◄Ω►Raynar's Studio◄Ω►™

Hello fellow bloggers,

I’m sorry for not posting anything new in the past couple of months.  I’ve been  doing a lot of other things on side in real life and plus I’ve being AION for sometime now.  Me and Haldrie along with Dark Ratchet plan on re fixing the site I notice I have 76 errors on Validating the XTHML and top of that I planning on rebooting the site with my daily adventure in AION. Plus my ranting in both gaming and tech news. I also have anew HD cam so I plan doing some videos in the future. So with that I leave you with this and keep in touch.

NCsoft reconsiders console MMOs

by Rubi Bayer Dec 1st 2009 at 7:00PM of Massively.com

Filed under: Business models, News items, Consoles

The concept of console MMOs is not a new one, particularly to NCsoft. They’ve gone down this road before, and now it looks like they’re giving it another shot. NCsoft PR team leader Jin-Won Yun spoke to Gamasutra at G*, and talked a bit about their plans. “After we finished Aion, we started thinking about what it would take to make an MMO come to consoles. We’re testing that possibility. We’re not in the development process yet, but we’re in the thinking and planning stages.”

Yun also stated that they are considering a multi-platform MMO, following in the steadily successful footsteps of Final Fantasy XI, but that it’s only one path they are considering — they’re keeping their options open at this point. NCsoft doesn’t have a strong console userbase in Korea, which can make it hard to study and analyze user patterns there during development, but also has the potential to be a wide open market for them.

Tech blog Digital Foundry reports that sources “intimately involved with the alliances and deal-making within their sector” have effectively confirmed that Nintendo and nVidia are indeed teaming up for the next DS iteration. The report also mentions that Sony has formed an alliance with IMG for the PSP2.

While neither devices have been flat-out confirmed by both groups, Digital Foundry tosses around some tentative tech specs for the next generation of handheld gaming supposedly leaked by industry insiders. It’s a long post, so we’ll just get a few snippets for each handheld.

Here’s what they can say about the DS2:

So, how does the Tegra 2 we expect to see in the new Nintendo handheld stack up? Let’s just say that it is a significant improvement, and a colossal jump in performance compared to the current DS. While the amount of vertex shader units remains the same, TMUs and pixel shaders are doubled, and as the chip will be manufactured at a physically smaller size (40nm perhaps, versus the current Tegra’s 65nm), we can expect a reasonable bump in clock speed too. Our sources can only speculate at this point, but suspect anything up to 300MHz is possible, depending on just how much the platform holders want to concentrate on battery power. The faster the chip, the more impact it has on battery life.

…

Regardless, there’s no doubt that the new Nintendo unit will have a useful graphical power boost over what’s been seen in the currently available Tegra devices, and in terms of the tech demo discussed previously, we also need to factor in that handheld consoles are unlikely to require full WVGA 800×480: an iPhone utilises a 480×320 screen, for example. Fewer pixels means more effects or potentially higher frame-rates.

And here’s what PSP fans can allegedly expect from the PSP2:

From what we’ve learned about the in-development PSP2, the device is going to be a technological monster. Insiders in the mobile space are fully aware that a deal has been struck between Sony and IMG (creators of the PowerVR derivatives found in the iPhone) and, as previously reported by Eurogamer, a multi-core variant of the forthcoming SGX543 looks set to the GPU of choice for the new machine. A four-core version of the chip appears to be most likely, and while this sounds like overkill, at 45nm you’d be looking at die of around 20 square millimetres based on measurement derived from IMG’s own whitepaper. That’s significantly lower than the silicon used by the current-generation PSP’s graphics unit, which should give some inkling of an idea on costs and power consumption.

…

The raw potential of Sony’s mooted solution is seriously impressive, to the point where you really have to sit down and take a deep breath before reading the next bit: we’re talking about a GPU with the potential to be a halfway house between the raw power of the original Xbox’s graphics chip and the Xenos GPU found in the Xbox 360, without factoring in all the advantages of running on a much lower resolution screen.

You can check out the full post by clicking the source link below. It’s long and filled with a lot of technical terms, but it does make for some interesting weekend reading, especially for hardcore technophiles.

Related articles:

• Rumor: Next-gen Nintendo DS to get graphics boost from nVidia?
• Rumor: PSP2 will have quad-core GPU

Earlier this week the brilliant Dana Vinson posted a very interesting article listing 5 reasons why we don’t need a new console generation anytime soon. Check out the original post right here.

Now that you’ve covered your required reading for the week, check out what Adam has to say on the subject in this week’s Soapbox. Is a graphical upgrade really required? Do we need a whole new console in order to experience next-gen games? Watch Sessler’s Soapbox and let us know what you think.

Contrary to earlier statements from Sony, the games released after 1 October 2009 are not available on PSN and are therefore not available to PSPGO owners . Ashamed!
Undead Knights, Naruto Shippuden, Legends: Akatsuki Rising, NBA 2K10, Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes and Cars: Race O Rama have a common enough problem for PSPGO owners. Indeed, all these games, but left after 1 October 2009, available in UMD version, but not downloadable from the Playstation Network. Because of this, owners of the PSPGO can not play them.

Once again, Sony has not provided because the firm does not require that publishers publish a version UMD and a PSN version simultaneously. The result is immediate: the games available in shelves, but absent on the PSN. “This is for publishers to choose whether their games will be available in UMD on the PSN, or both. Many, if not all, chose the option UMD and PSN because it makes them more gains. Eric Lempel announced on Joystiq.

Namco, the game publisher, said there were no plans to put online Akatsuki Rising on the Playstation Network. This game was released in UMD version last October 6.

Is this the best solution for now?

However, Sony had said that out of all games are carried on the two media right out of the PSP go. They even said that all the old titles are also carried on the PSN. But now, the reality is very different and go PSP buyers should feel aggrieved not to buy and download the latest games, even old, released on their console. For others, this fact will certainly encourage them to turn to the PSP-3000 not to be deprived of a title they liked.
He therefore hoped that Sony would get tough with publishers and oblige them to make simultaneous release on the UMD and PSN for everyone to play all the games available.
What about? If Sony is also doing what it takes to discourage buyers to buy a PSP go, where is it?

Nintendo next-gen DS video games handheld may sport an Nvidia Tegra chip, in today’s second ‘confidentially sourced’ bit of speculative news. (See ‘Next Microsoft Xbox Console to Use AMD GPU?’ for the first.) According to Bright Side of News, Nintendo plans to implement Nvidia’s computer-on-a-chip technology to power its DS-family successor, possibly lending rationale to allegations that Nvidia co-founder and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang recently said 50 percent of Nvidia revenue would eventually come from the Tegra family.

Tegra is Nvidia’s code name for its mobile chipset which packs traditionally discrete computer functionality into a single, integrated processor.

The existing DS and DSi use dual ARM processors running at different clock speeds and splitting up tasks like number crunching, video and audio playback, and wireless network processing. A Tegra-based DS would do away with all that and presumably shrink the handheld’s physical footprint.

Other devices using the Tegra chip include Microsoft’s Zune HD media player and Samsung’s BeatPlayer M1. Nvidia’s Tegra platform page also references Window Mobile, CE, and Android-based smartphones, as well as portable navigation devices and general media players.

The Nintendo DS family–the DS, DS Lite, and dual-camera DSi–has sold in excess of 100 million units worldwide to date. After Sony’s decade-old PlayStation 2 (the DS launched in Japan and North American in late 2004) and the older still original Game Boy, it’s the bestselling dedicated game device in history.

BSN speculates confusingly that “given the fact that Nintendo DS hardware is based upon 16-bit and 32-bit ARM cores, it looks like Next-Gen DS could be backwards compatible with the DS application library.” Anyone else having trouble parsing that statement? It sounds like they’re reasoning that A is equal to A, therefore B.

Color me twice-bewildered.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR STAR WARS GALAXIES™ ACCOUNT –
12 SERVERS CLOSING ON OCTOBER 15, 2009

Dear Star Wars Galaxies™ Account Holder,

Due to the overwhelming success of the recent Free Character Transfer Service, we want to inform you that on October 15, 2009, at 5:00 PM PDT, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) will close the following 12 Star Wars Galaxies servers:

• Corbantis
• Europe-Infinity
• Intrepid
• Kauri
• Kettemoor
• Lowca
• Naritus
• Scylla
• Tarquinas
• Tempest
• Valcyn
• Wanderhome

Character creation will be disabled on the affected servers beginning September 15, 2009 at 4:00 AM PDT.

In accordance with the server closure date, the Free Character Transfer service has been extended through October 15. 2009. Between September 15, 2009 and October 15, 2009 at 4:59 PM PT all characters on the affected servers are eligible for a one way, one time Free Character Transfer* to any of the remaining thirteen (13) Star Wars Galaxies servers. After October 15, 2009 at 5:00 PM PT, any characters and their associated items and structures remaining on the identified servers being closed will no longer be accessible on your Star Wars Galaxies or Station Access account.

Please visit http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/freects/ for complete details on how to transfer your character using the Star Wars Galaxies Free Character Transfer Service.

We appreciate your loyalty and commitment to Star Wars Galaxies and value having you in the community. We hope that you will continue to play on one of the 13 thriving Star Wars Galaxies servers and look forward to sharing many more new and exciting Star Wars™ themed adventures with you in the coming months as we introduce the Chronicle Master System, Death Troopers, and the upcoming Galactic Civil War enhancements.

For more information, visit our FAQ.

Sincerely,
Sony Online Entertainment

From Freeplay we have this video (watch it by reading more), in where he has updated an exploit for working on the PSPGo models.

Even though the name of the game neither sound is shared, you can bet that this is real, an old exploit that has been modified in order for working on this models… and also on all firmwares and models. However, it looks to be just user-mode.

Looks like there are many other exploits that might still work, but if Sony made the right decitions on the 6.00+ upgrades, most probably a kernel jump won’t be available. At least considering what we know atm.

release:6.10:
build:3745,0,3,1,0:builder@vsh-build6
system:54865@release_610,0x06010010:
vsh:p6501@release_610,v55286@release_610,20090918:
target:1:WorldWide

My Comments: It seems that I knew this was gonna happen and Sony has some faults on the Go now.  Could this be another way for pirates to finally crack another PSP from Sony’s evil hands?  PSP-3000 is nearly hacked without the use of pandora battery. Some hackers have found some exploits to enable custom firmware use on this handle and its easy for us in the community to not update our PSP’s.  Now as for the so call Dark Alex, that has been M.I.A, stated that he would not make Custom Firmware unless its really worth it.  Now TEAM GEN has picked up where he left off with 5.50 GEN-B2 and with Game Decrypter by TEAM GEN with changes the 6.00 to be playable on 5.50 CFW. Zing!  Sony Phails again.  With fucks up like this how long is it until we are able to break the Go Completely.

No one can’t say that they have a hacked PSP nor can’t bitch about piracy cause that’s what the makes the world go around and keeps the people who work on Security have there jobs. LOL!

A recent full-throated defense of Glenn Beck hasn’t left Stardock CEO Brad Wardell with a shortage of vehemence. He lashed out at Games for Windows Live, its certification process and the payments it requires to keep games patched and running.

In an interview with Shacknews, Wardell was asked if he knew why Microsoft wasn’t “showing more leadership” on the PC. Wardell – well, just let the man speak for himself. He’s quite comfortable with doing so, after all.

I started out as a big Games for Windows Live advocate. I intended for Elemental to be on Games for Windows Live, but then as we got closer, the Xbox group took it over more and more. And they have things where, oh, if you want to use Games for Windows Live to update your game, you have to go through [their] certification. And if you do it more than X number of times, you have to pay money. It’s like, “My friends, you can’t do that on the PC.”

On the console, I don’t have to update my game because an anti-virus program got an update and is now identifying my VB scripts as viruses and I have to apply an emergency patch. That would just add insult to injury. We’ve had to upgrade our games plenty of times over the years, not because we found some bug, but because some third-party program, or driver, or whatever screwed it up. If Games for Windows Live maintains that strategy and they take over, I’m done. I’m not making PC games. I would be done.

Is he impertinent? Impolite? Merely exaggerating? Maybe, but the man does have a point.

Stardock Interview Part 2: Brad Wardell on PC Gaming [ShackNews via Maximum PC]

My Comments: I can fully understand his rant about this. Cause in High sign it sucks for us PC users, to see a company go thru the Bullshit of patching and getting charge for it.  Some PC Companies may end up charging the end user for this so call policy that Microsoft has laid.   I to was fully supporting this feature for PC and 360 users to connect on global scale at launch.  But it seems that Microsoft has crunch GFWL and XBOX Team together overtime causing a much greater difference  between the teams and then causing more damage to the PC Market. While XBOX Team gets greater support from the higher ups.  Over all its seems the PC Gaming Era is slowing being plagued off to death by its own companies and users.  Stardock is a great company and its supported the Bill of rights for the PC users and not place heavy copy Protect, like other gaming companies have.  Even though they see Pirated User as a marketing to show off the games instead of demos which limted the users.   I too had pirated a game from them “Sins of a Solar Empire” but after playing it for 2 hours I quickly loved it and rushed out to target and made a purchase of it for $29.99 USD and continue to play it when I can. Ever since then I supported their games like Supreme Commander Series and etc.

It seems that Steam is a much better place for PC users to connect, purchase, share and play.   Fans have call foul on many changes that companies thinks that  are the best for the industry.  In the end with Gaming Console  its seems that people prefer to create and make games there and out kill the PC users. I have been a PC fan long before Consoles were my choice of tea. In fact Age of Empires II: Age of Kings was my first PC game and my first RTS.

Overall Microsoft needs to get back to the roots and re-change it’s strategy in the PC market for gaming and support the companies that made them what they are today.  Point Blank.

End Blog…………..