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PS3 "Insider" Information Part 2: Online, Cells, and Loose Ends
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With Part 1 of Scrivener's "insider" information on the PS3, we've discussed his take on the console's launch lineup, and his opinions on Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD. In Part 2 we cover other things that are still relevant today about Sony's next-gen system. For those of you who have already taken part in online debates about the PS3, much of this is old news (Scrivener's article-of-opinions-and-reports was posted August 18), but his opinions are still interesting (judging by your comments in the previous article and in other related articles here at QJ, even if this is old news, it's still news that just won't die).
- System Life (or the opposite, system death): Scrivener said that Sony went as far and as expensive as they did with the PS3 system because they wanted to make a console that would last ten years. It's pretty much the same thing Sony execs announced to the media, so nothing new there. And from our perspective, the jury's still out on whether the PS3 will hold its tech lead that long.
- Online: "Online service is absolutely, positively 100% free... no tiers, no subscription. It's like having Xbox Live Gold, but you don't have to pay for it." Scrivener also said that features for PS3 online include multiple online IDs (as opposed to one gamertag), friends list, auto-2 based on skill or ranking, full online profiles, and EyeToy and EyeToy HD integration (photo profiles, video chat). Those look like fighting words. Presuming the PS3's online service will be subscription-free, this looks like Sony's bid to take on the Xbox in its own backyard (for reference, we reported before on Major Nelson's take on Sony's "basic" online features and comparing that to Xbox Live Silver).
- Web and Keyboard: The PS3 has a web browser and keyboard and mouse support (surfing the web should go easier than using a controller). Sony won't make 1st party keyboard/mouse peripherals, and they'll allow their use in games (such as FPS titles), but they prefer that developers concentrate on the controller instead.
- SDKs and Cells: Scrivener said that Sony has shipped more than 10,000 SDKs to third-party developers, and that there are more than 350 titles in active development for the PS3. All eight cores in the console will be enabled. "Reports of SPEs 'dying' are just plain rubbish." Scrivener also tackled reports of lower Cell yields. The Cell has "naturally lower yields" because it's a new and more powerful tech. Second, Cell yields were known by Sony far in advance. The company takes only the best silicon wafers to be made into Cells.
- Cost: "PS3 games will generally cost the same as Xbox 360 titles." Scrivener said that the across-the-board $10 price hike is meant to cover the additional production costs related to HD-quality assets. "Better graphics means higher production costs." We at QJ wonder if costs will go down as HD graphic assets become more common in the industry.
- HDMI: We've reported that Sony's gone and deleted the HDMI cable from the PS3 package as there aren't enough HDMI TVs in the market yet. Scrivener says that even the 20GB PS3 will support full 1080p via the component cable. Only hitch: there aren't any TVs in the market that support 1080p via component. But "that's an issue of support from TV manufacturers."
- Launch and Units: North America will be getting about 700,000 of the first 2 million unit run with a second shipment before Christmas with an equal number of units (compared to the 360's 400,000 initial North American run and the following 5-month gap in shipments). The balance of production/shipping between the 20GB and 60GB versions had not been decided, but as both are produced at the same plants and with the same basic parts anyway, shifting from one to the other won't be a problem. Scrivener's betting the 60GB will be the more "common" one, though.
Scrivener pretty much hit back at almost every criticism levelled at the PS3 and Sony: Blu-Ray, cost and pricing issues, online, the Cell, 1080p support, and third-party support. We at QJ have tons of speculations, but we'll leave you with an easy set of questions: Scrivener's claim that (PS3 online) = (Xbox Live Gold with no subscription fees) got us thinking.- Scrivener claims that Sony will make their online subscription-free. But can the company sustain it?
- Will they eventually start charging for premium services?
- Will the costs simply pass on to game developers whose titles feature online multiplayer? Will this mean higher game prices? Or will those developers be the ones who will charge for multiplayer?
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I' with the ps3 100%. I just need some more money...
just hoping a lot on the linux OS, I want to emulate ps2, xbox and gamecube games on my ps3 lol. =D and maybe download and play my divx... and watch anime on my tv =D and hoping to play PC games on my ps3 ( I'm sure we won't be able to, but that would be too cool to forget the possibilily )
x360 is lame BUT dvd9 are what, 2$ now? less? so I hope for a good chip, but I'll buy one when lost odyssey will be out, not before that, by the time a good chip will pop ( some already exist and sell pretty well ) and I'll have the x360 with a 50 dvd9 pack =D
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Such content as movie trailers, games, wallpapers, music, ingame copyrighted content (meaning songs, or things not of Sony's), we will have to pay for all of it. No exception. Microsoft's scheme is charging people points for the things people download except for the demos and some of the themes. I would like to think Sony will provide some of their own in-house content for free, while they only charge us only for the content provided by other companies.
HDMI is not required in fact, the cheaper model might be ideal for people who don't own HDTV's yet. this thing called ICT (Image Constraint Token) will not be implemented till the year 2010. But when they implement it, the movie company has to let people know. Basically, its a movie protection scheme that downgrade's a movie image from 1080p to exactly half (540p).
As for the launch units, the numbers seem a bit reasonable but still a bit hard to determine at the moment seeing that it is suppose to be launched Worldwide. But we shall see, alot of places are not suppose to get it yet.
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the xbox360 good version is 400 and like 8 bucks a month for gold online not counting mmorpgs and buying gamer points.
Any online gamer can do the math and see how buying a ps3 would end up saving you money if you kept it long enough.
The best idea would be wait for a price drop and not waste any money on xbox gold.
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a more interesting argument would be the lifespan of a system. right now ms has shown 4 years. sony had 6 between ps2 and ps3; if this holds true with x360 ($400) and ps3 ($600) both systems cost $100/year. it's all perspective.
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That's dope though that I don't have to pay for online. I hope Scriveners stuff turns out to be true 'cause killzone looked crazy.
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Sorry to go off topic, but I just wanted to point that out with number 11's refreshing comment.
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This means 1 of 2 things... The guy who's supplying this info is BSing us about a $0 fee... OR game companies and developers will charge their own fee's for these features... Both are very believable assumtions... And as much as i think there is a biased with this guy i think the game developers will do the charging...
These companies are searching for extra cash... Since most of these developers dont make any more money off of these games once they come out they will be trying to make a quick buck off of people/"saps" wanting these extra features... Its believable, predictable and a smart move business wise...
But i pose this question to everyone about this... Whats stopping someone from getting these extra features, spreading it over the internet, let people homebrew these features (via hack or mod) and not have to pay diddly squat?....
My thoughts? Its Linux... It can and will happen... So us 1 game developers 0...
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Full Cell is 1PPE+8SPE ! NINE CORES!
PS3 is shiped with one SPE DISABLED
from those 7 SPE - ONE is taken for OS.
So games only get to use max 6 SPE
- (compared to the 360's 400,000 initial North American run and the following 5-month gap in shipments)
LOL 200k-300k *per month* WERE SOLD IN USA!
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It's slightly risky, but it actually stands to be more profitable than Xbox Live. Xbox Live's servers just hook people up for matchmaking anyway, and then have users connect to each other directly like an online LAN network. The reason I say it stands to be more profitable is because if you're not being charged at a set price all the time you tend to forget how much you've been spending.
Xbox Live charges $50 a year, on top of free/priced downloadable content.
Playstation Online lets anyone sign up for free, but pay for anything they want for a small fee. This can easily add up to more than $50 a year. And unlike XBox live, a higher ratio of that cash goes straight to developers.
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Click on Question 13 - Will there be a charge for the PS3 online service?
Answer - We are sticking with our philosophy of maintaining an open platform; the online basic services such as playing online games, accessing downloadable content, and staying connected with your friends online will be offered to PS3 users at no charge.
So, how much more can Scriv get right?
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When was the last time PSP was a success and outsold the DS?
Sony tries to show off thier PSP as this really uber cool device as a permanent fixture on every Ipod-toting, fast and the furious type Gen Xer but the reality is FAR from it.
There are more soccer kids who upgraded from thier Gameboys to NDSs than hardcore gamers shelling out 249 for a portable system with nothing new to offer.
P.S. to hell with the UMD movie buyers, How can you even do that? Gove that money to the poor and download and rip yor own movies. Idiots.
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And does anyone know whats the best way to get ya hands on a PS3 come Nov. 17th.?
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2. Resistance sound
3. Resistance weapons
4. PSP entertainment pack(exact spec, game, movie, mem card)
5. 700,000 machines for the us (later disclosed by Kaz)
6. Gran Turismo HD being a real game
7. Virtual Tennis looking better on PS3 than 360 because of textures. (he said sports game not VT3 but many believe this is the one since most people that have seen it say the textures in PS3 looked better)
8. Lair playable at TGS
9 PSP and PS3 new store opens where you can buy movies, games, music around November 11
10 PSP is an output device for PS3 (use the PSP as a TV and remote, WOW! would be amazing hopefully there is no lag)
11 GPS was delayed and now coming 12/7 for Japan which means most likely it will come in the summer for the US
Things that we are waiting to see if they turn out true.
* New play demo of Heavenly Sword to look amazing with more gore.
* Lair demo at TGS to be amazing looking.
* Killzone finally shown at TGS and it looks like the target video.
* Oblivion with better textures
* PSP emulator coming october (yay!)
* SquareEnix one of the first being approached for games on PS1 emulator.
* PSP many first party PS1 titles will be available
* Reintroduce UMD to the masses with lower price and more features
* Online service absolutely 100% free… no tiers, no subscription. like having Xbox Live Gold,
* Multiple online IDs (not just one gamertag), friends lists, rankings and skill-based auto-matchmaking, full online profiles,
* EyeToy and EyeToy HD integration (photo profiles, possibly video chat).
* Full featured web browser and the PS3 will have native Keyboard and Mouse support
* 3rd party developers (EA, UbiSoft) have already announced their pricing schemes for next-gen games. PS3 games will generally cost the same as Xbox 360 titles
* On a later post he also mentioned that Square might announce another Final Fantasy Game for the PS3 at the Tokyo Game Show. Could this be the Final Fantasy 7 remake ??? /me wets pants at the thought
* Silver PS2 later this year. Maybe...
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SPE are custom processors build for vector operations. Vectors are multiple sets of values. as in the set [1,2,3]. A matrix operation for example deals with vector operations. Google Math Vectors for a better example. Polygons for example are calculated using vector math! The previous article (not sure if it was true or not) mentioned that there were actually 8 SPEs and that one was dormant, meaning that cells still ship with 7 SPEs which we were told we were going to get anyway =\.
PPE is a common PowerPC core processor that handles general purpose operations. It is not meant to handle just OS operations (where did you people get some of this stuff =\ )
So let's try this again 1 PPE and 7 SPEs compose the cell architecture and thrive with vector operations and concurrent processing such as rendering, physics, particles, sound etc...
see: www.cellperformance.com for more information on this revolutionary new architecture. Is run by game developers from Vivendi games.
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? Can anyone tell me when or if PS3 will be able to be reserved. Because it seems as if there are no reserve stations as of now.
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http://www.emedialive.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?CategoryID=27&ArticleID=9979
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For example:
PS2 = 300
PS3 = 500
inflation = 3% a year(very rough average)
which means our dollar today is worth 3% less than the year before. so after 7 years(19.21% decrease in the value of the dollar) of the PS2 being out out $500 today would be $403.95 the day PS2 came out or
$600 today would be $484.74. Now compare that to the $300 price of the PS2, and you no longer have a reason to complain about the price
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