PSP : Possible case of over ambition?

[Ady]

I've just been reading the articles in Edge on the SP and other potential GBA-beaters (ie Nokia's N-Gage etc). The PSP intrigues me especially. Its very early days and news is thin on the ground, but I can't help wondering what Sony really expects from this thing.

On paper it sounds great; a PS1 with extra bells and whistles in a portable case with a new, potentially universal storage medium that is adaptable to other media applications. Sony is obviously serious about what it dubs "The Walkman of the 21st century claims".

However, as a games machine, I have to wonder of its practicality. The jump to 3D is all well and good, but as we know 3D games generally require more complex control mechanisms - how will this be implemented on a handheld? Personally, I think 2D is sufficient for a handheld and -like many- was looknig forward to a resurgence of 2D with the GBA.

Also, what of the software? People bellyache about the SNES > GBA ports now (something I have no problem with as I was a Megadrive owner back in the day and missed out on a lot of SNES classics), but won't the PSP risk being a glorified port-station for PS1 games? Can you really imagine your favourite PS1 games working in full 3D on a tiny handheld screen? Does Sony expect developers to create brand new games for a souped up PS1 in a tiny case? And how will game saves be handled?

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not wishing to sound negative here, I'm just genuinely curious as to how Sony intends to pull this off as I really think the project sounds way too ambitious.

The beauty of the GBA (a machine I admittedly have a soft spot for...) is its practicality and simplicity. As a 2D machine, it doesn't have any of the control issues I've briefly outlined above and its cartidge format is perfect for handhelds (no loading, skipping or external data storage for saves needed).

So, does anybody have any thoughts? I'm interested to see what Sony can bring to the table, whether it can replicate its console dominance in the handheld sector, but I'm not sure its going about it the right way. I'm I just being naiive or something? Please share your thoughts with me.

[Mr Ono]

My doubts about the PSP (and indeed any super handheld) have always been about the battery life and weight.

If they get that right - it could be successful.

[charlesr]

Maybe it will have an IBM microdrive for savegames and loading games on to, like a mini-xbox

[Mr Ono]

Any large storage would be a bonus of course.

The homebrew community should not be ignored.

[Treble]

My main thing: I see the centre of on-the-run entertainment as being the mobile phone, not the Walkman. Far fewer people use music as their entertainment medium of choice for one reason: people believe they have to have their phone on them at all times, so becomes their item of electronica. If it can play music, take pictures, play games, so much the better.

If the PSP has no phone functionality, I think its appeal won't be as great as if they incorporated the tech (in reduced form, maybe) into one of their phones. The mobile phone is the Walkman of the 21st century already, and has a mass installed userbase. If they want the PSP to be the one thing people carry with them for travel entertainment, it should primary be a phone. They can do what Nokia will fail so spectacularly to do: make games a proper part of mobile entertainment. Sony should take note. Not only will they miss the mass market, they will also specifically miss the female market if it doesn't have phone functionality.

[Ady]

You've got a point, Treble, but the thing about phones being used as handhelds (for me anyway) is designing something that adequately accomodates both uses (indeed Nokia's N-Gage is a hideous beast). I also don't know whether I could consider something that could abruptly ring at any moment a 'serious' handheld. Battery life also has to take both phone and gaming uses into account.

Mobile phones are great for lightweight games, but as serious handheld gaming platforms I don't think they're quite there. Yet...

Personally, I'd prefer to keep my phone for phoning and my handheld for gaming, but you're right in that an integration of the two could do wonders for gaming's social penetration.

[Treble]

Regardless of personal taste, I don't see something that is 'only' entertainment-oriented becoming huge. No matter how the GBA is marketed, it is still mainly the preserve of kids (that's where the vast majority of the sales come from).

I know what you mean, though: ideally, you want the phone and the 'Walkman' separate. I just don't think this will be popular enough in the adult market to be the dominant force Sony hope it to be.

[MonkeyWrench]

The jump to 3D is all well and good, but as we know 3D games generally require more complex control mechanisms - how will this be implemented on a handheld?

What's stopping them putting a analog stick (or two) on there? They could implement a sunk down stick along the same lines as what SNK did with the Neo Geo Pocket (except that wasn't analog). And as for buttons, I see no problem in them including all the buttons present on a Dual Shock pad. 3D is the only way to go for the handheld market to go, like or not, and it's good to see a company pushing things forward.

And how will game saves be handled?

Didn't Sony say in the original announcement that it would use Sony memory sticks?

[Molloy]

Handheld devices are all about compromise. They need to be simple and practical and I think the GBA really has that nailed.

Sony aren't going to win this with technological superiority. Luckily they have one hell of a marketing department and hardware engineering team or the system wouldn't stand a chance.

Perhaps the PSP won't have an immediate impact (cd walkmans didn't) but as the product matures, gets cheaper, smaller and the battery life improves it could be a very attractive product.

I think any kind of serious competition is good. Nintendo can be bastards for price fixing and this should make them sweat a little.

[giogi]

The only thing that bugs me about Sony announcing products is that they rarely live up to the hype. I was so looking forward to the PS2 being the super console that they made it out to be, yet didn't appear.

And what happens when Nintendo announce a suped up GBA with backlight and rechargeable battery, mmm, Sony announce the PSP with no tech spec, but a great deal of hype that had the gaming press practically worshipping a false idol.

If it lives up to their claims, then great, but what's the odds that it doesn't.

[evilmatt]

I think the problem with aiming at PS1 level of 3d graphics, is basically they're going to look a bit toss considering we will be almost two generations further on with the home consoles. The GBA has virtually the pinnacle of 2d, for the size of the screen, and looks pretty good for it. Will people accept very dated 3d, even on a handheld? I'd rather see top quality 2d visuals that the artists can really go to town with, than basic 3d that struggles along with half-decent textures and no lighting

[MonkeyWrench]

Since when did Sony say they were aiming at PS1 level graphics? What is known of the hardware is that it will be much more technically advanced than the PS1, and will include hardware support for NURBS and various texture filtering methods. I expect the games will look more like a first gen PS2 titles than PS1 games.

Why do people feel the need to pick holes in a companies plans way before it's system has even been officially unveiled to the world, yet alone released. Sony was a newcomer to the games industry and it managed to dominate the market with it's last two systems, what makes you feel it's going to drop the ball with the PSP? So, when was the last time you released a new console system? Huh? Never? Thought as much...

[Super Stu]

None of us have ever built consoles, but as we're the ones buying them, they'd better cater to the needs of the consumers.

[MonkeyWrench]

With two of the biggest selling consoles ever released (behind the Gameboy) do you not think Sony were catering to the needs of the consumers?

[nips]

With two of the biggest selling consoles ever released (behind the Gameboy) do you not think Sony were catering to the needs of the consumers?

If by 'needs' you mean 'hype' then I think we're already half-way there!