Say hello to ‘Bluemouth Interactive’, your destination for all things accessory and peripheral related. Situated on the top floor of a rather large office block, and overlooking the broad suburbs surrounding it, we had a chat with their marketing director - David Tipton. Part of our time spent with Bluemouth involved trying to ignore the dizzying heights of the meeting room (a fear of heights and glass walls is never a good combination), but we also got a chance to look at some pretty cool products that they’re launching in the second half of 2011 and beyond. We also embarrassed ourselves in Gran Turismo 5. Don’t worry, all will be explained.
It was going well...until we had to turn.
Bluemouth Interactive is mainly involved with the distribution of accessories and peripherals within the Australia and New Zealand regions. The former can include anything from officially licensed Nintendo cases, themed Star Wars goodies, limited edition Arkham Asylum pads, and some awesome Lego controllers. You read that correctly, they’ve made a Wii remote almost entirely out of Lego, and it’s the real deal too. Even though plucking apart pieces of Lego to create something else was devilishly tempting, we had other plans. Bigger plans.
The main star of the show was the ‘Playseat SV’, and we were fortunate enough to go hands-on with the beast. Basically, it’s a big comfortable seat that has been kitted out with some banging speakers and rocking vibration. It’s multi-platform too and works with the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and PC. It fits almost any model of steering wheel that you may have, with telescopic mechanical bits and pieces to adjust for both height and length. It looks a little something like this, and it feels rather comfortable around the backside, even for giant leprechauns.
Quite different to driving a 1990 Ford Laser down Toorak Road...
And it’s loud… very, very loud. We booted up Gran Turismo 5 and made fools of ourselves, it really was a humiliating experience. Despite being well accustomed to racing games, we kept crashing into walls, failed to judge turns properly, and casually drove in the wrong direction. This had nothing to do with the hardware, it was all about the correct input (or lack of). The seat itself is an extraordinary piece of kit, sturdy and thoroughly immersive. It’s also completely different to using a controller, it’s like being slapped in the face with a learner permit all over again.
As you can tell by now, our skills weren’t exactly up to the test. But if you can afford such an exclusive item, it’s definitely worthwhile. The sensation of racing with dual speakers nestled directly behind your ears is unparalleled, and the vibration is surprisingly effective. It can sync with the game’s sound or you can choose to have it constantly activated, so it really does bring the most elite, arcade experience straight into your bedroom. We were only the second group to see the Playseat SV in action, but you’ll be able to grab one for AU$999.95 when it officially launches this coming November. Contact your local retailers for more information on availability if you want to get your hands on what has to be one of the most impressive racing seats designed for the video game market.
Bluemouth Interactive offers numerous other different, and more affordable, options ranging from AU$90 up to AU$200, but there’s no comparison. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. In this case, you’re paying for top quality. Plans are also in place to release a limited quantity of special Playseat SV rigs to coincide with the release of major racing games, but we’ll bring you more on that if anything happens.
The remainder of the morning was spent getting a glimpse at some upcoming new releases, specifically designed around the PlayStation Move technology, and will be released exclusively for Sony’s system. The target audiences are spread from casual to core, with the first lot of titles focusing on fitness and dancing. Yes, that sort of stuff. My Body Coach 2 is a pretty standard workout scenario, whereby two Move controllers are placed into dumbbells and the game tracks your progress from there. It also includes dancing modes for the ladies (and men, if you’re into that type of thing). Similarly, Cyberbike 2 is being designed to keep the legs moving, but prioritises family over solo sessions. The cartoon style and playful gameplay (collecting coins) are intentional moves to draw in younger audiences. The difference however, is that the game is bundled with a bike (the whole package costs AU$229), to give it more of authentic feel. To avoid further blushes, we did not hop on the bike…
The final two games were slightly more interesting. The first was Hunter’s Trophy, and you’re probably thinking that must be a Cabela rip-off, surely? To be fair, we initially thought exactly the same thing. But there is a difference. In an effort to create a proper simulation, the French Regional Hunting Federation is being consulted with to ensure that realism is at the forefront of every detail. Line of sight, wind, smell, possibly even gravity at long range – all of these elements are being considered. It’ll come bundled with a peripheral and also supports 3D, a first for the niche genre.
Game + Accessory = Geek, but who cares?
Lastly, the plainly titled Snipers rounded off our time spent in South Yarra. Admittedly, the name wasn’t terribly enticing, but surprisingly the gameplay was. It’s entirely online and just like Hunter’s Trophy, it can be played with Move and a peripheral (or without). Twelve players are thrown into the mix, and from what we saw, the levels are complex and multi-layered. If you can see a ledge or a good vantage point, chances are you can get up there by using a grappling hook. A cloaking system that appears to be inspired by Crysis 2 is being implemented to give you a brief moment to catch your breath, or sneak around and flank the enemy. It’s obviously not going to have a community on a par with Battlefield 3 or Modern Warfare 3, but it looks interesting enough to warrant some attention; and with a decent engine churning out some respectable graphics, it might be worth picking up when it arrives in or around the months of December and January.
And that was the end of our morning spent in South Yarra with Bluemouth Interactive, getting a look at some fancy new toys that will no doubt find their way nestled under a Christmas tree at the end of 2011. While it mightn’t be the biggest name in the video game industry, it’s crucial that we remember our local friends and if possible, support them. So if you see a cool Lego controller in the shops, don’t be ashamed to buy it! Thanks again to Bluemouth Interactive for inviting us over, and we’ll do our best to keep you readers informed on any exciting new products that might arise in the near future.
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