wwp8

now the 360 is released, and the ps3 will be soon,

how long will the current machines last?

Mogsi

I'd still expect the Xbox/PS2 to be around for a good few years. Look at the PS1, only recently has that stopped being sold....

messiah

Keep your PS2 - GT4 is still the best racer for the off-line gamer...

Iain Young

PS3 is not soon. Latest rumours are that it'll be 2007 before we get it over here, so I'd hang onto your PS2 if I were you. I'd expect the old machines to still be around for a while yet.

As for GT4 being the best racer, you're having a larff. I've got it and got bored with it very quickly, but not before I got extremely frustrated with it. The ai on the opponent cars is laughably bad, and the menu system is so slow and cumbersome. I found myself shouting at the telly loads of times to get try and get it to hurry up and load the next screen / track etc. Not impressed at all.

messiah

So you think the loading times on PGR3 are quick? now you're having a larff!

PS3 supposedly due in Japan in March - there are rumours abound that'll be region free like the PSP - anyone want to start a list of pre-orders from lik-sang?

Iain Young

I never said anything about the PGR3 loading times did I
In fact I find the PGR3 loading times frustrating as well, but they are a lot quicker than the GT4 loading times, especially when naviagting between the menu screens. The ai on the opponent cars is miles better as well. Still not as good as the ai in Forza though, and certainly not as good as the ai in GTR. Looks pretty though

You might be able to import a PS3 console early for a highly inflated price, but as you'll only be able to get Japanese games for it, and I know I can't speak Japanese, there seems little point at least until it's released in the USA (alledgedly xmas 2006).

Dream Weaver

PGR3 is very disappointing for me now i've found out its only supercars

Haven't played it yet, but I have no desire in a game to race around in supercars, I prefer the normal road cars a la GT4 and Forza.

GT4 is much better than Forza IMO as well, got bored of Forza very quickly, probably only done 10 hours on it max. Still playGT4 every now and then (purely as a trackday game, the AI IS **** )

Fuchsrohre

"how long will the current machines last"

Its about the games! Its not about the console. Don't bother getting an XBOX360 for at least anothe 6 - 12 months...

Right now all the tatt that was realeased with XBOX360 are just the same old games with slighly better graphics. The developers would normally need a good year or two to get a decent game out.

Amazes me how many fall for the hype and actually bought one so soon.

Iain Young

Not entirely true, but generally I agree. The 360 has some very nice features though (media management, enhanced live support etc), and it plays all my old xbox games (the ones that I still play anyway). That makes it worth the purchase for me at least

So why not upgrade. By your admission, the good ones are no worse that the current crop of xbox games, and have far superior graphics (PGR3 in high-def is miles ahead of PGR2).

Didn't fall for the hype at all . I just wanted one, (epecially as my old xbox was getting a bit dodgy - wouldn't read some discs etc). I certainly don't regret the purchase one little bit, and am really enjoying the games I've got so far.

So, what's the problem with that?

messiah

Glad I got mine but I am still a bit pi55ed that the wireless controller doesn't come with the charging kit in the box too. MS kept that one quiet

DanPhillips

Never listen to rumours

It'll be here a lot sooner than that

Cheers

Dan

davegtt

IF.... the PS3 is launched in Spring as Sonys original plan was, it'll only be in Asia because they dont intend on releasing it to a world wide market all at once like microsoft didn, expect another 6 months on top of Asias release which will take you to Christmas if they rush it and new year 2007.

I suggest you have a gander on the Sony net web site if you think otherwise

Iain Young

They haven't even released the official specs for it yet, so how do you know it'll be sooner than that? The 2007 date I heard was from someone in MCV, who are in a much better position to speculate on the date than most people here on scoobynet...

davegtt

Actually, they have, taken from the Sony Global web site

http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/news/2005_p.html

the 7th link down from May 2005. gives you a 7 page PDF document on it

http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/pdf/050517e.pdf

Page 6 has enough specs to keep you entertained, but in all honesty by the time its released microsoft will have captured the market. They own EA aswell and from what Ive heard theyre talking about just making games like fifa etc etc all for xbox only (look at FIFA the road to the world cup - thats already xbox360 only) if EA take their business to the xbox and not Sony then they'll have a problem IMO

Iain Young

I already knew about that, but I had heard that the specs had changed a bit since then. Something to do with their cell processor self destructing, and so they were having to reduce the power of it. I'll try and dig out the link to where I read it...

messiah

I heard that Sony announced they were giving the thing additional RAM - that was last week, didn't say how much though.

messiah

Not a problem for me - got about 50 PS2 titles and I think I can count the amount of EA games on about NO hands. With the exception of SSX Tricky, most EA stuff looks and feels like mass-produced tat.

And have you seen FIFA on the 360? Yes, individual blades of grass on close up, but as soon as you start playing, it goes to the exact same view as all the others, doesn't look much different either to be honest...

davegtt

Tell that to the masses of kids who buy FIFA.... And Need for Speed Underground, Tiger Woods, SSX, Fight Night, Rugby, Fifa Street, Cricket, Madden etc... You might not buy them, I might not buy them but theyre big sellers and it WILL effect Sony if it happens

messiah

True, but I can't see EA being very happy if MS force them to become 360 exclusive - Sony have the bigger Market Share, Bill Gates may want to buy EA and make them exclusive, but he's not that stupid to cut off what would no doubt be over half its fanbase.

davegtt

yeh but thats the point, send EA MS's direction he cuts off half of what the Playstation is about, any serious gamer knows Sony are not all that but it'll still sell because of its previous reputations.... BUT if kids cant buy their favorite games they wont want it as much, gamers will be forced down the MS route and he'll be extending sales in the console business and wiping out the competition. you think Gates is worried about losing a few pennies if the plan goes **** up?

King RA

bought a PS2 just for GT4. Sold it 2 weeks later, what a pile of crap.

DanPhillips

Microsoft didn't do a worldwide release, they released in numbers in the US and reserved a few thousand for everywhere else

I doubt Sony will be doing that as it does seem to have led to an enourmous amount of dissapointment and frustration.

But your guess of 6 months is probably right...but it'll be a proper release..I hope.

Cheers

Dan

Iain Young

I wouldn't bet on it. Look at the recent PSP release. It came out over here in September and they are only just now getting regular stocks into the country. When they first arrived in the UK they were rarer than hens teeth...

davegtt

Just like the PS2 was, sellers prefer to get a steady income through sales over a period of time, shortages get them publicity and hype... If theyre readily available to the majority of the public on release they'd only sell in dribs and drabs after the initial rush....

messiah

What would annoy you more - not being able to get your hands on a PS3 or Sony saying they're not shipping any to your country for 9 months?

Give me a worldwide same day free for all anyday...

Staggering it could play into the 360's hands, people might hold out for a PS3 thinking "Well, there'll might a few available next week" if its a worldwide release, but if it's delayed for (say) 9 months they might think "I might was well get a 360 while I wait", who may then decide NOT to get a PS3.

Sony seem to be the Master's of creating hype, but this time around they don't have the 1 year head start on MS.

What Sony need to be doing now (apart from building a gazillion PS3s) is getting their online fanbase established. MS are leagues ahead in that respect, and I'm not sure that Sony's decision not to have a central base for the online stuff is a good one - XBox Live works very well, The open source route seems a bit too fragmented to me.

DanPhillips

Tell that to the people that qued and got nothing, don't think there is a better way but still

You don't need a head start...a GTA 4 12 month exclusive will probably be enough to "win" in the end

Online console gaming accounts for less than 7% of users (yeah I know it would be more if Sony had a "good" online service) And its not profitable yet, maybe in a couple of years time ?
Leaving it to dev companies to do the online support is not the best way to get it established and profitable IMO, but I'm not responsible for that area of Sony

Cheers

Dan

Iain Young

Yawn, yet another sequel with little or no innovation. I made the mistake of buying the last one, got bored with it within an evening and haven't played it again since. Same with GT4, (and I know a lot of people who think the same). The PS3 had better have some decent original titles or it may struggle.

Where did you get that info from? I had heard that the xbox live service was in fact paying its own way quite nicely.

Agreed, it's a disaster waiting to happen. Just compare pc online gaming to the live service. The xbox stuff is miles ahead in terms of usability, features, structure etc. I don't think anyone much makes money out of pc online gaming at the moment. I did hear that MS were going to introduce a pc version of live at some point. Could be interesting

messiah

Hmm, Halo on PC & XBox? If they could play against each other it'll make the Keyboard & Mouse Vs Controller debate quite interesting.

Launch titles on PS3 will be full of money making sequels just like the 360's has been - PGR3, Perfect Dark Zero, DOA4, Halo 3 (sort of) Yet another FIFA, Yet another Need For Speed Etc. Granted there's stuff like Kameo in the mix, but it's an inevitability that launch games will be, on the whole, stuff that the public recognise and know what they'll be getting before they've even got the console plugged in.

StickyMicky

gt4 + dfp = the best drifting sim out there

jbryant

Ahhh but there's the rub - It's mass-produced because it sells in masses! These things aren't really meant for the connoisseur market - It's simply not big enough. I don't have a lot of EA games myself, but they're the biggest games company around simply because they really know how to milk a franchise.

Joolz