The Official Sony Playstation 3 Thread

[GrubbTheFragger]

i think assassins creed is probably my fav trailer for the ps3 so far

yes that game looks amazing. though not as amazing as say*coughmgs4cough*

[Bobtheduck]

The framerate drop was present through most of the realtime render of the trailer. It really doesn't show up as much in the trailers viewed online, due to them being lower quality than that which you view at E3 by default. All games other than the following had bad framrate issues:

Ok... Showing lower quality trailers wouldn't increase the framerate. IF the source they got it from is low framerate, the final product will be low frame rate. If you're talking about the scenes with metal gears chasing snake up into the building, I think you're confusing frame drop for a shaky camera (because it was supposed to be showing the metal gears shaking the screen.) It doesn't look smooth because the camera is all over the place...

So, sorry, but I don't believe you. It's basically impossible for streaming something online to INCREASE the framerate...

And I hope they don't force the gyro thing to be a major part of the system...

[Yojimbo]

Ok... Showing lower quality trailers wouldn't increase the framerate. IF the source they got it from is low framerate, the final product will be low frame rate. If you're talking about the scenes with metal gears chasing snake up into the building, I think you're confusing frame drop for a shaky camera (because it was supposed to be showing the metal gears shaking the screen.) It doesn't look smooth because the camera is all over the place...

So, sorry, but I don't believe you. It's basically impossible for streaming something online to INCREASE the framerate...

And I hope they don't force the gyro thing to be a major part of the system...

I was thinking that as well. No matter if the thing is streaming at 168 kbs or 998 kbs and it's bad quality it won't change the actual frame rate. You were more than likely confusing the intentional shaky camera with framerate ikimasu. That was used quite often in past Metal Gear games and in cinematic games in general.

I didn't notice any framerate drop at all really and I think if there was any it would be extremely hard to see.

[Cognitive Gear]

I don't think that lower quality videos INCREASE the framerate. I never said that.

Lower quality videos have LOWER framerates. Therefore, the drop isn't as noticable due to the difference being less of a change.

[Bobtheduck]

I didn't notice a drop in framerate even on HD trailers, though

[Nate]

Right, and that still doesn't make sense...if the computer video has a low framerate, and the original has a low framerate, it should still look worse, not better.

[Cognitive Gear]

Kae: It does make sense. If the overall framerate is less, then your eyes will get used to a lower framerate making the dips less noticable.

Yes, I know the trailers you have all seen are great. The dips don't look as bad. There's a big difference between the online trailers and seeing it rendered for yourself off of development hardware displayed on a 30' Sony High Def projection screen. I watched it three times to be sure my eyes weren't lying, plus the ten times I saw it while passing the Konami booth (displayed on 50" Sony HD televisons). I'm sorry, but it's what I saw. You don't have to believe me, but I would appreciate it if people would be less agrrivated by someone pointing out faults in Sony.

Believe what you will, but remember that I was trying to give you the hands-on impression of someone that was ready to have Sony show him the true "Next Generation Machine". Something to back up the "Xbox 1.5" statements. Sony failed to back it up at E3 2006. Maybe they will get thier act together and wow me with something great at launch. I certainly hope so.

[Bobtheduck]

Hmm... Well, maybe this is just a development thing, and perhaps it's just what you thought you saw in the shaky scenes, and maybe you're actually right. MGS4 is still the best thing in the show. I'm still going to be giddy when it gets here. I'm still getting a PS3 for games as well as for it to be my first Blu-Ray player (which is just plain better than HD-DVD... more storage, 1080p, that scratchproof coating) I'm still in love with the darned thing...

I'm surprised very few people are talking about that new coating they're putting on Blu-Ray discs... It's supposed to be able to take someone hitting it with a scewdriver, and come away unharmed... I'm sure it's not indestrucatble, but if there is something that will elliminate scratches earned through normal use (or, even, just "sitting there" like most of the scratches in my discs come) that is something to look forward to...

SCE President and father of the original Playstation Ken Kutaragi recently made a bold claim: that the PlayStation 3 could run games at a blistering 120 fps

This is just rediculous... Why would you WANT to run games at 120 FPS? The average person can only view about 30 distinct images a second, so 60 FPS MORE than covers that... If it hinges on something like that, it's pretty pointless...

Hmm... I'm talking about how much I want this thing, but plain fact is I can't afford it... Not the 500 dollar model which I wouldn't buy anyhow (I want the HMDI) and especially not the 600 dollar model... Heck, I can't even afford the wii at the purported 250 dollar price. That's why it's good to have friends with access to the hardware when you don't... I think I may get 29 other people to chip in 20 bucks a piece... And it can be shared... (hahahahahahaha... that's a good one, i have to admit)

It would be nice to get the school to pitch in for an HDTV (Maybe a 40 incher?) and a PS3 to have at the school. Of course, all the classes would fight over it...

I know I know! I'll work at McDonads and make minimum wage for four months, provided I don't have any other payments to make, and I'll buy an HDTV and a PS3... *cries*

Actually, I think the idea of sharing a PS3 is a very pleasing one... At least among three people... Whatever I can do to save 400 dollars...

[Omega Amen]

Kae: It does make sense. If the overall framerate is less, then your eyes will get used to a lower framerate making the dips less noticable.

While this is addressed to kaemmerite, I will have to disagree with you, especially after taking a digital signal processing class where the human eye's sampling rate is explained. In order for the eye to be "fooled" in the way you are alluding here, the electrical pulse rate that takes information from your eye to your brain has to slow down, which is highly unlikely unless there is some type of fatigue in play.

Most people I meet who watch a lot of movies and video games can tell a difference between 25 fps and 30 fps, especially in a side-to-side comparison. The only exception is when a frame drop is very quick (less than a second), and in that case, most developers would consider it immaterial and not worth their time to fix it.

Yes, I know the trailers you have all seen are great. The dips don't look as bad. There's a big difference between the online trailers and seeing it rendered for yourself off of development hardware displayed on a 30' Sony High Def projection screen. I watched it three times to be sure my eyes weren't lying, plus the ten times I saw it while passing the Konami booth (displayed on 50" Sony HD televisons). I'm sorry, but it's what I saw.

I think you have the crucial facts to explain your observation, but I really think you have the wrong interpretation of the facts, and thereby placing fault on the wrong device.

Consider a few things: First, a video trailer file will show the best frame rate output of a video processor, meaning it literally records each complete video frame as soon the processor completes calculating that frame. Second, we will always see the slower rate between a trailer's frame rate and the display refresh rate. If the display's refresh rate is slower than the trailer's frame rate, we see the display's refresh rate.

Right now, most large HD displays (50" and above) that try to output high progressive resolutions (720p and 1080p) have inconsistent refresh rates (sometimes lousy), especially when there is a quick change from light to dark colors and vice versa. I see this in my local Best Buy with their HD displays on their typical video loop. HD display technology is still too new to match the current video processing power.

Considering that the MGS4 trailer has a lot of changing shadows and very light and dark colors, and that you saw this on large HD displays, the mediocre frame rate should be expected. And it would be the fault of the HD display, not the processor.

In this case, the most accurate way to gauge a video processor's frame rate ability is to pipe its output to a computer monitor display that you know has a very high refresh rate. In this case, a video trailer recorded in HD on a high refresh rate display is more accurate than some brand new HD display technology that really has not matured yet.

You don't have to believe me, but I would appreciate it if people would be less agrrivated by someone pointing out faults in Sony.

ikimasu, since we are being frank, let me say something. After reading many professional video game publications, blogs, and other CAA users' reactions, you stand out greatly as being the most critical of anything Sony has to offer, including making statements that come in direct contradiction with the previously stated sources. If anybody is in your position, that person will be faced with great skepticism with what he is saying. That is the natural human reaction, and that is normally justified. In a 100 person group, if 99 people say an object is green and I say it is blue, most people will look at me skeptically.

In our E3 gamecast, I am guessing I will be one of the most harsh critics on Nintendo's E3 conference, probably one of the most harshest in the whole Internet. My co-hosts think I was too harsh, and I expect most CAA forum members will feel the same way and take my opinions with a lot of skepticism. (But they cannot say I am a Nintendo-hater since I own a Gamecube.)

Granted, that does not justify being aggravated with you for your statements in anyway, and I hope no one is....

That being said, please understand that when you say something like this...

Believe what you will, but remember that I was trying to give you the hands-on impression of someone that was ready to have Sony show him the true "Next Generation Machine". Something to back up the "Xbox 1.5" statements. Sony failed to back it up at E3 2006.

... where you take the grandiose, exaggerated, immature statements (made by zealous Sony marketing executives, in this case) as actual realistic judging criteria, and are determined to find flaws in their product, you have basically guaranteed that you will be met with disappointment, as predicted by psychological studies.

Maybe they will get thier act together and wow me with something great at launch. I certainly hope so.

I would personally suggest that you just buy what you like. If you do not like what Sony has to offer, do not shell out the big money.... (I still cannot believe the two models and their pricing, which I think borders on plain stupid in business strategy.)

[Bobtheduck]

Personally, I think we should forget about the framerates for now, and wait till final releases...We should give it a chance when it gets here, I suppose, as I should give the wii a chance...No need to make rash judgements about a system (PS3 or Wii) that isn't even out...Everyone will have to make their own decision, and provided I can get the money in time, I'm going to choose the PS3 because I want bluray and MGS4 (as well as Silent Hill 5 and the Eyetoy stuff.) Don't misunderstand me, this is a battle for wallets... I just don't think the battle starts until November, and I think Sony's battle goes further than the PS3... it's about the next video format, as well... The next optical medium... They're probably just breaking even with UMDs, and that's a good sign... This may be the first one they win, provided the vastly inferior HD-DVD doesn't garner more fans (the price will be immaterial once it becomes popular, since the price for stamped discs always goes down a year or so into the game... Blu-ray media will be sold for 20 bucks in 3 or 4 years)

[Bobtheduck]

Sorry for double posting, but... About Blu-ray, since it is such a big topic in another thread that has nothing to do with it, I'll say this is why I want Blu-ray

1. It holds more than HD-DVD (and more than DVD) This means more content on movies as well as games.
2. That scratchproof coating...
3. It will come with a system I allready want. I'm really buying a 300 dollar game player and a 300 dollar movie player that just happen to be the same machine at 600 dollars... Once I get a job with which I can afford that, that is...

Now, battletech, you said to wait and see which format is the victor, but really... It's US who decides, and I'm going to decide blu-ray for myself, because it comes with the PS3...

As for standard DVD vs the next gen (HDDVD and Blu-Ray) Are you kidding me? Standard TV signals are going to be phased out. Nothing less than 420p will be broadcast in a few years, and have you ever WATCHED a 720p video? Oh, man, it looks so goood... (provided the media was made in that resolution to begin with (IE on film or on HD-video) I love watching 720p trailers on my computer, they're just so impressive... I can't wait to see 1080p once the kinks are worked out of it... HD is the way that television and movies are going, and I, for one, am ready for it... You know, once I get a decent enough job to afford an HD-TV... Once I do, that will replace my monitor (since 720p is allready a better resolution, essentially, than my monitor at 1028x768... I have to make the resolution higher to watch those 720p videos...) with my HD-TV and have just one display in my room.

[Cognitive Gear]

... where you take the grandiose, exaggerated, immature statements (made by zealous Sony marketing executives, in this case) as actual realistic judging criteria, and are determined to find flaws in their product, you have basically guaranteed that you will be met with disappointment, as predicted by psychological studies.

Let me make sure that I put this out there to ensure that everyone understands: Yes, I am determined to find flaws in the product. The product, however, is ANY gaming device, not just Sony's. I test video games for a living, it's my livelyhood to find flaws in anything related to gaming.

2nd: I expect things said by buisnessmen to have some weight behind them. If everything they say is nothing but fluff, the consumer generally will eventually catch on and stop purchasing product. There should always be a certain level of trust between consumer and buisnesses, although I will admit there are exceptions. (Microsoft being the best known example, although I believe this missing level of trust has hurt sales of the xbox console)

As far as the HDTV thing is concerned: I was under the impression that most 1080p HDTV's had a standard refresh rate of 60htz, or 60 FPS. 60FPS should be more than enough to handle the MGS4 trailer, I believe. I would also hope that they had some form of Vertical synch enabled to prevent tearing, which in theory would prevent an effect such as you described. I may be incorrect in my assumtions, and if I am, I would appreciate being corrected.

[Omega Amen]

Let me make sure that I put this out there to ensure that everyone understands: Yes, I am determined to find flaws in the product. The product, however, is ANY gaming device, not just Sony's. I test video games for a living, it's my livelyhood to find flaws in anything related to gaming.

Fair enough. Your occupation would explain why you are able to see many flaws that many other people/sources may not see easily.

Now, as a graduated computer engineering student, who has studied computer architecture and read IEEE (a computer engineering professional society) periodicals on the development of the Cell processor, let me tell you from my perspective, I was very impressed to see MGS4 in a pre-alpha build actually look that good, even with the frame rate issues that came with falling rubble, whirling dust clouds, up-close bullet-ricochet sparks, changing shadows due to a spinning chopper blade, and up-close encounters with Metal Gears... which I would expect to happen.

Why? The Cell processor is literally a new type of computer architecture that computer programmers in general are not accustomed to... at all. This is really new to them, and it requires to learn new multi-threaded programming styles that have not been practiced or researched that much before. They will have to go a little bit out of their comfort zone in order to take advantage of Cell's huge speedup in computations. Considering that MGS4 is a little more than a year in development with this new architecture, I suspect Kojima's team has not even scratched the surface of what the Cell can really do... and the trailer still looks good. That was the Cell and the RSX with one hand tied behind its back, as far as I am concerned.

From my standpoint as a computer engineer, I was impressed. Also, as a computer engineer, I wonder if many game developers are talented enough to be trailblazers in multithreaded programming. They tend to be the best computer programmers in the world... but who knows.

2nd: I expect things said by buisnessmen to have some weight behind them. If everything they say is nothing but fluff, the consumer generally will eventually catch on and stop purchasing product. There should always be a certain level of trust between consumer and buisnesses, although I will admit there are exceptions. (Microsoft being the best known example, although I believe this missing level of trust has hurt sales of the xbox console)

In general, I advise people to not trust the optimistic statements made by any marketing executive in any business. They are paid to motivate consumers to buy the product, not to give an accurate spec sheet of what it can do or tell the whole truth.

ikimasu, I also do believe that there should be some level of trust on what a businessman says to consumers, and it can have an effect if the businessman has to deal with consumers at a more personal level. However, I do not believe that accurately reflects the reality of the console market's recent history.

Sony's trio of Kaz Hirai, Phil Harrison, and especially Ken Kuturagi have been making ridiculous statements to the press for almost a decade since the PlayStation lineup has started. In spite of that and having lousy launch titles and competing with an established and cheaper Dreamcast console, the PS2 broke console sales records and Sega now only makes software.

When Nintendo had its Gamecube debut E3 conference, the press was very impressed with its showing and its games. Now, it is a distant third in current-gen sales.

When Bungie was just bought by Microsoft, and they showed their first demo of the original Halo at E3, it was buggy, had frame rate issues, and made a lot of video game journalists skeptical about Bungie's and Microsoft's console future. Now, Halo is the most beloved Xbox franchise and is a system seller.

Last E3, J Allard had a worried look at Microsoft's press conference when the Kameo demo had frame rate issues. Today, the Xbox 360 is selling so well, Microsoft cannot keep up with demand.

Maybe none of these things should have happened, but they did anyway.

*shrugs shoulders.*

A lot of things happen after E3, ikimasu, even after some troubling signs made by big-mouth company executives at the expo. For example, after E3, developers focus on making games better instead of preparing for a small demo or trailer to appease company executives for a hype show.

As far as the HDTV thing is concerned: I was under the impression that most 1080p HDTV's had a standard refresh rate of 60htz, or 60 FPS. 60FPS should be more than enough to handle the MGS4 trailer, I believe.

I noticed that I made an error in my earlier statement. I was alluding to the Nyquist-Shannon Sampling Theorem, and now that I look it up (look at the Nyquist Rate), the sampling rate (of the display) must be at least twice the rate of the input signal (frame rate of video trailer). In this case, 60 Hz is the guaranteed minimum.

Let me try to clarify the problem I am alluding to. While 60 Hz is a standard, in some special cases, especially shifting from a very dark color like black to a very light color like white, the shifting time takes too long to match the usual 60 Hz. This has been a problem a few years ago with LCD computer. The Sony HD lineup uses LCoS (a.k.a. SXRD), the newest flat HD panel technology, which is somewhat similar to LCD technology and I have seen the same problem on their displays. I am guessing you were looking at Sony SXRDs at their booth.

I would also hope that they had some form of Vertical synch enabled to prevent tearing, which in theory would prevent an effect such as you described. I may be incorrect in my assumtions, and if I am, I would appreciate being corrected.

No, it would not in theory prevent this problem that I am describing. This is not the classic "tearing" problem between high frequency video card input to a low frequency CRT monitor. It actually does not look like tearing. This is a problem dealing with a CMOS reacting quickly enough with the silicone in a pixel of an LCoS monitor. This is an electro-chemical reaction not being fast enough in a particular case, that happens to be commonplace to the colors used in the MGS4 trailer. A vertical sync pulse correction cannot fix that on an LCoS display. From what I understand, this problem occurs after the vertical sync pulse signal has been received by the display.

Maybe this problem does not correlate to your experience. However, it is a possible factor. Also, I think the relatively small time that developers had to touch finalized PS3 hardware should play a roll in our judgments, and not childish remarks made by Ken Kuturagi, especially given recent console history.

But maybe I am too biased. I am a computer engineer. Therefore, I tend to sympathize with game developers on their arduous tasks, and I tend to be confident in their abilities to polish their products when they are not busy playing to the press.

[Cognitive Gear]

Ah, I believe what you are refering to is Responce time. I entirely forgot that this idea existed, as I've never had to deal with the problems it causes. (All LCD monitors I have ever used have been 8ms responce time). Thanks for the explaination.

I will admit, my job has made me very picky about things. What appears as a drastic game engine problem to me appears to be not too bad as far as any one else is concerned. When I see that framerate drop (waether it is slight or drastic is up to the viewer) I see a massive coding project that need to be fixed ASAP so the game can launch in full glory. There are a few other small problems in that trailer, but I won't bring them up, because those I KNOW are picky little things that most people don't pick up on. The kind of things that games launch with because the publisher is pushing. But now I am getting to where I want to rant about the evils of publishers, and that would be a thread all it's own.

[Bobtheduck]

The LCD and Plasma response time thing is why I'd never buy anything but a CRT TV... My stuff will look incredible and be much cheaper, the only loss being space...

Oh, and a CRT TV may last 10 - 15 years, even a larger (35-40") one, wheras the LCD screens lose pixels very quickly, and Plasma screens die in like 5 years... I am not all about "smaller=better" though I am a bit miffed by the "bigger than x-box 1" PS3... Oh well... It'll give me games and High Definition movies (for 20 bucks a month, because Netflix will offer Blu-rays for no additional cost)

[Nightshade X]

I just read an article about the PS3 launch on Gamespot... this thing's coming out on my birthday!!

Anyway... if I have the money, I'll get one. I don't care if it's the low-end or high-end one. I'm just excited about the system.

[Bobtheduck]

I just read an article about the PS3 launch on Gamespot... this thing's coming out on my birthday!!

Anyway... if I have the money, I'll get one. I don't care if it's the low-end or high-end one. I'm just excited about the system.

I'm gonna have to get a good job before I even think about PS3... I mean, it's not just the PS3, I'd want a nice TV to go with it, too... It was 3 years after launch for me for the PS1, and 2 years after launch for the PS2... I think getting a PS3 1 year after launch would be great

If a PS4 ever rolls around, I'll probably get it at launch... And hold on to that waranty with an iron grip, because Sony stuff always screws up on it's first run... My PS2, however (3rd or 4th model, I forget) was flawless.

[Bobtheduck]

Can I preface this by saying no N fanboy rants... Now, what is an N fanboy rant when there is no N to discuss? Well, one common thing is to say "I want a game machine, not a movie / internet / music / computer / etc..." Sony fans allready know that Sony isn't out to make the pure gaming machine, they're out to make the entertainment hub, in direct competition with Microsoft (with their XBOX 360 and their media center PCs). You either accept it or you don't.

Ok... With that out of the way:

http://www.gametrailers.com/viewnews.php?id=3317

*blink*

Likening the PS3 to a computer more than a video game system, Katarugi discusses how future versions of the PlayStation 3 might include more RAM or even a different Cell chip configuration. "PS3 is a computer, so there are no 'models,' only 'configurations,' Katarugi explains. "We're trying to make that clear ...we think it would be okay to [expand] the configuration once a year. Dell would do that, as well as even Apple."

Does this mean no PS4, only PS3.1 and PS3.2 and PS3.3... Now, this could be cool, but I see a MAJOR problem with this... Cost... See, the 600 dollar price tag on the PS3 is pretty pricy, and many fans are anticipating, given the nature of consoles (slow to change), that they'll wait until the price drops. If they update once or twice a year, this will not be the case. Instead, the older versions (with less ram, no burner, and older configuration of Cell) will become obsolete and the price will stay the same or go higher on the new models... This wasn't a problem in the updated models for PS1 and PS2 because they didn't add new features, only fixed old ones (or even eliminated them, as in PSONE and PS2 Slimline)

If they release versions with more ram, that may mean games that will only work on the new systems... There is good reason I don't follow PC gaming: The endless upgrading! If I folow games on the PC, I have to upgrade constantly to be able to play every new cycle of games... Consoles have more time in between upgrades, so I don't have to worry as much... Now, if the PS3 had an upgradeable system for ram like the N64 did, that wouldn't be as much of a problem... They could just sell the ram upgrade in conjunction with a game that required it. There was no mention if this was the case, however...

So... This could be very cool or very bad... I'm crossing my fingers...

[Cognitive Gear]

I always knew that consoles would eventually try to take over the PC market, but I never thought it would be done via "upgrades". I really hope that, as bob mentioned, they do some sort of N64 style RAM upgrade system. Otherwise, I may end up never getting a PS3 until Sony finally (if ever) decides to release a "final" configuration of the PS3. I'm not to keen on spending 600$ every year for a 512MB upgrade in RAM and a slightly faster processor. Even in PC gaming you could keep your system up to date for less than that.

I'm really starting to wonder about how Sony thinks it will reach the casual gamer with this "upgrade" plan. It's pretty common knolege that console sales pick up the most once the price hits the magical realm of <200$. With this plan, I wonder if it would EVER make it this low. I suppose eventually the "bottom of the line" configuration might, but I still see the limitation of what games you can play on it to be a real problem for both consumers and developers.

So... I think it could be very cool.... So long as the extra specs are for applications, not for PS3 games. Especially if Sony does indeed allow you to install any OS on it that you like.

[Bobtheduck]

I had a friend say he was going to hack his and put windows drivers on it, make it play PC games... I'm not entirely sure this is possible, but if it is it would be flipping sweet... That would take some heavy hacking, and the emulation community doesn't seem to have that level of dedication...

[Bobtheduck]

http://www.ps3portal.com/sony/article/457.html

Excuse me while I laugh a bit...

Of course, quicktime has proven itself, and if it weren't for the fact I would take game playing and net browsing over the much larger storage, I would buy an iPod but I'm gonna save for a PSP instead... So, Actually, I don't really hate apple... I just hate mac. So, if this was true, it would be... potential...ous... potential...ity... There would be potential.

If Blu-ray wins out over HD-DVD (which it should... It's just an all around better format, and the price difference will be non-existant or reversed if Blu-ray gets more popular...) PS3 will take a LATE lead in this generation... Of course, the more I look at it... Well, see my sig...

EDIT: No more bumping, just news from IMDB

And the delays keep coming for Sony's Blu-ray high-definition DVD system. China's Commercial Times newspaper is reporting that Sony's production facilities have not been able to meet the demand for the diode that generates the blue laser at the heart of the HD system. Both Sony's own plants and those of Japan's Nichia Corp., the only two suppliers of the diodes, have been plagued by production problems, the newspaper said. The supply problem, it observed, could not only delay production of Blu-ray DVD players for Sony and other manufacturers, but could also delay the release of PlayStation 3 models, now scheduled for November.

That's both good news (because there is large demand) and bad news (a delay on the PS3???) I hope these problems are worked out before november...

[Bobtheduck]

I'm sorry, I have to resurrect this... I know some people are excited for November to roll around... Just 2 more months! Final Fantasy 13, Metal Gear Solid 4... Maybe Silent Hill 5 will come around soon afterward! For FPS people, there's Unreal, Killzone... Then Eyedentify...

Eyedentify looks so incredible... It's basically charlie's angels, only you're charlie... You control the angels by talking to them using the headset and the eyetoy... It recognizes gestures, faces, and voices... That is going to be such an awesome game! I can't wait until that one comes out...

Of course, I need the money to get it... It'll be a while... It'll take 6 months to get the money once I have a basic min wage job, so no less than 4 months after launch... Of course, I may RENT a system from Blockbuster or Hollywood... They still do that, right? I'll be renting a system when MGS4 comes out... I won't miss that one long...

[Mega.EXE]

are any of you guys actually gonna pay 700?

[Nate]

Why would you pay 100 dollars more than they're selling the system for? Unless you buy one off ebay, I mean.

In other news, Sony MIGHT be working with Xfire.

"We can confirm that Sony Online Entertainment is in talks with Viacom and Xfire for a single, specific PS3 game. However, there are no announcements at this time regarding any discussions between SCEA, Viacom and Xfire."

This could be Sony's answer to Xbox Live, and while it likely wouldn't be as popular as Xbox Live, it would put them on somewhat even ground...and if Sony isn't going to work with Xfire, my question is, WHY NOT?

[Shia Kyosuka]

How exactly do you guys plan on getting a PS3 near launch?

Only 400,000 PS3's are going all over North America. All 50 states, plus Canada, I think. And, counting the high demand expected... and all those people who are going to be waiting for more PS3's after it sells out during launch and they miss their chance... hmm...

Oh, wait, maybe you're excited for launch... because you can test them out at Wal-Mart, Gamestop, and such?

No, wait... E-bay? PS3 for $2000 starting bid FTW!!!!!

[Nate]

I'm not getting one at launch, because there's no games for it I want. I didn't get a PS2 at launch either, so it's not like I'm suddenly snubbing Sony or anything. I'll probably wait a few months like I did with PS2.

[Shia Kyosuka]

Meh.

A few months after launch is still near launch. You'd probably still have to be pretty lucky to get one, even then. :/

>_>

[Scarecrow]

Just curious, why are they releaseing so little? Isn't that kind of stupid on there part? I never got why the only release so little....

Not planning on getting one anyway (Wiiiiiiiiii) but I noticed Microsoft did that too and it took my brother like 5 months till he actaully managed to get one...

[Bobtheduck]

I was planning on getting one no later than 6 months after launch, but now I'm saving for a very expensive Japan trip, so I'll have to play friends' PS3s... Too bad I don't know anyone with HDTVs, though... Well, I do know ONE person...

As for the shortages, someone somewhere along the line found out that a forced shortage created more interest in the product, or something... I don't know, it's probably new math...



*chirp*



That killed them at the VFW... Where they're waiting for THEIR PS3s... hahaha!

Anyhow... Since I wouldn't be able to afford one at launch anyhow, and since Sony stuff is notoriously bad on its first run, I don't mind the shortages... I'll just play them at stores! WooT!!! Curse the "No M rated games on display machines" rule most stores have...

[Nate]

Just curious, why are they releaseing so little? Isn't that kind of stupid on there part? I never got why the only release so little....

It's not that they WANT to release so little. It's that there's usually unforseen problems. Technological things have a habit of breaking down, and some of them break before they can be shipped, and some break immediately after, remember the Xbox 360 thing where some people got a busted console?

There were problems with the Blu Ray portion of the console, hence why they couldn't ship as many as they wanted to. They're not purposely withholding consoles, and in fact, Sony issued an apology for not being able to meet the shipping numbers they originally gave.