General Discussion [ Page 57 ]

Sony announces PS Vita TV, new slim model

Sony has announced that it's taking the Vita to your living room.

That tiny little device costs $99, connects to your TV, uses a Dualshock 3 or 4 controller, and plays Vita games on the big screen.

Full press release here: http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/pdf/130909c_e.pdf

Destructiod's coverage: http://www.destructoid.com/ps-vita-tv-announced-261515.phtml

More pics:
http://i.imgur.com/Ei75p8R.png
http://i.imgur.com/DUGVcHM.png

---

In addition, a new slimmer model of the Vita is in the works, which is lighter, has better battery life, and comes in 6 colors.

http://www.destructoid.com/new-slim-ps-vita-model-pch-2000-announced-in-japan-261504.phtml.

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/09/2013 at 03:35pm

I hadn't considered this. Very interesting. I like you can use your PS3 controllers with it!

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 09/09/2013 at 03:55pm

The only issue with that is the touchpad on the back of the Vita. The PS3 controller can't help with that. The PS4 controller, though, should be able to pull it off I would imagine, though it may be a little awkward.

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/09/2013 at 09:53pm

Yeah, I wonder how prolific that is with Vita games?

Blue_Element wrote on 09/09/2013 at 11:20pm

Haha, at nearly the same time Nintendo announces a 3DS with no 3D, Sony announces a PS Vita with no screen.

Blue_Element wrote on 09/09/2013 at 11:39pm

It still seems pretty cool though.

Timogorgon Member wrote on 09/10/2013 at 10:34pm

lol, I think @Blue_Element wins best comment of the week.

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/11/2013 at 01:50am

:D agreed.

Blue_Element wrote on 09/11/2013 at 11:11pm

:D

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Game/Show: Why Is LET'S PLAY So Huge?

"The idea of watching a stranger play a video game for hours seems counterintuitive to many. But they are actually quite popular. HUGELY POPULAR, in fact. Let's Play Video creator Pewdiepie currently holds the record for most subscribers, with over 12 MILLION!!! Considering that people could just play the games themselves, what's behind the immense popularity of Let's Play Videos? Is it about learning game strategies? Entertainment? Community? Mind Control?! Watch the episode and find out!"

New episode of Game/Show drops and talks about the Let's Play epidemic and why it's so big. I they were big, but I didn't know they were that big. Game/Show really digs in on the... Read All

Differences Between The Famicom and NES

YouTuber Resonance recently compared the NES with the Famicom side by side and the difference in terms of audio is seriously compelling. Like him, I had no idea the Famicom shipped with superior audio quality. He compares Castlevania, Zelda & Metroid. The NES sounds a bit more muted and does less with the score. I would say each song sounds better on the Famicom to my ears but the changes in the original Zelda are very interesting and something I am not used to hearing.

If you want to skip the side by side scrub ahead to 1.15m.

Travis Admin wrote on 09/05/2013 at 02:03am

That was a little shocking. Though I did think Castlevania sounded wrong. When it started up first on the NES version, it didn't sound at all like I remembered it. I might have to dig that up.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 09/05/2013 at 02:57am

Good idea, might be a case of an emulator translating the sounds wrong or our ears failing us in our elderly age.

Travis Admin wrote on 09/05/2013 at 03:05am

WHAT?

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 09/05/2013 at 03:15am

Well, an emulator may not get it perfect.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 09/05/2013 at 03:16am

:D

Travis Admin wrote on 09/05/2013 at 03:18am

WHAT?

Travis Admin wrote on 09/05/2013 at 03:18am

(Sorry, the dumbest joke ever)

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 09/05/2013 at 03:40am

Fear not, it worked well enough :D

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PAX Day 2: Hearts, Talks, Fortresses and Roads

My final day at PAX was Saturday and it was great. I decided to hit up a few talks and went back to the Indie Mega Booth to checkout other games I had missed on Friday.

talks

I went to a few talks this year. One called "Now that we Know Everything is Sexist, Now What" and a Q&A with the founders of Super Giant Games. Both panels were interesting for different reasons. I appreciate the Sexism talk but it depressed me a little. The Supergiant Q&A was good but I wanted a bit more time with them and the questions didn't seem to resonate with me. Super Giant Games is a great company and they have a very dedicated fan base so it was fun to hear the fans ask questions.... Read All

Keiji Inafune is TOTALLY NOT making a new Mega Man

Back this on Kickstarter!

By which I mean, yeah, he kinda is. Not that this is a bad thing!

Keiji Inafune is turning to Kickstarter to make, essentially, a Mega Man game that got cut while he was at Capcom, but now that he's no longer there he doesn't have access to the characters anymore. This is a game he's been wanting to make for a while now, and it's a game I want to play.

All the stuff you're used to from Mega Man games is present. You'll fight your way through bosses, and steal their powers to take on the other bosses. The screenshots and concept art look quite nice, and with Inafune at the helm, I'm not worried about quality.

Check out the Kickstarter here: ... Read All

PAX Day 1: Bright, Loud and Amazing

First day at PAX is always the most mind and foot numbing. I usually don't hang out in large auditoriums filled with massive art pieces, loud music and large seizure educing lights so the first day of PAX takes a while to acclimate to. @scrypt is at PAX this year so we have been co-ordinating a bit to see most of the show together and so far its worked out pretty well.

Today we decided to hit up the expo halls and check out the games developers are showing. I didn't have a huge list of games I came in wanting to play because most of the games I know about, i've played. All told, I found some awesome new stuff I hadn't heard of before and played some games that haven't... Read All

Game/Show: A New Web Series from PBS

PBS just dropped a new web series called "PBS Game/Show" on YouTube and it is well worth your time. The first episode is about classic game characters and how long they will be with us. The host Jamin Warren discusses Mario, Sonic and Link and compares them to other more modern characters to see whom will have a longer appeal. He also talks a bit about myths and stories.

I really enjoyed the the first episode and hope they keep this going. One of the reasons I started the Cheerful Ghost Roundtable was to get a pretty even discussion going about gaming that didn't contain long winded video game rants, 90's style shock jock potty humor and horribly negative discussions.... Read All

Gameboy 3DS minus the 3D part.

Multiple news sites are reporting that Nintendo is releasing a new Nintendo "2DS."

The new Gameboy will play all 3Ds and DS games in 2D. In addition to ditching the 3D the new gameboy also eschews the clam-shell design that all Gameboys have sported since the SP first came out in 2004. The new Gameboy is also priced lower than the 3DS at $129 MRP.

Here's Joystiq's article on the big reveal: http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/28/nintendo-2ds-plays-all-3ds-ds-games-in-2d-ditches-clamshell/

As I mentioned in the last Cheerfulghost Roundtable, 3D movies and games give me a headache, so I'm actually pretty intrigued by this new Gameboy. Not having to pay for a feature I would... Read All

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 08/28/2013 at 08:44pm

That looks even more unwieldy than the horrible Wii U tablet controller!

Travis Admin wrote on 08/28/2013 at 09:40pm

I'd be game for this if it were clamshell. It just looks so unwieldy like this. I can't exactly tuck this into my pocket.

jdodson Admin wrote on 08/28/2013 at 10:12pm

Hmmm true, but I didn't stuff my gameboy in my pocket. It needs to zip up to go in my bag and it looks like it has a pretty nice travel bag.

The only stuff that goes in my pocket is my phone, keys and wallet. Trying to figure out how to ditch the wallet.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 08/28/2013 at 10:34pm

I'll help you out with your wallet.

jdodson Admin wrote on 08/28/2013 at 10:37pm

Ha. RIIIIGHT.

What I mean is that I am considering getting an iPhone/wallet thing. It may not work, but dropping something I carry sounds like a good idea to me.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 08/28/2013 at 10:46pm

http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/56vgbk/nintendo-nintendo-2ds---introduction

Turns out one of my friends is in a commercial for it (the "mom" character I guess).

It's smaller than I imagined, which makes it a little more palatable for me I suppose.

vdogmr25 wrote on 08/28/2013 at 10:46pm

I think this is a good idea. I know people who get headaches from 3D film and from the 3D in the 3DS or simply don't care. Giving an option that's cheaper because the feature is not part of the system is a good move.

From a design point, having the buttons higher up puts a bigger focus on the top screen where much of the button driven gameplay takes place. That's awesome. It's not as compact/lacks folding. That's not awesome.

Personally, I think I'd prefer the 3DS I already have, but there are people who will probably prefer this system.

jdodson Admin wrote on 08/29/2013 at 12:59am

Seriously considering picking this up.

jdodson Admin wrote on 08/29/2013 at 04:54pm

That or a regular DS. Ill have to see how much I can score a used DS lite for.

CapnCurry Supporter wrote on 08/31/2013 at 02:41am

Gotta say, mixed reactions to this one. The 3-D screen was essentially the only differentiator between it and the las generation of Nintendo handhelds - it would be like if they released a Wii U that doesn't use the tablet controllers; it's completely aborting and entire generational step.

On the other hand, if that's how they get the 3DS price point down to where people actually start buying 3DS games, then I can't really call it a *bad* move.

Still, I think this is the first time that Nintendo has made an "inferior" version of any of their offerings: where the XBox and PS3 both had hard drive and no-hard drive models, a Nintendo has always just been a Nintendo. It makes me wonder if having to design for the underdog is going to rein in some of the potential that the 3D screen has to offer.

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Private Messages & Responsive Design

I wanted to talk about some of the new things we are doing on the site as well as a bit about some of the technology we use to make Cheerful Ghost. I put the finishing touches on a new private message system this weekend and am pretty happy with the result. A week or so ago CapnCurry asked me how he could distribute Card Hunter beta keys to people on the site and I didn't have a good recommendation for him. He suggested a simple message system and the gears in my head turned a bit. I spent a week thinking about how to build things and spend a few days hacking on it.

how private messages work

If you want to send a private message to anyone on the site you can do that in... Read All

The Cheerful Ghost Roundtable: Ep. 3 CONSOLES!

In this episode we discuss the PS4, XBox One, Wii U, Steam Box and the current generation of consoles. We also talk a bit about what sucked in the last gen. and what we want to see going forward.

During the middle portion of the video I was experiencing technical difficulties, which happens from time to time with a live show on Google Hangout. On one hand, technical difficulties suck but on the other hand, hilarious!

Show Notes:

Plants vz Zombies 2: http://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/1550

Guild Wars 2 Free to Play Weekend: http://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/events/38

The Enchanted Forest: http://www.enchantedforest.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.O.B.

... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 08/26/2013 at 01:21pm

I love that the placeholder image is Tim considering his beer.

Timogorgon Member wrote on 08/26/2013 at 04:52pm

Damn it! That's twice the placeholder image has been me. WHY DOES THE CAMERA LOVE ME?

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 08/26/2013 at 10:57pm

I don't like the tablet/controller for the Wii U at all.

I will probably end up buying the PS4 at some point, just not sure when.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 08/27/2013 at 04:40pm

I kinda wish there was a new one to listen to today at work! Come on guys, we need a *daily* Roundtable!

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 08/27/2013 at 04:46pm

Daily Roundtable huh? I'd love to be able to do that.

AutoCat1000 wrote on 08/28/2013 at 10:12pm

Dude, your cabnet looks like a smile. =)

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 08/28/2013 at 10:34pm

Ha! It does Jon!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/25/2014 at 09:44am

I like this console talk and history of. I thought I'd add mine. My cousin had a NES, I didn't have one, but I had the original Gameboy, which my cousin had also. During that time I played the NES with my cousin and friends. The same goes for the SNES. Also, in my high school years, I had a Sega Game Gear. I still want a Genesis. I'd say in the mid-90's I was more of a PC gamer when I got my first Windows PC, previously I was playing games on our Commodore 128D (C64 backwards compatible). Before I went off to college, I got a N64, was great and I was still involved in Nintendo handheld gaming. Then, I went to college and was introduced to the Final Fantasy series, especially FFVIII. That's when I got my first PlayStation and then later PlayStation 2. There was one point while I was still in college where I had all three major consoles, a PS2, an XBox, and a Gamecube. Since then, I've owned multiple versions of a Nintendo handheld (such as the Gameboy Advance, Gameboy SP, and probably at least 3 generations of the DS). I now have a Wii, 3DSXL, and a PS3. Oh, and even though I got rid of my original XBox, I got one again in recent years, only so that I could play Buffy the Vampire Slayer again (which I also own the Gamecube version of). Lately I'm back and forth between the handhelds and console. I should also mention that I have 2 generations of the PSP, which I hardly touch anymore. Minecraft and Terraria have kind of gotten me back into PC gaming again, but I haven't really done much PC gaming in recent years (I need to upgrade my hardware, which for some unknown reason I find myself reluctant to do).

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