New PlayStation 3 claims emerge. Incredible expectations laid down

Well IBM and Toshiba seem pretty confident in Cell too. The idea of a software Cell that can move, interact and seek other Cell devices is certainly innovative.

In PC circles analysts are starting to predict that Cell will cause problems for the traditional Wintel platform, both in terms that Sony are aiming it at the markets Microsoft and Intel see as the future and in terms that the Cell consortium will own the technology, causing people to wonder what rights (if any) third parties will be given in creating versions of the chip.

To be able to have multiple Cell could certainly change the way people program, and in my opinion Cell could represent the ultimate opportunity to fully realise the potential of object-orientated programming. Without a doubt, the most most interesting thing will be how the technology is used by the people developing the software.

What appears to come clear from is is that the next gen platforms will be incompatible with each. With Xbox and Revolution both using PowerPC, but with Revolution having unique features,and assuming that PS3 uses Cell and gains a majority market share the software may have to be totally rewritten for each console. I'm not sure about the availability of compilers and middleware for Cell, but this could be one of the things that will determine exactly how the market pans out.

It's a really interesting time for technology, what with 64 bit desktops, Cell, HD-DVD/Bluray, and the decisions and standards that are reached now will likely affect our lives for decades.

Yes, and the PS2 is just like Jacking into the Matrix... I think i'll wait until I see what they have...

Sony "Mega Super-Duper Bullshit" Computer Entertainment

Pre-PS2, didn't Sony claim their games would be able to recreate the Pod-Racing scene from StarWars Epi 1 on the fly?

And that their games would provoke real emotions?

The only emotion it got from me was, "Ooh look, a PS1 with better graphics."

Don't believe the hype...

did they ? i don't remember thatthat was obviously marketing rubbish - movies can make you cry - but how many do? the makers of the games have to be skilled to do this - they cant even make us angry/sad/happy (except when the game doesn't work)
if they have put an xbox in a ps2 box (if that were possible!) it would still have been a PSone with better graphics. what did you want Ps2 to do? give you a blow job? it's a games console. apart from Nintendos crazy rubbing fetish theyre all just games consoles, with joysticks/steering wheels/fish rods/etc ... and each generation they get better graphics

move along - theres nothing to see - Its just a ps1 with better graphics.

how about the cutting edge tech of four controller ports... i kno nintendo is way ahead of the curve on controller port technillogy but even the guys over at sega manged it on the dreamcast... you think the 6-7 year lifespan of the ps1 would have given them sufficient time to throw the extra ports in the industrial design department.

oh... and perhaps a better controlelr that was some how different from the ps1 controller... you know.. some kind of evolution (yes i knwo the face button are analog but i dont know one game that actually makes use of that in anyway)

and perhaps internet access (again sega paving the way two years earlier). Speaking of sega how about that whole VMU thing... calling plays on your controller without your opponent watching you? genius!

so acording to your theory there are no differences between an NES and a gamecube except for graphical improvments? hell they are both basically virtual boys anyway!

your damn right nothing to see here... just a ps1 with better graphics... feel free to move on to something new!

thats right sony... your infalable... go ahead and make your painfully average system, we will still love you anyway... a free ride for the guy who doesnt need it. After owning the previosu generation so strongly sony should have been under tougher scrutiny than anyone this generation and it just hasnt happened. Thank goodness M$ is up to the challenge of being the industry whipping boy for the forseeable future.
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Maybe their market research showed that most of us don't have three friends.

Why make evertyone pay for something only 13.6% of people are gonna use, when anyone one of you party-guys can pick up a multi-tap for twenty bucks?



But it's still the best controller.



No, the GameCube clearly has FAR superio 3D capabilities. But there is no significant difference between the N64 and the GameCube, certainly.



You are right there. Their last gen success made them complacent. But I'm guessing Sony's analysts have noticed the trend, and I'm betting they'll get of their complacency chair and start fighting back.

Amazing! A thread where people have dissed the Playstation brand and not been shot down!

It is true that, although it may have lots of users, the PS2 is for the gamer whose friends don't like their habits. The Cube practically begs you to bring a friend; the Xbox asked them to bring another TV and console and LAN game; the PS2... said you could buy a multitap and like it. A USB pad would have made up for it, but never emerged.

And am i the only person who doesn't like the design of Playstation pad? It feels so... flimsy.

Would it? I mean, I know what you're saying, it SHOULD have - but is the PS2 wired so that USB controllers would appear to software as controllers plugged into a multi-tap? Or would the software specifically have to support them?

I'm guessing (though I really don't know) that they didn't appear in shops because they wouldn't have worked - surely a huge FU at Sony!

Otherwise, I'm sure third party hardware manufacturers would have been in there like a shot....

Hmm, true...

After all, all they would do is make the ones that are blatant PS2 pad ripoffs that they already have on USB for PC compatible...

Plus, after Eyetoy coming out, people finally had a good reason (minus anything illegal) to have those ports...

actually if i remember correctly the ps2 official multi tap cost somethign in the neighborhood of $40 when it was new... sadly i was working at a toys'r'us for the US launch of the Cube and XBOX

and i dont care if market reserch said it was really worth it or not, how much extra money could some one possibly have to pay to add 2 controller ports actualy cost to manyfacture woudl have been probably less than a dollar. You ave no idea how many times i heard peopel complain about having to pay 20 dollars to play DVD's on their xbox (even though M$ was just saving them the licensing Fee for use of the DVD tech and didn't really tuene any kind of real proffeit of the sail fo the remote) but they where just fien paying 30-40 bucks for a multi tap... a peice fo hardawar that couldnt have cost more than 5 dollars to actually manufacture.



that your opinion... i thing the sad lack of analog triggers is just awfull... especialy when Gran Turismos is such a huge deal for the system. You think the chossen console of drivng Sim enthusiast woudl want to give them analog controll of the gas and brake. Also the whose circle square triangle nonsesne was just unnecesary... not a hard thing to get used to ... but just really unnecesary



the increased storage space of the media allows for much better sound quality and more fmv... but other wise the cube and 64 are strikingly similar in their overal design. ironicly the cube was nintendo's second console that included 4 port technology!



Hurray!!!! IM RIGHT!!! WOOOOO!!!!!
Also i sadly agree with you on the sony not being complacent this tiem thing. The cell and PS3 both look to be trully amazing things. My rampant xbox fanboyism is going to be hard to maintaine if sonys console is even half as cool as they say it will be. Honestly im very glad M$ is comming to market early. I really think they have a good shot at levelign things by getting a big enough installed user base. You can already assume almost every xbox owner is going to want a xenon (or whatever) but hopefully some of the less faithfull sony owners will be willing to be early adopters of the new tech. If not M$ is going to have a real hard time gaining any ground... especialy since so many gamecube owners continue to grow up and move to the more well known and "cooler" playstation brand. You know the kid with "the four swords" is not nearly as cool to his other little ten year old peers as the kid with san andreas is.
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It's a while since I payed GT - but I am pretty sure (100%, in fact) that I used to have analog gas/braking on my right analog stick.

valid point, i was unaware, but do you consider pushing a stick up or down to be an acurate representation of accelerating and breaking. instead of two seperate analog inputs? sure its a passable work around but i dont think it is nearly as intuitive as the two triggers. Not to mention how nice the triggers are for shooting games

for me if i had to pick one controler from the current lot to be my favorite it would be the xbox, but the dual shock is very nice. I do preffer the slightly larger size of the xbox and the layout of the analog sticks and the triggers. I do however think the black and white buttons are stupid and think a few actual shoulder buttons to go along with the triggers woudl be nice.

My perfect controler would be the XBOX's controller
(s of course, not that the giant one is without its charms) with 6 face buttons (genesis style) with two extra buttons along the inside of the hand grips where your middle finger naturaly rests.
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Yeah, I played Colin McRae on my girlfriend's brother's PS2 at Xmas, and found the analogue acceleration awkward (although I did get more used to it).

I've never found the PS pads the best, perhaps it's due to not ever owning a Sony console (until, hopefully, this weekend :-)). My favourite controller is probably the GC's, with XB Controller-S a close 2nd; controlling Halo 2 is akin to using a knife and fork... ... mind you, you should see me eat!

I have to say I truly despise the Xbox controller, both the super sized original and the S(maller-ish) one. I find the controls, without exception, to be all out of whack, leading to cramp after extended play. The buttons have a domed surface, leaving a painful dent in the middle of my right thumb and, as mentioned, the B/W buttons are pretty much useless.

The GC controller is confortable, but the C-stick and the Z-button are in the most ludicrous locations. However, the GC does seem to have the most accurate analogue sticks of any console (seconded by the N64, IMO)

The PS2 really does have the best of the lot. Its buttona nd stick layouts are really comfortable and just so natural. However, it's still not perfect. The analogue sticks are very inaccurate - it's extremely difficult to get a smooth transition when you move it slightly.

Also, the lack of triggers is baaad. I've long thought that a slightly modded PS2 pad, with the L/R2 buttons moved back and down and given greater travel, essentially making them triggers, would make it the ultimate controller.

The buttons are analogue, remember, but they don't have the travel for subtle variations in pressure. Having said that, I hardly ever drive in-game using anything other than slight presure for "cruising" and full for "peddle-to-the-metal" :)