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The PS2 hard disc drive has already arrived in Japan on July 19th, selling out almost instantly. But what is it all about? What can it do? And is it the answer to our gaming prayers?
As one of the original peripherals mentioned at the PS2's launch, the hard disc drive hasn't really seen much publicity since then, with Sony preferring to keep it under wraps. Instead the focus has been firmly placed on the network adapter and the endless possibilities Sony seems to think it may possess. But now Japan has seen the release of the system people are already questioning why exactly they need it.
Without a doubt it has been well received with 10,000 units of the 40GB drive reportedly selling out in less than an hour. Bear in mind though that there are about 5 million PS2's in Japanese homes. Two versions were released, an external and an internal, this is because the first wave of Japanese PS2s didn't have the expansion bay in the back like European and the later Japanese versions. Priced at £107 for an external drive and £101 for the internal drive, they aren't priced excessively. A 40 GB hard drive would set you back about £90 in the UK. So what do we get for our money?
The 40 GB HD offers plenty of space, but the golden rule of hard drives is that no matter how big it is you will always need a bigger one eventually. In with the package is Sony's Network Adapter. This is an Ethernet Adapter in the form of a 100Mbps interface, meaning downloadable data will stream extremely quickly from broadband networks. For those without broadband access there is also a 56k modem, but it is unlikely this will be useful for future online gaming possibilities, some PC games (the home of online gaming) are already pushing the 56k bandwidth to the limit.
On the HDD utility disc comes a music CD player that allows you to construct playlists etc and updated DVD drivers for the PS2 (v2.10), bringing it up to the standard of any above average standalone DVD player. The bundle, combined with the potential, is on the surface worth the money, but it is likely that Microsoft will proce the Xbox, with its built in hard drive and Ethernet compatibility, extremely competitively.
The HDD needs to be extremely successful to encourage developer support of its features. If enough people buy the HDD for whatever reason then the developers will always be hesitant about making games that support it. Offering a game with too many features that support a certain peripheral, that perhaps only 20-30% of the installed user base will own, is not really necessary, commercially.
Another problem is ensuring copy protection. Napster suggested a file sharing system similar to that with their music site, meaning people could download games for free on an Ethernet connection. Sony has tackled this threat to their revenue stream by creating a DNA-S (Dynamic Network Authentication System). It works by utilising a unique serial number on every game disc and console as well as the function on every PS2 memory card to ensure illegal back ups and file sharing will not be possible over the network. It is also rumoured that the technology can also detect mod chips in machines allowing Sony to bring in commercial sanctions against those with chipped machines. Typical sanctions may include restricted access to online services or games. Bummer! It may turn out to be nothing more than a rumour to try and discourage the chipping society.
Launching with the HDD was the eagerly awaited 'system seller'. Final Fantasy X, one of the first games to use the HDD. Final Fantasy uses the HDD as a data cache, in other words a place to dtore frequently used game files from the game's DVD-ROM so that it can access them faster and reduce loading times. With FFX the PS2 copies a massive 1,729Mb to the HDD and takes absolutely ages. The result was slightly shorter load times as the PS2 didn't have to keep accessing the DVD. Most disappointing is the fact you can't save to the HDD so you'll still have to keep well stocked in memory cards. Most people feel the HDD should have been capable of holding game saves.
Sony is teaming up with the likes of Telewest and AOL to guarantee speed of access and a ready supply of content in the UK. In Japan Sony and Square's PlayOnline gaming portal is about to launch so we can hope for some similar entertainment in the west giving us stunning online play and access to some of the best games from around the world via digital distribution. This opens the possibility of access to game types never before possible on a console such as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online RPGs) like Everquest, or the upcoming Star Wars online RPG. Episodic gaming may also become a reality, with the gamer simply downloading each chapter of a game as they go along. However this idea hasn;t set the PC world alight.
At the moment the HDD is pencilled in for an early 2002 release in the UK. By this time next year we'll know whether the HDD becomes the device that places the PS2 into the heart of your life to deliver an unmissable gaming and online experience, or simply becomes another piece of add-on technology to be filed next to the Sega CD. It's certainly a new dimension in console gaming and maybe, just maybe, it's the first step to creating the online gaming utopia we've all been dreaming about for years.
Don't start holding your breath just yet, but prepare for PS2's online enlightenment!
As one of the original peripherals mentioned at the PS2's launch, the hard disc drive hasn't really seen much publicity since then, with Sony preferring to keep it under wraps. Instead the focus has been firmly placed on the network adapter and the endless possibilities Sony seems to think it may possess. But now Japan has seen the release of the system people are already questioning why exactly they need it.
Without a doubt it has been well received with 10,000 units of the 40GB drive reportedly selling out in less than an hour. Bear in mind though that there are about 5 million PS2's in Japanese homes. Two versions were released, an external and an internal, this is because the first wave of Japanese PS2s didn't have the expansion bay in the back like European and the later Japanese versions. Priced at £107 for an external drive and £101 for the internal drive, they aren't priced excessively. A 40 GB hard drive would set you back about £90 in the UK. So what do we get for our money?
The 40 GB HD offers plenty of space, but the golden rule of hard drives is that no matter how big it is you will always need a bigger one eventually. In with the package is Sony's Network Adapter. This is an Ethernet Adapter in the form of a 100Mbps interface, meaning downloadable data will stream extremely quickly from broadband networks. For those without broadband access there is also a 56k modem, but it is unlikely this will be useful for future online gaming possibilities, some PC games (the home of online gaming) are already pushing the 56k bandwidth to the limit.
On the HDD utility disc comes a music CD player that allows you to construct playlists etc and updated DVD drivers for the PS2 (v2.10), bringing it up to the standard of any above average standalone DVD player. The bundle, combined with the potential, is on the surface worth the money, but it is likely that Microsoft will proce the Xbox, with its built in hard drive and Ethernet compatibility, extremely competitively.
The HDD needs to be extremely successful to encourage developer support of its features. If enough people buy the HDD for whatever reason then the developers will always be hesitant about making games that support it. Offering a game with too many features that support a certain peripheral, that perhaps only 20-30% of the installed user base will own, is not really necessary, commercially.
Another problem is ensuring copy protection. Napster suggested a file sharing system similar to that with their music site, meaning people could download games for free on an Ethernet connection. Sony has tackled this threat to their revenue stream by creating a DNA-S (Dynamic Network Authentication System). It works by utilising a unique serial number on every game disc and console as well as the function on every PS2 memory card to ensure illegal back ups and file sharing will not be possible over the network. It is also rumoured that the technology can also detect mod chips in machines allowing Sony to bring in commercial sanctions against those with chipped machines. Typical sanctions may include restricted access to online services or games. Bummer! It may turn out to be nothing more than a rumour to try and discourage the chipping society.
Launching with the HDD was the eagerly awaited 'system seller'. Final Fantasy X, one of the first games to use the HDD. Final Fantasy uses the HDD as a data cache, in other words a place to dtore frequently used game files from the game's DVD-ROM so that it can access them faster and reduce loading times. With FFX the PS2 copies a massive 1,729Mb to the HDD and takes absolutely ages. The result was slightly shorter load times as the PS2 didn't have to keep accessing the DVD. Most disappointing is the fact you can't save to the HDD so you'll still have to keep well stocked in memory cards. Most people feel the HDD should have been capable of holding game saves.
Sony is teaming up with the likes of Telewest and AOL to guarantee speed of access and a ready supply of content in the UK. In Japan Sony and Square's PlayOnline gaming portal is about to launch so we can hope for some similar entertainment in the west giving us stunning online play and access to some of the best games from around the world via digital distribution. This opens the possibility of access to game types never before possible on a console such as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online RPGs) like Everquest, or the upcoming Star Wars online RPG. Episodic gaming may also become a reality, with the gamer simply downloading each chapter of a game as they go along. However this idea hasn;t set the PC world alight.
At the moment the HDD is pencilled in for an early 2002 release in the UK. By this time next year we'll know whether the HDD becomes the device that places the PS2 into the heart of your life to deliver an unmissable gaming and online experience, or simply becomes another piece of add-on technology to be filed next to the Sega CD. It's certainly a new dimension in console gaming and maybe, just maybe, it's the first step to creating the online gaming utopia we've all been dreaming about for years.
Don't start holding your breath just yet, but prepare for PS2's online enlightenment!
The PS2 hard disc drive has already arrived in Japan on July 19th, selling out almost instantly. But what is it all about? What can it do? And is it the answer to our gaming prayers?
As one of the original peripherals mentioned at the PS2's launch, the hard disc drive hasn't really seen much publicity since then, with Sony preferring to keep it under wraps. Instead the focus has been firmly placed on the network adapter and the endless possibilities Sony seems to think it may possess. But now Japan has seen the release of the system people are already questioning why exactly they need it.
Without a doubt it has been well received with 10,000 units of the 40GB drive reportedly selling out in less than an hour. Bear in mind though that there are about 5 million PS2's in Japanese homes. Two versions were released, an external and an internal, this is because the first wave of Japanese PS2s didn't have the expansion bay in the back like European and the later Japanese versions. Priced at £107 for an external drive and £101 for the internal drive, they aren't priced excessively. A 40 GB hard drive would set you back about £90 in the UK. So what do we get for our money?
The 40 GB HD offers plenty of space, but the golden rule of hard drives is that no matter how big it is you will always need a bigger one eventually. In with the package is Sony's Network Adapter. This is an Ethernet Adapter in the form of a 100Mbps interface, meaning downloadable data will stream extremely quickly from broadband networks. For those without broadband access there is also a 56k modem, but it is unlikely this will be useful for future online gaming possibilities, some PC games (the home of online gaming) are already pushing the 56k bandwidth to the limit.
On the HDD utility disc comes a music CD player that allows you to construct playlists etc and updated DVD drivers for the PS2 (v2.10), bringing it up to the standard of any above average standalone DVD player. The bundle, combined with the potential, is on the surface worth the money, but it is likely that Microsoft will proce the Xbox, with its built in hard drive and Ethernet compatibility, extremely competitively.
The HDD needs to be extremely successful to encourage developer support of its features. If enough people buy the HDD for whatever reason then the developers will always be hesitant about making games that support it. Offering a game with too many features that support a certain peripheral, that perhaps only 20-30% of the installed user base will own, is not really necessary, commercially.
Another problem is ensuring copy protection. Napster suggested a file sharing system similar to that with their music site, meaning people could download games for free on an Ethernet connection. Sony has tackled this threat to their revenue stream by creating a DNA-S (Dynamic Network Authentication System). It works by utilising a unique serial number on every game disc and console as well as the function on every PS2 memory card to ensure illegal back ups and file sharing will not be possible over the network. It is also rumoured that the technology can also detect mod chips in machines allowing Sony to bring in commercial sanctions against those with chipped machines. Typical sanctions may include restricted access to online services or games. Bummer! It may turn out to be nothing more than a rumour to try and discourage the chipping society.
Launching with the HDD was the eagerly awaited 'system seller'. Final Fantasy X, one of the first games to use the HDD. Final Fantasy uses the HDD as a data cache, in other words a place to dtore frequently used game files from the game's DVD-ROM so that it can access them faster and reduce loading times. With FFX the PS2 copies a massive 1,729Mb to the HDD and takes absolutely ages. The result was slightly shorter load times as the PS2 didn't have to keep accessing the DVD. Most disappointing is the fact you can't save to the HDD so you'll still have to keep well stocked in memory cards. Most people feel the HDD should have been capable of holding game saves.
Sony is teaming up with the likes of Telewest and AOL to guarantee speed of access and a ready supply of content in the UK. In Japan Sony and Square's PlayOnline gaming portal is about to launch so we can hope for some similar entertainment in the west giving us stunning online play and access to some of the best games from around the world via digital distribution. This opens the possibility of access to game types never before possible on a console such as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online RPGs) like Everquest, or the upcoming Star Wars online RPG. Episodic gaming may also become a reality, with the gamer simply downloading each chapter of a game as they go along. However this idea hasn;t set the PC world alight.
At the moment the HDD is pencilled in for an early 2002 release in the UK. By this time next year we'll know whether the HDD becomes the device that places the PS2 into the heart of your life to deliver an unmissable gaming and online experience, or simply becomes another piece of add-on technology to be filed next to the Sega CD. It's certainly a new dimension in console gaming and maybe, just maybe, it's the first step to creating the online gaming utopia we've all been dreaming about for years.
Don't start holding your breath just yet, but prepare for PS2's online enlightenment!
As one of the original peripherals mentioned at the PS2's launch, the hard disc drive hasn't really seen much publicity since then, with Sony preferring to keep it under wraps. Instead the focus has been firmly placed on the network adapter and the endless possibilities Sony seems to think it may possess. But now Japan has seen the release of the system people are already questioning why exactly they need it.
Without a doubt it has been well received with 10,000 units of the 40GB drive reportedly selling out in less than an hour. Bear in mind though that there are about 5 million PS2's in Japanese homes. Two versions were released, an external and an internal, this is because the first wave of Japanese PS2s didn't have the expansion bay in the back like European and the later Japanese versions. Priced at £107 for an external drive and £101 for the internal drive, they aren't priced excessively. A 40 GB hard drive would set you back about £90 in the UK. So what do we get for our money?
The 40 GB HD offers plenty of space, but the golden rule of hard drives is that no matter how big it is you will always need a bigger one eventually. In with the package is Sony's Network Adapter. This is an Ethernet Adapter in the form of a 100Mbps interface, meaning downloadable data will stream extremely quickly from broadband networks. For those without broadband access there is also a 56k modem, but it is unlikely this will be useful for future online gaming possibilities, some PC games (the home of online gaming) are already pushing the 56k bandwidth to the limit.
On the HDD utility disc comes a music CD player that allows you to construct playlists etc and updated DVD drivers for the PS2 (v2.10), bringing it up to the standard of any above average standalone DVD player. The bundle, combined with the potential, is on the surface worth the money, but it is likely that Microsoft will proce the Xbox, with its built in hard drive and Ethernet compatibility, extremely competitively.
The HDD needs to be extremely successful to encourage developer support of its features. If enough people buy the HDD for whatever reason then the developers will always be hesitant about making games that support it. Offering a game with too many features that support a certain peripheral, that perhaps only 20-30% of the installed user base will own, is not really necessary, commercially.
Another problem is ensuring copy protection. Napster suggested a file sharing system similar to that with their music site, meaning people could download games for free on an Ethernet connection. Sony has tackled this threat to their revenue stream by creating a DNA-S (Dynamic Network Authentication System). It works by utilising a unique serial number on every game disc and console as well as the function on every PS2 memory card to ensure illegal back ups and file sharing will not be possible over the network. It is also rumoured that the technology can also detect mod chips in machines allowing Sony to bring in commercial sanctions against those with chipped machines. Typical sanctions may include restricted access to online services or games. Bummer! It may turn out to be nothing more than a rumour to try and discourage the chipping society.
Launching with the HDD was the eagerly awaited 'system seller'. Final Fantasy X, one of the first games to use the HDD. Final Fantasy uses the HDD as a data cache, in other words a place to dtore frequently used game files from the game's DVD-ROM so that it can access them faster and reduce loading times. With FFX the PS2 copies a massive 1,729Mb to the HDD and takes absolutely ages. The result was slightly shorter load times as the PS2 didn't have to keep accessing the DVD. Most disappointing is the fact you can't save to the HDD so you'll still have to keep well stocked in memory cards. Most people feel the HDD should have been capable of holding game saves.
Sony is teaming up with the likes of Telewest and AOL to guarantee speed of access and a ready supply of content in the UK. In Japan Sony and Square's PlayOnline gaming portal is about to launch so we can hope for some similar entertainment in the west giving us stunning online play and access to some of the best games from around the world via digital distribution. This opens the possibility of access to game types never before possible on a console such as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online RPGs) like Everquest, or the upcoming Star Wars online RPG. Episodic gaming may also become a reality, with the gamer simply downloading each chapter of a game as they go along. However this idea hasn;t set the PC world alight.
At the moment the HDD is pencilled in for an early 2002 release in the UK. By this time next year we'll know whether the HDD becomes the device that places the PS2 into the heart of your life to deliver an unmissable gaming and online experience, or simply becomes another piece of add-on technology to be filed next to the Sega CD. It's certainly a new dimension in console gaming and maybe, just maybe, it's the first step to creating the online gaming utopia we've all been dreaming about for years.
Don't start holding your breath just yet, but prepare for PS2's online enlightenment!
Who's looking forward to the HDD? If yes, why, if not, why?
I'm definitely looking forward to it especially when Final Fantasy X is featured.
I'm definitely looking forward to it especially when Final Fantasy X is featured.
Online, anybody...?