Posts by B Weeks 14 publicly visible posts • joined 8 Jul 2008
it's a WinMo thing, and there are already ways around it depending on the version of WinMo and your handset/operator. For example, I have an option on my HTC Touch HD to change the default behaviour of the close button to actually close the applcation (added by HTC's TouchFlo UI I believe).
Google away!
Isn't 'the new one' still a beta??
Yes, it does hang, and I've found (on my touch HD on Orange) that the first time I go to any website I get a gateway error. Refreshing the link works and loads the page (without fail if I have signal) so it's defo a weird browser thing.
All a bit odd, but lets remember that 'Beta 2' bit - it's not final code yet.
There is another problem with this: Pricing.
Take Dawn of War 2 for example. Download via Steam: £35. Buy new from Play.com: £23. THQ and Relic will most likely not be getting a higher proportion of the sale from Steam - it seems to be Valve price jacking. (I would be interested to find out if anyone has any facts regarding this?) Also, I WANT a physical copy of my games, and I suspect many people will feel the same.
I don't necessarily agree that trade-in titles affect the industry as much as is claimed. For example, in my local Game store recently they were selling COD4 GotY (360) new for £40, and preowned for £37. I'm not going to save £3 and NOT have the downloadable map packs - It's pointless.
if I am not prepared to buy a game new for £40 because I don't believe it's worth £40, then if the preowened market does not exist I will never buy that game. If however the preowned market exists, I may buy the game for say, £20-£30 (depending on the title) enjoy it and fork out £40 a go for new copies of it's sequels.
Just my 2 cents.
I wonder how many people who purchased an X360 arcade model actually WANT Blu-ray, Wi-fi and a large hdd? Surely a better comparison would have been using the Elite?
But then ofc the competition would have had a better online service AND a bigger HDD by default....
I'm not a 360 fanboy, I own both consoles. My 360 Elite sees alot of use. My PS3 gets the odd exclusive game but is generally a DVD Upscaler and Blu-ray player (incidentally, it is very good at both of these things).
It really depends what you are looking for, but shifty comparisons with low spec competitor SKU's instead of the comparative model really just makes you look bad to anyone who pays attention...
/Joke
Paris, because she is the best way I can sum up a PS3 - Looks like she should be full of potential entertainment, but rarely delivers unless used in a manner in which she was not originally intended!
/end joke
Assuming your conspiracy theory is correct, I would say the answer is most likely the obvious. CASH.
Developing for one system (possibly two) is going to be cheaper than developing for 3. Also, look at game prices. Take Far Cry 2 for example. On PS3/360 this will set you back about £40, but on PC it can be had for just £25. I would suggest that the inflated console prices are not just covering the cost of licensing the game to a given console, and that there is increased profit to be had from these sales. (I have no hard facts to back this up mind you - it is speculation).
I wonder how many cross platform titles make a significant profit from the PC release once you take into account the extra development time and publishing costs? Not to mention ongoing support - which is expected from the PC gaming community far more so than it is from the console community (due to devs having to craft a game that can run on so many varient configurations).
So...Cash I reckon.
Unfortunately, it seems as though the NXE is a required update.
In the US Microsoft has started a program to offer owners of certain consoles cheap refurbed 20gb HDD's or free 512mb mem cards (I believe).
With any luck this will make it's way to other regions in due course.
@AC:
I wish to start by saying I own a PS3 and a 360 Elite - I payed full retail price at launch for both and was happy to do so.
"lastly you can't even use the forcoming "NXE" New Xbox Experience, without having to buy an addition Microsoft branded memory card.. LOL..."
You are ill informed. The Arcade (ie cheapest model) comes with a memory card.
"You should be really only comparing the 360 Elite to the 80GB PS3"
I agree completely - compare apples to apples please reg.
"and then the £220 for the 360, looks a bit crap, as for a mere £75 more, you get so much more... Including Wifi, Blu-ray, free online play"
Define 'much more' when you already mention wifi, blu-ray and free online play? What else do you get? Oh I know...what about less storage space (unless you fork out for your own hdd and do the upgrade)? What about far less downloadable content and extras? What about the fact that Blu-ray's are overpriced compared to dvd's - which both consoles will play and upscale equally as well? Lets not forget that most Blu-rays are currently upscaled old standard def content anyway...so where is the benefit? What about the fact that the PSN is absolute shite for online gaming compared to Live? Have you used both? I have and do regularly.
"If you intend on owning a 360 and play online, then the online fees alone for the 360 outweigh that cost saving as online gaming is free on PS3..."
It's £35 per year for Live. So that's 2x years worth of online gaming plus a fiver for your price difference. Considering the quality increase and higher level of support on Live vs PSN, I'll take that thanks.
If I didn't already own both, I would go for a 360 and 2x years on live, then pick up a PS3 later when Sony relent and drop the price (because let's face it, they will).
For reference, I'm not bashing the PS3 - I love it for some of it's excellent single player titles - Drake's Fortune was great fun - and BD support is a nice extra, but it is just that. An Extra. Hardly a deal breaker.
OFC, if you are shopping for a BD player not a games console then I reckon it's the PS3 all the way.
I would suggest Mr AC, that you really should do more research before making ill informed fanboy comments though.
The UK uses the BBFC for film, and it's already a legally enforcible classification that almost all parents in the UK should recognise. I say dump the PEGI ratings and let the BBFC do their thing (no reason why that can't involve incorporating ideas from PEGI though).
OFC, as with films, if parents wish to ignore those ratings and let their kids watch/play that title then they will, so it really doesn't matter which badge you put on it does it?
At the end of the day, whoever gets to use their official stamp on the product, the ultimate responsibility lies with the parent/legal guardian of the child/young adult in question.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2025
