I was thinking yesterday of the cost/performance ratio and long term goal relationship. We've all talked about PS3's specs and the ridiculous costs in the dream machine = 2 Cell, 512+ mb RAM etc. That's prohibitively expensive and would lose a LOT of money.
But, as PS2 and PS1 has shown, once you scale down the tech you can save a bundle, and then turn a profit. So, the longer PS3 is around, the more chance of it making Sony more money, right?
This then gives a possible incentive for a long-term system. Rather than release a machine at loss, after a few years it becomes profitable, and then 5 years from lauch replace it with a new loss-making system, release an uber-console that'll last 10 years, providing many more years of profitability? Instead of lots of small steps, take a giant leap.
I imagine a dream PS3 would be able to hold it's own for a LONG time. Graphically it could manage offline quality which, with more polygoins and shaders from later tech, will still be visually comparative. ie. If you produce FF's offline renders in realtime, you can't get much better until a generational shift in graphics. Such a dream PS3 would handle as much physics and AI as you could cope with, that a later system with more power wouldn't have any advantage. When you can handle 20,000 boxes colliding, a system capable of 40,000 boxes won't be able to add to gameplay. Just as PS2 sells now, even on outdated tech, because it offers a quality people are happy with it's a great earner for Sony. I imagine a dream PS3 would be even better. It won't date anywhere near as much and can sustain long term takings.
Yes? No? Discuss...
But, as PS2 and PS1 has shown, once you scale down the tech you can save a bundle, and then turn a profit. So, the longer PS3 is around, the more chance of it making Sony more money, right?
This then gives a possible incentive for a long-term system. Rather than release a machine at loss, after a few years it becomes profitable, and then 5 years from lauch replace it with a new loss-making system, release an uber-console that'll last 10 years, providing many more years of profitability? Instead of lots of small steps, take a giant leap.
I imagine a dream PS3 would be able to hold it's own for a LONG time. Graphically it could manage offline quality which, with more polygoins and shaders from later tech, will still be visually comparative. ie. If you produce FF's offline renders in realtime, you can't get much better until a generational shift in graphics. Such a dream PS3 would handle as much physics and AI as you could cope with, that a later system with more power wouldn't have any advantage. When you can handle 20,000 boxes colliding, a system capable of 40,000 boxes won't be able to add to gameplay. Just as PS2 sells now, even on outdated tech, because it offers a quality people are happy with it's a great earner for Sony. I imagine a dream PS3 would be even better. It won't date anywhere near as much and can sustain long term takings.
Yes? No? Discuss...