?
A: There are two things, which we are really very proud of. Firstly the level of customisation available for users to create games exactly how they want them, so we have put many, many different options in there. Secondly we have worked really hard on the community aspects of the game. Clan support and Tournaments are key, also the game integration with killzone.com. Players will be able to manage their clans, check their stats and follow tournaments all online through the killzone.com web site!

9) Q: With so many options and different classes and weapons, what are you doing to ensure that the game is fully balanced at launch?
A: This is so important that we really have dedicated masses of time to play testing and QA processes. The whole team logs in and plays during our "Friday Frag-fest" every week, then feeds back their experiences for updates to the code. Also Alpha testing has been intensive, with tests being done for hours and hours at a time. Finally, we think that the Beta Trial will be key to polishing off the games balancing. So feedback from that will help us make the final touches.

10) Q: Do you plan on making Downloadable content available after launch?
Yes, certainly we will release additional online maps after launch, we are also looking at other options as well, hopefully we can bring you more information later in the year.

11) Q: In Killzone on the PS2 you could play the online maps off line against bots, do you plan on doing this in Killzone 2?
A: Yes certainly, in fact we have expanded this feature so now you will be able to include bots in your online games to! Players will be able to set the difficulty level of the bots in the game, so teams can practise tactics against the bots before inflicting them on the greater public.

12) Q: What can you tell us about the games ranking system?
A: Players will be able to rank up by gaining points within online games. We have made sure that you will always know how many points you have, as well as how many you need to reach the next level. One feature, which we are very happy with, is the addition of "Honour Ranks", this will work by calculating who the best players are each week, and this will give people who buy the game later on a chance to be rewarded for great game play.

13) Q: Will the game support Home?
A: Yes definitely, although we don't have any details for this right now.

14) Q: Many developers have chill out rooms in their buildings, do you?
A: We don't have a chill out room inside the building, but we do have a lovely Garden which is always nice to sit in and relax.

15) Q: Have you spent a lot of time working on the story for Killzone 2?
A: We have worked really hard on the entire storyline for the Killzone universe, linking together all the games and offering players much to discover. We are constantly working on the back story as well, with information and details available in the http://killzone.com/kz/storyline.psml Web site.