Slashdot Mirror


PS3 Problems Parried

Via Joystiq, an article on Gaming Horizon defending the PS3 from its detractors. The article looks at a number of the biggest concerns about the system (price, HD, rumble, blu-ray), and attempts to explain why most of these problems are nothing to worry about. From the article: "As Sony is a company that manufactures HD-TVs, it's in their interest to add that compatibility to give consumers another reason to upgrade. There's various numbers about how long it'll take for HD to 'replace' standard-feed televisions (just as broadband has all but eliminated dial-up), but it's conceivable that HD televisions will become affordable during the PS3's lifecycle, and for those of us that have been blessed by the high-def gods, it's another reason to take advantage of the highest-quality visual equipment available."

1 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Counter-counter-point by Kesch · · Score: 4, Interesting
    A quick rundown

    *Note, I'm not a Nintendo Fanboy, but I do have a bias towards the Wii*
    • PS3 Haters: The PS3 costs too much
      Dude 1: Look at your game shelf, odds are you have 10-12 mediocre games there which total up to as much a PS3. Which would you rather have?

      Me: A bit of misdirection since it doesn't factor in the extra 10-12 mediocre titles I'm eventually gonna end up with for the PS3

      Dude 2: The 360 is only $400, but the PS3 is better with stuff like WiFi plus it's cheaper than any other BluRay player and then there's the cost of Xbox Live.

      Me: I'll partly concede. The PS3 is a cheap BluRay drive, but I'm not sure I want a BR drive. I also don't feel that the PS3 will provide a $200 better gaming experience.

      Dude 3: Consumer Electronics are getting more expensive, people are used to paying more for advanced technology such as the latest HiDef video camera.

      Me: Ya, but that doesn't excuse Sony from having to justify costing more than its two competitors.
    • The specs for the PS3 keep changing, no HDMI support for the $499 version.
      Me: This point and resulting counterpoints are lame, I'm skipping it.
    • Conversely, not many people have High Definition televisions yet. Isn't it a bit early to start pushing so hard for a technology most can't afford?
      Me: Another semi-lame point. It is true that High Def is not an important feature for many people without the sets for it. I also believe that gameplay is always better than graphics. But I do not think that it is bad to start pushing HD on consoles. I think that HD saturation will become more common as the console's lifetime progresses. It's not like Regular Def TVs are left out (Unless you want to read the text in Dead Rising).
    • No "shock" in my Dual Shock. Is cheesy tilt-sensing worth the loss of force-feedback?
      Them: Not really in their control due to patent issues, tilt sensing is a shameless Wii rip off but it could be half decent, and Force Feedback is gimmicky anyways.

      Me: I see them both as minor features, I don't think this is a huge issue. That said, the Wii gets movement sensing AND rumble.
    • Sony says they won't have enough consoles to ship for launch. Only 500,000, they say.
      Them: Console launches have never had 'enough' units. Plus, it's the units shipped by end of year that really matters. Also, supply shortages have been over dramatized before to create demand

      Me: Fair point. Although I fo think that Sony might face a problem if supply is too short and people go in to pick up a Christmas present and end up walking out with a shiny new Wii since the 5 PS3's the store recieved have already been sold.
    • Sony is putting way too many figurative eggs in their metaphorical Blu-Ray basket. End users don't really care about formats so long as they work.
      Them: People said this about the PS2 and DVDs

      Me: I'm not getting into a HD-DVD vs BluRay vs Good Old DVD debate.
    • Developers say that the PlayStation 3 is difficult to work with or that the Cell processor is a pain to program for.
      Dude 1: They said this about the PS2 Emotion Engine. Game developers should get used to the Cell and later PS3 games should look really good.

      Me: Well, duh, they're going to get better at it if they use it a lot, but I don't see that doesn't mean its a good architecture.

      Dude 2: Launch titles are gonna suck anyways, they'll get better at it, and programmers are whiny.

      No comment

      Dude 3: Off the record, I have heard of problems from developers. However, a hard architecture means great exclusives, buggy ports.

      Me: Great exclusives are always nice, but I don't see Madden 0X running with less bugs on the XBox as a PS3 bonus.

      Dude 4: On the flip side the XBox development kit could be to simple or "ametuer" plus the guys working on Full Auto 2 really like
    --
    If this signature is witty enough, maybe somebody will like me.