Topic: Some bland PSP news

[ruby_onix]

From Gamespot and IGN-PSP.

The PSP will be "almost as powerful as the PlayStation 2," but its "programming would be more comparable to the PlayStation One." Whatever that means.

I take that second part to mean either that the PSP will be as easy to program for as the PSone was, unlike the PS2 (making PSP games potentially look even better than PS2 games), or that it's available software will for the most part look like PSone games, not PS2 games (which would look nasty, but could help with the PSP's apparent financial problems).

The freshly-unveiled PSP Development Kit plays DVD-Rs, because Sony apparently isn't ever going to let anyone get their hands on a UMD burner, not even their own developers, in order to try and maintain some sort of copy-protection (which will probably work as well as the GameCube's disks did, and be "an effective deterrant" to widespread piracy).

As a result, the "Universal" Media Disk is probably only ever going to be a format for PSP games, FF Advent Children, and some Sony-produced movies. Music will need to be imported to the PSP through the Memory Stick, and presumably, only in Sony's own ATRAC form (MP3 support isn't looking very likely).

The PSP's price and battery life are still top-secret, but will supposedly be unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show later this month, along with some actual playable games. However, the PSP dev kit will come with it's own simulated "battery life remaining" indicator, if that tells you anything...

Oh yeah and, some sort of "A/V out" port, to connect a PSP to a TV, was apparently chopped from the system a long time ago.

[nitsu niflheim]

well if I remember corectly, the PSP is also going to have a stand that can be used to hold the system so you don't have to hold it while watching movies, which to me defeats the purpose of it being a portable system, because having to move and set up the stand is too much work.

[KDR_11k]

Sony already stated the PSP is meant for home usage, not for using it on the move. I think that was a reply to the battery issue, but still a very dumb move.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Is that a PSP stand in your pocket, or are you just a sicko?

[Flames_of_chaos]

HMMMM so PSP is for people who cant stand up to change discs, press the power button or to turn off the PS2 as their life depended on it now? Wow considering Sony has some good portable products such as CD,Mini disc players and digital cameras as such I guess the Sony Computer Entertainment division doesnt grasp games on the go concept. a stand for the PSP!?!?, wow the PS2 stand prepherals were pretty pointless on their own, watch sony charge 50 dollars for a something to protect the PSP screen or charge 100+ for screen replacements because you will know how people will neglect the screens

[Chongman]

they're whores...complete....whore...its beautiful really...in a kind of whorish way...

[joeamis]

Quote
Originally posted by: ruby_onix
From Gamespot and IGN-PSP.

The PSP will be "almost as powerful as the PlayStation 2," but its "programming would be more comparable to the PlayStation One." Whatever that means.

I take that second part to mean either that the PSP will be as easy to program for as the PSone was, unlike the PS2 (making PSP games potentially look even better than PS2 games), or that it's available software will for the most part look like PSone games, not PS2 games (which would look nasty, but could help with the PSP's apparent financial problems).

Oh yeah and, some sort of "A/V out" port, to connect a PSP to a TV, was apparently chopped from the system a long time ago.

They were talking about the programming being easier like the PS1, I don't see how you get the games looking like PS1 games out of that, especially when they said almost as powerful as PS2.  And if you look at the specs it will be very close to PS2, you don't need equal specs when the game is running on a 4 inch screen...

As for connecting to the tv, you can do it through the usb port with your PS2 and I wouldn't doubt PS3, oh and your computers...

As for a stand, I'm glad I have that option.  It would be good for watching movies while on airplanes, at home if everyone else is using the other tvs, and on vacation at places with only 1 tv and such, etc...  The PS2 stand wasn't pointless if you were someone who utilized it well...

[Flames_of_chaos]

Quote
The PS2 stand wasn't pointless if you were someone who utilized it well...

Doesn't the PS2 in the verticle position screw up laser alignment, because my friend got a brand new PS2(network pack) and the game froze while in verticle positioning when twisted metal black was running. Also my PS2 had problems when I had it in verticle position and now its always in horizontal position where Im getting no problems.  And the Horizontal stand is pointless

[DrZoidberg]

i've had mine in both positions at various times, i've only had one DRE with Ape Escape 2, and that's cause it's a cd review copy.

[ruby_onix]

Quote
They were talking about the programming being easier like the PS1, I don't see how you get the games looking like PS1 games out of that, especially when they said almost as powerful as PS2.

They didn't specify (or at least the two reports that I read didn't specify) which end of the programming would be more like the PSone. (Although thinking about it, this was a "developers conference", so I guess that says something, doesn't it?)

It's like, how hardware itself doesn't have "graphics". And no game ever proves exactly what a system is capable of.

Quote
And if you look at the specs it will be very close to PS2, you don't need equal specs when the game is running on a 4 inch screen...

Yeah, but making a modern console game is a "major production". Something that handhelds have never really had to deal with until now. And the only playable PSP game shown until now has been a PSone-port (Tales of Eternia). If Sony's only pushing for PSone-level games (with cleaner polygons) for now, it'll relieve some pressure on the developers.

But I guess we'll find out what PSP games look like soon enough. And it won't matter what anyone said about them. They'll look how they'll look. I was just pointing out that I wasn't clear on what was said.

[joeamis]

I've read things stating that getting a game to look as good as a PS2 game on the PSP, takes alot less development than if it was being made for the PS2.  There were all sorts of reasons related to the hardware and design of the PSP that helped make this possible.  That was weeks ago though, and I'm not about to go through my magazines and look all over online to find them again.  It will be addressed again soon anyways.

I don't see how the horizontal stand for the PS2 is useless.  If I had one I could fit another system in my entertainment center.  (I may do that soon actually).  It's useful to people who happen to have such a predicament.  I'm sure theres even a minority who only have enough room to fit it vertically, given the setup they have.  I've seen one kid do that before actually.

[Deguello]

About PSP Battery life...

"I have no idea what the battery life is going to be like. It will depend on a lot of factors, like how loud the player has the volume."

Excuse moi?  Volume affects battery life.  R.I.P. PSP.

[Ian Sane]

"Excuse moi? Volume affects battery life. R.I.P. PSP."

No kidding.  I don't know if the volume affects the GBA's battery life but if it does it isn't noticable.  If the PSP is at the point where something that minor is noticable Sony has a HUGE problem.

Note Nintendo has never discussed battery life in specifics like volume, how fast the disc spins (obviously not an issue with the GBA), how "taxing" the game is, etc.  That's because it isn't an issue.  If Sony has to suggest optimum battery life conditions then obviously the PSP battery life is too short and Sony is making another Game Gear.  You figure after like 15 years of hindsight to see why no one has ever beat the Gameboy Sony would have figured that out.  This is like the N64 cartridge goof only worse.  It's like someone releasing a cartridge console NOW after being well aware of how the optical disc/cartridge issue ended up.  

[Deguello]

And I also believe Nintendo is giving honest to goodness realistsic figures of that battery life.  That the GBASP will run full blast for about 9-10 hours.

They also aren't pussyfooting around and saying 4 hours here, 2 hours there, 10 hours... for music and and that is if there is no graphics.  Damage Control like saying it's meant for the home.  Confusing developers on how much battery juice it will pack... and also the actual power of the system is less than they said.

Also notice the contrast in how these respective systems treat the developers.  The DS is pretty much anything goes, with options like microphone and stylus input, field programmability (I think that's what the DS media offers, and I hear it's good), (hopefully) no region lockout (good for us, anyway).  Whereas the PSP has region lockouts, a real inconvenienve in requiring the developers to burn their game onto a DVD-R and send it to Sony for conversion onto the UMD format.  Dev kits that have a battery timer to set a blanket limit on what you CAN do with the thing.  It's weird that they want to limit their 3rd Party efforts in such a way.  What, are they expecting their 1st party stuff to sell the PSP?

[nitsu niflheim]

then PSP is doomed, because Sony does not create very good games, every now and then they are responisble for something that is worth buying, but the Playstation brand has been supported and pushed like 90% by third party, IMHO.

[Ian Sane]

"every now and then they are responisble for something that is worth buying"

The funny thing is the stuff they do make that's worthwhile (ICO, Frequency) is often too hardcore and completely bombs with their own fanbase.  Just though I would mention that while we're all making light of Sony's serious oversight and potential Virtual Boyish disaster.

It's incredibly ironic that Sony took away Nintendo's console lead because they were more third party friendly and are now trying to take away Nintendo's portable lead by being significantly less third party friendly.

I'm happy that Sony may have a dud on their hands.  Not so much because I don't like them but because this generation has been way too one-sided and Sony could use a good failure to balance things out more next gen.

[couchmonkey]

I'm a little scared that people will not care even if the PSP battery life is low.  I guess it will depend on just how low it is, but I think people might actually put up with 2-3 hours as long as the system has a rechargeable battery (I'm not following it that closely).

I agree that it would be nice for Sony to fail (or at least not have much success) with the PSP just to keep things balanced.

[SgtShiversBen]

I too thought Frequency was the BEST.  It was a pretty damn fun game.  In lieu of the PSP though, I think while it might be cool to own, it's just going to be a pain.  But then we're going to get rappers like Ludacris be all "Playstation Portable up in my ride" in his hit song Rollout 2.  Another reason why I hate it is because it has the same initials as Performance Service Plans from Best Buy.  And damn do those things get annoying.  

Nintendo is right though.  Handheld systems are made to be played in spurts...like in toilets.  I couldn't imagine myself playing Metal Gear Solid on the john and then after I'm finished with my business, have to still be waiting for it to load, movies and all that hubbub.  On top of that I can't go BUY batteries anymore  Oh well, at least I still have my ORIGINAL GBA.

[joeamis]

Quote
Originally posted by: Deguello

They also aren't pussyfooting around and saying 4 hours here, 2 hours there, 10 hours... for music and and that is if there is no graphics.  a real inconvenienve in requiring the developers to burn their game onto a DVD-R and send it to Sony for conversion onto the UMD format.  What, are they expecting their 1st party stuff to sell the PSP?

Eh Nintendo doesn't say different times because they're not having music or movies on their system...  It's not a big deal that they have to have Sony do the umd's.  No, but their 2nd parties/ 3rd parties that are basically 2nd parties too, will certainly will sell it.  

Ian Sane: "No kidding. I don't know if the volume affects the GBA's battery life but if it does it isn't noticable."

Hmm, you must not have had many experiences with your batteries low on power.  I've had the volume on my original gba be a significant factor at times.  When the batteries got low, (I did tests over time) if I put the volume all the way down to where I could barely hear it/or on mute sometimes I got over an extra hour of battery life, and that was only when the battery went low.  If I had kept it on mute or close to it to begin with when using fresh batteries, than I could've easily gotten many more hours of battery life.  Same deal with my cd players.  

[oohhboy]

Playing the old GBC/GB games on the GBA increaes battery time. I get about 50% more time out of my batteries over playing GBA games. Also playing certin games on he GBA  changes how uch play time you have. Advance Wars 1/2 tends to go the distance, while F-Zero goes through it abit quicker.

[Ian Sane]

"Hmm, you must not have had many experiences with your batteries low on power. I've had the volume on my original gba be a significant factor at times."

"Playing the old GBC/GB games on the GBA increaes battery time.  Also playing certin games on he GBA changes how uch play time you have."

I'm sure that's the case and I know my friend kept near dead batteries in his old Gameboy for the longest of time and played Tetris on mute.  There are factors that affect the GBA's battery life but it's insignificant.  It's only a big deal if you're low on batteries.  The battery life for the GBA is regardless of what game you play or volume still a perfectly acceptable length.  The way they talk about the PSP it's like even with a fully charged battery playing with a lower volume would be a good idea.  Sony talks about PSP battery power conservation as if it's a really big deal.  There's a difference between playing in mute to get a few more minutes out of near dead battery and playing in mute to get a few more minutes out of a fully charged battery.

[joeamis]

well I could get almost an extra hour, after the battery light indicated it was almost out.  If I had kept it on mute with a fresh pair of batteries it would translate into probably almost double the amount of playtime.  As far as the PSP we will find out in less than 2.2 weeks.

[KDR_11k]

What he's saying is that it's worrying that Sony has to issue recommendations for maximum battery life. Nintendo never told us what to do to preserve battery life. Sony isn't guiving recommendations on how to squeeze out a few more minutes when your batteries get critical, they're telling you how to handle the device the whole time. Adding an hour to a ten hour battery life isn't that big of a deal, at least not compared to adding two hours to a two hour battery life.

[Deguello]

"It's not a big deal that they have to have Sony do the umd's."

I dunno.  What's to stop Sony from "losing" your DVD-R and then strangely have it show up when it doesn't compete with their own games, or worse, releasing an eerily similar game?  Or what if you wanna work your own debugging on an actual PSP like you can with the GBA and possibly the DS?

It's kinda shaky to have Sony do the Conversion.  What if there is a problem?  What if the developer wants to be absolutely certain what goes on each UMD and leave nothing to chance?  On the GBA, you have the Matser Rom Cart, and on the GC I think you have Gold Master GODs.  Both of these are hard copies of your game, and I know for a fact the Master Rom can be played, so you are damn sure what goes one each cart/disc.  Having your final product need conversion onto another format that they won't let you have access to throws a little uncertainty into the mixture for absolutely no reason.

[joeamis]

Quote
Originally posted by: Deguello
"It's not a big deal that they have to have Sony do the umd's."

I dunno.  What's to stop Sony from "losing" your DVD-R and then strangely have it show up when it doesn't compete with their own games, or worse, releasing an eerily similar game?  Or what if you wanna work your own debugging on an actual PSP like you can with the GBA and possibly the DS?

The DVD-R's will basically be the game 'gold'.  And they will easily make them not rewritable when they've gone gold.  To think that Sony will intentionally lose the copies of a game gone gold to them, for production, is beyond ludicrous.

KDR:  "Adding an hour to a ten hour battery life isn't that big of a deal, at least not compared to adding two hours to a two hour battery life."

I said adding an hour when the system battery light went on.  I then said and quote: "If I had kept it on mute with a fresh pair of batteries it would translate into probably almost double the amount of playtime."