SketchUp as a Tool to Speed Game Development
Play sketch up Games in Xna Game studio ?
SketchUp can help game developers because of its speed, which makes it perfect for level designs. Plus, the ease with which SketchUp works aids in creative thinking. You can go directly to 3D modeling without having to work on paper. That's a significant time leap in the development process. As a game designer, you can use SketchUp's 3D drawings to create presentations and concepts quickly, easily and cheaply.
What are some specific uses of SketchUp in game design?
SketchUp drawings are great for story boarding. Since SketchUp can help you add realistic details very quickly, the 3D drawings can be used to plan almost every shot efficiently. This will speed up the entire process of game development, and help you save money. Developers using Microsoft's XNA Game Studio Express program can benefit by using our services or even buying one of our models to plug in the game they are developing for the XBox 360.
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What is your gaming PC configuration
What is your gaming PC configuration
A gaming pc,well that's our strength graphics are our strength.What I use for gaming in my lab is the AMD Phenom II X4965 Black Edition which I have overclocked to 4.2GHz from 3.4GHz,and I ama really happy with its performance,What else is on the machine is our flagship product,the Evergreen HD5970,which I have applied in a Crossfire mode and Eyefinity,and the power supply is close to 1500Watts.So,I do have the fastest gaming machine in india to be Precise,and I really enjoy it.
Games to watch out for in 2010
There are some really high profile releases lined up this year.The year marks the maturity of modern gaming consoles in the market,and games that have been in developments for some time now are finally coming in.Pc gaming is taking somewhat of a back seat,and some long anticipated releases are coming out only on portable consoles(Duke Nukem FTW!).There say that 2010 is going to be the year of 3D television,or of internet tablets,but we already know that it is going to be a great year for gaming,so get out your calender and mark the dates.
BioShock 2:
Sea of Dreams [pc][ps3][x box 360]
release date:Feb 9,2010
Red steel[wii]
Release date:march 25,2010
God of War 3[ps3]
Release date:March 2010
Assassin's Creed II[pc]
Release date:March 18,2010
Star Wars:The force unleashed II[ps3][xbox360][wii][Ds][psp]
Release Date:December 2010
Crysis 2[pc][ps3][xbox 360]
Release date:December 2010
Max Payne 3[pc][ps3][xbox360]
Release Date:October,2010.
Prince of Persia:The forgotten sands[pc][ps3][xbox360][wii][Ds][psp]
Release Date:May 1,2010.
The best gaming processor
The best gaming processorWhen selecting a gaming processor, the aspects associated with such a process require you to understand at least the minimum specifications. No matter what the occasion, a gaming computers CPU is behind all operation while a system is functioning. In this article, you can find details regarding processor performance qualities and other relevant information.
Games are being introduced into the market with more complexity than ever, requiring gaming processors to balance enough technologies to meet such a dilemma. Finding a processor within a suitable budget is fairly easy to accomplish, so lets emphasize on the details you need to understand.
First and foremost, you should begin this process by selecting a manufacturer, either Intel or AMD, and then choose one of the many models they offer for gaming enthusiasts. In regards to performance capabilities, your budget and preferences will suite your needs, which will ultimately determine a contender. After you have chosen either of the brands and selected a potential model, here are the facts you need to be aware of.
Socket RelationshipSince the processor is a separate component, it requires proper placement on the motherboard. Gaming motherboards come equipped with "sockets," to incorporate a CPU into. These sockets are very specific, so choosing one with the appropriate specs. is necessary. We recommend any gaming processor that fits in an LGA 775 (Socket T) or AM2 Socket at minimum. Its up to you to pick a compatible motherboard / processor combo.
Gaming Processor Speed (Frequency)The clock speed is the measurement of how fast a gaming processor can perform an activity. Clock speeds are signified in GH/z, which generally run at a higher operating frequency for gaming processors, especially when overclocking is involved.
To benefit a gaming computer, ensure that the optimum frequency is attainable when your considering over clocking and produces stable results in conjunction with the FSB, that's if your mobo still uses a FSB. You can find more information by visiting the links below.
Dedicated Memory SupplyEvery modern gaming oriented processor is equipped with its own deposits of fast-access cache. These caches frequently access previously used data, upon request by the processors "core." For gaming computers, we recommend purchasing the largest amount possible, particularly for the capacities of the "L2," and "L3," caches. How does this benefit gaming environments? By allowing the CPU access to data it needs in a more effective manner, this prevents it from requesting data from the system memory and secondary memory drives, which operate slower and take longer to retrieve data.
Amount of Processor "Core"With all new CPU technologies, so come initiative processes for calculating data. Multi-core solutions seemed to have done the trick, and the method Intel and AMD have implemented these architectures to increase productivity, has benefited gaming computers significantly. The aspect to this specification is simple. You should aim for a processor that has either two or four processing cores. The technicality behind this schema involves how these individual core operate. For more details, the links below provide you with more information regarding gaming CPU operation.
There are still many important concepts to choosing a gaming processor, so we included the links below so you can access this information. With all of this advice provided by this article and on our site, you should be able to make a confident purchase when browsing the various gaming processors available.
Gaming hands free.
Gaming hands free.
Now we are big fans of gaming and while futuristic hand gloves aren't going to hit us anytime soon,motion tracking is anice thing to have in games-You can move your character around by using your hands for example.Project Natal seemsto be shaping up well,but it still isn't here.With just web camera,you can now have a motion tracking device for free.Use software called Free Track (HTTP://www.free-track.net) and you can soon control your game views using your head.The plot is simple-the web camera detects a set number of points on your head.one of the things that greatly improve the tracking performance is use of LEDs.These are things you can easily buy off the market and build yourself.A few PDFs are available with guides on how to build your own head gear.
The "free" future of gaming is fast approaching. I don't mean free, as it relates to your wallet, but free as it relates to what goes into the game system and what goes in your hands. This means more downloadable games, and less discs, cartridges, and controllers. Will this future also be make gaming get at least a little closer to monetarily free? In the short term, no. In the long-term, possibly.
From a disc/cartridge-free perspective, Sony is currently the farthest along among the three major console developers. Their recently released "PSP Go" system does not take UMDs that the prior versions of the hand-held system ran games off of. Instead games can only be purchased via an online store and then downloaded onto the system. The PSP Go comes with built-in memory of 16 GB and can have more memory if an additional memory stick is purchased. Like any "first" in technology, the PSP Go is not actually the future of gaming. For one thing, it offers no tangible benefit over the preexisting PSP units other than being smaller.
The older PSP systems are also capable of downloading games off of the store AND can use discs.Furthermore the PSP Go is more expensive and, importantly, the PSP itself is one of the least sold consoles to begin with. It only narrowly outsells the PS2 on a monthly basis, which was released several years earlier.
For there to be success with a download-only system it must either be an entirely new console with unique games and features, or be cheaper than the alternative. Realistically, the cheaper idea is not going to work.
Microsoft has no incentive to sell a new version of the X box 360 that could only run downloadable games for less than the console they are already selling. So, as I said it won't be helping out your wallets in the near future. There has already been some success in adding downloadable games to consoles as one option though. Hits such as Braid and Geometry Wars 2 have been only available for download. As a result of games like this I would not be shocked to see at least 1 of the successors to a current platform (360, PS3, Wii, DS, or PSP) be fully disc-free from the get-go. Just don't expect it be any cheaper for it.
Next is the controller-free concept. Nintendo really made hitting the "non-gamer" market its priority. To do this they made each of their newer consoles have less traditional video game controllers. Each has buttons, but the DS also as an interactive touchscreen and the Wii uses a controller that has motion-sensing controls.
It has so far worked out beyond anyone's beliefs for them with the Wii and DS easily outselling the competition, after Nintendo's more traditional approach, the Gamecube was outsold by the Xbox and PS2.Clearly, Sony and Microsoft heard this news just like the rest of this. At an important video game trade show, E3, this year Sony showed off a motion sensor controller and Microsoft unveiled a totally hands-free way of controlling a game through a camera, complete with voice-activation.
Now camera based gaming is nothing new. Microsoft even has a "vision camera" for the Xbox 360. The Play station 2 had something similar called the Eye Toy. These have always been gimmicky pieces of hardware with limited support and usually poor functionality. With Microsoft's new camera feature codenamed "Natal," they seem to be hoping to make it more mainstream and usable. Whether this iteration of the hands-free gaming will be the one to finally take-off has yet to be seen. Certainly, it has more buzz around it than the Eye Toy or vision camera and major developers have been reported to be looking into its practicality and application in games. Regardless, it is clear that the concept of a controller-free gaming universe is one that is not dying off and I believe it is becoming evident that it will become more and more widespread as the years go by.
Gaming PCs :With NVIDIA's new "Fermi" Video Card
CyberPower Adds Crystal Clarity and Blazing Speed to Gaming PCs With NVIDIA's new "Fermi" Video Card
www.cyberpowerpc.com today announced that its high-end gaming desktop PCs will be infused with NVIDIA's new Fermi graphics processor. The Fermi architecture for Windows 7 desktop PCs brings a new level of realism to gaming with DirectX11 support, 3D Vision Surround, CUDA architecture for faster downloads and read backs, and phys x for more realistic gaming interaction.
CyberPower 's top-of-the-line Black Pearl, Black Mamba Fang Series and Gamer Extreme 3D desktop gaming rigs will all feature NVIDIA's Fermi cards. CyberPower's entire Gamer Extreme line will also have options for customers to upgrade to NVIDIA Fermi architecture cards. When combined with Intel's latest six-core process CPUS, CyberPower customers can be assured their custom gaming PC will pump out geometric realism, while offering increased image quality, and extreme performance.
CyberPower customers can choose between NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 480 GeForce GTX 470 graphics cards in single, dual, or even triple video card configurations.
CyberPower customers are assured that Fermi-based systems will have all the compatible components such as SLI-ready motherboards, power supplies and cooling options to be able to add a second GPU without having to upgrade any components.
All CyberPower Fermi-equipped systems can be easily customized with a number of hard drive and/or SSD, optical drive, memory, and other peripheral components options at the company website. All systems are pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit Operating System to enhance your gaming and multimedia experience.
All CyberPower computer systems come with a 3-year limited warranty and free lifetime phone support.
PS3 LINUX
Install Linux Safely And Effectively Without Voiding Your Warranty & Turn Your PS3 Into A Powerful PC!
Do you want to install Linux safely on your PS3? How about the ability to play DVD`s on an advanced DVD player? Well now you can with LinuxforPS3 Installer. Our new and revolutionary software will let you do all this and more. Turn your PS3 into a powerful PC with multitasking abilities literally overnight!
Installing Linux onto your PS3 is a tricky business and shouldn`t be done without the know-how. Using LinuxforPS3installer you will be able to install Linux safely and easily, without voiding your PS3`s warranty.
Simply download our LinuxforPS3installer product , then follow our easy instructions that we provide. You can choose exactly which version of Linux you want to install along with all their great features.
Another great feature about LinuxforPS3installer is the emulator feature. With this you can use Linux to install the Windows operating system. The possibilites with this are endless as you will be able to play PC games, run Windows applications and so much more.
Turn your PS3 into a multifunctional computer by installing Linux safely.
Run the emulator and install the Windows operating system and more.
Play 50% more file formats, never have an un-playable file again!
Use advanced movie players to play your downloaded movies.
Receive lifetime upgrades for free with the best features possible.
Play PC games and run PC applications with no hassle.
Install Yellow Dog Linux and Ubuntu Linux!
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PLAYSTATION-2 Extra Features
Extra Features
* Can I play my older PSone games on the PlayStation 2?
Yes, PS2 is 100% backward compatible. It will not only play your older games, it has two selectable features that you can use to enhance the games:
- A speed setting which allows you to switch between 33.8 Mhz or 37.5Mhz to speed up load times on some games.
- The other is a Texture Interpolation option which can clean up jagged edges and other problems with textures in some games.
However, there have been known compatibility problems with some PSone games.
* Can I play all DVD movies on the PlayStation 2?
As long as they're from the same region as the PS2! A PAL PS2 will not play NTSC DVDs and vice versa.
You can use your regular gamepad or invest in the add-on remote control unit + IR receiver for the PS2. The new PS2 models have the IR receiver implemented on the main unit, so you only require an additional remote. If you're controlling the DVD playback with your game controller, the button functions are as follows:
D-pad - Cursor Control
Start - Pause/Play
Select - Display the Control Panel
L2 - Rewind
R2 - Fast Forward
L1 - Previous Chapter
PS2-EXTRA FEATURES
R1 - Next Chapter
L3 - Subtitle Options
R3 - Audio Options
X - Enter
Triangle - DVD Menu
Circle - Cancel/Stop
Square - Title Menu
Expandability
The expansion bay (located at the back of the PS2) is provided for a Hard Drive upgrade. If you wish to install Linux on your PS2 or play Final Fantasy XI, then you'll need the hard drive upgrade.
*
The Linux kit allows you to use your PS2 as a fully functional desktop computer. The addition of an internal hard disc drive, a keyboard, mouse and computer monitor (monitor not included) allow you to install and run a wide variety of computer applications that have been written for the Linux operating system. In addition, the kit allows you to develop your own programs that operate on Linux.
For more information on expandability options for the PS2, refer to this article here.
Modifying your PlayStation 2
A Mod Chip will allow your console to play games from other regions that your PlayStation 2 is normally not compatible with. Mod chips also allow you to play backed up games and pirated, unauthorized or illegal copies. The law in most countries will allow the purchaser of any original game to be backed-up to protect against loss due to or damage of the original. However, the PS2 has a protection scheme that essentially removes the ability to use copies. The mod chip will bypass this protection and enable the use of backups and imports from other countries. Anyone who purchases a mod chip must be aware that the use of pirate software is illegal and they must own the original game before copying a disc or using a copied disc.
*What Else is a Mod Chip useful for?
Mod Chips are required to run unauthorized software like the PS2 media player. This software is not illegal in anyway, its just not officially authorized by Sony Computer Entertainment. You can find more information on the PS2 media player here.
* Will a Mod Chip harm my PlayStation 2?
Most mod chips require a skillful installation which includes opening your console and soldering. If it's not done right, there are chances that your system may be rendered useless. Make sure you get an experienced electronics workman to modify your PlayStation 2.
That's it for now! Expect a "PS2 Expanded" article very soon!
PS2 Controllers AndMemory Cards
* What's a Dual Shock 2 controller and how is it different from a Dual Shock controller?
Dual Shock 2 is the official controller for the PlayStation 2. The Dual Shock 2 controller features vibration function and analog controls for the PS2. The only difference between the original Dual Shock and the Dual Shock 2 is the Analog Buttons, and the black color of the Dual Shock 2.
* Can I add more than 2 controllers to the PlayStation 2?
Yes, but you'll have to use a PlayStation 2 compatible Multi Tap adapter. The Multi Tap adapter allows you to use 1 to 4 PlayStation 2 controllers simultaneously so you can play any game that supports over 2 players. The Multi Tap plugs in either controller port, which means two Multi Taps could easily be used for games that support up to 8 people. The Multi Tap is compatible with many PlayStation multi-player titles.
* What other types of controllers are available for the PlayStation 2?
Many games cannot be played to their capacity with the regular Dual Shock 2 controller. These games require specialized controllers, the most common of which are mentioned below:
Racing Wheel: As the name suggests, the wheel is the best and arguably the most user-friendly way to play racing games. The wheel is usually shaped like a regular car steering wheel and sometimes comes with pedals and gear attachments for true-to-life racing feel.
Light Gun: The light gun can be used with arcade shooting games like Time Crisis 2 or other such shooting games. To use it all you need to do is aim on your TV screen and pull the trigger at the targets. Many light guns come with enhancements like turbo fire and auto-reload functions.
Dance Mat: Music games such as Dance Dance Revolution or Britney's Dance Beat can be turned to party games with these handy dance mats. All you need to do is match the screen instructions with the buttons on the mat and you'll find yourself playing and dancing with the game.
Keyboard + Mouse: The USB ports on the PS2 support most standard usb Keyboards and mice (compatibility issues may arise with a few brands). You can use these devices for playing selected first person shooters like Red Faction 2.
EyeToy: Sony's recently launched EyeToy is basically a USB camera that comes bundled with 12 mini-games. With the help of the camera you can put yourself in the EyeToy compatible games and physically interact with them.
*What's a memory card for?
A memory card is an 8 MB flash memory unit which allows you to save your game's settings and game progress on.
*Can I use PlayStation (PSone) memory cards on the PlayStation 2?
Only if you're playing a PSone game.
GUIDE TO PLAYSTATION-2
BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO PLAYSTATION-2
With the whole console gaming revolution rapidly taking place in India, we at Techtree.com feel it's about time the Indian consumer got all his doubts cleared about the console that is rapidly gaining popularity out here and around the world. This guide is not meant in any way to help you with troubleshooting; it will just inform you about everything you need to know about the PlayStation 2 and what you can do with it.
So here it is, everything you wanted to know about the PlayStation 2 but didn't know who to ask --
Hardware
* First comes first, what is a PlayStation 2?
PlayStation 2 (PS2) is the latest in Sony's PlayStation series of home-gaming consoles. Unlike its predecessor, the PLAYSTATION 2 primarily uses DVD media for its games, and is capable of playing DVD movies.
* What are the Specs of PlayStation 2?
CPU: 128 Bit "Emotion Engine"
System Clock: 300 MHz
System Memory: 32 MB Direct Rambus
Memory Bus Bandwidth: 3.2 GB per second
Co-Processor: FPU (Floating Point Multiply Accumulator x 1, Floating Point Divider x 1)
Vector Units: VU0 and VU1 (Floating Point Multiply Accumulator x 9, Floating Point Divider x 1)
Floating Point Performance: 6.2 GFLOPS
3D CG Geometric Transformation: 66 million Polygons per Second
Compressed Image Decoder: MPEG2
Graphics: "Graphics Synthesizer"
Clock Frequency: 150MHz
DRAM Bus bandwidth: 48 GB Per Second
DRAM Bus width: 2560 bits
Pixel Configuration: RGB:Alpha:Z Buffer (24:8:32)
Maximum Polygon Rate: 75 Million Polygons Per Second
Sound: "SPU2+CPU"
Number of voices: ADPCM: 48 channel on SPU2 plus definable by software
Sampling Frequency: 44.1 KHz or 48 KHz (selectable)
I/O Processor
CPU Core: PlayStation 1 CPU
Clock Frequency: 33.8 MHz or 37.5 MHz (selectable)
Sub Bus: 32 Bit
Interface Types: IEEE1394, Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Disc Media: 4X DVD-ROM (24X CD-ROM)
* What's the price of a PlayStation 2?
Officially, the PlayStation 2 is available for Rs. 15,990 (unmodified, with one controller) but you can probably find one at under Rs. 13,000 (with a mod chip, one controller) on the street.
* Can I play Video CDs on the PlayStation 2?
No. But you can play music CDs and movie DVDs.
* Is there any other way I can connect my PlayStation 2 to the television besides the regular composite cable provided?
There are third-party cables available for connecting the PS2 to the S-Video slot of your TV for higher image quality. There is also a digital optical out on the back of the PS2 where you can connect an amplified speaker system for true 5.1 surround sound.
connectivity
Since the playstation 3 was always targeted at being a convergence box,sony had thrown in a lot of connectivity options into the system.
For connecting to a television,a monitor or a project,the user can use either an HDMI or component cable.While the ps3 can be connected to multiple screen at a time through these ports,dual-screen modes are not supported as of now.
A side-view of the PS3 showcases its several
ports for connectivity
For the internet,a PS3 also has bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP built into system,which is used to connect to the controllers or any other accessories wirelessly.At any one time,the PS3 can support up to seven controllers.
In case a user wants to transfer data from an external hard disk or a USB drive,the two USB ports at the front will come in hardly.This provides as easy way to back-up your saved games and other data,althrough the need forit it is greatly reduced by the large hard disks.
Some versions of the PS3,such as the 60 GB and the 80 GB units,also come with a 5-in-1 memory card reader.This support most of sony's proprietary formats and SD cards,but you will need an adapter to connect a micro-SD card.
HARD DISK-PS3
The PS3 comes with diffrent-sized hard disk,ranging from 20GB right up to 80GB.The coolest part about the ps3 is that it uses a standard 2.5inch SATA hard disk.This means that as long as you find a model that is compatible with the PS3,you could easily replace the current hard disk with a larger-capacity offering.
Now,be advised that doing so might void your warranty,and so you should only be taking on the task if you know what you are doing.Refer to a few online tutorials and videos before you decide to go i Apart from boasting of large storage cpacities,the
ps3 hard disk also offers the unique proposition of letting throw in their own2.5 inch drive
in for bigger storage
Blu-Ray ROM -PS3
The playstation 3 was also to intorduce sony's new format for optical disks.dubbed Blu-Ray.By now,the war between sony's Blu-Ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD is long over with the former emerging triumphant,but at the time of the PS3'S launch,it was a big deal indeed!
Sony was touting these disks as the future of multimedia,and gaming in particular,with a single Blu-Ray ROM affect release dates of games?Well,a large portion of developing a video game is in figuring out how to fit millions of lines of programming into the tiny 4.5-9 GB DVDs that are currently available.If a disk allowed programmers to not go through the shrinkage process,the ability to release a game becomes that much faster.
HARDWARE(CELL PROCESSOR)
HARDWARE
At the core of everything that the ps3 stands for is the awesome processor that was custom-built for it,dubbed the 'cell processor'
The story goes that after launching the ps2,sony executive wanted their next console to have the capability of outperforming the ever-increasing hardware of computers around it.The processor -the heart of any computing-was narrowed down as the one ascept to concentrate
on and make it unbeatable.
The ps3's heart can run eight processes in parallel,making it the fastest home-user processor ont he planet.And hey,it's being used by scientiest for super-computers tool.
The company then approached IBM,hte worlds leading makers and innovators of chips,to build a processor that would be two generations a head of the pc processor prevalent at the time.IBM was glad to oblige,but asked for a little help.in 2000,an alliance called STI was formed between IBM,sony computer entertainment and toshiba,who togeather worked on the design of the cell broadband engine architecture(CBEA), commonly known as the cell microprocessor.The first chip was tested in the SIT design cenetr at austin,texas.And the first real application, of course,was in the playstation 3.
Getting into the techenical ascepts of the cell processor would entail a lesson in microprocessor technology,with phrases like 'power processor element'and 'synergistic processing elements'being thrown about every couple of sentences.
In layman's terms,the cell processor is an eight-core processor,which means that it can compute eight different processor at the same time-a fantastic achivenment to improve the speed of computing.Each of these eight'cores' is also fitted with 256kb of memeory for local storage when processing an instruction.
The biggest problem for IBM with building such a chip was in figuring out how solved this problem by ensuring that the ps3 is smart enough to determine which cores are being used at a time and allot new
operations accordingly.
In the end,the 64-bit architecture,coupled with the 3.2 GHz core clock speed and the PS3 runs at 3.2GHz,that is the most commonly cited clock speed for it.
A worrying factor for such a high-powered processor is over-heating.In the PS3,sony managed to make room for a high-quality heat-sink that enables the cell processor to run smoothly at temputure as high as 85 degrees celsius.
Now,with these kinds of speeds,the amount of reliance on other factors of
computing,such as the RAM or the graphicscard, is substantilly reduced.Not that it stopped sony from coming out with a jaw-dropping graphics chipset............
RSX Reality Synthesizer
Just as sony went to the leaders of the chip-making world for its cell Microprocessor,it went to the leaders
of the graphic processing unit(GPU) manufactures for the PS3's graphics card.Nvidia was glad to help out in building what sony eventually called the 'reality synthesizer RSX'graphic unit.
More powerfull than Geforce 6800 ultra card put togeather(and that's togeather,not SLI)
At that time,Nvidia was 7000-series of graphic card and had already come out with the G70 basearchitecture for its premium modle,the
GeForce 7800GT.Sony liked what that-not a future-proof graphic card,for sure,but the company didn't feel the need to do that because of the cell processor taking on a large amount of the graphics processing responsibilities.
The chip was ready quickly,running at a core clock of 550MHz and utilising 256MB of video
memory.Nvidia and sony often touted the power of the RSX by saying it was more powerful than two GeForce 6800 Ultra graphics card combined.
The RSX can easily output resolution of up to 1080p;but an important feature is its upscaling ability.When
you put in a regular DVD or VCD ,the ps3 uses the incoming video data tosend the information to the RSX,which refines the image quality when playing it back,For multimedia lovers and especially fans of old hindi movies,this is a godsend!With the 256 MB of memory here and the 256 MB of dedicated memory on board the PS3,the RAM ps pretty much the only part of the console that is a downer in an otherwise magnifiient hardware setup.
SONY PLAYSTATION 3
VIDEO GAME CONSOLES
Without a doubt,the most highly anticipated product in this generation of consoles was sony's playstation 3 (ps3).The orginal playstation and the playstation 2 had already been mega-hits,and with microsoft upping ante with the x-box 360,the world was ready for sony to take it head0on.
SONY PLAY STATION 3(PS3) GAME CONSOLE
And what a reply it was!sony came out with what it regularly touted as a minisupercoumpter and its foray into the'convergence box'-a central multimedia and computing devicde to replace all others in a household.The playstation 3 first launched in japan on november 11 2006, and sold 81,639 systems within 24 hours,accourding to media crate.
PLAYSTATION EYE
Before Microsoft and Mintendo ever got serious with tracking motion based features for gaming,playstation
had already been in the market with the EyeToy for PS2.The popular accessory got an upgrade for the ps3,dubbed the playstation Eye,which features more sensitivity and faster feedback.
Before the wii and project natal,sony was already rocking some motin-input games with the playstation eye webcame
Trumpeting the 'bigger and better' horn.the playstation Eye claims t orecord 640*480 pixcels VGA video at frame rates of 60HZ and 320*240 pixcels video at 120Hz-twice that of the EyeToy.
The camera features a two-setting adjustiable fixed focus zoom lens.selectedmanually by rotating the lens barrel,the playstation Eye can be set to set to a 56deg field of views similar to that of the EyeToy,for close-up framing in chat application,or a 75deg field of view for long shot framing in interactive physical application
The playstation Eye also has a built-in microphone that can be used for voice tracking and background noise suppression,and most importantly,audio that because of its high
sensitivity in trtacking the user's voice,the playstation Eye can easily replace a headset as your mike of choice.
It features EyeCreate clips directly to the memory unit of the playstation 3 console.EyeCreate features a variety of diffrent capturing modes,including stop motion and time-lapse,Through the software,Users can edit,save,and share their own cuatom images,movies,amd audio content.
WIRELESS KEYPAD
Since the ps3 was always computer,the introduction of a wireless keyboard was only a matter of time,as without it,browsing the internetis nearly impossible and of course,with the introduction of a wireless keyboard was only amatter of time,as wihout it,browsingthe internet is nearly impossible.And of course,with the introduction of PSN Home and other clients,gamers needed a way to be able to chat with each other.
So,last year,sony came out with a clip-on keyboard for the sixaxis or dualshock3 controller,which frankly made the whole unit remind us a bit of Darth Vader!The peripheral is quite ugly and tips weight of the controller forward by an unheathely amount.Plus,sincse it comes roght above the L1 and R1buttons,switching between the four forward-facing buttons invariably ends up with your fingers scraping the bottom of
the keypad.
Altogeather, it's quite an ugly anoying and we don't really recommend it.However,if you are interesed in wireless keyboard for your ps3,you would do well to check out the logitech cordless MediaBoard Pro.sweet!
THE PLAYSTATION NETWORK
THE PLAYSTATION NETWORK
The best part about PSN is that it is completely free.
While Microsoft went for a paid revenue servive,sony realised that geeting users online was paramount and all revenue would be made from sales in the playstation store and through advertising.
The PSN has five main categories:sign up,Game,playstation store,Friends and internet Browser.
There are two type of PSN accounts:master accounts and sub accounts.Master accounts can be created by a regestired user of a specefied age or older,and holders accounts can adjust settings such as monthly spending limits or resterictions on voice/video chat for assoiciated sub accounts.Sub accounts can be used by anyone,including minors,and are monitred by the associated master account holder.Sub account holders cannot to pay fpr products and services.
In the playstation store,user can download and busy various content such as full games,add-on content,playable demos,thems and game and movie trailers.The PS store user real-world currency of the country that the user is in;so when you are using the indian PSN,all your transiations will be in rupees.The amount of the money you have been controlled through the virtual 'wallet',to which you can add and delete funds.
In case online transiations scare you dude to privacy concerns,playstation also has network card available that uses can buy in physical form and user the digital currency stored on them.
PLAYSTATION HOME
The idea of online avatars and social networking has really caught on with the advent of virtual worlds such as second Life,seeing their
popularity,sony wanted in on it and created playstation Home-a virtual world thats lets PSN users creat a personalised avatar,have their own apartenment(called persional space),meet other players,etc.
The avatar's clothing and accessories can also be customised using a set of standard items,bought from one of the clothing shop in home's shopping complex,or won items from Home's mini-games that support Home rewards.The user the ability to save up to nine versions of their avatar for quick access at any time.
LINUX YELLOW DOG -WHY IT RULES
WHY IT RULES
Linux Yellow Dog-for techies the most intresting feature of the playstation 3 was the fact that it ran on the open source Linux operating system.And whant's more,sony executives encouraged developers to build Linux distros for the product!
TerraSoft(Now Fixstars)was among the first to take up the challenge,releasing a fully-functioning version of the popular Yellow Dog Linux for the ps3.
Many enthsiasts quickly loaded the OS onto the console and were amazed at
how well it ran.If you connected up a keyboard and a mouse.the ps3 could very easily function as a full-fledged PC!
Of course,YellowDog has still not been able to take full advantage of the eight cores of the cell processor,and hence the 256MB RAM seems a bit weak at times.But the guys at fixstar continually updating the software to take full advantage of this mighty processor.
