Is the PS2 capable of 2D?

[Cinder6]

Or even the PS3, for that matter?

By "capable", I mean true 2D, instead of plastering sprites on invisible polygons. I know the PS1 couldn't do true 2D, but I'm not sure about the two successors. Anyone know?

[Kid Ice]

This is the first I've heard that PS1 can't do "true 2D". Assuming that's true, both the PS1 and PS2 had numerous retro compilations, so I guess "through emulation" would be one answer.

[Dangerboy]

Uh....the PSX and it's next of kin can all do true 2D...

Ya know, Guilty Gear....Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat....all lovely sprite based games...real honest 2D sprites.

[shadowkn55]

Uh....the PSX and it's next of kin can all do true 2D...

Ya know, Guilty Gear....Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat....all lovely sprite based games...real honest 2D sprites.

Not as well as Sega Saturn. If you play Street Fighter Alpha 2 on both systems, there is a world of difference.

[roushimsx]

Not as well as Sega Saturn. If you play Street Fighter Alpha 2 on both systems, there is a world of difference.

RAM is a motherfucker, isn't it?

[Cinder6]

What I've read is that the PS1 doesn't have the capability of doing 2D games in the sense that the NES, SNES, Genesis, Saturn, etc. could. It would emulate the behavior by using transparent polygons on a very wide, very thin vertical plane, then slap sprites onto them. This is obviously not the greatest way to do it, as you have the system doing calculations for polygons that are never even seen.

Here's where I first read about it, on VGMuseum (and it undoubtedly explains it better than I):

http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/cv-sotn/...turne-port.htm

It deals specifically with the Saturn port of Symphony of the Night, but goes into the details of the PS1's lack of real 2D capabilities.

[djlr181]

Is it me or is that VgMuseum article completely BS?

[Icarus Moonsight]

Try SOTN on Saturn. There is lots of slowdown. I'm not sure if it's true but, it stands to reason. If the game was made in "true" 2D the Saturn version port would surely run better than the PS1 version. The Saturn being less capable at 3D than the PS1 means it chokes on the game. There is also the possibility of a botched port job though. They do happen.

[c0ldb33r]

There is also the possibility of a botched port job though. They do happen.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Of course we can't base opinions on a single game (either pro or con).

[G-Boobie]

I was under the distinct impression that the PS1 CPU was perfectly capable of handling 2D sprites as well as polygons. I guess I could be wrong, though....

The author of the article in question flatly states that, and I quote: "Please note that this is all theory and speculation". We could probably broaden that to include his '2D polygon' theory, which in pure programming terms, is the dumbest and least processor-efficient way to handle sprite animation I can think of.

Just for the record, I think the crap port of SotN to Saturn had more to do with the Saturn's notoriously difficult to program for dual CPU's. Think the Cell Processor troubles that developers are having with the PS3 and you won't be too far off.

G-Boobie, out.

[T-1000]

Look at Street Fighter Alpha 3 on the PS1. Aside from load times (which weren't bad at all) & a few missing frames of animation it was pretty damn solid.