Sony Pins Hopes on E-Distro 99
Ars Technica reports on Sony's plans for their online service. As previously discussed, they'll be offering online play for free. They hope to make money via an e-distribution system. From the article: "Yet it is unclear what Sony intends to sell. While the 60GB hard drive in the premium console is spacious, it would not be large enough to hold a collection of HD video, although the company could sell storage add-ons in the future. We believe that Sony will initially sell other content, including music and standard definition video, as well as gaming content such as that available today in the Xbox Live Marketplace."
Storage (Score:2)
So, storage space (shouldn't) be a problem. Unless they do what they'll likely do, which is make a specific drive that will only work in the PS3, and that will only be available from -surprise!- SCEA.
Re:Storage (Score:2)
for the $600 ps3, i expect that sucker to be able to connect to the home network and play any and every file imaginable from any filesystem i have connected. ha...
2 jugs to fill the bath (Score:2)
Re:2 jugs to fill the bath (Score:4, Insightful)
I was thinking more along the lines of something like Steam where people could buy games online. You know, E-Distro. Like they mention in TFA. Then again, Kutaragi's claim of "content" isn't very well defined.
Harddrive != fast loading. Despite what Microsoft marketing convinced so many Xbox fans to believe. With the tremendous amount of space at BluRay disc holds developers aren't having to do heavy compression and are able to just stream directly off the drive. There is no need to unload game data to the PS3's harddrive for the vast majority of games.
See if you sing the same song while you sit at loading screens on your PS3 games. I don't know what the BDROM throughput is but I guarantee it's nowhere near the speed of a hard disk. Plus, streaming uncompressed data works fine while playing movies\cutscenes, but when you start pulling nonsequential data off the disc like textures and speech you have to deal with latency caused by the laser moving across the disc radius. HDD was no big deal in Xbox because they didn't take advantage of its potential. Try burning an old installed PC game and play it off the disc on a 16x DVDROM drive and tell me with a straight face that it's just as fast as even a 5400RPM laptop HDD.
My point is that a 60GB HDD is hardly next-gen. They're calling this thing a computer replacement but you can hardly even find HDDs under 120GB on second-hand Emachines anymore. If they really wanted to boost speed they could have put in 1GB of low latency RAM and pre-streamed textures, or something. Of course I'm only speculating that the PS3's load times will be no shorter than PS2's, but I've seen no reason to believe otherwise. It's just another disc format limited by laser latency and spin-up time, and installing the game on HDD seems the obvious fix if my assumption is correct.
$499 for a 1080p BluRay player that also plays almost every major console developers games? Expensive, I don't think so...
Every journalist at E3 disagrees with you.
Re:2 jugs to fill the bath (Score:1)
I think I missed something... when did Sony say you'd have access to a Linux desktop? You can run Linux on a lot of things, for a lot of uses. . . just bec
Re:2 jugs to fill the bath (Score:3, Insightful)
You're trying to claim that you can pull data off an optical disc faster than you can off a hard drive? That's the single most ignorant and asinine thing I've read today. And I've been reading slashdot.
$499 for a 1080p BluRay player that also plays almost every major console developers games?
Sony must be radiating some kind of Steve Jobs-like Reality Distortion Field, since they've apparently convinced you that you don't want a video game console, you want a Blu-Ray player. Those of us
Re:2 jugs to fill the bath (Score:1)
I am a dummy. I'd better collect a few thousand dollars to pay for the privilege of coding for a console, so I can stop being a dummy.
Re:2 jugs to fill the bath (Score:1)
I'm sort of surprised to see him posting under that login again, I thought he'd been modded so far into oblivion that he wasn't bothering anymore.
I'm pretty sure that all of the Sony astoturfing coming from Anonymous Cowards recently is the same guy or at least organization.
Re:2 jugs to fill the bath (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:2 jugs to fill the bath (Score:2)
I tried to verify your developer's comment however, but I was unable to find any news, interviews, ect. stating that their first games are going over 20gb. All I found was http://games.kikizo.com/news/200602/065_p1.asp [kikizo.com] a hands on the PS3 which had the comment "Our stuff runs off a Hard Disc at the moment and won't exceed DVD capabilities..
Sounds Ok? (Score:4, Interesting)
Get Charged up front or have an optional fee later on? Hmmm
Re:Sounds Ok? (Score:2, Insightful)
you misspelled Nintendo. Microsoft isn't even winning* NOW, how the hell will things get better when they actually have some next-gen competition?
*in Japan the Gamecube is beating the 360 in weekly sales and Europe doesn't give a crap about the 360 either.
Re:Sounds Ok? (Score:2)
A - oops
B - my
C - serious
D - apologies
E - now
F - TOO
G - go
H - home
I - to
J - your
K - crippled
L - video
M - GAMECUBE
N - game
O - system
P - and
Q - leave
R - me
S - SUCKS
T - !!!!
U - the
V - f!ck
W - alone
X - pretty
Y - please
Z -
Re:Sounds Ok? (Score:1)
It currently appears that all three "next gen" consoles (i.e. PS3, Wii, 360) will allow you to download old games in an iTMS stylee. The success that Microsoft have had with Geometry Wars kind of made it inevitable, I suppose.
Re:Sounds Ok? (Score:1)
"Did you just call Microsoft and Geometry Wars 'a success'?"
Why yes, I did. Microsoft got a larger number of people to pay money for downloaded content than expected. The fact that Geometry Wars _Fucking_Rocks_ helped, but yes - Microsoft have demonstrated there is a market for premium content with consoles, just as Apple demonstrated one was present for music. Yen signs clearly appeared in the eyes of Sony and Nintendo execs, and now they're doing the same thing. I really didn'
Re:Sounds Ok? (Score:1)
But what will the requirements be for a startup development studio to make and sell games for the PlayStation 3's HUB or the Wii's Virtual Console?
What you get (Score:5, Interesting)
360 premuum and $500 PS3 both have 20GB hard drives.
360 premuum and $500 PS3 both have component out for HD video (though here the PS3 gets a nod since it supports 1080p)
360 premuum and $500 PS3 both have just as many ports (basically USB and memory ports, the more expensive PS3 also has media ports)
360 premuum and $500 PS3 both support the same networking options (ethernet in)
Seems to me like Sony has priced the console pretty well against the 360.
Re:What you get (Score:2)
Which is dandy if you want to play Blu-Ray movies. I don't. I want to play video games. If they were selling stand-along Blu-Ray players for $100, I wouldn't buy one. Why should I be forced to buy one when all I want is to play video games?
Only now it's not $100 more because I also get the equivilent of XBox Gold for free
That's an awful lot of faith you place in Sony Online to provide you a quality experience. But it's justified, because
Re:What you get (Score:2)
Er. Mr. Kettle, I'd like you to meet Mr. Pot. Moving on:
When developers themselves are right there on record stating their games are already taking 20+ gigs of storage!
I'll believe that this is a current, pressing problem when I start buying PC games that span more than one DVD. The PC has no such limitation, be it 4.5 GB, 9 GB, or 25 GB, so if all these developers are straining at the leash imposed by a DVD-ROM, why aren't I
Re:What you get (Score:2)
It's also better for video games as it allows more storage - it allows for larger demo discs with more playable games. It allows for more extras in games like directory commentary and making of videos. Even if you don't care a whit for HD Pixar movies it
s still better f
Re:What you get (Score:2)
Regarding the possible extras, granted. I wouldn't mind seeing making of documentaries and such, and 25 GB does open that possibility. I still don't think it's worth the extra expense, but at least it's something that does
A few last comments (Score:2)
I
Re:What you get (Score:3, Insightful)
personally, until i get both consoles underneath my tv by the end of the year hopefully, i see them both on even ground. maybe with sony in the lead due to a better gaming lineup.
Re:What you get (Score:1, Informative)
Re:What you get (Score:2)
the wii will pretty much be in the same boat, at
Re:What you get (Score:1)
The Wii isn't using a software solution for GCN backward compatibility. Since the Wii hardware is basically an extension of the GCN the Wii will be using a hardware solution to play GCN games while using a software solution for all other platforms.
Re:What you get (Score:1, Interesting)
Reading the article... (Score:2, Informative)
That would be a big flaw indeed if the main article itself had not quoted Sony as saying they were not going to charge for online matchmaking services. It's kind of hard to read "not going to charge" any other way unless you think it means they'll not take Visa.
Re:Sounds Ok? (Score:5, Interesting)
Or maybe Nintendo.
I've owned a PS, and now a PS2. I don't want on-line gaming, and I won't be spending anywhere near the kind of money Sony wants for a console. I won't buy an X-box either.
Personally speaking, my next gaming platform will be Nintendo. Both MS and Sony can go pound sand. I've been deciding I want silly, fun games to play instead of overly-complicated, impossible for me to control, eye-candy. I'll take less graphics and better game play thank you. Nintendo seems to be doing that.
Games anyone? (Score:1)
How about games? It seems pretty likely to me that they're going to be offering downloadable gaming. If a selection of PS1 games will be available for download on the PSP I'm sure they'll allow the same offering for the PS3.
Re:Games anyone? (Score:2)
Re:Games anyone? (Score:2)
what do you mean? surely sony would love the chance to broadcast their HD trailers via internet straight into consumers homes. as for buying full length movies... maybe not, but who is to say that other providers wont be able to tap into the captive ps3 market? the ps3 has an integrated web browser builtin, so in theory anyone that can set up a website can transmit streaming HD signals to any ps3.
Re:Games anyone? (Score:2)
Re:Games anyone? (Score:2)
i just dont want to have to wait hours to finish the download of the latest system update or the newest game demo or trailer. what i would like to hear is someone like sony jumping behind the bittorrent protocol or something similar for mass transmission of these huge f
Re:Games anyone? (Score:2)
I'd love to see that happen.
That's not what Microsoft said (Score:2)
They may change their minds later but currently that's what the plan is.
Re:That's not what Microsoft said (Score:1)
If they do drop the price, they'll tell you a week before the PS3 launch.
MrJynxx
Article said match service is free (Score:3, Informative)
That's an inetresting bit of information but irrelevent since the whole article this Slashdot story is based on said that the online matching service was free.
But the other thing they might do.. since you ask so nicely.. is to release some MMORPGs on their service. They could just buy the rights to AC
You are not factoring in the online service (Score:2)
Re:You are not factoring in the online service (Score:1)
Re:Article said match service is free (Score:2)
if you have a problem with how sony decides to distribute linux, not a problem... it will be only a few months before the homebrew community finds a full linux solution for you. no big deal.
Innovation (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Innovation (Score:2)
the controller is definitely substandard - it just has nowhere near the modes of freedom of the wiimote, plus the wiimote has the nunchuck component which is also motion sensitive.
and it's hard to imagine Sony will do better than xbox live without charging anything for it. when was the last time you heard about Sony actually making life enjoyable for its customers? remember the official announcements from Sony about how important they
Re:Innovation (Score:1)
Of course others of us might take it as an indication that the PS3 is as phony as a three dollar bill - and that might be going too far as well.
Re:Innovation (Score:2)
The iPod of gaming consoles? (Score:2)
Of course Nintendo is very good at innovating and at the same time adding the polish to make it work from the start, so I think the Wii will do well. I just think the PS3 has a very good chance of still being the sucess the PS2 was, and more - because they have taken the time to
Re:The iPod of gaming consoles? (Score:1)
Japanese games (Score:2)
As for polish I am only talking about the Sony gaming stuff here. I think the PS2 is actually pretty well designed and does have a lot of polish to it, they are pretty much the only division of Sony I'd trust to produce something I'd want to buy (as a rule of thumb I avoid Sony video and audi equipment, except for camcorders which are decent).
Re:The iPod of gaming consoles? (Score:1)
Re:The iPod of gaming consoles? (Score:2)
thusfar, sony still has the metal gear, tekken, unreal tournament, devil may cry and final fantasy series exclusively. each of these will push lots of numbers. all of the wii first party frnachise titles wi
Re:The iPod of gaming consoles? (Score:1)
Anyhow, more to the point was a quick google of the titles you mentioned show that Tekken and Unreal Tournament are possibly going to be released for t
Re:The iPod of gaming consoles? (Score:2)
the problem particularly with console game news, is that there is alot of misinformation across the net. tekken6 is only going to be released on ps3, haven't even heard a rumor to the contrary. so if you can provide a reputable link, i'd like to check it out.
UT2007 is only going to be on ps3 and the pc [with linux and mac ports down the line], although there is alot of wishful thinking for a x360 port as well.
You must not have gotten the memo. (Score:2)
Re:Innovation (Score:1)
You get what you pay for (Score:2, Interesting)
Problems?
-Every developer has a ton more work to do. There isn't an Xbox Live framework to work from.
-Each developer could decide to charge for basic gaming privelidges. Someone needs to pay for the Servers and the bandwidth.
-Games will have unique online systems, destroying continuity across the platform.
A couple bucks per month is worth these advantages. Why buy a hot-rod $600 PS3 and pay nothing for a junky onlin
RTFA (Score:4, Interesting)
It also says that service is free, so where do you get the idea that game makers can or will charge for online play?
As for unique online systems, again SOny is providing a centralized online hub for free. So it pretty much blows that theory out of the water.
Basically think XBox Live Gold, only I don't actually have to pay to play games with other people online. I think it's pretty funny you're raising the boogeyman of people MAYBE having to pay for online PS3 games when you already have to for just about every 360 title.
Re:RTFA (Score:2)
And I find it amazing how certain you are about the details of a service that no one outside Sony has even seen a glimmer of. Maybe you're right, of course - maybe Sony is unswayed by the proven fact that people will pay $50/yr for a quality on
I only read the article (Score:2)
I find it amazing you are attacking me for repeating what the ARTICLE says, which quotes Sony! Of course I have not seen the service but it doesn't take Columbo to be able to say "online matchmaking is free" when Sony publically says "online matchmaking
The Final Nail In The 360's Coffin (Score:1)
The last nail in the 360 coffin was the official confirmation of free online play and matchmaking and global player IDs. So now anyone wasting 50 bucks a year for something that is going to be given away for free with the PS3 looks lik
Don't forget the HD! $100 more. (Score:2)
Re:Don't forget the HD! $100 more. (Score:1)
Re:Don't forget the HD! $100 more. (Score:2)
The $400 360 is the premium version, which most assuredly has a 20GB hard drive. I say this with some confidence, since I spent $400 on a 360, and it has a hard drive.
Messed up response (Score:2)
Re:The Final Nail In The 360's Coffin (Score:2, Informative)
WTF are you smoking? All the specs for the PS3 point to a system that will barely (if at all) outperform the X360. The RSX isn't as powerful as the Xenon and it doesn't have onboard DRAM to do 4xAA for free. Coupled with the news that yields of the Cell are crap and that it will have to be underclocked to 2.8GHz to get decent numbers of chips off the production line I don't think Microsoft have anything to worry about except making sure they get a decent flow of exclusive th
Re: (Score:2)
Re:The Final Nail In The 360's Coffin (Score:2)
first of all, how are you comparing the rsx to the xenon? the xenon is the xbox360s CPU, the RSX is the ps3's GPU. the x360 GPU is c1 or xenos. officially the name is c1.
"...Internally we called the GPU, interchangeably, C1 and Xenos. C1 was a code name defined before we had the contract, Xenos was the project name after the contract was won - but C1 stuck in everyone's minds. Once we started calling it C1, it was hard to change."
Lost In Translation (Score:2, Funny)
spacious? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:spacious? (Score:2)
Re:spacious? (Score:1)
Re:spacious? (Score:2)
Thusly, 60GB is spacious.
Music? (Score:3, Insightful)
Selling music seems like it would be a giant flop. Nobody I know of listens to music on their (CD-playing) consoles right now, I can't imagine anyone would want to purchase music to play on their PS3. Especially since it wouldn't be transferrable to an iPod, and knowing Sony, it may not even work on music players from people like Creative.
Re:Music? (Score:2)
Re:Music? (Score:1)
Open strategy (Score:2)
The basic theme of the PS3 seems to be openess, so I am thinking they'll let you copy MP3's and unprotected AAC files to the PS3 to make use of them. I could even possibly see a partnership with Apple where they would allow ITMS sales from the
Re:Open strategy (Score:3, Insightful)
You'll forgive me if I believe that only when I see it, given Sony's track record.
The real headline... (Score:4, Funny)
Sony to nickel and dime gamers to stay afloat
I really don't like the idea of episodic content. I'm not paying any developer, publisher, or hardware maker more money for a game I bought (non subscription, I do play WoW) just so I can get a better gun, or a new level, but I am okay with real expansions.
Are you a DVD box set fan? (Score:1)
If you're so against the idea of an episodic video game business model, then let me guess: you don't watch TV either, and you buy all your TV series in DVD box sets.
Re:Are you a DVD box set fan? (Score:2)
I read, play softball, train in kung fu, play board games and video games, go to a Twins game, jog, clean... What do I do if I need to just w
Re:The real headline... (Score:1)
Re:The real headline... (Score:1)
Re:The real headline... (Score:2)
Dell does it on their site too. 2Gigs or RAM for 100 bucks more, but hey, that's only another $3/month, so you can
Re:The real headline... (Score:2)
Similarly, I won't eat anything with onions or mushrooms on it, but I'm okay with red peppers.
You do see my point, I hope?
Re:The real headline... (Score:2)
Let's say I got a gym membership. (online service cost/month+initiation fee) Let's say they have everything I could want. Free weights, machines, and some cario machines. Say they put up a sign that says I have to pay them another 20 bucks for use of every n
Could be risky (Score:1)
Sounds like Pfizer might get a run for their money.