Nillo
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The Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP have both been released as of now. Not everywhere, but you can always import them. Anyways, I'd like to know what the DRODers think.

If you have no idea of what they are, here's a summary of pros/cons:

Nintendo DS: Dual screens, touchscreen, microphone, longer battery time

Sony PSP: Better graphics, larger screen, DVD and MP3 support (IIRC), shorter battery time

If I missed something, please tell me.

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“Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the 'Ellie May,' a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.”

Oneiromancer
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The games for a system is what makes me want to get it, and in that respect the DS could win for being out longer. But in all the time I've followed video game news, there haven't been any games for the DS that have really interested me...even Metroid DS. On the other hand, many of the PSP games have interested me, even though there aren't that many out. So if I finally decide to buy one...which might not be until next Christmas...I will most likely go with the PSP.

Game on,

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"He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." -- Tad Williams

Chalks
Level: Master Delver

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I think the PSP is far better than DS. I really like the PSP's gui that pops up before you even start a game. I also like the fact that you can play music/videos on it. The games they do have for it have GREAT graphics and the control system is very nice. I like the way the games are stored too...they call em UMDs if I'm not mistaken, and they look like miniture CDs.

as for the DS I think this system could have been better than the PSP, but it's not. Even though the dual screen is REALLY cool...none of the games really utilize it that effectively. So, unless they get a really good game that would be impossible to play without that second pad I'm going to say the PSP rules.

ErikH2000
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What do you guys think of the two-screen thing on the DS? In my mind it seems gimmicky. Some games benefit from having that 2nd screen to show less-important info, but from a design point of view, I feel there should be one place to look and the interface allow you to call up the other things you want. If the information is not important enough to be in the main place you look, then it can be completely hidden away until you need it.

Two screens is better than one, if that is the choice, but if the manufacturing cost of that extra screen could have been spent on a larger single screen, would not that have been better? The little screens are just 3" 256x192. Bleh. Give me another inch of LCD space on the top screen and get rid of the bottom.

The touchscreen interface and microphone also seem superfluous to me. We've got a controller pad on that thing already--good enough. And I've yet to play a game with microphone control that was enjoyable. Just picked up Mario Party 6 and the mic games were pretty dumb. Is it possible to use the DS like a cellphone? Then it would make more sense to me.

This is all from a guy who has not even played a DS game yet, but is busy designing one for another company right now. (Sorry, that is all I can say. Tell you more after the game is out.)

-Erik

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The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

stigant
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I guess playing a game that only requires you to look in one place is too easy. Its not a challenge anymore. Plus, with the ADD generation coming of age, gamers are becoming more and more restless. Pouring all your energy into focussing at one screen is too hard. They need stimulation from all sides.
[/sarcasm]

Give me another inch of LCD space on the top screen and get rid of the bottom.

Yeah, I wish I could have my task bar back when I play certain other puzzle games

ok, ok, I'm off my horse now... don't shoot sheriff! don't shoot!


[Edited by stigant at Local Time:04-22-2005 at 09:08 PM]

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ErikH2000
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

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It just reminds me of their stupid robot peripheral they had for the NES. Was it called "Max"? I mean unneeded thing are they going to attach to the device next to distinguish themselves from competition? Robot legs? A self-soaping sponge?

-Erik

____________________________
The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

Chalks
Level: Master Delver

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ErikH2000 wrote:
A self-soaping sponge?

Yes.

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

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How about a device that changes your underwear for you?

But seriously, at least a second screen gives the game designers something to use which could at least conceivably enhance game play in some instances. Max (or whatever) was basically useless wrt enhancing game play.

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Chalks
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stigant wrote:
But seriously, at least a second screen gives the game designers something to use which could at least conceivably enhance game play in some instances.

That's the thing though...none of the games I've played on the DS actually use the second screen effectively. They only use it for mundane things like movement (which you can do much more effectively using the D-pad). If they could make a game that REQUIRED a second screen, I would probably like it a lot.

MasterGiga
Level: Delver
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I like both, but if it came down to being able to buy just one...I'd have to go with the PSP at this moment. There aren't any games that I really want to play on either one at this moment. For instance, I have Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 and I REALLY don't think that will go too well on a handheld screen...but that's just me.

So, I'd have to go with the PSP because of a gut feeling of the upcoming games which I think will interest me. Probably won't get either until much later this year.

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Mattcrampy
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I like the idea of the DS - I can think of a few ways to use that touch screen that would be complex or impossible without it. The problem is that there's plenty of games which don't need the touch screen, and the point of the DS is to force developers to be innovative, even when that's not what they're trying to do.

Say a developer has some really good gameplay ideas that could work on the DS or the PSP. On the DS, they then have to come up with a use for a second screen that will be under-utilised as the 'innovative' part of the game has nothing to do with the interface. On the PSP, they just have to make it pretty.

This reminds me: I really, really want to start up a 'Metroid Fund', because the Metroid series seems to be the only series that doesn't really have a third-party developer who has experience with the series (e.g. Capcom has got Zelda experience, so I'd expect they'll get dibs on the Zelda series), so there's a chance the entire shebang will be lost when Nintendo goes under. So I wanna buy it when that happens.

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Nillo
Level: Smitemaster

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I really like the PSP's gui that pops up before you even start a game.

The DS has a GUI too, and it's optional. So I don't believe they are any different in that aspect.

I think that the touchscreen of the DS is the biggest advantage on Nintendo's side. If you use it correctly, it's like a mouse for the PC, which means that you could play all sorts of games like real-time strategy, FPS etc.

Also, my Gameboy Advance stopped working, so I have lots of classics that I wouldn't be able to play if it weren't for the backwards compatibility of the DS.

____________________________
“Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the 'Ellie May,' a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.”

Oneiromancer
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Nillo wrote:
I think that the touchscreen of the DS is the biggest advantage on Nintendo's side. If you use it correctly, it's like a mouse for the PC, which means that you could play all sorts of games like real-time strategy, FPS etc.

(my emphasis added)

That's the problem that most people are posting about...sure you could make really innovative games with the DS (although, FPS mouselook with a stylus? No thanks...), but where are they? The DS doesn't seem to have any "killer apps". Maybe the PSP doesn't either, unless you possibly count Lumines, but the average game appeals to the average gamer more it seems. The PSP seems more like a GBA than the DS does to me...the GUI, music/movie stuff, doesn't matter at all to me...games, gimme good games!

Game on,

____________________________
"He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." -- Tad Williams

gamer_extreme_101
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I'm not sure if you know this, but the DS is not intended to be the next Gameboy Advance or anything. In fact, this is going to end up being more like a PocketPC than an actual gaming system. Nintendo will make an announcement at E3 that will show us the next home console and the next portable console.

So yes, the DS does suck compared to the PSP, but for a completly different reason.

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--That guy with a million different aliases since he doesn't like this name anymore.

Pinnacle
Level: Smitemaster

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Although the DS has more potential for a Lemmings game
than the PSP...

P.S. Just noticed the DROD smileys!

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Once (adv.): Enough.
Twice (adv.): Once too often.
~Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary