Steam Chat with Matt - Playstation 4
Note, I did some editing to clean up grammar, removed names any times multiple replies were made and removed any dialog that wasn't pertaining to the discussion. Hence ----
Dresenpai: If you would like I could tell you all that I remember
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: Go for it.
Dresenpai: And so on the second month of the thirteenth year of our century[technically the 14th no?], Sony announced the PS4 and with it a heralded a new evolution of gaming. So yeah let’s start with specs! x86 processor(no specifications for cores, I personally think to wait and see what Microsoft does or to just hold it close to their chest), optimized PC GPU for long term potential. Also it will have 8 gigs of ram and nonspecific internal HDD capacity. They didn't mention anything about Bluray but I’m rather certain it being Sony means it is going to be in it. Now for anyone who may feel 8 gigs is still too little of ram, something they mentioned but I think a lot of people will overlook is the fact they aren't using a form of DDR RAM. They are using GDDR5. That is the blazing fast ram you get on your GPU.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: True. Desktops are still only using DDR3 standard now.
Dresenpai: And the GPU and Processors will both have access to it directly.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: I don't see 8GB as being a problem.
Dresenpai: Agreed. Also physics will be handled by the GPU now. This architecture should prove to be both easy to code for since it is similar to a PC but also insanely optimized due to the data pathing.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: Awesome, it's only a matter of time before they just start boxing up mini PC's and shipping that with their firmware. It's getting much closer.
Dresenpai: That would be Steambox
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: Basically, yeah.
Dresenpai: So far what they have shown of it, it literally is just a micro/mini ATX computer running Linux and steam.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: Hence why they're pushing to get so many games running on Linux now. :P
Dresenpai: Yep and it should really push the industry to it. That is a very exciting prospect, but this is a conversation for another time. Got distracted by work, but back to PS4
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Dresenpai: Ah, this new generation of consoles is what PC gaming has been waiting for. Visuals are about to become incredibly astounding across the board. The demos that they showed were very impressive. If you watch the Unreal engine demo they showed, it was all in real time and it contained a simply impressive amount of physics and particle effects.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: Once they get that close, the likelihood of PC/Console cross platform multiplayer will be very likely.
Dresenpai: http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/hg49be/playstation-4-unreal-engine-4-real-time-demo
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: Planetside just stated they were excited for the PS4 and to let you read into that what you will so maybe they are going to go that way as well. Them being Sony would lean towards that being possible.
Dresenpai: Well, Blizzard did announce the Diablo 3 for the PS4 and Planetside 2 being Sony owned, I don't doubt for one second that they will be porting it to the PS4. Look at all that damn real time! Now note that earlier I said Processors. The PS4 will have a second proprietary chip that is going to be for a lot of features. Connectivity is the name of the game now in this day and age. Some are going to love it and others will hate it. None the less the premise is pretty impressive. Of course everyone better have a fast as hell internet connection for this to work. Streaming will be a built in feature of the PS4. So too will be recording and uploading footage online.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: Interesting.
Dresenpai: Lets plays and streaming is going to dominate the web soon. I would imagine it becoming a higher percentage than even porn.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: Sad thing is it's going to be 95% crap.
Dresenpai: Probably currently is but it still helps unify the gamer culture. Sony at least understands something that I have been pondering about recently, the shift of the gaming culture from local experiences to remote experiences over the web. Most of the time any of game now, it is with us at our respective homes rather than sitting next to each other. So Sony is evolving the social interaction online of the friends list. For personal friends you will use your real name but for online play you can still have anonymity with a gamer tag. You will also not only be able to watch the videos and streams your friends post, but also have the opportunity to interact with the game depending on what your friend allows. Say I get stuck and need help but you know how to get past it, through your PS4, you can take over my game and play through the area to help me. Now that is cool but the more interesting aspect is the possibility of having one person be a director of sorts, or more aptly a dungeon master of the game. Sure you have the default game experience but you could have your friend come in and start throwing different enemies and unexpected situations at you all from the comfort of their PS4. And of course because the damn thing is everywhere, there is sharing to Facebook, but we don't need to talk about that.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: That final option you listed in that WOT sounds the most awesome. D&D from your homes. ...with a DM.
Dresenpai: Yes. It is like the idea that Nintendo had for the Wii U but so much more. All of the sharing, streaming, video, and other extra tasks will be handled by the secondary unique chip that they have in the system. It will also handle the downloading and installing of games. What is most impressive about this chip to me is that it will allow you to instantly start playing a game from the second you start downloading it. It seems Sony is fully overhauling the download process for Playstation. An optimized data format that sends the pieces of code and data you need first to get into the game as it is downloaded which of course had been done on PC for certain games for a while now but will hopefully be even better.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: That's awesome so you can game and the stuff in the background won't interfere with the performance.
Dresenpai: This leads me into Gaikai the game streaming company similar to OnLive. If you don't know, Sony purchased that company a while back and no one was exactly sure how they would use it. From what I remember, they will allow you to try out games but the real pin in their cap is that it allows you to play PS3 games on the PS4 which doesn't have the hardware required to play them natively. No one knows the specifics just yet. Will you have to rebuy all of your games? Will you be able to put your disk in the PS4 and it just streams the game to you from Gaikai? Who knows? I don't. The Shadow knows, but he's not telling. That asshole.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: If you can put your PS1, PS2 or PS3 discs in the console and then have it stream the real game, it would make the PS4 totally worth it and Microsoft would have to look into something like that. It would make creating PS3 games after the PS4 release still viable like the PS2 games when the PS3 came out. But more so.
Dresenpai: Yes, this is my hope too. This also brings me to the Vita. Oh Vita. No handheld has as much potential as you and no handheld has been as underwhelmingly utilized by a company as you. I use my Vita mostly for PSP games. I'll be honest about that. Granted that is because my tastes have changed recently. I like getting more games for the same amount I would spend on a single game. Rather than a single PSV game for $40, I could get something like 5 PSP games I have wanted to play but never go around to. Of course there are games for the PSV to play that interest me and more are certainly slated to release but now the Vita has become a long term investment that will only be worthwhile once I get a PS4. Remote Play for all PS4 games to the Vita. Nintendo has the Wii U tablet thing but you can't take that thing with you and expect to still use it. The Vita on the other hand, that thing is an amorphous powerhouse of gaming. The remote play will likely only work on your local area network but that device is still far superior to the Wii U Tablet. Except for UI, Sony seriously needs to improve the Vita UI. That is some horrible content unfriendly design going on. But not only does Sony want remote play to the Vita, they want it on all Playstation certified devices. Phones, Tablets, stoves, toasters, refrigerators, washing machines, pacemakers, those little hand held games filled with water that had you try to use air bubbles to push the rings into position onto a peg, and whatever else is certified. Sony is trying to build a very robust ecosystem based squarely around all things gaming.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: Not a bad idea.
Dresenpai: So now we have not only devices to use for input but also the Move controller will still be used but with a new stereoscopic camera similar to the Kinect. In theory that stereoscopic camera should allow the exact same experience as the Kinect but with the addied benefit of having controllers that can be tracked thanks to the little light emitters. The LBP team showed off an insanely brilliant use of it.
Dresenpai: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYY-J3ckeSI
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Dresenpai: Well Media Molecule shows that they use the Move controller and the PS4 to work with digital clay to create objects and then use the objects to make scenes and an interactive animation. It is incredible.
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Dresenpai: The new DualShock 4 also looks like a good move forward. Design overall is solid looking and they finally added a headphone jack directly to the controller.
[TGN] AwesomeMattG: I still don't get what the touchpad is for. Most people hate them on laptops anyway. :P
Dresenpai: To be honest, I don't know the practical application for it currently. I mean on the Vita, it is used in some games for things like interaction with the game environment and characters but having it on top of the controller, I'm not entirely sure unless Sony has unannounced plans to bring certain mobile applications to the PS4. Actually that is the most likely thing. I bet Sony will allow the use of the Playstation Mobile Suite software to make applications that will run on the Vita, PS4 and certified devices. If they stay the course with PSN+, have a compelling price point and drop the price of the Vita, they will do exceedingly well with the Playstation brand this generation.