PlayStation 3

[JSP62]

I have been staying abreast of the PS3 and its release date. After the frenzy of XBOX 360 with the costs, release date, comparisons and specs, I wanted to be prepared for the release of the PS3.

My plan was to purchase 2 units, 1 for myself and the other I would sell off and perhaps make a nice profit to recover costs from the 1st one.

The cost of the PS3 is surely going to be very pricey ranging anywhere from $400-600. I think Sony is making a bad move on this and will lose alot of consumers. It is true that the machine will possess awesome capabilities, but Sony needs to keep in mind who is giving them their money for this. Are we talking about teens/young adults who will be using it or the adults/young professionals ?

Another thing is the time at which it is going to be released. Will it make for this year? I can remember last year it was said to be targeted for spring of 06. Well it is more or less spring and where's PS3 ? I next figured Sony would be trying to create desires for the holiday season and changed the schedule to shoot for Xmas 06. After reading up more it doesn't even seem that this will be possible.

In any event I thought it would be fun and informative to start a thread on PS3, no?

I read an interesting article for those who like to read up on this.

http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=0...551246&from=rss

So what sorts of info / rumors / buzz / components have you all heard ?

Edited March 19, 2006 by Ishiyoshi

[willykyu]

I don't care how, when, etc. I'll get it the day it's available.

I guess it'll be an Atrac jukebox (the ultimate one?) as there will be dowloadable music content available through connect service via PS3 apparently. I can only hope that there will be the possibility to plug any sony walkman to transfer music from PS3 and also rip CDs etc. Well, 8 months to go... (still 8 months... hearing Novemeber sounded closer than that...sniff).

[RedemptioN419]

I think the Hype as been for the PS3 for quite some time. But now that they posponed the release date, they are going to lose some customers and make others very skeptical.

[Guest Stuge]

I have no idea but there are rumors in India as well that it will be released in Some time ...

[Tiesto]

http://videogames.yahoo.com/newsarticle?eid=446224&page=0

Kutaragi also made it clear that the hard drive will be necessary to play games--Sony is telling developers to make games assuming every PS3 has a hard drive installed. "We view the Hard Drive to be mandatory for the PS3," he said. "Rather than have developers create games for the PS3 with or without the HDD, we will be asking them to develop games as though all PS3s have the HDD installed."

However, Kutaragi revealed that Sony had not decided whether or not the PlayStation 3 would come with the hard-drive pre-installed. "We might end up installing it in all PS3s, though that depends on the market," he said. This raises the possibility that the PS3 could be sold without a piece of hardware needed to play PS3 games--in effect forcing consumers to buy a peripheral for basic functionality.

WTF!! why would you need a hd when you have a 50gb disc??

[JSP62]

http://videogames.yahoo.com/newsarticle?eid=446224&page=0

WTF!! why would you need a hd when you have a 50gb disc??

50gb disk? Are you saying that they will be using Blu-Ray disks ? (is that the capacity of Blu-Rays ?)

Keep in mind, there will be files that need to saved in some location. These files can be saved game data, music content, video content, demos, etc etc. The PS3 is following the line of mutli-functional. A unit that ats as a media center type for games, movies, online capabilities. . . . blah blah blah.

_____________________________________________________________

According to the article I linked, development kits are not slated for distribution until July and that is more than likely best case scenario if no more hold ups happen. Sony themselves need to get stuff straigtened out so they can coplete the dev kits. After that the gaming companies need time to develope their games. So July to Nov/Dec, gives them about 4/5 months to get a game ready. If you ask me thats a pretty tight deadline, and it make sense to look at '07

Edited March 16, 2006 by JSP62

[Guest Stuge]

JSP62 ,

If you need more information about Blue Ray disc then you can read here

http://www.tdk.com/professional/marketing/brd1.html

I don`t understand Sony now they are palnning to sell PS3 games in Blue ray disc format (To prevent piracy)..So the price will also RISE by many folds ..Ps2 games are so costly in India ..One game costing $50 or $60 here .They wasted there time in the development of DRM for network walkman ..Now they will waste their time here also ..Their sales will further drop ..

Sony should be Simple not complicated ...but who cares they are Sony

[JSP62]

JSP62 ,

Sony should be Simple not complicated ...but who cares they are Sony

Yep, if all PS3 are getting Blu-Ray drives then the cost is gonna be crazy, which would warrant the 400-600 price range.

Your comment is probably the mind set of the PS3 team, it is a shame though. This only puts more icing to that cake that everyone hates.

[pata2001]

http://videogames.yahoo.com/newsarticle?eid=446224&page=0

WTF!! why would you need a hd when you have a 50gb disc??

Because HD access time is much faster than optical media. Hopefully Sony and game developers will actually use it (eg. for game caching/saving, new level downloads, etc), not like the ill-fated PS2 HD. BIG concern is, like the XBOX, game developers become lazy in terms of beta testing their software since they could just "patch" the game if the console has a hard-drive. PC gaming anyone?

Just like the PS2, I would wait for the games. If I like the games, then I would wait until the 1st/2nd price drop. By that time, the bugs would have been fixed and maybe the "greatest hits" lineup would have started, so cheaper games. I still have tons of PS2 RPGs that need to be finished anyway.

Oh and Sony, I hope you remove game regioning. It doesn't make sense, even less logical than movie regioning. But of course, it's Sony. Next thing you know they really implemented the games being locked into 1 console thing..

[Richard_p]

I heard on the radio (of all places...) some stuff about delays due to the disk drive having 'technical problems'. Apparantly sony were hoping for a spring release but instead are now aiming for november. Not sure how old this news is as i really have not followed the PS3.

I got a PS2 the christmas they were launched. BIG MISTAKE! basically i am now on console number 4 i think as the fisrt ones kept messing up and had to be sent back, but the third seemd to last a while (until it was out of warranty at least...) so i had to purchase a whole new one.

Also i found the launch titles to be rahter uninspiring, and soon got quite bored of them.

I am certainly in no hurry to get the PS3.

[Tiesto]

Because HD access time is much faster than optical media.

So you mean that the games should be installed in the hd before playing? I dont want a pc, no music, no video, no demos storage... I want just one nex-gen game console to power on, put a disc in, grab the control and play MGS 4. Please Sony dont you screw it up

[Richard_p]

You have a point there, perhaps with all this multifunction malarky it is beginnning to lose focus as it's main function is to be a games console.

It is dabateable however as to wehter it is a good or bad thing, the more features the merrier i think, but i certainly do not want to be forced to install every single game befopre playing it. Also if Blu-ray can hold 50gb per disc how large would a game install be? Obviously larger means more time consuming and a damned high capacity HD would need to be supplied (pushing up that price even further no doubt).

[JSP62]

You have a point there, perhaps with all this multifunction malarky it is beginnning to lose focus as it's main function is to be a games console.

It is dabateable however as to wehter it is a good or bad thing, the more features the merrier i think, but i certainly do not want to be forced to install every single game befopre playing it. Also if Blu-ray can hold 50gb per disc how large would a game install be? Obviously larger means more time consuming and a damned high capacity HD would need to be supplied (pushing up that price even further no doubt).

There is no mention that supports the basis that games need to be installed on the HD unit. That's all on the Blu-Ray discs that are being developed. (if it were in any event the, time to download would hopefully be fast) The HD is for all other things: images ; videos ; CONNECT ; music (Atrac =( ); etc etc. Well it's my guess that this is how it would be =)

It's interesting to see that Sony is trying to make a multi platform system that serves different purposes. Sounds like good idea, but by the time it is ready it may be too late. M$ has a good grasp of the market with no real competition during the '05 holiday season. As a result they already have consusmers familiar with a 'good system' like no other (at the time). As the article on SLASHDOT.com mentioned, when PS3 comes out, who is to say that M$ won't lower the price of the 360 or maybe a promotional sale to entice ? ? ?

oh boy!!!

....ll be the possibility to plug any sony walkman to transfer music from PS3 and also rip CDs et....

Yea that a real good idea. And it really sounds highly possible. USB / Firewire ports will definately be there. THEY GOT TO BE!! They be fools if they didn't.

[JSP62]

BUMP

anyone got any new gossip?

[pata2001]

So you mean that the games should be installed in the hd before playing? I dont want a pc, no music, no video, no demos storage... I want just one nex-gen game console to power on, put a disc in, grab the control and play MGS 4. Please Sony dont you screw it up

Did you actually read the rest of my post? I never said anything about installing games. Hard-drives are useful to store cached data, as this would greatly reduce loading time that plaque today's consoles. With today and future games requiring more memory for textures, level size, music, sound effects with surround, etc, it will take longer to read those every time from the disc. Caching those data to the hard-drive will improve loading time. Also, you can save money by not having to buy memory cards if Sony allow you to save games yo the hard-drive.

Or are you content watching the loading screen as the unit tries to load gigabytes of data from the disc everytime you change level or go to a different screen? Yeah, you put a disc in, grab the control and wait 10 minutes in loading time before playing play MGS 4.

[maxthrusters]

I love Sony toys, but I doubt I will be getting a Ps3. It seems I am not a console gamer, as I bought the original X-Box when it came out and over the past few years I've used it maybe for 10 hours total.

Of course I still read the news about it as it comes out.

[JSP62]

I love Sony toys, but I doubt I will be getting a Ps3. It seems I am not a console gamer, as I bought the original X-Box when it came out and over the past few years I've used it maybe for 10 hours total.

Of course I still read the news about it as it comes out.

Yea, I agree lately I find myself in that boat....but a PS3 and Metal Gear 4 and Gran Turismo and most importantly FINAL FANTASY!!! . I just hope FF is not gonna be online.

PS - You into modding XBOX at all? I am in the process of installing a 120gb HD and getting a chip. This thing is gonna be my Media box + mini PC. I plan on loading all my emulators to it - NES, SNES, GEN, PS1, PS2(?), MAME and linux.

Edited March 21, 2006 by JSP62

[Tiesto]

Did you actually read the rest of my post? I never said anything about installing games. Hard-drives are useful to store cached data, as this would greatly reduce loading time that plaque today's consoles. With today and future games requiring more memory for textures, level size, music, sound effects with surround, etc, it will take longer to read those every time from the disc. Caching those data to the hard-drive will improve loading time. Also, you can save money by not having to buy memory cards if Sony allow you to save games yo the hard-drive.

Or are you content watching the loading screen as the unit tries to load gigabytes of data from the disc everytime you change level or go to a different screen? Yeah, you put a disc in, grab the control and wait 10 minutes in loading time before playing play MGS 4.

Well, I have no problems with loading times of my favorites games (MGS2&3, FF10, GT4, W11 and RE4) on the PS2, the same should apply for the PS3 regardless disks size, for that reason I dont see why Sony would force me to buy a hd so the loading time of the games improves just a few seconds (hopefully the PS3 hardware was designed to read and process data from a bluray disk at good speed) . I think that the hd would be meant for the people who want online services (games, video, music, etc.) therefore the hd should be optional hardware.

Btw, anything read from the hd had to be installed on the hd.

[JSP62]

I think that the hd would be meant for the people who want online services (games, video, music, etc.) therefore the hd should be optional hardware.

I agree, I think that is why the HD will be provided(required). I think it will be optional, but I think the article I posted or someone else's link said that Sony is telling developers to program as though HDs will be present.

[maxthrusters]

The only modding to my XBOX was getting the replacement power cord from MS lol

[JSP62]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/22/technolo...=rssnyt&emc=rss

Alittle interesting tidbit on Windows. Towards the end they mention competition with Sony. It would be interesting to see if M$ is going portable . . .

M$ has a key position for the gaming console market right now. There is no competition what so ever. This delay of PS3 is just terrible. I am even doubting myself if I should wait or just go with a 360

PS - What a shame for Vista (previously known as Longhorn). . . I saw screenshots and its looked pretty nice.

Edited March 22, 2006 by JSP62

[Guest Stuge]

this is not a new news for me i got that news from my brother (Who is Working in Microsoft in US) that Release of Vista will be delayed .I have told him to send me the free Vista beta cd that he got

[JSP62]

this is not a new news for me i got that news from my brother (Who is Working in Microsoft in US) that Release of Vista will be delayed .I have told him to send me the free Vista beta cd that he got

I'm so jealous. My coworker's friend has it too somehow.

[Tiesto]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/22/technolo...=rssnyt&emc=rss

Alittle interesting tidbit on Windows. Towards the end they mention competition with Sony. It would be interesting to see if M$ is going portable . . .

This might be the beginnig of something:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/24/microso...rigami-project/

[JSP62]

This might be the beginnig of something:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/24/microso...rigami-project/

Ohh nice!!! I am very intrigued

[Ishiyoshi]

Since last year, we heard of the PS3 being region-free for its games. Well, now the official word from the mothership: PS3 consoles will launch region-free for games.

[JSP62]

Since last year, we heard of the PS3 being region-free for its games. Well, now the official word from the mothership: PS3 consoles will launch region-free for games.

Yes, I saw it on a site at work, but I was blocked. Do you have that link? Was is slashdot / wired?

[Ishiyoshi]

Yes, I saw it on a site at work, but I was blocked. Do you have that link? Was is slashdot / wired?

--> Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

--> GAME Watch

[JSP62]

Good Morning All!

Read an interesting peice that touches base with the pricing of the PS3.

It is eludes to the price that the PS3 may be $400, that same as the xbox 360 when introduced. Some good news, hopefully this will be true.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=15937

PS - Got more coffee?

[JSP62]

**BUMP**

ANYONE HEAR ANY NEW NEWS?

[JSP62]

Oh boy, did any of you check out the details at the E3 game show?

Poor Sony, the price is gonna be so high and they are gonna lose more customer base.

All thanks to Blu-ray technology. What used to be a gaming console for kid is nothing more than another adults do-da gadget.

PS - I saw the preview of Halo 3 for 360......ooooohhhhhhh, excuse me I need to change my pants

Edited May 11, 2006 by JSP62

[JSP62]

UPDATE

Wow you all have to read this one. I cannot believe Sony screwed up this one.

Whoever is reponsible better just do the honorable thing. Someone get him/her a dagger. LOL

http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=0...933239&from=rss

[JSP62]

BIG NEWS ALERT GUYS....ahem cough cough not that its a suprise.

Yet again we have another delay and this time it effects the poor folks in the PAL region, Europe.

Units have been pushed to 2007 and will miss the Christmas season. All you boys and girls who are saving will just have to buy the 360 and Wii for thep rice of the PS3.

Wired.com came out with a great article about the Sony's current position and outlook to the future.

It doesn't look very good and seems the company's final chance is the success of the PS3, which we all know if not very good.

So what will Sony do?

PS - more importantly what would YOU do?

[SimKill]

What the hell man?

2007 is too late for anything...

[Ishiyoshi]

read about it --> Sony Cuts Price of PlayStation 3 by 20%.

[pata2001]

Price cut for now only confirmed for Japan. Hopefully it will spread out to other countries as well. At least now the cheap PS3 will get HDMI too, 1 of the main criticism against it.

I don't care. I still have plenty of RPGs that I need to play on the PS2. Games are still coming out for the PS2 (DDR supernova comes to mind, also FF12). Damn, I'm not even done with FF10 and Xenosaga episode 1. By the time I'm done with all the RPGs for PS2, PS3 will probably be $200.

[JSP62]

Interesting article Ishi . . . My lost interest in PS3 has a little heartbeat left.

We'll see how things go witih vendor supported games made available.

[Ishiyoshi]

Examples of preliminary PS3 games shown during Tokyo Game Show 2006 --> click here; Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots.

[JSP62]

Thanks for the links. Though the games are obviously released in Japan, there is no confirmation on USA porting. If you can provide any info on USA releases, I would much appreciate it.

Do you have any links for sneak movies demonstrating the CPU/video processor?

PS - Tis a shame the controller is the exact as the PS2 MINUS the rumble option

[Ishiyoshi]

Thanks for the links. Though the games are obviously released in Japan, there is no confirmation on USA porting. If you can provide any info on USA releases, I would much appreciate it.

Titles mentioned in the aforementioned posts are the core PS3 games. So, I am pretty sure they will be available in all known PS3 markets. As for PS3 games development, I have read that there are now approximately 100 titles in development. To me that's alot of titles to start with. (Note: QJ.NET has an article about this) Here's another website that has listings of confirmed working titles. In addition, I believe there was like 27 or 29 game titles shown at the Tokyo Game Show 2006. A confirmed US PS3 game listing should be available within the next few weeks.

Do you have any links for sneak movies demonstrating the CPU/video processor?

--> A Japanese Brief Report on PS3 Cell CPU,

"This is one of the technical demos for Sony's conference at E3 2005. It shows spectacular physics and graphics, all done entirely, in real-time, by the Cell processor."

--> click here

--> PS3 OS Playstation 3 Playstation OS User Interface

PS - Tis a shame the controller is the exact as the PS2 MINUS the rumble option

Indeed, a different design would be nice. Nonetheless, here's a description (from GameSpot's PlayStation 3: Inside and Out) about the controller:

Wireless Bluetooth Controllers

The PlayStation 3 controller Sony introduced at E3 last year resembled what can very easily be described as a "batarang," in reference to Batman's bat-shaped throwing weapon. At E3 2006, Sony revealed the new controller, which heavily resembles the traditional DualShock design. The L2 and R2 shoulder buttons located on the top of the controller have also been enlarged, with increased depth in stroke for more subtle game control. Sony has also enlarged the tilting angle of the analog joysticks to enable more delicate manipulation and a wider range of motion. Whereas the analog sticks on the DualShock controller for the PlayStation 2 had 8-bit sensitivity, the new controller will have 10-bit motion detection.

Sony revealed the PlayStation 3's new controller design at E3 '06.

The new controller has two analog sticks, the usual four-button complement on the right side, and four top-side trigger buttons. However, in Nintendo Wii fashion, the new PlayStation 3 controller will also have motion-sensing capabilities. Sony's Phil Harrison stated that the controller is capable of sensing motion in six degrees: up, down, left, right, forward, and backward. Even with the added functionality, the controller will weigh no more than the wired DualShock controller, according to Harrison. Dylan Jobe of Incognito Studios proceeded to demonstrate the controller's motion sensitivity in Warhawk, a jet-based fighter game. He tilted the controller to control the orientation of his aircraft. Tilting the controller upward caused the aircraft to point its nose in the air and shifting the sides of the controller up and down caused the aircraft to tilt in a similar manner. Additionally, the controller will no longer feature force-feedback vibration. Sony claims that the feedback vibration would interfere with games that use the motion sensor.

Like the Xbox 360 controller, the new PlayStation 3 controller will be wireless, but it will function via Bluetooth 2.0 EDR instead of 2.4GHz RF. Devices operating with Bluetooth generally have a range of 30 feet. Sony reports that the controller will have a 24-hour battery life, a figure that seems to be in line with other Bluetooth devices but far short of the 300-hour 2.4GHz models available for current consoles. Despite the decreased battery life, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR offers numerous features. Bluetooth 2.0 EDR can transmit data at rates of up to 3.0Mbps. Furthermore, by using Bluetooth, the PlayStation 3 may be capable of supporting other Bluetooth devices on the market, such as headsets, mice, and keyboards.

Also, you will be able to recharge the controller by connecting it to the PlayStation 3 with a USB cable. The controller will be functional while tethered to the system and will also be hot pluggable, which means you can plug and unplug controllers while the system is on.