Playstation 4 ("PS4")

[mexi001]

Some concept photos of the next gen Playstation http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/ps...es-slideshow-8

[mexi001]

Sony filed a new patent that displays new technology that would eliminate the used video game market. Following the reveal of this patent, it was assumed that this type of technology was being developed for Sony's next-generation console, which is expected to be the PS4. With the use of this technology, retail outlets that sell used games, such as Gamestop (EB Games in NZ), would receive a massive hit.

http://www.examiner.com/article/ps4-...k-soaring-down

Personally I'm not thrilled with this piece of news. Does this mean that a PS4 game will be 'locked' to your console?

[Black Plague***]

They won't lock second-hand games, no-one will buy the console otherwise.

Also, dat PS4 looks ugly

[Rii]

Nap.

[Chickenman]

They won't lock second-hand games, no-one will buy the console otherwise.

Also, dat PS4 looks ugly

This.

OP:
Sony may have patented the tech, that doesn't mean they'll use it. My guess is they'll be safeguarding it in case somebody does want it, they'll then need to pay Sony royalties. If Sony did RFID the games, 1337hakerz.org would rip the shit out of it more than we have ever seen in a console.

As for the concept pictures. They don't mean a thing, anybody with a computer could have made their own, remember the see through iPhone 5 concept pictures that were 'leaked'?

[Nork22]

If I were in Sony's R&D department, the next storage media I would use is Flash or NAND memory storage in some propriety casing (sorta like what the Vita has at the moment). Games would load way faster, you can save games onto said flash drive, it's can be small and portable, and it's relatively cheap. What I'm getting at is that cartridge technology should be resurrected again!

[Mithster18]

If I were in Sony's R&D department, the next storage media I would use is Flash or NAND memory storage in some propriety casing (sorta like what the Vita has at the moment). Games would load way faster, you can save games onto said flash drive, it's can be small and portable, and it's relatively cheap. What I'm getting at is that cartridge technology should be resurrected again!

Isn't flash based media more expensive than discs? Plus, sony's just started using blu-ray, they're not exactly going to turn around and do something radically different.

[Ramza]

Until they tell us for sure that there will be no anti used games tech in the machine, i could not give a ****.

[XSpike]

Looks like the fake PS3 slim concepts

[mexi001]

I agree that the concept photos look a lot more like PS3 slim.

[Nork22]

Isn't flash based media more expensive than discs? Plus, sony's just started using blu-ray, they're not exactly going to turn around and do something radically different.

I highly doubt it is any more expensive than current media based storage.

[Chickenman]

If I were in Sony's R&D department, the next storage media I would use is Flash or NAND memory storage in some propriety casing (sorta like what the Vita has at the moment). Games would load way faster, you can save games onto said flash drive, it's can be small and portable, and it's relatively cheap. What I'm getting at is that cartridge technology should be resurrected again!

Actually that would be pretty funny. In a round about way, MS pays Sony royalties to use a BD drive. Sony says cheers for that, but we're now using something smaller, lighter, faster and cooler.

As for save games on to the game card, the Vita is capable of that now. Nobody is using it though. Not to mention DL purchased titles will be more and more prevelant next gen.

Plus, sony's just started using blu-ray, they're not exactly going to turn around and do something radically different.

No not necessarily. BD is an established standard now, Sony don't need to stay with it to keep market traction for BD. Besides that, if Sony used that logic, they had 'just started' to use CD ROM on the PSX, then they 'just started' to use DVD ROM in the PS2. The main reason Sony will continue to use BD is likely to be for backwards compatibility purposes.

[kranas]

I wonder when they get around to it whether backwards compatibility with at least the PS3 backwards being available. PS2 has stopped being made in Japan now and eventually people will be unable to play PS2 games in future. Fortunately we have some pretty good emulation options for PS1/PS2 for those whose machines inevitably die in future, but emulating the PS3 is a much more difficult endeavor. I suppose there is PSN, I've never really looked into that though.

Its that kind of thing I worry about for consoles and MMORPGs/Online onlys where there will be a point where people cannot play them because of how they were designed. Makes me thankful that pretty much all older games enjoyed when younger today can be emulated at the moment ( DosBox).

[Nork22]

Actually that would be pretty funny. In a round about way, MS pays Sony royalties to use a BD drive. Sony says cheers for that, but we're now using something smaller, lighter, faster and cooler.

I was essentially watching Tokyo Encounter (a silly show where a couple of guys play some old and new games) and they wax lyrical about catridges and how all the games then just load in an instant. And now since flash memory tech is getting better, why not introduce people to the wonders of catridges again.

As for save games on to the game card, the Vita is capable of that now. Nobody is using it though. Not to mention DL purchased titles will be more and more prevelant next gen.

I won't mind if they took the MS route with the 360, where a HDD is optional for PS4 games, but a must if you want PS3/PS2/PS1 backwards compatibility.

[Black Plague***]

I was essentially watching Tokyo Encounter (a silly show where a couple of guys play some old and new games) and they wax lyrical about catridges and how all the games then just load in an instant. And now since flash memory tech is getting better, why not introduce people to the wonders of catridges again.

I dunno, the Vita has some pretty horrific load times on some games.

[Nork22]

I dunno, the Vita has some pretty horrific load times on some games.

From what I understand at most a lot of games on the Vita loads up to less than 2-3 minutes after the game loads into the RAM. Not that it's really a big issue anyway.

[shadermodel4]

I was essentially watching Tokyo Encounter (a silly show where a couple of guys play some old and new games) and they wax lyrical about catridges and how all the games then just load in an instant. And now since flash memory tech is getting better, why not introduce people to the wonders of catridges again.

Cartridges were awesome. They were durable (much more so than the itty-bitty-scratch-ruins-optical-media we use today), and startup was basically instantaneous.
However, cartridges were expensive.

There are logistical/cost-based reasons why carts in their previous form won't be coming back. Although, as a distribution medium, I can certainly see the advantages of shipping content via memory cards/USB sticks.

The thing with carts in the old days, is that cart memory was mapped to the CPU's own memory. When you plugged a cart in, you basically extended the console's memory to whatever was on the cart. There was no transfer of game data into RAM (well, there was a tiny bit - but not worth mentioning), because the console would read game data directly off the cart as if it was it's own native memory (technically speaking it was).

The problem with carts is still basically cost. You could build a console which accepted carts, but the ROM chips would have to be very fast (i.e. expensive) to be of any real advantage over say an SSD drive. Then there's the cart DRM (custom chips etc), which also adds to the cost.
Plus with carts (as with optical discs), you still need to physically unplug them to swap games. Which is annoying considering we already have the technology to navigate a games library without changing media to do so.

Even if there was a cart console, there'd still be "load" times (albeit quicker than optical or HDD). Retro-gen cart content was basically static - no scene/object pre-rendering into frame buffers back in those days.

[mexi001]

I would like PS4 to support games in discs or some other physical media. I am also behind the idea of games that are pre-loaded onto a USB device and sold in retail and online stores. This would replace the discs for a small USB device that plugs directly into the console. This might open up the possibilities for numerous ideas to be implemented.

Sony came out with proprietry game card for PS Vita. Hence they might use similar concept for PS4. Gamers that wish to continue playing their PS3 games would be offered to swap their physical discs for digital copies on the new console. Japan gamers were given the option to convert their UMD PSP games to PS Vita under the UMD Passport Program. However it is by no means a perfect solution.

Quoted from 1up.com - "While the ability to bring over UMD games is very much welcome, not every game was eligible and gamers were asked to pay to do so. And we're not talking about a few dollars -- prices ranged from $6.50 up to as much as $31 depending on the specific game, and remember this is a fee on top of what was already paid for the game. The conversion process itself involves downloading an app on PSP, popping in the game, and paying the discounted price. (Yes, it sounds strange to me, too, that $31 was the discounted price for a digital copy of a game someone already owns.)"

[lorenzen]

Wonder if sony would use like a high capacity SSD cartridge type device to store the games. Would be pretty sweet. So like a n64 cartridge but faster speeds and higher storage capacity.

[cencsor]

Wonder if sony would use like a high capacity SSD cartridge type device to store the games. Would be pretty sweet. So like a n64 cartridge but faster speeds and higher storage capacity.

Your reading comprehension is terrible, you should feel bad. Next time you should try reading threads properly before posting.

[mexi001]

PlayStation's 16-year tradition of DualShock controllers will come to an end. New controllers are being built with the release of the PS4.

New controllers are currently being tested in preparation for the launch of the PS4. The new controller will have biometric sensors on the grips, and a LCD touch-screen. They are trying to replicate some of the PS Vita features, as they explained, "trying to emulate the same user interface philosophies as the PS Vita." The new controllers could possibly be used as secondary controllers.

Many companies like Valve are interested in the controllers features. For example, Valve is interested in the biometric sensors, which functions as a heart beat sensor.

Extracted from http://www.nextgenupdate.com/news/cv...LROiZtg8YAz.99

[grieving]

PlayStation's 16-year tradition of DualShock controllers will come to an end. New controllers are being built with the release of the PS4.

Please no

[Black Plague***]

WHy the **** would they change the controller?

[XSpike]

Cause the boomerang was meant to be more comfy as your wrest wasn't bent.. I would of liked to have tried it at least

Anyways, if the controller still feels good and some how makes it more possible for Vita cross-play content I'm all for it. But if its as useless as the sixaxis or barely any games makes use of it (or use it in annoying ways) and the controller is less comfy..

[InvisibleShadow]

My prayers have been answered, the bananarang shall rise again only this time reborn with an LCD screen! Seriously though, as Xspike said I would love to have tried that controller, I don't know why they didn't release it as a separate option to the dual-shock after the PS3 had been out for a couple of years.