PSP: Homebrew / Custom Firmware / New Owner Catch-all

DP, y'all.

Vrikk wrote:

But it (PSP) does have a lot of great games out there for it that cost a fraction of the home console games.

I disagree. I actually thought and think the oppposite. When the PSP launched it was a crime that some of the titles were $50. Now they are $40 aren't they? That's still alot considering you can get the PS2 versions for much cheaper. And it's alot if you played the PS2 versions (derivatives) recently.

I disagree. I actually thought and think the oppposite. When the PSP launched it was a crime that some of the titles were $50. Now they are $40 aren't they? That's still alot considering you can get teh PS2 versions for much cheaper. And it's alot if played the PS2 versions (derivatives) recently.

5/4 is still a fraction.

Sony was able to slim down the battery size while maintaining the system's 5-hour battery life by decreasing the power draw of the unit. You'll be able to use old batteries from the original PSP to double playing time, but the standard battery cover won't be able to fit over it. Sony will offer a high-capacity power kit that will come with its own PSP cover to fit over the larger battery.

Well that is pretty cool.

I think some PSP games may cost $40 USD but I haven't bought any at that price. It's been relatively easy to find the greatest hits type games for $10-20. Sid Meier's Pirates is $30 and is next on my "list". Gitaroo Man is ~$35.

$40-50 is too much for a new PSP game IMO. I'll pay it for FFT, but that's about it. However I think most of the newer titles are in the $30-40 range.

I'll pay it for FFT, but that's about it. However I think most of the newer titles are in the $30-40 range.

It's funny that the one game your willing to pay full price for is one you can already get and play on the PSP at a much cheaper price.

And I already own the PS1 disc.
I'm banking on a much-improved translation and something hopefully optimized for playing on a portable.

Trip, there are a lot of great PSP games you can get for $35 or under, and only one or two that are worth it at a $40 price. However, $39.99 is not the MSRP of the PSP games anymore. It depends.

Chief Wiggum wrote:

The PSP lite seems too little, too late and too much like the DS lite aesthetics to be taken seriously. Sony should have learned its lesson from the Wii... Or rather from the DS lite. People buy the DS lite because of the games, new control scheme and aesthetics. (Yeh, maybe Sony should have learned from the DS lite with respect to the PS3)

"too little, too late," huh? Filthy skimmer

Like "DS Lite" aesthetics? How do you figure? Shrinking the size of a console and making it cheaper to manufacture has been going on since the NES, across all platforms. Let's not forget the most recent example-- Sony's continuing slim-lining of the PS2.

Certain demographics like the DS, and other demographics like the PSP. They both serve different audiences, with some small crossover who own both systems. IF anything, Sony should make MORE distinction between the two systems, adding more firmware updates to enhance their media features as well... why should they try to copy the Wii or the DS? The experiences you get with each system are distinctly different from one another.

You can very easily mod a DS lite to do anything the PSP already does (and what the PSP lite will do-- except for video out).

Yes... except actually have a 480x272 screen AND high quality 3D games. The PSP can't do touch screen stuff. Otherwise, as has been pointed out, the specs of both machines are leagues apart.

DSGamer wrote:

Maybe you just take the "haterade" way too seriously. Honestly. People disliked Sony for many reasons and an apparent stumble on their part (same thing happened with the PS3) was an opportunity to watch the king fall down. That happens all the time. In sports, in Hollywood. Get to high on yourself and someone will want to see you fall. Take out a few beloved competitors along the way (like the Dreamcast) and it gets worse

Maybe, as you say, I "shouldn't take it seriously," but it gets old after awhile, seeing people just gleeful with sour grapes, looking for every chink in the armor, glorying in the perceived "downfall" of a company. It's all so silly. It seems to me that people can't just be consumers anymore... we all have to be "analysts," giving our opinion of the company, the spokespeople, why we're SURE something is going to fail, etc. Like I said, it just get's old.

re: Price of PSP games (from Joystiq)

Some observations: the $50 PSP game is gone (the vaporous Oblivion for PSP notwithstanding), replaced by the much more amenable $40 game; EB Games lists 102 new games for the DS and 94 for the PSP; the average cost of a game on each platform is only off by $2.54; and the median price for each system is a common $29.99. With Sony telling teens to "get their own," convincing the chronically underemployed that PSP games are affordable is more important than ever.

If you look at the graph of game prices (follow the link), you'll see that Nintendo offers MORE games at $19.99 than the PSP does, but I think that's really skewed-- Sony's "Greatest Hits" line is actually going to give you a lot of A quality games for that price, while Nintendo rarely EVER lowers the price on anything (hell, Super Mario64 DS is STILL $34!). I guess someone could argue that that "says" something about the value of Nintendo games, but I still think it's pretty weak.

Chief Wiggum wrote:

You can very easily mod a DS lite to do anything the PSP already does (and what the PSP lite will do-- except for video out).

Hrmm. As someone who owned a PSP and sold it to buy a DS Lite and a pile of games, I have to say this seems just plain wrong. I used my PSP to watch movies (ripped) do net stuff (streaming MP3s, surfing) more than I used it to play games (which is why I sold it). I have yet to be able to get video to play even remotely decently on my DS, and I've got several little aftermarket doodads. And there's essentially no internet stuff.

Wasn't enough to make me hang on to the PSP, and I still love my DS as a game platform, but there's no way you can compare the multimedia capabilities -- PSP has 'em, the DS has touchscreen/dualscreen/gamesharing way down. Didn't actually matter to me, but the multimedia capabilities are just VASTLY different.

[quote=Stric9]

So I can't charge the unit without it being in USB mode? Are you kidding?

I'd bet that they just haven't clarified it. Electrically, it doesn't make sense that it can't charge while in a mode other than data--power flows through dedicated wires in a USB cable, unrelated to the wiring that carries data.

SommerMatt wrote:

Like "DS Lite" aesthetics? How do you figure? Shrinking the size of a console and making it cheaper to manufacture has been going on since the NES, across all platforms.

It even goes back to the venerable Atari 2600. Stuff gets smaller and cheaper, and redesigning the outside lets them use fewer materials, and that affects the bottom line, too.

The better battery life, better loading times, and a portable version of God of War has me considering a PSP.

I know it'll be a mistake.. but the thought's already there.

I really have no desire to get a PSP.

Features like "Oh yeah, stream MP3s!" and "VIDEO OUTPUT! VIDEO OUTPUT FROM THIS TINY SCREEN ARE YOU LISTENING?" are just useless to me.

edit: I had one and I used it like 3 days (once to see Hellboy on the toilet) and I put it in a drawer and forgot about it. But this is when FIFA was the only game out and such.

I just want to play Metal Gear Acid. If only they would port it over to XBLA.

I want to see just how much the load time has improved. If there's anything that has to be done for the PSP, this is it.

When I get the redesigned PSP, the first game I'm getting is an import copy of I.Q. Mania (contains the original Intelligent Qube plus lots of extra content)

Apparently it came out a year ago. I've been wanting to get Intelligent Qube somehow.

Thin_J wrote:

The better battery life, better loading times, and a portable version of God of War has me considering a PSP.

I know it'll be a mistake.. but the thought's already there.

Why is it a "mistake"? If you go through the "New PSP Owners" thread, you'll see a good handful of people who have bought one recently and have found a lot to like. That $199 bundle with Daxter, the 1GB memstick and the Family Guy UMD is a steal.

Mex wrote:

I really have no desire to get a PSP. Features like "Oh yeah, stream MP3s!" and "VIDEO OUTPUT! VIDEO OUTPUT FROM THIS TINY SCREEN ARE YOU LISTENING?" are just useless to me.

And maybe those features are. You're still getting a better system with MORE features for the same price. If you use them or don't use them, that's up to you. Are those "system buying" features for the PSP? Maybe not. The games and multimedia aspects are much more important.

Mex wrote:

edit: I had one and I used it like 3 days (once to see Hellboy on the toilet) and I put it in a drawer and forgot about it. But this is when FIFA was the only game out and such.

Exactly. This is like buying an xbox on launch day, then complaining for the next 5 years that there are "no good games" available, based on what was released when you first bought the system. Obviously, everyone has their own tastes, but the PSP has a large list of great games already available, with more to come. If you seriously can't find at least 5 games worth playing, then you're a lost cause

Thirteenth wrote:

I want to see just how much the load time has improved. If there's anything that has to be done for the PSP, this is it.

Well... they doubled the system memory, as has been said, from 32-64MB. So... twice as fast?

Who knows, really. The weird thing is... I think I saw a screen shot of the 3.60 firmware that said you had to select or turn on the "UMD Cache" feature. Why would that be selectable, I wonder?

IMAGE(http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/07/img_0621.jpg)

I think we've gotten into thie before, but I still don't think the "load time" issue affects very many games. Yeah, there are a handful of games that were programmed horribly... that just seemed to be lazy ports or the programmers were on crack The VAST majority of games clip along at a fast pace, at least in my experience. Of course, if they improve it, they improve it... icing on the cake. Definitely can help to work on the public perception.

*Legion* wrote:

When I get the redesigned PSP, the first game I'm getting is an import copy of I.Q. Mania (contains the original Intelligent Qube plus lots of extra content)

Apparently it came out a year ago. I've been wanting to get Intelligent Qube somehow.

Yeah, go for it... I have it, and it's just like you remember with some added bells and whistles. Only problem is, I never had the actual PS1 game... I only had the very first issue of OPM which came with a demo. I played the demo to death, but never went for it... then it because some hard to find eBay bait. Ah well.

IQ Mania is actually pretty darn tough. There's something like 300 levels, and I realized after a short while that I really suck at it

edit: uh oh... out of print, according to Play Asia.

I like the new features enough that if EB Games has a trade up deal for $50 I'd do it. I like the Darth Vader one

The fact that I didn't pay for my PSP, and got it for "free" by trading in enough games probably is influencing me. It's easy to say I'll pay to trade up for something I never paid cash out of my wallet for

SommerMatt wrote:

edit: uh oh... out of print, according to Play Asia.

I've found it elsewhere. I'll be ordering it pretty soon.

EDIT: KeepGaming.com and RenChi.com both have it, same price. Anyone ever ordered from these places?

Is there anything wrong with a dude getting the baby blue one? Mabye i'll stick a charger sticker on the back to make it look more man-ly.

IMAGE(http://watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20070717/scej102.jpg)

I think if you're a Charger fan you HAVE to get the baby blue one. Man I wish the Chargers would go all the way back to the old Unis.

It will be harder to notice when the silver one gets dirty, so I might just go for that one. The thing is I wish the new PSP can cure so many of the old one's problems I don't have to worry about it getting dirty, ever.

Stric9 wrote:

Is there anything wrong with a dude getting the baby blue one? Mabye i'll stick a charger sticker on the back to make it look more man-ly.

IMAGE(http://watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20070717/scej102.jpg)

WAIT WAIT WAIT A MINUTE...

Between the pink and the blue...

Is that... VIOLET?!

@#$%!!!

I guess I should have mentioned the pastel colors are all Japan only so you'll have to import to get one.

DSGamer wrote:

I think if you're a Charger fan you HAVE to get the baby blue one. Man I wish the Chargers would go all the way back to the old Unis.

Not to take this more off-topic, but YES.

Charger powder blue uniforms are the best jersey in the NFL.

Charger powder blue uniforms are the best jersey in the NFL.

Yeah I love them as well but have you guys seen the new Charger unis? I like them allright but why they re-did the throwback I have no idea. It is cool that they will be wearing the white helmets all the time though...

IMAGE(http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7070/32459yt2jt2.jpg)

there's also a limited edition FFVII: CRISIS CORE version of the slim coming out... only 77,777 copies available! Order now, if you're so inclined.

IMAGE(http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/2007/07/17/h-103_75318_4802.jpg.jpg)

Oh, it also comes with this little dangly thing--

IMAGE(http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/2007/07/17/h-103_75318_4803.jpg.jpg)

some other announcements today:

IGN is reporting that:

As part of a flurry of announcements from today's PlayStation Premiere event in Tokyo, Sony Japan announced a 1Seg Tuner device for the PSP. Attach this to the PSP USB port in much the same way that you attach the GPS receiver and camera to the system now, and you'll turn the system into a portable TV that's capable of receiving digital television broadcasts.

The 1Seg Tuner will go on sale on 9/20 at a cost of 6,980 yen. It will be compatible exclusively with the new PSP-2000 redesign, so current PSP owners are out of luck.

IMAGE(http://pspmedia.ign.com/psp/image/article/805/805622/playstation-premier-psp-tv-20070717074553038.jpg)

I don't really know what "1seg" means, but it's still cool Too bad for me and my obsolete PSP Phat.

BTW, this is what the video out cable is going to look like.

IMAGE(http://pspmedia.ign.com/psp/image/article/805/805620/playstation-premier-psp-color-variations-in-japan-20070717073006784.jpg)

Sony's showing like 4 different models of these... component, s-video, composite, and a VGA or HDMI or some kind of other model I can't make out.

Sold separately, of course... but since people here are saying they wouldn't use it, that's probably for the best.

Where are these fancy-smancy FFVII ones being sold?