PS3 manufacturing has started.

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » October 20, 2006, 5:38 pm

here's the ps3 launch bs

it basically sucks hard

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/44338

sony dropped the ball

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » October 20, 2006, 9:59 pm

I really want Resistance, Genju and maybe Untold Legends because I'm a slut for those kinds of games. Maaaybe Tony Hawk if this new one isn't as awful as THUG and THUG2 were. The rest I have already played, choose not to play despite the fact they are already on Xbox 360, or am ambivalent about.

I'm mostly hyper for MGS4, Heavenly Sword and Assassin's Creed. Those probably won't be out until January, so I probably won't be standing in line for a PS3 at 4am.

But I still might.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 21, 2006, 2:09 am

The two PS3 titles that hold any interest for me in the near future are Motorstorm and Afrika. Afrika because it visually looks so good but Sony has been secretive about exactly what the game is. Right now, it looks like a great screensaver. If it turns out to have some sort of interesting simulation or game play behind it, I might be interested.

I doubt there will be an issue but PS3 controller batteries going bad could be a potential pain:

Sony Will Replace PS3 Controllers

Sony today told GamesIndustry.biz that the company will provide a service to replace wireless PS3 controllers "when and if" their lithium batteries degrade. A report on GamesRadar.com observed that the pads do not feature removable battery packs, arguing this would render them "effectively useless" as wireless controllers after a certain number of charges.

This, the article claimed, would leave consumers "forced to shell out" for replacements. But a Sony spokesperson told GI.biz, "This is a purely speculative story and is largely untrue. The latest generation of Lithium Polymer batteries hardly suffer any memory effect at all, so it'll be many years before there's any degradation in terms of battery performance."

The spokesperson went on to confirm, "When and if this happens, then of course we will be providing a service to exchange these items." A European price point for the pads has yet to be announced, but yesterday SCEA announced they will retail for USD 49.99 (EUR 39). It was also confirmed that PS3 owners will be able to charge and use their controllers via a supplied USB cable.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » October 21, 2006, 7:30 am

Here's a quick article about resistance I saw posted yesterday.

http://www.ps3land.com/article-877.php

Here was a section of that article that bothered a few people:

One question was raised that brought a lot more questions than answers. When asked about the in game friends list compared to the PS3 network friends list, this was the response:

"The buddy list is specific to Resistance. And we decided not to bother people in-game with messages. If you have a new message sent to you while you're in a game, you'll see your "buddy list" tab flashing when you re-enter the lobby after playing a game. The buddy list tab is where you can access your friends, ignore list, messages, etc."

Someone who may or may not be from Insomniac decided to try and clarify it on the official PS3 boards

http://boardsus.playstation.com/playsta ... ing&page=2

I want to try to clear this one up a bit as Ted's answer was a bit confusing. The problem is that Sony's Network Platform (or PSN) is still going through some growing pains and we made the decision that by using its limited in-game buddy list functionality we'd be serving up more pain than convenience. Some of the problems with using the PSN buddy list are that you can't accept buddy invites without quitting the game and it doesn't allow for cross game messaging anyway, so it really doesn't provide a huge benefit and makes things quite a bit clunkier to use. We're optimistic that at some future point Sony will make things more friendly and at that time we may move to a fully integrated PSN buddylist in Resistance. In the mean time you get the benefit of a much easier to use and more integrated in-game buddylist and you get to keep your NP login name in the game and don't need to create a special account just for our servers. This may be a bit confusing now, but once you get your PS3 and start messing around with it, it'll make a lot more sense.

Leonaerd · Post by **Leonaerd** » October 23, 2006, 12:31 pm

A little off topic but this is a snippet from a PA update about the way EA handles Tiger Woods '07 online. It's so funny because it's so true.

Tycho wrote:We have invested a prodigious amount of our spiritual resources in Tiger Woods '07, first when it was merely an eventuality and then intensifying as the recent demo gripped us with a grip everlasting.

Of course, the demo doesn't "feature" the sometimes extended pausing and hitching we both receive on menus when saving and loading, maddening and inexplicable. This is not Goddamn Quake Wars. This is a sixty dollar game where individual men and women walk very slowly. EA has, however, managed to accomplish something novel - something I didn't expect to happen on this or any console. They've created something that even the most strident Xbox advocate or PS3 partisan will agree on: Electronic Arts' matchmaking is horrendous - and the men who operate and implement it, criminals.

It's despicable, and after people get a taste of how it works on other Live games or Resistance, they'll long for Government to sunder Electronic Fucking Arts like it broke up the Bells. Assuming that the matchmaking service is even working, the online interface is rudimentary where it needs more richness and it's byzantine where it needs to be coherent. If it's not available, don't expect a message to that effect - just sit back while the user interface flashes by really fast, potentially locking up the machine. When receiving a player invite, something that is usually pretty ordinary, you must first

1. Consent To Be Invited

In any other Goddamn Live game, you're done. In Tiger, one must then

2. Endorse The Invitation
3. Yield Wholly To The Concept Of Inviting
4. Surrender To The Invitation Beam.

And then, finally,

5. Lift Your Voice In Supplication To Raoul Invitatio, "He Who Maketh The Match"

We've had this fantasy where we play a couple rounds of the game with Gabe's dad, just as we used to do in Links way back when. I'm trying to picture him penetrating their troubled swamp of a user interface and I weep for that beautiful but shattered future.

I hope PS3 isn't the same way. It will be, though. =(

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 23, 2006, 1:51 pm

EA sucks. I've hated them ever since the 80's with their lame disk check copy protection which fucked up C-64 floppy drives by intentionally writing bad sectors so even legit owners of the games had to put their drives though the beating to get through them.

They've got the financial backing to pump out games but lack creativity and polish. Their only three good games came out between 1983-1986...Archon, M.U.L.E. and Wasteland.

I hope they drop their NFL contract and pick up the exclusive rights to WWF games, NASCAR or something.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » October 23, 2006, 1:58 pm

EA successfully pushed MS around and managed to host their own servers.

This is what we get for that.

Luckily, NHL07 online isn't done like this and works more like any other normal XBox Live games.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » October 23, 2006, 5:57 pm

I've played their World Cup game online several times, and I only had problems with one match up to a guy in Argentina. Other than that, I have had relatively few problems, and none like they mention with the Tiger Woods match making.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 23, 2006, 8:44 pm

Some group is trying to predict console sales:

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?optio ... 7&Itemid=2

No reason to believe this is accurate but if it was, the 360 would maintain its lead all the way up until their next Xbox console was released in 2010. That's a lot better than last round.

We love you Microsoft!

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » October 23, 2006, 11:43 pm

More like

I don't LOVE Microsoft. I just really like some of their products and make my living with others.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » November 7, 2006, 6:47 pm

Time for a few positive things about the PS3. The biggest plus for the PS3 so far is that it's quiet. That makes a big difference to me and is one of the major negatives of the 360. Hey, it's something positive!

So here are a few interesting facts about the PlayStation 3 you may (or may not) be interested in knowing:

* After plenty of gameplay the console is cool -- or at worst warm -- to the touch on every surface. In a side by side test with the Xbox 360, the console is comparably virtually silent, and the Blu-ray drive is significantly quieter than the 360's DVD drive.

* USB keyboards and mice will be plug-n-play, no fuss at all. Who really wants to browse the web with a PlayStation controller anyway?

* There are currently no plans for VGA out on the PlayStation3.

* There are currently no plans for a cheaper, wired version of the SIXAXIS.

* Despite rumor, Sony insists the US is still officially targeted for a 400k unit launch; Japan is still set for a mere 80k. Sony execs are actually expecting an upturn in unit production before launch, so those numbers may actually go up.

* Some titles have an option to install some amount of game data (in addition to saved data) to the drive. Genji can install 4GB worth of data to decrease load times (quoted to drop from 12-15 seconds down to 3-4); this game data can be removed at any time without affecting your saved games.

* The drive can be upgraded, although not on any official basis (read: YMMV, do so at your own risk, you may void warranty, etc.).

Xbox Scene launched PS3Scene

http://www.ps3scene.com/

for those looking for timely info on the PS3.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » November 11, 2006, 11:39 pm

All of the money being made off of PS3 is from the people that resell the few that are being sold.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » November 12, 2006, 1:34 am

Yeah, I have seen a few myspace profiles from EB employees auctioning their PS3's.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » November 12, 2006, 1:45 am

Yeah I am very interested to see how much they sell for on ebay. One thing that bothers me, however is that employees of stores like EB, Gamestop, etc should absolutely not be allowed to purchase a console from the first shipment.

It's hard enough for people to get their hands on them without the employees getting them with their employee discount and then turning around and selling them.

Trias · Post by **Trias** » November 12, 2006, 2:54 am

Funkmasterr wrote:Yeah I am very interested to see how much they sell for on ebay. One thing that bothers me, however is that employees of stores like EB, Gamestop, etc should absolutely not be allowed to purchase a console from the first shipment.

It's hard enough for people to get their hands on them without the employees getting them with their employee discount and then turning around and selling them.

a while back i managed a Gamestop...there is no discount on any hardware.

employees are only allowed 3 total amongst the first shipment to split between themselves and they had to reserve them like the rest did...i got my reserve at a gamestop because even though i work for Sony i am not allowed to purchase a first shipment unit.

Mr Bacon · Post by **Mr Bacon** » November 12, 2006, 4:30 am

http://cgi.ebay.com/PRE-SALE-SONY-PLAYS ... dZViewItem

Midgen · Post by **Midgen** » November 12, 2006, 5:18 am

The highest auction for a 360 was $6000 US dollars.

Rough number estimates say that 10% of all of the launch 360's were re-sold on Ebay.

Hopefully we won't have a repeat of that insanity.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » November 12, 2006, 6:07 am

Mr Bacon wrote:http://cgi.ebay.com/PRE-SALE-SONY-PLAYS ... dZViewItem

I don't know what is crazier, the fact that this guy is trying to sell a PS3 for that much money, or the fact that someone has obviously already bid at least 9k on it. I just can't imagine how it is worth that kind of money, even if you were a billionaire.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » November 12, 2006, 6:19 am

what? $9000 is not very much money for a lot of people.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » November 12, 2006, 7:12 am

If Sony could sell the PS3 for 9K they'd probably break even on it.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » November 14, 2006, 5:20 pm

Hmm, if you're holding out for a PS3 to watch HD movies, consider this below. You can plug the $200.00 HD-DVD drive available for the 360 directly into your PC using a USB port and watch HD-DVD movies. If you have an HTPC, you'll be able to watch those on your big screen as well. Nice. So the 360 HD-DVD add-on can be used as a normal data HD-DVD and movie player on your PC as well as for your Xbox 360. For $200.00, you also have a fulling working HD-DVD for your PC for future games, movies, etc. ...and I'd rather watch movies via my HTPC than through a game console anyway.

...I read somewhere that the drive is loud though : ( Hope not.

Xbox 360's HD-DVD Addon Opened and tested on XP, Vista, Mac OSX

>> The guys over at uneasysilence.com talk about how to use the Xbox360 HD-DVD addon on a PC. In case you missed the news Saturday on xbox-scene, Toshiba drivers have been released on net net that will allow Windows XP to recognize the Xbox360 HD-DVD addon if you connect it via USB with your PC.

The guys over at 360insider.net even say Windows Vista has the drivers built-in. Apparently the drive will be recognized and automatically installed on Windows Vista.

To test if you can not just read the content (fileview) of HD-DVD discs but also play HD-DVD movies, uneasysilence.com installed WinDVD 8 that has support to playback HD-DVD movies on Windows (update: apparently only the japanese version of WinDVD can playback HD-DVD atm). The HD-DVD movies played just fine on their Windows XP using the $200 Xbox360 HD-DVD Addon.

They also connected the addon with Mac OSX ... it was automatically recognized, and when a DVD disc was inserted the "DVD Player" application included in the OS started doing its thing. However they could not test HD-DVD movies as Mac OSX has no player for these discs yet.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » November 15, 2006, 8:27 pm

Merril Lynch knows all!

Whether it goes down like this or not, Microsoft has done a good job getting into the console business within two generations.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_i ... tory=11718

Merrill Lynch: Xbox 360 To Win Next-Gen Battle Through 2011

Merrill Lynch: Xbox 360 To Win Next-Gen Battle Through 2011 A new report from Japanese market analysts at financial firm Merrill Lynch has predicted that Microsoft's Xbox 360 will gain the greatest worldwide market share of the next-gen consoles through 2011, with PS3 and Wii marginally trailing.

According to an International Business Times report citing Yoshiyuki Kinoshita, research analyst for Merrill Lynch, the Tokyo-based division for the financial giant has predicted: "The winner in the next-generation console battle is likely to be the Xbox 360, which is the leader in North America, the world’s biggest market."

In addition, Kinoshita's research note revealed: "We forecast respective market shares [in March 2011] of Xbox 360 [at] 39 percent, PS3 [at] 34 percent and Wii [at] 27 percent, thus overturning Sony’s domination of the market with its PS2-based share of 69 percent, and doubling Microsoft and Nintendo’s respective market shares."

Kinoshita clearly believes that no one company will dominate all territories however, suggesting that Sony will still have 57% of the console market share in Japan by that date, with Nintendo's Wii at 39% and an unspecified small percentage for the Xbox 360.

However, it is his prediction for the North America market that is most startling and perhaps debatable, with his suggestion Microsoft will have 50% market share by 2011, of while the PlayStation 3 has just 27% and the Nintendo Wii 23%.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » November 16, 2006, 12:08 pm

You want to see a real black eye?

On HDTV's that only do 480i/480p/1080i, the PS3 will not upconvert to 1080i but instead display the games at 480p. Frankly, not being well versed in the history, didn't know that TV's came in 480i/480p/1080i. Apparently a lot of people that bought their TV's as recently as 2-3 years ago are in this boat and are not happy at all.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/746/746282p1.html

As it turns out, gamers who own older HD sets that feature only 480i, 480p, and 1080i resolution input capabilities will have to settle for the display quality being downsized as the game boots in its 480p mode rather than upscaling the image from its more desirable 720p mode to the TV's 1080i. We tested this development on older HDTV sets with games designed for 720p but not 1080i -- Resistance: Fall of Man, NHL 2K7, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07, and Need for Speed Carbon. Sure enough, the system downshifted all four titles to 480p rather than moving up to 1080i.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » November 16, 2006, 1:02 pm

I saw that this morning. Pretty fucked up!

You're screwed or may as well get a Wii if you don't have 720p as you'll be stuck in 480p according to this news. I'm curious to see how it looks on the Dell 2405. My other three HDTVs have 720p.

I know that with the 360, using 1080i instead of 720p in the 360 setup makes a noticeable difference in the picture quality displayed on the 2405.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » November 16, 2006, 1:43 pm

What they didn't comment on however was what happens if the game is native 1080p. I'm assuming that everything will run perfectly well in that scenario and it will just downgrade to the next available, in this case 1080i.

Still a pisser for the owners of those TV's. Hopefully Sony patches this sooner than later.

Akanae · Post by **Akanae** » November 16, 2006, 2:08 pm

supposedly it's a hardware problem so it can't be patched with a simple software update. I'm pretty sure Sony enjoys screwing people over

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » November 16, 2006, 5:14 pm

I can't really believe it, but my younger brother has been in line at Target for a PS3 since yesterday at about noon (and he is 6th in line- they only have 15 in stock), so he will be there until tomorrow at 8am when they open. It's way too cold here for that shit (like 20-30 degrees.)

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » November 16, 2006, 5:38 pm

That still doesn't answer the question of weather crazy comes from genetics or upbringing =P

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » November 16, 2006, 6:47 pm

Big losses for Sony. Looks like Microsoft is in the green now.

Sony Losing Big Money on PS3 Hardware

From pcworld.com:

Console makers often sell their hardware at a loss with the hope of profiting from the games that run on them. But Sony's loss on each PlayStation 3 will be unusually deep, according to iSuppli estimates released today.

The combined materials and manufacturing costs for each device come to about $806 for the model with a 20GB hard drive, excluding the cost of the controller, cables, and packaging, iSuppli said.

With a suggested retail price of $499, that would mean Sony is taking a loss of about $307 on each console it sells. The differential for the 60GB model is less, with the cost exceeding the price tag by $241.

By comparison, the materials and manufacturing costs for the hard-drive version of Microsoft's rival device, the Xbox 360 are $323, iSuppli estimated. That's less than the suggested retail price of $399.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » November 16, 2006, 9:59 pm

Winnow wrote:Big losses for Sony. Looks like Microsoft is in the green now.

Sony Losing Big Money on PS3 Hardware

From pcworld.com:

Console makers often sell their hardware at a loss with the hope of profiting from the games that run on them. But Sony's loss on each PlayStation 3 will be unusually deep, according to iSuppli estimates released today.

The combined materials and manufacturing costs for each device come to about $806 for the model with a 20GB hard drive, excluding the cost of the controller, cables, and packaging, iSuppli said.

With a suggested retail price of $499, that would mean Sony is taking a loss of about $307 on each console it sells. The differential for the 60GB model is less, with the cost exceeding the price tag by $241.

By comparison, the materials and manufacturing costs for the hard-drive version of Microsoft's rival device, the Xbox 360 are $323, iSuppli estimated. That's less than the suggested retail price of $399.

MS it probably still biting it big with support, repairs and new replacement units though. Not to mention that we have no idea if XBL is profitable for them.

Saying that they're bringing in more money than they're spending is a bit premature I think.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » November 16, 2006, 10:12 pm

Animalor wrote: MS it probably still biting it big with support, repairs and new replacement units though. Not to mention that we have no idea if XBL is profitable for them.

Saying that they're bringing in more money than they're spending is a bit premature I think.

Sony will have all of those issues you mentioned as well on top of the extra $241-307 initial loss per console and no subscriber income from their live service.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » November 16, 2006, 10:21 pm

Winnow wrote:
Animalor wrote: MS it probably still biting it big with support, repairs and new replacement units though. Not to mention that we have no idea if XBL is profitable for them.

Saying that they're bringing in more money than they're spending is a bit premature I think.
Sony will have all of those issues you mentioned as well on top of the extra $241-307 initial loss per console and no subscriber income from their live service.

I'd be real surprised if PS3 had this many failing units to be brutally honest.

Right now I'm not at the point where I'm wondering if my 360 will fail, I'm wondering WHEN my 360 will fail.

I love this system and what MS is doing with it, I just don't trust it to live more that a year and change (I've already bought their extended 2yr warrenty).

VeeshanVault

PS3 manufacturing has started.

ps3 launch lineup