|
Richard Kain
|
 |
« on: May 27, 2011, 02:43:23 PM » |
|
Sony NGP gutted before release?This has not been confirmed yet, but the same site that originally provided accurate information on the NGP's reveal is now saying that Sony intends to pare back the handheld's hardware specs. In particular, the NGP's system memory is going to be reduced to 256 MB where it was originally going to be 512 MB, and the 16 Gigabytes of built-in solid-state storage is going to be excised entirely. While only speculation at the moment, I'm thinking this one sounds pretty reasonable. For one thing, it isn't unprecedented. The PS3 also lost several promised hardware features before its release. But perhaps most tellingly, it makes sense from a design perspective. Handhelds have never, and probably will never be sold solely on their power. Scaling the NGPs feature-set up is not as important as providing it to the public at a competitive price. A development like this would indicate that Sony has learned a lesson from the ill-fated PSP, and is attempting to put together a more reasonable handheld system in the NGP. The only real trouble I see from this development is the loss of the system memory. Removing the built-in 16 Gigabytes of storage is a drop in the bucket with the current price of SD cards. (and other removable memory cards) It is a feature Sony can quite easily afford to dispense with, especially if the NGP's cartridges work out well for developers. The loss of 256 MB of system memory is far more dramatic. If there's one thing developers love to have, its more system memory. Slashing that could dramatically effect the handheld's performance. Of course, it could also force them to take a leaner approach to development on the system, which could be better in the long run.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
C.A. Silbereisen
|
|
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2011, 03:31:01 PM » |
|
Doesn't come as much of a surprise tbh.
My theory is that the NGP was never really intended to have the originally announced hardware specs and that they were just trying to generate hype.
But hey, even with the less-impressive system memory and reliance on SD cards (more likely Sony Memory Sticks), it's a next-gen handheld! It's not like the current PSP is incapable of running quality games due to inferior hardware. I don't see any desperate need for a huge upgrade.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Player Ʒ
|
|
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2011, 04:08:19 PM » |
|
They're not removing the back touching?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
alastair
|
|
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2011, 04:35:28 PM » |
|
They should just remove any touch features. I was hoping yesterday that they'd make it more powerful, now they make it worse lol.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Türbo Bröther
|
|
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2011, 04:51:36 PM » |
|
... Neo Geo Pocket?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
bento_smile
|
|
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2011, 05:44:17 PM » |
|
If only! <3 Neo Geo Pocket
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Superb Joe
|
|
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2011, 01:55:03 PM » |
|
i owned a neo geo pocket colour. one of 12 people in the world.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
TheLastBanana
|
|
« Reply #7 on: May 28, 2011, 10:18:54 PM » |
|
Oh man, I still have one of those. If I remember correctly, if you turn it on without any games in, it tells you your horoscope. Also it has a nice d-pad but more importantly HOROSCOPES.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
alastair
|
|
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2011, 02:40:26 AM » |
|
I'm only getting the PSP2 if it has sports games coming out on it.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Superb Joe
|
|
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2011, 03:52:15 AM » |
|
Oh man, I still have one of those. If I remember correctly, if you turn it on without any games in, it tells you your horoscope. Also it has a nice d-pad but more importantly HOROSCOPES.
hell yeah the microswitch thumbstick fuckin owned. you can get usb versions of the neo geo cd pad if you miss it like a teary eyed child. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
capn.lee
|
|
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2011, 06:27:39 AM » |
|
never expected the console they described to actually ship, wasn't its purpose simply to piss on nintendo's cornflakes?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
bento_smile
|
|
« Reply #11 on: May 29, 2011, 06:42:36 AM » |
|
Also it has a nice d-pad but more importantly HOROSCOPES.
hell yeah the microswitch thumbstick fuckin owned. you can get usb versions of the neo geo cd pad if you miss it like a teary eyed child. Yes, oh god the clicky stick. Part of the reason for liking 3DS and DSi is that the dpad has a click to it which is reminiscent of the NGPC clicky stick. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Gimym JIMBERT
|
|
« Reply #12 on: May 29, 2011, 08:54:51 AM » |
|
I hope it is to kick up battery life
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
 ILLOGICAL, random guy on internet, do not trust (lelebĉcülo dum borobürükiss) ! GЮЯЦ TФ ДЯSTӨTZҚД! sonic the heidegger (Überall Geschwindigkeit) |
|
|
|
Richard Kain
|
|
« Reply #13 on: May 29, 2011, 09:08:11 AM » |
|
I hope it is to kick up battery life
That's possible. Though I think they already covered that base adequately when they scrapped the UMD format. The power savings from removing the internal memory would be much, much lower than if they removed a disc format. Still, I imagine it would make a difference in battery life, even if it was only to tack an extra hour on. I'm thinking this is more a move for them to reduce initial production costs. With the regularly falling prices of solid-state memory, removing 16 Gigs of built-in memory is a fairly small expense in the long run. But in the short-term it will allow them to lower the initial cost of the hardware. This could help the NGP get a fast start out of the gate. It would also give it a leg up on the 3DS. (which has had a slow start largely due to its abnormally high price) At the end of the day, Nintendo's handheld "formula" has always succeeded. And pushing hardware features has never really been a part of their handheld strategy. Scaling some of those features back on the NGP is probably a positive development for Sony's next handheld. And these particular changes seem more like trimming the fat than removing core features. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.A. Silbereisen
|
|
« Reply #15 on: May 29, 2011, 11:47:57 AM » |
|
But ngp is ONLY one of the MANY handheld game hardware sony is releasing this time!
What about the S1 and S2
Those are basically Android phones, not serious game systems. Moving on. |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: May 29, 2011, 11:53:42 AM by C.A. Sinclair »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Player Ʒ
|
|
« Reply #16 on: May 29, 2011, 11:50:09 AM » |
|
Mmmmmmm. That S2 looks suitable enough to replace Micro-Soft's Courier. I wanted that thing so badly. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Gimym JIMBERT
|
|
« Reply #17 on: May 29, 2011, 01:00:42 PM » |
|
I thought the same, courier was the next best thing since slide bread and mario 64! But ngp is ONLY one of the MANY handheld game hardware sony is releasing this time!
What about the S1 and S2
Those are basically Android phones, not serious game systems. Moving on.  Never take phone seriously |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
ILLOGICAL, random guy on internet, do not trust (lelebĉcülo dum borobürükiss) ! GЮЯЦ TФ ДЯSTӨTZҚД! sonic the heidegger (Überall Geschwindigkeit) |
|
|
|
Türbo Bröther
|
|
« Reply #18 on: May 29, 2011, 03:10:58 PM » |
|
Those are basically Android phones, not serious game systems.
Moving on.
But the mark of a quality portable is how many fart apps it has on its marketplace. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
C.A. Silbereisen
|
|
« Reply #19 on: May 30, 2011, 05:47:35 AM » |
|
Never take phone seriously
I don't take the iPhone seriously as a gaming platform either. Your point being? Dont't get me wrong, the iPhone is a great smartphone that happens to have some decent games to kill time with during a bus ride as one of its features. But I don't think I (or most people) would have bought one if it was a pure game system. Actually, I don't take any of these touch-only devices seriously and I certainly don't think they're the "future of gaming." Or maybe they are, but I think they're ultimately a dead end. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Player
