Anyone put off by PSP and DS unit size?
- Thread starter j^aws
- Start date
I vote "no" for the simple reason that when you get smaller you get more conveniently portable, but you get a LOT more annoying to hold for any length of time and to properly control. Screen size is always good, but frankly what I want are units that are better representatives of the controllers we use to play consoles every day. I liked the initial design of the GBA a lot more than the SP, and like the DS and PSP even more. (Though the DS is more oddly weighted. I'd rather a "clamshell" exist mainly as a slender cover for screen/unit protection.)
I don't simply listen to music on these devices. I don't need a small screen for reference. I don't use them to talk on the phone. I don't use them only in PDA fashion for notetaking or scrolling through my personal information... I need to hold them in both hands to play games on. That is certainly not a feature that carries over to other devices with different portability concerns. Portable consoles already lose out by not being able to deliver the kind of hand-conforming designs gamepads do, but making them as small as the SP simply compounds the issue. It's easier to carry around, but much more annoying to actually play.
I don't simply listen to music on these devices. I don't need a small screen for reference. I don't use them to talk on the phone. I don't use them only in PDA fashion for notetaking or scrolling through my personal information... I need to hold them in both hands to play games on. That is certainly not a feature that carries over to other devices with different portability concerns. Portable consoles already lose out by not being able to deliver the kind of hand-conforming designs gamepads do, but making them as small as the SP simply compounds the issue. It's easier to carry around, but much more annoying to actually play.
PC-Engine said:fallguy said:
Yeah, I'm sure the 20 people who voted NO for both PSP and DS are representative of the world market for PSP's screen size preference.
You could argue that very fact.
Then another fact is, post have been made on other forums, and most people like the screen size.
So as I said, looks like they were right in making it that size. Unless you got some info where more people dont... ?
Just because people like the screen size doesn't mean they wouldn't like a smaller screen to go with a smaller console. If SONY had made two versions of PSP, one with the standard 4.5" screen and one with a smaller 4" screen that made the PSP smaller and more portable, I think a lot of people would go for the smaller version. I would go as far as to say more than half of the potential consumers would go for the smaller version. A 4" screen is still very big for a portable gaming machine yet it allows a smaller console.
If SONY had made two versions of PSP, one with the standard 4.5" screen and one with a smaller 4" screen that made the PSP smaller and more portable, I think a lot of people would go for the smaller version. I would go as far as to say more than half of the potential consumers would go for the smaller version. A 4" screen is still very big for a portable gaming machine yet it allows a smaller console.PC-Engine said:Just because people like the screen size doesn't mean they wouldn't like a smaller screen to go with a smaller console.
If the price was cheaper than it'd probably get more sales.
PC-Engine said:Just because people like the screen size doesn't mean they wouldn't like a smaller screen to go with a smaller console.
...and yet, the UMD drive still requires a specific (vertical) length, which means that a smaller sized PSP would only be smaller in width, making it more demanding on other units such as the battery and buttons, memorystick bay etc. I think there's a perfect explenation why the PSP is sized as it is...
Phil said:PC-Engine said:Just because people like the screen size doesn't mean they wouldn't like a smaller screen to go with a smaller console.
...and yet, the UMD drive still requires a specific (vertical) length, which means that a smaller sized PSP would only be smaller in width, making it more demanding on other units such as the battery and buttons, memorystick bay etc. I think there's a perfect explenation why the PSP is sized as it is...
The other parts don't take up that much space as a matter of fact if the screen was smaller but the size was kept the same, there would actually be more empty space on the back side of the unit. The reason why I say more is because there is already empty space back there.
Yes a smaller screen would make the console cheaper too.
Why is the DS so big? The screens don't take much of the space and there's a lot of empty space below both of the screens. There also seems to be some waste space around the controls.
The DS could have been much more slimmer if they had made the upper part just about the size of the screen. When closed it would cover only the lower screen, not the controls. The lower screen could have been recessed a little so that when closed the upper screen goes into that recession and would be flush with the controls.
The DS could have been much more slimmer if they had made the upper part just about the size of the screen. When closed it would cover only the lower screen, not the controls. The lower screen could have been recessed a little so that when closed the upper screen goes into that recession and would be flush with the controls.
But getting rid of the wasted space would make it smaller.
And thinner is smaller too, or does it not matter if DS were 5" thick??
I don't think it would look too funny with that design, if done properly.
A thinner upper screen would make it look quite modern and "higher tech" compared to the bulk that is the upper part of DS now.
Certainly the upper screen looks a bit odd now, with the huge speaker spaces on both sides of the small screen (imo).
And thinner is smaller too, or does it not matter if DS were 5" thick??
I don't think it would look too funny with that design, if done properly.
A thinner upper screen would make it look quite modern and "higher tech" compared to the bulk that is the upper part of DS now.
Certainly the upper screen looks a bit odd now, with the huge speaker spaces on both sides of the small screen (imo).
Well, not to interrupt your bitching about such a useless topic (I mean, really, arguing over.. what is it that you're arguing over again?), but for one i would love to see a PSP "SP" (Try saying that 10 times fast...errr..)
That way the PSPSP would only be as long and wide as the screen, since the buttons would be on the "other side", under the screen, not on the sides. Might be a bit thicker, but it would certainly be more "proportionate" if u know what i mean...
That way the PSPSP would only be as long and wide as the screen, since the buttons would be on the "other side", under the screen, not on the sides. Might be a bit thicker, but it would certainly be more "proportionate" if u know what i mean...
For the record, reducing PSP's screen from 4.3 inches to 4.0 isn't going to significantly reduce costs. In any case, the screen IS by far, for most people, the most impressive feature at first glance. It's glorious, it's PSP's crown jewel, so it makes no sense whatsoever to consider scaling it down.
I'm sure Sony wanted a good balance between screen size and portability, but clearly, a big "wow" factor was the priority. Judging by the final product, and people's reactions to it, I think they achieved what they set out to do.
By itself, that screen is a big part of what sets PSP in a different league from Gameboy this or DS that. In fact, I think one of Sony's goals with the screen was to make it so immediately arresting that it changes people's perceptions of portable entertainment. To - in Sony's words, "take portable video games out of the gaming ghetto" and somewhere entirely different.
Mission accomplished, I'd say.
I'm sure Sony wanted a good balance between screen size and portability, but clearly, a big "wow" factor was the priority. Judging by the final product, and people's reactions to it, I think they achieved what they set out to do.
By itself, that screen is a big part of what sets PSP in a different league from Gameboy this or DS that. In fact, I think one of Sony's goals with the screen was to make it so immediately arresting that it changes people's perceptions of portable entertainment. To - in Sony's words, "take portable video games out of the gaming ghetto" and somewhere entirely different.
Mission accomplished, I'd say.
Well instead of 4" make it 3.8 or 3.9". Anyway I'm not questioning the screen's attention getting power. I'm questioning the size of the console. Given two choices, I think a slighty smaller screen accompanied by a slightly smaller size and slighty lower price would force people to choose between what's more important to them. To some a slighty smaller screen and form factor is a definite advantage. It's like when a person goes to buy a portable DVD player. If they want something small and portable they'll get one with a 6" screen. If OTOH they go with a bigger 8" they'd have to deal with a big bulky player. If the GBA had a bigger backlit screen than the SP, I don't think it would've changed SP's adoption rate much.