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[MrSardonic]

Nice to see everyone going a little ape-shit over these comments, but I didn't take them to mean "boo hoo, companies shouldn't copy each other".

I thought Hocking was basically having a dig at Sony for failing to have a vision of their own. Whereas MS and Nintendo have both explicitly stated - "we're taking this direction, providing these features, helping developers to do this etc" - Sony are just making more powerful hardware for more powerful hardware and using the Playstation brand as a Trojan for a Blueray media-hub...oh and by the way they 'innovated' what would we could from MS and Nintendo. I think that is the problem

 

[Juice]

Good to see a third party Western developer correctly evaluate the industry's direction for a change.

 

[Battersea Power Station]

Wtf happened with sonycowboy? He used to be one of the best posters. Now he writes like some raving junior member.

 

[PhatSaqs]

Wtf happened with sonycowboy? He used to be one of the best posters. Now he writes like some raving junior member.

Sonys press conference happened :lol

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

If they really wanted to get a reaction, they should have demoed FFVII, or MGS.

Yeah, at least those games don't really have a version for PSP. (Acid doesn't count!) The PSP already has an awesome version of Ridge Racer that is light years better than the old PS1 version. Hell, the PSP version will probably be on the greatest hits list soon.

 

[kaching]

Yea, they showed games, but it was like they were forced to. Lack of presentation and enthusiasm gave the sense that Sony really doesn't give a crap about Games they showed.

I agree many Sony presenters seemed listless, but I have a different theory - most of the Sony presenters probably knew the press conference was building towards the closing kick in the nuts announcement of PS3 pricing and were probably all just dreading that moment and more focused on it than anything else.

Because honestly, if Sony is more enthused about some other aspect of the PS3 than the games (like, say, BD movie playback) they could have covered it at the conference. But, they didn't.

Come on, they picked Ridge Racer to show off the PSP emulator, that says it all.

In retrospect, based on the reaction and Kaz's typical wooden presentation, it didn't work out well. But, in planning which title they'd want to show first to demonstrate PS emulation on PSP, I'm sure the intent was that it would be a symbolic gesture, taking everyone back to the very beginning of the PS franchise. That says nothing at all to me about not caring.

 

[Barry Lightning]

come on, live is an obvious thing to do. it's like saying, "OMG - nintendo copied atari and has a CONTROLLER!" when discussing the nes, etc.

silly tilt shit aside - how much really has sony "copied" from others?

 

[Justin Bailey]

What we're seeing is really nothing out of the ordinary for any industry. The little guys have a proactive approach (wiimote, xbl) because they HAVE to. Sony can just react to whatever they do because they've already acheived some level of critical mass (yay for buzzwords). Corporations are just like people, they get lazy and complacent until they get a kick in the ass from someone else. There's no reason for Sony to actively innovate anything because they have 70% market share doing the same shit they've been doing for years.

The one thing that sets this industry apart is that it sort of resets itself every few years with the introduction of new consoles, giving the little guys a chance to get the jump on the big guys - which is what Sony did in 1996 and what Nintendo and MS hope to do in 2006.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

come on, live is an obvious thing to do. it's like saying, "OMG - nintendo copied atari and has a CONTROLLER!" when discussing the nes, etc.

silly tilt shit aside - how much really has sony "copied" from others?

Except the NES controller was nothing like the Atari controllers.

And while Sony may not have copied much, it's their reactionary decisions with the PS3 that are getting the attention. Nintendo revealed the Rev-mote months ago, and at their first big conference to show of the PS3, which has never had any indication of any thing like the Rev-mote, it's suddenly there. It just leaves the impression of "copying" since they never mentioned the feature before, and it's one of the biggest selling points of one of their competitors.

 

[Dr_Cogent]

Sonys press conference happened :lol

Yeah, I'm no hater of Sony - but this E3 has been a hoot to watch the bots flip their lids.

 

[Barry Lightning]

Except the NES controller was nothing like the Atari controllers.

in principal, the nes controller was the same as atari. another example would be rumble sensation: xbox and ps1, ps2, etc all have it built in. it just makes sense because gamers expect it. same thing with a LIVE initiative.

And while Sony may not have copied much, it's their reactionary decisions with the PS3 that are getting the attention. Nintendo revealed the Rev-mote months ago, and at their first big conference to show of the PS3, which has never had any indication of any thing like the Rev-mote, it's suddenly there. It just leaves the impression of "copying" since they never mentioned the feature before, and it's one of the biggest selling points of one of their competitors.

hey, i'm not arguing with that. in fact, i'm most upset about rumble sensation gone from the ps3 controller more than the price (which i was expecting)

 

[kaching]

Nice to see everyone going a little ape-shit over these comments, but I didn't take them to mean "boo hoo, companies shouldn't copy each other".

I thought Hocking was basically having a dig at Sony for failing to have a vision of their own. Whereas MS and Nintendo have both explicitly stated - "we're taking this direction, providing these features, helping developers to do this etc" - Sony are just making more powerful hardware for more powerful hardware and using the Playstation brand as a Trojan for a Blueray media-hub...oh and by the way they 'innovated' what would we could from MS and Nintendo. I think that is the problem

No I think the problem here is how people try to subjectively put more weight on certain "innovations" and attempt to downplay others. Note your own language for calling Blu-ray nothing more than a trojan horse, neglecting obvious benefit to gaming that it brings through increased storage capacity. If you want to take that approach we could call Xbox Live nothing more than a trojan horse for microtransaction payments or the Wii's controller and branding nothing more than a trojan horse for Nintendo to try to avoid embarrassing irrelevance in the console marketplace they helped create.

Again, I don't see the point in bagging on the effort to adopt a "Best of the Best" approach, other than the pricing that comes with it.

 

[teiresias]

No I think the problem here is how people try to subjectively put more weight on certain "innovations" and attempt to downplay others.

ding, ding, ding. I agree with this completely.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

in principal, the nes controller was the same as atari. another example would be rumble sensation: xbox and ps1, ps2, etc all have it built in. it just makes sense because gamers expect it. same thing with a LIVE initiative.

Yeah, in very basic principle, you're right, but the NES controller was actually very different in execution, and was pretty different for it's day, expecially when compared to the Atari controller, but I get your point.

hey, i'm not arguing with that. in fact, i'm most upset about rumble sensation gone from the ps3 controller more than the price (which i was expecting)

Yeah, I was expecting a fairly high price point myself, but for of the lines of a single SKU around $500. I'm also in the camp that isn't that impressed with the Rev-mote, and would miss rumble a lot more than I'd appreciate tilt.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Nice to see everyone going a little ape-shit over these comments, but I didn't take them to mean "boo hoo, companies shouldn't copy each other".

I thought Hocking was basically having a dig at Sony for failing to have a vision of their own. Whereas MS and Nintendo have both explicitly stated - "we're taking this direction, providing these features, helping developers to do this etc" - Sony are just making more powerful hardware for more powerful hardware and using the Playstation brand as a Trojan for a Blueray media-hub...oh and by the way they 'innovated' what would we could from MS and Nintendo. I think that is the problem

Exactly, as I said earlier it shows that they really aren't that confident in their own plan, if they ever had one for the PS3 besides pushing bluray.

There is no one here who can defend the tilt sensor in the DS3. I mean, it is clearly a knee-jerk reaction. Online is fine and all, and I am glad they are doing it but I really hope they add something of their own to it.

BTW, I really wonder how many of these people praising the move to put the tilt sensor in, were bashing the revmote before all of this...Oh well, we will never know At least posters like Drohne and sonycowboy have the balls to man up and say it was a stupid move.

 

[MrSardonic]

No I think the problem here is how people try to subjectively put more weight on certain "innovations" and attempt to downplay others.

Funny because...

Note your own language for calling Blu-ray nothing more than a trojan horse, neglecting obvious benefit to gaming that it brings through increased storage capacity.

Are you fucking kidding me? Blueray is a gaming "innovation" because there is more storage :lol .

Wii's controller and branding nothing more than a trojan horse for Nintendo to try to avoid embarrassing irrelevance in the console marketplace they helped create.

Now you're just being a transparent fanboy. Thanks for playing

 

[birdchili]

There is no one here who can defend the tilt sensor in the DS3.

why not? it's a good (stolen) idea. it's going to be *great* for wipeout and probably some other stuff.

the form factor of the contoller is going to prevent it from being used in the way Nintendo is going to be able to use theirs - this is fine and hardley makes it a worthless idea.

the whole 'missing rumble because of the motion sensors' is just a smokescreen though - they had *other* issues with the rumble they don't want to talk about.

 

[Slurpy2k20]

Not taking away anything from what hes saying, but this kind of talk reminds me of Dennis Dyack when he was with Nintendo. Things change, depending on who theyre developing for.

 

[Eel O'Brian]

Good for him.

Now he should go yell at his Splinter Cell 360 team and have them make sure the game actually looks like a next gen product and not Xbox 1.5'd.

Did you watch the same trailer I did?

 

[Son of Godzilla]

No I think the problem here is how people try to subjectively put more weight on certain "innovations" and attempt to downplay others. Note your own language for calling Blu-ray nothing more than a trojan horse, neglecting obvious benefit to gaming that it brings through increased storage capacity. If you want to take that approach we could call Xbox Live nothing more than a trojan horse for microtransaction payments or the Wii's controller and branding nothing more than a trojan horse for Nintendo to try to avoid embarrassing irrelevance in the console marketplace they helped create.

Except XBL didn't jack up the bottom line entry price to $500.

I'm not saying there aren't gaming applications of the technology, but it's incredibly obvious that Sony is linking the PS3 to a format war that most people would rather ignore and the machine as a gaming console is suffering from it. How much? Who knows, but if the PS3 falters it's because of BR.

 

[Lo-Volt]

:lol

Anyway, we'll see how the industry and the console war happens to determine how reasonable these comments prove to be.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Yeah, what the hell's wrong with you people?

"Competition is good!", out of one side of your mouth.

"X Company copied Y Company!", out of the other side.

Hey numbnuts - it's competition.

What happened to all the pissing and moaning that Sony didn't have a Live equivalent?

Now they do, and it's free - WAH! WAH! SONY COPIED!

Dr. Richard Marks demonstrated that pretty cool Eye of Judgment card game at the press conference - WAH! WAH! SONY DOESN'T INNOVATE!

Where were you morons and where was the bitching when MS announced an Eyetoy-like device for the XBox?

Why does everything Sony has done with the Eyetoy and continual support for software releases and improved Eyetoy technology not count as "innovation".

Or is it only "copying" when there's a pretty good chance the Company in question is going to steam roll the ass of your favorite Company?

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:lol :lol :lol

 

[Musashi Wins!]

"C'mon guys, clap! C'mon! Ridge Racer! Broad of War! Clap, guys!"

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Broad of War!

:lol

Wahahahahahha - I'ma make like Sony and steal that one. :lol

 

[littlewig]

How will the BR disc benefit gaming and the industry?

Fact is, PS3 would not cost $600 if it wasn't for the BR drive and technology. Sony's justication for the insane price is HD gaming. Well, their message fell flat because one of their SKU does't even have a HDMI and I can get similar performance on the Xbox360. BR seems uncessecary for the price point.

Sony is trying to push a BR player gamers since they haven't shown any real innovation the BR will have on gaming.

 

[----]

Clint Hocking, the creative director behind titles such as Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory explained how he was disappointed by Sony's attempts to copy technologies from the other consoles. After referring to Sony's mimicking of Xbox Live, and then duplicating components of Nintendo's motion sensitive controller, Hocking paused in frustration.

"How much more 'me too' can [Sony] be?," he asked.

I'm all for borrowing and improving ideas from competitors, but I think I lost a lot of respect for Sony when I saw they went so far to copy their competitors that the premium version of the PS3 had chrome highlights.

The controller with it's motion sensors, guide button, and triggers borrows ideas from Nintendo and Microsoft, but doesn't seem to implement them as well. The online component, the microtransactions, buying cards with online points in stores and everything sounds exactly like Live, but without achievements, and Xbox Live arcade or the ability to connect to PC's and cellphones. The launch plan is also a complete copy of Xbox 360 in that they're doing 2 SKU's, one with chrome highlights, in a worldwide launch, but unlike the 360 2SKU's you can't customize or upgrade the cheaper console. It's like they've taken all of their ideas from the competition but implemented them in a half-assed substandard way.

 

[mashoutposse]

There is no one here who can defend the tilt sensor in the DS3. I mean, it is clearly a knee-jerk reaction.

So was the original Dual Shock, but everyone can agree that gaming has been far better for it.

And, with that, the real question: Does Sony's 'strategy' hold any real negatives for the consumer, except for the torment it will cause online corporate fanboys?

The fact of the matter is that actual "vision" means very little at the end-user level -- successful marketing and the end product itself holds far more weight with the consumer.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Honestly, I dont care if competitors copy good aspects from one another. There's no "purity" here. The worst part of Sony is the stupid format war fucking up their console front end.

 

[soundwave05]

So was the original Dual Shock, but everyone can agree that gaming has been far better for it.

And, with that, the real question: Does Sony's 'strategy' hold any real negatives for the consumer, except for the torment it will cause online corporate fanboys?

The fact of the matter is that actual "vision" means very little at the end-user level -- successful marketing and the end product itself holds far more weight with the consumer.

Dual Shock wasn't a knee jerk reaction. It matched/exceeded basically everything Nintendo's N64 pad was doing.

As for Sony getting ripped by UBI Soft ... they deserve it. Everyone else is ripping them, why not a developer. Good for UBI for saying it, because everyone was thinking it anyway.

Sony can't even come with an original logo for the system for crying out loud. I have never seen a more derivatively designed console than the PS3 ... ever.

 

[littlewig]

So was the original Dual Shock, but everyone can agree that gaming has been far better for it.

And, with that, the real question: Does Sony's 'strategy' hold any real negatives for the consumer, except for the torment it will cause online corporate fanboys?

The fact of the matter is that actual "vision" means very little at the end-user level -- successful marketing and the end product itself holds far more weight with the consumer.

Forcing the price of their console beyond any rational level so they use the gaming public as guinea pigs is pretty negative for the industry.

When the market leader presents a $600 console, it sends a message to people outside gaming.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

So was the original Dual Shock, but everyone can agree that gaming has been far better for it.

And, with that, the real question: Does Sony's 'strategy' hold any real negatives for the consumer, except for the torment it will cause online corporate fanboys?

The fact of the matter is that actual "vision" means very little at the end-user level -- successful marketing and the end product itself holds far more weight with the consumer.

I am not saying it is not a good idea, and I expected people to follow Nintendo's example next generation, but it was clearly just a knee-jerk response.

The fact of the matter is, that I lost a lot of respect for them as a company after that. They are the MARKET LEADER There was absolutely no reason for them to add that feature in. The PS3 was fine without it, and from what I saw of the Warhawk demo I will probably be playing it with the normal controller.

Please note that I am posting on my 2nd vaio, while uploading pictures from my $500 Sony digital camera I bought last semester, while my PSP is charging on my desk. I have always loved Sony, but there was no reason for them to put that technology in. It looks rushed and is a completely defensive move.

As I said, I would love to go back and find posts of people bashing the Wii because "they didn't want to look like idiots waving their hands around". Those posts were everywhere, and I am not accusing you of flipfloping but we know there are a lot of people who have.

 

[BobTheFork]

See, the thing is, I want that kind of online community for ps3, I wish ps2 had it. Sony could say 'we dont want to, people would think are copying MS' or they could give the consumer what they want, which is a feature the competition has.

 

[pixelfish]

So if MS has an online plan, Sony is not allowed to have one?

Do you see the hypocracy here?

It's a catch 22, is sony doesn't implement a network like MS, then they're behind the curve and their experience sucks. If Sony tries to offer a similar product, they're copying and don't have any ideas what to do. I see where this is going.

But MS ripping Apple and all other companies off is A-OK?

If Sony took Nintendo's controller and Xbox Live and put a spin on those features that would make them unique to PS3 and actually improved on those ideas then I don't think people would be complaining so much.

Both Nintendo and Microsoft have clear directions for their consoles, Wiimote and Xbox Live/Live Arcade. Sony just took their ideas and slapped together some half assed, can't rumble because it's tilts controller, and a weaksauce Xbox Live ripp off. It makes them look desperate and unimaginative.

 

[Drinky Crow]

let's hope this dude gets out of the industry soon

we don't need the sort of folks that want nintendo to do the "innovation" for them

lazy


get to work and come up with a decent game idea and learn to sell it

or get out

 

[AzureRonin]

Anyone who thinks Blu-Ray is for gaming is sort of naive.

To me it is clear that Sony is using the PSiii to try and win the next format war which is MUCH more important than the video game inudstry (well for them atleast). That's why each PSiii will have a BR player. And I'm pretty sure that's why the price is so jacked.

Blu-Ray will not yield any gaming innovations for a long time. There is just no need for such a ridiculous amount of space right now.

Atleast we know FFXIII's CG cutscenes will be amazing... >_>

 

[xaosslug]

the overwhelming resonance across NeoGAF with the majority of Sony/PS3 detractors seems to be an "it's about damn time!" kind of mentality as if they have been waiting for this for so long and Sony's pricing finally justifies/rationalizes their hate of Sony Corp. or reasoning not to buy a PS3.

NeoGAF was ALL about Sony's online network aping LIVE except free and implementing gyro functionality into DS3 all before E3... what happened?

 

[mashoutposse]

Dual Shock wasn't a knee jerk reaction. It matched/exceeded basically everything Nintendo's N64 pad was doing.

If you say so. I agree, actually. Nintendo fans have spent the last ten years arguing the other way, but that's neither here not there.

Back to the PS3 controller. Don't be surprised if the Sony implementation ends up being the more popular one. Familiar controller form factor, no need for the sensor bar, less fatiguing gameplay, etc.

As for Sony getting ripped by UBI Soft ... they deserve it. Everyone else is ripping them, why not a developer. Good for UBI for saying it, because everyone was thinking it anyway.

Considering that the article is written by a site called "Nintendojo," I think I'll wait for reports from more objective sources. Do they have a complete interview up?

Sony can't even come with an original logo for the system for crying out loud. I have never seen a more derivatively designed console than the PS3 ... ever.

First off, if you want to see the Wii logo, go look at the side of an iPod carton. As far as PS3 itself, I think the technology behind it is far more inventive than you're giving Sony and friends credit for.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

the overwhelming resonance across NeoGAF with the majority of Sony/PS3 detractors seems to be an "it's about damn time!" kind of mentality as if they have been waiting for this for so long and Sony's pricing finally justifies/rationalizes their hate of Sony Corp. or reasoning not to buy a PS3.

NeoGAF was ALL about Sony's online network aping LIVE except free and implementing gyro functionality into DS3 all before E3... what happened?

Yea, what's bad about copying good features? You'd have to go down another line of "this is shit" reasoning before you reached that one.

 

[kaching]

Are you fucking kidding me? Blueray is a gaming "innovation" because there is more storage :lol .

How does it not embody the concept of innovation? Does storage capacity not affect what you can do with your game? Is anyone else offering this kind of storage capacity on a single disc for games?

Now you're just being a transparent fanboy. Thanks for playing

A guy going by the name of "MrSardonic" completely miscontrues a sarcastic counterpoint. For Shame.

Except XBL didn't jack up the bottom line entry price to $500.

Did you specifically clip the last line of my post you quoted just so you could say this?

 

[mashoutposse]

Forcing the price of their console beyond any rational level so they use the gaming public as guinea pigs is pretty negative for the industry.

When the market leader presents a $600 console, it sends a message to people outside gaming.

It is quite safe to say that motion sensing and online gaming did not push PS3 to $500-600. But I do agree that overall Sony should have designed PS3 around a more palatable $400 MSRP.

One thing I do hope is that a $500 PS3 means noticeably heightened graphics, physics, AI, and thus gameplay possibilities. With games like Heavenly Sword and MGS4, we're getting a glimpse into what $500 of tech really buys us, but I'm already eagerly awaiting E3 2007 to see what it can really do.

 

[AzureRonin]

How does it not embody the concept of innovation? Does storage capacity not affect what you can do with your game? Is anyone else offering this kind of storage capacity on a single disc for games?

And what developer is going to use that space? How is that huge amount of space making PSiii games heads above the rest?

Is it in the A.I.? Like in Genji 2 or Heavenly Sword where the enemies make a perfect circle around your character and wait their turn?

More likely it will be used to store CG cut scenes. woo.


Sony should've shown us that Blu Ray/ PSiii really mattered. Right now it just looks like upgraded clones from last gen. Nothing exciting.

It's funny, from all the hands on impressions I'm reading about the Wii the most common adjective I see used is "fun", and it's being used enthusiastically like "this game is ridiculously fun". That really gets me going rather than, "the game looks great", and Sony isn't even delivering on the graphics either.

 

[dynamitejim]

Anyone who thinks Blu-Ray is for gaming is sort of naive.

To me it is clear that Sony is using the PSiii to try and win the next format war which is MUCH more important than the video game inudstry (well for them atleast). That's why each PSiii will have a BR player. And I'm pretty sure that's why the price is so jacked.

Blu-Ray will not yield any gaming innovations for a long time. There is just no need for such a ridiculous amount of space right now.

Atleast we know FFXIII's CG cutscenes will be amazing... >_>

I think it's clear to everyone Sony is trying to win the next format war. It's not some kind of special knowledge, nor does it mean they don't care about gaming. Their 1st parties put out a higher quanity of quality titles than most 3rd parties.

What do you think Xbox720/PS4 games are going to come on, 7GB DVDs? :lol We won't be downloading games next-next gen either unless we've all got 100Mbit connections and console makers want to eat the cost of 100+ GB hard drives. It's better Sony starts to push BR in the PS3 now. From their perspective they risk their format failing and having to put HD-DVD drives into their next console. HD gaming will push optical storage formats just as much as HD video and a need for higher capacity recordable PC drives. No doubt they're taking a huge risk, and I applaud them for it. I just wish they could bring it to me cheaper.

C'mon Sony chuck an HDMI port on the 'tard pack, drop it $50, and call it a day!

 

[ghostlyjoe]

So was the original Dual Shock, but everyone can agree that gaming has been far better for it.

And, with that, the real question: Does Sony's 'strategy' hold any real negatives for the consumer, except for the torment it will cause online corporate fanboys?

The fact of the matter is that actual "vision" means very little at the end-user level -- successful marketing and the end product itself holds far more weight with the consumer.

It's Sony's lack of strategy that's the problem. Sony is charging $600 for their full-featured console. They better damn well give me a GOOD reason to buy their system over their competitors' cheaper systems. What is Sony really offering that MS and Nintendo aren't besides Blu-Ray?

 

[ghostlyjoe]

I think it's clear to everyone Sony is trying to win the next format war. It's not some kind of special knowledge, nor does it mean they don't care about gaming. Their 1st parties put out a higher quanity of quality titles than most 3rd parties.

What do you think Xbox720/PS4 games are going to come on, 7GB DVDs? :lol We won't be downloading games next-next gen either unless we've all got 100Mbit connections and console makers want to eat the cost of 100+ GB hard drives. It's better Sony starts to push BR in the PS3 now. From their perspective they risk their format failing and having to put HD-DVD drives into their next console. HD gaming will push optical storage formats just as much as HD video and a need for higher capacity recordable PC drives. No doubt they're taking a huge risk, and I applaud them for it. I just wish they could bring it to me cheaper.

C'mon Sony chuck an HDMI port on the 'tard pack, drop it $50, and call it a day!

How much was a 1 GB hard drive 5 years ago? How much is it today? How common was a Broadband network connection? Comparitively, how common is it today? Blu-Ray is going to be defunct before it ever gets cheap enough to reach the mass market. Right now, Sony looks like a sinking ship.

 

[mashoutposse]

I am not saying it is not a good idea, and I expected people to follow Nintendo's example next generation, but it was clearly just a knee-jerk response.

No debate from me there. It can be knee-jerk, but if it's as good an idea as Dual Shock, then bring it on.

The fact of the matter is, that I lost a lot of respect for them as a company after that. They are the MARKET LEADER There was absolutely no reason for them to add that feature in. The PS3 was fine without it, and from what I saw of the Warhawk demo I will probably be playing it with the normal controller.

See, this is the great thing about the move -- if it turns out to be a bust, you can simply turn it off and ignore it. If devs figure it out later on, you can turn it back on. There truly are no negatives.

Please note that I am posting on my 2nd vaio, while uploading pictures from my $500 Sony digital camera I bought last semester, while my PSP is charging on my desk. I have always loved Sony, but there was no reason for them to put that technology in. It looks rushed and is a completely defensive move.

Nobody's doubting the objectivity of your viewpoint (at least I'm not). I agree with you that the move was most likely a very last-minute deal and clearly reactionary. My point is that the fact that the decision is reactionary doesn't have any bearing on the absolute merit of the final product.

Being a knee-jerk reaction certainly increases the probability that the functionality will be rushed and poorly implemented, but... what if it's not? What if Sony figured it out exceptionally quickly and managed to do the idea some justice (and maybe even improve on it in some ways)? I've already heard positive reports on the controller from IGN and Gamespot.

As I said, I would love to go back and find posts of people bashing the Wii because "they didn't want to look like idiots waving their hands around". Those posts were everywhere, and I am not accusing you of flipfloping but we know there are a lot of people who have.

I'll save you the trouble and simply say that you won't find anything in my post history to that effect

 

[mashoutposse]

How much was a 1 GB hard drive 5 years ago? How much is it today? How common was a Broadband network connection? Comparitively, how common is it today? Blu-Ray is going to be defunct before it ever gets cheap enough to reach the mass market. Right now, Sony looks like a sinking ship.

...So do you think we can last a generation with only DVD again?

 

[Dr_Cogent]

Yeah, what the hell's wrong with you people?

"Competition is good!", out of one side of your mouth.

"X Company copied Y Company!", out of the other side.

Hey numbnuts - it's competition.

What happened to all the pissing and moaning that Sony didn't have a Live equivalent?

Now they do, and it's free - WAH! WAH! SONY COPIED!

Dr. Richard Marks demonstrated that pretty cool Eye of Judgment card game at the press conference - WAH! WAH! SONY DOESN'T INNOVATE!

Where were you morons and where was the bitching when MS announced an Eyetoy-like device for the XBox?

Why does everything Sony has done with the Eyetoy and continual support for software releases and improved Eyetoy technology not count as "innovation".

Or is it only "copying" when there's a pretty good chance the Company in question is going to steam roll the ass of your favorite Company?

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:lol :lol :lol

Someone's world is crumbling around them it appears.

 

[dynamitejim]

How much was a 1 GB hard drive 5 years ago? How much is it today? How common was a Broadband network connection? Comparitively, how common is it today?

Doesn't matter. You'd need an HDD big enough to store an entire collection of next-gen games. You'd need a network stable enough and with enough bandwidth to serve 100s of thousands of users downloading 10GB+ games. Optical discs are cents per disc and the cost is taken on by the publisher. Even MS was too wary to throw a cheap 20GB HDD in standard. And that's certainly not large enough to download real games to.

Blu-Ray is going to be defunct before it ever gets cheap enough to reach the mass market. Right now, Sony looks like a sinking ship.

No it won't. Well, not if it wins anyway. There's been nothing but doom and gloom for movie theaters since the rise of DVD, HDTV, gaming, and the internet. Home video (and other home entertainment) will take its place. Controlling the optical storage medium for that across all platforms will bring a lot of money. That's what Sony wants. It's no secret both MS and Sony are fighting for control of you entertainment center.

 

[nataku]

Of course they are, but what have they brought to the table along with it?

That it's free...?

This entire industry is "me too." It's the way game companies work. Companies borrow each others ideas in both hardware and software. I'm baffled how people can think that's a bad idea. Great ideas get borrowed because they're just that, great ideas.

 

[Sweedishrodeo]

this is going too have a HUGE ripple effect. expect this to drag out for a month or two.