PSP2 (NGP) Info

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

My connection is really weird today, so I haven't been able to see many of the images. Meaning, I'd post them, but I wouldn't know what I was showing you. My connection is just that flaky right now.

But here's the rundown of confirmed specs and such:

• two analog sticks (yes, you read that correctly: sticks, not nubs like on the PSP -- they rise above the surface of the device)
• 3G, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and GPS radios
• the same motion sensors (three-axis accelerometer, three-axis gyroscope) as the PlayStation Move
• a multitouch touchpad on the rear of the unit that's the same size as the front screen
• front- and rear-facing cameras
• a quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4+ GPU

Its a bit taller than the PSP, which helps accomodate the analog sticks, but it still looks a mite awkward to me. Seems like a game that required dual analog would make the D-pad and buttons awkward to reach (kinda like it is just with the one nub on PSP). There's also touch sensitivity on the actual screen, which begs the question why there's any on the back. It just seems awkward and redundant. I'll venture a guess why its there, though - its an excuse to not include UMD support.

Oh, PSP2 has backward compatibility, you'll just have to buy all your UMD games all over again and download them. That is, if the third party wanted to put it up there. Color me unimpressed all the same.

As for PSP2 games, Sony caught up to 2004 and realized you could sell games on memory sticks.

Hideo Kojima came out and showed off that it was able to run something from MGS4 at about 20 FPS. Impressive until the 20 FPS part, but I guess its an early build. Something of the Uncharted PSP game was shown, LBP, Killzone and some others. Third party support looks as strong as Nintendo's does.

No details about battery life. I'm not getting my hopes up given what a drain pretty graphics are on 3DS and PSP was a battery hog itself.

No details on price, but I'm betting more than a PS3.

Also no details about how that 3G support is going to work out. Given that its something that doesn't usually come free, I'm a little suspicious about that. That and its 3G, which will be spotty for online gaming and horrible for big downloads. It still has Wi-Fi support for home and hotspots, though. So if you do have to pay to use it, at least its optional.

Didn't hear anything about Infrastructure mode being mandatory across the board for multiplayer, either.

Seems like Sony's learned a few of its lessons, but not all of them. PSP2 still has a lot to prove, particularly considering PSP has a pretty damn good year ahead of it right now and 3DS looks solid.

[Malacite]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

two analog sticks (yes, you read that correctly: sticks, not nubs like on the PSP -- they rise above the surface of the device)

Don't even need to read the rest of it - THANK YOU SONY!

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

Eh, that's no reason to be excited. The camera and gyros could do everything a second analog stick does. PSP2 has them, so does 3DS and 3DS seems to actually use those things for such a purpose, as evidenced by OOT (Link can freelook with them instead of the C-button + analog of N64).

Sony clarified a couple things.

They estimated about 4.5 hours of battery life, but much like NIntendo wasn't specific about the criteria there, neither has Sony. I'd assume that's full-tilt without power save features enabled and brightness all the way up. It wasn't playable, though, so who can really say?

Nintendo clarified with 3DS's initial numbers were reflecting with full brightness, no power save enabled and 3D active. Cut the 3D - which could be preferable for some games - and you'll get about 25% more out of the battery. On a lower brightness setting with power save features its you'll get about 10 to 20% more. 3D rendering regardless of the feature would remain a factor as well for both units.

so we're looking at 5-6 hours at best for either, it seems. Maybe more with something even less demanding like a DS, PSP or downloadable game

Well, PSP and downloadable game are now the same thing, aren't they?

As for the 3G, seems you will be paying a premium for using it and there will be a version of the PSP2 without it, so at least we're given a choice and likely a cost difference there.

[Raydeus]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

No, seriously, two analog sticks in a PSP is beyond awesome.

Now if they added rumble options to it (remember the N64's rumble pack?) that would pretty much count as a dream come true.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

I guess its awesome in that way steak is awesome if you've had nothing but salad for a week.

Well, except its not really steak and really just a burger at McDonalds. But for some people might think McDonalds is a classy joint.

Mouse/Keyboard or a motion controlled equivalent would be steak. But hey, enjoy your ADS and auto aim compensating for the lag on that second stick

[Raydeus]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

Keyboard and mouse? Does the DS or some other portable have those?

And motion control is something the PSP2 will have in addition to the dual analog sticks on a portable device.

Now, if you want to carry a Wii with a mouse and keyboard combo while using a motion controller... well I think it's very odd but to each their own.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

Keyboard and mouse? Does the DS or some other portable have those?

And motion control is something the PSP2 will have in addition to the dual analog sticks on a portable device.

I cited that, but so far its not being used to full advantage.

My problem is dual analog is inferior to Mouse/Keyboard and motion controls, anyone who has direct pointer control will ALWAYS have the advantage. By definition, Dual analog can't have that.

That and analog always wears out eventually - or gets something inside it that fucks with it.

As usual, Sony made this thing to break, but then, the exposed screen should tip that off.

Now, if you want to carry a Wii with a mouse and keyboard combo while using a motion controller... well I think it's very odd but to each their own.

Nunchuck and pointer controls are just about all you need in lieu of mouse and keyboard, which is never an option on Wii anyway, but a comparable one.

[Armando]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

Nunchuck and pointer controls are just about all you need in lieu of mouse and keyboard, which is never an option on Wii anyway, but a comparable one.

Which is odd given the Wii's 2 USB ports and the fact that Nintendo doesn't want you running games off your external hard drive even though it's so convenient.

[Kailea]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

those specs sound good..... man the next gen of handhelds are going to be crazy

[Armando]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

I've seen Twilight Princess in 1080p and it looks fantastic, but I'm pretty sure my computer can't handle that load. I settle with using a VGA cable to play at 480p on a CRT monitor.

[Malacite]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

yay for the backwards compatibility too. Only suck thing now is Dissidia 2 will be on PSP1 and thus not be a dual-analog fighter.

But then, the 1st game played well enough without it. Dual Analog is gonna make a number of series (God of War, and especially Armored Core) much easier to play now.

Rumble might be neat on a hand held but... I doubt they could successfully implement it in such a way that doesn't damage or even outright destroy the machine lol. Not to mention that you're holding the whole thing in your hands, vs just a controller. i.e. shit happens.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

yay for the backwards compatibility too.

Its not truly backward compatible, as it has no UMD support.

[Raydeus]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

There are too many logistical issues (most of which are close to impossible for companies like sony to be willing to solve) to actually consider it backwards compatible.

Now... if developers would be so kind to allow you to download the game you've already bought by registering the game's code...

But yeah, since the chances of that happening are zero, and since there's little chance of me re-purchasing PSP games through the PSN (since most games I own are from Japan), I'll just ignore I even heard about it.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

There are too many logistical issues (most of which are close to impossible for companies like sony to be willing to solve) to actually consider it backwards compatible.

Meh, let's not mince words, exclusion of UMD support was by design, either so they could sell a peripheral to support UMD users or just an excuse to resell games - look at all the people that clamor for "HD Collections" of PS2 games on the PS3.

Think about it, your employer probably does something like this all the time. They make new policies that crush the efficiency of a process everyone liked in favor of a new one. Everyone is miserable, hates the new process because its terrible and hates the management for it.

But this new process is awesome and infallible because managers learned about it at a seminar and if it can work somewhere else, it and work anywhere, right?

It goes on for months. People complain. Nothing changes. Nothing really improves either and the bosses won't own up to it.

And then, they make a slight change and its the GREATEST THING TO HAVE EVER HAPPENED. People, ever so briefly, forget the horrid crap they've been put through because part of the process became easier. Or maybe they just made you work overtime for weeks on end and let you off an hour early one day.

It feels exhilarating.

Its a trap.

That's what the inclusion of dual analog and HD collections are. They have have deprived you of the goods for so long they hope that you'll forget that, at heart, they're still shitheads that don't know what the fuck they're doing. They gave you steak for a day, that's all, it'll be back to nothing but salad soon enough and they'll see how long you can put up with it.

If you can put up with it, they'll see what other places they can bullshit you. PS3 meet PSP2.

[Absentia]

Re: PSP2 (NGP) Info

I've seen Twilight Princess in 1080p and it looks fantastic, but I'm pretty sure my computer can't handle that load. I settle with using a VGA cable to play at 480p on a CRT monitor.

Not being rude, but how did you see Twilight Princess in 1080p? I thought the Wii was only capable of going to 480p with component cables?