PSP2 / NGP Thread
Discussion
Haven't seen a thread about this yet....looks cracking, my only complaint is that it's too big. Price will be interesting, with a spec like that you'd expect it to match a high-end smartphone on price, but surely they wouldn't dare price it higher than the PS3?
press said:
Release Date: NGP will make its debut at the end of the year 2011.
Connectivity: By having both Wi-Fi and 3G network connectivity, together with various applications, NGP will enable infinite possibilities for users to “encounter,” “connect,” “discover,” “share” and “play” with friends wherever they are. Within the device are a range of features that provide a genuinely cutting-edge, next generation ultimate portable entertainment experience.
Screen: NGP incorporates a beautiful multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display. A high-performance CPU / GPU combined with OLED enables rich, visually striking graphics never seen before on a portable entertainment system, for both games and other digital entertainment content. The new system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, and together with the front touch display, NGP offers new game play allowing users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” moves of the fingers.
Design: While succeeding the basic design philosophy of PSP, NGP adopts the Super Oval Design form factor, created to fit comfortably in users’ hands. For the first time, a portable entertainment system will feature two analog sticks, which enable a wider range of game genres to be brought into the portable experience.
LiveArea: Every game title for NGP will be provided with a space called “LiveAreaTM” where users can share the fun and excitement with other players. Users will have access to the latest information of games provided from SCE and 3rd party developers and publishers through PlayStation®Network. Additionally, NGP users will be able to view an “Activity” log that is constantly updated with accomplishments from users who are playing the same game, which in turn can trigger active real-time communication among users.
Near: SCE will also provide location-based services on NGP as part of the basic features utilizing PlayStation Network. The new application called “Near,” developed specifically for this service and the network, will be pre-installed in the system to let users find out what their friends in the vicinity are playing now or what they were playing recently. Users can meet their friends and new players virtually, regardless of what games they are playing, simply by sharing their game information across different dimensions of time and distance.
New Game Medium: NGP adopts a new game medium, a small flash memory based card, dedicated for NGP software titles. Taking advantage of the flash memory feature, this innovative card can store the full software titles plus add-on game content or the game save data directly on to the card. By adopting flash memory based card, SCE will be able to provide game cards with higher capacity in the future, allowing developers to store more game data to deliver rich and immersive games.
Cameras: NGP will also come equipped with two cameras on its front and rear, as well as three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass, all of which are designed to enable users to enjoy the world of entertainment that is linked with real life experiences.
PlayStation Suite: PlayStation Suite (PS Suite), announced today, will also closely coordinate with NGP. The newly developed and released game content for AndroidT based portable devices can also be enjoyed on NGP. As a result, users will have access to not only the most leading-edge content, but also some of the more casual experiences that typify the mobile market place.
And those all-important figures?
CPU: ARM® CortexTM-A9 core (4 core)
GPU:SGX543MP4+
External Dimensions: Approx. 182.0 x 18.6 x 83.5mm (width x height x depth)
Screen: 5 inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colors, OLED – Multi touch screen (capacitive type)
Rear touch pad: Multi touch pad (capacitive type)
Cameras: Front camera, Rear camera
Sound: Built-in stereo speakers, built-in microphone<
Sensors: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), three-axis electronic compass<
Location: Built-in GPS, Wi-Fi location service support
Keys / Switches: PS button, Power button, Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left), Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square), Shoulder buttons (Right/Left), Right stick, Left stick, START button, SELECT button, Volume buttons (+/-)
Wireless communications: Mobile network connectivity (3G), IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1×1)(Wi-Fi) (Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode), Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR ?A2DP/AVRCP/HSP
Connectivity: By having both Wi-Fi and 3G network connectivity, together with various applications, NGP will enable infinite possibilities for users to “encounter,” “connect,” “discover,” “share” and “play” with friends wherever they are. Within the device are a range of features that provide a genuinely cutting-edge, next generation ultimate portable entertainment experience.
Screen: NGP incorporates a beautiful multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display. A high-performance CPU / GPU combined with OLED enables rich, visually striking graphics never seen before on a portable entertainment system, for both games and other digital entertainment content. The new system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, and together with the front touch display, NGP offers new game play allowing users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” moves of the fingers.
Design: While succeeding the basic design philosophy of PSP, NGP adopts the Super Oval Design form factor, created to fit comfortably in users’ hands. For the first time, a portable entertainment system will feature two analog sticks, which enable a wider range of game genres to be brought into the portable experience.
LiveArea: Every game title for NGP will be provided with a space called “LiveAreaTM” where users can share the fun and excitement with other players. Users will have access to the latest information of games provided from SCE and 3rd party developers and publishers through PlayStation®Network. Additionally, NGP users will be able to view an “Activity” log that is constantly updated with accomplishments from users who are playing the same game, which in turn can trigger active real-time communication among users.
Near: SCE will also provide location-based services on NGP as part of the basic features utilizing PlayStation Network. The new application called “Near,” developed specifically for this service and the network, will be pre-installed in the system to let users find out what their friends in the vicinity are playing now or what they were playing recently. Users can meet their friends and new players virtually, regardless of what games they are playing, simply by sharing their game information across different dimensions of time and distance.
New Game Medium: NGP adopts a new game medium, a small flash memory based card, dedicated for NGP software titles. Taking advantage of the flash memory feature, this innovative card can store the full software titles plus add-on game content or the game save data directly on to the card. By adopting flash memory based card, SCE will be able to provide game cards with higher capacity in the future, allowing developers to store more game data to deliver rich and immersive games.
Cameras: NGP will also come equipped with two cameras on its front and rear, as well as three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass, all of which are designed to enable users to enjoy the world of entertainment that is linked with real life experiences.
PlayStation Suite: PlayStation Suite (PS Suite), announced today, will also closely coordinate with NGP. The newly developed and released game content for AndroidT based portable devices can also be enjoyed on NGP. As a result, users will have access to not only the most leading-edge content, but also some of the more casual experiences that typify the mobile market place.
And those all-important figures?
CPU: ARM® CortexTM-A9 core (4 core)
GPU:SGX543MP4+
External Dimensions: Approx. 182.0 x 18.6 x 83.5mm (width x height x depth)
Screen: 5 inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colors, OLED – Multi touch screen (capacitive type)
Rear touch pad: Multi touch pad (capacitive type)
Cameras: Front camera, Rear camera
Sound: Built-in stereo speakers, built-in microphone<
Sensors: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), three-axis electronic compass<
Location: Built-in GPS, Wi-Fi location service support
Keys / Switches: PS button, Power button, Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left), Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square), Shoulder buttons (Right/Left), Right stick, Left stick, START button, SELECT button, Volume buttons (+/-)
Wireless communications: Mobile network connectivity (3G), IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1×1)(Wi-Fi) (Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode), Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR ?A2DP/AVRCP/HSP
Size comparison:
Video: http://www.youtube.com/v/T9e3c0k3SrQ
Video: http://www.youtube.com/v/T9e3c0k3SrQ
Kotaku said:
Hands On With The NGP's Brand-New Uncharted, And A Deviant Surprise
Another techy Sony product with more big promises. We've been here before, right? Not this time, though. If the NGP, or Sony's Next Generation Portable, seems different, it's because the way the portable lets gamers game.
There's something about the NGP that is simple, something that pops. Nintendo might've pioneered touch-based gaming, but Sony is taking it in an entirely different direction.
On the rear of the portable, there is a touchpad that is the same size as the screen. In the game demo I played of upcoming NGP title Little Deviants, players use the rear touchpad to manipulate cute balls around a lush cartoon landscape. But by pressing on the rear touchpad, it appears as though players' fingers stick up underneath the terrain, altering the landscape.
By pressing on the rear touchpad, it appears as though players' fingers stick up underneath the terrain, altering the landscape.
So by moving one's fingers around, the landscape changes as new mountains are formed. But, if players stop touching the rear touchpad, the landscape returns to normal. It's a lot like putting your hand under a table cloth and moving it around a table. The game's mechanic was compelling enough to help sway Sony into including the rear touchpad. The game does feel a bit like a tech demo for the rear touchpad, but not in a bad way. It also offers the interesting feature of being able to "pinch" the cute ball characters on the front touch screen, causing them to slingslot.
According to Sony's Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida, the hope is that developers will also use the rear touchpad as extra buttons or even shortcuts for commands. It opens up an entirely new way to game.
Even familiar moves in Uncharted, the second game I demoed, are given a new spin on the NGP. Using the rear touchpad, player brush their fingers up to have the game's hero, Nathan Drake, shimmy up vines. It feels a bit like you're massaging the NGP, and pressing up on the thumbstick probably makes more sense.
The addition of touch controls on the front screen worked well in Uncharted. Players can tap vines and ledges, causing Drake to jump towards them automatically. It makes the gameplay easier than the traditional Uncharted on the PS3, but it works. The touch feature that I liked the best in Uncharted was the ability to use a swipe motion on the front screen due to the close proximity of the thumbsticks. So controlling Drake and the camera with the two thumbsticks, and then using a swipe on the touchscreen felt very natural and hardly gimmicky.
And the dual thumb "nubs" made this Uncharted feel like...Uncharted. The addition of the additional thumb nub truly gives this portable a PlayStation feel, replicating the experience of using two thumbsticks like on the PS3 controller. It's not hobbled like the PSP, which only has one thumb nub.
In the demo, I played enemy AI seemed to be a bit lacking, as I easily snuck up behind an enemy, and pressed on him via the front touchscreen, causing Drake to shove him off a climb. No doubt the AI was dumbed down so people could easily experience the press commands.
The NGP does not produce PS3 level graphics, and Sony's Yoshida was quick to point that out: "It's close to the PS3."
While the game looks like it's a port of the first Uncharted, the game is actually a brand new title. Thus, it has new features, like the ability to have Drake snap photos. There is a camera icon on the screen that can be pressed, bringing up photo mode. The input for photo mode uses the gyroscope, so moving the NGP around gives a different view of the landscape. Pinching the screen causes it to zoom, and touching it snaps a photo. There is also a first-person sniper mode. I picked up a sniper rifle in the game, and clicking the left shoulder button took me into sniper mode. Aiming, however, was then gyroscope-controlled. Sony seemed unsure if aiming in sniper mode would only be gyroscope-controlled as the game is still in development.
Besides a new Uncharted for the NGP, new Killzone and Resistance titles are being worked on for the NGP.
During today's presentation, the footage of Uncharted for NGP looked very close to PS3 level graphics — not quite PS3, but close. However, Capcom's Lost Planet 2 looked blocky with heavy pixelated backgrounds. If Uncharted on NGP looked close to the PS3, Lost Planet looked close to the PS2.
The NGP does not produce PS3 level graphics, and Sony's Yoshida was quick to point that out. "It's close to the PS3. You feel like it's the PS3." He's right, it is very close, thanks to developer tech like shaders, something like Uncharted looks very near to PS3 level graphics. They're not the same, but there either in the same ballpark or playing the same game.
The footage that third party developers showed today of Yakuza 4 or Metal Gear Solid 4 running on NGP are demos of what is possible on Sony's handheld. But tonight in Sony's Shinagawa headquarters, the company showed off two titles, Little Deviant and Uncharted, that show more than promises and what ifs, but playable reality.
Another techy Sony product with more big promises. We've been here before, right? Not this time, though. If the NGP, or Sony's Next Generation Portable, seems different, it's because the way the portable lets gamers game.
There's something about the NGP that is simple, something that pops. Nintendo might've pioneered touch-based gaming, but Sony is taking it in an entirely different direction.
On the rear of the portable, there is a touchpad that is the same size as the screen. In the game demo I played of upcoming NGP title Little Deviants, players use the rear touchpad to manipulate cute balls around a lush cartoon landscape. But by pressing on the rear touchpad, it appears as though players' fingers stick up underneath the terrain, altering the landscape.
By pressing on the rear touchpad, it appears as though players' fingers stick up underneath the terrain, altering the landscape.
So by moving one's fingers around, the landscape changes as new mountains are formed. But, if players stop touching the rear touchpad, the landscape returns to normal. It's a lot like putting your hand under a table cloth and moving it around a table. The game's mechanic was compelling enough to help sway Sony into including the rear touchpad. The game does feel a bit like a tech demo for the rear touchpad, but not in a bad way. It also offers the interesting feature of being able to "pinch" the cute ball characters on the front touch screen, causing them to slingslot.
According to Sony's Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida, the hope is that developers will also use the rear touchpad as extra buttons or even shortcuts for commands. It opens up an entirely new way to game.
Even familiar moves in Uncharted, the second game I demoed, are given a new spin on the NGP. Using the rear touchpad, player brush their fingers up to have the game's hero, Nathan Drake, shimmy up vines. It feels a bit like you're massaging the NGP, and pressing up on the thumbstick probably makes more sense.
The addition of touch controls on the front screen worked well in Uncharted. Players can tap vines and ledges, causing Drake to jump towards them automatically. It makes the gameplay easier than the traditional Uncharted on the PS3, but it works. The touch feature that I liked the best in Uncharted was the ability to use a swipe motion on the front screen due to the close proximity of the thumbsticks. So controlling Drake and the camera with the two thumbsticks, and then using a swipe on the touchscreen felt very natural and hardly gimmicky.
And the dual thumb "nubs" made this Uncharted feel like...Uncharted. The addition of the additional thumb nub truly gives this portable a PlayStation feel, replicating the experience of using two thumbsticks like on the PS3 controller. It's not hobbled like the PSP, which only has one thumb nub.
In the demo, I played enemy AI seemed to be a bit lacking, as I easily snuck up behind an enemy, and pressed on him via the front touchscreen, causing Drake to shove him off a climb. No doubt the AI was dumbed down so people could easily experience the press commands.
The NGP does not produce PS3 level graphics, and Sony's Yoshida was quick to point that out: "It's close to the PS3."
While the game looks like it's a port of the first Uncharted, the game is actually a brand new title. Thus, it has new features, like the ability to have Drake snap photos. There is a camera icon on the screen that can be pressed, bringing up photo mode. The input for photo mode uses the gyroscope, so moving the NGP around gives a different view of the landscape. Pinching the screen causes it to zoom, and touching it snaps a photo. There is also a first-person sniper mode. I picked up a sniper rifle in the game, and clicking the left shoulder button took me into sniper mode. Aiming, however, was then gyroscope-controlled. Sony seemed unsure if aiming in sniper mode would only be gyroscope-controlled as the game is still in development.
Besides a new Uncharted for the NGP, new Killzone and Resistance titles are being worked on for the NGP.
During today's presentation, the footage of Uncharted for NGP looked very close to PS3 level graphics — not quite PS3, but close. However, Capcom's Lost Planet 2 looked blocky with heavy pixelated backgrounds. If Uncharted on NGP looked close to the PS3, Lost Planet looked close to the PS2.
The NGP does not produce PS3 level graphics, and Sony's Yoshida was quick to point that out. "It's close to the PS3. You feel like it's the PS3." He's right, it is very close, thanks to developer tech like shaders, something like Uncharted looks very near to PS3 level graphics. They're not the same, but there either in the same ballpark or playing the same game.
The footage that third party developers showed today of Yakuza 4 or Metal Gear Solid 4 running on NGP are demos of what is possible on Sony's handheld. But tonight in Sony's Shinagawa headquarters, the company showed off two titles, Little Deviant and Uncharted, that show more than promises and what ifs, but playable reality.
This looks/sounds very good, I thought my PSP was great but haven't played it for a while.
I'm looking forward to hearing more about this.
Thanks for posting
.
Edited to add this:
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/285845/news/s...
Sony's NGP will cost somewhere between "affordable" and $599, according to PlayStation execs.
The latest SCE honcho to comment on the handheld's potential price point is Shu Yoshida, president of worldwide studios.
"From the very beginning of the project - since 2008 - pricing was one of the considerations that we had," he told Game Informer.
"Hopefully when we announce the price, people will see the proper value," he added. "It's not going to be $599."
Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter told us earlier today that he believes PSP2 could sell for $250/£200, while Lazard Capital Markets' Colin Sebastian is anticipating a $299 "or higher" price point.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbm08dZGuy8
I'm looking forward to hearing more about this.
Thanks for posting
.Edited to add this:
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/285845/news/s...
Sony's NGP will cost somewhere between "affordable" and $599, according to PlayStation execs.
The latest SCE honcho to comment on the handheld's potential price point is Shu Yoshida, president of worldwide studios.
"From the very beginning of the project - since 2008 - pricing was one of the considerations that we had," he told Game Informer.
"Hopefully when we announce the price, people will see the proper value," he added. "It's not going to be $599."
Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter told us earlier today that he believes PSP2 could sell for $250/£200, while Lazard Capital Markets' Colin Sebastian is anticipating a $299 "or higher" price point.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbm08dZGuy8
Edited by Mini1275 on Friday 28th January 09:15
The price will be interesting to see, given that Sony usually seem to miss the sweet spot (PS3 was £450 at launch IIRC, PSP Go £230, a lot more than the existing PSP and with fewer features). Surely they couldn't price it higher than the PS3 either - even though it's much newer tech I think people would have an aversion to paying more for a handheld console.
Chunkychucky said:
Loving the looks of this! However just found something after a quick Google "suggesting a 2011 launch in the USA, Europe and Japan is unlikely" 
I've heard a November launch in Japan mentioned - I hope this is true as I will be in Japan late Oct, early Nov!Edited by Neil H on Friday 28th January 10:42
Thought I'd bump this thread, the Vita (the new name for the NGP) is sounding/looking good.
I still can't believe the price to be honest, I was expecting around the £400 mark - not £200-300.
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2011/06/07/game-prices...
"Sony wowed audiences around the globe earlier today with its live demonstrations for PlayStation Vita, the spiritual successor to the PSP.
Though the software line-up just kept getting better and better, there’s no doubt some had already turned their focus to the Vita’s price-point. Kazuo Hirai was pleased to announce that both models of the Vita will launch below the $300 mark, the wi-fi only version selling at $249, with its 3G enabled counterpart ramping the cost up to $299.
UK-based GAME is one of the first retailers to come forward with an estimate price; £229.99 for Vita wi-fi and £279.99 for Vita 3G. Before everyone whips out their currency converters and bombard the comment section, this price is likely to drop, Sony announcing that an official UK price will be revealed towards the end of the year."
I still can't believe the price to be honest, I was expecting around the £400 mark - not £200-300.
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2011/06/07/game-prices...
"Sony wowed audiences around the globe earlier today with its live demonstrations for PlayStation Vita, the spiritual successor to the PSP.
Though the software line-up just kept getting better and better, there’s no doubt some had already turned their focus to the Vita’s price-point. Kazuo Hirai was pleased to announce that both models of the Vita will launch below the $300 mark, the wi-fi only version selling at $249, with its 3G enabled counterpart ramping the cost up to $299.
UK-based GAME is one of the first retailers to come forward with an estimate price; £229.99 for Vita wi-fi and £279.99 for Vita 3G. Before everyone whips out their currency converters and bombard the comment section, this price is likely to drop, Sony announcing that an official UK price will be revealed towards the end of the year."
Some gameplay footage of
Uncharted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN_x3L00WBI
Resistance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f77SKEQ_g7I
Little Big Planet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lzeA_VsveQ
Uncharted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN_x3L00WBI
Resistance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f77SKEQ_g7I
Little Big Planet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lzeA_VsveQ
Gassing Station | Video Games | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff