Michael sent me some more questions that I thought I’d tackle. Please add your opinions.

What are the advantages to having a hard drive in a videogame system, proformance wise? I’m ultimately asking this question to find out how a HDD would benefit the ps3, but I doubt you know the answer directly.

Actually, I do know.

A HDD can be used to cache data while playing the game. So when the game loads up (or anytime during the game, actually), the game can load information from the BD (Blu-ray Disc) onto the HDD. The HDD is much much faster than an optical drive, so the game has much quicker access to the information it needs as you play the game. For example, this will allow more seamless transitions between levels, or even levels that have no obvious transitions at all. But in general, any data that the game needs can be cached on the HDD, which will increase performance. It would be even better if the HDD cache were not removed between one playing of the game and the next, because then the game doesn’t need to load the data every time you play the game.

Does the xbox 360 allow players to save a game whenever they want like pc games do, or does it still only allow you to save at check points? If no, do you think that ps3 games might allow the player to save whenever?

I really have no idea. But you’re better comparing the PS3’s HDD to the original Xbox. Because in both those cases, the HDD is always there (not optional). I know of at least one Xbox game that let you save the game whenever you wanted. But this is not really a function of the HDD’s inclusion or not, except that the saves are slower without an HDD.

Does you have any idea how advanced the linux os will be on the ps3? Could it possibly be a full up version of linux like pcs use, which could let the user download pc software, such as, photo and video editing, text program, etc, etc?

Sony hasn’t released any details about this.

Will the ps3 have full internet access like pcs do? If so, couldn’t an internet virus corrupt the whole system and ruin it?

Yeah, maybe - better be careful! Seriously, though, the PS3 is connected to the internet, yes. But it is connected is severely restricted ways. You won’t be able to do just anything with the internet. You’ll have to go through predifined access points like a chat program, browser, or game. That helps restrict the openness of the system to outside influences. But I guess anything is possible. It hasn’t been a problem for the Xbox 360.

I guess yesterday’s 1080p demos were all fake, because this dude at Microsoft says it can’t be done.

Oh well.

(Note the sarcasm.)

Kikizo Games: News: Exclusive: MS on 1080p, BluRay, Expansion

At a Q&A session with select member of the press, Sony’s Phil Harrison confirmed that there is a new controller design in the works for the PS3, and that it would be unveiled in May at E3!! This is fantastic news to everyone that thought the previously shown prototypes was anything but nice. (To put it mildly.)

Advanced Media Network - GDC: New Controller Design And More!

I’m Gtalking live to my friend at GDC (he’s using his Blackberry), and as of 1:36 EST, it hasn’t started yet. Joshua says it’ll start in 5 minutes. Joshua works for Magmic, a developer of games for your cellphone, and he’s there in that capacity. Some of his games are quite popular, maybe you’d like to check them out.

Ooop! Started already.

I’ll just quote what Joshua says exactly. More fun that way! Here it is, my comments [in square brackets].

Blah blah we are better than everyone else. More marketshare and sales.

[The End]

So we didn’t get a ton of new news, but we did get some. I’d really like to thank Joshua for providing this realtime update. He had to thumb it with his Blackberry, so thanks, Joshua!

Now I need to find all that material online somewhere. I’d love to see screenshots of the online stuff, and of course the game demo videos.

[Edit:

Of course, since Joshua was using his Blackberry, he couldn’t type everything in. Here are some additions and clarifications from Joystiq
and EuroGamer:

• Yup, 1080p support was there.
• The showed procedurally generated video of fish swimming in the water. (Ooooh!)
• PS3 production capacity will ramp up faster than PS/PS2. 1m units/month.
• PlayStation Network Platform is an internal name, not the consumer name
• “Images from Formula one game. More @ E3. Video chat overlayed over the game from the side. Multiple video chats open at once. Presence is overlayed inside the game. All come from inside teh operating system. Email/friends lists all accessible inside the game. Messages can be controlled (intrusive or not). “Shop” front end bought inside the game. Motor Storm “Shop” front end matches the graphical style of that product. ‘Seamless’ “
• “Insomniac Games Ted Price takes the stage. Internal demo completed a few months ago for a game formerly known as i8, now resistance: Fall of Man. FPS. Primarly running on teh GPU, but starting to be moved over to the SPUs. Every system they move over, they can do more per frame. Blackhole gun is pretty cool. Still can’t take pictures! They’re working on the PS3. Insomniac is independant. PS3 has superior firepower. Blu-ray and the SPUs. Everything in teh next-gen is more spatially expensive; developers need more room. Blu-ray is a “huge win for developers.” Worldwide disc with all the languages present.”
• “Cell has 7 SPUs. Physics, collation, bot navigation, AI, can all be moved onto the SPUs. The challenge comes in load-balancing. Parallel processing on a level that we’ve never seen before combined with a storage medium that satisifes the insatiable demand for more storage. “
• “Singstar’s next on the agenda, and finally there’s talk of downloadable tracks via the Internet; also customisable backdrops, the ability to store videos and photos within Singstar and share with the community - it’s all about turning Singstar PS3 into ‘a next generation experience’.”

]

Don’t forget that Sony’s Phil Harrison is giving a keynote today entitled “PlayStation 3: Beyond the Box “. He will do so 10:30 - 11:30, San Jose time.

Focusing on the new creative, technical, and business opportunities provided by the arrival of PlayStation 3, the keynote will share Sony Computer Entertainment’s innovative plans for the format and will provide a look at how new technology and new business models will help fuel the growth of the computer entertainment industry by attracting new consumers.

I will be giving live updates of the keynote, in case he says anything interesting.

Game Developers Conference 2006

Sony Computer Entertainment America yesterday announced its widespread presence at today’s Game Developers Conference. “The company will support developers and publishers in the creation of PlayStation® content by providing the latest development tools and technologies through conference presentations, panels and booth demonstrations.” the press release says.

They will also be manning PS3 kiosks, “showcasing the latest hardware and development tools for the next-generation console including Unreal Engine, COLLADA, PlayStation Graphics Library (PSGL) and performance analysis tools.”

Sony is also hosting speakers on a variety of topics, including “High Performance Physics Solver Design for Next Generation Consoles”, “Collada for PlayStation 3″, “Crowd Simulation on PS3″, “Introduction to PS3″, “Introduction to the PS3 SPU’s”, and “Cell for Digital Media Acceleration”.

Don’t forget, I’ll be giving up to the minute updates of the Phil Harrison keynote today.

Yahoo! - SCEA Announces Widespread Presence at the 2006 GDC

Recently I posted some topics about the PS3 delay. Japanese developers seem to think the PS3 delay will help them. Analysts say Sony will still be the king of the console hill.

Now it’s your turn. I put a new poll in the sidebar asking you what you think of the delay. Is the delay:

1. Good all around. This will give Sony and publishers time to really polish the PS3, making it even more of a success. In my territory I don’t get it any later anyways, or I don’t mind.
2. Good for the PS3 (see reason #1). But in my territory I was supposed to get it sooner, so I’m a little peaved.
3. Bad for the PS3. This is just giving too much advantage to Microsoft.

Personally, I voted for #1.

Results from last poll:

70 people (79%) said that Ken gave us lots of info on March 15th.
19 people (21%) said that Ken didn’t give enough info.