Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

PSP Controller Layout, New Details Revealed

Posted by simoniker on from the but-i-wanted-it-like-the-intellivision dept.

Thanks to IGN Pocket for their article discussing new PlayStation Portable (PSP) details revealed at Sony's Gamers' Day in San Francisco. The article discusses the PSP's controller configuration, which is "...now confirmed to consist of the four face buttons we all know and love (triangle, circle, cross, and square), a digital directional pad, two shoulder buttons (left and right), start and select buttons, and one analog joystick." It also reveals that "Sony compared the 3D prowess of the PSP to be more akin to the PS2 rather than the PSone", and other details emerged - the system's battery life was "...said to be comparable to other high-end devices (roughly 3-6 hours)", and GameSpot's Gamers' Day round-up relays that "a prototype will be unveiled at E3 2004... [and] currently, 10 first-party titles are in development for the new platform."

8 of 70 comments (clear)

  1. Battery Life by BigDork1001 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    and other details emerged - the system's battery life was "...said to be comparable to other high-end devices (roughly 3-6 hours)"

    This doesn't seem like a lot to me. I did a quick Google search and saw that the official stats on the GBA SP give it 10 hours light on/17 hours light off. Now that's three times longer than the PSP. That's pretty significant. They'll have to definatly increase batterly life before I'd look at getting one of these.

    --
    "Armed forces abroad are of little value unless there is prudent counsel at home" - Cicero
    1. Re:Battery Life by Babbster · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm not endorsing 6-7 hours as being a great achievement, but keep in mind that the GBA SP isn't what most people (especially Sony) would consider a high-end device. I expect that they're probably comparing it to portable DVD players and multimedia jukebox-type gadgets.

    2. Re:Battery Life by BigDork1001 · · Score: 3, Insightful
      True but if I buy a PSP I'm buying it to play games. That's what I look for when I buy a portable gaming device. I don't care about the other fancy stuff as much. While nice it isn't necessary. That's why I like Nintendo's approach to things, they focus on the games and gaming aspects of their devices not fancy doo-dads that aren't the best price and raise the price. If I want a portable DVD player I'll buy a portable DVD player. In the end it'll be better than a hybrid thing that's trying to do several things at once.

      --
      "Armed forces abroad are of little value unless there is prudent counsel at home" - Cicero
    3. Re:Battery Life by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 4, Interesting
      Yah, you did read the article so I guess you missed it. Anyway I am not quit sure I believe it myself.

      The claim is that the 3D performance will be closer to the PS2 then the PS1. Zing. Compare this to the GBA who while a nice console is hardly what you would consider a power monster. Have you seen some of the 3D games on the gameboy? The GBA has pathetic power. Doesn't mean it makes for bad games. It doesn't. But it does mean that anyone going to compete with it better offer something different. Like say more powerfull games? You don't compete by doing exactly the same thing (please pay attention KDE developers) you compete by offering something you hope will be considered superior. Now ask youselve this, how many people who usa a gba really need 10 hours playtime between recharges?

      So they are putting it with HIGH end performance items like laptops. Sure you mobile phone easily has several times the battery life of youre P4 Radeom mobile laptop. On one you play snake on the other you play Quake3.

      You are basically complaining that the McClaren F1 is not as fuel efficient as say a Smart. Duh.

      I for one hope that sony goes for power and options. And simply does what they did with my mini-disc player. Make it top-notch with the simple option of affexing an external battery pack for those occasions you need more battery life. (it is a two AA cell plastic container that screws on to the side. and supplements the encased rechargeable battery)

      Go sony. Go for the high-end market. It is there. I know plenty of gameboy fans who got every color of the bloody thing. They wouldn't think twice about buying a device 2x 3x the price if it gave them performance. Oh and please. Proper lighting this time right? Oh and screw battery life. Just include larger batteries and give us battery packs that can be easily charged and exchanged.

      And while we are at it. Please realise the nature of gameplay on these devices. So no games where the only way to save is writing down a huge string of characters. Save anywhere. It is possible.

      Oh well no doubt the product will be ruined by focus groups who will never even buy it because they got the time to be in focus groups while those of us who can and would buy it are at work.

      End rant.

      --

      MMO Quests are like orgasms:

      You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

    4. Re:Battery Life by edwdig · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Your viewpoint is similar to Sega's when they released the GameGear.

      The GameGear had much lower battery life than the Gameboy. It also had much better graphics, and a color screen.

      People simply wanted good games, without needing to worry too much about batteries. Hence Gameboy won.

  2. Battery life is suspicious by oGMo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When Sony says "3-6 hours" for other "high-end devices" (like their laptops), in reality it's more like an hour or two. The problem is, this will hurt the PSP. It's one thing to carry a power brick with your laptop; it's entirely another to carry one for your pocket game device.

    The GBA SP, with light on, easily gets 10 hours. It seems like I rarely ever have to charge mine. If I had to charge every three hours, this would be much different.

    It won't stop me from buying one, since I do most of my gaming at home, and it'll probably have a boatload of great games---the main reason for investing in any console---but if they really want to succeed, they should take a good hard look at this.

    --

    Don't think of it as a flame---it's more like an argument that does 3d6 fire damage

  3. They can't because of Nintendo patents. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I seem to remember from way back that Nintendo had patented the design of it's D-pad.

    A quick search turned up this note of the history of the NES controller:

    Yokoi designed something simple that evolved into what is known as the D-pad. Nintendo then proceeded to patent the design of the D-pad.. As a result, a dispute rose up between Nintendo and Sega when Sega used the D-pad design in their Genesis console

    This explains why Sony and Microsoft are unable to copy Nintendo's D-pad design - they'd have the stuffing sued out of them. Instead:

    Sony hid the middle part of rocker underneath the case. Unfortunately their design makes your thumbs bleed after using it for an hour or two.

    Microsoft came up with the circle-with-raised-compass-points design. Unfortunately it's error--prone in that you often hit the diagonals when you don't mean to.

    FYI, my ideal controller would have:

    * Nintendo's D-pad
    * Sony's analog sticks
    * Sony's buttons
    * Sony's DualShock control layout on the front-face (the controls are placed about perfectly for me).
    * Microsoft's Controller-S case and extra-long cable (I find it the most comfortable to hold for long periods of time - just not the best to USE).

  4. Joystick by EyesWideOpen · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...and one analog joystick.

    I wonder how far this will protrude and if durability will be a problem. I would hesitate to put this in my pocket (or even in a bag without a case) for fear that the joystick would wear unnecessarily.

    --

    As with the sun's light
    My mom was magnificent
    Unquestionable