George Chen

Thoughts on PSP

Some thoughts on the PSP now I got the chance to play with it for a couple of days.

Hardware/Software

• the screen is amazing (pretty much the first thing people will comment about) due to the rather tiny pixel size.
• it’s really not for full movie viewing but great for short clips (news, trailer, promo, or even video telephone messaging)
• need easy development tool which developers can write simple apps for PSP (stored on the memory stick  i.e. mapping/GPS program that is 802.11)
• now PSP is only an entertainment device but it will become a communication device soon (the platform as a whole)
• the current phone like text entry system is truly horrible. Sony should just provide us a plain old software keyboard – I hope that can be fixed in future updates.

Games

• remake of a lot of classic PS2/PSX titles will guarantee sales.
• ‘m very sad that Nokia never manage to do the network game thing – which clearly PSP is very big on at the moment
• fact that PSP is not region lock allows US gamer to pick up some pretty interesting tiles is a big plus (same goes to the JP gamers as well)

Fall TGS Video – Sony PSP

I am really impressed by this Sony PSP propaganda video. The techo background music is cheerful… And without the use of annoying voice-over (I don’t care if it is Japanese or English they both can be annoying), pretty much every feature of the PSP was explained:

mobile
anywhere
widescreen
3D graphics
fun / enjoyment
stereo sound
wireless network gameplay
UMD optical media
easy access to UMD media (just like MiniDisc)
sexy hardware
slick software UI
wide selection of game titles
etc…

I can watch this crap over and over again and not getting bored….

Good product aside, that is what good marketing effort should be like… I WANT IT NOW! The other Sony PSP Propaganda can be found here. Oh… and this is funny too….

Some of my own observations:

- Sony is putting the 3D graphic computing power of PS2 (or close to) into consumer’s palm
- Their knowledge of MiniDisc technology is being applied fully into UMD/PSP so there shouldn’t be worry on battery life
- Widescreen 16:9 will give game designers new freedom to create new kinds of games.

All in all, I am VERY excited about the PSP.

Cold War nostalgia

So other than FFXI Chains of Promathia I am looking forward to play in 2 weeks, the other games I want to try out this fall are Metal Gear Solid 3 Sneak Eater and Ace Combat 5.

MSG3 took place back in the late 60s’. You’ll be fighting Russian combat troops in the jungle…. Lot ‘O CQB and camouflage actions.

In AC5, while the storyline is base upon a fictional world, in the preview you can clearly see a big Red Flag on the opposing force’s battleship… Expect everything from Mig-21 to F-22 in the game…

So I guess fight against the “Evil Empire” is in among the Japanese game developers.