Playstation Meeting, Feb. 20th

[Kevadu]

The future is an old man with lovely eyes.

[dyeager]

The future is an old man with lovely eyes.

Absolute genius.

[Yggdrasil]

PS4 "still in development in terms of final specs and design" -- Source: Gematsu

[beLIEve?]

Got to say, now that I've gotten a better look at it I'm liking the new controller.  It's not a big departure, but it does look like there are a number of basic ergonomic improvements over the DS3.  In addition to the sticks and the triggers, the handles look much improved.  Check out the grippy material on them:

Will I actually use the move functionality or touch pad?  Who knows...but as long as they're optional that's fine.  Nothing wrong with having options.

yeah they pretty much read my mind about what i was hoping for out of the next controller. the ridges on the analog sticks will be so nice when my fingers are sweaty, also they rounded over the shoulder leading to the triggers. the indent on the ds3 i find annoying. i'm pretty ambivalent about the touch pad and share button but soon as i see a practical use i'll likely be sold on it. motion control = meh.

i didn't care about not seeing the console shape itself cause really it's gonna sit behind my tv anyhow. i'm glad the didn't go down the no used games path or the always online path either. i missed the beginning so i didn't hear anything  about gaikai streams or anything. i was worried about rumors that said "most online services were to be part of a subscription model similar to xbla gold" via kotaku. i hope it retains that free online model of ps3 with subs for streams or whatever else cause, at the moment i could care less about ps plus. however, if the streams work well, that added to plus would maybe the bump in value need for me to care about it. we'll see at e3 i guess.

for the most part i'm rather hopeful still. nothing has quite put off it yet, so there's that.
 

[Kevadu]

Pretty good interview with Shuuhei Yoshida over at Eurogamer.

[MeshGearFox]

Question.

As hardware gets more powerful, there's greater pressure on developers to fully utilize that hardware. However, to do this, the number of manhours spent on a given project is going to increase.

We are, as far as I know, at the point where a single failed project can destroy a company. Even one that had been doing well previously. And we're close to the point where a project that isn't a failure but still grosses lower than expected can do the same. Essentially I think that hardware is driving up development costs, to the point where developers can't really keep up, and the cost of taking risks is... no longer worth the risk taking.

So what's the tipping point? Are we going to start seeing 70 dollar games this generation?

Or are we going to see a situation where lower-budget, less ornate titles start dominating the market, just by the merit of actually getting released in a timely fashion, rendering the extra hardware oomph irrelevant?

[Aeolus]

Question.

As hardware gets more powerful, there's greater pressure on developers to fully utilize that hardware. However, to do this, the number of manhours spent on a given project is going to increase.

We are, as far as I know, at the point where a single failed project can destroy a company. Even one that had been doing well previously. And we're close to the point where a project that isn't a failure but still grosses lower than expected can do the same. Essentially I think that hardware is driving up development costs, to the point where developers can't really keep up, and the cost of taking risks is... no longer worth the risk taking.

So what's the tipping point? Are we going to start seeing 70 dollar games this generation?

Or are we going to see a situation where lower-budget, less ornate titles start dominating the market, just by the merit of actually getting released in a timely fashion, rendering the extra hardware oomph irrelevant?

Isn't the latter already happening in Japan though with the numerous iOS and browser based card games?

[Dice]

Question.

As hardware gets more powerful, there's greater pressure on developers to fully utilize that hardware. However, to do this, the number of manhours spent on a given project is going to increase.

My theory on next-gen games is actually based on this.  I think the Wii U, Vita, and 3DS will especially pick up the pace for projects that just don't have the kind of money and manpower.

[Aeolus]

Alternatively, there's the third option of working alongside other developers to make each others' games based upon their individual IPs. For instance, what Nintendo has done with Pokemon Conquest and is doing with SMT X Fire Emblem.

[Kevadu]

I'm seeing a lot of nerdrage out there based on some badly misinterpreted statements about digital games on the PS4.  People are upset the fact that PS3 PSN games they've purchased won't be available on the PS4, seemingly oblivious to the fact that this is because the PS4 doesn't play PS3 games.  They're completely different system architectures, and they've already said that there isn't backwards compatibility.  Digital downloads don't magically avoid that problem...

Sony has said that they're 'working on' emulation systems, probably starting with PSOne Classics, hopefully joined by PS2 Classics eventually.  But much like the Vita it doesn't sound like it will be there at launch.  Emulation of PS3 games probably isn't possible on the PS4 (the PS3 system architecture is really hard to emulate and the PS4 probably isn't even powerful enough to do it...), so that's where the Gaikai streaming thing is necessary.  Though it sounds like that too won't be there at launch.  Even if it is, I'm not sold on the whole thing based on the bandwidth necessary...

It's not exactly happy news, but it annoys me when people are getting upset over the wrong thing.  It's a backwards compatibility problem, not Sony trying to make you rebuy things you've already purchased.  It sounds like at launch you won't be able to buy them at all...

[Lard]

If anyone's misinterpreting things, Sony aren't helping.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/pre-owned-games-block-on-ps4-is-a-publisher-decision/0111344

First they said it wouldn't block used games. Now they're saying it's "a publisher's decision".

[Eusis]

Key word is activation code, which could be anything from full lockdown or just an online pass. And it's possible that was their policy all along, certainly MMOs required keys on each platform far as I can remember and couldn't be sold back.

[MeshGearFox]

Question.

As hardware gets more powerful, there's greater pressure on developers to fully utilize that hardware. However, to do this, the number of manhours spent on a given project is going to increase.

My theory on next-gen games is actually based on this.  I think the Wii U, Vita, and 3DS will especially pick up the pace for projects that just don't have the kind of money and manpower.

Does Sony still have their draconian policies about games having to be pretty enough to sell or were those dropped after the PSX? I'd sort of assume they're gonna because idk I have English copies of Chulip, Metal Saga, and Metropolismania but I mean maybe they're going to start enforcing game be 3D.

Although I guess 3D is oldhat what is the new D? Old men with beautiful eyes?

Is that the new face of our JRPG protagonist?

[Yggdrasil]

PlayStation Meeting Takeaways -- Source: Gametrailers

Don't agree with all that he says, but you know, opinions. Video is not bad though.

[Yoda]

I can't wait to take over Dice's RE7 game and use all her green 'erbs