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Sharingan
29th September 2007, 15:45
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PS3 NEWS COMPENDIUM
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In order not to flood the forum with new threads every time a small bit of PS3-related news comes out, let's use this one thread for posting anything that has to do with, for example:

- New game announcements
- Firmware updates
- New PSN additions
- Games just released
- Price drops
- Et cetera

When big-name games come out, by all means create a separate topic to discuss it. Have fun!



Latest news

18-10-2007:

Capcom announces Street Fighter IV (no platform stated). Lost Planet, previously only available on PC and 360, will see a PS3 release too with extra content. Nice!



Latest firmware

Version 2.30 was released on April 14th. This latest firmware introduces the revamped PSN Store.



Models and pricing

Sony has officially introduced the new 40GB PS3 model, priced at a competitive € 399. There are some omissions to this unit that new buyers might want to take note of, however. First of all, this unit will only have 2 USB 2.0 ports. It will NOT have the multi memory card reader, nor will it feature backwards compatibility with PS2 titles (which shouldn't be much of a problem for most people, since everyone and their neighbour's pet dog has a PS2 unit anyway).

The existing PS3 Starter Pack, consisting of Motorstorm, Resistance: Fall of Man, a 60GB PS3 unit and two Sixaxis controllers, has been dropped in price to € 499, and will remain for sale until stockpiles are depleted.



Numbers on current units shipped and sold

Sony recently announced that 10.5+ million units have been sold to consumers worldwide to date. The holiday month of december 2007 has been hugely successful, and it appears the introduction of the 40GB model has really spurred sales big time: in 2007, PS3 outsold the 360 when it comes to worldwide sales.

In the first three months of 2008, the PS3 has also outsold the Xbox 360 in its 'home market' of North America.



Notables titles that are out now

(With average score on Gamerankings.com)

LittleBigPlanet (95.2%)
Call of Duty IV: Modern Warfare (94.7%)
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (93.0%)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (92%)
Rock Band (90.9%)
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (90%)
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (88.8%)
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (88.5%)
Burnout Paradise (87.4%)
Virtua Fighter 5 (87.1%)
Resistance: Fall of Man (87.0%)
Ninja Gaiden Sigma (86.7%)
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas (86.0%)
Unreal Tournament III (85.6%)
Devil May Cry 4 (85.3%)
Assassin's Creed (84.2%)
Warhawk (84.1%)
Guitar Hero III (84%)
Motorstorm (83.0%)
SingStar (82.5%)
Sega Rally Evo (82.2%)
Everybody's Golf: World Tour (82%)
Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 (81.8%)
Heavenly Sword (80.7%)
Folklore (76.0%)



Upcoming games to watch out for

Near future:

Grand Theft Auto IV



2008 and on:

Afrika
Agarest Senki
Alpha Protocol
Angel Love Online
Angel Rings
Ape Escape 4
Aqua
Battle Fantasia
Bomberman
Brave Arms
Castlevania
Coded Arms: Assault
Cross Edge
DC Universe
Disgaea 3
Driver 5
Eight Days
Empire
Eternal Sonata
Eyedentify
Fallout 3
Fatal Frame PS3
Fatal Inertia
Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Maranello
Fifth Phantom Saga
Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII Versus
Free Realms
Future GPX Cyber Formula
God of War III
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Gradius
Gran Turismo 5
Haze
Heavenly Sword 2 (rumoured)
Heavy Rain
InFamous
Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier
Killzone 2
Kurayami
L.A. Noire
Legend of Spyro: Darkest Hour
Metal Gear Online
Metro 2033: The Last Refuge
Mirror's Edge
Mist of Chaos
Monster Madness: Grave Danger
Motorstorm 2 (working title)
Naruto PS3 Project
Ni-Oh
Planet One
Prince of Persia
Project D
Project Psychic
Redwood Falls
Rengoku: The End of the Century
Resident Evil 5
Resistance 2 (working title)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms PS3
Saints Row 2
Shin Megami Tensei (working title)
SIREN: New Translation
Silent Hill 5
SOCOM Confrontation
Soul Calibur IV
Steambot Chronicles
Street Fighter IV
Sunrise Eiyuutan
Super Robot Taisen
Syphon Filter PS3
Talisman
Tears to Tiara
Tekken 6
Terra: Formations
The Agency
The Getaway 3
The Last Remnant
Time Crisis IV
Twisted Metal (working title)
Uncharted 2
Valkyria Chronicles
WarDevil
Way of the Samurai 3
White Knight Story
WipeOut HD
Yakuza 3
Zone of the Enders 3

Other/rumoured:

Dark Cloud 3
Project by Team ICO
New Square Enix MMORPG
Kingdom Hearts III
Rockstar Games PS3 exclusive franchise (after GTAIV)

Demon Cleaner
1st October 2007, 22:52
Nice thread :thumbs: I just pinned it. Interesting are the demo additions in the shop too, as I'm not online every time, so when a new demo is out, I will see it here if it's posted. Still waiting for a PES 2008 demo.

Sharingan
2nd October 2007, 12:21
Thanks a bunch, D.C. :thumbs:

Sharingan
8th October 2007, 15:00
5/10/2007:

Official price cut confirmed.

€ 499 for the current Starter Pack until stockpiles are depleted, or € 399 for a plain 40GB unit without Backwards Compatibility for PS2 games. The new units will likely start filtering into stores from 10 october onwards.

I think this is a good move on Sony's part, to push more units for the upcoming holiday season. Cutting backwards compatibility is a shrewd tactic also, since the slimline PS2 is still selling strongly.

Demon Cleaner
8th October 2007, 15:02
It's always the same, I bought the starter pack with 2 controllers and 2 games for 599€, and after 2 weeks now it drops to 499€, very typical :dry:

Sharingan
8th October 2007, 15:04
Yeah, and I bought mine a few weeks before you did ... but hey, I don't mind too much. Frankly, I'd feel more shafted if I'd bought the Apple iPhone, which saw a 200 buck price cut barely 2 months (I think) after its introduction.

Harrison
8th October 2007, 18:33
But the PS3 is useful. Can't say quite the same about the iPhone. Looks pretty... but that's about it. Much like all other Apple hardware.

Sharingan
9th October 2007, 10:35
Yeah, I find it actually rather disgusting that Apple had the guts to introduce the iPhone at $ 599 - and people actually were standing in queue for hours to snatch one up at launch. Talk about being ripped off. Funny thing is that most of those early buyers likely already HAD an iPod (with more storage capacity), and most definitely a cellphone as well (which nowadays can usually play MP3s as well). Some people really have too much money in their pockets.

Harrison
9th October 2007, 12:30
If I were actually interested in it I would instead purchase the iPod Touch (hmm...where have I heard that name before!) and use a normal mobile for calls.

AlexJ
11th October 2007, 15:29
I think this is a good move on Sony's part, to push more units for the upcoming holiday season. Cutting backwards compatibility is a shrewd tactic also, since the slimline PS2 is still selling strongly.

Isn't backwards compatibility done in software anyway? So in a few years time, when PS2 sales have dropped right off and no new games are being produced they could put it back in with a firmware update.

Demon Cleaner
11th October 2007, 15:44
Isn't backwards compatibility done in software anyway?Yes, but they also removed the Graphics-Synthesizer (PS2 GPU) now which is needed for PS2 games.

AlexJ
11th October 2007, 16:44
Isn't backwards compatibility done in software anyway?Yes, but they also removed the Graphics-Synthesizer (PS2 GPU) now which is needed for PS2 games.

I suspect that the GPU could also be emulated in software if they wanted to in the future. PC emulators manage to do this.

Demon Cleaner
11th October 2007, 19:08
Isn't backwards compatibility done in software anyway?Yes, but they also removed the Graphics-Synthesizer (PS2 GPU) now which is needed for PS2 games.

I suspect that the GPU could also be emulated in software if they wanted to in the future. PC emulators manage to do this.I suppose. But are they willing to do it? Suppose not.

AlexJ
12th October 2007, 00:58
I suspect that the GPU could also be emulated in software if they wanted to in the future. PC emulators manage to do this.I suppose. But are they willing to do it? Suppose not.[/QUOTE]

They would if there was money to be made by selling the old PS2 games through Playstation Store in a few years time.

Harrison
12th October 2007, 21:43
I hadn't heard they were dropping PS2 compatibility from the newer PS3s. Personally I don't like that and would much prefer it remain.

BTW, it isn't to do with hardware. The NTSC Japan and USA PS3s came with the PS2 emotion engine hardware built in for PS2 compatibility, but this wasn't the original intention of Sony. They solution was always going to be software emulation based for PS2 games, but at launch they didn't have the emulation working well enough in just software so they added the emotion engine into the system.

But all European PS3s don't have this PS2 hardware and PS2 emulation is done purely in the firmware software. Therefore if they are dropping the backwards compatibility it would suggest it is instead being removed from the firmware, so if owners of older European PS3s upgrade after this they may also lose this backwards compatibility in the latest firmware.

I personally think that if they do drop the support it is actually directly related to hacking and running unsigned code on the PS3. Until now PS3 hacking exploits have been through back doors found in PS1 and PS2 games. Sony may therefore be removing the support to prevent this from happening. Something I don't agree with as I want backwards compatibility so I don't need to have two systems connected to play all Playstation games.

toomanymikes
13th October 2007, 12:10
To be honest I think that they are just looking for an excuse to have dropped the price. By saying that they have stripped the USB's, card readers, backwards compatibility and downsized the HD they can say - well this one is worth £299 because its not as complete as the 60 GB system. But there is no way that making these minor changes can amount to £200 worth of savings - Sony will still be loosing hundreds on every one sold, just like they are with the original. By selling it at this price it acts to justify the higher price tag of the original model and goes someway to addressing those who said things like 'i will never need 60GB, whats the point in card readers, Super audio playback sucks, why would I play PS2 games on it...' etc. :nuts: It also brings it into the sweet spot for people that could not afford the original system. As for me Im a techophile and I want the very best system my hard earned, well maybe just earned, money can buy - 60GB isnt enough, I want two HDMI outputs and 30 USB readers. Hell, stick on another optical output and Ethernet connection while your at it. What do you mean I'll never use them?...

AlexJ
13th October 2007, 12:22
Yeah, I'm definately holding out for the higher spec model to drop in price.

Teho
13th October 2007, 15:39
I see the only real loss for me in this new model is the backwards compatibility and the USB ports. Having a huge catalouge of PS1 and PS2 games, backwards compatibility is definitely required. And I'm allready using three of the four USB ports on mine, all four when I decide to charge the controller there (so the PS3 doesn't have to stay on when not in use, I normally just charge the controller on the PC which is on all the time anyway). So only two USB ports doesn't cut it.

As for the rest, having a 40GB harddrive instead of 60GB is a non-issue, I yanked out that 60GB one and replaced it with a 200GB one almost immediately anyway. And the card-readers I've only tested but never actually used. For data-transfers I use an external HD (as I don't have any card-reader for the PC anyway), and for other uses my TV also has the same card-readers and can do mostly the same things with the content. Yes, even play MP3s. So I've no real need for those ports, but I guess they could come in handy for smaller data-transfers if I ever get a reader for the PC.

But less USB-ports and no backwards compatibility is a serious blow for me. If I hadn't allready bought one, think I'd still prefer the current model too.

Harrison
14th October 2007, 07:59
Does anyone know if this new cut down PS3 will eventually replace the existing higher spec model? Or will it just be a cheaper option?

I definitely don't want one without USB and card reader slots. Might have to buy one soon if they are discontinuing the better model so I can make sure I get one!

Sharingan
14th October 2007, 09:48
The 'neutered' model is likely to become the standard unit for the time being. The 60GB model will be on sale for as long as stock lasts, so if the extra ports and backwards compatibility are must haves, it might be a good idea to consider picking one up. Whether Sony will re-introduce the 'full' models sometime into the future? No one knows. There's been talks of a 80GB unit, but whether that one will have all the extra bits and pieces remains to be seen.

Like mike already stated, Sony needed to introduce a system at a cost that would entice people who had a PS3 on their wishlist, but simply couldn't afford or justify paying such a high price for one. I think there were a LOT of PlayStation-loyal people still waiting for an acceptable price tag, and now that the price has been dropped, I think the PS3 will do good business over the holiday season.

The price difference between the 40GB model and the RoD360 is only minimal now (€ 50 difference, and for that you get more functionality), and with games like Ratchet, UT3, Uncharted and PES2008 right around the corner, the biggest software draught is also over.

Harrison
14th October 2007, 11:23
Sony did do similar things with the previous two Playstations. The original PSX model had composite and left and right audio outputs on the back, then they revised it and removed them, leaving just the single multi video port. With owners then needing to buy the different cables for each connection type. And with the PS2, the slim PS2 lost the unused firewire port, and the internal HD expansion connector, but did gain an ethernet port.

I looked up the new model and according to some sites selling it, it has a matt instead of shiny finish, and 2 USB slots (so it hasn't lost them all). I assume we could use a USB card reader plugged into one of the USB slots to gain back the same card reading ability?

AlexJ
14th October 2007, 11:35
I don't however quite understand the PS3 logic or removing the USB and card slots. Don't you need memory cards to back up save game data? And if you don't have USB ports how would you charge the controllers up or connect a camera/external HD?

Isn't it just less USB sockets?

EDIT: Yep, just the two USB sockets. Is it possible to use a hub to increase this number like on a PC?

As for the memory cards - is it possible an external card reader could be used instead if required?

Teho
14th October 2007, 11:38
Yes, they're reducing them from four to two. But as I said earlier, two is not enough for my use. Or at least I'd have to frequently switch things around on them if there were only two on mine.

Sharingan
14th October 2007, 19:30
EDIT: Yep, just the two USB sockets. Is it possible to use a hub to increase this number like on a PC?

As for the memory cards - is it possible an external card reader could be used instead if required?


As far as I know, and according to some people from other forums, any USB hub or USB hardware (such as mice, keyboards) will also be usable on the PS3.

On another note, Folklore has been spotted in a few shops already. Will probably be picking up a copy next week; going to write down some impressions then :thumbs:

Teho
14th October 2007, 19:36
Really? I haven't been paying attention to its releasedate, but I have it on preorder so if that's the case it should be in my mailbox when I get back home next week then. Looks like I know what I'll be doing next weekend. :)

AlexJ
15th October 2007, 00:33
Just tried it and hubs and card readers work fine on the PS3. The only real loss then is the lack of PS2 compatibility (and the loss of SACD support, but that doesn't bother me)

Harrison
15th October 2007, 01:13
I didn't know they were dropping SACD support too. I've personally never encountered a SACD audio disc, but according to the industry over 4,500 SACD discs have been released to date, with over half of those being classical music (to take advantage of the superior quality).

Seems strange with that many discs, and SACD being Sony's own technology that they would drop support.

toomanymikes
15th October 2007, 08:03
It was a dying breed of audio years ago never mind now. Saying that, its the best sound I have ever heard and it really dissapoints me that lesser quality codecs such as MP3 etc are becoming popular simply because of ease of transporting tracks. The acid test is listening to a song on mp3 then cd then SACD - The cd is always better than MP3 and the SACD makes the CD sound like a tape!

Harrison
15th October 2007, 11:42
How does SACD compare to DVD Audio?

toomanymikes
15th October 2007, 13:24
DVDAudio is sound carried through the DVD in the same way that movie soundtracks are so it can be compressed and played using different audio decoders such as Dolby Digital and DTS. As such its a fantastic sound medium but it lacks the subtleness and refinement of SACD. I bought Depeche Mode's Violator on Hybrid audio disk (Stereo and SACD so CD players can play it too) and it comes with a second disk tht contains a documentary and DVDA tracks of the album. Its amazing and a good rival to SACD, especailly as my PS3 cant play SACD because it requires a HDMI 1.3 compatible amp. A friend of mine is a manager at a Sony Centre and he brought over a SACD player and we hooked it up to may amp - SACD was defo the difinitive version to listen too. I would say for people that want to show off multi channel sound the DVDA would suffice but for Audiophiles SACD is the format of choice. I suppose it also comes down to your amp and speakers - if they arent up to much you wont get the benefit of SACD but if they are then the sound really stands out.

Demon Cleaner
23rd October 2007, 20:02
The Eye of Judgement has been released. I already saw a video in the very beginning, but now it also got a final release. It's a card based game, where you can buy packs and play like a normal card game on a mat. The mat and eye toy camera are included with the game, have a look for yourselves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWOmVEEEyMM

Harrison
23rd October 2007, 23:16
I read an in depth article about this in the latest Edge magazine and it sounds quite cool, with the cards coming alive from the cards. Quite a cool idea. But... it would have been even better had Sony developed holographic projection! Then finally we could have a real version of the Star Wars Battle Chess style game seen on the Falcon. :lol:

Actually, the new PS EyeToy looks a lot better then the original PS2 one and could give Sony some games to compete with the Wii market, plus the added bonus of players being able to appear in the on screen action and capture their faces for the games. There are also quite a few games in development for it.

Demon Cleaner
24th October 2007, 00:28
Yeah, and perhaps buying the game is a cheaper way to get hold of the eye camera for later usage.

AlexJ
24th October 2007, 12:58
The greatest motoring TV show in the world has linked up with the world's greatest driving game.

The BBC and Polyphony have done a deal which will see Top Gear episodes appear in Gran Turismo 5, and make the Top Gear test track a playable circuit.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7059887.stm

Harrison
24th October 2007, 13:41
That's a cool idea. :) Must more sensible than someone trying to just make another game based on the series itself.

Although do people in the US and Japan watch Topgear?

I wonder if they will have you trying to beat the Stig's actual lap times around their test track! That would be both cool and probably bloody hard to actually beat them. Also if they have the test track they have to include the times and car from "star in a reasonably prices car" so you can see how you do against the real stars that drove it.

AlexJ
24th October 2007, 21:36
Although do people in the US and Japan watch Topgear?

The producer of Top Gear said that it was the most pirated TV show in the world, and that an episode's total worldwide audience taking this into account was larger than a Formula One race. Although not mainstream in the USA, it certainly has quite a following through torrents and the like.

Oz2
25th October 2007, 15:18
The BBC and Polyphony have done a deal which will see Top Gear episodes appear in Gran Turismo 5, and make the Top Gear test track a playable circuit.

A Dream come true :D

I just noticed GT5 Prologue has been released for a limited time, gotta check it out straight away.

Can't wait to step into the Stig's footsteps.

Sharingan
25th October 2007, 22:27
So the new Ratchet & Clank has been released early in the U.S. ... maybe Europe will get some love soon as well?

The game's received some pretty glowing reviews so far (except for Lamespot, which gave it a 7.5 - asshats), most sites praising it for its amazing visuals and rock solid framerate. Sony would do well to keep on good terms with the guys at Insomniac - they're doing some amazing stuff with the PS3 hardware. Barely a year into the console's lifespan, and they've already churned out two brilliant games.

Demon Cleaner
25th October 2007, 23:22
The Ratchet & Clank demo is quite short, but it's a pure enjoyment to play through, even several times. Don't know why the demo isn't available at the EU shop yet?

Sharingan
26th October 2007, 14:52
The Ratchet demo was added to the EU store in the 25 october update :thumbs:

Along with some trailers, including a trailer for Metal Gear Online (which looks pretty sexy, to be honest).

The Folklore content costs money to download, however, which is crap considering Japan got it for free. Not that 2 bucks is a whole lot, but still ...

By the way, anyone looking to buy Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, you're advised to hold out for the time being. Apparently, the game has some issues, such as occasional framerate skips (especially during replays) and a very laggy online service. Konami has already announced that they are working on a fix, likely through a patch. Sounds weird, doesn't it ... patches for console games.

Harrison
26th October 2007, 15:33
Some nice news I thought you would all like to know is that something missing from the PS3 is making a return next year...

DUALSHOCK 3

That's right, due to popular demand Sony are going to be adding the rumble feature back into the PS3 gamepads and calling it the Dualshock 3.

Only annoying thing is, they removed it, so all PS2 games played on the PS3 were missing their rumble feature, then Sony remove PS2 game support, but then add the rumble feature back in. How annoying.

It was shown working at the Tokyo Games Show working with GT5 Prologue and MGS4.

Here is some more information:


Tokyo Game Show (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Game_Show), the DualShock 3 is a controller for the PlayStation 3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3) that incorporates the features and design of the SIXAXIS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3_accessories#Sixaxis) wireless controller with vibration capabilities. It is scheduled for release in Japan on November 11 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_11), 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007) at a retail price of JP¥ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_yen)5,500, in both black and "Ceramic White" colours.[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DualShock#_note-JP_40GB_announcement) The controller is expected to debut in North America and Europe in Spring (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_%28season%29) 2008.[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DualShock#_note-DualShock_3_PR) Hands-on accounts at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show describe the controller as being heavier than the standard Sixaxis controller, and capable of vibration forces comparable to the DualShock 2. According to GameSpot, DualShock 3's "rumble was a touch weak";[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DualShock#_note-TGS_DualShock_3_hands-on) while various others reported more refined vibration effects than the DualShock 2, particularly with the Metal Gear Solid 4 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear_Solid_4:_Guns_of_the_Patriots) demonstration.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DualShock#_note-2) The first release supporting the DualShock 3 was the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Turismo_5_Prologue) free demo made available in the Japanese PlayStation Store (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Store) on October 20, 2007.

Rumble patches

A list of rumble patches (downloadable add-ons from the PlayStation Store (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Store), to add rumble to software released before September 2007), has been announced by SCEI at the TGS 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Game_Show)[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DualShock#_note-3). It is currently unknown if the DualShock 3 will support the rumble function of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 software.

Oz2
26th October 2007, 16:52
Sounds weird, doesn't it ... patches for console games.

Well apparently we'll have to get used to that idea. Most Games already got Online Game patches, and with the loads of code a blu-ray can hold there should be enough cases of patching games in the future.

I am pretty astonished what the PS3 is capable of, i already stream videos, pictures and my iTunes Library to the PS3 and was able to connect my bluetooth headset HBH-35 i bought years ago for my mobile phone. These weren't exactly things i expected from this console, but it's nice it all works :thumbs:

I can't wait for Assassin's Creed to finally hit the shops. My only concern is where should i buy it? I can't buy it in german stores because they cut some stuff out and like always i guess there will be no blood. I also checked UK stores but the prices are even higher there. So to be on the safe side i could order in the U.S. ... or i could still check stores in France.... i'm so confused. :hmmm:

Harrison
26th October 2007, 17:10
I used to use a Canadian store http://www.dvdboxoffice.com a lot for DVD's and PS1 and 2 games. Maybe have a look on there. The only issue is that Sony are now being very strict about export/import of Playstation games so it might be harder than before to import them.

Oz2
26th October 2007, 18:52
Then my choice will probably be any UK store. I'll be sure to get all my games in english language and uncut. Or have there been games which were altered in the UK?

Harrison
26th October 2007, 23:18
Normally the UK versions have more content if anything. This has especially been true in the past with Japanese PS2 games, where some have later been rereleased in Japan as International versions as the fans there want the extra features, and because they also prefer English spoken games.

Sharingan
2nd November 2007, 15:31
So the Pro Evo 2008 demo has appeared on the Euro PSN. Gave it a quick try, but jeebus ... if the full game is anything like the demo, Konami sure do a pretty piss poor job on this 'next-gen' edition.

It plays the same as my copy of Pro Evo 3 on the PS2, it looks like ass, and even though it looks like ass, they couldn't even manage to make it a smooth ass. The chuggy replays and the occasional framedrops during gameplay are downright embarassing. There simply is no excuse for not being able to keep the framerate steady in something as undemanding as a footy game. I mean, it's not like there's a whole lot of polygons being drawn there, nor is the texture work very intricate, nor is there anything extravagant going on ... there's just a flat footy pitch there, and 22 tiny players. How hard can it be?

That said, the trailers for Metal Gear 4 and Uncharted sure do look sexy :yesyes:

Harrison
2nd November 2007, 16:22
I've just "obtained" Pro Evo 2008 for the PS2 but haven't tried it yet. The last version ran very smoothly and looked really nice on the PS2, so it is disappointing to hear that the demo for the new PS3 version isn't looking so good or running smoothly. Hopefully this is just a beta version of the game that is still a work in progress. I hope they get it sorted for release as it is definitely the best football game on the market.

v85rawdeal
3rd November 2007, 10:38
It plays the same as my copy of Pro Evo 3 on the PS2, it looks like ass, and even though it looks like ass, they couldn't even manage to make it a smooth ass.

Pro Evo 2008 - The only game with celulite :sick:

Harrison
3rd November 2007, 12:23
:lol: Very good :thumbs:

Sharingan
8th November 2007, 15:07
Firmware 2.0 out very soon :thumbs:

The US PSN store will receive a demo of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune in tonight's update, for those interested.

And both Ratchet & Clank and Call of Duty 4 are starting to filter into shops. According to reviews, Infinity Ward (CoD's developers) did an ace job with Call of Duty 4: it's every bit as good as the PC counterpart.

Harrison
8th November 2007, 15:09
Great news. I've just got hold of COD4 on the PC, but haven't had chance to play it yet. Am looking forward to it though.

AlexJ
8th November 2007, 15:14
New firmware out, ability to add your own themes to XMB amongst other things. Seems quite cool.

Sharingan
9th November 2007, 12:53
So I'm off work, and walking into a few shops just to see if they have Ratchet and/or Call of Duty 4 yet ... imagine my complete shock when I saw them charging 75 (seventy five!) bucks for Ratchet. WTF.

And that's not one shop - I peeked into 3-4 different ones and every single one had the same price tag.

I can live with 60 bucks (even though that is quite a bit of money still), but 75? What made them think people are willing to part with 75 big ones for a game (however brilliant it is)? I know that development costs for games have been rising, but I certainly hope game prices aren't gonna see a rising trend. 50-62 bucks a game has been the standard throughout the PS2 era, and that's about the most I'm prepared to shell out.

Harrison
9th November 2007, 13:18
How much is that converted to UK Pounds?

Would it be cheaper if you order it from the UK? Amazon.co.uk have it for £39.98 or when purchased along with COD4 for £79.97 for the two. And that includes free UK delivery. Not sure about delivery costs to other countries.

Or on ebay you can buy a new sealed copy for £18.99 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180177360653

Sharingan
9th November 2007, 13:55
Converted to GBP, it's about 52 bucks, so yeah, ordering through Amazon would be quite a bit cheaper. I was already thinking of ordering online, but I usually want something right away when I see it. Perhaps you know the feeling :thumbs:

The online webshops here are actually offering the game for slightly more than Amazon, and they're only charging about a buck for postage, so I'll probably take that route. I've browsed Amazon.uk a few weeks ago, and they did have quite a lot of old PS2 titles on sale that I've never even seen released over here.

Harrison
9th November 2007, 15:04
It is a great time to pick up some missed PS2 titles as they are selling very cheaply now the PS3 is out. Are there a lot of titles that never get released there?

Although it is now easy to find most PS2 game ISOs so it's also a great time to own a chipped PS2 to catch up on titles you may have missed over the years.

Sharingan
9th November 2007, 18:10
Yeah, there are quite a few PS2 titles that were announced for European release, but just never saw the light of day. Most of these being RPGs. The first Shadow Hearts, for example, I've never seen anywhere. Then there's games like Legaia 2, Grandia 2, Phantom Brave, Kessen III, Chaos Legion and so on. They might not all have been brilliant, but if they were offered at a tenner or twenty bucks, I would've gladly scooped them up.

I don't know ... I guess the stores here just didn't see them selling well, hence they never stocked them.

I suppose I could still get my PS2 chipped, but then again, I like having original boxes and manuals. They're about the only things I buy legally :thumbs:

Teho
9th November 2007, 18:47
I've been shopping from amazon.co.uk a lot, so I can tell you that only UK addresses are eligible for the free delivery. Delivery to Norway at least is usally £2-£5, depending a bit on the item. And since Norway isn't EU, they deduct EU's 17.5% tax from the price of everything I purchase. Downside is that if the shipment is worth more than about £17 then norwegian customs slap the norwegian 25% tax on it. Plus a £7 customs fee. :dry:

EDIT: oh, and about the new PS3 themes: If you want to create your own themes, this (http://www.n4g.com/ClickOut.aspx?ObjID=81739) is apparently the tool for the job according to threespeech.com. Haven't tested it myself yet. So who can we convince to start working on an Amiga theme then? :rolleyes:

AlexJ
9th November 2007, 19:00
Although it is now easy to find most PS2 game ISOs so it's also a great time to own a chipped PS2 to catch up on titles you may have missed over the years.

Did that PS2 Memory Card Modchip ever come to anything?

Puni/Void
9th November 2007, 21:28
Downside is that if the shipment is worth more than about £17 then norwegian customs slap the norwegian 25% tax on it. Plus a £7 customs fee.

Tell me about it. Bought some stuff from AmigaKit (great shop!), which got caught in the customs. My items did suddenly get a whole lot more expensive. :(

Harrison
10th November 2007, 00:48
That's bad regarding the Norwegian customs. At least in the UK we can normally get away with anything under £40 and normally they only really take notice of things coming from the US. I've had many parcels over the years from places such as Canada and Kong Kong and never had to pay customs anything. Also when buying things from the US privately the sellers put gift on the paperwork and it always goes through fine.

Teho
10th November 2007, 01:16
Yeah, I know of the 'gift'-trick and have gotten many small retailers - Vesalia for example - to do that. But the bigger more established places like amazon won't do it, at least not anymore.

Actually, increasing the value a shipment can be while being tax-free was one of the promises the current government made during the last election campaign. They promised it'd be increased from kr200,- (about £17) to kr1000,- (about £90). Unfortunately it is also one of the many promises they haven't kept.

One thing though, I don't know if this is just Norway or if it's some international deal, but importing literature is always tax-free. Or the limit is way higher at least. So I order just about all english literature - be it graphic novels, comics or books - from amazon.co.uk. Far cheaper than having a local retailer aquire it for me, as amazon still deducts the EU tax before charging the credit card. So that's the main bulk of my orders from there, as most books easily end up under a third of the local cost.

And most year-old PC games and some older console games will be under that £17 limit so alot of my purchases of those are made there too. So it's not all bad. :)

Harrison
10th November 2007, 01:37
I'm not sure about literature. Will have to check that.

Sharingan
12th November 2007, 08:50
Call of Duty 4 = highly recommended.

Reviews for the game on all three platforms have been highly positive, and my own opinion mirrors that of the critics. The campaign mode is one heck of a rollercoaster ride - a bit short, but sweet! Haven't even tried Online yet, but from what I've heard, it should be a blast.

Anyone else got it yet? Wouldn't mind going Online for some team fragging!


Oh, I bought a HDTV finally. It's a 40 inch Sony Full HD. I thought my Samsung 22 inch monitor offered a sharp image, but this one blows it out of the water.

Demon Cleaner
12th November 2007, 10:03
I read some CoD4 reviews, and it really seems that the game is amazing.

Sharingan
12th November 2007, 10:31
Yeah, it definitely is. Screenshots don't do it justice ... seeing it moving on the big screen is something else. The lighting, animation, texture work and effects are amazingly well done. And it's all in 60 fps, with only some stuttering every once in a while when the action gets too hectic.

While Resistance is brilliant in its own right, I think CoD4 edges it out in sheer intensity. Some of the set pieces in CoD will leave your jaw hanging open, and the shootouts are chaotic and thrilling.

One minor complaint in the single player campaign is that the A.I. of your fellow squad members is, perhaps, a bit TOO smart. There are parts of the game where you're basically just following them around while they clean up rooms left and right. In other words, they're a bit overpowered. I don't even think they CAN die ... and I've tried blowing them up with grenades more than once! Still, I prefer that to teammates who are useless and die like flies.

Demon Cleaner
12th November 2007, 10:44
Still, I prefer that to teammates who are useless and die like flies.That's absolutely correct, such unbalanced AI drives me mad.

Harrison
12th November 2007, 15:22
The AI in CoD2 on the PC was pretty much the same. Some parts of that I was trying to work out where the next objective was and then thought, Oh, I will just follow everyone else.

Good team AI really adds a lot to a game. When the AI is basically coded as "follow the leader" and you are that leader it ends up with you having to reach trigger points to activate the team members to continue following you. I hate that method as it feels completely unrealistic. Much better the CoD way where the other AI controlled members just move forward on their own taking cover and aiding each other to reach an objective. It feels so much more like you are part of something. And not that different to playing alongside real people as they would also just move forward and work as a team and leave you behind if you were not keeping up.

BTW, does anyone know if the online multiplayer in CoD4 is linked between the PC and PS3 versions? or are they separate?

Sharingan
12th November 2007, 15:30
I have absolutely no idea if they are in any way linked. My guess is that they aren't ... in the one game I've tried, none of the opposing players appeared to be pulling off any moves that would require a mouse + keyboard combo (jumpshooting etc.). Then again, that doesn't have to mean anything.

I sure am hoping we, as CA members, can set up some private games some time. That'd be hilarious.

By the way, I got totally smoked. Still, I think a 13 kills/17 deaths ratio isn't TOO bad for the first online FPS I've joined in over 5 years time!

Harrison
12th November 2007, 15:47
Definitely better than when I accidentally joined a pro Quake 3 server recently and ended with 1 kill/46 deaths!!! :lol: And the one kill was a complete fluke! I grabbed a rail gun just as someone respawned in front of me, so I blew them away. And I didn't do much better when I joined a German TrackMania Nations server. I never even found the end goal of the tracks they were running, they were that madly designed. Still, all great fun.

Sharingan
12th November 2007, 16:17
I guess I was just lucky with the player pairing, and ended up with a couple of nubs :thumbs:

After only one game played, I already know what I hate most about CoD4 online: opponents with shotguns. Damn them all.

Harrison
12th November 2007, 16:31
He He. :lol: Shotguns are great when YOU have one, and horrible when you don't, and that goes for any game. They remove the need for any accurate aiming at close range. Still, great fun with a shotgun only multiplayer match.

Submeg
12th November 2007, 21:52
Cool, that sounds like a good game, considering I finished R:FOM. I'm loving FPS.

My first go online was 11 kills / 16 deaths, but after that I've been getting better....finished in the top three a couple times :)

toomanymikes
13th November 2007, 13:49
RIGHT. I can feel me going off on one here...
This last weekend the PS3 became possibly the best console ever. Let me explain -
Firmware 2.0.
This amazing little upgrade allows you to customise your x media bar and allows a hole heaps of extra options on the viewing of pictures and playing of music. So what I hear you say? Well let me tell you. You may have read my little post about the qualities of SACD in comparison to CD's or DVDA so you'll know how highly I rate this audio format. The problem with the PS3's SACD playback is that the bandwith required to carry an audio signal of its size cannot be squeezed into an optical cable, which unless you have an amp that takes a HDMI 1.3 connection is the defacto connection used to connect your ps3 to your amp. The only cables that can carry this signal are multi audio in cables (5 cables, one for each speaker), which the PS3 does not have a connection for, or the forementioned HDMI 1.3. So get yourself an amp that takes an HDMI 1.3 input you may think. The fact they are not commonly available and start at £2k may put you off. :thumbsdown2: I for one was dissapointed in this because it means that Sony are making their SACD format hard to attain and it means very few people will experience it. Well no more! Firmware 2.0 has a little known of update that compresses a SACD signal to DTS 3.2 and sends it to the correct speakers! SACD is back and available to the masses! The quality is not as good as dedicated SACD because of the compression but its still far superior to CD and DVDA. I spent last night listenting to Depeche Mode and War of the Worlds with my daughter - we loved it! So if anyone has a SACD and a PS3 then load them up and enjoy! :)

Harrison
13th November 2007, 15:11
That's great news. The one thing I always though has been great with Sony is their dedication to the technology they create. Even when it isn't the mainstream format they will still continue to improve and develop until they can't go on any longer. Look at Minidisc for example, or the PSP and the number of improvements made to its firmware since launch.

Sharingan
20th November 2007, 15:48
Firmware 2.01 out now. Get it while it's hot.

Sharingan
22nd November 2007, 16:09
Just finished the first playthrough of Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction and what can I say ... it's worth every penny. What a blast it's been, from start to finish. Fun storyline, great one-liners, weird characters, surprising variety in gameplay, brilliant weapons, crazy gadgets, gobsmackingly good visuals/sounds and a zillion and one things to unlock.

Watching this game on a big HDTV is like an orgy of visual delight - if this is the promise of things to come on the PS3, we're looking at a very interesting future for the platform indeed.

Go on, do yourself a favour and give this game a try!

toomanymikes
22nd November 2007, 22:23
NOT HAPPY! :mad:
I just downloaded Firmware 2.1 for my PS3: Lo and Behold! The SACD multichannel over optical function has been removed - it now just plays in 2 channel stereo! SWINES!!!!!
Heres a copy of the email I sent Sony on this:
Hi

When I updated my PS3 to firmware 2.0 it was able to play SACD over the optical connection in multi channel stereo. I updated the firmware again and this feature has been removed. I am very unimpressed as I have bought various SACD's as the PS3 was able to play them.

Can you explain to me why this feature has been removed as it was very popular based upon forum posts on the net? Will it be coming back in the next firmware update?

The cynical may think this is a ploy to make people buy HDMI 1.3a compatible amps, it certainly seems funny that the Sony STR-DA5300ES is released that can take a HDMI1.3a input and this feature is pulled, just in time for Christmas! Your response is appreciated.

PS3 ID: Toomanymikes

I will keep you posted on what they have to say for themselves!

Teho
22nd November 2007, 22:40
I very much doubt you'll get a straight answer, if you get an answer at all. Seems to me all companies answer such questions disambiguously like "there has been made no announcement but who knows, it might show up in some future update. In the meantime why not enjoy the other great features blahblahblah etc". Annoying, but that's usually how it is.

I don't think it's a ploy to get people to buy Sony amps though. What guarantee do they have that people will opt for Sony and not some other manufacturer? In fact, those who know a thing or two about amps (such as the ones who'd pointedly go for the HDMI-enabled ones this early) are more likely to not go for a Sony one in my opinion.

toomanymikes
22nd November 2007, 22:52
True, but I thought I would add it in just to get a reaction! I was wanting to put something a little harsher in but they probably would have just deleted my email. Im actually thinking of picking up a Onkyo TX SR805 cos you can get them from America for about £280 cheaper than here. I may just wait till after christmas to see if the prices drop.

Teho
23rd November 2007, 00:07
Looking at the new Denon 3808 (http://www.denon.co.uk/site/frames_main.php?main=prod&ver=&MID=3&sub=1&action=detail&Pid=339) myself. It is a freaking monster, supporting all the latest technologies with just about double up of every connection you'll ever need, and a lot of neat features such as wireless networking which finds and plays your shared music collection (not requiring a mediacentre solution), able to set up different zones so you can f.ex. listen to a cd in the livingroom and a radiochannel in the bedroom at the same time, just to name a few. Downside is that it's nearly £1.200, but it is tempting. Oh, so tempting. :)

Harrison
23rd November 2007, 00:39
I wish you hadn't posted a link to that Denon receiver. Now I want one! And will have one! Or the even better 4308. For the price you are getting a lot of hardware, plus upsampling of analogue and digital signals to HD is a great feature to have for passing older games consoles and DVD players through the system.

But for the moment I can live with my Sony DTS receiver. It might only be 5.1 but it still sounds good.

Sharingan
23rd November 2007, 18:13
If you can't afford an expensive receiver (+ speakers) yet, a good, quality pair of headphones can be a nice substitution (provided you have a decent amplifier to power them). In fact, there's a lot of subtle detail in music that you can only hear with a pair of cans. Only downsides to them are that you can't really 'feel' the bass, and prolonged wearing of headphones can be rather uncomfortable.

About the SACD issue, it seems strange to me that they'd add the feature to play the format in one firmware update, and remove it in the next, barely a week later. Kind of doubt it's some sort of ploy though - after all, how many PS3 owners actually used it to play SACD? There weren't that many to start with, I think.

Maybe removing some lesser-used features is a way for them to lessen resource usage? Or perhaps it actually caused some of the problems that people were experiencing after the 2.00 update? I guess we'll never really know.

Harrison
23rd November 2007, 18:18
I've already got a pretty good setup with floor standing Eltax front speakers, and centre, Eltax Bi-polar rears and a nice 12" sub, connected up to a Sony receiver. And it sounds great. But if I want support for newer equipment then I will need to look into upgrading my receiver to something new, and the Denon one looks amazing.

Demon Cleaner
23rd November 2007, 19:38
I still have my Bose 5.1 sound system, which is truly amazing. I have a Pioneer receiver, but planned (already 1 year ago) to get one of the Denon's Teho mentioned. But I really don't need on of the bigger models, as I only would need 1 HDMI input and 1 HDMI output, because I have my Auvisio HMDI control center.

Only thing that would be great, is to transfer also the sound via HDMI, no need to use optical cables anymore. But my HDMI control center also supports optical, SCART and Ethernet (1 input for each, and 4 output), so I only have to plug my devices to it, and have 1 single cable that goes from there to the receiver. And channels can be switched via remote control.

Sharingan
24th November 2007, 14:44
Got a decent 5.1 set in the living room. It isn't particularly good for music, but it does provide enough shakes for both movies and games. I'm considering upgrading it sometime though for a set that can handle music better. Probably a pair of floorstanders, coupled with a 12-14 inch subwoofer, and separate sats for surround sound. One argument against doing this is the fact that I'm living in an apartment with neighbours in just about every direction. So, unless I soundproofed my home, such a sound system would probably go to waste. On the other hand, watching DVDs and BDs without sound on full blast just isn't the same.


Has anyone played the Uncharted demo? It looks absolutely terrific, and the gameplay is a very decent mix of Tomb Raider combined with Resident Evil 4-esque gunfighting. What impressed me so much about this game is how 'alive' the scenery actually looks ... there's just so much detail in there, it's amazing how Naughty Dog managed to pull it off.

This will definitely be another must-have for me, which would put my PS3 game collection on a total of 10 already. I need to stop buying all these games ... but I can't help it. Must ... have ... more!

AlexJ
24th November 2007, 20:02
Annoyingly Activision seem to be using a single server to provide their in-game news for Guitar Hero 3. At present it's announcing extra song packs available through PS Store - great except looking at the store the packs are nowhere to be seen. Annoyingly checking the US store all the packs are available there.

I really can't see how, with the rising cost of developing a game, game publishers can afford to treat European gamers as second-rate customers.

v85rawdeal
24th November 2007, 20:42
Its because the Americans think they invented everything!

Which is amusing, as the whole world knows the USA was invented by the UK!!! ;)

Demon Cleaner
26th November 2007, 23:11
I like the Uncharted demo, but it's getting tough very fast, at least with my gaming skill. Oz preordered it and got a t-shirt, the game will be released in approx. 2 weeks. So when he finishes the game, he can borrow it to me.

Harrison
27th November 2007, 10:53
Nice thinking. Let Oz spend his money, and then you can enjoy the games. ;)

Submeg
27th November 2007, 11:41
I think the correct term is mooching......I mean, borrowing. My bad :D

Sharingan
27th November 2007, 14:09
There should be more Ozzes around! The world would be a much better place!

Yeah, I'll be picking up Uncharted as soon as it hits the stores. I thought the demo was rather hard at first, but if you make good use of cover and play conservatively, it isn't that bad. Try to get some headshots in: insta-kill, and saves tons of ammo. Save the shotgun for when the bad guys try to rush you.

Anyone tried the PS3's DVD upscaler? At 1080p resolution and with the Upscaler setting at 'Double Scale', the picture quality is pretty damn amazing. While not exactly high definition, watching DVDs with this feature is like a whole different experience. According to some sources, the PS3 upscaler is actually better than similar options offered in dedicated DVD players.

Harrison
27th November 2007, 14:56
That sounds really good. Many dedicated DVD players with HD upscalers can cost nearly £1000, so to have a superior ability on a £300 console is amazing to say the least.

Sharingan
8th December 2007, 18:41
Uncharted is in. Only tried it out for a little bit, but let's just say that this game is audiovisual bliss played on a large HDTV and with 5.1 surround sound.

Probably the most technically stunning game so far this console generation, and likely the first PS3 title that simply cannot be done on another platform at this moment (save for a high-spec PC). Naughty Dog's really outdone themselves.

Naughty Dog's now considering their next project, which could either be an Uncharted sequel, or the next iteration of Jak & Daxter.

toomanymikes
8th December 2007, 19:36
I just picked up Singstar as a pressy for my GF. It rocks so if any of you are into embarrasing yourselves in front of your mates for a laugh then I can reccomend this! :D

v85rawdeal
8th December 2007, 19:58
Uncharted is in. Only tried it out for a little bit, but let's just say that this game is audiovisual bliss played on a large HDTV and with 5.1 surround sound.

Probably the most technically stunning game so far this console generation, and likely the first PS3 title that simply cannot be done on another platform at this moment (save for a high-spec PC). Naughty Dog's really outdone themselves.

Naughty Dog's now considering their next project, which could either be an Uncharted sequel, or the next iteration of Jak & Daxter.


And the great thing is that we are not very far into this new generation of consoles.

Good times ahead!

Submeg
9th December 2007, 03:52
MGS here we come!!!

Harrison
10th December 2007, 13:22
It definitely seems like the PS3 is starting to get some great releases quite early into it's life. Especially compared to the last generation on consoles. And yet I still hear people moaning that the PS3 is rubbish because it has no decent games! :blink:

They really need to do something about the impatient short attention spans of younger people these days.

Sharingan
10th December 2007, 14:23
Fanboys are scary like that. They'd (ab)use anything to make themselves feel better about their own console. I've seen it all ... "The PS3 is too black." "Blu-ray disc has too much space." "DVD is all you need." "Jaggies!" "It's too expensive."

Usually, the people who are the most vocal in this regard are those who can't afford more than one console, so they need to do something in order to justify their purchase. Sadly, all rationality and common sense seems to go overboard then.

I'm a little further into Uncharted now, and my opinion still stands: what an amazing piece of work. Everything just clicks, from the gameplay to the graphics, from the storyline to the sound effects.

I might pick up Singstar too, just for a laugh. It's kind of inexpensive, too.

Harrison
10th December 2007, 16:42
My GF has been going on about Singstar for some time now, but it's not really my cup of tea. I noticed you can get many different themed versions now for different musical genres. I may buy one if they release it for the death metal genre! :lol: Can't see my GF being impressed by that one though, but it would be bloody funny seeing her face! ;)

toomanymikes
10th December 2007, 19:27
The songs are downloadable so you can taylor your own line up. Not much death metal on it yet likes! :lol:

Harrison
10th December 2007, 22:48
Oh, should have said that I was talking about the PS2 versions, which is available in different music genre and themed versions. It definitely makes sense to include downloadable content for the PS3 version to milk the game with new song packs.

Demon Cleaner
11th December 2007, 06:11
Singstar - Corpsegrinder Special

Now that would be a great release, definitely also a must buy for me.

Sharingan
11th December 2007, 16:34
New GT5: Prologue screens. WTF.

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/959/7xl6o7pqr5.jpg

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/8058/81yb7ecku1.jpg

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/7919/91811medhr2.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/2746/91815medqx8.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/4918/91817medzs6.jpg

Harrison
11th December 2007, 16:42
GT5 is looked very nice indeed. Have you also watched the preview videos for it?

Sharingan
11th December 2007, 16:49
Haven't watched any videos yet, but I've played the GT:HD demo, and that was already spectacular-looking. Can't imagine what magic the guys at Polyphony can work when the final version of GT5 comes 'round. Judging from the past, it'll probably be near the end of 2008 though.

Ah well ... all's forgiven, because it's got Ferrari in it.

AlexJ
11th December 2007, 18:24
They are replay graphics as opposed to during gameplay, but I agree very spectacular.

v85rawdeal
15th December 2007, 07:17
Have just played the new Burnout: Paradise game on the PS3, and I can say it has potential to be a lot of fun.

As much as I may criticise EA for their games content and similarity, I will commend them for packing a lot into their demos, including a semi-decent online play. The demo does not consist of one or two races, but an entire section of the city to play in, with a number of challenges and seemingly all the elements of the game (excluding new cars). The online game is very good as it sets you up with three other players as you compete to beat each others cores in a variety of disciplines (including oncoming traffc; near missssses; barrel rolls and more)

It looks like it should be an enjoyable release, as free-roaming is definitely the way to go in driving games (and has been ever since the days of Turbo Esprit on the 8-bits (woulda looked cool on the Amiga).

Game looks good, plays well and has decent online mode. And was quite a quick download too.

v85rawdeal
20th December 2007, 21:09
PS3 firmware v2.10 has just been released, the following is taken direct from the official site.



An update to the PS3 system software was released on December 18, 2007. If you update your PS3 system, the system software version will be 2.10 and the following features will be updated. In order to download PS3 system software version 2.10, you will need a minimum 120Mb of free space on either the PS3 Hard Disk Drive (System Update) or on removable storage media (PC Update).
The PLAYSTATION 3 system software version 2.10 update includes the following:

Voice Changerhttp://uk.playstation.com/servlet/file/voice_changer_EN.jpg?ITEM_ENT_ID=89073&COLLSPEC_ENT_ID=38
The Voice Changer feature has been added to voice / video chat. Visit the Voice Changer guide in Help & Support under PS3 at eu.playstation.com for more details.
Using this feature, you can change the tone of a voice that is input from an audio device such as a microphone. High and low-pitched tones can each be adjusted to five preset levels. You can vary the tone when using voice / video chat under Friends.

Other new or revised features in version 2.10

Music


You can now select [Type 3] as an option under Settings > [Music Settings] > [Bitmapping]. This bitmapping process was developed specifically for the PS3TM system to enhance audio playback.Video

DivX and VC-1 (WMV) have been added to the types of files that can be played. *
Blu-ray Disc Profile 1.1 is now supported. **
[BD Data Utility] has been added. ****
- To play VC-1 (WMV) format files, you must go to Settings > [System Settings] and set [Enable WMA Playback].
- Copyright-protected files or files that were encoded by using DivX 3.11 cannot be played. - Files that are 2GB or more cannot be played.
** You may now be able to use the "Picture in Picture" feature that enables playback of two videos at the same time with Profile 1.1-compatible Blu-ray Discs. Available features will vary depending on the disc.
*** The management data that is used by the Blu-ray Disc is saved.


Looks good, and the voice changer could be an amusing toy for a short while!

AlexJ
20th December 2007, 23:26
DivX support is the biggie here I guess. The voice changer looks like a gimmick but guess some people (kids) with weedy/girly voices may find it useful to sound a bit more grown up.

Still good to see the updates keep coming through.

Harrison
20th December 2007, 23:31
Would be quite fun to try and use the voice changer to sound like your favourite retro games characters.

v85rawdeal
10th January 2008, 18:38
Little Big Planet looks set to turn some serious heads...

Click here (http://crackle.com/c/Video_Games/LittleBigPlanet_CES_2008/2141762/#ml=fi%3D%26fu%3D2262162) for the video.

All those 360 owning Viva Pinata fans (all two of them!) are gonna be making the big jump to the PS3...

And in other news...



The recently announced guest appearances of Darth Vader and Yoda in Soulcalibur IV (http://kotaku.com/342985/darth-vader-yoda-join-the-cast-of-soulcalibur-iv) come with a catch—each release will feature a console exclusive Star Wars character, with Darth Vader playable only in the PlayStation 3 version, Yoda playable only in the Xbox 360 version. Yes, you'll be able to enjoy pitting light saber against sword, but you may not be able to actually have a Yoda versus Darth battle unless Namco Bandai and LucasArts decide to make them available via downloadable content.


What we need to do is pester them with emails and more emails! But at least they should be a lot of fun to play.

Cue slightly Jewish accent: "I see your schwartz is as big as mine."

Sharingan
11th January 2008, 16:40
I'm really hyped up for Little Big Planet. Looks like it's going to be a real fun game. It's just a shame that it'll probably sell like shit, because the average 18-30 gamer would much rather shoot things in first person rather than play something innovative and original.

And Darth Vader is obviously a much cooler character than Yoda.

Buleste
11th January 2008, 16:43
Frank Oz vs James Earle Jones? JEJ has the weight advantage but FO has the Miss Piggy karate chop so FO every time.

v85rawdeal
11th January 2008, 16:55
I prefer "Dark Lord of the Sith" vs. "Kermit's dad"

Sharingan
11th January 2008, 19:42
Some Resistance 2 scans:


http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/3854/r2smallli2.jpg
http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/1596/r3smallpl6.jpg
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4263/r4smallad0.jpg
http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/1817/r5smallhu4.jpg


Pictures are a bit small, but the game's looking good for how early in development it currently is!

Harrison
12th January 2008, 02:12
Those Resistance 2 shots do look good.

And this is really annoying because if a different Star Wars character is featured in the PS3 and 360 versions of SoulCalibur IV then it means I'm going to have to eventually buy both consoles as I will need both for my Star Wars collections! How annoying! :lol:

v85rawdeal
12th January 2008, 18:33
More news on Resistance 2:



Resistance 2 revealed

Game Informer confirms top-rated PS3 launch game will become franchise for Sony's rising console.

By Tor Thorsen (http://uk.gamespot.com/users/thorsen-ink/), GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/) Posted Jan 11, 2008 11:31 pm GMT

As is the case with most batches of platform-launch games, critics weren't especially kind to the titles that debuted alongside the PlayStation 3. According to Metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/resistancefallofman), the most consistently well-reviewed (http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/insomniacshooter/review.html) launch title for the platform was Resistance: Fall of Man. Developed by Ratchet & Clank creators Insomniac Games, the title blended science fiction and Harry Turtledove (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Turtledove)-esque alternate history, portraying an alien invasion of England in the 1950s--after World War II didn't happen.
According to industry-research group NPD Funworld, Resistance was a solid seller, moving nearly 791,000 copies domestically as of November 2007. Little wonder, then, that as rumored (http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6181064.html), the acclaimed game is getting sequel treatment. The February edition of Game Informer (http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200801/N08.0111.1332.50232.htm) reveals that yes, Insomniac is hard at work on a sequel, tentatively titled Resistance 2.
According to the magazine, Resistance 2 will support two campaigns, multiplayer battles of up to 60 people, and eight-person online co-op play. Unconfirmed reports say the game will support three character classes--including a heavy weapons, special operations, and the all-important medic. It will also incorporate vehicles, including the alien-built Stalker, which will have cloaking abilities.


Plus found this (could be a mock-up, but it looks good anyway)

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z169/v85rawdeal/7045-orig.jpg

v85rawdeal
14th January 2008, 10:54
And now we have this gem of news too.



Latest Windows PC games on PS3 now somehow feasible

Monday 14th January 2008, 09:09:33 AM, written by Farid


Playing the latest DX10 Windows games on PlayStation 3 is now a reality with StreamMyGame. Obviously, there is a catch accompanying this claim.

Announced today (http://www.beyond3d.com/content/pr/113/), the name of the product makes its nature clear, StreamMyGame (http://www.streammygame.com/smg/index.php) is a server/client technology that allows you to stream the video output from a Windows PC game into a Linux client running on a PlayStation 3 or a PC. To PS3/PSP combo owners, this technology should be reminiscent of the PSP remote play (http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/About/DLNA) functionality the PlayStation 3 offers for some content, such as PlayStation games.

The product comes in the form of a server running on your Windows (XP/Vista) machine and a Linux client running on your PlayStation 3, or any other machine running an adequate Linux distribution. It exists in three different versions, the basic version is free but it is stuck streaming 640x480 video output to the client. To enjoy the HD resolution of 1280x720, StreamMyGame users will have to subscribe a membership for at least a year and for the psychological friendly price of $9.99 USD (€6.72/£5.09) for the “premium” service and $19.99 USD (€13.44/£10.19) for the “unlimited” service. This latter is hardly unlimited since you cannot stream a flux higher than 1280x720.

Unlike the PS3/PSP remote play functionality StreamMyGame does not allow for remote play over the internet yet. We are promised that this feature should be made available into StreamMyGame as early as March 2008.

In fact, the company goes as far as expecting to see game publishers using StreamMyGame to establish Pay-for-Play online services. That would not be a novel idea, but it could be one of the first implementation of the concept. Evidently, it is worth noting that such a remote Pay-for-Play game streaming service would not make a lot of sense any time soon given that such a service would require an incredibly costly server setup, with a dedicated high-end box required for every users. Let us not even mention the heavy latency issues that would come with it, at least on current broadband infrastructure. On the other hand, this product might rapidly find customers on mobile platforms seeing that the server requirements would be much more modest and thus much more economically viable.

Registration form and complete information about the software pricing can be found here (http://www.streammygame.com/smg/modules.php?name=Streamer_How_It_Works#4).
Demonstration videos showing Crysis being played on a client running on the PlayStation 3 and a Linux PC are available here (http://www.streammygame.com/smg/modules.php?name=Tutorial).

toomanymikes
14th January 2008, 13:38
I wonder if you can stream an amiga emulator from your pc to ps3... now thats got me thinking!

v85rawdeal
14th January 2008, 13:50
It had also occured to me too.

v85rawdeal
14th January 2008, 16:31
And then this news crept out:-


Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has today announced a new PlayStation 3 bundle for UK games buyers.

Retailing at £349.99, the official Sony bundle will include the 40Gb PS3 console as well as offering buyers two first-party games to choose from, including some well received pre-Christmas launches such as SingStar (including microphones), Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

Described by industry trade magazine MCV as a 'bargain' offer, the list of games buyers can choose from includes: Resistance: Fall of Man, Genji: Days of the Blade, Formula One, Ridge Racer 7, Heavenly Sword, Lair, Folklore, Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction, Warhawk (including headset), SingStar (including microphones) and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

The new PlayStation 3 bundle will go on sale in the UK this Friday and will be available, claims Sony, "until further notice".

v85rawdeal
19th January 2008, 09:24
And even more interesting, and maybe a thing that will change... apprently LittleBigPlanet involves collecting 'spunk'...

Well, according to GamerTV it does!!! Maybe this is a way to attract female gamers!

v85rawdeal
20th January 2008, 18:59
And more news on the Sony front...



Sony plans Xbox Live-beating trophy system

16.01.2008
As Sony gears up for the launch of its much-anticipated Home virtual world application, the firm has announced its plans for a gamer achievement system on the PlayStation 3 (http://www.game.co.uk/lowdown.aspx?lid=7068).

Following in the footsteps of Microsoft's Xbox 360 (http://www.game.co.uk/lowdown.aspx?lid=5789), the PlayStation Network (PSN) is to reward players for their successes in-game with trophies and downloadable extras.

However, PSN director Eric Lempel claimed that Sony's system will go further than its rival's.

"We have a lot of features in different stages of development that I think our users will be very excited about," he said in an interview with the Next-Gen website.

"I know that an achievement system is very important to our consumers. With Home, and in addition to Home, we have some very exciting programs planned to recognise our consumers' gaming skills and loyalty in new ways that go well beyond a single score."

Unfortunately no further details were unveiled, but 2008 is seemingly set to be an exciting year for PlayStation 3 owners as the PSN rolls out as a competitor to Xbox Live.

Sharingan
24th January 2008, 20:33
Burnout Paradise is out. Anyone planning on picking this one up?

The demo was quite decent, I thought. I heard the Crash Junction subgame was omitted, though, which is a shame. It was great fun in Burnout 3.

Harrison
25th January 2008, 00:21
I remember reading about the removal of the Crash Junction game. I think I played that more than any other part of Burnout 3.

Graham Humphrey
25th January 2008, 09:32
It was pretty much the only good bit of Burnout 3 ;)

toomanymikes
26th January 2008, 18:51
I just got my dualshock 3 today. Man I missed rumble - but Im still miffed that they removed it just cos they didnt want pay royalties. All in all its far better built than the sixaxis- the plastic feels tougher and is completely opaque rather than the semi transparent sixaxis. its heavier too- must be the rumble magnets.

Harrison
28th January 2008, 13:20
Do any existing PS3 games have dualshock support? Or will we need to wait for it to be included in future releases?

toomanymikes
28th January 2008, 13:38
All the games I have tried it with so far have it - Warhawk, Resistance FOM, Devil may Cry demo, Turok demo & COD 4.
So far so good!

Harrison
28th January 2008, 14:58
That is great news. I was worried that because Sony had initially removed rumble support that the developers would have left it out of the games, but some you list are quite early titles so that is good to know.

AlexJ
28th January 2008, 16:40
I'd imagine it's relatively easy to add rumble into a game with an patch/update.

Harrison
28th January 2008, 16:41
Maybe. But surely it is quite a complex thing as it needs to be coded to the actions of the player, as well as set pieces within a game. So, much like triggered audio events in a game.

Sharingan
29th January 2008, 08:08
Burnout Paradise turned out to be a spiffy game. I initially had some reservations about it, but after trying the full game for an hour or two, I can say it's been a thrilling ride so far - and I haven't even touched the online option yet. Criterion has really outdone themselves creating the city in which the game takes place - it feels alive like a real city would, and it looks and sounds absolutely fantastic.

Sharingan
6th February 2008, 19:58
Devil May Cry 4 will be released in Europe on the 8th of February.

I liked the demo, but I'm not sure I'll be getting the game right away - I didn't even finish part 3.

v85rawdeal
27th March 2008, 18:54
Update features (ver 2.20)

Find out what features are included in PS3 system software update 2.20.
An update to the PS3 system software was released on March 25, 2008. If you update your PS3 system, the system software version will be 2.20 and the following features will be updated. In order to download PS3 system software version 2.20, you will need a minimum 130Mb of free space on either the PS3 Hard Disk Drive (System Update) or on removable storage media (PC Update).
Main features in system software update version 2.20

BD-LIVE supportBlu-ray Disc Profile 2.0 (BD-LIVE) is now supported. Visit the BD-Live guide in Help & Support under PS3 > Video at eu.playstation.com for more details.

Copying playlistshttp://uk.playstation.com/servlet/file/Update_220_SCEE_playlist_en.png?ITEM_ENT_ID=97416&COLLSPEC_ENT_ID=38
You can now copy playlists that you create in Music and Photo to a PSP system. Visit the Copying playlists guide in Help & Support under PS3 > Getting started > Managing Files on PS3 at eu.playstation.com for more details.
Other new or revised features in version 2.20
Settings

The way you register Bluetooth devices has changed. Also, you can now manage your registered devices.
A [BD Internet Connection] setting has been added under [BD/DVD Settings].
An [Audio Output Device] setting has been added under [Remote Play Settings].Photo

You can now display an image while editing a playlist.Music

You can now play a music track while editing a playlist.Video

You can now play DivX and WMV format files that are 2GB or larger.
You can now display subtitles in DivX-format video files.
You can now begin playing a DVD from the point where you previously stopped it (Resume Play).
A [Mosquito Noise Reduction] option has been added under [AV Settings] in the control panel for standard DVDs.
You can now play BD-R version 1.2 (LTH* BD-R) discs.* LTH, or low to high, is a recording method that supports organic dye write-once BD-R media.
Network


You can now change some PS3 system settings during remote play.
[Save Target] has been added as an option under [File] in the browse mode menu of the Internet browser. This option lets you save a file that is linked from a Web page, such as an image or video file, or other type of file, to your PS3 system's hard drive or storage media.
The Internet browser now displays some Web pages more quickly.
Using the Internet browser, you can now play a linked video file* as it is being downloaded.* Some types of video files cannot be viewed in this manner and must be downloaded completely before playback.
Note:


This system software update includes all features contained in previous versions.
The new system software will preserve any settings previously made to the PLAYSTATION 3. Depending on the software title, you may not be able to play without first updating the PS3 system software.
Do not perform updates using any data other than the official update data provided by Sony Computer Entertainment over a network or on disc media, and do not perform updates by methods other than those described in the product documentation or in this site. If an update is performed using data from another source, by another method, or with a PS3 system that has been altered or modified in any way, the PS3 system may not operate properly and may not be able to install the official update data. Any of these actions may void the PS3 system warranty and affect your ability to obtain warranty services and repair services from Sony Computer Entertainment.



Click here (http://uk.playstation.com/help-support/ps3/guides/detail/item60697/Download-now/)to download...

toomanymikes
28th March 2008, 08:47
Cool. Downside is I wont have the net for a month as I have moved house. :mad: That means I can only much around on the net for an hour a day over my lunch break at work. I may actually get things done!

Harrison
28th March 2008, 13:13
Some very nice updates included there. I especially like the DivX additions to support subtitles and larger files. Very useful. And the playlist functionality is good too.

The PS3 is quickly become a very nice multimedia system and at it's current price point is much more desirable than any standalone BD player.

Now to work out if and when I can afford to buy one. Maybe I should include it on my wedding list, under the 60" Pioneer HDTV! ;)

Demon Cleaner
28th March 2008, 13:45
Cool. Downside is I wont have the net for a month as I have moved house. :mad: That means I can only much around on the net for an hour a day over my lunch break at work. I may actually get things done!So just download the update to a memory stick in your lunch break.

toomanymikes
31st March 2008, 08:26
Cool. Downside is I wont have the net for a month as I have moved house. :mad: That means I can only much around on the net for an hour a day over my lunch break at work. I may actually get things done!So just download the update to a memory stick in your lunch break.

Thats why I post on this forum - to get people to think for me! ;)
Good plan.

v85rawdeal
31st March 2008, 14:45
Thats one of the reasons I included the direct link, that and the fact that Sony had forgotten to link to the download page on the site itself... The muppets!!!

v85rawdeal
6th April 2008, 00:34
More news on RFOM 2



Australia, April 3, 2008 - Every few months Sony Australia holds an event in Sydney called Pause – essentially a chance to bring the local journos up to speed on the world of PlayStation and to give us all a chance to go hands-on with an array of titles. At the most recent event – held yesterday – one of the components of the presentation was a recording made for us by Ted Price, head of Insomniac, on Resistance 2 (http://uk.ps3.ign.com/objects/142/14211237.html). While he didn't reveal many new details, it was an interesting insight into the thinking at Insomniac nonetheless, so we figured we'd jot down a few of the things he commented on.

First of all he mentioned that there was a "lack of unification" between the original Resistance's single and multiplayer modes, and that this will be addressed in the sequel. Not only will Resistance 2 have a far more unified design – both in gameplay terms and in aesthetics, settings and story, but Price views the game's eight player co-op – which is a separate set of levels from the single player game - as the perfect bridge between single player and multiplayer. He noted the difficulty of hopping straight into a huge multiplayer firefight, and pointed out that co-op would be the perfect way to learn how to operate as part of a team, without being thrown in the deep end. You can also expect Resistance 2 to be even more community focused than the original, with Price saying that most FPS communities are "anaemic".


http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/864/864495/Resistance_1207288135.jpg

A face only a mother could... etcetera.




Price also acknowledged that the opening sections of the first game were "weak" and that fans can expect Resistance 2 to begin with much more of a bang. The story will also be bigger and more thorough, according to Price, exploring who Hale is, and dealing with the transformations upon himself from his infection by the virus. The third person narrative is out too, with Hale firmly at the centre, hopefully making the game more immersive. In terms of the story, the events of Resistance 2 kick off right after the end of the original, with Hale landing in Iceland. It's not long, however, before he moves on to San Francisco and becomes a member of the Sentinels.

It seems most of the game will be set in America, with the Chimera hitting the U.S. on both the east and west coasts simultaneously. Price spoke a little about their vision of alternate history 1950s America – this ain't the clean cut, suburban stereotype from our world, but a bleak, desolate place that becomes even more so after the Chimera begin to decimate it. Cheery.

Price also revealed that further details of the 60 player online and eight player co-op would be revealed soon, so stay tuned!

And in unrelated, but definitely appreciated, news...



PLAYSTATION Store (PS3) is changing... come on inside and find out how.

PLAYSTATION Store (PS3) on PLAYSTATION Network will be undergoing a dramatic change in April 2008, hitting your screens with a redesign that will make your Store experience even better than ever.

Due mid-April, PLAYSTATION Store (PS3) will gain a new design, interface and navigation in response to feedback from the millions of PSN registrants in the PAL region. This revamp will not affect PLAYSTATION Network accounts or the virtual wallet system, so current users can just sit back and enjoy the fresh look and feel of the Store.

While content will be suspended for two weeks as the improvements are carried out, users can look forward to a special update mid-April and also enjoy the bumper batch of titles and entertainment recently released, including the sterling Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and refreshing slapstick action PAIN, not to mention the vast back catalogue of titles currently available.

v85rawdeal
10th April 2008, 22:54
And now more news regarding Sony Firmware...



Hey Everyone! We know you’re all patiently waiting for the next PS3 firmware update, ver. 2.30, which includes the revamped PLAYSTATION Store (http://blog.us.playstation.com/2008/03/31/new-playstation-store-interface-coming-in-mid-april/). The good news is that it’s coming soon.

I have more good news to report today – the system software update will also add DTS-HD Master Audio output for Blu-ray videos, which means the high-definition visuals of Blu-ray will now be matched with the highest quality audio for the ultimate movie-watching experience on PS3.

DTS-HD Master Audio is literally bit-for-bit identical to the studio master recording and makes movie soundtracks and sound effects truly come to life. The technology delivers audio at the incredibly high rate of 24.5 mega-bits per second (Mbps) on Blu-ray disc, which is significantly higher than standard DVDs. DTS-HD Master Audio also offers 7.1 audio channels at 96k sampling frequency/24 bit depths, so you’ll be totally immersed in the sound. The firmware update will add DTS-HD High Resolution Audio as well, which is a similar output technology that requires less disc space. You can read more about both codecs here (http://www.dts.com/dts-hd/dts-on-bluray-and-hddvd.php).

A lot of you, particularly the home theatre enthusiasts and audiophiles out there, have been asking us for this capability, and we can’t wait until you have an opportunity to pop in a compatible Blu-ray video to test it out for yourself.


Looks like Sony are TRULY pushing the boat out now for the PS3. This is what support should be like. Maybe 'Tendo could take some lessons from this...

Also....

For those of you who like to be in with the latest fashions....



A NetBlender SDK will soon allow Apple's iPhone to communicate with the PlayStation 3 console.

The new connectivity will see the the iPhone acting as a PS3 (http://play.tm/story/17278#) remote control, and will also introduce new touch features that might be integrated into PS3 movies (via Blu-ray), games and applications.

The CTO said the new SDK "will allow studios, independent movie companies to enable BD Touch features. These features send data in two directions from the Disc to the iPhone and vice versa. Video, audio, text, and player commands can be sent. So right now it seems everyone likes the ‘remote control’ idea. However the player can control the iPhone as well."

Another possible application of this new feature would see portable versions of Blu-ray releases copied to the iPhone for watching on the go.

Damn, it never rains... Just like a bus (how's that for mixing metaphors)

Harrison
11th April 2008, 01:21
I can guarantee you will never see me controlling a PS3 via an Apple product! ;)

Nice about the audio though. Why do people hate Sony again? They seem to be the only company who are truly supporting their customers. What other company would upgrade the capacities of their system so much since launch? Definitely not M$!

Buleste
11th April 2008, 10:39
Nintendo don't need to take lessons from Sony as the Wii is out selling the PS3 in every region. Goes to show, the technology doesn't have to be the best to be the best seller, it's all about quality and Sony have let toooooooooooooo many crap and overpriced games loose for the PS's. I'm not saying there hasn't been some turkeys for the Wii but they have been fewer and the quality games have been greater in number.

Harrison
11th April 2008, 13:45
There are other reasons for this. Nintendo have throughout the history of all their systems charged games developers a premium to develop games for their systems, viewing it that these developers should be privileged to be allowed to release their titles on a Nintendo platform. Titles have also always had to go through a stright quality control. This was OK in the NES and SNES days because it kept quality high and most developers knew they would have a popular title on their hands. But since the N64 this has kind of back fired a bit for Nintendo, with systems since then mainly enjoying first party software and not much from third party developers.

In contrast Sony have always wanted the Playstation range to be quite open for any developer to develop for. Yes this does introduce a load of dross into the back catalogue of the platform, but it equally generates a lot more creativity and variety of releases. Look at the number of games released for both the original and PS2. Each has a back catalogue of thousands, with at least a few hundred of those being polished must play titles. In contrast look at the Nintendo systems. How many games were released for each? Definitely not that many for the N64 and Gamecube compared to Sony's. OK most that were released were great must play titles, but for the N64 this was definitely under 50 titles and for the Gamecube it wasn't that different. Look again at both the original PSOne and the PS2 and there were more RPGs released for each than good titles in total for Nintendo systems!

As for the current generation. I don't think you can really directly compare the PS3 and Wii, as the later is a pure gaming platform, whereas the PS3 is offering a complete home entertainment solution that to a certain extent is reliant on the HD home movie market, and with that still slowly gaining speed it was always going to take time before consumers started to buy into the HD revolution and the PS3. I'm sure towards the end of this year the PS3 will start to pick up in popularity, especially as the price of HD TVs is starting to tumble. You can now buy a 22" HDTV for £199 and a 32" for £399.

As for the Xbox 360. I think it is now starting to age fast. When the Wii and PS3 were first launched a lot of next generation titles were being released as 360 exclusives. Now if you take a look they are all cross platform releases for 360 and PS3, with the PS3 getting the exclusives. The biggest reason has to be that developers are starting to outgrow the 360's DVD storage limitations and enjoying the much larger Blu-Ray media.

Sharingan
11th April 2008, 18:37
I'm not saying there hasn't been some turkeys for the Wii but they have been fewer and the quality games have been greater in number.

Actually, I dare say that the amount of craptastic 'shovelware' on the Wii has so far been much worse on the Wii as it is on the other next-gen platforms. Only recently have developers started taking the Wii more seriously (who wouldn't, considering how well it's sold) and begun investing more time into developing for it.

It's been so bad that even diehard Wii fans have started threads in online forums complaining about the tragic overall quality of Wii releases - that has to be an indication of something. So far, the system's best games have all been 1st party Nintendo releases, with the odd exception here and there.

I don't think anyone really expected the Wii to sell as well as it has, not even Nintendo itself.

Harrison
11th April 2008, 18:54
I agree. It sold so well that developers rushed products to market to make some money, hence the poor quality releases. It should see more quality games this year though as developers have now had some time to work on the next wave of games.

v85rawdeal
12th April 2008, 19:02
Personally, I think the Wii is the most over-rated hunk of plastic I ever wasted my money on... but millions of others can't be wrong!

My comment was actually referring to the way that Sony are looking to support the PS3 and keep their user-base happy, rather than the milking of cosh (Cosh??? I mean't cash!!!) from all the adoring fans that 'Tendo has. Their Virtual Console is a great example of Europe getting a second-rate product because they can't be bothered to recode the games.

Their product may be great but their appreciation of the people who made it the success it is is quite laughable.

Sharingan
16th April 2008, 19:01
So, what did everyone think of the redesigned PS Store?

I kind of like it. Definitely a lot less clunky compared to the old store, and it matches nicely with the XMB, since it uses the same style of lettering and design. Too bad the server seemed a bit overloaded, though, seeing as how the icons and such took ages to load.

I've been dabbling a bit with Everybody's Golf: World Tour since tuesday, and it's quite enjoyable. I don't even normally like golf games, but this one is very easy to get into.

Harrison
16th April 2008, 23:26
I've always quite liked golf games and enjoyed the earlier PSX and PS2 games from the Everybody's Golf series. Definitely has the aim of fun in mind rather than realism.

Demon Cleaner
17th April 2008, 06:40
I didn't update to the newest version yet, but Oz did, and also told me that the loading times were quite annoying due to the high traffic.

v85rawdeal
17th April 2008, 12:19
The latest update is now available here (http://uk.playstation.com/help-support/ps3/guides/detail/item60697/Download-now/).

Approx 124mb in size....

Sharingan
5th June 2008, 21:51
Countdown to Metal Gear Solid 4: 7 days!

WUT! :thumbs:

v85rawdeal
5th June 2008, 21:57
Yay, next-gen amazing gameplay interspersed with the odd 1/2 hour movie... every five minutes!!!

Actually, it should be quite an impressive game (Famitsu gave it 40/40) that should shift more consoles... Not that GTA didn't shift them either. Portsmouth was completely out of stock of PS3s a couple of days after GTA came out.

And that's without the advertising that the 360 version got (every mag advert I saw was 360 based, as was the TV advert).

Submeg
5th June 2008, 23:22
Well it's obvious why....cause the 360 is out of date and cr@p so....

v85rawdeal
5th June 2008, 23:28
That reminds me.

I was recently informed that the reason that Gamestation seems to have lots of second-hand 360s is that they are, for the most, new stock that just isnt selling.

It looks like it could be a case of opening them, listing them as sold, and then selling them off as second-hand. Same as happens in the car market.

Submeg
12th June 2008, 14:59
I just got MGS4.

O

M

G

It is wonderful

Harrison
12th June 2008, 16:38
Many reviewers are saying they are disappointed with MGS4 because it doesn't deliver everything that was promised during the previews. However they have all then gone on to give it high scores, so although some ideas for the game were dropped during development they all still seem to think it is a good addition to the series.

What are your initial thoughts about the game, gameplay etc... and is it as good as you thought it was going to be?

Submeg
12th June 2008, 23:55
Seriously, everyone is being so harsh on games these days. I don't read previews, I just know the series and I buy it. The storyline is strong, I really have 2 go back and play the others to remember the games! They use all the same voice actors, which is good (I won't go into detail for which characters)

controls are the same, which is always a big plus. The kept the CQC, which was a good idea. The gameplay is as smooth as always, the sneaking part of this game is very dfferent,as there are two groups fighting each other, rather than all looking to get u. So it gets easy to slip past them and avoid getting into gunfights.

Graphics are excellent, looks sweet on my plasma. Sound is very absorbing, it's a big part of this game, the soldiers are very aware of sound and now smell. The camo is cool...very interesting and works pretty well! I was laying down in front of this log and there was an enemy soldier standing on the log and he didn't see me. Was good!

I havent played it for that long, as I have a stack of uni work to do, so I don't have time, but of what I have played, the storyline is so good. I forgot how a good storyline really makes a game. The characters are cool....just overall it's a really good game.

Submeg
13th June 2008, 16:28
I just killed the first boss...I forgot how scary and twisted MGS can be at times...Not freaked out too much, but enough to send chills up my spine

Sharingan
13th June 2008, 19:28
Agreed with Sub about reviewers being way too nitpicky these days.

The game doesn't boast 100+ hours of adrenaline pumping gameplay? That's 10 points off the score!

No super duper 500 billion polygon graphics with gigabit lighting and hyperdrive texture mapping? This game looks like crap!

What's this? A framerate skip? Unacceptable!

Wait, you mean this game doesn't do my laundry and cook me meals? What a travesty.

I don't even read reviews anymore - I bought the game trusting Kojima to have created another great adventure, and to me, he's delivered the goods yet again. Everything from the controls, the gameplay, the sound effects, the storyline to the visuals just spell 'quality'.

Submeg
14th June 2008, 00:31
Here Here! It is definately the best game I have played on PS3 so far....very nice! I'm actually watching the story and realising I have 2 go back and play them all again!

svenof9
15th June 2008, 10:22
That reminds me.

I was recently informed that the reason that Gamestation seems to have lots of second-hand 360s is that they are, for the most, new stock that just isnt selling.

It looks like it could be a case of opening them, listing them as sold, and then selling them off as second-hand. Same as happens in the car market.

If a member of Gamestation staff is doing that, they are gonna land themselves in serious trouble. The truth is that at least half the machines that get delivered end up being used as faulty replacements, and they are having loads of 360s traded in due to the continual failures of the hardware. That + MGS4 = trading machine for PS3. I heard from a contact that at his store, one guy in the last week who had sent his Elite back to M$ as it had red ringed and they sent him it back "repaired", it wouldn't even switch on. It was within the year so as stated under the consumer protection act they swopped it for a new one and put the machine in the pile of Xbox 360 going back faulty. He then traded the new machine in for a PS3. I wouldn't be surprised if that isn't happening everywhere to be honest.

As for sales since December there has only been one month where the PS3 hasn't outsold the 360 2:1 in the UK an that was April with the price drop on the 360 - but it still didn't sell more units than the PS3, just got close.

Its the ST 520 and A500 all over again - same patterns in retail - same development pattern for the games.... and the ST/360 owners will wish they had bought A500/PS3 ... :)

PS Hi all :)

Sharingan
17th June 2008, 21:42
Welcome svenof9! :thumbs:

Sales for MGS4 have been very encouraging so far, reaching over 1.5 million units (worldwide) on the first day alone. Konami deserves the moolah too, for bringing us such a quality game. Everything else appears crappy in comparison.

Submeg
18th June 2008, 08:26
Just finished MGS, was quite a good ending to the Snake era. Was a very good game, and the story was explained well and completed nicely. Can't wait for what they come up with next!

Demon Cleaner
18th June 2008, 12:07
Just finished MGS, was quite a good ending to the Snake era. Was a very good game, and the story was explained well and completed nicely. Can't wait for what they come up with next!Already? So how long do you need for the whole game to complete?

Submeg
18th June 2008, 13:20
Not too long, I will have a look at my play time in a min. Mind you I am a dedicated MGS player so yea I played it hard and fast lol

Harrison
18th June 2008, 14:24
And you are also a student so have a lot of free time on your hands! ;)

Submeg
19th June 2008, 00:17
Hmm, yes at the moment I do, but I have one more assignment and an exam to do then I will have copious amounts of free time!! hehe

Submeg
19th June 2008, 07:49
Well, if you consider so much of this game is movies my actual play time is a lot less lol.

Finished it in 16:26:18

I must have stuffed around a bit in there!

Sharingan
19th June 2008, 13:54
Copious amounts of free time indeed :eyebrow:

I got the game at launch, but I've only been able to sink 3 hours into the game so far. Hopefully, I'll have a little more leisure time soon, so I can finish up some games. GTAIV is still lying about somewhere, too.

Submeg
19th June 2008, 14:39
GTA is quite sweet too, havent finished that one yet!!

Teho
19th June 2008, 16:41
GTA4 is indeed great, but I haven't finished it yet either. Haven't played it in weeks in fact. The latest VGCats (http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=265) neatly sums up why.

Submeg
22nd June 2008, 17:25
10:45:32...really zoomed through, spent an hour getting drebin points...got over a mil now, want 5 so I can get stealth...

v85rawdeal
26th June 2008, 19:04
getting drebin points...


Do they allow you to become a member of Police Squad???

Tell the truth, you can be Frank with me...:)

Sharingan
8th July 2008, 19:00
Finally finished the game, restarting on another difficulty level.

What an epic game; couldn't have thought of a better way for Solid Snake to go.

Hideo Kojima is thinking of continuing the series, but I really can't imagine a Metal Gear game without the iconic hero.

Next game I'm looking forward to will be Soul Calibur IV. Should be yummy.

Sharingan
31st July 2008, 18:28
Soul Calibur IV is out.

Eye candy for sure! And oh, the fighting mechanics aren't bad either.

And online play!

Harrison
31st July 2008, 23:49
I love Soul Calibur. I've been hooked on that series since the original Soul Blade (Soul Edge in arcades), and the first Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast was amazing. They still haven't managed to match the great intro of Soul Blade yet though. What is the intro like on the new one?

Submeg
1st August 2008, 04:41
Meh, over fighting games. only good if the person you are playing is around the same level as you...getting unlockable moves and outfit extras....*YAWN* next.

Sharingan
1st August 2008, 11:40
The intro is actually not as good - in fact, quite boring even. It's rendered using the in-game engine as opposed to being CG, so it looks a bit wooden and lifeless.

Demon Cleaner
1st August 2008, 13:00
I'm always amazed how the push the bar a level higher with each release of a fighting game, but I would never buy one, I don't really like beat'em up games. Can be fun for 30 minutes with a friend, but worth a buy? Not in my case.

Sharingan
9th September 2008, 17:27
The coming months will see some spiffy titles being released. Personally, I'm most eager to get my hands on Resistance 2, MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, LittleBigPlanet and Valkyria Chronicles, though I might give Mirror's Edge, Bioshock and SOCOM: Confrontation a try as well.

Not sure about Silent Hill: Homecoming. As far as I know, the development of that one was handled by a different team, and the previews haven't been exactly glowing so far.


Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty
Silent Hill: Homecoming
Wipeout HD
Golden Axe: Beast Riders
Rise of the Argonauts
Saints Row 2
Far Cry 2
Bioshock
LittleBigPlanet
SOCOM: Confrontation
Fallout 3
Resistance 2
MotorStorm: Pacific Rift
Valkyria Chronicles
Mirror's Edge
Prince of Persia
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
The Last Remnant

Demon Cleaner
9th September 2008, 18:10
I'm looking forward to Valkyrie Chronicles and The Last Remnant of course, but I'm also surely getting Resistance 2. I have Bioshock for the 360, and I got it for about 10$ on ebay, along with Gears of War and Halo 3.

I saw them playing Silent Hill at Giga TV yesterday, although the gameplay was not bad, the graphics weren't polished at all. Even Silent Hill on the PS2 had better cutscenes, but the game is not finished yet, so hopefully they will still adjust some things.

Sharingan
10th September 2008, 22:06
I'm also hoping they'll bring out those PSN prepaid cards sometime soon. There's quite a bit of stuff in the Store I'd like to try, but since I don't have a credit card (nor do I want one), I've had to let that stuff pass me by.

Siren: Blood Curse looks to be great, for example - definite pant-pissing material!

Another development I'm glad about is that multiplatform titles these days are virtually indistinguishable between the PS3 and 360. It's reassuring to know that developers are spending more effort and resources to optimise for the different architecture used in the PS3. Quite a change from the situation a year ago, when shoddy ports were the norm.

v85rawdeal
13th September 2008, 23:58
Just had a go on the beta for Motorstorm. For those who played the original, it is more of the same. But all of it a little bit better. The grafix are cleaner, more detailed. The music is definitely more of the same... The physics seems to be more accurate (not that I have ever driven my truck off a cliff just to see how my body reacts to each bounce...), the other thing is that it does have a little bit more in the way of players. YES! Motorstorm has gone TWO-player!!!

Should be good fun.

Teho
14th September 2008, 00:16
I've tried it for a little bit as well. I have to say I was disappointed. But I didn't think the first game was that great either mind. The track this demo offered was very uninspired to say the least, more boring than any of the tracks in the first game. And whether or not you get a good result still feels like is based on random chance rather than having anything to do with skill at all, which was one of my biggest issues with the first game. Sometimes you just played the same race over and over hoping the game would eventually let you win it. The chaotic nature of the races in Motorstorm is fun for a little while, but once that wears off there's not much left to enjoy. And this demo tells me that the sequel will be no different. I won't be standing in line to get this. If it does get great reviews I might pick up the eventual platinum release.

Sharingan
14th September 2008, 09:38
While I did enjoy the original Motorstorm, I've got to agree that the randomness of it could get rather frustrating (not so much an issue when playing against human players). The way the A.I. works is: when you're in first place, everyone else gets a speed boost. So, no matter how pro you are, no matter if you don't make any mistakes from that point onwards, if you're in first place, you'll get overtaken eventually. It's a way to artificially increase the difficulty of the game, but IMO, it stinks.

The trick to win races is basically to hang back a little, and only boost past the leading car for the win when you're nearly at the end of the last lap.

And yeah, according to most people who've tried the demo, the track featured there wasn't exactly the best, but there's supposed to be 16 in the full game, so all hope's not lost :thumbs:

Sharingan
14th September 2008, 16:17
Apparently, the demo that was released to the public was from an old build of the game. The final game promises to at least LOOK quite a bit better.


http://www.vertigogaming.net/HUD/newmotorstormcompare.jpg

Demon Cleaner
17th September 2008, 11:26
Received Mercenaries 2, but didn't try it out yet.

Sharingan
17th September 2008, 16:26
White Knight Chronicles has gotten a Japanese release date: 12/25/2008 (according to Famitsu).

Sharingan
19th September 2008, 15:56
Some new screenshots for White Knight Chronicles:

http://www.widgamer.com/screens/ps3/3299/large/screenshots/87669_white-knight-story.jpg

http://www.widgamer.com/screens/ps3/3299/large/screenshots/87668_white-knight-story.jpg

http://www.widgamer.com/screens/ps3/3299/large/screenshots/87667_white-knight-story.jpg

http://www.widgamer.com/screens/ps3/3299/large/screenshots/87666_white-knight-story.jpg

http://www.widgamer.com/screens/ps3/3299/large/screenshots/87662_white-knight-story.jpg


Looking funtastic!

Demon Cleaner
23rd September 2008, 16:30
A lot of videos are already available for White Knight Chronicles at YouTube.

Sharingan
5th October 2008, 19:57
Some new screenies of Resistance 2. This game is turning out really well, definitely a huge step up from the original.

http://www.1up.com/media/03/6/1/5/lg/557.jpg

http://www.1up.com/media/03/6/1/5/lg/551.jpg

http://www.1up.com/media/03/6/1/5/lg/555.jpg

http://www.1up.com/media/03/6/1/5/lg/548.jpg

http://www.1up.com/media/03/6/1/5/lg/544.jpg

http://www.1up.com/media/03/6/1/5/lg/546.jpg

v85rawdeal
9th October 2008, 19:51
Goddamn, that is pant-wettingly good!!!!

And its not all brown!

Sharingan
10th October 2008, 18:28
Valkyria Chronicles = sweet. First day purchase for me, when it comes out.

Sharingan
4th November 2008, 22:22
LittleBigPlanet is mine :thumbs:

First impression is that it's brilliant. From the first screen on, you already know that you're experiencing something special. Can't wait to try out the online community aspect - the possibilities seem endless.

Sharingan
25th November 2008, 16:30
Apparently, Trophies are to become mandatory for games developers from 2009 onwards.

A good inititiative, IMO. It really doesn't take that much effort to add trophy support, and for some people they add a lot of replayability to a game.


On another note, I really like Mirror's Edge. It's very polished, and definitely unique in the gameplay department. It IS a frustrating game, though, so people with high blood pressure (or little patience) probably should steer clear. Lots of tricky areas require quite a bit of trial-and-error, so expect to die a LOT. This somewhat breaks up the flow (which is what the game actually is about), but I think they intentionally made it this way, because it really isn't a very long game. The trophies will give it some replay value, though.

I also got Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm. The animation in this game is simply unreal.

Demon Cleaner
26th November 2008, 06:54
I still didn't get my copy of Mirror's Edge, I think I'm never gonna do an order at Play again, this is not the first time I wait for over 2-3 weeks for a game to arrive, don't know what they're doing.

I found an online shop in Canada called AxelMusic (http://www.axelmusic.com/), and they have very low prices and also very low shipping costs. And they also have region free games for the 360 and region free BluRay's. I ordered Resistance 2 yesterday, will have see if they ship it faster than Play.

Harrison
26th November 2008, 12:17
With the low value of the US and Canadian Dollar at the moment you should be able to grab some bargains.

Are there any differences between the US High Definition standards and those in Europe? I remember reading something a long time ago but don't know if that is still the case.

Also is online content region related on game discs? With PC games for example some games purchased in Europe are coded to connect to the European servers for a game or other content, whereas a US or Jap version will be coded to connect to their region's network. Not sure if the same is true of PS3 and 360 games. Anyone know?

Sharingan
26th November 2008, 15:41
Yeah, online is generally region-locked, though there are games that allow you to manually connect to a different region (Motorstorm Pacific Rift is one such game). Wouldn't want to play with spotty-faced Americans, anyway :thumbs:

As for high definition standards, there's no longer the whole PAL vs. NTSC issue anymore, if that's what you mean. Just the two standard HD resolutions: 720p and 1080p (and 1080i, if you choose to include that).

Harrison
26th November 2008, 15:45
I'm sure there is something different about the US vs European HD resolution standards though. In a video authoring conference I attended a while ago they mentioned something, and I think it might have been related to framerates, with US HD maybe running at a different framerate to EU HD. I will have to look though the HD standards specs and have a look.

AlexJ
26th November 2008, 19:18
I'm sure there is something different about the US vs European HD resolution standards though. In a video authoring conference I attended a while ago they mentioned something, and I think it might have been related to framerates, with US HD maybe running at a different framerate to EU HD. I will have to look though the HD standards specs and have a look.

Broadcast HD does indeed run slightly different framerates in US/UK. It's 25Hz 1080i or 50Hz 720p in the UK and 30Hz 1080i, 60Hz 720p in US. It's a carry over from the old days, but I'm not 100% sure why, the frequency of the mains supply shouldn't be a factor in framerate on LCD/Plasma TVs any more.

A lot of HD sets will work fine with both systems as the sets will be sold in both markets (and I believe it is also a requirement of TV's displaying the 'HD Ready logo')

Sharingan
27th November 2008, 22:48
European PSN store updated. Demos of Age of Booty, Dead Space and GTI Club. Age of Booty looks like a fun game.

Also, a free turkey head costume for LittleBigPlanet and a Chimera costume for 2 bucks. Although I think the price for the paid costumes is a bit steep, Media Molecule is nice for bringing out weekly freebies as well. I'm actually waiting for some more significant DLC, such as additional music, building materials with certain themes (how about a Resistance-themed pack?), other backgrounds etc.

AlexJ
27th November 2008, 23:35
Also, a free turkey head costume for LittleBigPlanet and a Chimera costume for 2 bucks. Although I think the price for the paid costumes is a bit steep, Media Molecule is nice for bringing out weekly freebies as well. I'm actually waiting for some more significant DLC, such as additional music, building materials with certain themes (how about a Resistance-themed pack?), other backgrounds etc.

I'd prefer them to sort out the online play - it lags so badly that anything where f.e. you need to perform several jumps in a row without stopping becomes almost impossible. It spoils what should be one of the best aspects of the game.

Sharingan
28th November 2008, 15:26
Yeah, I haven't played LBP much online because of the server issues. Still having a blast with the single-player mode, though, and planning to dive into the level editor sometime soon.

On another note, Resistance 2 is a winner, in all respects. Superior to Resistance FOM in every way. The first level alone is going to drop some jaws, guaranteed.

Let's try the online co-op mode sometime; apparently, it's a lot of fun.

Demon Cleaner
28th November 2008, 17:28
Hopefully I will get my copy soon, I just finished Fall of Man.

v85rawdeal
29th November 2008, 22:14
Not to mention Syndicate Wars is available as a full download for just under £4.

Sharingan
30th November 2008, 12:15
Heh ... the online cooperative game in Resistance 2 is hilarious. I've been spending more time on it than the single-player campaign. Addictive, too.

Demon Cleaner
15th December 2008, 16:32
@Submeg

I notice every time I start my PS3, that you've not been online for over 130 days now, do you still use your PS3?? If not online, offline perhaps??

Teho
15th December 2008, 19:06
New God of War 3 trailer (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/43621.html?type=). Doesn't really show much. As expected, Kratos is angry, and violently so. And that's how we like him. :)

Demon Cleaner
17th December 2008, 02:37
I just finished Resistance 2 and have to admit that I liked it a lot, but don't think it's better than the prequel.

First of all, it's a lot shorter and what I enormously missed, were vehicles. In R:FoM f.ex. you could drive a jeep, a tank, a stalker... which was pure fun, and a good diversion of the usual shooting. In Resistance 2 there's not one single opportunity to grab a vehicle.

The huge enemies are indeed very impressive, but they go down faster than you have the chance to admire them :lol:

Submeg
17th December 2008, 06:40
So don't bother with Resistance 2? I thought R:FOM was short :dry:


@Submeg

I notice every time I start my PS3, that you've not been online for over 130 days now, do you still use your PS3?? If not online, offline perhaps??

I haven't touched it much. I have finished all the games I have. If anyone is still playing R:FOM I'm in. But yea, quite bored with it atm, been so busy with my uni work. I haven't been able to come on here, let alone play my PS3

Currently looking to buy: LittleBigPlanet and Mirror's Edge

Demon Cleaner
17th December 2008, 15:33
I don't know what to play now, perhaps I'm gonna play a 360 game for a little change. I have both Gears of War games and didn't touch them yet. Don't know when I'm going to play Mirror's Edge, I have it, but all the things I read about the frustration level of the game, I'm holding back a bit.

And don't get me wrong, Resistance 2 is absolutely great, I had a lot of fun whilst playing, but I really missed "vehicle" missions or parts. Otherwise it's great and a damn good sequel, which isn't always easy to put into practice. If you have some spare cash, get it.

Btw, I'm probably gonna try the online mode this evening, what was your ID again Sharingan? Are you Darth Popsicle?

Sharingan
17th December 2008, 18:46
Aye, it's DarthPopsicle (without the space). If you see me on, feel free to give me a poke. I haven't delved much into the competitive online mode, but have spent quite a bit of time on the online cooperative mode - which is oodles of fun, and nearly lag-less. Got no headset though, so expect me to be a bit quiet ;)

Agreed about your comments, though. The lack of vehicle parts is definitely a big miss. They brought a bit of much-needed variety in RFOM, and would've been great in R2.

Overall, I thought the storyline was well fleshed out this time around. Do take a look at the Intel docs, and also the intel updates you receive from playing the online cooperative mode. They add a lot of insight into what happened before and during the events of the single-player campaign, and reveal some details about the origins of the Chimera and the Cloven. Very interesting.

Overall, I think R2 is the better game compared to RFOM, but not by as much as I'd hoped. The visuals, presentation and sound effects are definitely a big step up, but other parts seem a bit lacking. Perhaps Insomniac simply tried to rush out the title too soon (they've released a game a year so far, which is unheard of in this current-gen industry). A little bit of extra development time could've yielded a longer single-player campaign, extra online modes, VEHICLES, more weapons and so on. But maybe there'll be DLC to remedy some of the things, we'll see.

I hear Insomniac is already planning a third R3. I for one will be looking forward to that, if only to see what happened to Hale. Definitely one of the most bad-ass characters to grace a FPS.

Demon Cleaner
17th December 2008, 20:18
I hear Insomniac is already planning a third R3. I for one will be looking forward to that, if only to see what happened to Hale. Definitely one of the most bad-ass characters to grace a FPS.Of course they are, just look at the end of R2, leaves an open end. I don't want to spoil anything now, so I'm gonna write it white, this is what I think:

In R3 you'll play as Chimera!

What do you think?

Demon Cleaner
18th December 2008, 01:01
Just played 2 hours in coop mode, is big fun, but the enemies are also a lot tougher ;)

Sharingan
18th December 2008, 15:17
Cool :)

Yeah, coop mode can get tough, especially if the team is uncoordinated and just goes through the game Rambo-style. The more players there are in the game, the tougher the enemies get, by the way.

As what class have you been playing?

Personally, I think Soldier is most fun to play. They start out slow, but tend to become monsters as they level up. From level 26 onwards, it's not unheard of to get 200+ kills and 45000+ experience points per match as a Soldier.

Spec Ops require more finesse and reflexes to play properly, but high-level Specs can really dish out the damage. I don't usually play this class, because I dislike the amount of ammo reloading needed.

Medics are great fun as well, and can usually grab the most exp points from any one match, simply because healing gives a ton of experience. Moreover, using the Phoenix gun on enemies actually heals the Medic as well, meaning they're quite resilient. The crappier the team is, the more experience the Medic can grab, ironically.

Demon Cleaner
18th December 2008, 17:02
Yeah, coop mode can get tough, especially if the team is uncoordinated and just goes through the game Rambo-style.:lol: just what I experienced yesterday, the first coop game I played was pretty cool, everybody seemed to think and act strategically, but most of the other games were just like you told, 3-4 maniacs doing havoc, don't know why, perhaps to gather most kills and XP?

I only played as soldier, but the wraith gets a bit annoying with the time, I prefer something faster and handier. I have only reached level 3 so far, played 6 games, 4 completed, 2 failed and I have 92 kills.

But how many levels exist in coop? 8? Doesn't it get boring to replay the same scenario over and over again?

I also tried the competitive mode, but that's a bit too tough for me, and I got no XP, don't know why, I played a deathmatch until I got 10.000 XP, then left the game and did not keep my XP. I noticed that something is mentioned when playing custom games, that you won't keep XP when playing a custom game, but what do they mean with custom?

Harrison
18th December 2008, 19:29
Doesn't it get boring to replay the same scenario over and over again?

Most co-op online games are like this. Take a couple of the most famous Quake 3 and Team Fortress. Both normally have a limited selection of levels running at any one time on a server and it randomly cycles between then during play.

Personally I don't think it gets boring because you get to learn each level. Working out the best attack and defense strategies and key positions within the maps. When I used to play Quake 3 a lot I remember becoming attached to certain levels because knowing them so well made it enjoyable because you could then play around in the level and enjoy the fight.

Teho
18th December 2008, 22:18
The way I remember it, while there are only eight scenarios there are many different objectives in each one. And the game randomly picks a few of them for you when you start one. So there are a lot of possible variations on the same scenarios, and you never know exactly how you'll be playing one before it starts. So should last a while before getting repetitive apparently. I've not tried the co-op modes myself yet, only played through the single player.

Sharingan
18th December 2008, 23:46
The reason you didn't get any XP from the Competitive matches is probably because you were playing a Custom game. To receive experience towards leveling up your Resistance persona, you need to use the matchmaking option to get into a Ranked match.


The Soldier's Wraith does take some time to spin up, which can be annoying. But once you purchase some of the upgrades, you can shorten the spin-up time, allow for faster reloads etc.

Submeg
22nd December 2008, 11:53
So, all in all, how is the single player mode in R2? Not sounding too convinced...

Demon Cleaner
22nd December 2008, 12:29
So, all in all, how is the single player mode in R2? Not sounding too convinced...It's great, similar to the prequel, they even improved the controls imo, the buttons are slightly differently configured, which is even better.

Now you can also just carry 2 weapons with you, which is more realistic, but you always have to decide now which weapon to take along.

It's a game you shouldn't miss, of course if you liked the prequel, otherwise forget about it. As I already mentioned several times, the only thing that I missed were vehicles, otherwise it's pure fun.

Submeg
23rd December 2008, 05:11
Oh ok then. Yea I enjoyed the first one, was good stuff

Submeg
27th December 2008, 23:24
Ok, I just finished off the levels in LBP. Haven't collected all the items, but have completed the levels! Was very good, and once I have all the items will make my own levels!

Also playing R2, have to say, very nice also. I'm liking this, maybe I will just get back into gaming? Maybe indeed....

Submeg
30th December 2008, 05:45
Question: For people playing LBP, what are ur favourite custom levels??

Sharingan
30th December 2008, 19:22
Haven't played LBP for a while, so I don't know any level names by heart, but there are a few stages created by Japanese authors that are pretty damn good. Perhaps not as intricate as the levels by the developers themselves, but very imaginative and original in their own right. One such author is RRR3000 (I think), you could search for that one. He managed to create a side-scrolling arcade shoot'em up (with ships! Like R-Type)

While we're talking of LBP, the newly released Metal Gear Solid costume pack really looks tempting - hilarious stuff. Still, at 5.99 €, quite steep.


Anyway, I picked up a copy of Prince of Persia (PS3 version) while I was in London last weekend. Was on sale at only 25 pounds, which is a steal, considering the currency conversion rate between € and GBP is nearly 1 for 1 these days.

Submeg
30th December 2008, 21:55
Hmm, will need to look for something new to play. R2 gets tricky in spots, especially with only being able to have 2 weapons!!

Sharingan
31st December 2008, 08:32
Where are you stuck?

Yeah, one annoying thing about R2 is that there are some parts that are very trial-and-error-ish by nature. There's only one or two ways to do certain sections, and if you don't do it exactly that way, you're going to die ... simple as that.

Persevere though ... I found it to be one of the most rewarding FPS I've played so far.


Prince of Persia is quite stunning, by the way. After a shaky start on PS3 development, Ubisoft is really starting to crank out some quality games on the platform.

Submeg
13th January 2009, 07:23
Finished R2, doing it again. Just bought CoD 4

Sharingan
8th February 2009, 07:32
RESIDENT EVIL 5 DEMO. No walking and shooting at the same time. WTF.

Demon Cleaner
9th February 2009, 15:51
I never was into the setting of Resident Evil games, and I think whatever score it gets, I won't buy it.

Harrison
9th February 2009, 16:00
I love RE games, but none of the recent ones have managed to match the first two games in the series. There was something great about the first one on the PSX especially.

The voice acting was bad it was true, but that added to the game somehow, and the puzzles and combat was great. The second game, splitting the game into two characters, showing parts of the game from two different perspectives was just as good. But for me the third was a bit boring as it was just more of the same and didn't add anything new. And while RE4 was good, it didn't have the impact the original had on me.

The controls have always been a bit awkward though, but I don't remember them really getting in the way when playing the first couple of games. And I completed the first RE on the PSX over a weekend, in about 13 hours I think.

Still, none of them are as good as the first Silent Hill. ;)

Demon Cleaner
9th February 2009, 16:03
The only one I played a bit was Nemesis, wasn't that the 3rd one?

Btw, I knew you would reply to this, because I know you like the RE games ;)

Harrison
9th February 2009, 16:31
Indeed. :lol: The RE games do date quite well. The Gamecube update of the first one was very nicely done, and while the graphics were improved, the main story, puzzles and gameplay remained quite similar, and it wasn't boring to replay it all.

v85rawdeal
10th February 2009, 17:55
I have only ever played two RE games, RE on the PSX (Still have it) and Resident Wiivil on the ... you guessed it... Wii (which I also still have).

Harrison
11th February 2009, 00:05
My personal favourite was the Dreamcast original of Code Veronica.

However for Survival Horror none can beat the Square Survival Horror RPG, Parasite Eve. That is a brilliant game, right from near the start in the theatre, when you are walking down a corridor and a rat attacks you, and then mutates from a normal looking rat, into something hideous. The combat system is quite cool too.

Sharingan
3rd June 2009, 19:42
So, E3 2009 is well on its way, and most big gaming companies have had their press conferences.

At the Sony conference, the following things (among others) were announced/shown:

- Uncharted 2 gameplay footage
- God of War III gameplay footage, dated for March 2010
- Gameplay footage of a 256-player game of MAG
- Debut Gran Turismo 5 trailer revealed
- Agent announced, a new exclusive IP for the PS3 from Rockstar Games
- Final Fantasy XIV - PS3 exclusive MMORPG
- Trailer of Team ICO's The Last Guardian revealed!
- Modnation Racing, the LittleBigPlanet of kart racing games
- Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for PSP
- Gran Turismo for PSP
- LittleBigPlanet for PSP
- Resident Evil Portable
- Motorstorm: Arctic Edge for PSP.
- PSP Go!
- New motion controller for the PS3

Sadly, nothing was shown of Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time and Heavy Rain.

Other PS3 games shown at E3 2009:

- EyePet (Sony)
- Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (Tecmo)
- White Knight Chronicles (Sony)
- Metal Gear Rising (announced at MS press convo; Konami lists it as a PS3 game too)
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (Konami)
- Assassin's Creed 2 (Ubisoft)
- Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix)
- Lost Planet 2 (Capcom)
- Quantum Theory (Tecmo)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Demon Cleaner
4th June 2009, 01:26
Just played through the Red Faction: Guerrilla and inFAMOUS demos. RF:G is really nice, still a bit fiddly with the controls, have to get used to them. The GeoMod 2.0 is really cool, you can destroy everything around in its smallest bits. But I enjoyed inFAMOUS most, it's pure fun running, climbing, flying, falling, shooting... around, pretty cool. I'm sure I'm gonna buy the game. Thumbs up :thumbs:

Still waiting for a Prototype demo, the trailers look awesome.

Demon Cleaner
4th June 2009, 14:05
Quantum E3 trailer, Gears of War for PS3?

v85rawdeal
13th August 2009, 01:14
Retailers have suggested that stock shortages of the PS3 are to make way for a slim console.
The current lack of hardware available from Sony suggests that a new version of the machine could arrive within a few months.
"Sourcing PS3 stock has been a challenge for the last two to three weeks," a retail source told MCV. "There are obviously lots of rumours flying about as to why that might be.
"I don't think it's to do with demand. Sales are low at the moment and have been for a while. We've been told not to expect any further hardware deliveries until September."
Another insider from a leading chain said that it won't receive stock until the end of the month at the earliest.
The shortages coincide with reports (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a162932/ps3-slim-in-production.html) that two manufacturers in Taiwan are currently producing the slim consoles for release in the autumn.
It is expected that Sony will reveal its future hardware plans at next week's GamesCom conference.

Harrison
13th August 2009, 03:07
Awe! Interesting.

There has been rumour of reducing the price of the PS3, so maybe a slim version will use cheaper to manufacture components (such as combining chips) and help reduce cost.

If this happens I just hope Sony don't reduce the feature set of the PS3 Slim.

Tiago
13th August 2009, 08:55
How much does it cost now in UK? I found it here (PT) at 299 Euros with one game pack.

Harrison
13th August 2009, 11:39
£299 in most places, so slightly more expensive than the Euro.

Tiago
13th August 2009, 11:50
£299 in most places, so slightly more expensive than the Euro.

I found it here at 299 euros in Fnac stores, i think you have it to in UK...

Demon Cleaner
13th August 2009, 15:08
There's a lot of rumors about a slim version lately, and it's also rumored that it will be presented now the 18th of August in Germany at a games convention. Let's wait.

Demon Cleaner
19th August 2009, 06:11
First official pictures of the PS3 Slim, smaller, lighter, with the same features than the original model. HDD is 120GB.

http://www.areagames.de/games/slideshow/Offizielle-PS3-Slim-Produktbilder/95595

Apparently available from the first week of September on for 299€!

EDIT: Unpacking can be seen here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JM2BAZ8n70&feature=player_embedded).

Bloodwych
19th August 2009, 11:00
Well, I've got mixed reactions to the slim.

It uses less power, doesn't attract dust or finger prints and is cheaper to manufacture for Sony...

...but I prefer the older fat one for looks. It just has a more classy appeal to it and the size isn't an issue when all it does is sit under a TV. Lower power usage is a big plus point though for the slim.

The newer one's push/click buttons look horrible and with its dull plastic finish it just looks cheaper.

I bet the blue ray drive isn't as good and reliability has to given a good test over the next year.

Guess the fat is dead now but I won't be selling up to get a slim.

Demon Cleaner
19th August 2009, 12:04
I never sell any of my consoles either, and of course I wouldn't swap now. The fat PS3 price should also be down now at 299€, so that the price for both is the same.

You're right when you say that the fat one looks nicer, the only really thing is indeed the lower power usage, but I don't use mine every day for hours, so that it doesn't matter that much for me.

And like you say, mine is also on a cabinet under the TV, and the only thing you can see is the front of it.

I will probably get one by the end of the PS3 era, like I also got my PSOne and PSTwo. Or of course if my fat one dies, which doesn't hopefully happen.