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Gran Turismo's PSP Conversion Gets Details, Video
jasoncart writes "Sony has confirmed more details on PlayStation & PlayStation 2 killer-app Gran Turismo's upcoming port to the PSP handheld, further underlining the simplicity of PS2 to PSP conversions - series producer Kazunori Yamauchi says: 'Since we're already developing the [Gran Turismo 4]'s system on the PS2 hardware, we're planning to port that directly to the PSP.' IGN PSP has more details from the same interview, and there are also some Japanese shaky-cam videos featuring game footage playing on the PSP, one of the first times the handheld has been seen running in standalone form."
Was it just me or did that guy in the video put that UMD disc into the PSP while it was "playing" another game? Would that mean all we're seeing here is a nice tft screen displaying a video feed (which is what I was suspecting all along)?
Was anyone else surprised at how good the image quality was on the PSP? I mean, i've heard about how powerful it was and that it's essentially the same as the PS2, etc. but i really hadn't believed it. At first i thought the GBA SP would still reign over the PSP for me, but after seeing this, i'm not so sure. The idea of playing a real console game while i'm walking around is pretty cool.
I have very little interest in the DS - Ohh, a touchscreen - I can use Pda Functions, just like... on... my... PDA... And the Games just dont look as appealing.
And come on - It has A game Called "PSP Racer" - What more could you want?
Physics is nothing like religion. If it was, we'd have an easier time trying to raise money!
" Say whatever you will, it's a new generation of portable hardware, with performance that lines up with the PS2. Therefore, software development takes quite a bit of work. If you don't give it your all when making games, producing something good is difficult."
He's gotta point. The IGN article didn't mention it, but I've heard it before: The ~$30 price tag of these portable games will no doubt have an effect on development as well. That's significantly less money to be made. It is unlikely we'll see the same amount of effort put into making these games.
The Nintendo zealot in me wants to point out that this could really hurt the PSP. The more practical side of me says that mabye this could lend to more innovative games. I mean, what is innovation if it isn't the overcoming of hurdles such as smaller development staff or simpler interface?
As much as I want Nintendo to win at everything it does, I'm very glad to see this competition taking place in the handheld market.
"Derp de derp."
P.S. Good luck with the endurance races. The real challenge will be finishing off the race before the system finishes off the battery. Oi vey.
Where is the profit?
Yeah, 'cause it's not possible to like them both or anything.
Of course, compare the sales of the GBA to the X-Box and it tells a very different story. To date, NPD Group estimates that there are just short of 10 million XBoxes out there in people's homes. There are, however, over 22 million GBAs sold.
Happiness is relative, Based upon the way we live.
Article says: "Gran Turismo 4 is apparently around 75% complete and still on course for a release by years end".
But it's been pushed back so many times with so many movies, demos, and even them preview releases (Preview and the Toyota preview), I wonder if they won't mind holding it back for simultaneous release with the PSP version..
They might as well name it "Gran Turismo Forever"
wget http://www.ferrago.com/video/videos/4210_1.wmv ;p
Or whatever it is called BUT on the whole it is better to sell a million products at 30 bucks then a hundred thousand at 50 bucks. GBA games are expensive. 30 bucks is far more reasonable. And since the cost of games is the same regardless of the number of sales (it is not like the cost is in duplication) it is better to get a bigger slice.
Having seen the PSP now (not sure if this stuff was pre-rendered or not) I think Nintendo has got a problem. Sure I like my GBA but the graphics are not that good. All Sony has to do is put up demo stands and the PSP will sell itself.
Those winging about the price difference. One word. iPod. Everyone else has cheaper MP3 players. Still iPods sell like hotcakes.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
IF the PSP can really deliver this kinda quality then WOW. Fuck battery life, fuck price. I can carry extra batteries. I can always sell my body to science. BUT I GOTTA HAVE IT.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
The Gran Turismo footage shows nothing more than PS2 footage being played back as a video on the PSP. Note there's never any interaction.
There is one bit with the weird game featuring a kitty when he presses a button and the cat appears to start speaking, but I'm still not convinced that it wasn't just him pressing a button at the appropriate time to make it look like interaction.
I'm sure it's great and all, but it would be nice to actually see someone playing a game on it sometime...
Yeah, it looks nice, fine. Buy the PSP as a movie player then, because a game like that is going to play like crap. No matter how nice the screen is, you still have to deal with the controls. There's a reason modern consoles all have analog sticks. This doesn't. You can't take a slight turn, you have the options of turning hard and going straight, and nothing in between.
I said this after E3 when GT was used as a example of how great the games would be. The fact is, it's not going to convert well, and all they have to show from it is pretty pictures. Big deal.
To be honest, I wouldn't call that shaky-cam. Aside from 5 seconds or so, it's stable. I've seen much worse lately.
"Sometimes a woman is a kind of religion, she can save your soul & set you free from all your sins" - Bad Examples
"There are, however, over 22 million GBAs sold."
Per year.
The GBA systems have outsold even the PS2... In every country, and total worldwide sales. Even the games outsell those of any other console.
It's no wonder that Sony wants a peice of the action. I think that they're going about it the wrong way though. What they need is an affordable portable. They never seriously started selling Playstations until they hit the $149-$199 price point (around the release of FF7). I don't suspect that they will get the same kind of attention with a $400-$500 portable.
I tend to agree with you on the price point. As much as the N-Gage is terrible, it was even more terrible at $300 instead of $200. No matter how good the system is, nobody will buy it if they can't afford it. Of course, this is by no means an excuse to make a Tiger game.com. ::shudder::
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I'd rather be flamed than ignored.
The GBA and GBA SP are nice toys but graphics wise they aged extremely badly. There are racing games for the GBA and they are fun for while but they are definitly hurt by the lack of cpu power.
Screen size and quality is another downer. The GBA SP is a joke, its screen doesn't compare to my old afterburner GBA, has to oft mentioned lack of a headphone jack, and is impossible to hold for an adult.
Sure I still love my commuting sessions of GBA but I am definitly in the market for upgrading. Price? Plenty gamers I know have every console often multiple versions of the same console.
Currently the GBA SP retails for 139 euro. It is 40 euro above the Gamecube. No I think we expect our handhelds to be expensive.
This is a different market, people now have an expensive phone, an expensive Mp3 player. The PSP will simply be another few hundred for a portable game center. When these two are next to each other in the shops nintendo will have a very tough time.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
My old MD player game with an removable internal recharable batter and a external battery pack. Sleek for the short journeys, long play for the long one. Simple.
If sony has any brains they will have some way to expand the battery life easily. If they do that and it can be played for a longer journey then they got it. The screen is to much of a leap ahead. It is not going to be soso-looking vs great. It is going to be ancient-has-been-geez-I-can't-believe-they-charge- 50-bucks-for-this vs wow-is-that-a-movie-or-game-what-it-costs-only-30- bucks-omfg-that-is-amazing.
I enjoyed my GBA games but it is time to move on. I hope the PSP will deliver.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
Gran Tourismo is a simulation game. It's physics are more or less realistic (please no physics geeks, I'm talking relative to RRT4). I found the game unplayable on a digital pad, and nearly so on analog (try stearing your car some time by throwing the wheel all the way to the left and right to turn, you'll see what I mean). Unless they're gonna make it into an arcade racer, this game'll be an exorcise in frustration
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