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From the list of console add-ons over the past gaming decade, do you know how many have actually benefitted significantly enough to over-take the companies prime competitor? In fact, scrap that...
From the list of console add-ons over the past gaming decade, do you know how many have actually NOT flopped?!
NONE... they're all crap. The Mega-CD, the 32X, 64DD, etc... they've all been crap. Okay, so admittedly Sony haven't had a shot yet, but is it worth it? I believe history can only repeat itself again, and with the HDD bringing little more than the oppotunity for patches (wrong road to go down!) Sony must have a secret advantage brought about from the HDD that we know no of!
People want a console... just one box, however big, fat, small of thin... having add-ons, like the HDD, can only take up more room where it isn't needed! And plus.. with more and more games becoming multi-playform, you think developers will spend EXTRA money on making the game HDD-compatible when then can do a straight port when only the PS2 is utilized?
The HDD, as 'useful' as it may be dubbed, will merely add quicker to the inevitable demise of the soon to be defunct PlayStation 2.
The Gamecubes 'Upgrades' fit INTO the bottom of the Gamecube... nothing sticking out the side... Playstation owners will no longer be in the position to call the X-Box big...! Gamecube owners however!
As bias as you may be (Bonus :D), you have to see the large down-side of the HDD; add-ons have a terrible past record. I fear the HDD will experience the same fate as the 'others'!
Thoughts?
From the list of console add-ons over the past gaming decade, do you know how many have actually NOT flopped?!
NONE... they're all crap. The Mega-CD, the 32X, 64DD, etc... they've all been crap. Okay, so admittedly Sony haven't had a shot yet, but is it worth it? I believe history can only repeat itself again, and with the HDD bringing little more than the oppotunity for patches (wrong road to go down!) Sony must have a secret advantage brought about from the HDD that we know no of!
People want a console... just one box, however big, fat, small of thin... having add-ons, like the HDD, can only take up more room where it isn't needed! And plus.. with more and more games becoming multi-playform, you think developers will spend EXTRA money on making the game HDD-compatible when then can do a straight port when only the PS2 is utilized?
The HDD, as 'useful' as it may be dubbed, will merely add quicker to the inevitable demise of the soon to be defunct PlayStation 2.
The Gamecubes 'Upgrades' fit INTO the bottom of the Gamecube... nothing sticking out the side... Playstation owners will no longer be in the position to call the X-Box big...! Gamecube owners however!
As bias as you may be (Bonus :D), you have to see the large down-side of the HDD; add-ons have a terrible past record. I fear the HDD will experience the same fate as the 'others'!
Thoughts?
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very good point from Logan.
The reason Sony haven't really promoted the HDD is because it isn't available outside of Japan yet!
You need to look at the wider picture regarding the HDD for both PS2 and Xbox.
The HDD is *not* going to be solely for games or as an 'unlimited' memory card.
Sony have a lot of plans for the online future of PS2, for which the drive will play a major and integral part. In the US they've signed AOL to provide services and Netscape to provide a web browser. PS2's functionality is a prelude to a complete home entertainment system: games, music, film, internet, shopping etc. - and this will continue through onto the next system to, whether that be called PS3 or anything else.
PS2 and Gamecube may be similar in power, but the overall ambition for PS2 is far greater than the 'cube. Gamecube is considered to be purely a games system (not that there's anything wrong with that), while PS2 (and Xbox) aim to be much more. In this way, you could almost say that Nintendo have no competition in the home console market, as they are the only ones targeting that market alone.
That said, 'standalone' games are unlikely to utilise the HDD. But online games - of which there are several in development - will make much better use of it, *if* it benefits the game.
At this moment in time, we only know that Sony have 'big plans' for the HDD and online capabilities - no-one knows exactly what those plans are, or what Sony have up their sleeve.
It may be true that past add-ons for consoles haven't taken off, but it's also true that the support and financial backing that Sony (and Microsoft) can provide. It's also true that (a) the console market was nowhere near the size that it is now, and (b) at the moment eveyone and their dog is interested in getting on-line.
You may say, "well I don't want my console to go online - I want it for games - I use my PC for the net." I'd pretty much say the same. But while that's fine for you and me, there are a lot of people who can't do that.
Both PS2 and Xbox will potentially offer all of the multimedia and online capabilities of a good multimedia PC, but at a fraction of the price.
You need to look at the wider picture regarding the HDD for both PS2 and Xbox.
The HDD is *not* going to be solely for games or as an 'unlimited' memory card.
Sony have a lot of plans for the online future of PS2, for which the drive will play a major and integral part. In the US they've signed AOL to provide services and Netscape to provide a web browser. PS2's functionality is a prelude to a complete home entertainment system: games, music, film, internet, shopping etc. - and this will continue through onto the next system to, whether that be called PS3 or anything else.
PS2 and Gamecube may be similar in power, but the overall ambition for PS2 is far greater than the 'cube. Gamecube is considered to be purely a games system (not that there's anything wrong with that), while PS2 (and Xbox) aim to be much more. In this way, you could almost say that Nintendo have no competition in the home console market, as they are the only ones targeting that market alone.
That said, 'standalone' games are unlikely to utilise the HDD. But online games - of which there are several in development - will make much better use of it, *if* it benefits the game.
At this moment in time, we only know that Sony have 'big plans' for the HDD and online capabilities - no-one knows exactly what those plans are, or what Sony have up their sleeve.
It may be true that past add-ons for consoles haven't taken off, but it's also true that the support and financial backing that Sony (and Microsoft) can provide. It's also true that (a) the console market was nowhere near the size that it is now, and (b) at the moment eveyone and their dog is interested in getting on-line.
You may say, "well I don't want my console to go online - I want it for games - I use my PC for the net." I'd pretty much say the same. But while that's fine for you and me, there are a lot of people who can't do that.
Both PS2 and Xbox will potentially offer all of the multimedia and online capabilities of a good multimedia PC, but at a fraction of the price.
Super Gohan wrote:
> The hard drive has a lot of possibilities that could make future gaming much
> better. Of course, these 'possibilities', may not help at all, but only time
> will tell.
And this is the problem! If it ain't in the box, it ain't supported! This is an age old problem!
After all, why would a developer go out of their way to make a feature that only some PS2 owners can use... and even then Sony hasn't really promoted the HDD either...
> The hard drive has a lot of possibilities that could make future gaming much
> better. Of course, these 'possibilities', may not help at all, but only time
> will tell.
And this is the problem! If it ain't in the box, it ain't supported! This is an age old problem!
After all, why would a developer go out of their way to make a feature that only some PS2 owners can use... and even then Sony hasn't really promoted the HDD either...
If people have lots of games and don't like having to keep splashing out on memory cards then it might be useful, like the N64's cartrige save.
It's also be able to store internet files as well, and will be good for games where you design levels.
At the end of the day though, it won't hit the mass market unless it's no more than £40.
If it's more than £40 then a couple of hardcore players will find it useful, but the mass market just won't bother.
It's also be able to store internet files as well, and will be good for games where you design levels.
At the end of the day though, it won't hit the mass market unless it's no more than £40.
If it's more than £40 then a couple of hardcore players will find it useful, but the mass market just won't bother.
It's too early to start saying that the Hard Drive. I know add-ons have a reputation for being bad, I mean, just look at how the Mega-CD and 32X did.
But the Hard Drive could be a good thing. I shall probably buy one, as it can help out games, as well as hold more information like game saves, and stuff that is downloaded from the internet (I say that now, but knowing my like, it will just be another bad add-on). I'll wait until it has come out.
But the Hard Drive could be a good thing. I shall probably buy one, as it can help out games, as well as hold more information like game saves, and stuff that is downloaded from the internet (I say that now, but knowing my like, it will just be another bad add-on). I'll wait until it has come out.
Yes, It will flop.
What the point of buying a hard drive? It will only make you buy extra things that are unessasary. Thus, costing more money.
What the point of buying a hard drive? It will only make you buy extra things that are unessasary. Thus, costing more money.
hmmm...
Well, indeed no add-on has ever succeeded- many don't even make it to general release! Since the days of the Jaguar CD and 32X up to the 64DD little has changed... they all flop.
But what about now you say? After all, the point of all the other add-ons was to allow you to play, escentially, games on a different format. With the HDD you can add to your current games, as well as using many internet options.
But still, will the market want to pay a dear price for something that, to be honest, many people will not see the point in. After all, 99.9% of gamers are the so-called "casual" market, who buy a console, an extra controller, and then buy a game when they're bored. The addition of add-ons (no pun intended) just makes them put more down payment on the console.
In the end, all that it will fizzle down to is this:
How well can Sony market the HDD?
Well, indeed no add-on has ever succeeded- many don't even make it to general release! Since the days of the Jaguar CD and 32X up to the 64DD little has changed... they all flop.
But what about now you say? After all, the point of all the other add-ons was to allow you to play, escentially, games on a different format. With the HDD you can add to your current games, as well as using many internet options.
But still, will the market want to pay a dear price for something that, to be honest, many people will not see the point in. After all, 99.9% of gamers are the so-called "casual" market, who buy a console, an extra controller, and then buy a game when they're bored. The addition of add-ons (no pun intended) just makes them put more down payment on the console.
In the end, all that it will fizzle down to is this:
How well can Sony market the HDD?
GAME YOU CHUGGING IDIOT, THE HDD GOES INSIDE THE PS2!!!
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