No European PS3 launch until March
- Thread starter MrWibble
- Start date
There's a good chance he's partly right - support for the different languages and for SDTVs with PAL frequencies do make a game launch in Europe more complicated, and I can imagine that many development teams have been stressed enough to get their projects done by or near the PS3's launch.
This is partly the reason why Europe is getting screwed so often - it's basically our own fault.
I can partially understand citing localization as a main culprit, as it sounds pausible at first glance. However, localization starts way before finishing a game. Do you really think the publisher wait with translating until a game has gone gold? But regardless, localization is surely more expensive than not worrying about it.
But blaming different PAL frequencies is just plain ridiculous. That's utter nonsense.
Even with the modern systems which are capable of supporting both at the same time, displaying 25/50 or 30/60 frames per second at different resolutions (640x480 vs 736x512/576), the games will still look noticeably different in several areas.
I have a number of import games that I can compare with, so you can trust me on this one. A nice clue is that the PAL version of GT4 doesn't support Progressive modes, but in SD mode has a perfect, no-stutter image all through the game. Making sure that your interlaced picture doesn't start getting weird interference is an art in itself.
On the PS3, I suspect there will be all sorts of hardware taking care of the downscaling (assuming that the systems work with downscaling, rather than support the different resolutions native - I have really heard very little on this part), then you still have to check whether things look allright in all the different downscaling scenarios. Some text might be unreadable on PAL when it is perfectly readable on NTSC, etc. And the framerates are always interesting - some tools that convert DVD to MP4/AVC for instance only allow me a framerate of 29.97fps, which causes tiny hickups for PAL movies that have been optimised for 50fps.
I could go on for a while, but it would be nice if there are some actual developers present here who have more experience with this part to tell us if I'm right in practice.
Interestingly, PS3's delay made it to prime time BBC news. I can't remember any console hardware managing that before Sony. Never did Atari or Nintendo get a headline on the Beeb that I know of. Whether gamers love or hate or don't care about Sony, it has to be said they've done a great deal for the pasttime and promoting mainstream acceptance.
How many times will Sony pull the bait 'n switch?
Anyone remember the first launch delay and how Sony fought the rumors right up until they announced the delay? And now we have Sony confirming that they'll have 4 million PS3s shipped by the end of the calendar year just 19 days before downgrading their forecast.
So... is anyone believing Sony when they forecast something positive?
Anyone remember the first launch delay and how Sony fought the rumors right up until they announced the delay? And now we have Sony confirming that they'll have 4 million PS3s shipped by the end of the calendar year just 19 days before downgrading their forecast.
So... is anyone believing Sony when they forecast something positive?
Interesting, good marketing does miracles, doesn't it? But.., they're liars, people have proved they are. I wonder if they have very little morals or conscience.
To my mind, Sony has proven they do not deserve my (our) respect. That's the way things have proven themselves out to me. What about the Worldwide launch? Didn't they promise PS2 would be able to run Toy Story movie-like graphics? True, and I am a jock... strap.
Actualy that was Microsoft who promished that, NOT Sony.
Actually, the confirmation of 4 million units came 8/22, not 8/18. So make that 15 days.
Let's put your shotgun back to the closet first, shall we ?
It is not uncommon for a large company to wait until all options are explored to decide a best course of action. This is a hardware company afterall. There are much more negotiation, sourcing, physical distribution problems and other ground work compared to say, a software house.
Depending on how aggressive the company is, sometimes it's not clear whether something is a deadend until you try hard enough at all levels.
It is not uncommon for a large company to wait until all options are explored to decide a best course of action. This is a hardware company afterall. There are much more negotiation, sourcing, physical distribution problems and other ground work compared to say, a software house.
Depending on how aggressive the company is, sometimes it's not clear whether something is a deadend until you try hard enough at all levels.
So after the 2 delays and the major shipment downgrade, you're still extending grace? More power to you, I guess.
Sony must have known they had no diodes for a full launch for quite some time. This is not something that just hits you one day.
So my question is, why are they still "forecasting" like they've been "forecasting" (wrongly) for quite some time now? It really does look like they're lying through their teeth...
So my question is, why are they still "forecasting" like they've been "forecasting" (wrongly) for quite some time now? It really does look like they're lying through their teeth...
Inane Dork said:
It's one thing to say they screw up or failed miserably to deliver; and another to call them a liar, or a schemer.
I don't want power.
Perhaps they think they had alternatives but they did not pan out (in time) ? Perhaps prior agreement was revoked for some reasons ? Perhaps it turned out to be too expensive ?
Sony should be aware of all the pitfalls and danger when it first announced its plans. The rest is whether it can fulfill based on its promises. *If* the diodes is the only thing, that means they have fought well in other front. Do we know how hard is it to secure other PS3 components ?
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It's one thing to say they screw up or failed miserably to deliver; and another to call them a liar, or a schemer.
I don't want power.
Exactly, and the impression they're giving now is that this thing just hit them this morning... when it's pretty much impossible...
fastasleep
Newcomer
Its classic delay strategy. Yes, we just cut our launch numbers by 75% and frankly, who says sony will even get those 500k out. But, just wait a wee bit longer, don't buy that 360 or wii, we're just around the corner and the wait will be worth it. Just trust us, we'll do lunch, the check is in the mail and I wont' c#$ in your mouth.
The bluray laser diode shortage is not going to magically disappear in a month's time either. So, yes, sony is still lying thru their teeth. But, you'll be amazed at how many will continue to believe their revised tales of woe, not just fans, but the industry at large.
Angelcurio
Regular
My biggest concern right now is not launch allocation units issue or the european delay, what actually worries me the most is the Blu-laser diode issue. What could possibly happen if yields do not improve? It´s going to be the ps2 nightmare all over again. I couldnt get one until one year and a half later
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They lied with the original date as well. I know everyone in here was saying "Well we all new the spring 2006 date was bs" but that doesnt change the fact that they've actually said something and did something else, its no different this time around. The question is how long can they "lie" to their fanbase and the public before they actually pay for it.
I think Kaz's slip-up on the 2 million number a week ago wasn't actually a slip-up, it was a way to ease people into the idea. Like you said, there's no way that 'no blue diodes' is shock.
Theyve got piles of cells and RSX chips and there is the blue diode bin - empty, you mean no one notices and asks "when are the blue diodes coming"?
I added my responses in the post before this one, but here're some more thoughts.
To put things into perspective, I don't think it's a clear cut "can" or "cannot". We heard that PS3 has not gone into production until a few days ago. And then Sony announces the shortage today/yesterday. So it seems that there is a sequence of things that need to be finalized before Sony is sure that this is their best possible action. I hope Dean Takahashi does a PS3 book. It should be more interesting than the Xbox ones.
And there may be at least 1 more bad news to come (about the GPU downgrade). We'll see about that in TGS.
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