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Shino
Fade into this fantasy, caught in the web of time
Age: 49
Gender: 
Joined: 15 Sep 2002 |
 Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 9:24 am Post subject: PS3 getting more upgrades? |
Sounds good to me!
http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=10205
| Gamedaily wrote: | Sony Upgrading PS3, Abandoning Memory Cards?
As impressive as the PS3 specs are, the next-gen console could be getting more memory and other upgrades, according to PSM. The magazine also reveals that Sony plans to abandon the standard memory card format in favor of memory stick duos, the same ones used in your PSP. Keep in mind, however, that Sony has not confirmed any of this, so please take it with a grain of salt.
It's a well-known fact that the tech demos Sony demonstrated at its E3 press conference in May were not running on finalized PlayStation 3 hardware. It's also not uncommon for console manufacturers to make certain changes to their design (both internal and external) between the time a new platform is unveiled and the time it actually launches at retail. Now it appears that Sony may be upgrading its next-gen hardware, according to the September issue of PSM, which is just beginning to hit newsstands.
Although none of the information in the magazine has been confirmed by Sony—the article cites anonymous "development sources"—there are some very interesting (and plausible) tidbits revealed.
More memory?
Perhaps the most important item on PSM's list of "8 Things You Don't Know About PS3... But Probably Should" is that Sony would appear to be focusing on making the development process on its next-gen console as easy as possible. Some in the industry have expressed concern that the PS3's Cell architecture would make it very difficult to program for and that it would take a long time before developers could realize the potential of the PS3. That being said, Sony apparently is considering adding even more system memory and other upgrades.
"Developers have begun to tell us about actual improvements being made to the system's specifications, including more system memory and other low-level upgrades that we won't physically notice, but are making the people producing the games simply giddy," says the article.
Memory Stick Pro Duos used
Another important discovery is that the PS3 apparently will abandon the standard memory card format and will instead use the same format as the Sony PSP, memory stick duos. This has some positive and negative implications. On the bad side, if PS2 or PS1 owners were thinking of using their older memory cards to transfer game saves to the PS3 (which is backwards compatible with its two predecessors) that won't be possible, at least not in a traditional method.
However, unlike playing PS1 games on the PS2, which required the purchase of older PS1 mem cards to save game data, on the PS3 users will be able to save PS1 or PS2 data directly to a memory stick duo. Furthermore, because memory stick duos easily interface with PCs via USB cable and a device like the PSP, gamers could potentially share game saves with one another for any PlayStation platform over the Internet, which in this editor's humble opinion would be very, very cool. The article also mentions that PS1/PS2 peripherals won't be supported but that it's possible a third party will introduce an adaptor.
Adjusting speed vs. quality
For all the talk of the "HD Era" by Microsoft and the "Digital Decade" by Sony, both companies realize that not everyone will have an HDTV. Quite the contrary; when these next-gen consoles launch, most Americans will still be using standard definition TV sets. In fact, it's for that reason that Nintendo has said that it does not plan to support HDTV resolutions, but they will make 480p (progressive scan) a standard. Interestingly, according to PSM, Sony wants to give players an option to make games run faster and smoother by lowering resolution to 480p or 480i. Much like PC gamers have the ability to adjust game settings to be optimal for their graphics card and PC configuration, PS3 owners will be able to tinker with speed and quality.
PSM's development sources did indicate, though, that most developers will be shooting for 720p as the standard resolution for games (the PS3 supports resolutions as high as 1080p, but most HDTVs on the market do not display a resolution that crisp). As a reminder, the Xbox 360 supports resolutions up to 1080i and Microsoft has made it mandatory that games for its next-gen system support a minimum of 720p.
Entertainment hub
Another important discovery in the article is that the optional hard drive for the PS3 will not be for games; rather, it will be used to store movies, music and other digital media. Using the PS3's network hub feature, owners will be able to access and enjoy the media on other equipment on the same network, like a PC, PSP, etc. This is similar to the Xbox 360's media extender—another sign that both Sony and Microsoft are vying for control of the living room with all-in-one entertainment hubs. Indeed, the mag's sources said that a TiVo-like add-on is in the works: "Plans call for PS3 to eventually receive a USB video input box that will make it capable of recording video and television programming to the optional micro HDD."
Unfortunately important information like official pricing and launch date remains a mystery. Speculation points to a $399 price tag and no one knows if the Spring 2006 release is for America, Japan or both. We shall see. |
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Girkon
Chop Chop Fiend
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| Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 10:23 am Post subject: |
Looks like the changes will be well worth the wait, and possibly worth the money if you consider the long time effects. One would think that could hold potential for combinging the PS3 and PSP for one thing or another. |
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Shino
Fade into this fantasy, caught in the web of time
Age: 49
Gender:
Joined: 15 Sep 2002 |
| Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 11:18 am Post subject: |
| Girkon wrote: | | Looks like the changes will be well worth the wait, and possibly worth the money if you consider the long time effects. One would think that could hold potential for combinging the PS3 and PSP for one thing or another. |
Well I think we will see a lot of "pick up where you left off" games. Where you play on your ps3, save on the duo then just slide the duo into the psp and pick up where you left off in a game. |
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So many games... so little time
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Dubcee
Senior Otaku
Joined: 25 Aug 2003 |
| Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject: |
I just hope you can transfer data over from the ps2 card to the memory stick somehow (maybe via the ps2 and a usb cable and a psp?). Would suck to lose my 70 hours of Disgaea, my 50 of Burnout 3, etc |
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Shino
Fade into this fantasy, caught in the web of time
Age: 49
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Joined: 15 Sep 2002 |
| Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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RuneLateralus
Otaku Knight
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| Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 8:01 pm Post subject: |
Didn't read anything about it coming a hard drive and that it will use Memory sticks to save games. Oh how lovely is that. |
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Minosheep
Doesn't get a custom rank.
Age: 36
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Joined: 27 Oct 2002 |
| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:30 am Post subject: |
| Dubcee wrote: | | I just hope you can transfer data over from the ps2 card to the memory stick somehow (maybe via the ps2 and a usb cable and a psp?). Would suck to lose my 70 hours of Disgaea, my 50 of Burnout 3, etc |
That's easy, though. Load the game from your memory card, take the card out and replace it with your memory stick, and save it again. If they plan on being cool like gangsta, one would assume that memory cards would still fit.... I hope. |
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Shino
Fade into this fantasy, caught in the web of time
Age: 49
Gender:
Joined: 15 Sep 2002 |
| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:16 am Post subject: |
| Minosheep wrote: | | Dubcee wrote: | | I just hope you can transfer data over from the ps2 card to the memory stick somehow (maybe via the ps2 and a usb cable and a psp?). Would suck to lose my 70 hours of Disgaea, my 50 of Burnout 3, etc |
That's easy, though. Load the game from your memory card, take the card out and replace it with your memory stick, and save it again. If they plan on being cool like gangsta, one would assume that memory cards would still fit.... I hope. |
Actually Demonic, what he means is that there are no memory card slots on the PS3 that are visible at current. They will probably make an attachment that goes through usb that will load the memory card data so you can transfer it over to memstick.
I see huge things happening for ps3/psp now that they both use the same media for save games and stuff. |
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So many games... so little time
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