Playstation Vita

[dairugger]

I know that. The console is required to be with you and hooked into a power outlet while the Vita can do so through any location that has wireless. Atleast considering that your PS3 on the other end also has access to the internet, wired or wireless. Reread the paragraph mentioning the Wii U.

my mistake, see what happens when you post when your sleep deprived. :-)

[NayusDante]

I'm saving up for one, but I'm not in any hurry. I'm going to need one eventually for PlayStation Suite development, so the official launch of that will probably be the latest I can wait to buy one. In the mean time, I'm taking the opportunity to clear out my backlog and eBay/Amazon as much as I can. I want to be able to buy one without actually spending any money out of pocket. The more stuff I can get rid of, the better, because then I'll actually be able to play the darn thing without thinking about my backlog.

The launch lineup doesn't really jump out at me, though I'm a sucker for more Katamari. I never played Ninja Gaiden, so that might be on my list as well. I'd love to have BlazBlue on the go, but I just don't carry handhelds around with me as much as I used to. Those are the three that I added to my Goozex list, so hopefully people start trading Vita games soon.

[Nature Boy]

I pre-ordered mine on the 21st of Feb (no sense giving my money away ahead of time :), and this way I got to walk in on launch day without waiting in line or worrying).

I *love* the thing to pieces.

Picked up Uncharted and Rayman in physical format, and bought Super Stardust Delta and Mutant Blobs Attack over PSN, and love 'em all (though I've kinda put Rayman aside until I beat Uncharted).

I agree that Uncharted feels too much like a 'lets use the touch screen as much as possible, with a dash of camera' - but I'm still enjoying the story (I'm about half way though I believe).

The best use of the back touch screen was in the FIFA demo - dribbling in and using that back touch to indicate where I wanted to shoot was *fantastic*

Worst use was in the Facebook app. Mostly because it wasn't expected, so I couldn't figure out what was going on. I don't understand why they bothered, or why they can't make it configurable.

Call me crazy but I'm dying to see what they port over to it. (I'm secretly hoping Valve puts a Portal compilation on Vita, just because I'd *love* to play them again and have them in portable form). There's no reason they couldn't make an amazing Fallout or GTA for this thing.

Here's hoping the post-launch stuff keeps the interest up.

[kupomogli]

So yesterday I finally received the Vita, my fault for ordering it the day of release instead of earlier to get the $.99 release day delivery and I'd like to reiterate how much I dislike the OS. It's never going to happen, but I'd really like it if they made a version you could control with the buttons. Also, like mentioning previously, I wish the settings were all in a single menu rather than having the system menu, holding down the screen for another menu, holding down the screen for a PSP menu, holding down the PS button for another menu, etc. Like I said previously. Leave the shortcuts, just add more options. Outside of those qualms, the OS is nice. Atleast you can keep it nicely organized.

So the only game I've played so far is Uncharted and got up to chapter 8. I'm not so bothered by the touch screen commands because they're starting to get further apart the more progress through the game I make and they weren't such a bother to begin with. It's quite clear the game isn't PS3 quality though. Not even close, but outside that it's very good. It's not as good as the other Uncharted games, but it's still befitting of the Uncharted name for how well done it is.

I still have Little Deviants and Modnation Racers to play, and will pick up Unit 13 and Wipeout on a price drop, but with just Uncharted the Vita feels like it was worth it.

[moggles]

Don't like the way Sony are trying to throw the Vita down my throat on PSN.

[dairugger]

Don't like the way Sony are trying to throw the Vita down my throat on PSN.

Hows that?

[kupomogli]

Vita owners. For a limited time, download Motorstorm RC for free starting Tuesday.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/03/05/motorstorm-rc-driving-to-ps-vita-for-free-courtesy-of-scion/

*edit*

For those of you who don't yet own a Vita but own a PS3, you can purchase the free game in the event you get a Vita later.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I finally got around to playing Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom and I REALLY love the Vita's D-Pad for Capcom type fighting games, especially the "clicks". Those really help me mentally register my actions in specials and supers.

Also, man, that's a great freakin' portable version of that game. Can't wait for the PSN to come back online so I can try some online multiplayer.

[substantial_snake]

So I'm a bit of an accessory geek especially when it comes to a new console launch and just got my first case.

I wanted a hard shell both because I'm concerned about the analog sticks remaining in an engaged position with a soft shell and as something I can throw into a bag packed with crap without fear of again the analog sticks being compressed or damaged in some way. I was going to go with the Hori Hard Shell originally but I've read tons and tons of reviews that although very good they reek something awful.

I ended up getting the PDP Custom Crystal Case and am pretty happy with it, not perfect but not bad either. Its made of solid plastic all around and has a good rubber lining on the interior of the case. It can fit 8 game cards and 2 memory sticks on one side of the rubber inlay and the other has indents for both the control buttons and the analog sticks. The closing mechanism is just a plastic latch that I do expect will wear out overtime just based on how it works but it seems solid enough for now. It also has removable art under clear portions of the case which is kinda neat, though Ill probably just take those out.

I've done a few drop tests both with the vita and without it. Without the vita the case does occasionally open due to play between the top and bottom haves of the case. However with the vita in the case the play is completely eliminated and it didn't open on drops unless hit squarely on the latch. I just might end up shaving a bit of the rubber off of the analog stick indents in top latch portion only because of how snug the case is once the vita is in it concerns me a bit. Overall its a decent hard case for 20 bucks and something I feel safe again throwing into my car or a packed bag, at least until I see something better come along.

Anyone else picked anything up yet?

Also FYI Toys R' Us is having a buy 1 get 1 half off sale on Vita, DS, and 3DS games till the 10th so if your interested check that out.

[Leo_A]

Why would you intentionally be dropping your Vita for?

[substantial_snake]

I was curious to see whether what I had read online was true or not. Dropped it from a few feet on carpet and then wood floor the case worked great. I would rather know that it works in a controlled setting then walk around with it somewhere else and end up damaging it with a faulty case.

[Leo_A]

To me, being careful with it from day 1 makes the most sense instead of stress testing it yourself.

lol

[NayusDante]

Hopefully the Motorstorm RC promotion lasts beyond "this afternoon." I'm not even going to be home from work until later tonight. I can understand all the high school kids being able to get it, but not so much everyone else.

That's another thing that has me on the fence about the Vita. I played the crap out of my PSP during my senior year of high school and the first few years of college. Final Fantasy, Mega Man, and Katamari everywhere I went. Now, I don't have that kind of "sitting around" time. It feels awkward to sit around at home playing a handheld when I could be playing something on a console.

There is a GDC talk this Wednesday afternoon on PlayStation Suite and developing independently for the Vita. No word yet on whether they have permission to record or stream it.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Hopefully the Motorstorm RC promotion lasts beyond "this afternoon." I'm not even going to be home from work until later tonight. I can understand all the high school kids being able to get it, but not so much everyone else.

Usually deals like this are at least for the week of. I don't see anything in print that claims it's only for "this afternoon". Where are you reading that?

[Leo_A]

I tried to get this through the PSN site (I assume you can make purchases there) and Motorstorm RC for the Vita doesn't appear to have been released yet.

Do I have to access the store through my PS3 or PSP to get it?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I tried to get this through the PSN site (I assume you can make purchases there) and Motorstorm RC for the Vita doesn't appear to have been released yet.

Nothing has. Sony is pulling one of their really REALLY late PSN store updates.

*EDIT* It's live now as of 9PM EST.

[Leo_A]

Not through their website (I assume I can do it through the PSN site like I can make Xbox Live purchases through their website). The game page still shows it as not having been released. Did you download directly through your Vita?

Was hoping to get this for the future (Not going to buy a Vita anytime soon). My PSP's aren't in a convenient spot at the moment to dig out so I guess I'll have to hook up my PS3 and see if I can get it there.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Not through their website (I assume I can do it through the PSN site like I can make Xbox Live purchases through their website). The game page still shows it as not having been released. Did you download directly through your Vita?

Was hoping to get this for the future (Not going to buy a Vita anytime soon). My PSP's aren't in a convenient spot at the moment to dig out so I guess I'll have to hook up my PS3 and see if I can get it there.

What do you mean "PSN Site"?

The PSN store on the Media Go software, or the PSN store on the PS3?

I got the game right on the Vita, but Vita games are on the PS3 so it should be there as well.

[Leo_A]

The actual webpage for the title at the Playstation site. Logged in with my PSN info, typed in a PSP game I knew was available via PSN and saw a purchase option (Which I presume is for the digital version) so I thought I could just purchase it through here to add it to my account once it became available.

I've made purchases through XboxLive.com and assumed there must be a Sony equivalent available, but maybe there isn't.

Guess I'll have to get the PS3 hooked up to grab this.

Edit - Opened up the page for a demo to see if I could "purchase" it and all that was available was a how-to video on how to make PSN purchases on the PS3. Guess I was mistaken in assuming the website had that functionality like XboxLive.com has (What I saw before must've been a physical game that Sony had available to sell).

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

The actual webpage for the title at the Playstation site. Logged in with my PSN info, typed in a PSP game I knew was available via PSN and saw a purchase option (Which I presume is for the digital version) so I thought I could just purchase it through here to add it to my account once it became available.

I've made purchases through XboxLive.com and assumed there must be a Sony equivalent available, but maybe there isn't.

Guess I'll have to get the PS3 hooked up to grab this.

Ah, no, I don't think you can do that on the Playstation.com site, but MediaGo has a PSN Store on it.

[Leo_A]

Thanks

Been meaning to give that software a try anyways, so I'll give it a go.

[NayusDante]

I don't see it on PS3 or MediaGo. Hmmm...

[Leo_A]

I only can locate PSP compatible PSN content through MediaGo. Not a waste of my time though since I'm sure this will be useful for my PSP's.

Since you don't see it on your PS3, I guess I'll just pass. I wanted the PS3 version more anyways and was just going to grab the Vita download since it was a freebie. So no big loss.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I only can locate PSP compatible PSN content through MediaGo. Not a waste of my time though since I'm sure this will be useful for my PSP's.

Since you don't see it on your PS3, I guess I'll just pass. I wanted the PS3 version more anyways and was just going to grab the Vita download since it was a freebie. So no big loss.

It's pretty fun, really good iteration of non-online play friend interaction (showing ghost paths and giving live feeds on global scoring) ... but WOO BOY does it have refresh rate issues.

HUGE friggin horizontal screen tearing I hope they can fix that in future patches.

[c0ldb33r]

I tried vita today. I played wipeout. Man the load times were rough. I'm surprised.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Anybody else get Motorstorm RC?

I'm interested in impressions. I like this a lot for FREE, probably more than I would if I had paid for it (so thank Scion for that) ... but I'm wondering if anybody thinks that it's worth the intended cost of entry.

[Leo_A]

In Europe, I guess getting one version of Motorstorm RC gives you access to the other version for free. Too bad that wasn't the case here.


I tried vita today. I played wipeout. Man the load times were rough. I'm surprised.

Someone was quoting what sounded like outragious estimates of load times a day or two after launch at another forum and I figured it was nonsense until trying one.

They must really be compressing things.

[c0ldb33r]

They must really be compressing things.
I guess I dunno but it kind of sucked. I hope thats something that will change with time.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I guess I dunno but it kind of sucked. I hope thats something that will change with time.

Yeah, the initial boot up load time on Marvel Vs. Capcom is pretty bad (not so bad after that), Mod Nation Racers has its moments, but considering the amount of custom content in that game it's tough to fault it.

Uncharted isn't too bad. I don't find myself cursing the load times on that one.

I think load time growing pains are common on any new platform. Developers will streamline and find better ways to stream data.

[NayusDante]

NOW the free version of Motorstorm shows up on PS3. Thanks to Kupomogli for sending me a link to it, and it also shows up on the front page of the store.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

NOW the free version of Motorstorm shows up on PS3. Thanks to Kupomogli for sending me a link to it, and it also shows up on the front page of the store.

Awesome. Good to know! Snag it while its free and it should stay in your download history.

[kupomogli]

In Europe, I guess getting one version of Motorstorm RC gives you access to the other version for free. Too bad that wasn't the case here.

They're not going to give you the PS3 version by getting the Scion version free. But if you happen not to get the Scion version, buying the PS3 version of Motorstorm RC gives you the other version for free in the US as well. The free download is only available through Scion in the US, so those of us who were never planning on getting it for either system atleast get it free for the Vita.

[Leo_A]

Thanks, nice to know since I want to buy this for the PS3.

[kupomogli]

Alright, so was just talking to my friend who purchased Dissidia Duodecim off the PSN as a digital copy so he can play it on the Vita, and said he tried to connect to adhoc party with the game through the PS Vita and it worked.

Now it might not work with Modnation Racers, being that it's a Vita game, but atleast we know that adhoc party works with PSP games even if they're being played on the Vita.

[heybtbm]

Is this thing on clearance yet? I want one.

[Leo_A]

Alright, so was just talking to my friend who purchased Dissidia Duodecim off the PSN as a digital copy so he can play it on the Vita, and said he tried to connect to adhoc party with the game through the PS Vita and it worked.

Now it might not work with Modnation Racers, being that it's a Vita game, but atleast we know that adhoc party works with PSP games even if they're being played on the Vita.

Out of curiousity, is Dissidia Duodecim on their compatibility list? I've heard some complaints about online modes not working on PSP games (Not adhoc party) that aren't on the compatibility list but otherwise work on the Vita.

[substantial_snake]

Out of curiousity, is Dissidia Duodecim on their compatibility list? I've heard some complaints about online modes not working on PSP games (Not adhoc party) that aren't on the compatibility list but otherwise work on the Vita.

Yeah it is, bought and downloaded it from the Vita PS Store last night. Although I could also download the prolog version, it would not let me download the aerith DLC for the game. I'm not sure if either of those are on the store but they were on my downloads list so not sure with that issue with that was.

I'm curious weather this was a single game bug or a wide spread problem but metal slug anthology gives you the PSP-style error "Wireless switch is turned off" when I access multiplayer mode on it when my vita's wireless is on. I'll have to test it with my buddies psp to see weather it connects but it seemed odd to give me that error unless the PSP emulator is looking for a piece of hardware that no longer exists.

[The 1 2 P]

Is this thing on clearance yet? I want one.

The Vita shouldn't be on clearance anytime soon but I'm sure Target will start clearancing out some of it's games within the next 2-4 months.

[duffmanth]

I've had mine for over a month (bought the Japanese WiFi one) and love it. I mostly play Hot shots Golf right now but I also have -

Ridge Racer (JP)
Hot Shots Golf (JP & US)
Uncharted (JP)
Wipeout (US)
Little Deviants (US)

I was reading the reviews for Ridge Racer, it got slammed! Too bad as it use to be one of the best racers on PSone.

[Gamereviewgod]

To anyone interested in MLB: The Show, note that all of the cutscenes were removed. Even after a home run, the game just moves along without any celebration or running of the bases. Completely takes away the feel of baseball. It's one thing to speed it up for portable players, but it's another to not include this stuff at all. Hopefully they get it right next year.

[Graham Mitchell]

To anyone interested in MLB: The Show, note that all of the cutscenes were removed. Even after a home run, the game just moves along without any celebration or running of the bases. Completely takes away the feel of baseball. It's one thing to speed it up for portable players, but it's another to not include this stuff at all. Hopefully they get it right next year.

That's a bummer. Persona 3 portable does the same thing, sort of. All the exploration/narrative sequences are now just a flat hand drawn screen. You use a cursor to just point at still, non moving characters to talk to them. It makes the game faster, for sure, and I guess it's nice to shave some time off of this 100+ hour game, but it detracts from the immersion a bit.


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.125668,-118.158499

[Leo_A]

With 2 and 4 gig card sizes, some of this might have more to do with minimizing the size of the game rather than trying to make it more portable friendly.

[WCP]

To anyone interested in MLB: The Show, note that all of the cutscenes were removed. Even after a home run, the game just moves along without any celebration or running of the bases. Completely takes away the feel of baseball. It's one thing to speed it up for portable players, but it's another to not include this stuff at all. Hopefully they get it right next year.


Are you F'ing serious? Wow... This was one of the few games that was tempting me towards a Vita. Playing a season with my S.F. Giants. But no cutscenes? Weird...

[kupomogli]

Anybody else get Motorstorm RC?

I'm interested in impressions. I like this a lot for FREE, probably more than I would if I had paid for it (so thank Scion for that) ... but I'm wondering if anybody thinks that it's worth the intended cost of entry.

So just recently started playing the game. I have 81 medals, so more than half way through the game, and I think the game is a piece of shit.

The races where you're alone aren't too bad, but they're boring. Most of the time you're going through these tracks, the first lap is always, "I can't see the damn road because there's too much bullshit that could be the road" where every consecutive lap, or retry, is probably three medals because you actually know the course. But once you're past the course and you go back to the course again on a different area, you forget the course again, mainly because you can't see the damn thing because everything blends in to one another.

So then you get to where the game "should" be fun, racing against seven other cars. First off, the game has some ridiculous rubber band ai. There are several races I've played that I was in the back and couldn't get by, only for all the cars to drive the same speed as the first three places. Then several other races on the exact same track that I easily beat my last race and past first place, only for first place to keep with me, way ahead of every other car. The other thing is that the car that you're going to be using in these tracks are the best you can use, a lot of times, the computer cars, while slightly slower, never making less than a perfect turn. So there's almost no room for failure.

What makes matters worse is every car, especially the high horsepower cars used for drifting, have the control of a wet noodle. Anytime your car even grazes another car or barrier, you spin out. The high horsepower cars not only have this happening to them more frequently, from being hit in the back, front, side, etc. With high horsepower cars, drifting is usually your only option to get around and not lose a massive amount of time since your brakes seem to be completely worthless in these vehicles, and unfortunately, by drifting a corner, you're guaranteed to get hit by another car. It's just ridiculous. One time I hit a car during a turn only to get thrown high speed in the opposite direction. Is this pinball or racing?

The game is just boring and/or frusturating. There are many other classic racers that have the same style of play, don't control like ass, and the tracks are easily visible without having to take a test drive each track because the darker tracks you can't tell where the hell you can turn. Ivan Stewart's Super Off Road is an example of a good game that has the same play style. If you haven't downloaded it or you miss downloading it for free, don't worry, you're not missing out. If you're going to purchase it because you think it might be good, save your money for something else.

[NayusDante]

I've been watching the Sunday paper ads for a decent deal on a Vita, but none of them seem to even acknowledge it. I think I saw one mention in the Best Buy ad the week after its release, but nothing since or before. Given how much I've heard about them spending $millions on marketing for this thing, shouldn't they be getting retailers to push the product?

At any rate, I'm looking for the best deal on a Vita right now.

[Bojay1997]

I've been watching the Sunday paper ads for a decent deal on a Vita, but none of them seem to even acknowledge it. I think I saw one mention in the Best Buy ad the week after its release, but nothing since or before. Given how much I've heard about them spending $millions on marketing for this thing, shouldn't they be getting retailers to push the product?

At any rate, I'm looking for the best deal on a Vita right now.

Unfortunately, like most consumer products nowadays, the best prices are at launch and it will probably be a few months before other deals pop up if at all and then only if sales are really soft.

[Slipdeath]

I've been to several gamestops and walmarts and have yet to see a kiosk unit. I'm going to hit up my Best Buy, and hopefully be impressed enough to walk out with one.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

What makes matters worse is every car, especially the high horsepower cars used for drifting, have the control of a wet noodle. Anytime your car even grazes another car or barrier, you spin out. The high horsepower cars not only have this happening to them more frequently, from being hit in the back, front, side, etc. With high horsepower cars, drifting is usually your only option to get around and not lose a massive amount of time since your brakes seem to be completely worthless in these vehicles, and unfortunately, by drifting a corner, you're guaranteed to get hit by another car. It's just ridiculous. One time I hit a car during a turn only to get thrown high speed in the opposite direction. Is this pinball or racing?

You realize that this game is simulating the weight and physics of remote controlled toy cars, not real cars, right?

[kupomogli]

You realize that this game is simulating the weight and physics of remote controlled toy cars, not real cars, right?

Yeah, I'm aware of that, but the other cars are the same weight. Also whenever they hit you or you hit them, rarely does anything happen to the other cars. It's like they're immovable objects that are locked into a single position, except that they're moving whatever direction they're going.

[Slipdeath]

I got my hands on a Vita--impressed, but I'll wait for a holiday season price drop and/or a better bundle.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Yeah, I'm aware of that, but the other cars are the same weight. Also whenever they hit you or you hit them, rarely does anything happen to the other cars. It's like they're immovable objects that are locked into a single position, except that they're moving whatever direction they're going.

Fair enough. Just sounded like you were expecting them to behave like the vehicles in the full-fledged Motorstorm titles.

It's not a GREAT game, but for free I can't complain. I like competing with my friends' scores and seeing their track ghosts as I'm racing.

[Slipdeath]

Someone explain to me why after heavily considering whether or not to purchase a Vita today, I snag this guy instead:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180836232633#ht_1318wt_950

[substantial_snake]

Someone explain to me why after heavily considering whether or not to purchase a Vita today, I snag this guy instead:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180836232633#ht_1318wt_950

Probably because its significantly cheaper, and if your into Nintendo games its the way to go?

I've had a 3DS more or less since launch and the only games I've bought for it are Ghost Recon Shadow Warrior and LoZ: Oracina of Time 3DS, with the only games that I am really interested in being Resident Evil Revelations and Kid Icarus Uprising. The problem here is that I really don't like the controls of RE: Revelations without the Circle Pad pro which means that I either need to wait for an accessory maker to come out with a CPP+battery or screw on and off my extended battery every time I want to actually take the 3DS with me for an extended time. I don't regret my purchase because its a pretty good system, it just doesn't have much software that interests me yet so instead when I play it I play DS games on it. (really want a new advance wars, gameplay in Days of Ruin was almost perfect!)

Conversely I've picked up 5 titles in the last two weeks of owning the vita alone with another 3 on the way in the next few months due to various deals going on around launch. I am enjoying my new portable very much and I hope you enjoy yours as well. :)

[NayusDante]

The 3DS currently has more "top-quality" games, but like the Vita, they're mostly ports of older titles. Vita has the same problem, but its launch lineup was a little better.

I took the plunge last night, making use of a $25 Target gift card that had been in my wallet forever. I picked up a Wi-Fi Vita, an 8Gb card, and the faux-leather official case. The case actually helps grip the unit, so I don't think it'll be as hard on my hands as the PSP is. I haven't picked up any games yet, but I'm playing all the demos. So far, I've played the demos of Dynasty Warriors and Unit 13. Dynasty Warriors looked decent and had a good framerate. Unit 13 seems to accomplish neither. Motorstorm RC is okay for a free game, but it looks like a ported PSP title.

It's hard to tell how good PSP games look on this thing. I transferred Little Big Planet, and it looks like the scaler isn't keeping the resolution at multiples of 2. I was hoping that PSP games looked a little cleaner.

I only played it for about an hour last night, but the hardware is EXCELLENT. I love clicky buttons, and these are perfect. I want to play Gradius or something with this thing. Tonight, I'll run by GameStop and get a screen protector, then spend some real time with it.

[substantial_snake]

It's hard to tell how good PSP games look on this thing. I transferred Little Big Planet, and it looks like the scaler isn't keeping the resolution at multiples of 2. I was hoping that PSP games looked a little cleaner.

That's probably because the game isn't officially supported by the vita yet.

I've downloaded a couple of supported PSP games and in Dissidia 2 (or whatever its pseudo-latin bs name is) it makes a very significant difference. The game looks great on the Vita's screen being much smother and less pixilated with bi-linear filtering on. I have played with the PSP color space but see little difference so I usually don't bother with it.

[Oobgarm]

Someone explain to me why after heavily considering whether or not to purchase a Vita today, I snag this guy instead:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180836232633#ht_1318wt_950

Because that's a hell of a deal.

[Slipdeath]

Probably because its significantly cheaper, and if your into Nintendo games its the way to go?

I've had a 3DS more or less since launch and the only games I've bought for it are Ghost Recon Shadow Warrior and LoZ: Oracina of Time 3DS, with the only games that I am really interested in being Resident Evil Revelations and Kid Icarus Uprising. The problem here is that I really don't like the controls of RE: Revelations without the Circle Pad pro which means that I either need to wait for an accessory maker to come out with a CPP+battery or screw on and off my extended battery every time I want to actually take the 3DS with me for an extended time. I don't regret my purchase because its a pretty good system, it just doesn't have much software that interests me yet so instead when I play it I play DS games on it. (really want a new advance wars, gameplay in Days of Ruin was almost perfect!)

Conversely I've picked up 5 titles in the last two weeks of owning the vita alone with another 3 on the way in the next few months due to various deals going on around launch. I am enjoying my new portable very much and I hope you enjoy yours as well. :)

Actually, the price was in fact the reason. My appetite for the Vita hasn't adequately been dealt with though. Would it be possible to point me in the direction of said Vita deals as Best Buy's was the only one I was aware of--albeit, after the promotion had run its course.

[Bojay1997]

Actually, the price was in fact the reason. My appetite for the Vita hasn't adequately been dealt with though. Would it be possible to point me in the direction of said Vita deals as Best Buy's was the only one I was aware of--albeit, after the promotion had run its course.

Unfortunately, there are no current Vita deals. Like most new consumer products, if you miss the launch deals, it is typically a few months before the next batch of deals hits. There may be some in coming months, so I would recommend watching sites like Cheapassgamer or your local paper's Sunday ads for deals.

[kupomogli]

You could also look into Craigslist. Who knows. You might be able to find a mint condition Vita that someone wants to sell for $150 to get their crack fix.

[Slipdeath]

You could also look into Craigslist. Who knows. You might be able to find a mint condition Vita that someone wants to sell for $150 to get their crack fix.

Which would make one wonder how they came up on a Vita to begin with--they seem pretty hard to boost.

[Gamereviewgod]

Finally got my hands on Wipeout from GameFly, and WOW. I've played most of the launch software aside from the bottom feeders (GameLoft mostly), and this is by far the showcase for the hardware. It's cool to play Uncharted on a handheld, but Wipeout feels complete, looks remarkable, plays brilliantly.

Those who have Gamefly accounts, you can get almost any of the titles for around $28 when you rent them (assuming you've earned the rewards for 10% off). That's how I've secured most of my games so far, sans Uncharted.

[substantial_snake]

Actually, the price was in fact the reason. My appetite for the Vita hasn't adequately been dealt with though. Would it be possible to point me in the direction of said Vita deals as Best Buy's was the only one I was aware of--albeit, after the promotion had run its course.

You did get a wicked deal on that 3DS, nice find. :)

I can only echo what others have already said. The last major retailer deal on was a buy 1 get 1 half off at Toys R' Us but that ended two days ago. I suggest look around craigslist and keeping an eye on the PSP/Vita section of Cheapassgamer.com since I usually get my heads up on deals from there. A good friend of mine just picked up his Wifi Vita, 8 gig card, and 3 games for 300 from some guy on craigslist who needed the money badly and I suspect within the next month or so postings like that are only going to increase from impulse buyers desperate to pay the bills.

[NayusDante]

This evening, I played the Katamari demo and finished the Unit 13 demo. Katamari is definitely impressive. It's very easy to control, unlike Me and My Katamari on PSP. Touch features aren't bad. The Katamari shape deformations are interesting to see from a technical point of view - not what I expected in terms of gameplay advantages, but it plays better than rolling a lopsided Katamari.

I tried giving Unit 13 another chance, but I'm still finding it kind of lame. It's almost like an attempt to be an American Metal Gear, but without any kind of charm or style. It's just bland and generic. It plays alright, but that's all it has going for it. It probably doesn't help that this time, it booted up without sound and I had difficulty shutting the unit off to reboot.


So do other PSP games actually look better? Do you get options for filtering and stuff? When I tried playing LBP, the only option I could find was to install updates. If the scaling is better on certified titles, what's a good PSP RPG for $10-15 on PSN?

[substantial_snake]

I tried giving Unit 13 another chance, but I'm still finding it kind of lame. It's almost like an attempt to be an American Metal Gear, but without any kind of charm or style. It's just bland and generic. It plays alright, but that's all it has going for it. It probably doesn't help that this time, it booted up without sound and I had difficulty shutting the unit off to reboot.


So do other PSP games actually look better? Do you get options for filtering and stuff? When I tried playing LBP, the only option I could find was to install updates. If the scaling is better on certified titles, what's a good PSP RPG for $10-15 on PSN?

I am really enjoying Unit 13 here mostly because of its solid gameplay and an arcade scoring system. The controls are great and missions have multiple ways that you can go about completing them. Its also great for quick bursts of a mission or two trying to best your own score of those of your buddies online. I'm also not missing the over played world ending plot that companies often try to shove into cover/tactical shooters, here your just simply taking down terrorists in various situations. The daily mission challenges are usually much more difficult then standard missions to get a decent score on and I finding it fun to see whats new.

On a side note Unit 13 like a couple of other vita titles I have puts emphasis for you to measure up to other people on your friends list. The way they reinforce this both ingame and just on startup of said game is actually pretty fun by listing times or trophies or whatever. Its making me check weather X or Y beat my Wipeout score on a particular race and things like that keep scratching my competitive itch even if your not directly playing with anyone. Its definitely one of my favorite features of the device that I didn't see myself really getting into.

Since you mentioned bi-linear filtering earlier I assumed you already knew this but maybe not. In order to access the Vita enhancements on PSP titles you just need to touch and hold the front screen for a moment ingame then a transparent window pops up with all the options options. There aren't many just the filter, color space, camera select, and assignment for the left analog stick. The analog stick assignment is really nice since you can adjust it to map to the face buttons, d-pad, or left analog stick so if the game has decent remapping function it can make a world of difference.

[NayusDante]

Since you mentioned bi-linear filtering earlier I assumed you already knew this but maybe not. In order to access the Vita enhancements on PSP titles you just need to touch and hold the front screen for a moment ingame then a transparent window pops up with all the options options. There aren't many just the filter, color space, camera select, and assignment for the left analog stick. The analog stick assignment is really nice since you can adjust it to map to the face buttons, d-pad, or left analog stick so if the game has decent remapping function it can make a world of difference.

Oh. That makes a bit of a difference. Thank you!

I think that part of my problem is that I hold the screen too close, so I notice every little flaw. The Vita's screen looks best when it's not right in your face. It's a little different from the old low-res TFT screens in previous handhelds.

Does anyone find the charger design to be a bit odd? Every portable electronic device I've seen in the last year or two has come with a plain USB wall adapter. The Vita could have gone this route, but they give you the usual non-polar power cable and a box that it and the USB cable plug into. Why not just the USB cable and a wall adaptor? It's not like they block outlets. It gives more length so you can charge while you play a few more feet from the wall, but I would have preferred a longer USB cable instead.


Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the Vita so far. The great controls make want to pick up a copy of BlazBlue CSE, but none of the local stores have it in stock. It's definitely an improvement over the PSP controls in every regard. I'm not sure if the screen needed to be as large as it is, but the additional resolution really makes it look like a next-generation handheld. Not all of the games look great, but there's a lot of potential here.

[WCP]

You could also look into Craigslist. Who knows. You might be able to find a mint condition Vita that someone wants to sell for $150 to get their crack fix.

I saw somebody selling a Vita on my local craigslist for $200. Almost wanted to go after it, but I just wonder about CL ads like that. Makes me think that somebody is going to try to pull a jack move (if you know what I mean). I mean, normally, Craigslist is relatively safe if you meet somebody in a public place, but whenever I see deals that appear too good to be true, I start to wonder.... Like... "Did the guy drop it on the cement, and maybe it still works, but occasionally acts strange, and maybe I won't notice it until dude is long gone?"

[NayusDante]

My copy of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend came from Amazon today. I've only had time for a few arcade rounds, but the experience made me forget that I was playing a handheld. That screen really sucks you in. Looooooove the clicky buttons.

I've noticed that the screen has some issues with solid colors, particularly grays. It almost has a washed out, inconsistent grain to it in non-moving solid areas. Again, I'm holding it maybe 8" from my eyes, and it looks better when I hold it in my lap, but I haven't heard anyone else talking about the screen's shortcomings. Also, I play sometimes with the lights off, and I'm noticing inconsistent backlight splotches when the screen is showing all black. It's not a problem in normal lighting.

Are we finally at the point where printed instruction manuals are a thing of the past? I see that there's a clip to hold one in the case, but there isn't one. Trading complete games on Goozex is going to be interesting.

[WCP]

I started looking at Ebay for a deal on a gently used Wi-Fi Vita. As far as I can tell, the best way to get a deal is to buy a bundle of stuff, and then hope that the price you paid for the individual items makes sense, even if they weren't exactly what you were looking for. At first, I was hoping I could score the basic Vita hardware for $170, an 8 gig mem card for another $22 and one of the few Vita games I want (Uncharted, Fifa or MLB) for $23. A hard or soft case that looks relatively decent for say $9. Basically, I'm willing to pay about $224 for a bundle that includes 1 game, a 8 gig card and some kind of case. Unfortunately, on Ebay, such a package is going for about $20 more than that.

Still, there have been a few people who have snagged used Vita's for a great price. I saw one guy get a Vita shipped for $175. Pretty amazing. Was the lowest one that I saw.

On Craigslist, sellers are trying to get more for their Vita's. I've made a few offers, but nobody wants to come down far enough. On Ebay, you can definitely get a Wi-Fi Vita for $195 (although you might have to get it with a couple of accessories that you may or may not want). The guys on Craigslist want $225 or $230 for used Wi-Fi Vita.

Gamestop will actually sell a used Wi-Fi Vita for $199.99 plus tax (it's about $216 after tax for me). Of course, very few GameStops actually have a used Vita for sale. $216 is better than the $225 or $230 that Craigslist peeps want, but Ebay is better at about $190 to $195. Just be prepared to add in another $13 for a 4 gig memory card, or another $25 for 8 gig memory card, or another $10 for a case, etc, etc. You have to buy a bundle of stuff to get a decent deal...

[NayusDante]

Even if you get an outer case, I think you'll still want to pick up a screen protector. I'm noticing that fingerprints are less of a problem now that I've applied one of the Sony plastic ones. Considering how much you have to touch the screen, I'd think those things are essential.

I played some more BlazBlue last night, this time with headphones. Sound is decent, but a lot of the voices are muffled. I don't think that's the hardware's fault though. It's either compression or bad recording. Music sounds great.

The screen resolution is just right. 3D stuff looks excellent when rendered at full resolution, while sprites remain clean. I played the demo for ModNation Racers and there was some kind of low-res upsampling going on, which made it look awful. When the full resolution is used, it really does look console-quality. Of course, stylized graphics help in this area. Uncharted didn't look as clean as it could be to me.

[Gamereviewgod]

The screen resolution is just right. 3D stuff looks excellent when rendered at full resolution, while sprites remain clean. I played the demo for ModNation Racers and there was some kind of low-res upsampling going on, which made it look awful. When the full resolution is used, it really does look console-quality. Of course, stylized graphics help in this area. Uncharted didn't look as clean as it could be to me.

I've noticed that none of the first party Sony titles run at the native resolution of the screen. Few titles I have played (Marvel vs Capcom for example) actually do.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I've noticed that none of the first party Sony titles run at the native resolution of the screen. Few titles I have played (Marvel vs Capcom for example) actually do.

How are you gauging that assessment?

Is there something on the device that outputs details of the resolution that games are running at?

[NayusDante]

Lower resolutions look more aliased when upscaled. Just look for jagged edges.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Lower resolutions look more aliased when upscaled. Just look for jagged edges.

Right, but, in regards to the indication that
...none of the first party Sony titles run at the native resolution of the screen.

I'm not seeing how that's being determined with certainty.

While I don't doubt that on a case-by-case basis, some game engines/software may not be taking full advantage of the maximum resolution that the system is capable of achieving, that statement reads to me like "my copy of Uncharted is only outputting in 480i on my 1080p TV" if there's some feature on the Vita which checks the resolution that a game is running at and displays it somewhere (which on a developer level I'm sure there is) I'd be really interested to know.

[Gamereviewgod]

How are you gauging that assessment?

Is there something on the device that outputs details of the resolution that games are running at?

You can tell just by looking at them. Non-native games have a much softer, flatter look. Jagged edges aren't necessarily a part of it. Run Ultimate MvC3 or Dynasty Warriors, and look at how sharp everything is from the characters to the backgrounds. Pop in any Sony game and look at how soft it is. Ridge Racer is another one that lacks the precision in the visuals because of a lower resolution.

I have a feeling that there's a filter that smooths these games out to hide the lower res, but in the end, it just makes it more obvious.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

You can tell just by looking at them. Non-native games have a much softer, flatter look. Jagged edges aren't necessarily a part of it. Run Ultimate MvC3 or Dynasty Warriors, and look at how sharp everything is from the characters to the backgrounds. Pop in any Sony game and look at how soft it is. Ridge Racer is another one that lacks the precision in the visuals because of a lower resolution.

I have a feeling that there's a filter that smooths these games out to hide the lower res, but in the end, it just makes it more obvious.

Okay, so we're just making a visual assessment. Just making sure that I wasn't missing something in the OS that would report stats of what resolution the game was running at.