Oh I know iTunes will rip in different formats. What I guess I didn't make clear is that the PSP plays AAC with 2.0+ firmware and that it's the only other portable device besides the iPod that does so.
Sorry, if the pricing on PSP games stays like this, I can't see the PSP gaining much of a lead, if any, over the coming years. Handheld games are generally shorter than their console counterparts/cousins. They generally as not as fully featured as their console cousins. But I'd be God damned if I was going to spend as much on a hand held game as I am spending for a full console game if I owned a handheld system.
Ahh the "this is what we've always paid for handheld games, they aint worth as much as console games" argument. But with the PSP is different, in the old days handheld games had to be cut down, reduced graphics, fewer levels, whatever. That's not the case with the PSP, similar features, similar games, so Sony is expecting people to understand that and pay similar prices and people, like you (and like me too) who are used to the way things used to be to balk at paying $40 for a handheld game.
That may be parlly why the DS/GBA are still doing well, people simply have lowered expections of handhelds and haven't become accustomed to any different.
Now excuse me, Mr. Game Boy Color and I have a date in the bathroom with Pokemon Red.
It's Pokemon Yellow and Zelda Links Awakening for me, but I don't currently play them on a Game Boy (though I did), but on my PSP with Rin. Even old GB/GBC games look awesome on that screen. Much better on my eyes.
The main reason I never purchased a GBA is the screen size, it's actually smaller than a GBC's and by the time they finally added a backlight (should have been there from day one) they messed with the buttons and D-pad with the SP. I wanted a good joypad/buttons like on the GBC. And the GBA needs Y and X buttons like on the SNES pad. You can't do proper SNES ports without them. It's a sad thing when the PSP feels more like a portable SNES than the GBA does.
The average console game does not port well to the handheld experience. The average console session time is at least an hour, while a handheld gamer may need to stop play at any moment.
Good point. That may be coloring people's expectations, but the PSP does have it's "sleep mode' which one can use at any time. No need to save the game, just flick the switch.
Though I must admit, I sometimes forget about it and take the time to save my game and turn it off. Maybe SCEA needs to hype up "sleep mode" in ads or something.
All I see in the future are a handful of PS2 ports for the PSP
It wasn't that long ago that people would have killed to be able to play games of similar graphical quality to the ones they played on their current console of choice. To not have to have 3D games turned into 2D games, or 2D games with only 4 shades of gray instead of 16 colors or sprites 1/4th the size.
The #1 thing that's killing the PSP, though, is the lack of decent games. Seriously, every game for it feels like a PS2 game crammed into the handheld. there's nothing original about it. they're all sequals. Lumines is the only shining star, but it did dull-out after 8 months.
Here's what I don't get.
People have been complaining for years about how they wish portable gaming systems had better than SNES quality graphics and could play games like the current consoles play and when Sony gives gamers one, they still complain.
It's near PS2 graphical quality games! On a handheld! You'd think people would be more appreciative of that fact. There's no need to turn a 3D game into a 2D game like that 2D Tomb Raider for the GBC or that isometric Spyro game. You can do a Diablo clone that looks better than Diablo. You can do a real honest to goodness 3D racing game without any SNES Mode 7 type tricks
I bought my PSP from that first run, and I've been very pleased with it. No dead pixels, and no issues with button response.
Same here.
It's really not even in the same category as the DS though. The PSP, while an exceptional game machine, is so versatile. It's great for watching movies. It's a decent portable web browser (so long as you don't have to do any text entry).
Right. A lot of people say the price is high, but it really isn't taking all the things it does into account.
My only complaints would be the relatively low number of available game titles (which seems to be improving of late), and the lack of internal storage.
Yes, there's finally games I'm interested in. And I'm really hoping any PSP2 has a microdrive in it. It needs it. It also needs a second analog nub and two more shoulder buttons.
They've got a Java app for interfacing but there's non-Java ones as well like Eboard or Xboard. Eboard and Xboard will also act as graphical frontends for GnuChess/Crafty (and you can use them with ICC too)
The local stores didn't have the WET* devices, only the gaming adapters stocked with their gaming consoles.
I don't know why the heck they don't carry the WET's and the equivalent from other companies. Damn useful I had to order mine online The local stores don't even carry the gaming adapters.
The people in the store had no clue that you could use one for a PC.
They say "works on anything, no drivers required" right on the box, don't they, my WET11 did.
That's what I was thinking. Instead of mucking around with kernel drivers and beta this and that just use a bridge if yoiu're near a power supply that is, not so handy on a laptop.
I've got one that's been running 24/7 for over 3 years with no problems. Set it and forget it.
But on the flip side if there was a fundemantal flaw in the code somewhere that made the game crash if you did this, this and this all together then they could release a patch on the pc but they would have to recall and send out all new discs to the console game owners. This is the main reason I prefer PC gaming to console gaming, atleast when it comes to fps, mmos, and rts.
But on the consoles, they don't ship now and patch later, they can't. So they do serious Quality Control. it has to ship as bug free as possible. So they won't need to patch.
Online games are different, for example in the two PS2 MMORPG's they're patched/updated via internet.
And Untold Legends too. I really enjoy that game, but I'm one of those crazy people with a screen equipped PSone with battery packs that kept the PSone port of Diablo in it.
I'm sorry but a dual analog gamepad is a far superior general purpose gaming control device than the mouse is because it can work in ALL genre's. The mouse is a good supplement to a gamepad, not a replacement. If the mouse is so perfect for all games there wouldn't be gamepads for PC's would there? The gamepad isn't perfect either, but it gets the job done.
WASD is clumsy, on or off, no movement or movement. no gradation.:-) Clumsy, kludgy, archaic and not suited at all for action games.
I'll grant you the mouse though, for specific things.
I'd sooner gnaw off my arm than play a PC game with the awful "we use every frickin button with multiple CTRL-ALT-SHIFT functions UI" (it's worse than emacs!) game I so much wanted to love NWN, but the UI, I finally figured out that the game modified with a BGCA type would have been much better and played faster.
Diablo UI is bad, it plays faster with a Joypad, more fun. I've played both the PC version and the PSone port and the PSone version plays better. Which is why there's hordes of Diablo clones on the PS2. Consoles are very well suited for action RPG's, its their true home.
As for Half Life, you can play it with the Dual Shock, or with the mouse and keyboard or with the Dual Shock And the mouse. whatever you want.
But with a console game its designed for the hardware you actually have, not the hardware the developer wants you to have, so you don't have to worry about frame rate toileting.
The console is good for gaming, but at least I can still check email, process photos, and draw something pretty on mine.
Ever run Thunderbird on a PS2? I have. GIMP too.
If the PS3 comes with LInux on the HD, the majority of home users wont need a Wintel box anymore.
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Oh I know iTunes will rip in different formats. What I guess I didn't make clear is that the PSP plays AAC with 2.0+ firmware and that it's the only other portable device besides the iPod that does so.
Ahh the "this is what we've always paid for handheld games, they aint worth as much as console games" argument. But with the PSP is different, in the old days handheld games had to be cut down, reduced graphics, fewer levels, whatever. That's not the case with the PSP, similar features, similar games, so Sony is expecting people to understand that and pay similar prices and people, like you (and like me too) who are used to the way things used to be to balk at paying $40 for a handheld game.
That may be parlly why the DS/GBA are still doing well, people simply have lowered expections of handhelds and haven't become accustomed to any different.
It's Pokemon Yellow and Zelda Links Awakening for me, but I don't currently play them on a Game Boy (though I did), but on my PSP with Rin. Even old GB/GBC games look awesome on that screen. Much better on my eyes.
The main reason I never purchased a GBA is the screen size, it's actually smaller than a GBC's and by the time they finally added a backlight (should have been there from day one) they messed with the buttons and D-pad with the SP. I wanted a good joypad/buttons like on the GBC. And the GBA needs Y and X buttons like on the SNES pad. You can't do proper SNES ports without them. It's a sad thing when the PSP feels more like a portable SNES than the GBA does.
Thats what I think about the PSP:
Untold Legends....it's like BGDA or the Champions of Norrath games on the PS2, only portable.
It wasn't that long ago that people would have killed to be able to play games of similar graphical quality to the ones they played on their current console of choice. To not have to have 3D games turned into 2D games, or 2D games with only 4 shades of gray instead of 16 colors or sprites 1/4th the size.
Of course now they finally come out with new RPG's for the PSP, just to spite you. Took them long enough.
Here's what I don't get.
People have been complaining for years about how they wish portable gaming systems had better than SNES quality graphics and could play games like the current consoles play and when Sony gives gamers one, they still complain.
It's near PS2 graphical quality games! On a handheld! You'd think people would be more appreciative of that fact. There's no need to turn a 3D game into a 2D game like that 2D Tomb Raider for the GBC or that isometric Spyro game. You can do a Diablo clone that looks better than Diablo. You can do a real honest to goodness 3D racing game without any SNES Mode 7 type tricks
I don't know why the PSP has such a reputation for fragility. It only looks fragile, it truly isn't.
Name the only other portable device besides the iPod that can play your iTunes ripped CD's.....
The PSP, too bad there's no FairPlay support.
Same here.
Right. A lot of people say the price is high, but it really isn't taking all the things it does into account.
Yes, there's finally games I'm interested in. And I'm really hoping any PSP2 has a microdrive in it. It needs it. It also needs a second analog nub and two more shoulder buttons.
Chessmaster has been mentioned, as far as I know all versions now have online play.
The ICC has also been mentioned, membership is half price for students
You might also want to look into:
FICS Free Internet Chess Server
http://www.freechess.org/
They've got a Java app for interfacing but there's non-Java ones as well like Eboard or Xboard. Eboard and Xboard will also act as graphical frontends for GnuChess/Crafty (and you can use them with ICC too)
I don't know why the heck they don't carry the WET's and the equivalent from other companies. Damn useful I had to order mine online The local stores don't even carry the gaming adapters.
They say "works on anything, no drivers required" right on the box, don't they, my WET11 did.
That's what I was thinking. Instead of mucking around with kernel drivers and beta this and that just use a bridge if yoiu're near a power supply that is, not so handy on a laptop.
I've got one that's been running 24/7 for over 3 years with no problems. Set it and forget it.
But on the flip side if there was a fundemantal flaw in the code somewhere that made the game crash if you did this, this and this all together then they could release a patch on the pc but they would have to recall and send out all new discs to the console game owners. This is the main reason I prefer PC gaming to console gaming, atleast when it comes to fps, mmos, and rts.
But on the consoles, they don't ship now and patch later, they can't. So they do serious Quality Control. it has to ship as bug free as possible. So they won't need to patch.
Online games are different, for example in the two PS2 MMORPG's they're patched/updated via internet.
Video iPod AND PSP? I know the PSP doesn't have the iPods hard drive but it is a superior device for video. Just slap a big card in it.
Too bad there isn't a way to tranfer files directly from the iPod's drive to the PSP's stick
A little bird told me that with NES/SNES emulator's one can play the ports of Might & Magic I - III on the PSP.
And Untold Legends too. I really enjoy that game, but I'm one of those crazy people with a screen equipped PSone with battery packs that kept the PSone port of Diablo in it.
Yeah, the controls are a problem with the PSP port, all the commands aren't implemented so it's not really 100% playable yet.
Everything? Are you sure?
Platformers like Ratchet & Clank??
Fighting games?
Gradius/R-Type style shmups?
Dark Cloud?
Primal or Beyond Good & Evil?
I'm sorry but a dual analog gamepad is a far superior general purpose gaming control device than the mouse is because it can work in ALL genre's. The mouse is a good supplement to a gamepad, not a replacement. If the mouse is so perfect for all games there wouldn't be gamepads for PC's would there? The gamepad isn't perfect either, but it gets the job done.
Are you sure? I've heard 1080i Gran Turismo 4 is flawless. Though I must admit, I don't have an HDTV to test out my HD enabled games.
WASD is clumsy, on or off, no movement or movement. no gradation. :-) Clumsy, kludgy, archaic and not suited at all for action games.
I'll grant you the mouse though, for specific things.
I'd sooner gnaw off my arm than play a PC game with the awful "we use every frickin button with multiple CTRL-ALT-SHIFT functions UI" (it's worse than emacs!) game I so much wanted to love NWN, but the UI, I finally figured out that the game modified with a BGCA type would have been much better and played faster.
Diablo UI is bad, it plays faster with a Joypad, more fun. I've played both the PC version and the PSone port and the PSone version plays better. Which is why there's hordes of Diablo clones on the PS2. Consoles are very well suited for action RPG's, its their true home.
As for Half Life, you can play it with the Dual Shock, or with the mouse and keyboard or with the Dual Shock And the mouse. whatever you want.
And by the way, define depth
Ever run Thunderbird on a PS2? I have. GIMP too.
If the PS3 comes with LInux on the HD, the majority of home users wont need a Wintel box anymore.
You're supposed to play FFXI, EQOA or SOCOM instead. I suspect WoW will hit the PS3.