Aaron: It seems the mix we know the least about is the upcoming next-gen title Dance Dance Revolution Universe. How did this project originate and what does the Microsoft Xbox 360 give to Dance Dance Revolution that the other home consoles cannot?
Jason: As the next-gen consoles start to pull more of the current-gen gaming audience over to bigger and better things, we wanted to naturally follow suit with DDR. We were able to get a jump-start on making a next-gen DDR game because Xbox 360 released prior to the other next-gen consoles.
Our experience on the regular Xbox and with Xbox Live also helped since the team could walk into developing for the Xbox 360 with a strong knowledge base from the beginning. The Xbox 360 game looks really snazzy on the screen, especially with the HD video output. The game also translates well into a 16:9 shape, especially for four-player online play since the screen is not so cramped compared to the 4:3 view.
Aaron: Since the Xbox 360 relies heavily on wireless connectivity, what can we expect of the dance mats to be included with Dance Dance Revolution Universe? Will they be wireless as well? How much can players expect to pay for an extra dance mat for the Xbox 360? Also, with the jump to the Xbox 360's hardware, what video and audio specs will Universe run at?
Jason: Unfortunately, all third-party peripherals for Xbox 360 must be wired controllers. This is one of the guidelines from Microsoft that everyone must follow. That being said, wireless technology is more expensive and so the wired route does help keep the costs down for the fans.
I am not sure how much extra dance mats will cost, but I think some other dance mats will probably come out that work with the Xbox 360. As for the audio and video specs, the game is presented in Dolby Digital and you can play the game in HD 720p resolution.
Aaron: Is there anything more you can tell us about the "Power Courses" and Relay Mode in Dance Dance Revolution Universe? How will the downloadable song packs pan out over the Xbox 360's Live Marketplace — are new, downloadable "Power Courses" a possibility for the future?
Jason: We briefly covered Relay and Power already, but we are planning downloadable music for Xbox 360. Right now we are looking at offering individual songs rather than song packs.
Article comments