Playstation TV - Will it breath life into the VITA?

[Satoshi_Matrix]

thanks for those links. There's not a whole lot worthwhile there, but it is nice to see some sort of list of what works if you jump through the hoops.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

I primarily want to play JRPG-like games like Freedom Wars (which is not on the compatibility list?), Mind Zero, and the Danganronpa games.

Also, do PS3 fight sticks work with the fighting games?

Dangaronpa series and freedom wars are compatible, not sure about mind zero

[LaughingMAN.S9]

I may have spoken incorrectly on vita TV/playstation tv's ps1 features. I can't find any toggle unless it's on by default for bilinear filtering which is present on the handheld vitas, I also can't seem to find a setting to change the aspect ratio of ps1 games from 4:3 to full or stretched. Strange because I have distinct memories of being able to do that, maybe I'm thinking about the psp go or PS3?

Does anyone know if I'm missing something here?

[kupomogli]

A firmware update on the Vita required you to press and hold the PS button and no longer touch and hold the screen. The options under that menu are more fleshed out than before and include the PSP and PSX options as well. You might have to press and hold the PS button for the Vita TV as well.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Yes. Like the PS3 and PSP before it, press and hold the PS button for several seconds to get into the configuration menu. 4:3 is default for PS1 games, but you can stretch to 16:9 this way. But this isn't CoinOps or anything. Just those two options. Also, sharp is also on by default. I don't know why anyone would want the soft filter look.

[RANGERooB]

This thread has got me thinking of getting a PSTV but one thing that many have touch on is the compatibility with certain Vita games. Some I can see as understandable like any game that focuses on touch but why didn't they try to make the list of compatible Vita games nearly 100% before producing it. Personally I was never going to grab the Vita but with this living room adaption of the Vita it really intrigued me especially as a system to collect. The only issue is if half of Vita games dont work then I feel it hurts its marketshare. As of now is the system worth it for just Vita hard copied games or should I wait until the Vita compatibility list of games for the Vita improve.

[Leo_A]

Nobody knows why they didn't really seem to try. Resistance for instance was one of their big flagship brands when the Vita was under development, Resistance: Burning Skies is one of Vita's few big exclusives, and it's 1st party.

Yet it's not here despite the touch screen stuff being used just for elementary stuff like a few virtual buttons.

Stranger still is the PSP compatibility situation where not every PSN download can be played here despite the hardware being fully capable, why some PSP downloads work on the handheld instead of the console (And vice versa), and why you have to jump through hoops to get some of it going on a PSTV like doing a transfer from a PS3. People talk up agreements with publishers as the difficulty here, but if Nintendo could set it up where virtually the entire library of DSi and Wii downloads could be transferred to their successors, surely Sony could've approached 100% here. That they haven't is a sign that they haven't tried very hard, as far as I'm concerned.

And if this was being positioned as a streaming box, its non gaming capabilities are even more puzzling like the absence of basic apps like Netflix. And even game streaming, why lock out the ability to stream from a PS3 like the handheld could? Admittedly, there's not a lot there that can be done with PS3 to Vita streaming. But if someone wanted to set it up and play a PS1 download or disc from their PS3, fire up the Team Ico collection and so on, why not let them do so when the hardware is fully capable?

[calgon]

Nobody knows why they didn't really seem to try. Resistance for instance was one of their big flagship brands when the Vita was under development, Resistance: Burning Skies is one of Vita's few big exclusives, and it's 1st party.

Yet it's not here despite the touch screen stuff being used just for elementary stuff like a few virtual buttons.

Stranger still is the PSP compatibility situation where not every PSN download can be played here despite the hardware being fully capable, why some PSP downloads work on the handheld instead of the console (And vice versa), and why you have to jump through hoops to get some of it going on a PSTV like doing a transfer from a PS3. People talk up agreements with publishers as the difficulty here, but if Nintendo could set it up where virtually the entire library of DSi and Wii downloads could be transferred to their successors, surely Sony could've approached 100% here. That they haven't is a sign that they haven't tried very hard, as far as I'm concerned.

And if this was being positioned as a streaming box, its non gaming capabilities are even more puzzling like the absence of basic apps like Netflix. And even game streaming, why lock out the ability to stream from a PS3 like the handheld could? Admittedly, there's not a lot there that can be done with PS3 to Vita streaming. But if someone wanted to set it up and play a PS1 download or disc from their PS3, fire up the Team Ico collection and so on, why not let them do so when the hardware is fully capable?

Well put. Sony's lack of support or interest in this is baffling.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I get the impression Sony only allocates a small team to the Vita TV, and that small team is limited to what they can do. I think most non-touch screen games, especially PS1 and PSP games will eventually be on the Vita TV, but Sony doesn't see it as a priority given their main products are the PS4, PS3 and the portable Vita.

In the meantime though, there's Persona 4 Golden.

[Flashback2012]

It looks like Gamestop hasn't wasted any time price dropping the bundle...

http://www.gamestop.com/ps4/accessories/playstation-tv-system-bundle/115549

I decided to take the Nestea plunge on one but I haven't had a chance to hook it up because I have more devices than I have HDMI inputs on my TV (got a splitter to alleviate but haven't gotten around to hooking it up).

[calgon]

It looks like Gamestop hasn't wasted any time price dropping the bundle...

http://www.gamestop.com/ps4/accessories/playstation-tv-system-bundle/115549

I decided to take the Nestea plunge on one but I haven't had a chance to hook it up because I have more devices than I have HDMI inputs on my TV (got a splitter to alleviate but haven't gotten around to hooking it up).


I actually asked my local retro store what I could get as trade in for my pstv, and they offered $24. I think that's an indicator of just how far this thing has fallen in such a short amount of time

[Melf]

I definitely have buyer's remorse. I wanted to play Ys. Not compatible. Soul Sacrifice? Not compatible? Wipeout 2048? Not compatible. Hot Shots Golf? Not compatible. Uncharted? Not compatible.

I don't think Vita TV is compatible with my game room. Off to eBay with this turd.

[Leo_A]

Three letters... TxK.

That said, might not hurt to wait a few months. I doubt you'd get much for it now so waiting a few months can't hurt since Sony just might surprise you. I wouldn't hold my breath for it, but there's certainly a possibility that we'll see some compatibility updates that may rectify some of that for you.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I definitely have buyer's remorse. I wanted to play Ys. Not compatible. Soul Sacrifice? Not compatible? Wipeout 2048? Not compatible. Hot Shots Golf? Not compatible. Uncharted? Not compatible.

I'll be the first to say Sony has done a pretty poor job with compatibility on the Vita TV, but c'mon, some of the games you listed aren't even possible on the Vita TV no matter what because they rely on the touch screen. Did you seriously expect Uncharted to work on the Vita TV?

I know it's a dick thing to say, but its kinda your fault for buying the Vita TV without checking the compatibility first.

What I have issue with is that there are still a pile of games that don't need the touch features of the Vita that aren't playable, or worse games that are compatible but only certain region releases, like the Hong Kong version of Touch My Katamari works on the Vita TV, but the US version does not.


Still.

I believe that time will fix neatly all of these issues. Sony recently released a flurry of PS1 games on the Vita TV that didn't work before, including Grandia 1, which I was complaining about not working earlier in this thread.

The non-touch based Vita games should all work on the Vita TV eventually, and who knows? Maybe Sony will release a Vita TV specific touch controller and let the touch based games work as well.

[Leo_A]

Did you seriously expect Uncharted to work on the Vita TV?

I wouldn't say I expected it since it's the Vita and Sony hasn't appeared to be trying too hard. But I thought it should've been patched to work with it.

It's a flagship for the Vita, a 1st party release, a prime candidate for playing on a television, and the tacked on touch-screen nonsense was about as key to the experience as shaking a Wii remote was for New Super Mario Bros. Wii. It should've had a patch that allowed it to be played on a PSTV.

That said, I believe that this one is likely going to see a PS3 port one of these days.

Edit: And watching this, a lot of the touch screen stuff is just optional anyways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdlZ07c-0vU

[kupomogli]

I'll be the first to say Sony has done a pretty poor job with compatibility on the Vita TV, but c'mon, some of the games you listed aren't even possible on the Vita TV no matter what because they rely on the touch screen. Did you seriously expect Uncharted to work on the Vita TV?

I know it's a dick thing to say, but its kinda your fault for buying the Vita TV without checking the compatibility first.

What I have issue with is that there are still a pile of games that don't need the touch features of the Vita that aren't playable, or worse games that are compatible but only certain region releases, like the Hong Kong version of Touch My Katamari works on the Vita TV, but the US version does not.


Still.

I believe that time will fix neatly all of these issues. Sony recently released a flurry of PS1 games on the Vita TV that didn't work before, including Grandia 1, which I was complaining about not working earlier in this thread.

The non-touch based Vita games should all work on the Vita TV eventually, and who knows? Maybe Sony will release a Vita TV specific touch controller and let the touch based games work as well.

The non touch based Vita games should all worked day one. Netflix and Hulu should have been available day one. Sony's preparation with the Vita TV is garbage like everything else they release.

Being some big titles on the Vita, every game that Melf listed should have had button input for the stupid touch sections that were forced. Wipeout 2048 has touch screen input on the menus only as does Modnation Racers which wasn't listed. It's not like a patch on any of these games would have been difficult. Or, what would have been even better is if Sony didn't act like they made touch control and added forced touch on literally every single first party until over a year after release. There was no reason they shouldn't have included button inputs for all those games. It's not like these games had any depth to their touch screen mechanics.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I don't despute that. All of that should have been done, especially since the western launch occurred nearly a year after it was already up and running in Japan and Asia. The launch was bumpy as far as compatibility is concerned. But as I've speculated before, I think that happened for two main reasons:

1. The PlayStation TV is considered a lower priority to the PS4, the PS3 and even the handheld Vita. The team that works on compatibility and such is likely undermanned with a small budget for R&D.

2. Sony still wants sales of the Vita (handheld) to pick up, and the Vita TV eats into that. A lot of people - myself included - are only really interested in the Vita TV and not an actual Vita. Through quality games that can only be played on a Vita handheld, I think on some level, Sony hopes to sway some into also buying a Vita.


The good news is the situation is steadily improving. There are now literally over a hundred games that work on the Vita TV that did not when the system was released. But there's still a ways to go and Sony's ignoring appealing to the hardcore market.

Despite it's potential for the hardcore, Sony sees the Vita TV as a family-friendly microconsole for kids. That's why they pack in a download code for a useless kids lego game. That's fine, but that should not be their only SKU.

In my opinion, what they should be doing and packing in a physical copy of Persona 4 Golden and marketing that SKU to the hardcore.

Persona 4 Golden is without a doubt the best game on Vita, as it is one of the most finely crafted JRPGs ever made.

With Persona 5 due out for PS3 and PS4 next year, it would help Sony and Atlus considerably to promote P4G as the Vita TV's killer app, but as it stands, that's a fact that only fans who looked into it seem to know.

I'm sure that if there was an actual promotion, sales of the Vita TV would pick up considerably due to the quality of P4G.

[SparTonberry]

Still though, releasing a system with a large number of incompatibilities makes a bad impression of the system (or Sony itself. I mean, what's the average person going to think when they buy the system and some games they expect should work and they don't?)

When Nintendo made the Super Game Boy (probably not the best comparison but oh well), they didn't make it only compatible with a few games. :P

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I think it's understandable that touch-screen games aren't playable. It sucks, but it's understandable.

The issue that bothers me is the games that should be compatible, but inexplicably are not, most notably Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles.

It's been on PSN for several years.

It works perfectly on the PSP.
It works perfectly on the Vita.
It's available on the Japanese Vita TV PSN access.

There is absolutely no reason why it is still incompatible with the PlayStation TV in North America.

Examples such as this annoy me, but not enough to ragequit on the PlayStation TV.

What does work on Sony's microconsole works exceptionally well.

PSP games upscale better than even the top of the line PSP upscalers that get the signals directly from the original hardware itself. PS1 games look great, load quickly and compatible Vita games look pretty much PS3 quality. There's a lot to like with the Vita TV despite the idiotic incompatibilities.

[Leo_A]

When did you last try it? It's my understanding that the download was just recently made compatible for both the Vita and the Vita TV in Europe. So hopefully it's an adjustment that will also be appearing in North America.


I think it's understandable that touch-screen games aren't playable. It sucks, but it's understandable.

For touch screen-centric games? Sure, it's understandable. Nobody would really want such games anyways.

But why are otherwise traditional games locked out that rely on a bit of motion, despite the motion capabilities of the Six Axis, Dual Shock 3, and Dual Shock 4? Why can't the touch pad of the Dual Shock 4 be put to some use to expand compatibility? Why are games, including some big first party releases, absent here merely over some minor gimmicks that are easily sidestepped like with Uncharted and Resistance?

Seriously, as seen in the video I linked to of Uncharted's first chapter, rubbing the screen to clear ancient stones to reveal writings and editing some tutorials to eliminate mentions of optional motion or touch controls isn't justification for the Vita's flagship to be absent here. Heck, I have a feeling that it could even be enjoyed as-is, if they'd just let it run. The front touch screen workaround would be good enough for cleaning stones and the gimmicks appear to merely be options during gameplay, with traditional controls also present.

And games that simply rely on the touch screen to serve merely as additional buttons are also difficult to defend. Especially if they're 1st party releases like Vita's Resistance release. If anyone has an incentive to patch in compatibility where it's viable, it's Sony.

At least it has Killzone, but even that seems thanks to the developers themselves rather than Sony.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

When did you last try it? It's my understanding that the download was just recently made compatible for both the Vita and the Vita TV in Europe. So hopefully it's an adjustment that will also be appearing in North America.

I tried just today. I have the latest firmware on my PlayStation TV and the game already installed. I get the same not compatible message as always. I hope Sony will fix this, inexplicable incompatibility soon, but as of now they still have not.



But why are otherwise traditional games locked out that rely on a bit of motion, despite the motion capabilities of the Six Axis, Dual Shock 3, and Dual Shock 4? Why can't the touch pad of the Dual Shock 4 be put to some use to expand compatibility? Why are games, including some big first party releases, absent here merely over some minor gimmicks that are easily sidestepped like with Uncharted and Resistance?

For the simple reason that it would cost money to go back and patch older games that aren't directly profitable any longer.

It's like asking why BioWare doesn't patch the texture loading issues of Mass Effect 1. Yeah, they could do it, but doing so would cost them money and the game is old and no longer directly profitable to them.

Should Sony own up and do it anyway? Of course they should. But like I said before, its quite obvious Sony sees the PlayStation TV as a lower priority to the PS4, portable Vita and even the PS3.

The PS4 is their flagship now and they are trying to get as many people interested as possible.
The PS3 has a massive install base and maintaining that is important.
The portable Vita is a struggle against the 3DS so Sony continues to push their handheld as a cooler, higher tech alternative to the 'kiddy' Nintendo dual screen thingie. It's marketing.

And then off in a corner is the PlayStation TV, which has so much potential yet is limited because Sony considers it a low priority.

It irritates me. What does work with the Vita TV is all awesome. Vita, PSP, PS1 and PS Mobile games. Compatibility with PS3 and thus tons of other adapters. I tried it and yup, I can hook up a USB adapter to my Vita TV and play PSP games with an SNES controller.

Yet, there are dozens -perhaps hundreds in total- of PS1 and PSP games that aren't on Vita TV yet are available for PS3 or portable Vita.

[Leo_A]

For the simple reason that it would cost money to go back and patch older games that aren't directly profitable any longer.

What I'm talking about would involve the system itself being able to correctly interpret and translate motion commands on the fly from a PS3/PS4 controller to the corresponding motion input of an actual Vita. Thus, changes on an individual software basis wouldn't be involved since we're talking about something that the system's operating system would automatically be handling the conversion of.

With a bit of better planning, there's no reason why the motion implementation across the board couldn't of been identical between the Vita and the PS3. But presumably, the Vita's functionality is a bit different and would've required a bit of effort on Sony's part to tie together.

Too bad that they didn't.

[Leo_A]

I see that Ultimate Ghost's 'N Goblins is now on our compatibility list.

https://support.us.playstation.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5376/~/games-compatible-with-playstation-tv

Hopefully they clear some more major omissions. I see that Silent Hill for the Playstation, long available as a download on PSN, is inexplicably absent for example.

[Tanooki]

He may not get it but I do. I had the Vita for a good year or so and I had both Uncharted and tried out Resistance too. There's NO reason neither game should work on the PS Tv because the way they used the touch plate on the back of the Vita itself could be directly interpreted on the front of a PS4 controller as it's the same style of touchy feely input but it's only on the front. Uncharted for instance just used it to manipulate an item or dust away junk off some carving or artifact as you stood there. It's all about blatant laziness or desperation trying to move one more Vita when they should be trying to move one more PS TV as a way to move the Vita hardware. The PS4 controller is there now and always has been for PS TV so there's no reason not to support such things. Just market the system as primarily working with a PS4 pad, but is backward with SOME games on the PS3.

If they added the 5 games I had for Vita since only 1 of those works currently I'd buy it, and then I'd buy more games like Dragon's Crown among others. But if they continue to be foolish I save money, so I win anyway.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

For the record, these are the PSP games recently made compatible with Vita TV in North America:

Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
Driver '76
Final Fantasy III
Petz Dogz Family
Petz Hamsterz Bunch
Petz Saddle Club (demo)
Petz Saddle Club
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Prince of Persia Revelations
Prince of Persia Rival Swords
Tom Clancy's EndWar
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Predator
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Essentials

Meanwhile, there are no new additional PS1 and Vita games made compatible with the Vita TV. The PSP version of Final Fantasy III is the best version of FF3 out there, but all the others are essentially 6/10 games or worse. Nothing at all exciting. Why is Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles still not playable on Vita TV? Why are the PS1 Megaman X games that are playable on PSN via the PS3, PSP and Vita not playable on Vita TV?

The Vita TV continues to lack the games I would buy. Does Sony just not want my money or something?

[Leo_A]

Oops, it was Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles that we were talking about. Sorry about the needless update.

[Berserker]

If it ever reaches something approaching full VITA compatibility I'll snatch it up in a heartbeat, but to me it's not worth picking up on faith that they'll add it in later, particularly with the second plunge you have to take on the memory card.

[Tanooki]

I have a feeling a LOT of people would buy it if it ran the full Vita library, or damn near it. Odds are though Uncharted, Katamari, Hot Shots Golf, Resistance, and a few of the other pre-PS TV games that would need to be patched to use the PS4 touch panel just won't happen. It's a guarantee that's a deal breaker for a lot of people, even if the price is only $80 for it now, and it is for me. They get the few games I used to own for it working on PS TV I'm out the door buying it, no arguments. I just don't want another Vita after the last one, but there are games on it I had and finally enough that have come since that would justify a $80 purchase.