Support NeoGAF

[Hex]

Yes BC with all psp games on PSN, along with minis and ps1 games. Only if you bought them on psn though, no umd transfer option that anyone knows about.

And it does magic with PSP games apparently which I am most looking forward to

 

[Beer Monkey]

Vita looks to me to be about a traditional 'generation' more powerful than 3DS. Of course, PSP was at least two 'generations' more powerful than DS, and we all see how that turned out. I have some interest in Vita but I'd like to see how the software support holds up after the first couple of years. I'm not going to be an early adopter this time (same for Wii U).

If Sony starts to eat serious Nintendo handheld marketshare, Nintendo could drop the 3DS price down to $150 and still be more 'profitable'.

 

[onQ123]

The graphical difference between Vita and 3DS is going to be more deceptive than you think.

Yeah, 3DS isn't going to show off something like Uncharted, with that kind of art style, texturing, lighting, etc.

However, the difference between 3DS and Vita is, philosophically, a bit like the difference between the Gamecube and the Xbox 1.

There were certain games on the Xbox 1 that you simply wouldn't see on the Gamecube unless they were heavily downgraded.

But there were still a ton of Gamecube games that looked quite impressive standing shoulder to shoulder with Xbox 1 games.

The DS vs the PSP was too harsh a gap in that the DS lacked far too many *basic* technologies like even texture filtering.

The 3DS on the other hand, can produce games that look quite good with shadows, shaders, textures, and character models that are in the same ballpark, especially when the art direction is optimized for it. Comparing the earliest games for each:

Dead or Alive, Resident Evil, and Nintendo's various titles vs a Vita game *does not* evoke the same sense of utter trouncing like a 3D DS game versus a good 3D PSP game.

I realize that some people seem capable only of recognizing the most advanced possible realtime 3D graphics in the world at the present moment as "legitimate" and everything else is "pure trash, get it out of here". I don't think that is actually an objective thing you can put into a comparison tho; it's just extreme personal taste.

Hmm. The biggest controversy for a while may be the basic fact of the 3DS' 3d function. Even aside from arguments over whether it helps with gameplay - I think it does, for instance, depending on the game - it seems disingenuous to discount it when we are in such a debate over *sexy graphical effects*. It's like saying "Vita has Cool Shaders Bro, so it wins. I care about graphics. 3DS just has that 3D effect that only makes things look cool, it does nothing for gameplay, so it loses."

Entirely apart from the gameplay angle, the 3D aspect creates a unique visual flare for 3DS games. Hate on it if you want (I'm sorry Avatar made 3D such a hateful thing for so many), but an equal number of people have felt that various 3DS games look better when they see the 3D trailers from E3. Clearly, it makes a difference for some people.

it's more like the Wii vs Xbox 360

 

[upandaway]

it's more like the Wii vs Xbox 360

Huh

 

[Dreohboy]

I love how the Vita looks but I think it will have the same problem that the PSP did. People do not want console experiences that could be on a TV, on a handheld. But Maybe that is a Handheld problem and not necessarily a Vita specific one

Hulu Plus, Netflix, HBOgo and browsing the internet will be better on Vita than on the 3DS. Games will look better on Vita.

The 3DS will have Nintendo's lineup.

Win: Vita.

For me personaly Vita has ticked every box

Region Free
$250
$40 games
Dual analogs
5" OLED, High res
Unique controls
Online that looks to be even better than PS3 (LiveArea, Cross chat)
Cross platform play with PS3
Nextgen games like Uncharted and SFxT
Unique games like Sound Shapes
Pick up and play games like LittleBigPlanet, Hotshots, Super Stardust and etc.
Hulu Plus, Netflix, HBOgo (will use these more than gaming)
Decent web browser

3DS just all around disappointed for me
Shitty launch line up
$250 not worth it
Shitty web browser
not region free
Shitty online (WTF, you still need friends codes)
No Virtual console transfers from Wii
Main screen not even touch
Main screen is still too small for me (I prefer bigger, would have benefited the 3D)
Screen resolution is not that high
No dual analogs (why didn't they know the complaints from original PSP)
No videoplayer (can't watch your own video files)

 

[Magicpaint]

Vita looks to me to be about a traditional 'generation' more powerful than 3DS. Of course, PSP was at least two 'generations' more powerful than DS, and we all see how that turned out. I have some interest in Vita but I'd like to see how the software support holds up after the first couple of years. I'm not going to be an early adopter this time (same for Wii U).

If Sony starts to eat serious Nintendo handheld marketshare, Nintendo could drop the 3DS price down to $150 and still be more 'profitable'.

The PSP was only approximately a generation ahead. The DS was slightly inferior to the PS/N64 and the PSP was slightly inferior to the PS2.

It's the same thing again with 3DS slightly inferior to Xbox and PSVita slighty inferior to Xbox 360/PS3.

 

[btkadams]

The graphical difference between Vita and 3DS is going to be more deceptive than you think.

Yeah, 3DS isn't going to show off something like Uncharted, with that kind of art style, texturing, lighting, etc.

However, the difference between 3DS and Vita is, philosophically, a bit like the difference between the Gamecube and the Xbox 1.

There were certain games on the Xbox 1 that you simply wouldn't see on the Gamecube unless they were heavily downgraded.

But there were still a ton of Gamecube games that looked quite impressive standing shoulder to shoulder with Xbox 1 games.

The DS vs the PSP was too harsh a gap in that the DS lacked far too many *basic* technologies like even texture filtering.

The 3DS on the other hand, can produce games that look quite good with shadows, shaders, textures, and character models that are in the same ballpark, especially when the art direction is optimized for it. Comparing the earliest games for each:

Dead or Alive, Resident Evil, and Nintendo's various titles vs a Vita game *does not* evoke the same sense of utter trouncing like a 3D DS game versus a good 3D PSP game.

I realize that some people seem capable only of recognizing the most advanced possible realtime 3D graphics in the world at the present moment as "legitimate" and everything else is "pure trash, get it out of here". I don't think that is actually an objective thing you can put into a comparison tho; it's just extreme personal taste.

Hmm. The biggest controversy for a while may be the basic fact of the 3DS' 3d function. Even aside from arguments over whether it helps with gameplay - I think it does, for instance, depending on the game - it seems disingenuous to discount it when we are in such a debate over *sexy graphical effects*. It's like saying "Vita has Cool Shaders Bro, so it wins. I care about graphics. 3DS just has that 3D effect that only makes things look cool, it does nothing for gameplay, so it loses."

Entirely apart from the gameplay angle, the 3D aspect creates a unique visual flare for 3DS games. Hate on it if you want (I'm sorry Avatar made 3D such a hateful thing for so many), but an equal number of people have felt that various 3DS games look better when they see the 3D trailers from E3. Clearly, it makes a difference for some people.

are you nuts? the gap is far larger than gamecube/xbox. the gamecube/xbox difference isn't even noticeable.

 

[L00P]

Vita seems to have more features that I care about than the 3DS, and the thing is pretty cheap for what it can do. But I'm holding off on buying both handhelds until I see some more games.

But yeah, Vita outclasses the 3DS in every way possible, and this is coming from a Nintendo fan.

 

[Stephen Colbert]

Sony literally gave gamers every single thing they could possibly ask for, and more.

They are also launching with Uncharted and likely Resistence as well.

By every merit, the Vita should be a runaway success. Unfortunately, I fear a game like Mario 3DS so rich and full of life, might still give the 3DS the advantage.

I'm hopeful this changes in the next few months, but so far, every video I've seen of Uncharted Vita makes the game look lifeless. Where is the humor, where are the cutscenes, why are they retreading the same setting that players already spent 10 hours exploring in the first game, where are everyone's favorite characters, where is the high quality motion capture cinematography?

Hopefully, that stuff is still there and they just haven't gotten around to showing it off yet.

I think the real killer feature for the Vita will be when it's internals are shrunk to 22nm and into a form factor similar to the PSP Go/Xperia Play and repackaged as the Xperia Play 2.

The Vita already has all the components to be a full functioning phone. It's a foregone conclusion that an year or two from now, Sony will repackage a smaller version of it built on 22nm, as the Xperia Play 2 and sell the device to a whole other group of gamers.

Imagine getting a Vita Xperia Play 2 for $99 by signing a two year contract, and using that as your all in one device, cellphone, internet browser, media player and gaming handheld.

 

[H_Prestige]

OLED isnt the end all and still have some issues is that its luminosity degrades overtime. so i do wonder how sony is going to demo these in stores because if they're on 24/7 in 3-4 months the screen will look awful especially in very bright store rooms.

Wrong. The new AMOLED from Samsung looks better than any LCD in bright environments because of the nearly black AR coating and high brightness potential. From the pics/vids I've seen, Vita's OLED looks very similar. Half life isn't a big problem anymore, at least not any more than for a plasma.

 

[Kai Dracon]

it's more like the Wii vs Xbox 360

jokerherewego.gif

No, not really.

You can frame it that way by playing Spec Wars, but in terms of the effective end product, portable systems are not like consoles. They have their own screens, for starters.

Wii vs Xbox 360 is catastrophic because the poor Wii cannot even output HD and in the real world, has its image quality and presentation ripped apart when forced onto the same display as the Xbox.

Go check out how good Wii games look through Dolphin. Suddenly, there is enlightenment.

3DS - and Vita too - benefit massively from their own displays tailored to make their aesthetic output look its best.

 

[Chuck Norris]

Sony literally gave gamers every single thing they could possibly ask for, and more.

They are also launching with Uncharted and likely Resistence as well.

By every merit, the Vita should be a runaway success. Unfortunately, I fear a game like Mario 3DS so rich and full of life, might still give the 3DS the advantage.

I'm hopeful this changes in the next few months, but so far, every video I've seen of Uncharted Vita makes the game look lifeless. Where is the humor, where are the cutscenes, why are they retreading the same setting that players already spent 10 hours exploring in the first game, where are everyone's favorite characters, where is the high quality motion capture cinematography?

Hopefully, that stuff is still there and they just haven't gotten around to showing it off yet.

You are overestimating 3D Mario

jokerherewego.gif

No, not really.

You can frame it that way by playing Spec Wars, but in terms of the effective end product, portable systems are not like consoles. They have their own screens, for starters.

Wii vs Xbox 360 is catastrophic because the poor Wii cannot even output HD and in the real world, has its image quality and presentation ripped apart when forced onto the same display as the Xbox.

Go check out how good Wii games look through Dolphin. Suddenly, there is enlightenment.

3DS - and Vita too - benefit massively from their own displays tailored to make their aesthetic output look its best.

The screen situation only serves to make the distinction much larger in Vita's favour

 

[StuBurns]

3DS and Vita compared to Wii and 360 seems perfectly apt to me.

 

[Stephen Colbert]

You are overestimating 3D Mario

I think you're underestimating just how popular mario is, or how much appeal he holds to both casual gamers and core gamers alive.

Core Mario games are always solid. The rave reviews of Super Mario Galaxy is a testament to this.

 

[Skilletor]

3DS and Vita compared to Wii and 360 seems perfectly apt to me.

Same here.

All I have to do is look at SF4 3DS and SxT on Vita.

 

[onQ123]

Huh

3DS vs Vita is more like


Wii vs Xbox 360 than Gamecube vs xbox

 

[Stephen Colbert]

I think the real killer feature for the Vita will be when it's internals are shrunk to 22nm and into a form factor similar to the PSP Go/Xperia Play and repackaged as the Xperia Play 2.

The Vita already has all the components to be a full functioning phone. It's a foregone conclusion that an year or two from now, Sony will repackage a smaller version of it built on 22nm, as the Xperia Play 2 and sell the device to a whole other group of gamers.

Imagine getting a Vita Xperia Play 2 for $99 by signing a two year contract, and using that as your all in one device, cellphone, internet browser, media player and gaming handheld.

 

[Kai Dracon]

are you nuts? the gap is far larger than gamecube/xbox. the gamecube/xbox difference isn't even noticeable.

Are you nuts? Set Dead or Alive 3 or Ninja Gaiden Black or Panzer Dragoon Orta or blahblahblah next to anything on the Gamecube that attempts the same art direction, similar visual effects, or sorts of scale.

And no, despite nostalgia, Resident Evil 4 has quite a lot of environment, visual effect, and IQ compromises compared to a good Xbox game. It looks amazing, but the difference between Gamecube and Xbox games is far from unnoticeable.

I'm framing an analogy. If people are going to be robots and read off spec sheets with a blank stare - VITA HAS CPU NUMBER 4, 3DS HAS CPU 1, 4 > 1 VITA SUPERIOR 3DS INFERIOR - they're not going to get it.

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

I think the Vita may have the advantage all because of their $250 price tag and the $40 games.

Nintendo's strength will always be its 1st party games, that'll never change. That's probably the only reason I need to get a 3DS soon.

As for Vita, there's a lot of potential.

But my worry is that both systems will suffer from ports and multi-platforming. Vita will get a lot of PS3/360/and Wii U games, and 3DS will get a lot of re-releases that are on the Wii and PSP. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing.

I personally think that it's going to come down to who has the better 1st party line-up and which the individual gamer will prefer.

I hope to get both: 3DS's 1st party games sells me, but the PSP PSN b/c with the Vita seals the deal.

 

[Amir0x]

This is an interesting position. serious question- if the PSP had launched with touchscreen capability, as well as digital downloads (for cheap "buy anytime" impulse purchases from PSN) for the same cost as the DS, do you think it might have sold more than the 70+ million or so that it did?

would it have been a "big success" at 100 million? I personally think so, and the lack of a touchscreen meant the DS (and smartphones, to an extent) had a monopoly on certain kinds of games and apps that couldn't be made on PSP.

That simply isn't true anymore. the playing field is a lot more level.

My position has always been that for most of the world, the audience that wants a gaming dedicated handheld at the high end like a Vita is always going to be a limited audience. Most people aren't such hardcore gamers that they feel the desire to drag a gaming platform with them everywhere they go. And that's never going to change: you can't make most people into gamers. Contrary to what some companies will tell you, gaming isn't for everyone.

So in my opinion, it's important to design your gaming handheld for those who do like gaming on the go. And that tends to trend toward a younger audience, particularly in countries outside of Japan, and it tends to trend for tech enthusiasts. But the younger audience specifically is critical to having a gaming handheld success.

My theory is that Sony still hasn't designed a portable that parents would generally feel comfortable getting for a kid - like the 3DS, it's still a lot of money, only with the Vita the platform screams delicate. And unlike, say, an iPhone or something it doesn't have the vast applications outside of gaming that might allow a kid to persuade a parent that it's an investment worth their time.

Nintendo still has a monopoly on the handheld that feels like it is designed very much with the younger generation in mind. It feels sturdy, its got the clamshell design for protection, it has got a host of flagship titles that are specifically friendly for the younger crowd (even though they're "all-ages" as a rule). It's got Pokemon, it has got Mario.

I don't think Sony is going to be able to truly defeat Nintendo until they re-evaluate their design philosophy on their gaming handhelds to cater to this audience directly.

Don't get me wrong. I think Vita, now priced at $250 with games at $40, is a stunning value and one that I will purchase. I'm not into the gimmick crap they've tossed onto it, but like the 3D on the 3DS it seems most games will allow me to ignore it. So it's a good system for me.

I just don't think it is a mass market system.

 

[DR2K]

one has wipeout and the other has pokemon


hmmm

Ps2 had wipeout and Gc had pokemon.

 

[Cwarrior]

3DS and Vita compared to Wii and 360 seems perfectly apt to me.

i don't think the gap is that big,when you compare stuff like SSF4 vs SFVSTekken and resident evil R vs uncharted ga.

i think it closer to ps2 to xbox gap but bigger.

lol people saying gamecube to xbox, barely even had gap between them

 

[Raine]

I'm hopeful this changes in the next few months, but so far, every video I've seen of Uncharted Vita makes the game look lifeless. Where is the humor, where are the cutscenes, why are they retreading the same setting that players already spent 10 hours exploring in the first game, where are everyone's favorite characters, where is the high quality motion capture cinematography?

I'm sorry but I still fail to see where you've seen enough gameplay to even make a conclusion like this. The only thing we've seen so far is the demo which basically shows off control inputs.

 

[onQ123]

jokerherewego.gif

No, not really.

You can frame it that way by playing Spec Wars, but in terms of the effective end product, portable systems are not like consoles. They have their own screens, for starters.

Wii vs Xbox 360 is catastrophic because the poor Wii cannot even output HD and in the real world, has its image quality and presentation ripped apart when forced onto the same display as the Xbox.

Go check out how good Wii games look through Dolphin. Suddenly, there is enlightenment.

3DS - and Vita too - benefit massively from their own displays tailored to make their aesthetic output look its best.

oh you mean like how the 3DS only output at 400x240 vs the Vita 960x544? yeah like I thought


it's more like Wii vs Xbox 360 than Gamecube vs Xbox


the Gamecube & Xbox wasn't that far apart.

 

[Chuck Norris]

I think you're underestimating just how popular mario is, or how much appeal he holds to both casual gamers and core gamers alive.

Core Mario games are always solid. The rave reviews of Super Mario Galaxy is a testament to this.

I'm not saying they aren't good games but 3D Mario has proven time and time over it doesn't hold a candle to the popularity of 2D Mario. I think it'll do well though, just not the level you're thinking

 

[btkadams]

Are you nuts? Set Dead or Alive 3 or Ninja Gaiden Black or Panzer Dragoon Orta or blahblahblah next to anything on the Gamecube that attempts the same art direction, similar visual effects, or sorts of scale.

And no, despite nostalgia, Resident Evil 4 has quite a lot of environment, visual effect, and IQ compromises compared to a good Xbox game. It looks amazing, but the difference between Gamecube and Xbox games is far from unnoticeable.
I'm framing an analogy. If people are going to be robots and read off spec sheets with a blank stare - VITA HAS CPU NUMBER 4, 3DS HAS CPU 1, 4 > 1 VITA SUPERIOR 3DS INFERIOR - they're not going to get it.

but they really are. i don't think i would be able to meet a single person in real life that thinks the gamecube/xbox have a gap in graphics. hell, most people probably think the ps2 was the exact same as gamecube and xbox. it doesn't mean there isn't a gap, it just isn't at all noticeable on the levels of the vita/3ds (from what we've seen so far and based on the specs). i wouldn't call the gap between vita and 3ds a full generation gap from what little we've seen, but it's damn near close. whatever, it's fairly subjective though at this point.

 

[Kai Dracon]

The screen situation only serves to make the distinction much larger in Vita's favour

Yes, because bigger is better and more is more.

Misses the point entirely, as does what seems to be the beginning of the new meme ("It's like Weeny Wii compared to Sexbox 360").

Part of what hurt the image of Wii mightily was how anemic its output looked force-f**ked onto devices that butchered it, while the HD consoles sat there on HDMI 2 and 3 and blew correctly matched image quality in people's faces.

Just go back in time five years and look at the letdown threads and pleading revolving around the Wii. You will find no shortage of people desperate to accept that no matter what they did, the Wii was going to have a funky, ugly visual aura on their shiny new HDTVs. The sorrow was palpable, and pretty much stained the Wii from that point forward.

Portables ain't the same.

Throw a game custom fit for the 3DS on it, and it looks good. It doesn't look like a "let down" versus some other shiny game you're playing on the same output.

On the side, if we're going to start using SSFIV vs SFxTekken as the standard comparison, I'd suggest comparing DoA to SFxTekken instead. SSFIV suffers from zero time to properly rebuild stages to look great or even animate. DoA may not have as much background animation as SFxTekken, but it's still a lot better and shit like it's characters do not look like a "Wii character versus a 360 character".

Hell, you can directly compare DoA to DoA4 in the 360. Are the assets scaled down, less geometry, less cloth animation? Sure. But in terms of overall quality, and the impression it makes, it's shockingly close. Especially on a portable screen.

but they really are. i don't think i would be able to meet a single person in real life that thinks the gamecube/xbox have a gap in graphics. hell, most people probably think the ps2 was the exact same as gamecube and xbox.

... that sure didn't seem to be the case back in the day.

The Graphic Wars rage the same in every generation, complete with overanalysis and picking everything apart.

Where I haunted the internet and real life, the perception was: Xbox was superior to the Gamecube, and stomped the PS2 flat as a pancake.

IIRC my console war history, you were most likely to find vicious arguments that the PS2 was far superior to the Gamecube (in every way, including textures!) but that just seemed to be Sony fanboys riding a wave of hubris after the death of the Dreamcast. Nintendo was next, and they were taking them down!

 

[Amir0x]

"Does everything look worse by a country mile? sure! But if you squint a little..."

 

[Stephen Colbert]

Meh, I think the awesome 4.3 inch display the PSP had for it's games made it look superior and more premium to the DS.

I think the same holds true when you compare the Vita to the 3DS, the Vita looks like more of a premium product.

But then again, this appeals to techies and older gamers. The DS and 3DS are designed to appeal to kids and parents buying a system for their kids.

 

[Oppo]

Remember when Stephen Colbert wanted the SGX535 in the Vita?

Man he wanted it so bad.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

My position has always been that for most of the world, the audience that wants a gaming dedicated handheld at the high end like a Vita is always going to be a limited audience. Most people aren't such hardcore gamers that they feel the desire to drag a gaming platform with them everywhere they go. And that's never going to change: you can't make most people into gamers. Contrary to what some companies will tell you, gaming isn't for everyone.

So in my opinion, it's important to design your gaming handheld for those who do like gaming on the go. And that tends to trend toward a younger audience, particularly in countries outside of Japan, and it tends to trend for tech enthusiasts. But the younger audience specifically is critical to having a gaming handheld success.

My theory is that Sony still hasn't designed a portable that parents would generally feel comfortable getting for a kid - like the 3DS, it's still a lot of money, only with the Vita the platform screams delicate. And unlike, say, an iPhone or something it doesn't have the vast applications outside of gaming that might allow a kid to persuade a parent that it's an investment worth their time.

Nintendo still has a monopoly on the handheld that feels like it is designed very much with the younger generation in mind. It feels sturdy, its got the clamshell design for protection, it has got a host of flagship titles that are specifically friendly for the younger crowd (even though they're "all-ages" as a rule). It's got Pokemon, it has got Mario.

I don't think Sony is going to be able to truly defeat Nintendo until they re-evaluate their design philosophy on their gaming handhelds to cater to this audience directly.

Don't get me wrong. I think Vita, now priced at $250 with games at $40, is a stunning value and one that I will purchase. I'm not into the gimmick crap they've tossed onto it, but like the 3D on the 3DS it seems most games will allow me to ignore it. So it's a good system for me.

I just don't think it is a mass market system.

I agree with this.

 

[chubigans]

Nintendo speaks a little on the Vita vs 3DS pricing:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/...ndos_Scibetta_On_3DS_And_Wii_U_Challenges.php

Of course, Sony announced its new handheld, the PS Vita, will ship in 2011 at $249 -- the same price as the 3DS. Scibetta is not worried, toeing the usual Nintendo line. "We tend to focus more on what we have to offer. We certainly wouldn't change our strategy or our approach based on what a competitor is doing." The company will "continue to innovate... and encourage our third party developers to take advantage of the system."

Of course, smartphones are widely believed to have eaten into the audience for the 3DS. "Nobody ever said it was going to be easy. But we are trying to innovate in terms of having lower-cost games," he said, on the eShop. "We try to make things scalable... Try to have something there at every price point for every gamer."

 

[syoaran]

Vita > 3DS on the hardware front

Software is anybodies guess right now. TGS will give us a much better idea on whats coming, but I could honestly see localisation being quite poor for some killer titles. We still don't even know if Type0 or MHP3rd is coming in English, which is quite worrying.

Region free is a great, fantastic, amazing move by Sony, but I'm always worried that the Vita will repeat the same issues as the PSP had, and thats poor software in its first few years.

Fake Edit: PS3 to Vita transferring titles actually helps this quite a bit, but currently this is limited to games I've already played.

 

[Codeblue]

What I'm saying is, Nintendo likes to rehash the same old shit over and over again.

This problem isn't exclusive to Nintendo. It applies to pretty much every company.

Nintendo isn't even the worst offender.

 

[Door2Dawn]

The notion that the DS and 3DS is designed for children is complete bullshit. I heard the same thing about the Wii. Just like wii and ds, the 3ds is marketed to EVERYONE. It's always been that way.

 

[onQ123]

Remember when Stephen Colbert wanted the SGX535 in the Vita?

Man he wanted it so bad.

no he wanted the 6 series

 

[kuroshiki]

Not going to happen.

If sony wanted that they would have just made PSVITA as a phone, right now. Why wait?

PSVITA doesn't use android for its OS (and rightfully so, because doing it will be nothing but a huge disaster) so no apps, no whatever...

I just don't see the point.

Sony literally gave gamers every single thing they could possibly ask for, and more.

They are also launching with Uncharted and likely Resistence as well.

By every merit, the Vita should be a runaway success. Unfortunately, I fear a game like Mario 3DS so rich and full of life, might still give the 3DS the advantage.

I'm hopeful this changes in the next few months, but so far, every video I've seen of Uncharted Vita makes the game look lifeless. Where is the humor, where are the cutscenes, why are they retreading the same setting that players already spent 10 hours exploring in the first game, where are everyone's favorite characters, where is the high quality motion capture cinematography?

Hopefully, that stuff is still there and they just haven't gotten around to showing it off yet.

I think the real killer feature for the Vita will be when it's internals are shrunk to 22nm and into a form factor similar to the PSP Go/Xperia Play and repackaged as the Xperia Play 2.

The Vita already has all the components to be a full functioning phone. It's a foregone conclusion that an year or two from now, Sony will repackage a smaller version of it built on 22nm, as the Xperia Play 2 and sell the device to a whole other group of gamers.

Imagine getting a Vita Xperia Play 2 for $99 by signing a two year contract, and using that as your all in one device, cellphone, internet browser, media player and gaming handheld.

 

[StuBurns]

i don't think the gap is that big,when you like stuff like SSF4 vs SFVSTekken and resident evil R vs uncharted ga.

i think it closer to ps2 to xbox gap but bigger.

I disagree. Other than some shader work, the 3DS hasn't done anything I've seen that last-gen systems couldn't do, I think it's in that ballpark. PSV looks to be pretty PS360ish, Uncharted looks better than any PS360 launch title.

Although Wii to 360 is a little bit strange, DS to PSP is practically the perfect comparison, I think it's about that.

 

[Stephen Colbert]

Like I said, Uncharted Vita does look lifeless, and pales in comparison to Uncharted 3 which will be out around the same time.

It would be amazing if Vita's Uncharted had as much polish, cinematography, humor, and production values comparable to Uncharted 3.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Meh, I think the awesome 4.3 inch display the PSP had for it's games made it look superior and more premium to the DS.

Only thing I'll say further on the subject, is that this isn't actually the point I was farting on about.

The point was merely two things:

1. 3DS technology is from an era on the downhill side of the 3D graphics climb to adequacy, whereas DS was still stuck in the painful slog up from the swamp of the mid-90s.

2. Wii comparisons are going to be broken because half (Not all, but half) of what gave people a bad impression of the Wii was its painful IQ when blown up on their monster HD television.

None of this is about some weird claim that Vita stuff doesn't look more modern console-like than the 3DS.

 

[A Link to the Past]

Nintendo speaks a little on the Vita vs 3DS pricing:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/...ndos_Scibetta_On_3DS_And_Wii_U_Challenges.php

Bleh. The 3DS was one of the least innovative things that they have made in years.

 

[Stephen Colbert]

Not going to happen.

If sony wanted that they would have just made PSVITA as a phone, right now. Why wait?

Because it's not feasible right now. The Vita is build on what, most likely on 45nm. At 45nm, it's too big, too heavy, too power hungry and too expensive to be turned into a phone.

Give it two years, when 22nm is available, and shrinking the Vita's internals into a form factor similar to the Xperia Play becomes doable. And such an all in one smartphone/gaming system would hold a lot of appeal to a lot of people.

Due to hardware subsidies, Sony could actually make a substantial profit on each Vita phone it sells, not to mention the money it rakes in selling software.

 

[kuroshiki]

Because it's not feasible right now. The Vita is build on what, most likely on 45nm. At 45nm, it's too big, too heavy, too power hungry and too expensive to be turned into a phone.

Give it an year or two, when 22nm is available, and shrinking the Vita's internals into a form factor similar to the Xperia Play becomes doable. And such an all in one smartphone/gaming system would hold a lot of appeal to a lot of people.

It's not the matter of 45nm or 22 nm. It's the matter of software and design philosophy. VITA will never use android OS, and Phone doesn't have enough space for dual analog stick.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

The notion that the DS and 3DS is designed for children is complete bullshit. I heard the same thing about the Wii. Just like wii and ds, the 3ds is marketed to EVERYONE. It's always been that way.

Do a random on the field study on your own next time you are at an airport. Look around at everyone playing a portable system, then note their age. I say airport since that is where the vast majority of people will be using something portable to take up their time be it a DS/PSP/iPad/Laptop... whatever.

 

[Apath]

Like I said, Uncharted Vita does look lifeless, and pales in comparison to Uncharted 3 which will be out around the same time.

It would be amazing if Vita's Uncharted had as much polish, cinematography, humor, and production values comparable to Uncharted 3.

Then I think we could expect it to cost the same premium amount.

 

[onQ123]

Like I said, Uncharted Vita does look lifeless, and pales in comparison to Uncharted 3 which will be out around the same time.

It would be amazing if Vita's Uncharted had as much polish, cinematography, humor, and production values comparable to Uncharted 3.

Naughty Dog working on their 3rd Uncharted Game on a console that they had 5 years to learn the ins & outs of vs Sony Bend working on their 1st Uncharted game on a handheld

 

[Stephen Colbert]

It's not the matter of 45nm or 22 nm. It's the matter of software and design philosophy. VITA will never use android OS, and Phone doesn't have enough space for dual analog stick.

No, it is a matter of 45nm vs 22nm. When you shrink the die, you improve battery life, reduce size and decrease production cost. Those are all key factors into whether it's worth it to make it into a smartphone or not.

The Xperia play has space for dual analog pads. No reason the Vita phone cant use the same design, but possibly make the pads into nubs.

AT&T pays Apple $400 for every iPhone they sell, due to the 2 year contract people sign.

Sony could sell the Vita phone for $99 and get $499 for each Vita phone they sell. They could make a very substantial profit on hardware, at the same time getting the device into more households, and selling more software.

They would be stupid not to do it at that point.

 

[Apath]

Only thing I'll say further on the subject, is that this isn't actually the point I was farting on about.

The point was merely two things:

1. 3DS technology is from an era on the downhill side of the 3D graphics climb to adequacy, whereas DS was still stuck in the painful slog up from the swamp of the mid-90s.

2. Wii comparisons are going to be broken because half (Not all, but half) of what gave people a bad impression of the Wii was its painful IQ when blown up on their monster HD television.

None of this is about some weird claim that Vita stuff doesn't look more modern console-like than the 3DS.

Fine. 3DS vs Vita is comparable to Wii on an SD screen versus 360 games on an HD screen.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I skipped the 3DS launch and am so glad I did so. Now that Vita has been shown, and the price has been announced I no longer care to own a 3DS.
Unless the Vita turns into pirate heaven the way PSP has been, Sony should really give Nintendo a run for their money.
Shit, a far more impressive system, for the same amount of money? Sony deserves to take a bigger hunk out of Nintendo's pie.

 

[distrbnce]

I really, really don't buy the line that the lack of dual analogs was the primary factor keeping console spinoffs from doing much better on PSP. I think it's fanboy revisionist history.

Ack, well I think you're wrong back.

Imagine if the PS3 had one analog stick, will you?

The software was bad because the developers had no solution.

Many of those games would have gone from serviceable to great with simply an extra stick.