Comments 1,617

Re: Feature: What Project Morpheus Games Has Sony Brought to GDC 2015?

Ginkgo

The tech sounds way better (and was needed), but that will come with a cost/price impact. They are not going to make money on the hardware at launch. No way. I imagine they will have to sell at a loss to get it moving and recoup on software sales.

How it will overcome the human queeziness and sweat/fogging factor is still an open question. How do you change the human body?

And if they launch with just a few demos then only a few die-hards (probably like me) will pay the price of ownership.

I do believe though, that if they manage to get the tech right (big if) then VR does have the ability to inspire the masses, well beyond traditional gaming. e.g. I would love to connect with my friends in a persistent VR world etc. There are uses in education, virtual classrooms, etc. Helping people with disabilities. One day it will all come. Will this be it? Hmmm.

Sony will need a lot more than a few demos and cute games to pull this off. You have to hope they are working really hard behind the scenes on the software, because they need more than this. They will need a killer app to launch, with much more broad content to back it up. But the possibilities of VR are enormous.

Re: Virtual Reality on PS4 Just Got Way Better with Project Morpheus' Latest Prototype

Ginkgo

@rastamadeus I don't know. Yes, whether or not the tech actually works is a BIG question mark. I too have many reservations, especially around queasiness etc. Only time will tell.

But, I don't think price etc will be the main driver, and I think it will appeal to much bigger audience than traditional gamers.

What matters is content. If there are the right games/other content people will pay. It could be huge, but they need high quality games, and other content. I can image a playstation home like application. The Sims etc. I always think of Ready Player One.

Re: Talking Point: How Important Is Game Length?

Ginkgo

The importance of game length depends on the type of game.The last thing that i need at the moment in another 100 hour open world romp. Just no time to play it . I would never finish it at this point. Too many still on the go at the moment.

I''m looking forward to a shorter, more compact movie style experience. It will not try to finish it ASAP, but enjoy the ride. If it is all over in 15 hours. Fantastic. I can move into something else. Pre-ordering it today.

Re: Preview: The PS4 Exclusives of 2015 - The Order: 1886

Ginkgo

This game will be loved and hated in equal measure. So be it. I for one will love it.

For all those "lack of game-play" comments that will inevitable come from all over, I have never understood why people hate innovation or feel that all games have to be the same, and held to the same criteria.

There is time and space for cinematic games (which I personally love). There is room for this one, and it doesn't have to try and be what it is not. I'm just glad that they appear to have stuck to their guns and continued to make the game they wanted to make. It looks amazing (and I don't mean the graphics).

There is a plethora of poor story, poor cinematic "game-play rich" games around. Yes, I'm looking at you Destiny (which I enjoyed btw). Just very happy this isn't one of them. I don't personally need another great shooter in my life. Bring on me playing the lead role in a film, getting lost in a story. Can't wait.

Re: You Can Probably Guess Which Games Topped the Christmas PSN Charts

Ginkgo

On the PS4, the difference between digital and disc is irreverent. My PS4 drive is already full and 90% is from disc games. There required downloads are just as big as the digital, so it matters not.

Already own Minecraft on 3 formats. PD4, Vita and iOS. Love the game. 10/10 all day. Not surprised it took the gong.

Re: This UK PS4 Bundle Comes with Four Blockbuster Games

Ginkgo

@rjejr My kids have played all of the wonder book titles, and they are all good - without exception. Walking with dinosaurs is perhaps the least "fun" as it has a more educational/exploration bent, (less a game) but that doesn't make it bad. Its good at what it does. Diggs is really well done and worth buying. They loved it.

Re: China's Launch PS4 Has a Dragon Emblazoned on It

Ginkgo

I just wont to know what games it is launching with. Its success will come down to content. It will be interesting to which games the Chinese audience is interested in. Similar to Japan or more western in that. I would expect somewhere in the middle, but I might be wrong.

Re: November NPD: PS4 Loses to Xbox One for the First Time in Eleven Months

Ginkgo

@rjejr Are you suggesting that companies don't track/care what their competitors do, or use market share % as one of their key metrics? I can assure you that they do, and guard market share religiously.

I have seen a company (wont name) that continually sold an entire product range at a loss for years, just to take up shelf space and therefore prevent it's competitor from selling their products in store (shelf space is limited and vied for). Hence guard market share. Better to make a loss, but keep the competitor out. Trust me! Market share is a key metric and they care.

I agree that Sony won't be devastated with their Nov sales and they may even have hit their internal targets. But in hind sight, they planned poorly, sold out of their best selling item, and were clearly outsold by their strongest competitor.

MS did a much better job and hats off to them. They have really started turning things around since Phil Spenser has taken over, and I just wonder if Sony is resting on its laurels a little.

I'm clearly Sony biased (a PS4 fan), but trying to be a reasonably objective observer, just commenting on what I see happening in the market. Which is something that I enjoy tracking. At this point MS is out-playing Sony and winning back market share in the US and UK. If I was a Sony exec, I wouldn't be pleased. Phil Spenser will be grinning from ear to ear and rightly so.

Re: November NPD: PS4 Loses to Xbox One for the First Time in Eleven Months

Ginkgo

@get2sammyb Having worked in a corporate/manufacturing environment for many year (though not gaming related so different). I would say the following.

It is generally not that hard to ramp up manufacturing assuming that the raw materials (e.g. DDR5 memory) are available. That's not the main challenge, because you have internal in control over it. I assume that not all their factories are still running at 100% capacity at the moment, like they were at launch.

The real challenge is the pipeline from Sony to the stores. All of the displays, promotions, orders, shipping etc is planned months in advance and are part of negotiations and marketing fees. Sony has to pay to put their stock in store, promote etc. Shelf space costs. So even if they can build it, getting it distributed to all the stores takes time. That is the harder part and is not easy to adjust quickly.

But, that is why I said poor planning. They seem to have grossly underestimated their biggest selling item during the second biggest weekend of the year, when being spanked in sales by their closest competitor. Its just a fail.

My other comments previously, is that when they saw what MS have done, their easiest fix was to compete on price and drop their prices to match. That would cost them money, but very doable in a short space of time. They chose not to get into the price war and held their price. It is perhaps that the wider company needs the profit from PS4 at the moment, and could afford to sell at a loss, which is what I expect MS is doing.

In any case, it is interesting to watch and it has given MS a foothold to continue to improve and win back the US market.

Re: PS4 Zombie Sim Dying Light Will Raise the Dead in 1080p at 30FPS

Ginkgo

@WARDIE It is because they have also upped the graphics spec of the games with the new gen. Number of characters, polygons, AA, LOD etc. The PS4 can and does run older ported games at 1080p 60fps. But new release have higher graphics content, so there is a balance. Which do you want to lose? AA, LOD, polygon, Res or Framerate. The developer has to make a decision on where the best compromise is to get the best result. Most time, a steady 30fps provides the best visual results, allowing them to leave in everything else.

If you look at the PC spec required to do 1080p/60fps for the same games (latest releases), most people don't own those PCs. PC is not a standard spec. Sure a very high end can do it, but that is not what most people have in their house.

Re: PS4 Zombie Sim Dying Light Will Raise the Dead in 1080p at 30FPS

Ginkgo

Great news for me. Really notice the difference (fuzzy or not) with my 55" 1080p on my HD flat screen. 30fps v 60fps doesn't really make a big difference to me, as long as the 30fps is locked tight. Perfer that to 60fps with a lower res personally. It is always a jugling act between these spec and other graphical feature such as AA and LOD etc.

It is perhaps just me, but I find framerate much more important on a PC than the PS4. It seems more unstable on the PC (at least on mine) so I care more for a higher framerate when PC gaming than on the PS4. Not sure if others have the same experience. Could just be my rig.

Re: November NPD: PS4 Loses to Xbox One for the First Time in Eleven Months

Ginkgo

XBO killed PS4 in the US in Nov and it is no surprise. MS did great bundles and declared a price war. Sony ignored them and continued on its merry way. They did not compete. Dec will fair a little better, but I predict XBO will win again, unless Sony comes up with something. MS's $349 bundles (especially Assassins Creed) are ruling the roost. I would guess they are actually losing money on them, but they needed something to gain momentum and they have got it.

PS4 is still selling well and outselling XBO worldwide, so perhaps Sony is content just to wait it out, knowing that all it's big hitting exclusives are in 2015. Don't know. Their GTAV/TLOU bundle actually sold out of stock as well, which is just terrible planning for one of the biggest weekend of the year, and would not have helped. They seem to not really be on the case at the moment. Resting on their laurels a bit from my perspective.

Never underestimate MS. They will not go away or give up.

Re: Yes, Lara Croft Will Likely Still Climb onto PS4 in Rise of the Tomb Raider

Ginkgo

Maybe, but by the time it happens, will anyone care?

Don't misunderstand. I would love to play this game (adored the reboot), but if it doesn't release on PS4 until 2016, the world will have moved on. It is one of the few games on XBO that I want to play.

I think the situation is a boost for MS, giving them something to compete with UC4, but a huge loss for gaming in general. I just don't like these sorts of deals. If you build an exclusive game with you own studio that is one thing, but just buying exclusivity from a 3rd party leaves a bad taste in my mouth (SF5 included, those that is not a game that interests me).

If the whole industry goes down that path it will be poorer for it, and gamers will lose out. My opinion in any case.

Re: Extreme Weather Arrives in 1.4GB DriveClub PS4 Patch

Ginkgo

The weather looks amazing (the game looks amazing). Handling is impacted which is great. The rain doesn't show in the rearview mirror which is just funny. They need to fix it, but it is not really an issue at all. Just so much eye for detail in other areas, it seems strange to miss, leave out.

The reduction in penalties (previous update) is also a welcome change. They are much more realistic and fair now. The AI does seem a little less aggressive, at least causing me to spin out less when hit. Though that may be my imagination (as I have not seen anything officially mention it).

Still struggling to progress though. I need to start playing it again now with the updates and see. I have probably lost my touch a little as I haven't been playing recently.

The rubber banding is causing me pain. Easy to catch up if you are behind, but once you have reached the pack, moving through them to advance is incredibly hard. Also, if you are in front, you basically have to drive a perfect race. Any touching a wall, gravel etc, and the whole pack passes you. 1st to 10th in the blink of an eye.

i.e. The game is not easy! Which is actually a good thing, but frustrating trying to advance through the tour section. I wonder if they want/expect you to drift more than I do. It is not my greatest skill. Better cars may help, you have to play a lot to level up to get them. It is a catch 22 sort or thing.

Still, there is a lot of good in this game, not just the visuals.

Re: Sony: We're Working on Project Morpheus Experiences That Core Gamers Will Enjoy

Ginkgo

@get2sammyb 100% agree unfortunately. Like you , very happy to be proven wrong, and I will probably buy it. But don't think that it (or Rift) will really do anything other than a short burst of interest that fades. Think Wii, think Kinect. It wont be any different, and after the first 6 months/year at most no-one will care. This will not change the industry, at least not with the current tech.

You can't change the way the body's inner ear reacts. The sickness feeling will always be an issue. Other tech is needed than just images to the eye to get over it. That's not even mentioning sweating, foggy lenses, weight etc.

It will be fun! A party trick. But not change core gaming.

Re: Reaction: PlayStation Experience Keynote Closes the Year with Copious Content

Ginkgo

@ferrers405 Maybe I have misunderstood you, but I would have thought that smart phone games were the very definition of "quantity over quality", and many have succeeded amazingly well and made mega bucks. Do I need to list things like temple run, fruit ninja etc. Let's not even mention whole flappy bird saga.

Beats the hell out of me why people play them let alone or spend money on them, but they do!!

Re: PS4 Exclusive Uncharted 4 Dazzles in Glorious Gameplay Demo

Ginkgo

@RaymanFan2 : Take your point and that is certainly possible, but I still wonder if it is a code. Here's why:

The letter was from 1808, and my understanding is that although capitalisation of improper nouns did occur in English before it was standardised, that standardisation (driven by the King James Bible of 1611) had certainly happened by mid 18th century, well before the 19th century, so that sort of capitalisation was not longer used then. Doesn't mean Naughty Dog is historically accurate.

Also, although most of the words capitalised are nouns, Quarrelling has been capitalised and it is most certainly a verb. Also, there are many improper nouns not capitalised. So, for example, why not capitalise : sharks, grommet, captain, journey etc?

Anyway, you are probably right, just not 100% convinced. Guess we will all find out when we play the game.

Re: PS4 Exclusive Uncharted 4 Dazzles in Glorious Gameplay Demo

Ginkgo

Talk about a system seller. Man, this game will make people stand up and take notice. Can't wait.

More importantly in the meantime, there were lots of clues to what the game was about in the journal.

The Letter reads :
"March 20, 1808
Our navigator we lost to sharks, our grommet to hunger.
Today our captain, whilst exploring was struck by a Serpent
and has presently succumbed to fevered derangement.
Any time we tend to his Puncture he lashes out.
Yet again our journey is misruled by Indignity and Loss.

Now Hayes and I are Quarrelling.
He regards this place as an Island of Emptyness,
and its treasures a mere tale of oriental Hyperbole.
But he is vexed with Fear.
I will pursue this remnant of Captain Avery's Fortune alone if I must."

There are some interesting uses of capitals in the letter (in strange places) which suggests a code of some sort, but I haven't been about to work out yet.