Sony PSP: Horrible?

[dmhawkmoon]

I've been reading up on the new handhelds, and I'm wondering how the opinion I've formed about the PSP will be recieved by my fellow gamers...

My opinion is basically that it's looking to be one of the worst game systems in history when I factor in everything. Here's why:

1. Durability. A disc-based handheld causes all sorts of issues. It's not like a discman where you can just get a new one for $30. Sony has proven that they can't offer a durable system even when it's a console that SITS there on your shelf. The PSP will be bashed around, clunk around in your backpack, and cause all sorts of grief and hatred especially from parents whose kids damage their games. You could toss GBA carts around all day, step on them, hit them with a hammer. Whatever. That's why it's great as a portable. The PSP won't necessarily be marketed to kids, but with the way the average gamer takes care of their stuff, it's going to be a flat out disaster. And even the guy who takes special care of it will get screwed over from random laser problems. Oh, and it's going to eat batteries like a hog.

2. Offers nothing game-wise that the next-gen systems don't have. Okay, so maybe they'll make some exclusives that will make everyone run out to get one... but that's not offering any new gameplay experiences. It's practically impossible to offer something that you can't find on another system. With all the video games in the world, there's nothing to set the PSP apart... With other portables, like the GBA, you got a lot of 2D games, which pleased us old-school fans to an extent, since those games weren't being made anywhere else anymore. With the PSP, it's basically just going to be another next-gen system... The only new thing you can do is play with your buddies at work, I guess. When you factor in #1, though, you might as well get the DS if you want to do stuff like that... Less worries about the DS breaking...

3. Horrible handheld philosophy. They seem to think that making handheld gaming a cinematic experience is the most important thing. It's the whole reason they want to use discs. Ridiculous! This goes back the durability issue a bit, too. They're choosing big, movie-like games over durability and quick pick-up-and-play games. While it's cool to give gamers a choice - maybe some people want cinematic games on the airplane - it's certainly the wrong thing to be emphasizing so much. It's the nature of a handheld that if you're playing it on a trip, you'll have to turn it off suddenly if something comes up. How can you get immersed in this huge storyline when you're just going to get interrupted? Honestly, most people are just going to end up playing this thing as another game console in their house. And as just another game console, it offers nothing new.

4. The GBA and DS will be better. The GBA is going to be a better system because it offers so many games that are easy to just pick up and play and it offers simple 2D gameplay and long battery life and duarble carts. The DS will be better because it has the ability to do things which no other console ever did or can do by using the touchpad. It's durable. The games look to be the typical colorful, easy to pick up Nintendo stuff. It might also be whoring out the graphics a bit too much for my taste, but its only disadvantage is smaller memory on the carts.

The PSP is just a waste, from what I can tell.

Thoughts?

[Nez]

I don't really like the PSP, mainly becouse of the short battery life, and becouse its basically a ps2 wich I piad $179 a while ago an still haven't got my money worth. I know this has been siad before, but the movie thing is stupid. Who the hell wants to buy a movie twice? The DVD version for home and UMD for the PSP it makes no sense. People who want to watch a movie on the go should buy a portable DVD player and be done with it. So untill I see some interesting ideas for the PSP I'll be playing my SP.

[jerkov]

I pretty much agree with all of that, although I'm sure that there will be a ton of detractors soon posting. What really got me thinking was what you said about Sony's durability issues. I think Sony has a lot to prove in terms of reliability, looking as how both Playstations have been plagued with problems. Hell, they can't even build a decent Discman that stands up to daily wear & tear (I've gone through a few Sony Discmans, as has my brother, and we've both sworn to never, ever buy another Sony Discman again). How are they going to build a much more sophisticated machine that will hold up to daily stress? Although I do have a 20+ year old Sony component stereo in my bedroom still going strong after all these years, still louder than hell as well. But as far as video games, Sony needs to make more reliable stuff.

That PSP screen also looks like it's begging to be damaged. Are they going to provide some kind of flip-down cover or some other kind of protection? Also, are small discs the best way to go for a portable? They'll probably be more prone to damage and scratches constantly being handled on the go as opposed to just playing them on a machine that sits in your home.

I still think the DS looks like a far more innovative and interesting handheld. The PSP may have more processing power, but I'm more partial to the interesting possibilities that Nintendo and companies like Namco are thinking up for the DS right now as opposed to a bunch of rehashed titles from the PS2's overall weak (IMO) library.

[Jasoco]

I know this has been siad before, but the movie thing is stupid. Who the hell wants to buy a movie twice?Sometimes THREE or more times. Lots of people are just now buying DVD versions of VHS tapes they bought before. It's too soon to go to another format that isn't even compatible with all players. I agree, the PSP will flop for so many reasons.

And I can't wait to watch it crash and burn slowly. There may have not been any used Ngages in bargain bins like everyone hoped, but there WILL be PSP's.

[-hellvin-]

It looks almost as bad as the nintendo DS.

I hate the DS.

Wow....you have a MAP, INFORMATIVE.

[Nez]

Sorry a bit off topic but, Is the PSP still going to have MP3 capabilities?

[jerkov]

It looks almost as bad as the nintendo DS.

I hate the DS.

Wow....you have a MAP, INFORMATIVE.

Actually, there are some great ideas floating around utilizing the two screens. The latest issue of Nintendo Power details quite a few. I don't have access to the issue right now, but I'm sure some others on here are more familiar with the various DS game ideas floating around.

[Jasoco]

One idea is using the touch screen as a Track-ball. Imagine the Super Monkey Ball or Marble Madness they could make with that.

[classicb]

I have to agree the PSP looks bad. I'm not that crazy about the DS but at least it can play GBA games. I don't think I'll get either unless they get below a $100.

The one thing I love about the SP and the DS is the flip cover to protect the screen. The PSP as mentioned above looks to be played like a console and offers nothing new but maybe a small screen and new format.

[dmhawkmoon]

I guess you can say that I'm just tired of buying new systems that have no advantages over systems already out there. I can only think of disadvantages to the PSP over other consoles... I don't really play portable games on the go... The DS will get my money because I like the fact that they gave it the ability to do things no other system could do.

It's not like I can never change my mind about these things though. The Xbox got me to change my mind by offering a better online experience. Heck, when the DS was first announced I rolled my eyes. I never thought I'd want one. Now that I've done research, it sounds like it will be worth owning. Right now, I can't fathom what the PSP could do to get me to buy one...

[thegreatescape]

I've been reading up on the new handhelds, and I'm wondering how the opinion I've formed about the PSP will be recieved by my fellow gamers...

My opinion is basically that it's looking to be one of the worst game systems in history when I factor in everything. Here's why:

1. Durability.....
Oh, and it's going to eat batteries like a hog....

Ive never had a problem with any of my sony consoles, so it doesnt factor into my opinion of the PSP. Anyone have battery numbers from nintendo for the DS yet ?


2. Offers nothing game-wise that the next-gen systems don't have.
The GBA offers nothing game-wise that 16-bit systems dont/didnt have, yet it sells by the truck load. Hand helds never do offer anything new except the ability to be hand-held.


3. Horrible handheld philosophy. They seem to think that making handheld gaming a cinematic experience is the most important thing.

I like old style games as much as the next person, but sony had already shown us that people prefer cinematic games, and theres no reason why people should have to play one type of game on a hand-held and another type on a console. The GBA has plenty of rpgs with immersive story-lines, and they seem popular enough..



4. The GBA and DS will be better....Seeing as how only 1 of the 3 systems is actually out yet, im reserving judgement. My only beef with the psp/ds at the moment is that they will probably crush what little market share gamepark has :(

At the moment though, id take a wide-screen over a gimmickey touch-pad anyday.

[classicb]

[quote=dmhawkmoon]
My only beef with the psp/ds at the moment is that they will probably crush what little market share gamepark has :(


Gamepark has no market share in the US. Its just an import. I think it would be cool if they entered the scene though. I just want good games. That is all.

[maxlords]

Ive never had a problem with any of my sony consoles, so it doesnt factor into my opinion of the PSP. Anyone have battery numbers from nintendo for the DS yet ?

Nope, but you can bet on some sort of lithium-ion setup like the SP so it will have extended battery life and almost no cost to the consumer for power.


The GBA offers nothing game-wise that 16-bit systems dont/didnt have, yet it sells by the truck load. Hand helds never do offer anything new except the ability to be hand-held.

Actually, the thing that the GBA offers (IMO) is NEW 16 bit games. Personally, I feel that the 16 bit generation of games is overall the best one in gaming history so far. The games were play oriented rather than graphics oriented (for the most part) and you could just pick up and play most of em....you didn't have to make a 3+ hour commitment. Having that generation make a resurgence makes the GBA worthwhile in my eyes, whereas a handheld next-gen game doesn't have the same kind of appeal.


I like old style games as much as the next person, but sony had already shown us that people prefer cinematic games, and theres no reason why people should have to play one type of game on a hand-held and another type on a console. The GBA has plenty of rpgs with immersive story-lines, and they seem popular enough..

Sony has shown us that people like CONSOLE cinematic games. Not handheld. The market is different. I don't see them having shown us anything about the actual handheld market for the PSP yet.



At the moment though, id take a wide-screen over a gimmickey touch-pad anyday.

Until it gets all scratched. And what sacrifices are you making? Cost? Durability? Battery life? Ultimately, other than the fact that it's Sony, the PSP has no major points going for it to put it above the DS right now. And I may be wrong but I think the DS has a wide screen as well. Wider than the GBASP? Not sure. Anyway, regardless, the touch screen isn't JUST for touch. It's got a wide range of uses. It's not gimmicky unless the only thing it's used for is maps and touch screen functions. Already Nintendo has shown us a handheld Animal Crossing with touchpad keyboard support onsscreen. You can actually wwrite your own sentences to the animals in that one. So much more versatile than the GC one! Anyway, don't discard it...yet. I think overall, too much credit is being given to SOny and not enough to Nintendo. So far. I'm reserving final judgement for 6-8 months after release, which is when I'll consider buying either system.

[THXII38]

I have a SONY discman, and a SONY Net Mini-Discman.


The former is awful, the latter very good.


I really can't see a CD based handheld being very reliable, my discman jumps if I jog it even slightly. The Net MD works happily if I give it a good shake, it's a shame that they can't make a hand held games console based around the mini-disc technology.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

I know this has been siad before, but the movie thing is stupid. Who the hell wants to buy a movie twice?Sometimes THREE or more times. Lots of people are just now buying DVD versions of VHS tapes they bought before. It's too soon to go to another format that isn't even compatible with all players. I agree, the PSP will flop for so many reasons.

And I can't wait to watch it crash and burn slowly. There may have not been any used Ngages in bargain bins like everyone hoped, but there WILL be PSP's.

Sony just got greedy and thought it could take over the handheld market like it did with the console one. I personally well be getting a DS (already got 50 bucks down) and a psp. Though from what i have seen of the psp so far has been rather poor. I meen come on "metal gear acid" the" the whole battier life thing and the fact if you want to watch movies you need to buy it on a whole new media. This could very well be sony first taste of defeat. Though then again the fanboys have been giving it nothing but praise (even though they have never seen it in action).

[Nez]

I have a sony disc man and it NEVER skips. Even with out anti skip on its still NEVER skips. So I hope that there PSP is able to perform the same.

[Sylentwulf]

Simple enough as I see it:
When they're both under $100, I'll get whichever one has the most games I want to play when I decide to buy one.

$10 says that at least sony won't release 15 year old games at full price on their handheld system and nothing else for 2 years straight. (maybe they'll release them at HALF price for 2 years straight, but that's another story)

[RCM]

I think this topic would be better after we've all owned or played a PSP enough to judge. We're all begining to sound like a bunch of reviewers for Game INformer (that's a bad thing). I say give Sony a chance. Same for Nintendo. I personally have never had a problem with any of my SOny hardware. The same can't be said about Microsoft and Nintendo in my personal experience. As for battery life, it hasn't been officially anounced along with the price. So lets cut the speculation right now, there's no need to argue-yet! If everything bad about the PSP turns out to be true i will be the first person yelling "Fuck You" to Sony.

THE ONE, THE ONLY- RCM

[kainemaxwell]

Actually, the thing that the GBA offers (IMO) is NEW 16 bit games. Personally, I feel that the 16 bit generation of games is overall the best one in gaming history so far. The games were play oriented rather than graphics oriented (for the most part) and you could just pick up and play most of em....you didn't have to make a 3+ hour commitment. Having that generation make a resurgence makes the GBA worthwhile in my eyes, whereas a handheld next-gen game doesn't have the same kind of appeal.


Ya know I never really thought of that aspect. Nicely put!

[Richter]

my gripe with the PSP: its too large to be a portable. For the screen shots it looks to be the size of a men's wallet unfolded.

A neck-strap is an accessory, isnt it? How heavy will that thing be?

[sabre2922]

I am in large part an anti-sony gamer although I do have and enjoy the PS2 along with my Xbox but I have to say that the PSP looks pretty good to me.
It has a decent layout, yeah it could be better but I would much rather have a conventional directional pad ,buttons etc for now. The large clear screen looks great also.
I think the PSP will be very popular and will most likely sell well at the right price point , but more importantly it looks as though it will have many great games with the support of the best developers and publishers and thats what matters to me is the games and (so far) it looks like the PSP will have those in spades.
Yeah I know IM alone in this opinion and most of the time I tend to make a lot of ppl on here mad, but hey its just one gamers opinion and no more no less so take it easy on the flames ;)

[petewhitley]

I think Joe should start up an "I-hate-Sony-and-will-bemoan-everything-they-do" board. Gawd, I'm so sick of hearing how the PSP is gonna fail. If you're all so psychic, tell me next weeks lotto numbers or something I can use. x_x From what I've read here since E3, the PSP kills Jews and children, while the DS shits gold. Give Sony a chance people... you might actcually *gasp* have some fun with the PSP when it's released.

[omnedon]

If the DS does indeed shit gold, I'm all over that. LOL

[EnemyZero]

I see the psp failing miserably, for many many many...many reasons which im not about to delve into right now, but at lease the DS is something new, the psp is what? besides a glorified mp3 player that plays games. Eh sony can keep it, and im really looking forward to about a year or so after its release to i can walk by it in the bargain section..not to buy...but to point and laugh...as nelson would say " haaahhh haaahhhh"

[Garry Silljo]

I have no complaints about the systems power or game selsection (especially since I know little to nothing about the games. I just dont like using discs on a portable. It's jsut asking for damage, to the system and the games. At home I can see the value of discs, for the go, it's carts all the way.

[Blackjax]

This happens every time a Sony console comes out vs a Nintendo console.

Think back... remember all the "Oh, the Dolphin is gonna r00l th3 sc3n3 d00dz!!! PS2 will suck!" and vice versa?

Think even farther back with N64 v PSX... it happens every time. Some preaching doom for one side, some preaching doom for the other without either system being released, or for that matter, even having finalized the hardware!

Jeez people, let the things exist before thumping the Nintendo or Sony bible.

[dmhawkmoon]

This happens every time a Sony console comes out vs a Nintendo console.

Think back... remember all the "Oh, the Dolphin is gonna r00l th3 sc3n3 d00dz!!! PS2 will suck!" and vice versa?

Think even farther back with N64 v PSX... it happens every time. Some preaching doom for one side, some preaching doom for the other without either system being released, or for that matter, even having finalized the hardware!

Jeez people, let the things exist before thumping the Nintendo or Sony bible.

Well let me just say that I don't even really like the GBA at all. I rarely play it. I don't like how half the games are just rereleases and I feel like they don't put a lot of effort into the ones that aren't. For 2D i really like what the Neo-Geo has been putting out. For me to say that the GBA is better than the PSP is a big statement.

In this case, the games the PSP has don't matter that much to me, so I guess that has something to do with my prejudging. The thing is that I already have 3 other systems to buy these epic next-gen games for. The PSP is only going to give me the same kinds of shit on a more delicate system. I;m pretty picky with my buys anyhow. In 6 of the last 7 months, I didn't touch one of my newer systems! Having personally witnessed the death of two PS2s that were almost brand new, my confidence is LOW. If you were one of the lucky ones who got no issues, that's great, but it's a crap shoot. I am actually a lucky owner of a perfectly fine PS2 myself. The two that died were my brother's and my friend's...

My point was, though, that I think it'll be bad and I think it'll piss off everyone... I don't usually make these kinds of predictions, but this whole issue of systems being unreliable and discs being fragile I think is about to boil over.

So anyway, I actually do like the N64 and GC more than the Sony systems... I don't remember the arguing back then, as I didn't pay attention to it. I just happily bought whatever...

You're free to disagree with me, all of you. I just really wanted to see if there was some other side to the coin here as to what the PSP would offer...

[Flack]

1, What exact disc technology (drive, caddy, bands etc) is Sony using for the PSP? What is the track record of these drives in portables before?

2, What is the complete PSP lineup? Has Sony said there will be no 2D games for the PSP?

[dmhawkmoon]

2, What is the complete PSP lineup? Has Sony said there will be no 2D games for the PSP?

Good question. I am just assuming that Sony will frown on anything that doesn't show off the system's capabilities based on their record of doing so with their other systems. This is the one area that the PSP could ever win me over on, I'm thinking. If Treasure suddenly had a whole lineup of 2D exclusive shooters on the PSP, I'd admittedly be all over them.

[dmhawkmoon]

The GBA has plenty of rpgs with immersive story-lines, and they seem popular enough..

I was just thinking about this, and it's a good point, in a way. There already are immersive RPG experiences on the Game Boy. I liked Final Fantasy Legend III a lot. But see, the Game Boy has horrible graphics. People should be allowed to enjoy that kind of game on a portable if they want - you're right. My original point, though, was that Sony is putting too much emphasis on allowing these giant eye-candy games and the movie capabilities by going with discs. The thing about eye-candy, I always thought, was that people liked getting the good-looking games on their home theaters on large screens. With the PSP, who's going to be gathering around to awe at how it looks? The people who are obsessed with graphics want to show off how cool they are, right? It's not really that cool to play handhelds in public if you're over 15. I have no issue with it, but it's still not really something that I see people doing much. Most Game Boy owners who are 20+ play the thing at home that I know of... Well anyway, you factor in the horrible decision to have these movies you can only watch on your PSP (that HAS to be a flop right off the bat, doesn't it?) and the supposed allure of allowing bigger space for your games, when cart based games ALREADY can offer a nice storyline! There's a big price to be paid for doing this with the discs and I just don't feel it's worth it to have bigger nicer looking cinematic games. For what it's going to cost the consumer, I think the sales will show that, too, but we shall see.

Oh yeah, and I guess this system does have a Dark Stalkers game and Tales of Eternia coming out, but those are old ports of games already out in the US.... Bleh.

[petewhitley]

My original point, though, was that Sony is putting too much emphasis on allowing these giant eye-candy games and the movie capabilities by going with discs ... It's not really that cool to play handhelds in public if you're over 15. I have no issue with it, but it's still not really something that I see people doing much ... Well anyway, you factor in the horrible decision to have these movies you can only watch on your PSP (that HAS to be a flop right off the bat, doesn't it?)

The problem I have with so many complaints about the PSP is that they are so America-centric. You see, in Japan you'll find multitudes of adolescents and adults playing GBs. You'll also find the masses riding on trains for an hour a day, just begging for some feasible way to kill time, like watching movies (some of the newest cell phones feature TV reception or even Memory Stick .mpg capability). Sure, that may mean jack-crap to us, but if these features help PSP take off in Japan (and potentially slash Nintendo's handheld market share), that sucker is gonna be here to stay.
You can say that the DS is gonna be the "cooler" system, you can say that the DS is gonna be the "hardcore" system, you can say that the DS is gonna be the "retro-gamer" system, or what have you. But to say the PSP is gonna fail because it (possibly) won't have 2D games or it'll (possibly) have a questionable reliability record is sheer ignorance of the market. Favor whatever you want, but you'll be eating crow if you discount the PSP's global appeal.

[Daria]

my gripe with the PSP: its too large to be a portable. For the screen shots it looks to be the size of a men's wallet unfolded.

A neck-strap is an accessory, isnt it? How heavy will that thing be?

And the Gameboy and Gamegear weren't? :P

Anyway I think it's too early to judge the system's library. As for the author's original comment about discs being fragile, normally I'd agree but the plastic container the discs are in look durable enough to me, I'd have to see then in person to copmpare them to a cart.

Also I don't think the PSP will be solely a 3d machine. Course SCEA may end up effectively banning all 2d titles like it does for the PS2 but at least I spotted Tales of Eternia, a 2D PSone title, on it's launch list,

[dmhawkmoon]

When it comes to the success of the PSP, it should boil down to two questions: Will Sony be able to push a profit with this system, and if not, will it put them in a position to turn a profit in the future?

We already know that Sony's made a real bad business move with the movies thing. Anyone care to object? It's a huge financial disaster to get all these movies made for the thing when no one's going to buy them. Who would, afterall? Why buy a movie that you can only view on your PSP and that's a step down all around from the DVD release?
They also will have to make this thing very expensive to make it worthwhile. Nintendo once again can turn a profit with half the sales numbers. Sony might end up selling a lot of these units, but will it balance out poor movie sales and the cost of the unit? I doubt it... And if they resort to anything less than the best most expensive technology, the thing will break like mad, as I was suspecting it would.

None of this has anything to do with how good the games will be. I just wanted to argue back at the comments about being America-centric...

[dmhawkmoon]

Also I don't think the PSP will be solely a 3d machine. Course SCEA may end up effectively banning all 2d titles like it does for the PS2 but at least I spotted Tales of Eternia, a 2D PSone title, on it's launch list,

It's funny that they're now calling it by its proper name. Trying to make us think it's a new game maybe? "Tales of Eternia" was released on the PS1 as "Tales of Destiny 2" I thought.

[petewhitley]

You see, in Japan you'll find multitudes of adolescents and adults playing GBs. You'll also find the masses riding on trains for an hour a day, just begging for some feasible way to kill time, like watching movies (some of the newest cell phones feature TV reception or even Memory Stick .mpg capability).


We already know that Sony's made a real bad business move with the movies thing. Anyone care to object? It's a huge financial disaster to get all these movies made for the thing when no one's going to buy them. Who would, afterall?

I object. Did you bother to read my post?

[tonyvortex]

i still have the feeling after trying out the ngage that playing 3-d games on that small screen will end in headaches.at least with the 2-d of the gba or the basic n64 type 3-d of the ds i see little eye strain.if sony plans to have games somewhere in the middle of ps1 and ps2 i just imagine the strain your eyes will go through looking atthat screen.

[Berserker]

Well, heres the thing. You're really asking two different questions which could and probably are going to have two different answers. I know you'd like to believe your fellow man is as intuitive and savvy as you are, but let's face it, there's a big difference between something being horrible and something SELLING horribly.

This is an almost guarunteed hit in Japan, for reasons already stated. So even if it totally bombs over here, that's not to say it won't be sticking around for awhile.

As for it actually BEING horrible... well, I don't like the idea of having to buy and possibly re-buy movies I already own in this weird format they're choosing to go with, so that knocks off one point with me. I think I'm going to bite my tongue as to whether or not I'm going to buy one though, as I haven't even really had a good look at what games they're offering, if any at this point.

As for the DS... again, biting of the tongue is in effect. It's hard to say if this whole Dual-Screen will actually be innovative or just novelty. And again, I haven't had a good look at what games they're going to offer outside of Animal Crossing, which I don't want to be eventually bored to tears with again, and on two screens now thank ya much. That could have twice as much of an impact, and possibly cause permanent damage to the part of my brain that craves life-sim games. But, I do like the possibility of what they COULD do with it.

So, is the PSP really going to sell horribly over here? Its hard to tell at this point, but here is where I'd like to introduce you to my friend Derek. Derek is a white kid who lives in the suburbs. He listens to hip-hop, wears a flashy wristwatch and drives a beat-up car with rims that probably cost more than the remainder of his moving heap. He rents lame movies, and he plays video games. Not NES, not Genesis, but PS2 and Xbox. Derek likes flashy cinematics and explosions. Derek likes physically perfect 3d rendered women with physically impossible breasts. Derek could give a shit less about retrogaming or the 8-bit/16-bit 'Golden Era'. Derek wants explosions, and damnit he wants to watch 2 Fast 2 Furious in as many different ways as humanly possible. Derek is an American, and he is the kind of person Sony is going get the most sales from. Is Derek the minority?... Do you still think this thing is going to bomb as quickly over here as you'd hoped?

Still, I think it IS hard to say one way or the other. But I do know this one kid who's buying one...

[alexkidd2000]

Pocket PC's are where its at. Maybe not right now but in a year they are gonna be the best. I have a Dell Axim right now that can play Coleco Vision, Atari, Sega Master System, Game Gear, Game Boy, NES, SNES, Genesis, Turbo Graphix 16 and tons more. Thats thousands of free games right off the bat. It can play MP3's, DIVX, has MSN, Outlook for Email and Internet Explorer. Plus as they get more powerful I am sure you will see some crazy original games for it. Screw the PSP, Pocket PC's rule!

[sabre2922]

LOL good point Besrker the sad thing is that overly simplistic scenario actually describes just about every "kid" I see at the local Gamestop and Wal-mart that are between the ages of 15-20 LOL wait its more like @_@ and this is our future?
I am an american and it really makes me sad to see how our culture is in large part nothing more than a herd of lemmings especially when it comes to our pop culture such as music, movies and especially video games x_x
oh well thats for another post anyway.

[dethink]

dunno, i think while this may be a bit of an uphill battle in terms of making a useful gaming device for the "hardcore" audience, the fact that you can have something that powerful and portable excites me quite a bit - i would rather see console manufacturers take the "handheld that can be plugged into a TV" approach, rather than the "set top box" approach. granted the only game i want on the thing is GT4, but GT3 was enough to make me buy a PS2, so the fact that i could have GT4 on the go if i wanted, and at home in one device is something to consider.

portable (or much smaller) devices ARE the wave of the future - there will be a day when movies/music/games/internet/etc. are all integrated into one ultra-portable PSP sized device, the way we know them now (i.e. not stop gap measures we're being treated to now - REAL movies, high quality music, internet that works like it does at home, etc.) to be used at home or on the go. the PSP is the beginning of the line blurring, but right now the tech isn't perfected yet, and until then, a step will be taken back (visually), and more importantly manufacturers won't be able to sell 2 lines of product. ;)

i just bought a 12" powerbook to replace my dual processor G4 tower, and it's been wonderful, though i have taken a hit in performance (dual 1.25's + 2gb RAM vs. 1.4GHz and the shatty 256MB onboard). BUT, i can have all my console/MAME emulators, halo, my entire CD library, DVD's (with a useful screen size), internet, etc. anywhere i go, all in something the size of a spiral notebook. PLUS i can do design work on it. the small form factor is definitely a plus, as i can work wherever on a whim. if the fiancee wants to watch a movie, and i don't want to miss an ebay auction, i can just have it there in standby ready to go at a moment's notice on the coffee table, instead of having to keep rushing back and forth between the bedroom. really not a big deal, but the convienience factor has made me get a lot more use out of my computer than having to be chained to a desk, and i think the same would hold true for the PSP.

having said that, i think UMD is a dumb idea for anything but games. we all know how well mini disc worked for commercial album sales, as useful as it is for niche markets like live recording - it's now being resurrected as a bastard iPod...a POX on sony if this thing ships with mp3 capability and uses that damn ATRAC scheme.

[zmweasel]

They also will have to make this thing very expensive to make it worthwhile. Nintendo once again can turn a profit with half the sales numbers.

How badly did it hurt to pull this utterly bizarre and totally false claim out of the deepest portion of your colon?

You're certainly not going to impress anyone but the most ignorant Nintendo fanbois with such ludicrous statements.

-- Z.

[Daria]

Also I don't think the PSP will be solely a 3d machine. Course SCEA may end up effectively banning all 2d titles like it does for the PS2 but at least I spotted Tales of Eternia, a 2D PSone title, on it's launch list,

It's funny that they're now calling it by its proper name. Trying to make us think it's a new game maybe? "Tales of Eternia" was released on the PS1 as "Tales of Destiny 2" I thought.

It was, but I think we're looking at a Japanese release list. Who knows what they'd decide to call the game if it was released states side again.

[SoulBlazer]

Okay, now THAT is a weird insult frm Zach. O_O

I think what he ment was that Sony is going to have sell the PSP for a lot of money -- I suspect it will retail for about $200 -- in order to make money on it. Nintendo can sell the DS at probaly half the price. Assuming they can also make the DS for cheaper then the PSP, they make more money on each unit sold. So the DS does'nt HAVE to sell as many as the PSP in order for it to bring in more money to Nintendo then Sony.

Did I read that argument correctly? :P

If so, I think it could be valid. We won't know for sure till prices are officialy announced, though.

[Jasoco]

Derek represents everything that's soulless and wrong with todays society.

[sabre2922]

BINGO! Jasoco!

[zmweasel]

Okay, now THAT is a weird insult frm Zach. O_O

Next time, I'll just go with "You're talking out of your ass, dude."


If so, I think it could be valid. We won't know for sure till prices are officialy announced, though.

EXACTLY. His earlier claims are dubious enough, but this particular statement is especially ridiculous. It's one thing to fly your fanboi colors, but quite another to make up "facts" to try and bolster your misguided opinions.

-- Z.

[Flack]

I think Zach's (as well as my own) frustration with this thread is that it's a complete thread arguing about theories, suspicions, made up facts, and a lot of guesses (good, bad, and completely wild) -- with most of them being passed off as facts!

No one knows exact prices yet, no one knows launch line ups yet, no one knows how the mini-cd's will function yet ... in fact, there ain't a whole lot anyone knows for sure about these, except one is made by Sony and the other by Nintendo. But hey, let's not wait for their arrival, hurry up and start hating them now!

Am I the only person left who is "color blind" when it comes to consoles? I don't care if the next console is made by Nintendo, Sony, Sega, Toyota, Martha Stewart or Pizza Hut. All I care is that it plays fun games.

[SoulBlazer]

Personaly, I agree with you Flack. But there's no harm in speculating, is there? :D

I also personaly would like to see the DS do better then the PSP. I'll wait and see the prices and game list, though.

[calthaer]

I don't spend enough time on my PS2 (and especially since what little time I do spend is largely with PS1 games on the PS2) to justify spending more money on another Sony system.

[dmhawkmoon]

They also will have to make this thing very expensive to make it worthwhile. Nintendo once again can turn a profit with half the sales numbers.

How badly did it hurt to pull this utterly bizarre and totally false claim out of the deepest portion of your colon?

You're certainly not going to impress anyone but the most ignorant Nintendo fanbois with such ludicrous statements.

-- Z.

All my information is right out of things I read. I read that the PSP will be very expensive for a handheld and that Nintendo's system will be less expensive to produce.
My quote of "half the sales numbers" was not a real stat. I just know for a fact that with the GC Nintendo was making a lot more (or losing a lot less) off of system sales than Sony or MS. Nintendo is healthy even though they have less sales. That's the point. Sorry for my use of hyperbole...

[dmhawkmoon]

[quote=SoulBlazer]EXACTLY. His earlier claims are dubious enough, but this particular statement is especially ridiculous. It's one thing to fly your fanboi colors, but quite another to make up "facts" to try and bolster your misguided opinions.

-- Z.

Do explain how using hyperbole is making up facts. I know I'm not that hard to understand.

All my claims come from what I read in magazines. I'm not a fanboy. I've stated that I don't like the GBA very much. I don't see why being exasperated with Sony's idealogies makes me a fanboy. You have personal experience with Sony's annoying tendancies, don't you?

Look, if my facts are really screwed up, set me straight. And don't misinterpret my lazy exaggerations for facts. They were never meant to be taken that way.

[zmweasel]

[quote=SoulBlazer]EXACTLY. His earlier claims are dubious enough, but this particular statement is especially ridiculous. It's one thing to fly your fanboi colors, but quite another to make up "facts" to try and bolster your misguided opinions.

-- Z.

Do explain how using hyperbole is making up facts. I know I'm not that hard to understand.

All my claims come from what I read in magazines. I'm not a fanboy. I've stated that I don't like the GBA very much. I don't see why being exasperated with Sony's idealogies makes me a fanboy. You have personal experience with Sony's annoying tendancies, don't you?

Look, if my facts are really screwed up, set me straight. And don't misinterpret my lazy exaggerations for facts. They were never meant to be taken that way.

I don't know what you mean by "personal experience." As a gamer, am I sometimes frustrated with Sony's concept-approval policies? Yes. As a game-company employee, was I frustrated with some of Sony's policies? Yes. But in both cases, I understand why the policies are in place.

When your first post makes the ludicrous claim (even for this Sony-hating forum) that "[the PSP is] looking to be one of the worst game systems in history when I factor in everything," fanboi alarms are instantly triggered.

Nintendo fanbois should be grateful to Sony for entering the handheld market, since the DS only exists as a response to the PSP. All gamers, even fanbois, will benefit from the PSP/DS war.

-- Z.

[dmhawkmoon]

Zm ---> Okay so my opinion is ludicrous.

Gamers shouldn't just be happy with ANY old competition. We certainly weren't going for the N-Gage just because it was competing... I agree that it's good to have competition, just I'd like to see more than some Playstation clone considering the curent market as it is... With so many games out there to buy anyway. Any serious gamer is just hurting in the wallet. I can't stand these one after another "me too" systems... If you don't agree, that's fine. I guess I just value different things ?

[Hovoc]

Ill be picking up the GB DS for any zelda and metroid games that appear on the system.

Dont care if it better or less than than the PSP, its games i want, not a wide screen.

[TheRedEye]

It looks almost as bad as the nintendo DS.

I hate the DS.

Wow....you have a MAP, INFORMATIVE.

You're obviously an educated, intelligent man. Thank you so much for your contribution to this discussion.

[zmweasel]

Zm Okay so my opinion is ludicrous.

Gamers shouldn't just be happy with ANY old competition. We certainly weren't going for the N-Gage just because it was competing... I agree that it's good to have competition, just I'd like to see more than some Playstation clone considering the curent market as it is... With so many games out there to buy anyway. Any serious gamer is just hurting in the wallet. I can't stand these one after another "me too" systems... If you don't agree, that's fine. I guess I just value different things ?

Sony certainly isn't "ANY old competition." It's the company that has dominated the video game industry to a record-setting degree for almost a decade.

The PSP is entirely unlike anything Nintendo has faced in the handheld market, with far superior tech AND enormous first- and third-party support.

The PSP certainly isn't a "PlayStation clone" or a "me too system." It has capabilities not found in the PS1 or PS2, and capabilities FAR beyond previous handheld game systems.

Publishers and consumers didn't back the N-Gage because Nokia's inexperience with video games was painfully obvious, the tech was lame, and the games were lame.

What I value above all else is great games, and the PSP will certainly supply plenty of 'em.

-- Z.

[musical]

deleted...

[NE146]

Yknow, ever since I was a kid in the early 80's it's been my opinion that Sony products were DESIGNED TO BREAK. And my experience with their various electronic products since then has done nothing to change that idea (despite giving them tons of chances since they are often.. very cool). All my problems with Sony were with their walkmans, discmans, stereo components (cassette decks, amplifiers, turntable, cd changers), tv's like Trinitron, etc. and their various gadgets. I actually have a broken Trinitron in my bedroom someone tossed out. It can't take an RF signal although it can take an a/v signal in. Too typical.

BUT!.....

having said that, here's something you might not expect.. I have never had a problem with any of the Sony VIDEOGAME products! LOL Well.. I guess my first psx started skipping a bit, but it's minor and anyway, it and it's games are pretty old and abused by now. But my main dusty psx & ps2, and their games work just fine over the years and I'm an early adopter of both :P Just weird.

'Course this is just my personal experience. Everybody's is different :P

p.s. I don't really have an opinion on the psp/ds (although I threw in my hat to the ds FOR FUN in another thread). I'll have to check them out first :D

[SoulBlazer]

Someone screwed things up REAL BAD in here and I can't read ANYTHING. Please fix it. :o

[bargora]

The crucial issue you guys are neglecting is this: How long is it going to take after the release of PSP for somebody to come up with a workable way to copy your PS games onto a minidisc and play them on the PSP? Or is Sony going to move heaven and earth to ensure that I can't enjoy Klonoa on PSP without buying it again?

[Jasoco]

ATTENTION MODERATOR OR ADMIN! Remove that --> dmhawkmoon's post, and from zmweasel's quoting of him. Seems the Admin DIDN'T fix the problem when I pointed it out a year ago.

[SoulBlazer]

Or maybe he can fix it himself. :)

[Jasoco]

Either way, I am shocked the Admin DigitPress didn't fix it when he said he would. It's all because for SOME reason, and only on this board, EACH post has a second copy in Comments. So when someone posts a --> in their post, it fools the forum generator into closing the comment early and OOPS! This happens.

It's an INSTANT Thread killer IMHO.

Let's push this to page 4 at least.

[Jasoco]

How many posts per page are there in this forum?

[zmweasel]

The crucial issue you guys are neglecting is this: How long is it going to take after the release of PSP for somebody to come up with a workable way to copy your PS games onto a minidisc and play them on the PSP? Or is Sony going to move heaven and earth to ensure that I can't enjoy Klonoa on PSP without buying it again?

I wouldn't call this a "crucial issue" so much as an extreme case of wishful thinking on your part. Why would Sony let you play your old PS games for free on your PSP, when Nintendo gets $20 a pop to let you play your old NES games on your GBA?

Also, Sony is focusing upon original IPs and PSP extensions of successful PS2 franchises, not mildly souped-up PS1 ports.

-- Z.

[ubersaurus]

Also, Sony is focusing upon original IPs and PSP extensions of successful PS2 franchises, not mildly souped-up PS1 ports.

-- Z.

Vampire Chronicles? x_x

[zmweasel]

Also, Sony is focusing upon original IPs and PSP extensions of successful PS2 franchises, not mildly souped-up PS1 ports.

-- Z.

Vampire Chronicles? x_x

VC is a Dreamcast port, not a PS1 port, but it's a great idea, as it'll bring the Darkstalkers franchise some attention in North America (presuming Sony allows it to be released here).

Again, extensions of PS1/PS2 franchises are the focus. Armored Core, Dynasty Warriors, Gran Turismo, Metal Gear Solid.

And, hey, let's not forget that Nintendo is regurgitating Super Mario 64 for the DS, and releasing DS versions of most of its franchises.

-- Z.

[PapaStu]

I think Zach's (as well as my own) frustration with this thread is that it's a complete thread arguing about theories, suspicions, made up facts, and a lot of guesses (good, bad, and completely wild) -- with most of them being passed off as facts!

No one knows exact prices yet, no one knows launch line ups yet, no one knows how the mini-cd's will function yet ... in fact, there ain't a whole lot anyone knows for sure about these, except one is made by Sony and the other by Nintendo. But hey, let's not wait for their arrival, hurry up and start hating them now!

Am I the only person left who is "color blind" when it comes to consoles? I don't care if the next console is made by Nintendo, Sony, Sega, Toyota, Martha Stewart or Pizza Hut. All I care is that it plays fun games.

Thank you for saying that Flack. I got tired of saying that in the earlier E3 related PSP "shit on me" threads. Lets all shit on a system that no one really knows ANYTHING ABOUT, that no ones gotten to play next to anything, and really only seen actual game footage for like what A game? Give it some time, the system wont be here till after Christmas anyways. Let them leak the info to the sites before christmas to build up some noise for it. The Youth of today will buy this because of the name Sony being the synomous one to video games for their generation. For the huge majority the 25 Million PS2's that are here in the US alone all run just fine. Stop claiming bad hardware as the tell all excuse for a reason to hate a sytem thats not ever in production!

[bargora]

The crucial issue you guys are neglecting is this: How long is it going to take after the release of PSP for somebody to come up with a workable way to copy your PS games onto a minidisc and play them on the PSP? Or is Sony going to move heaven and earth to ensure that I can't enjoy Klonoa on PSP without buying it again?

I wouldn't call this a "crucial issue" so much as an extreme case of wishful thinking on your part. Why would Sony let you play your old PS games for free on your PSP, when Nintendo gets $20 a pop to let you play your old NES games on your GBA?

Also, Sony is focusing upon original IPs and PSP extensions of successful PS2 franchises, not mildly souped-up PS1 ports.

-- Z.
Crucial only to my decision whether to buy, sir! And I really don't think that "somebody" would be Sony.

Of course, I'm sure that it really is extreme wishful thinking, as I imagine that there will be differences in the hardware that would preclude using straight minidisc copies of PS1 game data in a PSP.

And of course you're right. Nintendo has already shown the viability of charging charging twice twice. I try to hold out, but sometimes they get me in the end.

[zmweasel]

The crucial issue you guys are neglecting is this: How long is it going to take after the release of PSP for somebody to come up with a workable way to copy your PS games onto a minidisc and play them on the PSP? Or is Sony going to move heaven and earth to ensure that I can't enjoy Klonoa on PSP without buying it again?

I wouldn't call this a "crucial issue" so much as an extreme case of wishful thinking on your part. Why would Sony let you play your old PS games for free on your PSP, when Nintendo gets $20 a pop to let you play your old NES games on your GBA?

Also, Sony is focusing upon original IPs and PSP extensions of successful PS2 franchises, not mildly souped-up PS1 ports.

-- Z.
Crucial only to my decision whether to buy, sir! And I really don't think that "somebody" would be Sony.

I didn't think you did. I'm saying the PSP will be very difficult to hack--much more so than the GBA--armed with regional lockout and other protection schemes.

That being said, if a group of enterprising young hackers can somehow figure out how to use the USB and Memory Stick ports for evil instead of good, the PSP would be a dream come true for emus. The system's specs are more than beefy enough to run everything through the 16-bit era with no scaling and no slowdown. N64 and PS1 games would also be possible, but they wouldn't be dead solid perfect. (For example, a lot of PS1 games ran at the system's "medium" resolution, 512 pixels wide, which won't easily downscale to the PSP's screen.)


And of course you're right. Nintendo has already shown the viability of charging charging twice twice. I try to hold out, but sometimes they get me in the end.

I'm not saying I'm *angry* at Nintendo for charging whatever it can get. I think it's fantastic that it can ask for--and get--$20 and $30 a pop for 20- and 15-year-old games. That speaks volumes about both the quality of Nintendo's output and the viability of repackaging and remarketing classic games.

-- Z.

[badinsults]

I'm going to reserve my judgement until a year after both systems are released.


Chances are, I still won't buy either.

[musical]

3. Horrible handheld philosophy. They seem to think that making handheld gaming a cinematic experience is the most important thing. It's the whole reason they want to use discs. Ridiculous! They're choosing big, movie-like games over durability and quick pick-up-and-play games.

I think you (original poster) are just suffering from old-guy-itis. You want to see games like when you were a kid with pure gameplay. ----- But PSP is not made for old guys like you (and me). PSP is made for today's kids, and today's kids like interactive movies. They'll buy the PSP for just that reason.

Besides, are interactive movies so bad? The stuff produced for the PSone and PS2 that will be ported to the PSP was/is quite good. Xenogears. Final Fantasy. Metal Gear. Sounds like stuff worth buying to me.