[jqp]

I have been surprised at all the negative press on the PS3 this past week a few days before the US launch (or "reveal" as the marketing types might say).

First you know there will be a lot of pent-up frustration. Hard core gamers (console gamers that is) really want one of these and many will not even get to touch one for a while. With this context I have seen stories on:

How the PS3 gets dirty/greasy very quickly, and when you clean it, it scratches!  ( a la Nano )

How the PS3 is not backwards compatible with some major games after all (Gran Turismo 4 and Tekken 5)

The PS2 will be around for a long while.

Of course there was a lot of somewhat negative press about the 360 as well before it launched...

[MaxCast]

The PS2 will be around for a long while.

Damn, and I was looking to score a used one for myself, er... I mean the kids.

[jermmd]

I saw a PS3 being played at Best Buy today. The screen was a HD 32" LCD and the graphics were terrific. I think it cost $599 and games were going to be about $70. It looks like a lot of fun and will surely sell in huge numbers despite the negative press and Sony's weak marketing.

[Woodsea]

How did it look compared to the 360 high def games, jermmd? 
I just picked up a PSP in Beijing this past weekend.  It is a white one, it has a great picture for video and games.  I haven't played games on it though.

[jermmd]

How did it look compared to the 360 high def games, jermmd? 
I just picked up a PSP in Beijing this past weekend.  It is a white one, it has a great picture for video and games.  I haven't played games on it though.

I didn't do a side by side comparison. They both look pretty spectacular to me. I'm told  that the next generation of games developed for the playstation will bring gaming graphics to an even higher level.

[GBB]

I have been surprised at all the negative press on the PS3 this past week a few days before the US launch (or "reveal" as the marketing types might say).

How the PS3 is not backwards compatible with some major games after all (Gran Turismo 4 and Tekken 5)

If you look carefully at the tear down reports on the PS3 you will see that there is an entire PS2 contained within the PS3 to insure backwards compatibility for all games.  So at least this rumor is not true.

---Gary

[jqp]

I have been surprised at all the negative press on the PS3 this past week a few days before the US launch (or "reveal" as the marketing types might say).

How the PS3 is not backwards compatible with some major games after all (Gran Turismo 4 and Tekken 5)

If you look carefully at the tear down reports on the PS3 you will see that there is an entire PS2 contained within the PS3 to insure backwards compatibility for all games.  So at least this rumor is not true.

---Gary

Oh, this is not a rumor, this is actual experience with the PS3 - remember it is out in Japan already. Now, hopefully Sony will patch the PS3 so that these games will work in the future...

[jqp]

I think I see where some of the negative aura is coming from - all the pre-orders that people waited in line to make are not going to be filled. In fact it looks like only half the pre-orders at each outlet will be filled from what I am reading. I read someone saying that this was the firat time they had not gotten a console at launch.

I am by no means that hard-core of a gamer, but imagine that you had spent all night in line on a sidewalk the night before to place your pre-order, and you were one of the 16 that got on the list to actually get one, then recently you get a call and you hear that because you weren't in the first 8, you are not getting it after all...

[ooheadsoo]

The preorder lines in the vicinity of where I live (Los Angeles) were puny and most did not even start until around store opening.  I met someone while loitering after the preorder who had already placed a preorder at a shop that had no line at all and had made it in time for the preorder drawing at the line I was currently in.  Xbox360 also suffered shortages for several months where preorders could not be filled, so this is nothing new.  I'm pretty sure the ps2 sold out pretty quickly at launch, as well.

[Rob Babcock]

Of course I want one, but I suppose I won't get my hands on one for six months or so.  Realistically, it's a ways down my list, behind a new Carada screen and a new center channel.

[bubba966]

I read someone saying that this was the firat time they had not gotten a console at launch.

I pre-ordered a PS2 a little over 7 months ahead of time and didn't get it in the 'first shipment'.

I forget the exact circumstances of why I managed to get it late on day 2, but I was surprised that I'd gotten one that quick as I'd been told it was going to be weeks I'd have to wait.

I was more than a bit surprised that oredering it (and paying for it in full) a good 7 months ahead of time didn't get me a system on day 1.

Oh, and 5 hours after I'd gotten it I sold it for $800 because I didn't want to play any of the launch titles. Never bought another PS2 to replace it as I saw no need.

And that was the last system I pre-ordered. I no longer get new systems until they've been out awhile. Because the systems Sony & MS have been building aren't gaming machines, they're PC's for the most part. And they're so overly complex so that they can do everything that they're buggy as all get out.

First gen PS2's had some serious problems. So did first gen Xbox's & 360's. Hell even the 360 I've got sitting here has got some serious problems and it's 4 months old or so.

The only reason I'd want a PS3 is to sell it to some sap that just can't wait to have it and will pay waaaaay more than it's worth to get it now. And I'm too late for that...

[LordCloud]

I played a PS3 at Best Buy the other day on a a 32 inch LCD Sony screen I believe. The graphcs on an off-road racing game were great, not above and beyond 360 graphics but very impressive. I also played a basketball game as well and it was horrible, the graphics looked crappy to me, not very realistic at all, the payers were all shiny and things just didn't look good. Not the system's fault, it was NBA 07, one of te crappy B-Ball franchises. I do have to say though that the screens companies use in their kiosks are almost tailor made for video games though. In my view, LCDs are very well suited for games as they seem to be overly vibrant and cartoony looking to me anyway.

[jqp]

I read someone saying that this was the firat time they had not gotten a console at launch.

First gen PS2's had some serious problems. So did first gen Xbox's & 360's. Hell even the 360 I've got sitting here has got some serious problems and it's 4 months old or so.

Not to get too far off the main topic, but what serious or even not-so-serious problems does your 360 have? I have only had mine a few weeks but have seen no issues...

[jqp]

I played a PS3 at Best Buy the other day on a a 32 inch LCD Sony screen I believe. The graphcs on an off-road racing game were great, not above and beyond 360 graphics but very impressive. I also played a basketball game as well and it was horrible, the graphics looked crappy to me, not very realistic at all, the payers were all shiny and things just didn't look good. Not the system's fault, it was NBA 07, one of te crappy B-Ball franchises. I do have to say though that the screens companies use in their kiosks are almost tailor made for video games though. In my view, LCDs are very well suited for games as they seem to be overly vibrant and cartoony looking to me anyway.

I am still not feeling good about affordable LCDs for PCs or TVs. I am sure the most expensive ones have better refresh rates/response times, realistic color, but I really want sharp and non blurry imaging for movies, games, and photo editing. On the other hand, a Westinghouse 21" LCD for $199 may tempt me this Friday 

[bubba966]

Not to get too far off the main topic, but what serious or even not-so-serious problems does your 360 have? I have only had mine a few weeks but have seen no issues...

The 360 I have won't load games most (80%+) of the time. It has this screen that comes up that tells you that to play this game you need to put it into an Xbox 360 in about a dozen different languages.

A guy I work with has a 360 that does the same thing.

Doesn't matter what game it is, it does it on every single 360 game I try to play in it.

But it plays Xbox games & DVD's just fine.

[bubba966]

Oh, I should add that the 360 I've got has done this from day one. For a while I thought the game I'd gotten was bad. After returning it for a new one 3 times and getting new discs (even getting new games from different locations) and then having it happen on other 360 games as well it's definitely not a problem of having a bad pressing.

[jqp]

Did you get the warrantee from BB or MS? If so I would trade it in...