The PlayStation 3's strongest launch title looks to have some very long legs, especially since Insomniac continues to pump out content for its first PlayStation 3 title, Resistance: Fall of Man. The game has seen a number of patches that have tweaked and refined the gameplay, as well as a downloadable map pack that gave gamers new arenas to wage war in.

Insomniac is set to release the second map pack sometime around the end of this month, and we have the first screens and details on what will be contained in the package. As well, we fired off a number of questions to Ted Price, the president and CEO of Insomniac Games, to see what it's all about.

First, here are the details that Insomniac sent our way about the two new maps:



Bracknell - A foreboding Chimeran node and Widowmaker breeding ground serve as eerie backdrops to this dark, all-interior environment loosely based on the Resistance single-player level. Players will fight in huge, cavernous spaces, where Chimeran architecture has overtaken an abandoned railway system. Bracknell is designed for both vertical and close-quarters combat, so polish those shotguns and Augers.



Axbridge - Axbridge has the perfect blend of frantic close quarters combat and concealed sniping perches. This map was created specifically for online multiplayer gameplay and not based on any Resistance single-player environment. It features a narrow corridor stretching under and above ground leading to two human bases on either side. The bases are large structures in their own right. Each contains several rooms and expansive fighting spaces.

Connecting the two bases is a large valley with a mix of organic and Chimeran architecture that provides excellent cover. But two large walls in the valley's middle create a heavily contested combat theater. Only the strong will survive!

IGN: When will the map pack be available?

Ted Price: We are aiming for the end of the month.

IGN: How many maps will be present?

Price: There will be two maps.

IGN: Will they work with all game types?

Price: Yes. They also work with all sizes of games - from 8 players to 40 players. This is an important aspect of the maps - their sizes change based on the number of players. This is to ensure that all game sizes are fun. For example, we don't use the 40 player size map when you've chosen to play 8-player deathmatch. The 8-player map is scaled so that the action is concentrated in a reasonably-sized area.



IGN: Can we expect to see any new items to go along with the maps, like new weapons perhaps?

Price: Not with the maps specifically but we just released "Patch 6," which is free to all players. In addition to some balancing and minor bug fixes, this patch contains some cool new features. For example you can now take screenshots from within the game and view those screens from the photo menu of your XMB. We've also added an option called "Send Voice Chat to All." If this is enabled, players can hear voice chat from any other player in the game including spectators and opposing team members. Squad voice chat is still only heard by members of the same squad. Another addition is that "Round balancing" now has a third option available to custom games - "Aggressive." If you set it to Aggressive, the game will attempt to rebalance the teams every round based on how well the players scored in the previous round to create the most even teams. And you can now turn off Bullseye tags without turning off the Bullseye, and you can turn off 40mm grenades without turning off the carbine. Finally, the patch supports the rumble feature of the Playstation Dual Shock 3 controller.

This is another in a long line of patches we've released with free content for Resistance. Over the past year our multiplayer team has worked very hard to respond to player requests and to come up with cool stuff to keep the game fresh. We've added new modes like Team Conversion and Assault. We've also created a spectator mode where you can roam freely or choose to follow specific players. We've added support for global servers, which lets you play against anyone anywhere in the world. We've added new rewards like special skins and new ribbons to earn. Characters now lipsync with incoming voice chat from the player controlling them - and players can use a USB keyboard to change facial expressions on their character (great for machinima). And the list goes on and on. You can check out more details for all of the patches at Myresistance.com - The Best my resistance Resources and Information. This website is for sale!.



IGN: Have there been any tweaks to the modes, balance or otherwise that will hit with the pack?

Price: We made several balance tweaks with the just-released Patch 6. Here they are:
# Range and damage on the Rossmore 236 has been decreased for both primary and secondary fire modes.
# Reload time of the LAARK L209 has been increased.
# Projectile speed of the LAARK L209 has been decreased.
# Splash damage radius of the LAARK L209 has been decreased.
# Hedgehog grenade splash damage has been generally increased, although the radius in which it will kill a player in 1 hit has been decreased.
# Frag grenade splash damage radius has been decreased.
# Arc charger fire rate has been increased.
# Arc charger clip size has been reduced.
# Arc charger damage has been decreased for the primary fire and increased for the secondary fire.
# Rate of fire the Bullseye tag (secondary fire) has been decreased.


IGN: What can you tell us about the Resistance tie-in with Ratchet & Clank?

Price: Just before we released Patch 6 we activated players' ability to unlock Ratchet & Clank add-ons. You can now run around with Clank on your back instead of a military backpack. You can wear gravity boots instead of the standard combat boots. And you can adorn your belt with Ratchet's stylin' wrench. We think these fashion accessories are appropriate for even the most hard-core commandos.

IGN: Thanks for your time.