Why not PS2.5 games?

[Marvelite]

It will be foolish for developers and publishers to ignore the 100 million plus PS2 user base. What not create AAA games that run great on PS2 but when put into a PS3 will be suitably enhanced (at least graphically). Make sure there's no compatibality problem with with any models of either PS2 or PS3s and watch the millions roll in.
And why isn't Sony packaging Eyetoy with PS2? At the very least it will knock some wind out of the Wii hype. Sure most games are limited, but the kids love it and you could get a decent workout playing Kungfu. Just watch all those Eyetoy workout available on Youtube. One problem faced with the Eyetoy Kinetic line is that using the wide angle lense lessened the accuracy of the movement detection. One thing I hope that the Eyetoy for PS3 ( aside from the long rumored depth perception) have is automatic light level detection.

 

[patsu]

Actually... my personal opinion is that they should make PSN available to PS2 and PSP (e.g., music, movie, and eBook download plus possibly Playstation news -- if any).

On the gaming side, may be it's more worthwhile to just focus on PS3... seeing that the competition is fierce and Cell needs to build a rich library quick.

 

[Marvelite]

PSN won't be practical without storage capability, and since PS2 doesn't have a hard drive.......

 

[patsu]

Yeah... I was thinking about the removable drive, but it got removed in the slim PS2. So you're definitely correct.

 

[LunchBox]

PSN won't be practical without storage capability, and since PS2 doesn't have a hard drive.......

anything is possible if they really wanted to implement it.
atleast for the ps2 it did have an HD bay... the PS2 slim doesn't.
If they really wanted to, they can even opt for an external HD.
Storage capability isn't the problem, it's trying to implement it,

 

[_xxx_]

What not create AAA games that run great on PS2 but when put into a PS3 will be suitably enhanced (at least graphically). Make sure there's no compatibality problem with with any models of either PS2 or PS3s and watch the millions roll in.

PS2 and PS3 are not even remotely comatible, architecture-wise. If possible at all, it would be a terrible patchwork and you would see no millions from that for sure.

 

[Marvelite]

PS3 is designed to have backward compatability with PS2. There are some issues with existing games, but developing writing new games, just make sure they are well behaved. After all, the Playstation is not like the PC, with thousands of configurations.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

PS3 is designed to have backward compatability with PS2. There are some issues with existing games, but developing writing new games, just make sure they are well behaved. After all, the Playstation is not like the PC, with thousands of configurations.

Honestly it's not that great of an idea. The overall improvement when played ot PS3 would probably be rather small and those games would certainly pale in comparison to real PS3 games, meaning that only handfull of those titles e.g. God of War 2 and similar huge titles would appeal to the PS3 crowd, and those titles are appealing without improvements too. It would require extra work and it's far from guaranteed that it would improve bottom line.

 

[_xxx_]

PS3 is designed to have backward compatability with PS2.

That's a totally different thing. It is (somewhat) compatible through emulation (or for the initial version with the actual PS2 inside), which is far from perfect.

You'd still have to code the game twice, a separate version for both platforms.

 

[Marvelite]

Is there any good developer that can give their two cent on this. I mean, if you are developing a PS2 today, and being already familiar with the PS3 architecture, why not go the extra mile making sure it will run on both console. As it is, there are PS2 games that have no problem running on it's younger more powerful brother. Also it is rumored that you will soon be able to upscale PS1/PS3 games. Hope that becomes true some day.
I know when I own a PS3, there's still a lot of PS2 games I like to play. A PS3 game will try to use all the available resources of the console, so you cannot do background downloading while playing a game. But being to play PS2 games (hopefully enhanced) while you're downloading.... so a smart PS2 developer can sell to both PS3 and it's older brothers' owners.

 

[zed]

the idea certainly has merit, with certain types it would work well eg arcade 2d shump's
on the ps2 u play at 480p but on the ps3 1080p (will need to ship on 2 discs though unless sony relax the rule of titles only available on blu-ray)

 

[Marvelite]

There's no need to be shipped on 2 discs. They will be just PS2 games that will be playable without any problem on the PS3.

 

[_xxx_]

There's no need to be shipped on 2 discs. They will be just PS2 games that will be playable without any problem on the PS3.

Dude, that won't work, get that. Those are two *completely* different architectures and such a case would require two separate, completely different engines to run on both boxes.

It would be just as "easy" as making a PS2 game which will also run natively on PC's, the difference is about that big. It might be possivle to put it all on one disk, but it would still be two distinct engines.

 

[Npl]

Dude, that won't work, get that. Those are two *completely* different architectures and such a case would require two separate, completely different engines to run on both boxes.

It would be just as "easy" as making a PS2 game which will also run natively on PC's, the difference is about that big. It might be possivle to put it all on one disk, but it would still be two distinct engines.

Another approach would be that on PS3, the (full) software emulator would be used, that Sony has been working on.
The DVD could have a patch file that then replaces parts of code that are hard to emulate or too inefficient on RSX. Should be possible to eg. have some kind of defering of GS-Commands, that waits for multiple texturing passes to finish and then do it in 1 pass on RSX.

 

[zed]

There's no need to be shipped on 2 discs. They will be just PS2 games that will be playable without any problem on the PS3.

doh!, yes i bushed up. as Npl saiz the method would be to yes let the ps3 emulate it, during development u would need to test often on the ps3 to see if it works. this is auctually similar to what im working on at present (true its a PITA to have to boot up the other machine to see if works ok, but its livable )