[tintub]

Originally posted by Superchic[k]en:
I dono maybe Canada's just behind America's ficsation with spending time on video games. Don't get me wrong I've spent many a week renting Chrono trigger and going through new game plus 50 times (of course that's an exaduration) and I've probably beaten FF3 at least 5 times. And I can waste all my friends at Smash Bros... I just don't think that the older market has that much time to spend on things of that little importance. I dono maybe I just grew out of video games but there are things in life that matter more than sweet graphics a good battle system and strong story line... and whatever the heck is in grand theift auto now.

Anyway call me crazy but I don't think there is that large of a 16+ market for portables... unless they intigrate a cell phone.

You should spend less time playing games and more time doing schoolwork.

As for the adult market - we may not have as much time to spend playing gameboy, but we have much more disposable income and if we want to spend a couple of hundred $s for a gameboy for occasional use, then no biggie. Don't forget that the people who are adults now (around my age and even older) grew up on videogames - and they don't stop being fun when you turn 16/18/21/25 etc.

[mishap]

looks like i wont be buying a new ipod come the end of next year. nice.



img: gizmodo

[palmberg]

Originally posted by mishap:
looks like i wont be buying a new ipod come the end of next year. nice.

You never know. Apple could announce their own vaporware tomorrow, and you'd be back in the camp.

Consider that Apple basically out-Sony'd Sony with the iPod. You think Steve-O is going to sit on his a$$ for the next year and not improve the iPod? By this time next year (probably sooner), the iPod will make this PSP look like shiat.

Start saving up now....

[starman]

Between this and the PSX, Sony's going to have a LOT of my money in the next year.

Mike

[MindFad]

The iPod is an MP3 player�the PSP is a gaming handheld. I doubt there's big competition between the two.

As for that pic, is that what it's going to look like? Can't really get a feel for how big it is. Screen is nice, though I don't really like the look or design of it. Hopefully I don't get flamed for not liking the look of it. I'd rather play with the thing first, though, to get a feel. Things are starting to heat up in the handheld market, which is awesome. It'll be cool to see what Nintendo fires back with, whenever that may be. Though I'm sure they're quite comfy right now in all of those GBA SP sales and software sales.

And those specs, man�"PS2-level graphics"? With 2MB of VRAM? They have to be joking. Unless that spec is wrong about the 2MB. What's the total system memory? The N64 had 4MB, for crying out loud, and 8MB with the expansion. You're not getting more than maybe one nice model and a texture or two onto 2MB if you're talking about PS2 graphics. Pfft. Maybe they mean PS1-level graphics.

[palmberg]

Originally posted by MindFad:
The iPod is an MP3 player�the PSP is a gaming handheld. I doubt there's big competition between the two.

"While crediting Apple and its chief executive, Steve Jobs, for the success of the iPod, Sony officials said the PSP would allow consumers to watch music videos as well as listen to digital tunes.

"We are taking on iPod with our new device," another Sony official said. "We are coming at him (Steve Jobs) on that front."

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=3756027

[MindFad]

Well, hot damn.

Gee, I guess Apple needs to make a gaming handheld!11! Who gives a crap about watching videos wherever they go anyway? Why does every new device that comes out have to do every possible ****in' thing? iPod: listen to music, use as hard drive, store contacts.... PSP: play games primarily�but it can also play music and videos and stuff, so I guess we're taking on the iPod now. I still don't see the devices in any competition�they're two completely different things. Like a golf cart in competition with a damn Porsch�. Yeah, they both drive around and have tires, but....

[starman]

Originally posted by MindFad:
Well, hot damn.

Gee, I guess Apple needs to make a gaming handheld!11! Who gives a crap about watching videos wherever they go anyway? Why does every new device that comes out have to do every possible ****in' thing? iPod: listen to music, use as hard drive, store contacts.... PSP: play games primarily�but it can also play music and videos and stuff, so I guess we're taking on the iPod now. I still don't see the devices in any competition�they're two completely different things. Like a golf cart in competition with a damn Porsch�. Yeah, they both drive around and have tires, but....

People said the same thing about the PS2 itself, "Why does it have to play DVDs? I want to play games on it, not watch movies!!!". That was such a stupid argument since it saves the clutter of another machine, and you can't do both at the same time anyway.

I like convergence if it's done right.

Mike

[palmberg]

Originally posted by MindFad:
Who gives a crap about watching videos wherever they go anyway?

I have to say I agree with you. I'm thinking about it, and I can't come up with a good reason to carry a bunch of videos around with me, especially if carrying around those videos means I have less room for music. I don't *want* to have to watch my iPod.

The reason the iPod's been such a huge hit is that it does what it does really well and looks good doing it. It ain't tryin' to be anything it's not (contacts and calendar aside).

By the time the PSP comes out, the iPod will have a larger capacity, be smaller, have a larger buffer, and will run for more than a day on a charge. Oh, and it'll cost less. It'll (still) be the best MP3 player around, particularly for people like me who don't give two damns about watching video or playing Tetris. Who has the time?

[starman]

Well, when I had my iPaq, I had clips of the kids on it. When you're a parent, people are ALWAYS asking you "have any new pics of the kids?" and I'd whip out the iPaq and not just show them pix, but short clips. Everyone loved it. Now I can do that with my phone .

Mike

[SOLIDAge]

i remember reading that the price tag is going to be around $1,000.

how is that a system? thats an investment!

[mishap]

Originally posted by SOLIDAge:
i remember reading that the price tag is going to be around $1,000.

how is that a system? thats an investment!

where did you hear something like that?

[MindFad]

Originally posted by starman:
People said the same thing about the PS2 itself, "Why does it have to play DVDs? I want to play games on it, not watch movies!!!". That was such a stupid argument since it saves the clutter of another machine, and you can't do both at the same time anyway.

I like convergence if it's done right.

Mike

I'm not trying to make an argument one way or another, though. I agree, if it can be done right, then the convenience of that convergence is cool. Sometimes you do just want a device that does this one thing, I think. Sometimes a DVD player should be a DVD player, and an MP3 player should be an MP3 player, I guess. The whole Sony statement seems odd. It's like someone should have said, "Hey, Sony, your competition is Nintendo, not Apple."

[Brien]

My only hope is that the PSP doesn't kill the Gameboy...

[mishap]

Originally posted by brien:
My only hope is that the PSP doesn't kill the Gameboy...

I think nintendo will have to compete with 3d, which sucks because the games coming out now are just perfect for portable gaming.

[Myrkridia]

My guess is the PS portable games will be almost as expensive as PS2 discs. Considering how much space each disc is, and how Sony loves to fill em up..
Are polygons really necessary for a portable with a tiny ass screen?

[OwlBoy]

Originally posted by mishap:
How much do you want to bet that Sony will take the same approach as Nintendo and re-release a lot of the PS1 games for this system? I wouldnt mind that one bit...

ohhhh Final Fantasy VII on the road...

-Owl

[mishap]

Originally posted by OwlBoy:
ohhhh Final Fantasy VII on the road...

-Owl

imagine it all on one disc or imagine collections of games on single discs.

[drmcnutt]

Originally posted by MindFad:
I'm not trying to make an argument one way or another, though. I agree, if it can be done right, then the convenience of that convergence is cool. Sometimes you do just want a device that does this one thing, I think. Sometimes a DVD player should be a DVD player, and an MP3 player should be an MP3 player, I guess. The whole Sony statement seems odd. It's like someone should have said, "Hey, Sony, your competition is Nintendo, not Apple."

Ipod is just an MP3 player? Every quarter Apple adds more functionality to it (probably to justify the premium price). Recorder, card reader? contacts, games, notes, portable firewire hard drive? No, it's not JUST an mp3 player, it does more than one thing.

DRM

[ledmirage]

To hell with the hardware specs. It's all about the games and there aren't any good games out nowadays.

My PS2 just sits around waiting for FFXII, MGS3 Ico2 and SH4, which has not been announced. My GC was only used for Zelda and it's waiting for the next Zelda in closet. Maybe, just maybe, I'll get Resident Evil 4, but I've been so disappointed by the series that it's quite unlikely that I will. I got the GBA SP on the release date, but I've only used it to tinker with a sequencer software Nanoloop designed for GB years ago. I'm looking at 1 to 2 games per year now and I love games!! On top of all that, most games only lasts 5 to 6 hours.

So, what will this new gadget bring to me? Re-release of aged games from the past? Remake of the classics? My favorite game FFT was ruined on GBA. I'm not holding my breath.

[SOLIDAge]

Originally posted by mishap:
where did you hear something like that?

latest EGM.

[Gee4orce]

Originally posted by starman:
Between this and the PSX, Sony's going to have a LOT of my money in the next year.

Mike

Well, they need it - considering they just announced last week that they are laying off 20,000 workers !

Sony have been caught napping on the whole MP3 bandwagon - they tried to force the market with Minidisk, and then the Memory Stick devices. The iPod runs rings around anything Sony currently makes.

As for them releasing an iPod beater for $60 - well, I can announce that I'm releasing a 3D Virtual Reality headset system with integrated Cyber Sex simulation and 3GBps global broadband, for $59.99. But it doesn't make it actually real.

[Gee4orce]

Originally posted by ledmirage:
To hell with the hardware specs. It's all about the games and there aren't any good games out nowadays.

My PS2 just sits around waiting for FFXII, MGS3 Ico2 and SH4, which has not been announced. My GC was only used for Zelda and it's waiting for the next Zelda in closet. Maybe, just maybe, I'll get Resident Evil 4, but I've been so disappointed by the series that it's quite unlikely that I will. I got the GBA SP on the release date, but I've only used it to tinker with a sequencer software Nanoloop designed for GB years ago. I'm looking at 1 to 2 games per year now and I love games!! On top of all that, most games only lasts 5 to 6 hours.

So, what will this new gadget bring to me? Re-release of aged games from the past? Remake of the classics? My favorite game FFT was ruined on GBA. I'm not holding my breath.

Correct. Playstation games have basically broken down into the following categories:

* Driving Games
* Football Games (or in the US 'Football' Games and Ice Hockey Games)
* First Person Shooters.
* erm....

...even the 3D platform games like Tomb Raider have almost vanished. The games that are available are a) too bloody hard, and b) need a massive investment of time to get any reward.

I love strategy games - real strategy games, like Close Combat. They are non-existant on the Mac and Playstation. Why is it that 'Real Time Strategy' now equates to 'Warcraft clone' ? I don't want to have to mind for gold, chop down trees or build a cornmill - I want to direct my soldiers in real-time action.

I really think that the golden age of computer gaming was the mid 90s. There's not enough innovation these days - games are just clones of other games that sold well. Just like Holywood films.

[MindFad]

Originally posted by drmcnutt:
Ipod is just an MP3 player? Every quarter Apple adds more functionality to it (probably to justify the premium price). Recorder, card reader? contacts, games, notes, portable firewire hard drive? No, it's not JUST an mp3 player, it does more than one thing.

DRM

I said it was an MP3 player and a hard drive. Contacts, notes ... those are a nice side effect. But it's a damn MP3 player. I don't think it's comparable in any way to a handheld like the PSP, which is what I was trying to say. Yeah, like those games are really *smokin'* on the iPod.

[mishap]

_____________________
UPDATE - 2/26/04


Delayed Until 2005 for the US:
http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/25/comm...column_gaming/


Sony has informed publishers, developers and retailers that while it still plans to launch its handheld gaming and entertainment device in Japan this holiday season, the PSP will not hit shelves in North America or Europe until calendar year 2005.

[MindFad]

Between $199 and $249? Yikes.

I'll take an SP and 4 games.

It will be interesting to see how the handheld market grows from this. There's already new contenders out there, but with big Sony shouldering on in, Nintendo's got to be shakin' their boots just a bit.

Which has me a bit iffy on the DS, but I'm optimistic�they know how to make fun games, and I think they learned their lesson from VirtualBoy. But you would think that they would be concentrating all of their efforts on their Game Boy Advance successor, which is supposedly in the works (according to them, along with the GameCube successor), or at least promote and shed some light on them. Is the DS supposed to be some interim handheld, which everyone will forget about when GBA2 comes about? And what's with "it's not intended to be competition for the PSP" and "we're not focusing on achieving high-resolution beautiful ass ****in' graphics with today's technologies"? (Well, close enough.)

The PR people suck. An entirely new product, yeah�but just keep talking about your great upcoming products, and quit bitching about the shitty direction you think the industry is going in. (I never thought I would say that.) My picture of Nintendo is the talented artist kid in school who's angry at everyone for not seeing his art his way, and he's got that I'll-show-you fist waving around. It would be cool to see Nintendo take the criticism and try and mold with what...

Oh hell. You know, scaught, this is one of those "just close the damn window" posts. You were right. But I'll leave it, even if unfinished.

It's just ****ing video games. Just shut up, play them, and enjoy what you enjoy.

So I'll probably get the DS, and probably most definitely get a PSP (after I get a look at the software, that is). GBA 2 and GC 2 are in the bag, of course.

[willed]

It's hardly even been announced and already Yoda's Erotic thingy is a fanboy

[ryju]

Originally posted by itai195:
Not exactly... The PlayStation come out 1 year before the Nintendo 64 (in the US), which was crippled from the start by its cartridge format. The Sega Saturn came out 4 months before the PS1, but its launch was completely botched, it was overpriced, and Sega really didn't understand that the era of 3D console games had arrived. Sony did well with the PlayStation 1, but the mistakes their competitors made really set the table for them.

What he said

[scaught]

this thread gets my obligatory videogame thread response. which are always ignored because theres some people who LIKE to argue about their preference in terms of entertainment.

buy the system that has the games you want to play.

[benb]

Originally posted by MindFad:
I'll take an SP and 4 games.

Ha ha FANBOY. You are stupid Zelda man! Nintendo games are too bright and fun. SMS graphics sucked! Nintendo marketshare is dropping and the DS will be like VirtualBoy!

Ha ha you are a fanboy and I'm not. Ha!


I just saved about 5 members 10 minutes of their time.

[Vader�s Pinch of Death]

Originally posted by MindFad:
Between $199 and $249? Yikes.

I'll take an SP and 4 games.

Right, and for a $50 difference you can get a 15 gig iPod over a Mini

[Link]

Originally posted by MindFad:
Between $199 and $249? Yikes.

I'll take an SP and 4 games.

<etc etc etc etc >

I think Sony and Microsoft CEOs must be good friends, because they share the same damn marketing strategy.

"OH THIS IS THE BEST OPERATING SYSTEM EVER! IT'S GOING TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY!!!!! It'll be out in 2004!!! Don't forget that.. oh no wait 2005.... wait did I say 2005? I meant 2006. Uh oh, no ya know what 2007... and maybe 2008!"

Sony = "The PSP is going to revolutionize the gaming industry! It'll be ready next year!!!!!! Oh wait.. no the year after.. but we promise it'll be really good!!!"

They did the same **** with the PS2 and are doing it with the PS3 IIRC.

Funny the PS2 beat all the other consoles to market, however. (or am I wrong here?)

I personally think the DS is a joke, and want to see a downsized N64, or even downsized gamecube (hey it's possible with today's tech.. do it already!), but that's just not happening. Nintendo knows how to make things cheap, and good....

Sony seems to have a good idea but they're not quite there yet. MS on the other hand.. well... I don't think we need to worry about them too much.

Sony wants to eliminate all the real consoles and take the console market and make it a small niche of the "ultamegasuperduper portable digital assistant"

[Big Booger]

Originally posted by Link:
I think Sony and Microsoft CEOs must be good friends, because they share the same damn marketing strategy.

They are Bilderbergers and give blowjobs to each other at annual conferences.

[MindFad]

scaught wins

[Jim Paradise]

Originally posted by Gee4orce:
Correct. Playstation games have basically broken down into the following categories:

* Driving Games
* Football Games (or in the US 'Football' Games and Ice Hockey Games)
* First Person Shooters.
* erm....

...even the 3D platform games like Tomb Raider have almost vanished. The games that are available are a) too bloody hard, and b) need a massive investment of time to get any reward.

I love strategy games - real strategy games, like Close Combat. They are non-existant on the Mac and Playstation. Why is it that 'Real Time Strategy' now equates to 'Warcraft clone' ? I don't want to have to mind for gold, chop down trees or build a cornmill - I want to direct my soldiers in real-time action.

I really think that the golden age of computer gaming was the mid 90s. There's not enough innovation these days - games are just clones of other games that sold well. Just like Holywood films.

I have to agree for the most part with this, but that's why I bought a GameCube because it doesn't seem limited to those three categories. Actually, and I doubt many here will agre, but Nintendo seems to be the only platform trying to have some fun and different games made for their systems instead of bowing to the "everyone who plays video games these days just wants sports players shooting each other to rescue chicks with big tits." Video games are supposed to be fun. Not every game has to be rated M or bow down to train of thought that other than first person shooter nerds, the only other people that play games are college frat boys who want to play a sports game.

[Link]

Originally posted by Jim Paradise:
Not every game has to be rated M or bow down to train of thought that other than first person shooter nerds, the only other people that play games are college frat boys who want to play a sports game.

I couldn't have said it better myself!

[mishap]

Gamespot Impressions Here

A little less than a week from launch now....

[Lancer409]

ooh wee! .. psp looks hot, but i'm a nintendo person (started on nintendo, gameboy, then supernes, gba, now gba sp) .. no consoles since i'm a pc gamer.. but wow .. i hope nintendo survives in both the console & portable market...

[Hawkeye_a]

Originally posted by Jim Paradise:
"everyone who plays video games these days just wants sports players shooting each other to rescue chicks with big tits."

Tht is an awesome quote, couldnt have said it better myself... im gonna have to use that sometime in the future .

[mishap]

More Photos + Details

Ack... Loading times!!


Loading Times

Loading time and battery life seem to be the big factors which decide about the PSPs success or failure in many gamers eyes right now. While we can't comment on the battery life as of yet, latest reports from Japan about loading times on demo units that actually have access to the games are as follows:

Ridge Racers:

� From power off to Namco logo and title: 16 seconds
� From selecting car/track to start the race: 14 seconds
� Exit the game back to car/track selection: 10 seconds

Dokodemo Issho:

� From power off to PSP logo and title: 20 seconds
� Starting game from title screen: 10 seconds
� Going back to title screen: 5 seconds

Mojipittan:

� From power off to title screen: 20 seconds
� No more waiting time

Minna no Golf:

� From power off to PSP logo and title: 24 seconds
� From character selection to start: 19 seconds
� Waiting between courses: few seconds only

The interface/menu of Minna no Golf seems to be very slow reacting, with people even hinting that this could be a problem of the pre-release version only.

[Destonius]

Jeez, I feel sorry for all the PSP fans around the world who can't read Japanese. It's going to bomb so hard here in Japan, it's not even funny. I love Sony, especially their professional audio division, but I'm not going to waste $250 plus games for a system with no future.

Even the developers hate it. (They didn't receive the actual PSP until last week, about a week before the launch date and that's just the tip of the iceberg.) There aren't any games coming up that I haven't already played on my PS2.



For you PSP lovers, here are some of the most hideous campaigns I've ever seen. Rumor is that they've run out of the campaign budget :

Here's the top page.
http://www.playstation.jp/psp/ad.html

They setup displays at several train stations with security guards standing between the machines. Can you say iPod mini ripoff!?
http://www.playstation.jp/psp/ad_041115.html

They went back to the early 90's Tokyo with this one. They special ordered mannequins with surprised look on their faces holding PSP's to be displayed at cafes, etc. They are really freaky looking. Oh, for those who are interested, you can find out more about each mannequin's names and personal backgrounds at Sony website.
http://www.playstation.jp/psp/surprise/

The charity auction for the victims of Niigata earthquake was received with disdain for it was too little too late, raising the suspicion that Sony was advertising PSP which was to be released in 2 weeks later. Bad taste, if you ask me.

By the way, I'm not a Nintendo freak or anything. I don't care. I just wanted to give you some Japanese updates. That's all. Cheers!!

[Albert Pujols]

PSP and DS comparisons

Spec wise, the PSP is far more advanced than the DS. And it looks good too . But thats just my opinion.


I hope that link works

[Super Nova]

Originally posted by Albert Pujols:
PSP and DS comparisons

Spec wise, the PSP is far more advanced than the DS. And it looks good too . But thats just my opinion.

The fact is, I think PSP is going to far better than the DS. The DS was a huge disappointment for Nintendo. The controls are awful and I honestly don't see anything special in the games other than the dual-screens.....

SuperNova

[buffalolee]

Originally posted by I Bent My Wookiee:
Huh? Personally I have: Nintendo, Super Nintendo, N64, GameCube, Original Gameboy, Gameboy Advance SP, VirtualBoy, Playstation 2 and an Xbox.

So for me I would have to say I am just as big of a "ficsation."

Wow. You sure do have a lot of time on your hands.

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by Super Nova:
The fact is, I think PSP is going to far better than the DS. The DS was a huge disappointment for Nintendo. The controls are awful and I honestly don't see anything special in the games other than the dual-screens.....

SuperNova

Um, its selling like nuts actually. I haven't got one but I hear the directional controls are awesome, the pen brings you more into the game, and that the games are great.

Sony didn't learn that bigger and better graphics don't make a handheld.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
Um, its selling like nuts actually. I haven't got one but I hear the directional controls are awesome, the pen brings you more into the game, and that the games are great

Yes it is selling well right now, so did the G4 cube when it launched.

Not to mention that people who have bought it are complaining that none of the games actually use the voice commands and Wifi and the touch controls are rather bla. Wasn't this the whole point of the damn thing?

And no the directional pad is nothing anyone has complimented, people are saying it is terrible for games like SuperMario 64 as it is digital and the controls are not accurate. In other words any 3D game is going to have problems.

[SouthPaW1227]

7.1 channel audio. From a portable handheld.

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Yes it is selling well right now, so did the G4 cube when it launched.

Not to mention that people who have bought it are complaining that none of the games actually use the voice commands and Wifi and the touch controls are rather bla. Wasn't this the whole point of the damn thing?

And no the directional pad is nothing anyone has complimented, people are saying it is terrible for games like SuperMario 64 as it is digital and the controls are not accurate. In other words any 3D game is going to have problems.

Your point?

If by "people" you mean "whiney Sony fans", then yes. You can't judge it based on the games that are immediately out because the simple fast is nintendo has a ton more in development than sony.

That has squat to do with the pad itself. Yes it is something you have to get accustomed to but anyone who thought pads would remain analog forever needs to put down the bong.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
Your point?

If by "people" you mean "whiney Sony fans", then yes. You can't judge it based on the games that are immediately out because the simple fast is nintendo has a ton more in development than sony.

No sony fans are not buying the DS. these are the Nintendo fanboys that are complaining.

There is no advantage to that Digital controller, period.

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
No sony fans are not buying the DS. these are the Nintendo fanboys that are complaining.

There is no advantage to that Digital controller, period.

Wouldn't bitching against the product disqualify the fan-boy thing?

You could say the same about optical mice. One good thing: Pressure sensitivity.