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I was looking at my collection of PC games, Dreamcast games and PS2 games and wondering which ones weren't games. The only one that stood out as clearly obvious was MTV Music Generator 2, that's an application. Something that you use to make something, in this instance to make music.
This is quite natural when you think about it, as music is one of Sony's reasons to be, it's big business for them, so it's not surprising that eventually an application would arrive allowing you to make some on the PS2.
Then there's the Linux Kit, £191.23 will get you all you need to start programming PS2 games on the PS2 itself, as well as the ability to use your PS2 as a regular desktop computer, but in the main it's aimed at Linux hobbyists (presumably Linux hobbyists without a PC who want to use their PS2 as a PC, which probably explains why the Linux Kit doesn't sell alot).
So why doesn't Sony introduce a C/C++ hobbyist's kit? Or a kit that allows you to program your own games in other languages? Surely this would have a wider appeal than just being forced to work with one language? Above all why don't they introduce a programming kit that doesn't automatically assume that you're already into your 2nd year of a Computer Science degree at Oxford?
Thinking back to the days when the ZX81/ZX Spectrum were around, these were truly multi-purpose machines, even though in the end the majority of users just used them for games. But the option to dabble in machine code and BASIC were there if you wanted to explore; surely someone could produce a simple programming course on a DVD which you allows you to interact with some of the PS2's internal components just for a change?
Think also about all the other applications that you could get a few years back, and there were language tutors like French, German, Russian, there were the equivalent of Letts Guides where you could study practically any subject under the Sun, there were programs that allowed you to budget, create schematics with CAD-like applications, design and build, there were even programs on the ZX Spectrum that could do things like run your house, close curtains, turn on lights, control the central heating; that was what was so exciting in those days, there were just so many possibilities open to you with just a simple home computer.
It's true that the PS2 is 'meant' to be 'just' a games console, but there's just so much more that its capable of, both in terms of education and entertainment. There were even a few educational games that made their way onto the old PSOne which could help younger players brush up on their maths without them realising it. (Rayman Brain Games springs to mind).
In today's marketplace, I think it's just a case of the big publishers either wanting to continue to cash in on the phenomenon that is the games industry, or else they really want to bring out applications of this nature but can't find developers willing to take the risk in case it all goes horribly wrong.
Maybe things will change with the PS3, and you'll be able to browse the PS3 'Applications' section of the Special Reserve website, and get to choose from things like "Teach Yourself Russian in 21 Days" for the linguists, "A Quick Course in Coarse" for the fishing fans, not forgetting "Machine Code and Better BASIC" for the retro progamming hobbyists.
All this is currently on the PC, but it's disjointed, it's not all in one place, you have to search around for the good stuff and install it. Consoles have the ability to make things so much easier.
This is quite natural when you think about it, as music is one of Sony's reasons to be, it's big business for them, so it's not surprising that eventually an application would arrive allowing you to make some on the PS2.
Then there's the Linux Kit, £191.23 will get you all you need to start programming PS2 games on the PS2 itself, as well as the ability to use your PS2 as a regular desktop computer, but in the main it's aimed at Linux hobbyists (presumably Linux hobbyists without a PC who want to use their PS2 as a PC, which probably explains why the Linux Kit doesn't sell alot).
So why doesn't Sony introduce a C/C++ hobbyist's kit? Or a kit that allows you to program your own games in other languages? Surely this would have a wider appeal than just being forced to work with one language? Above all why don't they introduce a programming kit that doesn't automatically assume that you're already into your 2nd year of a Computer Science degree at Oxford?
Thinking back to the days when the ZX81/ZX Spectrum were around, these were truly multi-purpose machines, even though in the end the majority of users just used them for games. But the option to dabble in machine code and BASIC were there if you wanted to explore; surely someone could produce a simple programming course on a DVD which you allows you to interact with some of the PS2's internal components just for a change?
Think also about all the other applications that you could get a few years back, and there were language tutors like French, German, Russian, there were the equivalent of Letts Guides where you could study practically any subject under the Sun, there were programs that allowed you to budget, create schematics with CAD-like applications, design and build, there were even programs on the ZX Spectrum that could do things like run your house, close curtains, turn on lights, control the central heating; that was what was so exciting in those days, there were just so many possibilities open to you with just a simple home computer.
It's true that the PS2 is 'meant' to be 'just' a games console, but there's just so much more that its capable of, both in terms of education and entertainment. There were even a few educational games that made their way onto the old PSOne which could help younger players brush up on their maths without them realising it. (Rayman Brain Games springs to mind).
In today's marketplace, I think it's just a case of the big publishers either wanting to continue to cash in on the phenomenon that is the games industry, or else they really want to bring out applications of this nature but can't find developers willing to take the risk in case it all goes horribly wrong.
Maybe things will change with the PS3, and you'll be able to browse the PS3 'Applications' section of the Special Reserve website, and get to choose from things like "Teach Yourself Russian in 21 Days" for the linguists, "A Quick Course in Coarse" for the fishing fans, not forgetting "Machine Code and Better BASIC" for the retro progamming hobbyists.
All this is currently on the PC, but it's disjointed, it's not all in one place, you have to search around for the good stuff and install it. Consoles have the ability to make things so much easier.
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I can see why he's a notable.
Very interesting post.
Very interesting post.
I was looking at my collection of PC games, Dreamcast games and PS2 games and wondering which ones weren't games. The only one that stood out as clearly obvious was MTV Music Generator 2, that's an application. Something that you use to make something, in this instance to make music.
This is quite natural when you think about it, as music is one of Sony's reasons to be, it's big business for them, so it's not surprising that eventually an application would arrive allowing you to make some on the PS2.
Then there's the Linux Kit, £191.23 will get you all you need to start programming PS2 games on the PS2 itself, as well as the ability to use your PS2 as a regular desktop computer, but in the main it's aimed at Linux hobbyists (presumably Linux hobbyists without a PC who want to use their PS2 as a PC, which probably explains why the Linux Kit doesn't sell alot).
So why doesn't Sony introduce a C/C++ hobbyist's kit? Or a kit that allows you to program your own games in other languages? Surely this would have a wider appeal than just being forced to work with one language? Above all why don't they introduce a programming kit that doesn't automatically assume that you're already into your 2nd year of a Computer Science degree at Oxford?
Thinking back to the days when the ZX81/ZX Spectrum were around, these were truly multi-purpose machines, even though in the end the majority of users just used them for games. But the option to dabble in machine code and BASIC were there if you wanted to explore; surely someone could produce a simple programming course on a DVD which you allows you to interact with some of the PS2's internal components just for a change?
Think also about all the other applications that you could get a few years back, and there were language tutors like French, German, Russian, there were the equivalent of Letts Guides where you could study practically any subject under the Sun, there were programs that allowed you to budget, create schematics with CAD-like applications, design and build, there were even programs on the ZX Spectrum that could do things like run your house, close curtains, turn on lights, control the central heating; that was what was so exciting in those days, there were just so many possibilities open to you with just a simple home computer.
It's true that the PS2 is 'meant' to be 'just' a games console, but there's just so much more that its capable of, both in terms of education and entertainment. There were even a few educational games that made their way onto the old PSOne which could help younger players brush up on their maths without them realising it. (Rayman Brain Games springs to mind).
In today's marketplace, I think it's just a case of the big publishers either wanting to continue to cash in on the phenomenon that is the games industry, or else they really want to bring out applications of this nature but can't find developers willing to take the risk in case it all goes horribly wrong.
Maybe things will change with the PS3, and you'll be able to browse the PS3 'Applications' section of the Special Reserve website, and get to choose from things like "Teach Yourself Russian in 21 Days" for the linguists, "A Quick Course in Coarse" for the fishing fans, not forgetting "Machine Code and Better BASIC" for the retro progamming hobbyists.
All this is currently on the PC, but it's disjointed, it's not all in one place, you have to search around for the good stuff and install it. Consoles have the ability to make things so much easier.
This is quite natural when you think about it, as music is one of Sony's reasons to be, it's big business for them, so it's not surprising that eventually an application would arrive allowing you to make some on the PS2.
Then there's the Linux Kit, £191.23 will get you all you need to start programming PS2 games on the PS2 itself, as well as the ability to use your PS2 as a regular desktop computer, but in the main it's aimed at Linux hobbyists (presumably Linux hobbyists without a PC who want to use their PS2 as a PC, which probably explains why the Linux Kit doesn't sell alot).
So why doesn't Sony introduce a C/C++ hobbyist's kit? Or a kit that allows you to program your own games in other languages? Surely this would have a wider appeal than just being forced to work with one language? Above all why don't they introduce a programming kit that doesn't automatically assume that you're already into your 2nd year of a Computer Science degree at Oxford?
Thinking back to the days when the ZX81/ZX Spectrum were around, these were truly multi-purpose machines, even though in the end the majority of users just used them for games. But the option to dabble in machine code and BASIC were there if you wanted to explore; surely someone could produce a simple programming course on a DVD which you allows you to interact with some of the PS2's internal components just for a change?
Think also about all the other applications that you could get a few years back, and there were language tutors like French, German, Russian, there were the equivalent of Letts Guides where you could study practically any subject under the Sun, there were programs that allowed you to budget, create schematics with CAD-like applications, design and build, there were even programs on the ZX Spectrum that could do things like run your house, close curtains, turn on lights, control the central heating; that was what was so exciting in those days, there were just so many possibilities open to you with just a simple home computer.
It's true that the PS2 is 'meant' to be 'just' a games console, but there's just so much more that its capable of, both in terms of education and entertainment. There were even a few educational games that made their way onto the old PSOne which could help younger players brush up on their maths without them realising it. (Rayman Brain Games springs to mind).
In today's marketplace, I think it's just a case of the big publishers either wanting to continue to cash in on the phenomenon that is the games industry, or else they really want to bring out applications of this nature but can't find developers willing to take the risk in case it all goes horribly wrong.
Maybe things will change with the PS3, and you'll be able to browse the PS3 'Applications' section of the Special Reserve website, and get to choose from things like "Teach Yourself Russian in 21 Days" for the linguists, "A Quick Course in Coarse" for the fishing fans, not forgetting "Machine Code and Better BASIC" for the retro progamming hobbyists.
All this is currently on the PC, but it's disjointed, it's not all in one place, you have to search around for the good stuff and install it. Consoles have the ability to make things so much easier.
Page: