360 vs PS3

[SirPoonga]

http://www.2old2play.com/News/Xbox_360_and_PLAYSTATION_3__What_s_the_real_difference_

Some of you may find this helpful.

[patrickl]

Wow, that's a comprehensive comparison. Thanks.

[Demon-Seed]

hey Yea thanks
seems like he leans towards 360.

[shmokes]

I think so too.  Frankly, based on the current merits of the systems, I think it's very difficult to make a credible argument for the PS3 over the 360 (at least as a gaming machine). 

Still, I think that situation is set to change pretty rapidly.  Sony has already passed 360 in worldwide sales, and I think will have done the same in the U.S. by Christmas 09.  Beyond that, I think that there are more interesting exclusives on the horizon for Sony (MS has already played most of its exclusive cards, IMO), Sony's got a much better brand, and Sony has BluRay.  All of these factors, I think, will make it the system to own down the line. 

Probably online, even once Home is released, Sony will only make the gap smaller, but will never outdo 360 in that space.  It might force Microsoft to make Live free, though, which would be cool for 360 owners.

Generally speaking, I don't think backward compatibility is an important factor.  For me, it is, though, as I "own" an original Xbox and almost every worthwhile game ever released for it.  I never had a PS2, though, and there are a few games I missed out on that I'd really like to go back and play.  So hopefully, by the time I get a PS3 there will still be at least one model with the partial backward compatibility on the shelves. 

[DJ_Izumi]

Well, online play and content are popular and Xbox Live came around in 2002 where as the PlayStation Network has only been up since 2006 with the launch of the PS3.  The PS2 could be networked but it was mostly third party operated servers for their own games, the PS2's networking abilities never really shined.

So Microsoft has the advantage but the PSN could very well be going places.  Sony is afterall an audio visual entertanment company before it is a game company so we could see all sorts of neat things on the PSN as it matures.  Hopefully more connection between the PS3 and PSP, like being able to dump your movies bought on the PSN for your PS3 to your PSP to watch on the go and such.  Maybe even they could extend a lower graphical version of Home to allow PlayStation Home users to interact on the go.

If you look at how the PlayStation Portable has grown leaps and bounds since it's release, you can hope that the PS3 and PSN will grow just as well to offer a lot more interesting features.

On the whole 360 vs PS3 debate, I feel a game machine is a game machine mostly, it's just a question of which system has the games you want, but I do have to say one thing:  The Cross Media Bar for PS3/PSP/PSX/Other is a LOT easier to use and far more elegant than the 360's blade based dashboard.  Of course, the XMB did win an Emmy afterall, didn't it?

[shmokes]

Well . . . I don't have an Xbox 360, and have never used Xbox Live.  But if the MC360, Blade-based Xbox Media Center skin is an accurate representation, I'm with you all the way.  A lot of people seem to like it.  I personally find it cumbersome and revoltingly ugly.  I'll take Project Mayhem, or even half a dozen other skins (like the quite cool Apple-TV rip-off) over the blade theme any day of the week.

Also . . . I've never used the Xross Media Bar either.  I've seen photos, but about the most I can say for it is that using an X in place of a C in the word Xross is among the stupidest ---smurfing--- things I've ever seen in my life.  I always say in my head, "exross, whenever I see it."  Luckily, the name of a GUI doesn't really have any actual importance.

[SirPoonga]

hey Yea thanks
seems like he leans towards 360.

Yeah, I do.  I like my PS3 but I find the organization and Live give the 360 an edge.  but if media is important to you the PS3 is awesome.  Bluray, better codec support than the 360, and quieter make it better for media.  I use my PS3 to stream video and music from my PC.  The MCE extender on the 360 is awesome but the 360 is loud.  Though I hear from friends on my friends list that the new elites are quite.

I don't like how the PS3 puts everything in one list.  The 360 separates demos and downloaded games.  The 360 has more icons for the friends list along with more information so you know what your friends are doing.

Did I talk about backwards compatibility?  I don't think I did because for the most part the two systems are equal in that department.  Though you have to watch which version of the PS3 you get, you may not get PS2 compatibility. 

I think Home will suck.  Anyone use Second Life or other virtual worlds?  The annoying thing about virtual worlds is it takes time to do what you want.  You want to chat to a friend?  Well, you have to walk across a large room until you are close enough.  I would hope Home would have a solution for something like that otherwise it is a novelty.

I give Sony two years until they have something comparable to Live.  Live has a 5 year head start.

[ahofle]

Did I talk about backwards compatibility?  I don't think I did because for the most part the two systems are equal in that department.  Though you have to watch which version of the PS3 you get, you may not get PS2 compatibility. 

Is there even a PS3 model currently available that has full BC?  The now unavailable 60GB version had hardware support, but my understanding is that the 40GB has no BC and the 80GB only has partial BC support (emulation) and does not work nearly as well.

[shmokes]

That's correct.  I don't know how much you lose (Xbox 360, btw, has similar emulation-based, partial backward compatibility) with the 80 GB.  I was at first disappointed when they dropped full BC, but I checked and every game I'm interested in works 100% on the 80 GB, so I'm not worried (unless they drop BC altogether by the time I get around to buying one, probably no sooner than 2009).

SirPoonga,  I might be making this up, so don't quote me, but I seem to remember reading that you can switch between the virtual world Home, and a menu based system to accomplish most of the same things (obviously not things like decorating your apartment, etc.). 

[SirPoonga]

That's correct.  I don't know how much you lose (Xbox 360, btw, has similar emulation-based, partial backward compatibility) with the 80 GB.  I was at first disappointed when they dropped full BC, but I checked and every game I'm interested in works 100% on the 80 GB, so I'm not worried (unless they drop BC altogether by the time I get around to buying one, probably no sooner than 2009).

The emulation on the 360 is decent.  As for the 80gig I think it's only a couple of games that don't work well that work on the 60gig.

[/quote]
SirPoonga,  I might be making this up, so don't quote me, but I seem to remember reading that you can switch between the virtual world Home, and a menu based system to accomplish most of the same things (obviously not things like decorating your apartment, etc.). 
[/quote]
If so that will help.  I still think it will be a novelty.  It might be something other cultures, like Japan, might like.  I don't see it being that popular in the US.

[DJ_Izumi]

As far as I know, the PS3's 80GB emulation method is pretty solid and only a few games have some problems.  But also note that some PS1 games didn't work right on the PS2's even though they had hardware backwards compatability and the PS3's ability to play PS1 games is software emulated and has a few games it doesn't run well with either.

A lot of people get confused though, the 80GB doesn't use a pure software emulation method.  If it did, the 40GB would have backwards compatability too.  The 60GB and 20GB used a PS2-On-A-Chip design, basicly the same thing that is the brains to the PS2 Slim.  The 80GB features the PS2's graphics chip but no other hardware, it is a combination of hardware AND software emulation.  The 40GB has nothing, so no PS2 support.  I see signs at stores that warn that the 40GBs can't run PS1 and PS2 games, which is false, ALL versions of the PS3 can run your PS1 games.

I do hope that Sony is working on a software emulation of the PS2.  The PS3 has power up the wazoo and I have hopes that they can forge a software solution for it.  While it is quite possible, the real question is, does Sony want to do it?

[patrickl]

While it is quite possible, the real question is, does Sony want to do it?

Sony already said that they don't want it. Software emulation is too expensive and is only an issue for a minority.

[ahofle]

I think "couple of games" is a bit of an exaggeration.
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/08/ps3-80gb-us-backwards-compatibility-checker-online/

Four very popular titles listed there alone that don't work correctly.

I do hope that Sony is working on a software emulation of the PS2.  The PS3 has power up the wazoo and I have hopes that they can forge a software solution for it.  While it is quite possible, the real question is, does Sony want to do it?

Sony has already stated (more or less) that they have no intention of working on the emulation due to the sheer number of titles.  That's why the full hardware support was IMO the only way to go.    EDIT: patrickl beat me

I'm just wondering if future premium models (I heard about a 120 GB model a while ago) will have the emotion engine hardware added back in.

[somunny]

ALL versions of the PS3 can run your PS1 games.

Just got a 40GB PS3 last week and I didn't even know that.  Thanks for the info.

[DJ_Izumi]

Just got a 40GB PS3 last week and I didn't even know that.  Thanks for the info.

The 'Not Backwards Compatable With PS3' issue of the 40GB seems to have oftne been shortened to 'Not Backwards Compatable At All'.  But the PS1 support in ALL PS3's is PURELY software, it's nearly identical to the PS1 emulator that's built into the PSP's firmware, it can also run any PS1 game, (Actually, I lie, some games have issues with the emulator on both systems) you just need some jiggering and custom firmware to make it run unsigned copies of PS1 games. 

I'm still waiting to test to see if PS1 accessories like the Guncon work on the PS3 however, but I'm not all that hopeful.