When my friend Squared bought a new PC, I was intrigued that he called it a name. But it indeed made sense because, you could have so many computers that it’s kinda awkward to call it the Living Room PC or my personal PC. So jumping on the bandwagon, I also decided to name my computers and some of my present gadgets. So here goes my naming scheme:
That it’s for now.
Ever since the announcement of Microsoft’s portable media player, the Zune HD, there’s a certain question that lingers in my mind, will be able to directly compete with Apple’s media player, iPod(for the rest of this post, I’ll be referring to the iPod Touch when I say iPod) and iPhone? Will it ever live up to the name the iPhone Killer?
And now I can perfectly answer it as YES.
Zune HD(© 2009 Microsoft Corporation)
I think that the technology behind the sleek looking Zune HD is quite mouth watering. First is the OLED display. It gives a significant power savings compared to standard LCD’s that came up with iPod/iPhone. More time to view movies, and it also provides a more crisp display. Multi-touch screen capability is not that innovative but is very welcome. What is truly amazing that it will be powered by Nvidia’s Tegra processors. This gives you the ability to render videos of up to 720p. And having the capability to hook it up with XBOX live, gives it a decent amount of videos to play. Another nice ability of this Tegra processors is its minimal power consumption. (Read more here “Why The Tegra Chip is so Powerful” )
And that brings me to what more the Zune HD is capable of, a gaming platform. At the early days of iPod/iPhone, I was skeptical of the possibilities of it as gaming platform. But as time passed by, more and more games were able to push the iPod to its limits. Though, hard core gaming is still questionable, it later grew as an casual game platform. But Apple is not Microsoft. Unlike Apple, Microsoft is more experienced in gaming industry that somehow successful with Xbox and Xbox360. But what if Microsoft was able to take advantage of its position as game company? The Zune HD might become a full blown gaming console. But what if everyone will be able to develop applications for the ZuneHD like what Microsoft did with XNA and somehow mimic what Apple did with the AppStore?
You know what did iPhone/iPod achieved that PSP and NDS didn’t? It’s the great community of developers. The playing field is quite different with the two consoles, only big shot game companies were able to make in those two. There were only a few that stood out and the rest was just plain crap. Unlike with the games with iPod/iPhone(though many were considered shovelware) many independent game developers were able to achieve success because they were given a chance to perform and somehow deliver what people want. No offense to Sony and Nintendo, because what people like also changes. More often than not, people like innovation. Innovation is less likely to happen in 100 than in a 10000 people.
Currently Sony and Nintendo are changing tactics, moving content distribution to online means, but the only thing that changed is how they deliver the content, not the content itself. Unlike the AppStore, that features an online content delivery but have more developers making the content. Sometime, those big companies forgot that it’s not the platform that brings in the cash but the mere game itself.
Knowing how sly Microsoft is, it will be no surprise that a SDK(maybe we’ll see something like XNA for ZuneHD) for the ZuneHD will be available to all. I for one, will the first to buy this device if it happens. And certainly be developing on it.
As I was digging some dirt on Sony latest incarnation of the Playstation Portable, I came across these interesting articles from SCEE’s press center
1st: PSP® go PSP® (PLAYSTATION®PORTABLE) EVOLVES TO MATCH THE DIGITAL LIFESTYLE
The link contains more details regarding PSPgo. Here’s some of the good parts,
users will also be able to access and download a variety of entertainment content via their PCs using Media Go, a new software application. Media Go will enable users to access and download entertainment content on PlayStation Store via their PCs as well to easily manage PSP content on PCs, including games, videos, photos, and music.
Finally, a decent management tool for your PSP contents.
a new music application specific to PSP that uses the “SensMe™ channels” music recommendation feature, developed by Sony, also becomes available for download on PSP. With this music application, users will be able to enjoy their favorite music stored on their PSP through a rich user interface, designed exclusively for PSP. “SensMe channels” is a mood based music recommendation system that categorizes music content into channels such as “Relax,” “Dance” and “Upbeat,” and recommends music playlists for users.
I’ll be free from the stupid music player of the PSP. I just wish it could sense my “Anger” over Sony.
when closed, original applications for PSPgo, such as a clock and calendar is displayed on the screen. Users can also enjoy video and music when the panel is closed.
Cool, I have a $250 clock and calendar, but I still have to conserve battery life, so I might as well put it on sleep.
PSPgo has unique features such as game sleep function which enables users to operate XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) while pausing gameplay temporarily.
Took sometime before they realized this one.
Bluetooth function will also allow users to connect Bluetooth standard peripherals such as head-phones and head-set as well as PS3 wireless controller (DUALSHOCK®3 and SIXAXIS®) to be used when watching video content on TVs via PSP at home
Seriously, this feature is the coolest of them all. The ability to use a real controller is much sensible than actually using the controllers on the PSPgo or even the PSP. You could also connect a wireless headphone. Now your free from cables, but say goodbye to battery life, then again, you could plug your PSP to an AC adapter.
One of the products within PSPgo’s peripheral line-up is a new Cradle (PSP-N340) that will become available in stores worldwide concurrently with the release of PSPgo. This new Cradle enables users to charge the PSPgo battery and also enjoy watching video and listening to music. Also included in the peripheral line-up are video-out port cables that enable users to enjoy games and videos on their TVs at home.
Yet again more reasons for Sony to cash in from the consumers.
If you could readon the link that I posted above, it also contains most of the details on the specifications of PSPgo. Here’s some worth noting.
– It slimmer and lighter (duhhh).
– No upgrade on clockspeed and RAM (probably to able still use the current development kits for PSP1000, 2000, 3000.
– Memory Stick Micro™(M2™) slot so say goodbye to your Memory Stick PRO’s
But wait there’s more. Now comes the other press release of Sony. SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT FURTHER BOOSTS ITS SUPPORT FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
In an attempt to lure more developers to develop games for their new hardware but old platform, they made price drops on their development kits. So if you’ve got some spare cash amounting to $1,500, why not start making games. (you still need to have a licensing agreement with SCE to purchase those dev kits).
Oh well the sarcasm never ends.
E3 2009 has gone by and somehow I am not surprised but disappointed on Sony. It’s about my previous post, I am half wrong and half right. Wrong because Sony will be releasing a new hardware, dubbed “PSP Go!”, right because it isn’t a new PSP.
Somehow, a PSP fan like me should be excited, but no I am not. It’s an utter dissapointment. They say it’s a new PSP, but for me, its still the same. No upgrade on capabilities, no new control scheme (no second analog stick or no touch interface or motion sensor), same resolution and same games. *sigh*.
What do we get?
– a slimmer form factor that can be very uncomfortable when you’re actually playing with it.
– a very unreliable sliding mechanism
– a smaller display size
– no UMD that means saying goodbye to your UMD game library
– harder to reach shoulder buttons
– and a heftier price tag ($250)
The PSP Go also has some redeeming factor
– the slimmer form factor can make more portable so you can slide it in your pocket
– lighter
– has bluetooth interface (hopefully you can connect your bluetooth headphones to it)
– 16GB of flash for more storage plus a Memory stick,
All these can improve its stature as a better music / video player. *sigh*.
When the rumor of the PSP Go was confirmed, I planned to buy one because of its portability, but seeing the specs, I’ll just keep my old PSP2000 and buy a decent music/video player, maybe an iPod Touch.
It’s really quite depressing that something that you’ve waited for months was quite a dissappointment. I am just wishing that the Microsoft’s Zune HD is also a gaming console. On another note, Blizzcon is nearing and hopefully I won’t be disappointed that they will announce the release of StarCraft2 there.
Time surely flies fast. It’s already been a year since I started homebrewing games for the PSP. I’ve only released one game but, it surely did a lot for me. It’s time for me to reflect, what drive do I have to continue with PSP homebrew development?
More than a year ago, I planned to buy me a PSP. I bought it so that I can keep my self occupied with when I commute to work. I spent 3-4 hours a day on the bus, and that’s a lot of time wasted. That’s where the PSP comes in, during those 3-4 hours a day, I can play games, read some ebooks, watch some movies and tv shows, and listen to mp3’s. But what really compelled me to buy a PSP, was to develop games.
Playing games was very fun indeed. Yet, somehow I also found that programming was equally fun. So, why not make games, playing is fun and programming is fun, if I add them, would they be twice the fun. Hell yeah it does. Yes, making PC games was good, but there were already a plethora of games out there. I want people to play my games too. It’s quite a great redeeming factor that after you toiled for hours for your creation, that somehow, someone will appreciate it.
I need a platform where I would have the better chance that more will be able to play my games. And there I saw the chance with the homebrew psp scene. Right after I got my credit card, I immediately got my PSP.
After four months of studying, I released Tweexter. It was indeed, good to have some people appreciate your work. Though the downloads were just over a thousand(I wasn’t able to count the other downloads offsite), it still good.
But somehow it felt a little shallow. It’s quite incomplete, and being a true game developer was the thing can make this complete.
I entered Anino Games. With Anino, I was able to have a chance to develop a DS game. And after five months, I was able to move to Gameloft. After I’ve become a real developer, now I’m craving to develop more on homebrew. Because, I wasn’t really able to make a homebrew game during my employment.
Now, I’m going back to my roots, the homebrew development. I just need to find my time, to develop my game.
Anyways, why did I chose homebrew game development over PC games?
First, the demand is greater int the PSP platform. I’ve been thinking of moving to PC game development because of the existence of some great free game engine, but still the number of games and the exposure will be less compared to those that I can achieve being in the PSP platform. We PSP fans could not watch our beloved console die. The games is dismal, but the console is great. I also considered moving to iPhone/iPod game development, but the device is not really meant for games. Yeah, you could get away with some novel gameplay, but it’s only for that. The traditional gameplay doesn’t work with it. Very disappointing indeed(watchout for my next post regarding why iPhone is still too you to beat Nintendo and Sony in the portable game console race). And there’s so much iPhone games in the appstore that I doubt that I could get 1000 people to play my game. Remember my reason that I want more people to play my game and appreciate it. Just a little thank you is enough reward for me for making a game.
Second, making a game with the PSP is still hard enough, with very little tools to help you by. It is more rewarding to finish a game that you work so hard to complete.
It’s only two, but enough to drive me forward to make games. Maybe after I finish this game that I am working on, I will be moving to the PC game scene. But it is still hard to tell, since I’m cooking up more than two ideas for my PSP games.
Thanks for, once again, wasting a few minutes of your time reading my rant.
Reizen's Loft 