Since this has been another one of those time periods where the Hangout contains several VG threads, I thought I'd add one more...well that and I was bored. So what better idea for a thread than one of the most speculated things in video games: the PS3 online service. There hasn't really been any new info (that's worthwhile anyway) since E3, but there have been some interesting developments recently, not to mention something I never knew about the PS2 online service in Japan. First off, news about an event called "DevStation" is going around the message boards at the moment. Here's some info about that: http://www.devstation.scee.com/ The real interesting part is the info about the people speaking about the networking portion of the event. Sort of grasping at straws I admit; however, if Sony is planning on bringing over some features from Xbox Live, at least they have someone who worked on it. Secondly, as I mentioned in this thread, Sony will now be offering a sort of "PSP Connect" service for the PSP starting in March. As I said in that thread, the service will "...enable you to download hundreds of videos, games and TV shows as well as films and other content. You'll even be able to browse from a wide selection of books." Since they're able to offer something sort of like a XBL marketplace for the PSP, I would assume they'd be able to do the same for the PS3. Finally, I came across some info about a PS2 broadband online service that was offered in Japan with the hard drive. It never really got anywhere since it was pretty slow (possibly due to the HD?), not to mention the fact that only a small percentage of people actually bought the HD, but it seems like the online service wasn't too bad. Here's some info about it from WiKi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Broadband_Navigator I read that you could also download some old NES games for free from the Hudson Channel. Here's some screens of it in action: Plenty of more pics at the following link: (click the channel links at the bottom) http://www.playstation.jp/psbb/channel/recommend.html While it never took off, perhaps it could give an idea of what to expect with the PS3 online service? That's about all I got. Again, mostly just a bunch of speculation on my part due to my boredom, not part of some new news from an article or anything like that...of course, it isn't like those have been very reliable for me recently. Any thoughts?
My thoughts.... Networking will become even more crucial as users demand easy and seamless connections with an intuitive interface. People want things better, faster, cheap, and now. This is a crazy leap from the console wars 10 years ago... It'll be sad if Sony goes with an iTunes-like plan and try to merge their media operations with their gaming. That would divide the market (might cause MS to partner up with other media companies) and make each plan expensive and proprietary. I like Nintendo's plan on a free and decentralized network, where games can be downloaded through credits and codes, but it seems like Sony and MS are doing something more ambitious. As soon as the Cell becomes cheap enough to make, we'll find them in TV sets (Toshiba is a partner), cell phones, and other electronics with untapped uses. I honestly don't believe that subscribers will go through their PS3s/Xbox360s to surf the net, watch limited programming or customize their system. People just want to game and go. My problem is that they think ambitious, but don't have the guts to risk it into action. Maybe if they locked in an IPTV contract with exclusive content or a VoIP-like service that's easy and fairly high quality, then people could grow on the idea that they need a console to do that. Cell phones have a very good foothold in that territory at the moment.
Well Sony has already stated the online system for the PS3 will be the same as the PS2 which means no one will use it. They have a horrible online service and don't plan to change it for the next generation. This is what will allow the xbox 360 to catch up if not pass Sony as the console leader in the next few years.
I guess it was sort of inevitable when you consider some of the stuff offered through the XBL marketplace as well as the PSP and other portable devices (Ipod). I mean, it would seem foolish not to try and merge the two, especially since they seem to be focusing on getting the various divisions to work together. SCE is looking for a service that could offer various forms of media, such as movies and music, and I'm sure the Sony Connect people (is there a Sony Connect division or something?) would like to see their sales improve through the help of the PS3. Hopefully they don't try to force it down our throats and just use it to supplement our experiences, but I guess it could get pretty ugly in the future. I would actually be interested in seeing how much Cell would cost if they scaled it down for these types of operations. Obviously, the Cell going into the PS3 and the IBM/Mercury workstations are pretty expensive, but you don't need that much processing power in a cell phone or something like that. I don't know much about the processors used in these other electronics, but surely a Cell processor clocked at ~1GHz (maybe more or less) with 3 or 4 SPEs would even be pretty powerful for something in these devices (excluding devices that need to decode HD streams). Maybe Toshiba using it in ALL their 2006 TVs gives an idea on how good the cost/performance is for the processor. Is it already superior to any other options Toshiba has, even this early on? I'm sure Toshiba has an incentive to use Cell in their devices, but I didn't think they'd do it this early, and not on that scale. On a side-note, I just read something about Sony, Toshiba, and IBM renewing their contract for another 5 years, so I guess they'll be continuing to work on Cell and Cell-related technologies for a while. Definitely an interesting development to keep up on IMO. I agree there. I'm about as excited as anyone about these systems and what they're offering, but in the end, I pretty sure I'll be using my computer for things like the Internet, and I'll be watching TV on...well, my TV. I'll enjoy any game downloads though as well as any sort of chatting (video, voice, text, whatever else there is) that arises through gaming online, but that's probably about it. On the other hand, if the PS3 is a nice network hub that can stream (or take streams) from other devices (PSP, PC, other Sony products?) in the house easily, it might do a little better than I thought. Now that I think about it, depending on how the managed copies work for BR (if they are even offered), it might be easier to have the PS3 manage those as opposed to a PC or something like that...not sure, I haven't looked much into (M)MC. Also, I did read something interesting about the PSP, DLNA (???), and how the PS3 could work together; I didn't get much into it, not to mention I'm not an expert on networking, but people sounded excited about it. If the rumors about the PS3 also being able to act as a LocationFree device for the PSP are true, having both the PS3 and PSP together might be a nice thing to have. Again, a lot of if's that I'm not so sure will happen; I imagine if they all work out, I'd appreciate it, but I don't see it working out that way, at least not easily and not at first. As you said, I'll probably just use the PS3 for games, maybe some BR movies early on, and that's about it. Interesting thoughts.
Talking out of my butt here, but networking and computing power (graphics and physics) are converging into the ultimate medium. I'd read some undergrad courses just to get started.... Yeah, cell phones don't need that much power...for now. Some crafty game programmers use the DSP to put out better graphics. If cellphones continue to grow in use, who knows? Maybe it'll become equiped with somethinglike a Nvidia go6800.
O RLY? I recall Sony saying the PS3 online service would be an open service, similar to how the PS2 online service was open while XBL was closed, but they never said it would be the same (although the PS2 BB stuff seems interesting). Also, if interviews with SCE executives are any indication, they do plan on making some changes for next-gen (they've hired former XBL developers to do...nothing?). I believe Kaz Hirai used an example of AC in cars. When it was first introduced, air conditioning was a luxury that wasn't really necessary; now, it is more of a necessity that we've come to expect from automobiles. For Sony, I think they realize that people have come to expect certain things from a console's online service. Sony can offer a car that can go 300 MPH, gets 100 MPG, and has DVD players (and other stuff) inside, but a lot of people won't buy it if there's no AC. Hehe...real-life examples are fun to use. For reference, here's some of the things Sony focused on at E3 in case anyone forgot:
I would sadly expect the same service as the current. If it does change it will not be much which is a big mistake IMO. 360 Live and the arcade is the best thing about next-gen so far.
Ok. So I would think it would be a mistake if they kept it the same...you would think it would be a mistake if they kept it the same...Kaz Hirai and several other Sony execs would think it would be a mistake if they kept it the same...so we should expect the company that has dominated the console business for 10 years (by making few, if any, mistakes) to make a big mistake by keeping it exactly the same? Part of the reason why I posted this was to show how "easy" it would be for Sony to implement something similar to XBL, or at least something that could compete with it. Heck, I would have liked to have seen what would happen if the PS2 HDD and PSBBN took off. The PSBBN already offered downloadable content, such as demos and various forms of media (XBL marketplace?), as well as web browsing and free NES downloads (XBL arcade?). If they bothered doing that late in the PS2's life for like .5% of the userbase, what would they actually bother doing for everyone on the PS3? Then, of course, there's everything they said at E3 involving video chat, P2P services, online transactions, and other online features, which seem to suggest a more robust online service than what the PS2 offered.
On the PS3? That would be every game AFAIK. If you mean current-gen titles, there's not many. GT4 is the only game above 480p for the PS2, and even then, it is more tricks that actual HD. The Xbox has some HD titles in 720p and/or 1080i, but not a lot IIRC.
I don't have much time to play my GT4, though I have some videos. I have unlocked a nice share of it (18% done), and it's a pity I can't record the videos to my PC in HD, and the screen is stretched because I've switched it to HDTV on the game, so it gets difficult. I wished there were some more HD games for the old PS2. I still have the very first version (the one they no longer support) of the PS2. Thanks for the threads, Cola. It's a joy to read some of your posts on the gaming stuff, even if it is Speculation mostly from [you]. [sig suppressed]
PS3 launch schedule article: LINK Delayed? I don't think the fact that the display PS3's were empty means jack, but anyway... LINK CNN predicts $500 for PS3: LINK
I'm sure Sony and a number of developers would love to give you some HD games, but it just isn't really possible on the PS2 (GT4 doesn't count since it was made by Polyphony Digital ). It would be like asking for more 1080p games on the NES. The Xbox has some specialized hardware (part of the Nvidia GPU IIRC) that allows it to output games in HD resolutions. Even then, I'm sure it isn't easy to support these resolutions, and some developers would rather push more detail in 480i/p than trying to make the game support HD. The 360 and PS3 should have no problems though. GT5 at 1080p will look amazing I'm sure...assuming it is on a TV that supports 1080p.
ok. I see what you're saying about no more HD games for PS2, but making a comparison with HD on the SNES made me laugh. If it was possible for PD to make an HD game for the PS2, why couldn't Sony Digital make one? They didn't step up to the plate and PD did, so this means that I will have to wait for PS3 to have some. I really doubt Sony will do anything any more for the PS2 since they would be taking a step backwards with it. I hear you on the 480i argument, I hear you. It's just a d*mn shame that they would only come out with one (if what you're saying about GT4 was right on the money about it being the only one), when they knew they had the chance to make so many games with HD on the ol' PS2.
Yep. So far, they're on "schedule." The February event is huge in determining how far along the PS3 is. If it isn't ready, the event may not happen, or if it does, the games will be much like everything shown thus far. On the other hand, if the games are playable or at least confirmed to be in realtime (no prerendered footage, nothing sped up, etc.), then the software may be ready for a launch soon. Plus, I imagine there will be some info on the online service, launch plans, info on RSX, and perhaps even a price (at least for Japan?). It should be the PS3's coming out party...assuming there hasn't been a major delay. On that same note, I believe EA and Activision have some PS3-related events in February, and I also read somewhere about some NDA's expiring in February. Should be an interesting month. Yeah, the Inquirer isn't known for being accurate. I believe they had an article about Samsung offering a HD DVD/Blu-ray combo drive, and then a day later, Samsung said that wouldn't happen for a while, if ever. They also make up a bunch of rumors in the PC GPU world; they correctly speculated about the last ATI GPU, but only because they change their speculations like 12 times. BTW, that article reminded me about our little developer friend from SOE...or formerly from SOE. I read yesterday that he got the axe. Those Sony ninjas are quick. Yea! More price speculation. And if our developer friend Josh Robinson taught us anything, it is that you can actually be a PS3 developer and not know jack about some things. Oh well, as the article mentions, more free publicity for Sony.
Out of curiosity, who do mean by Sony Digital? I'm not sure I understand who you're referring to by that. Basically, Polyphony Digital are gods, doing things with the PS2 that shouldn't be possible. And technically, as I was alluding to earlier, the method they used for supporting 1080i wasn't true HD AFAIK. I never actually fully understood the process they used, but it sounded very complicated, something I doubt most developers (looking at you EA) would bother doing, even if they could. Rather than being disappointed because other developers didn't make any HD games on the PS2, you should really just be amazed by what Polyphone Digital was able to do. I could only think of a few developers (Criterion, Team Kojima, Ico team) that might be able to pull of an HD game, and even then, I'm not sure if there would be any problems with implementing it in one of their games as opposed to a game like Gran Turismo. And again, as I mentioned earlier, these guys would probably rather improve the enemy AI, implement a better lighting system, or put in some more sparks instead of trying to get their games in HD. So just be thanking PD that you got 1 HD game on the PS2 because I'm pretty sure no one expected any HD games 5-6 years ago on the PS2. I'm pretty sure if they had enough time and money, PD could make a game on the NES that supported 1080p. Oh yeah, I should note that Sony might let you play PS2 games in HD on the PS3. MS is doing that with the 360, and it doesn't sound like it would be too hard to implement in the PS3 BC. Just another reason to get a PS3 I guess.
" Ok. So I would think it would be a mistake if they kept it the same...you would think it would be a mistake if they kept it the same...Kaz Hirai and several other Sony execs would think it would be a mistake if they kept it the same...so we should expect the company that has dominated the console business for 10 years (by making few, if any, mistakes) to make a big mistake by keeping it exactly the same? "
I read recently that the PS3's current H.264 decoding performance was lacking, only handling 25 of the 40 mbps stream. I don't remember where I read that though so if you have any info/thoughts on that I'd be interested, RC.
