Slashdot Mirror
New PlayStation 2 Chip
Iron Chef Japan writes "Sony has announced that they have fit the PlayStation 2 Emotion Engine, and the Graphics Synthesizer on to a single chip using a 0.13-micron process. This will allow Sony to make three times more PlayStation 2's annually, so it's all for the better."
No. Since the console is a known hardware target, Sony can not alter its specifications on the fly. That would cause serioues problems to developers with writing uniform software. This is not to say it wouldn't be possible to increase performance, however. Developers rely on each console operating the same way. Very serious developers even rely on various operations to execute in a specific amount of time. If one spin of the board did certain operations faster, it would be a nightmare on developers. They have a hard enough time as it is.
The new model will have exactly the same specs as the old one. This is not a PC based architecture, speeding it up could very well effect the playability (to do with timing) of existing games. One of the disadvantages of a highly low-level environment
:-(
This is purely to:
a: reduce the number of chips that they have to have custom made, thereby allowing them to more efficiently use their existing production facilities and make more PS2's per year.
b: reduce the cost of the PS2 to produce so that they can sell it at a lower price, to make people want to buy it when given the choice of the pretty(graphics, can you say easy, low cost anti-aliasing) X-Box at a similiar price point.
There is a possibility they may update the case somewhat to distingish the new model (eg: playstation vs PS1)
Samn that made me look pro X-Box. I have a PS2, but the blocky graphics gets on my nerves. Pity anti-aliasing has to be done on the CPU and is therfore rarely done
How lame is this? Our wonderful "story" is merely a reference to a post on gamefu which, itself, points to no credible source.
Slashdot: "Sony says... cause Gamefu says that Nikkei Microdevice says that Sony says..."
Good, God. I don't really doubt it's happened, but where's the interview? Where's the real scoop? I'd rather know a bit more than this. I'd like to know what else might get integrated; I don't consider squeezing 2 chips into 1 is going redefine the marketplace, or even Sony's bottomline.
Mod as you will, and let's hope someone on Slashdot can post a link with more info...
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Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
It's because of this (very wrong) mindset that piracy is so rampant.
You aren't paying that much for a "silly plastic disc and some paper", you are paying for the man hours and labor of some dozens of people, all working together for year long stints or more to create graphics, models, artwork, scripting, a storyline and then put it all together into a coherent package so that you can sit down, play and enjoy the game for some 10-50 hrs (depending on the game genere.)
If you really think this, then you simply have NO freaking clue what is involved in the production of a modern video game, which today, rivals the scale and budgets of major motion pictures, of which "only" provide you with 2 or so hrs of non-interactive entertainment.
True. Like I said earlier, they had to build a new plant and design new processes/manufacturing techniques just to produce their chip. They (sony and hitachi) were trailblazers at the time. The complexity cost them quality with early development because even though they had the tech, they didn't have many good or easy to use tools to take advantage of it. The ps1 was no different in this respect.
In contrast the Xbox developers have it easy. Mature development tools, a well-known platform, etc. Despite this the Xbox just doesn't have any must-buy games and the controller sucks. There's just no compelling, console-specific software on Xbox yet.
As opposed to Sony, which is, arguably, a monopoly in the game world these days (having crushed the Saturn, N64 AND Dreamcast) AND has a much wider base of markets and products from which to transfer funds?
Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.