General gaming news

[Aumann]

does anyone know if the Half Life 2, Ep.1 and 2 in The Orange Box are going to be graphically updated for PS3/360 or if theyre just straight up ports with the same graphics from a couple years ago?

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

does anyone know if the Half Life 2, Ep.1 and 2 in The Orange Box are going to be graphically updated for PS3/360 or if theyre just straight up ports with the same graphics from a couple years ago?

They might update the graphics to Ep 2 standards, but Ep 2 isn't even out yet.

Basically, no, but they don't need it anyways.

[Xavier]

Sony doesn't care about Europeans.

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=21523

In the UK and Ireland, a Value Pack consisting of a 60GB PS3 with extensive backwards compatibility and two first party titles will be on sale at a price of €499 (£349). Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3. Once stocks are exhausted the new 40GB model will be the only one available in the SCEE territories.

No more 60g in Europe.
No 80.
Only 40.

That's smart, Microsoft should do the same thing and get it down to one SKU. Most people don't wanna research the difference between 5 different SKUs.

I think one SKU is a good idea too, however, I don't think this 40gig PS3 is a very good choice. Literally no backwards compatability?

[Falconblade]

Sony doesn't care about Europeans.

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=21523

In the UK and Ireland, a Value Pack consisting of a 60GB PS3 with extensive backwards compatibility and two first party titles will be on sale at a price of €499 (£349). Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3. Once stocks are exhausted the new 40GB model will be the only one available in the SCEE territories.

No more 60g in Europe.
No 80.
Only 40.

That's smart, Microsoft should do the same thing and get it down to one SKU. Most people don't wanna research the difference between 5 different SKUs.

I think one SKU is a good idea too, however, I don't think this 40gig PS3 is a very good choice. Literally no backwards compatability?

PS1 is fine, apparently.

[Falconblade]

Oh come on, everyone and their dog has a PS2 (100mil +), and if you were planning to sell your PS2 after buying a PS3 (if you were interested in one in the first place and not just wondering how the deal would be bad) you would only get $20 for fat ps2, and $30 for slim ps2 anyway. That's not even enough to buy a none psn game. The deal is good, I'd take that over the ps3 I did buy as I still play ps2 games on my ps2 and I don't use HD loader on it yet.

Yeah, its not important for PS3 to be backwards compatible.

Wait, whats that Phil Harrison from December?

"Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3."

BC isn't even the damned issue anymore. Its the fact that Sony is backpedaling and shooting themselves in the foot at every turn.

[Kenai]

BC with PS2 is (was)? the biggest PS3 draw for me, even if it wasn't much of one. Backpedaling is putting it mildly. Fine, ignore one of the most amazing software libraries in gaming history. Ignore those (fewer by the day) who would have bought the system once it was cheap enough, just to play their fav older games, and maybe end up trying and liking a newer title or two that wouldn't have sold the system alone. With M$ having a cheaper price STILL and a more impessive standalone library, Sony should be utilizing whatever they can, especially something in front of their faces.

Dumbshits. I'm beggining to wonder if they will even be worth me looking at in 2009 (my guesstimated rant from 120 pages backish). And I find that very sad.

[ertyu]

Uh... idk where you go to trade stuff in but we give $50 for a PS2 (fat, 60 for a slim) when you trade it in for a PS3 and 35 otherwise (50 for slim). Saying that backwards compatibility isn't an issue is stupid, it is an issue for a lot of people and it is important to many.

[Ploid]

If you want bc get the 500 one, or wait til it's even cheaper. Like you guys said sony needs to drop the price of the hardware to appeal to people that aren't willing to spend 500-600 for it. At the moment it's more important for them to offer a cheaper solution to people that don't care, and get more sells. It's better to have a future with a console that don't have perfect BC at the moment (until they get a software solution) than no future at all (continued slow sells). Seems like sony are doing exactly what people wanted (more games and cheaper ps3), Ken is gone and they're trying to fix their situation. It's almost the holiday season, they would have stupid not to have gotten it down by then. The GS was the only casualty, It still plays PS3 games just as good as the other PS3s, has a HDD, blu ray drive, and wi-fi. It even use less energy and produce less heat (less heat going by the fewer vents).

[Anderian]

We should just rename this thread "PS3 debate". >.>
I got nothing to add anymore, we are pretty much going in circles here... fuck it, I'm gonna go play Gaylo 3 Team Slayer.

[izembo]

Uh... idk where you go to trade stuff in but we give $50 for a PS2 (fat, 60 for a slim) when you trade it in for a PS3 and 35 otherwise (50 for slim). Saying that backwards compatibility isn't an issue is stupid, it is an issue for a lot of people and it is important to many.

gamestop tradein values, however there is a bonus $20 tradein promo running on all system trade ins so those values are slightly lower than what you actually get.

[Falconblade]

If you want bc get the 500 one, or wait til it's even cheaper. Like you guys said sony needs to drop the price of the hardware to appeal to people that aren't willing to spend 500-600 for it. At the moment it's more important for them to offer a cheaper solution to people that don't care, and get more sells. It's better to have a future with a console that don't have perfect BC at the moment (until they get a software solution) than no future at all (continued slow sells). Seems like sony are doing exactly what people wanted (more games and cheaper ps3), Ken is gone and they're trying to fix their situation. It's almost the holiday season, they would have stupid not to have gotten it down by then. The GS was the only casualty, It still plays PS3 games just as good as the other PS3s, has a HDD, blu ray drive, and wi-fi. It even use less energy and produce less heat (less heat going by the fewer vents).

Sorry, thats impossible.
The 499 one is the 60 gig.
Which stopped production sometime in July. There are no more new batches.

Please, stop making excuses for Sony.

[Semitry]

If you want bc get the 500 one, or wait til it's even cheaper. Like you guys said sony needs to drop the price of the hardware to appeal to people that aren't willing to spend 500-600 for it. At the moment it's more important for them to offer a cheaper solution to people that don't care, and get more sells. It's better to have a future with a console that don't have perfect BC at the moment (until they get a software solution) than no future at all (continued slow sells). Seems like sony are doing exactly what people wanted (more games and cheaper ps3), Ken is gone and they're trying to fix their situation. It's almost the holiday season, they would have stupid not to have gotten it down by then. The GS was the only casualty, It still plays PS3 games just as good as the other PS3s, has a HDD, blu ray drive, and wi-fi. It even use less energy and produce less heat (less heat going by the fewer vents).

Sorry, thats impossible.
The 499 one is the 60 gig.
Which stopped production sometime in July. There are no more new batches.

Please, stop making excuses for Sony.

There's still the 80GB version which will probably drop to 500 after the 60s get cleared.

[Xavier]

I can't wait to try the PS3 upscaling on my PS2 and PS1 ga...oh, nevermind.

I don't want people to confuse PS3 bashing with Sony bashing, since at least for me, its the company that sucks right now. They have such absolutely horrid Public Relations with the consumers, and are constantly saying so many contradictory things that disliking them has become so easy.

In the interest of fairness (to show I have complaints all around), I think Microsoft shot itself in the foot by not including a harddrive on the 360 Core, splitting the market in half and making "HD-Required" games unlikely. Hardware problems would've pissed me off, but since they extended all the warranties and repaired my system completely free of cost, whatever there.

As for the Wii, Nintendo needs a much better online system, because their current friend code system sucks. The biggest strength of the Xbox is the biggest weakness of the Wii, and Nintendo really needs to step it up in that department. They also have a huge problem with third party developers, not in the sense that they're lacking them, because they have plenty, but in that almost every third party game sucks. The first party games (Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime 3, Super Paper Mario, etc) are great, but with the exception of NiGHTS, the only games I'm looking forward to in the next few months are first party (Super Mario Galaxy, Smash Bros. Brawl). I would have figured w/ the Wii sales dwarfing the 360/PS3, that developers would've actually devoted significant resources to Wii games, but so far, mostly shit.

And like I said before, the PS3s biggest problem is that its made by Sony.

[Kaylia]

I would have figured w/ the Wii sales dwarfing the 360/PS3, that developers would've actually devoted significant resources to Wii games, but so far, mostly shit.

And like I said before, the PS3s biggest problem is that its made by Sony.

Most game takes 2-3 years to develop, and wii hasnt been out for 1 year (maybe 1 year now...forgot when it was released). Pretty sure we can expect an increase in 3rd party game in 1-2 years, just like there is on the DS.

[izembo]

he's saying good 3rd party games, there isnt a lack of them on the wii, its just that they suck.

[Xavier]

I guess I'm more or less talking about EA$, announcing that they were going to devote large resources to the Wii, and their first two outtings, MySims (looked kinda promising) and Boogie are sub-par.

[izembo]

mysims isnt bad other than the lack of online and the lag that it has at times.

[Kaylia]

he's saying good 3rd party games, there isnt a lack of them on the wii, its just that they suck.

I know, and that's what I was saying too. Many company must be thinking about developing game for the Wii to reach a larger population and I'm sure some of them will produce quality 3rd party game.

[izembo]

why spend the money to develop a game of that quality when there is a market buying up these cheaply made crap games? thats how they're acting currently, and i dont see them changing.

[Kaylia]

why spend the money to develop a game of that quality when there is a market buying up these cheaply made crap games? thats how they're acting currently, and i dont see them changing.

You need skilled people to make a good game, lot of time and a fuck ton of money. Not every studio can afford such thing and want to take the risk when they don't know how large the fanbase will be. Now that the wii is in first position, more company will be willing to take the risk to develops on the Wii.

Why spend the money do develop a high quality game when cheap one sell? Same could be said for ps2, or any other console. A good game will always sell better, create a fanbase and will pay more in the end.