Although EA have had plenty of time to sort it out since Skate 1, their online website system is still really causing me issues.

I made this video to test if I was actually able to upload stuff before buying the Filmer Pack and the 2 most recent sets of downloadable content, the San Van Classics and the Drydek Fantasy pack.

The issues I have with EA's online service are as follows:

• My XBOX Live account is associated with an email address I no longer use or have access to.
• I know my XBOX Live account password and used the same one for the EA skate reel logins and stuff - but it won't recognise the password - therefore I have to get it reset, but I can't get to the email account to get the email about it being reset.
• I have created another account on the EA site using a different email address - and had to have the password reset as it will not recognise any that I have - but after I reset the password and log in - it just says "system error" or some crap like that.
• Xbox gamertag names are case sensetive when you search
• It always pops up with the "what country at you from" window - every bloody time!!! I just X it in the corner to get through otherwise I get dumped somewhere weird.

From memory, I think that I had similar issues with Skate 1 too when trying to use the Skate Reel system. At least now I can get to the videos and images I have uploaded - but can never log into the Graphics Creator though due to these crappy password/username/error message issues.

Pants.

Those super spendid chaps over at MyCheats have a great list of all of the tricks that are possible in Skate 2.

I was wondering how to do those fingerflips, seatbelts and BS Shifty Tail Grabs!

Head over to the Skate 2 Trick List for more information and pages and pages of thumb murdering directions

I just came across this video showing a great little tutorial for adding a fish eye effect to your EA Skate Reel videos.  I would have thought that Skate 2 would have come with a few more video editing effects that allowed for a better fish eye lens filter to be applied.

Perhaps this will be some extra, extra downloadable content?

I have yet to download the Filmer Pack (as I am a tight git) so will not be able to test this feature/hack.  Let me know how it goes if you manage to get it working.

I would also be interested in seeing if anyone has been able to apply a fish eye style effect after they have download the video using Adobe After Effects or something.

In addition to the already mega popular Filmer Pack, EA are going to release 2 wedges of Downloadable Content (DLC) for the Xbox 360 version of Skate 2.

I hope this signals a move on EA's part to right the wrongs of Skate 1 and keep on releasing new updates on a regular basis (until Skate 3!).

DLC 1 consists of "Rob Drydek's Fantasy Plaza".
Rob has designed you an amazing skate plaza to play in.  It is nothing fantastic - very flat looking and not much to speak of.

DLC 2 is the "San Van Classic Pack".
This awesome downloadable pack gives you 3 of the best locations from Skate 1!

• The elementary school
• The Parkade
• The Community Centre

Both of the DLC's will be usable in ALL game modes of Skate 2 and will be released a week apart.  You will also be able to move all of the benches and items in the locations which will be very interesting.

Personally, I will be getting the "San Van Classic Pack" as the Drydek park looks a bit boring to bo honest.  Also, the school yard in Skate 2 is pretty pants.

Today, being the 23rd of Jan 2009 is the official launch day of Skate 2 by Electronic Arts and Black Box.

Despite there being some bad press, sore user reviews of the demo and overall apathy at the inclusion of some Tony Hawk style features, Skate 2 still guarantees to be the best skateboarding console game out there!

Bring it on!

Check out the Gamespy Skate 2 Review.
Another greate review by EDGE magazine.

There is also news around the web that for 400 microsoft points, you can unlock the entire Skate 2 game - giving you all of the areas, decks and extras that would normally take you 30 hours to complete!

I bet you don't get the achievements though!

See you online!  Add me on Xbox Live.  My gamertag is Taoski.

Well.

The Skate 2 demo is here and I have spent a good few hours playing it (again and again) - so I present my thoughts and views on the successes and failures of this newest title from EA and Black Box.

I suppose we have to remember that this game is just the demo - and (hopefully) by no means the last and final version - although they are cutting it a bit fine if they are going to make any changes now.  Small things may be changed, but I expect that this demo is 99.9% true to what we will see when the game is released on the 23rd of January.

Graphics

The graphics do look better than the original Skate and certainly on my PAL 360, the framerate was much higher leading to a smoother and more polished feel to the game and the way it looks.  It does seem to suffer from slow down at some points, like when you crash off your board - but this may be intentional so you can see your face bite the coping in HD slow mo.

There is a difference between the quality and style of the graphics on Skate 1 and Skate 2 though.  Skate 1 seems more realistic to me.  Skate 2 seems more arcade like and dare I say it... more like the Tony Hawk series.

Gameplay

The gameplay is pretty much the same as Skate 1 but does seem better than before.  I can't quite put my finger on what exactly has changed apart from the addition of new tricks, new animations and new environments - but the whole game seems to have had an overhaul.

Getting off the board using the yellow button is a nice addition and I can see that it will be helpful to get to those out of the way places that you can see - but could never get to on Skate 1.

And I will go against my predictions - handplants, footplants and no-comply's are excellent!

Characters

There are lots of the usual pro skaters featured in the game and you play someone who has just got out from prison and has just come back to San Van (hence it has all changed).  One of the skaters/photographers in the game speaks of going down town to skate and is told that there are lots of security guards there.  I hope that this will not be too over stressed in the game.  Getting chased by the over zealous local rent-a-cop was funny in Skate 1 as they were so stupid - but if there are loads of them in Skate 2 it could become a little tiresome.

I also like the extra options you have to customise your skater, adding clothing, customising the deck and changing their body and face design.  I foresee the downloadable content for Skate 2 being in this area!

Replay Editor

Now.  This is the "drop kick you off your chair" part of Skate 2.  If EA get this bit right with the online side, they are laughing.  The editor has been changed to allow you to create "clips" to which you can assign various cameras and effects (effects not present in the demo though).  Even the simple addition of the tripod camera - which you can pretty much place ANYWHERE is amazing.  I was setting my camera to full zoom and getting in right close to the wheels of the deck as it popped a 360 shove it.  Add on the slow motion effect and you have a winner.  I was able to pause the trick mid jump and then position the tripod camera under the skater.  You then get a nice clip of the skater coming towards and over the top of you.

The video editor is going to be HUGE!  And I expect big things from all of those "realistic skate vid" makers out there on YouTube.

Conclusion

• It does feel a bit "Tony Hawk Pro Skater" to me at times - but after playing the demo for the 10th time I kinda forgot about it.
• The camera angle is a little too close at times - lets hope we can change it slightly.
• Moving stuff around is fun.  Try pulling a ramp off a ledge and letting it (and you) fall to make a new weird angle to skate on.
• Hippy jumps are cool.  Try doing it as you drop off the edge of a big ledge and see if you can land it.

Bring it on!

This is definitely going to be one of the better features of Skate 2, which is due out at the end of January 2009.

By using the online "EA Skate Graphics Editor", you can design your own logos and images which can then be uploaded direct into the game and be stuck on your deck and clothing.

This sort of in-game customization is what keeps a title like Skate 2 fresh and interesting and gives it that "sticky" factor that the kids love.

Let's hope that they improve the video editor too, beyond what has been shown already.

I have amazingly been given the chance to interview Fort Knox Five who have featured on several soundtracks of EA games in the past such as Facebreaker and NBA Street Homecourt and are one of bands on the soundtrack for the new Skate 2 game, released early 2009.

From their Bio:

The FORT KNOX FIVE is a leading force in the international funk and breaks scene. Having released an arsenal of floor rocking singles and remixes, the FORT KNOX FIVE has the midas touch for producing heavy hitting records.

Sid Barcelona, Jon Horvath, Rob Myers and Steve Raskin are the masterminds behind the FORT KNOX FIVE. They established Fort Knox Recordings in 2003 to release party-rocking music that crosses tempos and defies genres. Their world renowned ‘Fort Knox Sound’ has overtaken dancefloors with its distinct interweaving of live instrumentation with funky electronic breakbeats. In 2006 they released the critically acclaimed ‘The New Gold Standard’ to showcase the groundbreaking sounds from their premier funk and soul label.

I was given the chance to ask them some questions about their music, their involvement with EA and Skate 2 and what games they are currently playing.

Here we go:

1.  I see that you have had some past involvement with EA, with them using your tracks for their games - how did that all come about?

It seems we have a fan or two at EA on the inside. It's all been a low-key, grass-roots kinda blessing. Big thanks, EA!!

2.  Has your inclusion in the computer games industry done anything for your sales or popularity?  Are you a "skaters band"?

Totally! We're always coming into contact with people who have heard about us from playing a video game. We made a massive amount of fans from multiple songs being featured in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 & 09. It's radio for a new generation! We've had our music inserted in surf documentaries, snow boarding video clips and even spun for Tony Hawk as our alter-egos, Thunderball (ESL Music) while he shredded the Potomac Mills Skatepark a couple years back. We have been sponsored by C1RCA Presents for the last few years. Fort Knox Five have performed at a lot of their extreme sporting events such as Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival, Crankworx, Snowboard Canada Film Premiere, and at the upcoming Monster Energy Party @ the X Games in Aspen. So we're actually more of a Snow/Skate/Surfer's Band, it seems our music goes well with riding planks at high speed!

3.  I was probably skateboarding while you were all in nappies (maybe!) - are any of you skaters or ex-skaters?

Nappies? Not likely! Rob is an old-school ex-skater. He had to stop when he started making part of his living playing sitar and guitar with the Thievery Corporation live band. Do you know how much Wrist Insurance costs?!? In the 80's, as a kid, he helped build a skatepark outside of Madrid, Spain that still stands and was recently resurfaced, original layout intact! (www.elsindi.com) The DC HarDCore Indi/Punk scene that we evolved out of was closely tied to the US skate scene from early on as well, with Dischord records – our close friends and distributors – finding inspiration in the West Coast cultural revolution that Dogtown and Zephyr started in the '70s. JonH occasionally tools around on a REAL 9x33 Aces Edition that was given to him by Jake Brown. Also, our Label Manager, Kalani, is an avid surfer who still likes a nice piece of pavement once in a while.

4.  What are your views on the opinion that skateboarding and violent music/behaviour go together?  I feel that Skateboarding has a bad image from the continued use of associating violence with it's scene and culture.  "Discuss..."

Well, since we're getting deep… Let's get a little moral relativistic. The violence is just part of the the Myth that surrounds all Lone Travelers. The skateboard is a steed and the skateboarder is the modern High Plains Drifter. Just by being out on the street covering the city you are exposed to the potential of violence, this comes with the territory. You're going out there, who knows what you're going to see? Everybody else just watches it on a screen. This is how it becomes their "opinion." In Spain a gentleman is called a Caballero, a horse rider, he has to be civil - as almost all skaters are - just by virtue of being mobile. Thus, Steve Caballero –Bones Brigade Forever!! – becomes Butch Cassidy…

5.  Back to some simple questions now.. What games consoles do you own?

We own PS3s and Wii's. The graphics on the PS3 are amazing, but the Wii is so much fun especially when you play against each other. The Wii rules!

6.  What is your favorite console game of the moment and of all time?

Skate 2's def going to be the game of the moment, and as for the classics we're pretty faithful to the SSX, SKATE, FIFA 2009, GTA and Halo series.

7.  Have you got to play the new Skate 2 game yet?  Were you wined and dined by EA and given a chance to play test?

We haven't had a chance to preview the game. EA keeps all of that stuff on strict lockdown. Their security is even tighter than Fort Knox! We're looking forward with baited thumbs to our own personal copies of Skate 2. When we started the recording process they sent us Skate 1 and some screen shots and trail runs from Skate 2 to put us in the mood. We're still waiting on the wine but we'd have to pick a coast first, since we're East and they're West. After all the back and forth that went into honing the interactivity of the music we've got a lot to talk about!

8.  What's next on the horizon for Fort Knox Five?  What are your future plans?

We just dropped our debut album, "Radio Free DC" on our label Fort Knox Recordings, and are looking forward to bringing it to the masses with some home-made videos and kick-ass live shows featuring amazing MCs and vocalists!

9.  Skateboarding in the 2012 Olympics in London?  What do you think?  Also - how about you guys doing the launch party here in the UK?  I'm sure I could write a few letters and try to pull some strings...

If you look at the Mayan Calendar you will see that there is a pretty clear prophesy about skateboarding in the 2012 Olympics, so that's a "Yes!" (And a "Yes!" to the launch party offer, as well, have your people call our people.)

10.  Just one final question - The answer is "a broken Xbox 360!"  Now whats the question?

Q: Guess what I got when I was playing "Skate 2" while riding my skateboard?

Thanks to Fort Knox Five for taking the time to answer my questions.

They have also allowed the readers of SkaterGeek to download 3 of their tracks for free!

Insight
Funk 4 Peace
Party Pushers

Several titles did well against direct competitors. SKATE, a new and highly rated IP from our Black Box studio, outperformed an entrenched competitor. Despite the fact that we launched on three fewer platforms, we realized a 55% revenue share in North America. On current generation systems, SKATE outsold Tony Hawk nearly 2 to 1.

So. There you have it from the horses mouth. EA Skate outsells Tony Hawk Proving Ground by 2 copies to 1.

It will be interesting to see what Mr Hawk comes back with next. I expect it to be a Skate rip-off with all the extra bits added that we all want.

Take it like a man Tony.

Via Xbox360Fanboy

As featured on Skatergeek before, Guy Mariano appears in another video made using EA Skate trying to replicate his part in the excellent Fully Flared Lakai Skateboarding DVD.

Watch the original and then watch the EA Skate version.

Let me know what you think!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltG2JHkknKM[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_NzxrkuhIA[/youtube]