[Grug]

$20 says the **** up distribution as bad or worse than MS...

$499-$599US eh? I'm in a bit of a hurry, so can anyone say how much that'll be in $AUS?

Around the $750 - $850 mark. =/

[Shadow0000]

This somewhat old (from 2003), but the PS3 will feature a sequel of EyeToy, with High-Definition capabilities something which the PS2 version don't have, here's the article from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EyeToy

I am not the kind of person who use or buy this kind of commercial add-ons, however as Nintendo likes to give so much publicity to their special unique features much more than specs...

[Fenrir]

It'll be interesting to see how much Sony's motion sensing thing will control compared to the Wii's. After all, it sounds like the Dual Shock Eleventybillion here senses tilt only while the Wiimote detects position relative to the screen, torque, depth, and the like. I don't imagine Sony's version to be exactly like the Wii's at all.

As for the tilt sensor replacing the Rumble feature... yeah. Rumble's only so useful in many games. Heck, I can think of only a few examples where it's really worth anything.

[phatosealpha]

Unless the eyetoy is shipping with the unit itself, it's probably going to be as relevant as the SNES mouse or DDR pads or lightguns.  Used in a very few select games, but by and large totally ignored.

That motion sensitivity thing looks awful to me.  Not sensitive enough to actually control anything with precision, but sensitive enough that devs will try to use it anyway.

Anyway, it certainly doesn't seem to be packing anything there to spark my interest. 

[aldo_14]

I was going to make an ironic comment about the PS-series history of ripping off Nintendo pads (right back to the PS1 SNES-with-2-more buttons), but I can't be arsed wading through a thread of continuous Deepblue slagging posts.  I think when you start posting pics that effectively imply Spny/PS3 fans should commit suicide, then you are being a bit of an arse.  And it's too early in my morning for that.

[Nix]

I intended this thread for the press conferences. If you wouldn't mind, you can start a different thread with a compilation of all the new screenshots released, etc.

and exclusive Pro M$/Anti-Sony rhetoric, which apparently only YOU are allowed to post.      

Most technically minded people would rather spend the money on a PC, and/or laptop for the price they're going to pay for a PS3.  The only problem here, is that a boatload of games that aren't available on the PC without difficult (and rather crappy) emulation for the PS2 right now, and the only way that these exclusive games are going to be played are through emulation.  It's going to take a few years and hardware cycles to get to the point where PS3 games are playable on modern PC's.  IF you want to play the Final Fantasy series, you're gonna have to suck it up and get the damn console, which in all reality, is a computer that does only one real notable thing: play games. 

People who buy these 1K-5K computer systems do the same exact thing, but will drop 400 bucks on low-latency RAM without batting an eye.  They'll buy two 10K RPM Raptor drives just cause they're fast, even though they have a limited storage capacity.  They'll also buy the highest-quality motherboard ($200 and up) just because it has an 8-phase power system, and it's compatible with that low-latency RAM they purchased.  The $200 X-Fi card cause it has a pro-gamers name on it, the videocard pair that costs more than the entire backbone of the system, etc etc etc. I really don't see what the problem is here, for a console that will cost $600 USD, when other people who build PC's specificially for gaming spend easily twice that amount for one purpose: Gaming.  You don't build a machine like that for internet usage, writing reports, or playing Solitare. 

[WeatherOp]

of flame wars has just poped up from Sony "stealing" Nintendo's design. And all it does is make me laugh, while it's plain to see this was probley added on to combat Nintendo's rapidly growing advantage, it wasn't stealing, it looks far different from the Big N's new inovation.

And secondly, if you think Nintendo didn't expect this, you are fooling yourself. It's gonna be very interesting to see what Nintendo puts on the table later today.

[Deepblue]

I hope the Nintendo conference starts with a video of a guy playing with a PS3 controller only to have his hands cut off by someone wielding a wii-wand.

[aldo_14]

of flame wars has just poped up from Sony "stealing" Nintendo's design. And all it does is make me laugh, while it's plain to see this was probley added on to combat Nintendo's rapidly growing advantage, it wasn't stealing, it looks far different from the Big N's new inovation.

And secondly, if you think Nintendo didn't expect this, you are fooling yourself. It's gonna be very interesting to see what Nintendo puts on the table later today.

Well, nintendo openly spoke about being worried someone would nick their design, that's why it was secret for so long.  It just so happens that Sony didn't copy it so much as copy the Gameboy (the GBC or GBA - I forget which - had games whose carts included tilt-sensors).  It's not IMO that bad an idea - I have involuntarily leaned playing racing games (which is odd, as I don't do it driving - except at one corner on the rally-esque bit on my drive home ) - it's just mind-numbingly unoriginal and the fact it was only finalized a few weeks ago sparks of thievery.  Plus i'm not sure I'd rather have it than rumbling (which was stripped from the pads because it screwed up the sensors - look for a doubly priced rumble-tilt pad in 2007, folks!)

[WeatherOp]

Well, nintendo openly spoke about being worried someone would nick their design, that's why it was secret for so long.  It just so happens that Sony didn't copy it so much as copy the Gameboy (the GBC or GBA - I forget which - had games whose carts included tilt-sensors).  It's not IMO that bad an idea - I have involuntarily leaned playing racing games (which is odd, as I don't do it driving - except at one corner on the rally-esque bit on my drive home ) - it's just mind-numbingly unoriginal and the fact it was only finalized a few weeks ago sparks of thievery.  Plus i'm not sure I'd rather have it than rumbling (which was stripped from the pads because it screwed up the sensors - look for a doubly priced rumble-tilt pad in 2007, folks!)

Hmmm, that is interesting in itself, now that you brought it up, Nintendo did say something about someone copying their idea, but the question, was that worry or was that a dare.

[Deepblue]

Nintendo press conference is underway.

No price given, launch in 2006.

Montage of games, MP3, Mario Universe.

Two versions of Zelda, one for GC, and one for Wii (damn you dirty liar-face Reggie!)

Speaker in controller to enhance depth perception. (Can't this already be done with 5.1, or does Wii not support it?)

Red steel demo, technical difficulties, demo is rebooted.

Gameplay is like Black with Katana boss fights. The shotgun is now a "unique" weapon. Looks fun, graphics are on par with the Xbox or PS2 however.

On to the DS, 1.3 million WiFi users, etc.

[aldo_14]

http://eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=64374

(eurogamer live summarising)

I think the controller speaker also has a partial use for feedback akin to a rumble pad, so it's beyond 5.1.... plus I suspect 5.1 would be too dependent on exterior hardware, which would spoil the potential use of a controller speaker for that feedback.  I was half-expecting a proper rumble type thing, but I guess that'd be infeasible for that style of controller.

Other skim highlights (not seen any video) - Starfox DS.  Excellent.  Here's hoping that's got MP; DS is the device of choice at my work.  No DS lite european date - Gits.  Tennis sounds rather ace (geddit?).  No Wii time, either.  GitsX2.

[Deepblue]

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=64375

MS conference...

WIRELESS STEERING WHEEL, HEADSET, PC ADAPTOR!
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/706/706021p1.html

Warner Music Group partnership will mean exclusive music content, like Madonna, in Lumines Live.

11:55.30 -
Paperboy too. Midway, Namco and Konami shown up. Sonic's "heading up our partnership with my old friends at Sega". Shared heritage, he says.

11:55.10 -
"A major expansion". Logos - Dig-Dug, New Rally-X, Ms Pac-Man. "Doesn't stop there." The arcade portfolio of Konami.

11:54.25 -
New Live Arcade titles: Pac-Man, Contra, Frogger, Galaga, Sonic the Hedgehog, Defender, Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting, Time Pilot, Ultra Mortal Kombat 3, Scramble.

11:53.53 -
We're going beyond early adopters, he says. "We hit 57% attach" last week he says. And pays tribute to Live Arcade - "Strikes at the very core of what makes gaming fun." New additions trailer reel.

11:50.47 -
Demo ends. Applause. Peter Moore's on now. Five million sales of 360 by eight months, he says. Better than iPod, and other consoles.

11:46.32 -
We're outside. A chopper's above. "I see three!" The screen shakes as we run - the whole scene feels very oppressive. Very brown and grey with loads of rubble, tatty grass patches.

Fighting close up, chainsaw on underside of gun through enemy chest. Jack Thompson's going to love this.

Cliffy's playing it, by the way. He's down on the side looking quite intense.

11:44.47 -
Watching the cutter. "Get ready." Boom. They rush in, fanning out to different points, instructions shouted by your squad-mate. "Go left." Goes left, more close-zoom syrup-sploshing.

I feel like I'm commentating on a Bruckheimer horror film.

11:44.00 -
Chucking a grenade using a blue arc to gauge distance. More hanging bodies. The level of detail on the character model is fantastic. Oops, enemies cutting through door.

11:43.29 -
Leaps over block, shoots shotgun round corner. Bit of pausing now and then but generally very smooth. Very fierce, heavy metal gunplay.

11:42.55 -
Over the shoulder look as the two chars try to break out of military prison. Nice crash zoom on dead bodies as they kick down a door. The level of detail is amazing, with a huge rocket hitting a tower that tumbles down.

Fighting in the rubble, ducking out into a close over-shoulder views to take out enemies up on balconies. Blood gushing like syrup from wounds. Swapping between four weapons, close-combat evisceration.

11:42.27 -
(That's Cliff Bleszinsky from Epic Games, by the way. He's the designer on Gears of War, a third person action title. That's what we're looking at now.)

11:41.10 -
It's CliffyB. "Don't act surprised to see me, you knew this was going to happen." We're going to see the first level.

11:40.40 -
It looks gorgeous. Incredible lighting as muzzle flare lights up street battles. Emergence Day 2006. Trailer ends.

11:40.22 -
We're off. Gears of War trailer. CG of Emergence Day, when the streets said hello to giant killy things. "Billions dead." "Humans denied their enemy control by destroying their own civilisation."

11:39.27 -
"Ladies and gentleman, please take your seats, the show is about to begin." Lights go down.

11:35.00 -
They're still filtering in but it's pretty much full now. Should get going soon.

11:34.17 -
I've now seen Rob's gamertag seven times. And Cochise is playing. It's just like England this.

11:28.58 -
Rob's appeared again. It's quite hypnotic. The display that is. Rob's not hypnotic.

Maybe the water's a kind of Temple of Doom plot device. You will write nice things about Xbox and I give you the antidote.

11:28.45 -
Gamertags and scores are scrolling around the screen in 3d. Rob Fahey's just scrolled past. "Recreation". Wuss.

[Remind me to tell you all about the way Tom grenades his own teammates in the chest in Counter-Strike sometime. - Rob]

11:28.13 -
We are live inside Grauman's Chinese, next door to Kodak Theatre where Nintendo just were. MS wins friends early by providing bottled water with every seat. Gulp.

It's filling up nicely, with 360s visible in display cases on the left side of the open area at the front. Due to begin in about five minutes, they say.

[Deepblue]

"Surprise addition to Xbox Live Arcade: Lumines Live. "Today I'm proud to announce a partnership with Warner Music Group to integrate [music] content into Lumines Live. " In other words, you'll be able to play music videos in the background as you play Lumines Live. The demo showed a Madonna vid playing in the background."

Nice....

[Deepblue]

""Your story is waiting." A scary looking Burton-esque world, morphing around a weird tree lady. "Choose your fortune."

Fable 2."

[Deepblue]

12:06.29 -
Cripes, that looks nice. Cars zooming backward round the track, peeling off down to bare lines. A nice attract sequence. Going forward now, splitting into component car parts in mid-air. It's a bit like a McG Honda advert.

12:05.32 -
"I'd like to show you another quality title produced by MS Game Studios." "We're shifting this into fifth gear." Forza Motorsport 2.

HELL YEAH!

"Now you can choose from over 300 cars" to tune and paint. Up to 11 other players played against on Live. Available this Christmas."



Sorry Ghostavo:

Steering wheel - Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel. Force feedback (!!!). People clap. New wireless headset too - looks like a Bluetooth headphone. Xbox Live Vision Camera too.

12:11.03 -
Little stylised man super-deforms his way through the sky in a spaceship, as a big stompy tin-can robot and his minions cross the ground. It's very anime.

Flying towards robot-git. Blue Dragon. That's Mistwalker (as in Sakaguchi's lot) and Artoon (as in the Blinx chaps) developed, of course.

12:10.09 -
Moore welcomes Sakaguchi to Los Angeles, says Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon are going to be, well, good you know. Video now.

12:09.34 -
"Look your opponents in the eye in Activision's World Series of Poker." All three peripherals due this holiday season.

He's turning to Japan now. "We're committed to bringing inspired, imaginative content to the Japanese market." Gestures to Final Fantasy creator, Hironobu Sakaguchi.

[aldo_14]

Y'know, if you are linking to a live feed, you don't actually need to cut and paste the content off the live feed into the topic.

[Deepblue]

He's taking his, er, clothes off. Well, jacket. "Yeah yeah yeah" he syas. He shows his Halo 2 tattoo. "You thought it was fake." Oh god. It's not on his chest, surely.

"Some guys do rubber ducks, some guys do tattoos," he jokes. His new one: Grand Theft Auto IV.

Okay, wasn't Halo then. Forgive me eh? But hell. October 16th 2007 in North America, October 19th 2007 Europe. GTAIV. "The first date it's available."

MEGATON.

[Deepblue]

Showing off Crysis now...

Shadowrun announced for PC and X360, cross-platform play. Possibly a MMORPG/FPS?

"So what's the most dramatic thing we could do to take Live to the next level? " Connect users. Consider that there are  230 miilion Windows gamers and 1 billion game ready cellphones." Announces Live Anywhere, will be built into the Windows Vista.

One ring to rule them all.

[Ghostavo]

What the... where did my reply go?

Deepblue, I apreciate your efforts to show what's going on in E3 but try to... post less and edit more.