NEWS: Awaited Prices Unleashed
09.21.04 (7:32 am) [edit]
We have waited a very long time for this, It was worth the wait for most.
Today rumors broke out that the PSP would be priced at about £200(pounds) whilst Nintendo offically announced DS is only to go for £90 at most which happens to be less then the price that the SP was first debuted.
Now theres a fork in the road for all of you,
consumers who wish not to spend as much in a portable games device will go for the DS,
Most Kids as thats where the games seems to be aimed aswell.
On the other hand theres people who desire something more, similer to that of a PDA,
will turn to a highly functional handheld which plays Movies and such, The PSP.
The more adult aimed at handheld out of the two.
Nintendo seem to have done very well with pricing of their DS device but so has Sony.
Such an amazing amount of devices pushed togeather so ever nicely.
The PSP has become ever more appealing to us,
It does seem to be
"The ipod of handhelds"
But then again i could be wrong as there are other handhelds set to release soon..
Today rumors broke out that the PSP would be priced at about £200(pounds) whilst Nintendo offically announced DS is only to go for £90 at most which happens to be less then the price that the SP was first debuted.
Now theres a fork in the road for all of you,
consumers who wish not to spend as much in a portable games device will go for the DS,
Most Kids as thats where the games seems to be aimed aswell.
On the other hand theres people who desire something more, similer to that of a PDA,
will turn to a highly functional handheld which plays Movies and such, The PSP.
The more adult aimed at handheld out of the two.
Nintendo seem to have done very well with pricing of their DS device but so has Sony.
Such an amazing amount of devices pushed togeather so ever nicely.
The PSP has become ever more appealing to us,
It does seem to be
"The ipod of handhelds"
But then again i could be wrong as there are other handhelds set to release soon..
Sony Offically Cuts PSX Price
09.14.04 (11:36 am) [edit]
Sony have offically cut the price of their PSX home entertainment device.
The two models have dramatically gone down in price, The 160GB Hard-Disc model has gone down to $410 and the higher spec model 250GB HD has gone down to $545.
The sleek system has a built in TV tuner and uses Sonys now widly known format for Music, Atrac.
The large Hard-Drive allows the owner to record television programmes straight onto the HD and then burn onto DVD via built in DVD-RW.
It plays all the same games as PS2 and is graphiclly no diffrent though it is aimed at a diffrent market like the Panasonic Gamecube Q was which is the reason for the hefty price tag.
Sadly PSX is only currentally only being sold in Japan and US though can be imported.
The two models have dramatically gone down in price, The 160GB Hard-Disc model has gone down to $410 and the higher spec model 250GB HD has gone down to $545.
The sleek system has a built in TV tuner and uses Sonys now widly known format for Music, Atrac.
The large Hard-Drive allows the owner to record television programmes straight onto the HD and then burn onto DVD via built in DVD-RW.
It plays all the same games as PS2 and is graphiclly no diffrent though it is aimed at a diffrent market like the Panasonic Gamecube Q was which is the reason for the hefty price tag.
Sadly PSX is only currentally only being sold in Japan and US though can be imported.
Telematics Gives Birth
09.14.04 (11:16 am) [edit]
A date was given for the launch of the Gizmondo entertainment device created by Tiger Telematics. It is said the fully functional GPS slash Games console and just about everything else system included package will launch on the 29th of October in the UK.
Though the rest of the world will have to wait till 2005 to get their hands on one..
We here hope to get our hands on a unit at launch and review it for you guys.
The device seems very promising boasting a 400Mhz Processor and graphics Chip.
We'll have more on it in the coming weeks..
Though the rest of the world will have to wait till 2005 to get their hands on one..
We here hope to get our hands on a unit at launch and review it for you guys.
The device seems very promising boasting a 400Mhz Processor and graphics Chip.
We'll have more on it in the coming weeks..
The PSP's (Non-)Competition
09.01.04 (2:26 pm) [edit]
I must admit that between the two, I am more excited for the Nintendo DS. I tend to think more creatively than most people, so when I see the DS I see raw potential and that excites me. I have thought of so many ideas for the DS that I would love to play, and I just know that all of them have been thought up by high-profile developers, along with stuff I could never even begin to think of all by myself.
So why write for a PSP news site if I'm rooting for the other team? Well, because I see no reason to not root for both sides. I like the DS, but I also like the PSP.
Now a lot of people think that the Nintendo DS was announced in response to the PSP. I would like to say that this is certainly not true. The Nintendo DS is a device that has been in development for along time. At least six months before the PSP was announced. It's possible the DS was pushed forward a little, but that's about it. The DS would have come with or without the PSP.
Now the DS doesn't really have any of the same potential problems that the PSP does. The screens are not as large as the PSP's, but they are a little bit bigger than the GBA's which I haven't heard too many complaints about. But since they are smaller they will be less prone to breaking. The design is clamshell, protecting both screens at once from impact and scratching. The medium is cartridge, which means no load times and long battery life. The power of the DS comes from very power efficient processors. All of this combined with the fact that Nintendo has always valued durability (as opposed to Sony's numerable problems with hardware durability in the past), affordability, and battery life the most, makes me think that the DS will be a wise investment for those looking for longevity in their product.
So this article is not going to be about the flaws of the DS. If you are like most people, you have already thought about the uselessness of two screens, and wondered how comfortable it would be to hold the DS and use the stylus at the same time. My stating those things isn't going to tell you anything new.
So let's begin, shall we?
[b]The Two Screens[/b]
The Nintendo DS's most noticeable feature is the one for which it is named: the dual screens. So far the best Nintendo has been able to really show us for the two screens is having a map on one screen while the game play is on the other. A lot of people will say that this is a useless application. But even if you ignore the fact that one of the screens is a touch screen... so what? So what if all it gets is a map? It would be incredibly handy for RPGs, so I wouldn't have to keep pausing the gameplay to make sure I'm on the right track. It's excellent for racing games, where otherwise it would be taking up too much gameplay screen real estate. It's cool for things like Metroid Prime, where a kind of radar lets you know where enemies are. If I had to choose between the two, I would much rather have the map of the area on it's own screen than down in the corner of the one screen. It's not ideal, but it's not something to get upset over, like some seem to be.
But it's never going to see this worst case scenario. And there are even gameplay ideas that involve two screens anyway. Imagine a world like the one in Zelda 64 where there are both the future and the past worlds, except in this game, you move through both simultaneously the past on the top screen, and the future on the bottom. You have to solve puzzles involving both times at once. Or how about a game where you play the other side, as Dr. Robotnik (I refuse to call him Eggman). You create the levels, and you are given a 60 second head start. You have to make obstacles for Sonic to try and get through. At the end of 60 seconds Sonic comes onto the beginning of your level, on the top screen. Now you have to try to make obstacles up until the end of the level before Sonic reaches you.
Like I said, these are ideas thought up by someone who doesn't even work for the high profile development companies.
[b]The Touch Screen[/b]
The second most noticeable feature is the touch screen. Finally games are no longer limited to just the buttons they have. Any extra controls (including allowing the touch pad to act as an analogue stick) can be added at the discretion of the developer. The DS has knobs, levers, switches, sliding things... all of those things and more, just because of the touch screen. We are likely to see some very cool things from a lot of good developers (two notable ones from Namco) that use the touch screen very well. And we might finally see Mario Paint 2.
It is not at all difficult to use, if I could just dispell that rumor. If you have a GBA SP at your disposal, I would like you to try something. Hold the GBA SP like you normally would, fingers over the triggers and everything. Let go with your right hand, and adjust your fingers to fill the space on the back of the GBA SP, so that they offer more support but they are still in a comfortable position. Now I want you to take your right hand and tap the right adge of the GBA SP. (If you have a regular GBA at your disposal, just hold it how you normally would and take your right hand off to tap the screen.) Is that really so hard? For those of you that don't have the materials, the answer is no, it's not hard.
[b]The Microphone[/b]
This is the feature that tends to get overlooked a lot, even though it is the one that has me the most excited. How many times have you been playing a game and died just before you completed your goal? In those instances, how many times did you shout obscenities at the screen? Now what if a game came out that used that? What if a game came out that rewarded or punished you based on what you shouted at the screen?
Microphones have existed in game consoles for a while. Hey You, Pikachu readily comes to mind, as does the headset for online playing on Xbox and PS2. Microphones are used in Karaoke Revolution as well as Lifeline, and the headset is being put to use offline on the Xbox as well. So Microphones in games are not all that new.
But I think this is the first time it will be well supported.
Before, when Developers had to develop a game that used the microphone, they had to look at the user base of the console, and the accessory. So let's say someone wants to make a game that uses the microphone for the PS2. Let's figure that 10% of all PS2 owners own microphones. Only 7 million people have microphones. Of those 7 million, how many are going to be interested in that game? Does it justify the development cost of an unusual gameplay style? More often than not, the answer is no. All because not enough people have the accessory.
That is different for the DS. A game that uses the microphone is accessable to every single person that has the DS. It will have as wide of a user base as any other game for the DS. Voice support can be added casually (like you have to say passwords to go through doors).
[b]Conclusion[/b]
For the first time developers can let loose and make the games they envision with no restrictions. If they want to make a game that doesn't work with traditional buttons, they now have the touch screen at their disposal. If a developer wants to add voice support, or voice recognition, the DS comes ready for it out of the box. For the first time ever, the control is in the hands of the developer. Meaning the DS will see a lot of really brilliant original content.
And for all the people who are saying this can't be a third pillar because it is also a handheld, you're wrong. Just because the DS is here doesn't mean that there isn't a market for tradition single display, regular button gaming.
And finally for those who are saying the PSP and the DS are competing, yes but only in the loosest sense of the term. They are so vastly different, it's impossible to really pit them against each other. I know that people are likely only going to be able to afford owning one or the other, but that does not make them competition. Does that mean that every time I buy video game instead of eating out a couple of times, EB Games is now in competition with Outback Steakhouse? The short and simple answer is no.
[b]Dark Knight[/b]
So why write for a PSP news site if I'm rooting for the other team? Well, because I see no reason to not root for both sides. I like the DS, but I also like the PSP.
Now a lot of people think that the Nintendo DS was announced in response to the PSP. I would like to say that this is certainly not true. The Nintendo DS is a device that has been in development for along time. At least six months before the PSP was announced. It's possible the DS was pushed forward a little, but that's about it. The DS would have come with or without the PSP.
Now the DS doesn't really have any of the same potential problems that the PSP does. The screens are not as large as the PSP's, but they are a little bit bigger than the GBA's which I haven't heard too many complaints about. But since they are smaller they will be less prone to breaking. The design is clamshell, protecting both screens at once from impact and scratching. The medium is cartridge, which means no load times and long battery life. The power of the DS comes from very power efficient processors. All of this combined with the fact that Nintendo has always valued durability (as opposed to Sony's numerable problems with hardware durability in the past), affordability, and battery life the most, makes me think that the DS will be a wise investment for those looking for longevity in their product.
So this article is not going to be about the flaws of the DS. If you are like most people, you have already thought about the uselessness of two screens, and wondered how comfortable it would be to hold the DS and use the stylus at the same time. My stating those things isn't going to tell you anything new.
So let's begin, shall we?
[b]The Two Screens[/b]
The Nintendo DS's most noticeable feature is the one for which it is named: the dual screens. So far the best Nintendo has been able to really show us for the two screens is having a map on one screen while the game play is on the other. A lot of people will say that this is a useless application. But even if you ignore the fact that one of the screens is a touch screen... so what? So what if all it gets is a map? It would be incredibly handy for RPGs, so I wouldn't have to keep pausing the gameplay to make sure I'm on the right track. It's excellent for racing games, where otherwise it would be taking up too much gameplay screen real estate. It's cool for things like Metroid Prime, where a kind of radar lets you know where enemies are. If I had to choose between the two, I would much rather have the map of the area on it's own screen than down in the corner of the one screen. It's not ideal, but it's not something to get upset over, like some seem to be.
But it's never going to see this worst case scenario. And there are even gameplay ideas that involve two screens anyway. Imagine a world like the one in Zelda 64 where there are both the future and the past worlds, except in this game, you move through both simultaneously the past on the top screen, and the future on the bottom. You have to solve puzzles involving both times at once. Or how about a game where you play the other side, as Dr. Robotnik (I refuse to call him Eggman). You create the levels, and you are given a 60 second head start. You have to make obstacles for Sonic to try and get through. At the end of 60 seconds Sonic comes onto the beginning of your level, on the top screen. Now you have to try to make obstacles up until the end of the level before Sonic reaches you.
Like I said, these are ideas thought up by someone who doesn't even work for the high profile development companies.
[b]The Touch Screen[/b]
The second most noticeable feature is the touch screen. Finally games are no longer limited to just the buttons they have. Any extra controls (including allowing the touch pad to act as an analogue stick) can be added at the discretion of the developer. The DS has knobs, levers, switches, sliding things... all of those things and more, just because of the touch screen. We are likely to see some very cool things from a lot of good developers (two notable ones from Namco) that use the touch screen very well. And we might finally see Mario Paint 2.
It is not at all difficult to use, if I could just dispell that rumor. If you have a GBA SP at your disposal, I would like you to try something. Hold the GBA SP like you normally would, fingers over the triggers and everything. Let go with your right hand, and adjust your fingers to fill the space on the back of the GBA SP, so that they offer more support but they are still in a comfortable position. Now I want you to take your right hand and tap the right adge of the GBA SP. (If you have a regular GBA at your disposal, just hold it how you normally would and take your right hand off to tap the screen.) Is that really so hard? For those of you that don't have the materials, the answer is no, it's not hard.
[b]The Microphone[/b]
This is the feature that tends to get overlooked a lot, even though it is the one that has me the most excited. How many times have you been playing a game and died just before you completed your goal? In those instances, how many times did you shout obscenities at the screen? Now what if a game came out that used that? What if a game came out that rewarded or punished you based on what you shouted at the screen?
Microphones have existed in game consoles for a while. Hey You, Pikachu readily comes to mind, as does the headset for online playing on Xbox and PS2. Microphones are used in Karaoke Revolution as well as Lifeline, and the headset is being put to use offline on the Xbox as well. So Microphones in games are not all that new.
But I think this is the first time it will be well supported.
Before, when Developers had to develop a game that used the microphone, they had to look at the user base of the console, and the accessory. So let's say someone wants to make a game that uses the microphone for the PS2. Let's figure that 10% of all PS2 owners own microphones. Only 7 million people have microphones. Of those 7 million, how many are going to be interested in that game? Does it justify the development cost of an unusual gameplay style? More often than not, the answer is no. All because not enough people have the accessory.
That is different for the DS. A game that uses the microphone is accessable to every single person that has the DS. It will have as wide of a user base as any other game for the DS. Voice support can be added casually (like you have to say passwords to go through doors).
[b]Conclusion[/b]
For the first time developers can let loose and make the games they envision with no restrictions. If they want to make a game that doesn't work with traditional buttons, they now have the touch screen at their disposal. If a developer wants to add voice support, or voice recognition, the DS comes ready for it out of the box. For the first time ever, the control is in the hands of the developer. Meaning the DS will see a lot of really brilliant original content.
And for all the people who are saying this can't be a third pillar because it is also a handheld, you're wrong. Just because the DS is here doesn't mean that there isn't a market for tradition single display, regular button gaming.
And finally for those who are saying the PSP and the DS are competing, yes but only in the loosest sense of the term. They are so vastly different, it's impossible to really pit them against each other. I know that people are likely only going to be able to afford owning one or the other, but that does not make them competition. Does that mean that every time I buy video game instead of eating out a couple of times, EB Games is now in competition with Outback Steakhouse? The short and simple answer is no.
[b]Dark Knight[/b]