Review: Dragon Ball Z – Ultimate Tenkaichi (PS3)

You’d think the example of the racist paint job in Forza 2 would make console manufacturers more shy about approving games allowing users to add their own content. While explaining how mods will work in Unreal Tournament III Epic reported that the big three publishers have different points of view on mods. Sony accepted them, Microsoft declined them, and Nintendo basically runs screaming in the other direction.

Eric Morris, lead producer on UT3, explained how the mods will work on the PS3:
[t]he mods will be created on a PC and then “cooked” to work better on a PS3 using a built-in option. That file can than be slapped onto a Memory Stick and imported into the PS3 version of the game with the console’s built-in MS reader. He said the company is also looking at ways of making the mods downloadable through an in-game browser on the PS3 and perhaps even Home.

And we’re not just talking about the mutators, too:
When Unreal Tournament III makes its way to the PS3 it will bring with it the ability to import user-created content including maps, weapons and, yes, mods.

How will the console versions differ from the PC version? Check after the jump for some preview information.

Shacknews has a nice preview up of the game noting some control tweaks for the PS3 version:

[T]he PS3 control scheme [was] handled by the team that did the control for Gears of War on the Xbox 360. Weapons are selectable via a radial menu that is superimposed over the screen at the touch of a button. A dodge move is mapped to one of the shoulder buttons, allowing players to easily aim and move while sprinting out of a rocket’s path.

The ability to feign death returns to the game, and all 11 weapons are the same or tweaked versions of weapons in past UT games. For example, the rocket launcher now throws grenades again as its alternate fire mode.

What about tilt control? The hoverboard will use the SIXAXIS tilt, as will guiding the Redeemer’s missile. Ah, my sweet Redeemer, creator of much hilarity over voice chat!

Some things are apparently undecided. Epic was mum on keyboard and mouse support, though, which is a surprise given its inclusion in the PS2 (offline) version of Unreal Tournament and Sony’s willingness to let developers use them if they wish. Cross platform PS3 to PC gameplay also hasn’t been decided. If Epic decides not to support a mouse and keyboard for whatever reason, I can’t see cross-platform play being all that great. I’ve already seen stories elsewhere that UT3 won’t support Games for Windows, cutting it off from the possibility of Xbox 360 to PC play when the Xbox 360 version appears in 2008, so keeping PS3 players from competing with PC gamers wouldn’t be a big surprise to me.

I noticed the mod information during Kotaku’s E3 coverage here.

Will mod support give UT3 extra longevity, or will most gamers just play what ships with it? Are you as surprised about user map support as I am? What do you think?