New Site > Gp2x Vs Psp


Radek posted on Oct 22 2005 at 10:47 PM said:
OrR posted on Oct 22 2005 at 10:10 PM said:
DS=2*256*192=512*192=98.304<130.560=480*272=PSP
But the fact that the DS is split into two screens and in many cases only one is useful makes it worse. For example RTS games can be played on one screen only because only one is touchscreen. 256*192 is very small for RTS.
I hate Nintendo for messing up the system design. I'd really love to get a DS if it wasn't for the awful design and the tiny touchscreen. On the other hand the PSP is such a mess that I won't even consider getting one.

The DS is very weak compared to the PSP. It's in all aspects (pixel pushing power, cpu perfomance, basically in an everything). The GP2x does look like it has much more powerful hardware than DS too. The only DS's advantage is it that it's so unique. The dual screens for example might be interesting sometimes. But overall the DS is a weakest handheld of the three.
Throw a PSP and a DS against a wall. Now tell me again which is weak. :blink: Specs aren't everything. The DS has much more interesting games that the PSP which hasn't really one interesting game. And a touchscreen is n an absolute necessity on a handheld for me, it will be difficult without one on the GP2X.
 
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OrR posted on Oct 22 2005 at 10:10 PM said:
I hate Nintendo for messing up the system design. I'd really love to get a DS if it wasn't for the awful design and the tiny touchscreen. On the other hand the PSP is such a mess that I won't even consider getting one.
Scrap the design and the touchscreen, and it ain't a DS anymore. :) You need to wait for GB Hyper Advance, or whatever they are going to call GBA's successor.
 
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No because I've already got a Zodiac. :p
I could live with the low res touchscreen because there is no way making it bigger without making it incompatible. However, the design needs to be reworked before I consider gettig one.
 
There isn't? Surely you could set a specified bit in the firmware to 1 for a new screen, and have more modern games check this before using higher res images, and for those games that didn't check it, simply position the image with big black borders...

Don't see where the incompatibility arises, tbh, unless there are similar issues as with the BLU+es, although with a company like Ninty, I'd be *very* surprised if that happened. They'd be more likely to custom make their own screens than let that kinda thing get in the way of future game sales...
 
Ok, it could be made but it would be a little messy and Ninty likely wouldn't admit their mistake. The next problem is that it would make making games more difficult or newer games wouldn't work with the old system.
 
OrR posted on Oct 22 2005 at 11:22 PM said:
Throw a PSP and a DS against a wall. Now tell me again which is weak. :blink: Specs aren't everything. The DS has much more interesting games that the PSP which hasn't really one interesting game. And a touchscreen is n an absolute necessity on a handheld for me, it will be difficult without one on the GP2X.

But I have mean only the specs. ;)

In that sense the DS is weakest overall. Of course be free to disagree. :D
 
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Shane R. Monroe posted on Oct 22 2005 at 04:33 PM said:
I
"Low res" screen.  2 x 256 x 192 gives a combined resolution of 512x384 ... The PSP clocks in at 480x272.  Technically speaking, the DS has MORE resolution than the PSP. 

"Brick of a system" ... Man, visual comparison says they ain't that far removed from each other. 


Adding up screen res is like adding two 16 bit CPUs and calling the system 32 bit. It doesn't work that way. When you are playing a game the action is happenning on one screen, a 3" 256 x 192 screen. The DS only does the 3d on one screen while the other is mostly a map or HUD etc. Like a 2x 16 bit system which is better than a 1x 16 bit system , having two low res screens is better than one low res screen. The better solution to me is one larger higher res screen though. You can't emulate too much properly on a 256 x 192 screen as it is hot a high enough res to display all of the game screen, and the second screen doesn't help with that at all.

It is a brick not just in size but in functionality. The DS has to be one of the most uncomfortable systems for me to play ever. You hold with one hand while pressing with the stylus with the other making it just plain awkward. Then the buttons are small and too close together and the d-pad is not the best either. I just could never get into the DS even though I have one.
 
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DaveC posted on Oct 23 2005 at 07:42 AM said:
The DS only does the 3d on one screen while the other is mostly a map or HUD etc.
It could do 3D on both screens. If anyone would use it... -_-
 
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DaveC posted on Oct 23 2005 at 05:42 AM said:
Adding up screen res is like adding two 16 bit CPUs and calling the system 32 bit. It doesn't work that way. When you are playing a game the action is happenning on one screen, a 3" 256 x 192 screen. The DS only does the 3d on one screen while the other is mostly a map or HUD etc. Like a 2x 16 bit system which is better than a 1x 16 bit system , having two low res screens is better than one low res screen. The better solution to me is one larger higher res screen though. You can't emulate too much properly on a 256 x 192 screen as it is hot a high enough res to display all of the game screen, and the second screen doesn't help with that at all.

It is a brick not just in size but in functionality. The DS has to be one of the most uncomfortable systems for me to play ever. You hold with one hand while pressing with the stylus with the other making it just plain awkward. Then the buttons are small and too close together and the d-pad is not the best either. I just could never get into the DS even though I have one.

Hmmm no

you got a PSP :)
 
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OrR posted on Oct 23 2005 at 10:28 AM said:
DaveC posted on Oct 23 2005 at 07:42 AM said:
The DS only does the 3d on one screen while the other is mostly a map or HUD etc.
It could do 3D on both screens. If anyone would use it... -_-

It's not often used because the ARM9 can only write to the screens one at a time, once per frame. So, 30 FPS maximum instead of 60. That's a major drawback. And the ARM7 which can control its own screen isn't powerful enough for the sort of 3D the ARM9 would be saddled with.
 
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On the other hand, having two screens is damn handy. I've been playing Castlevania a lot recently, and while it doesnt' make a lot of use of the DS's features, it's nice. Usually you have a map up there, but a quick tap of select will display stats and information on the last enemy you were attacking.

Now, I've played a lot of Castlevania games before, and never before have a broken off a fight in order to go look up enemy information in the menu-screen someplace.

I won't deny that the DS is weaker in terms of processing power, but it does make for anengaging gaming experience. The addition of touch, voice and dual screens is something that you don't - nay, CAN'T get on PSP right now. And to be fair, you CAN'T get graphics that look as good as the PSP's on the DS.
 
Cyclops posted on Oct 23 2005 at 04:04 PM said:
Hmmm no

you got a PSP :)

I have a PSP, DS, GBA, GBA-SP, Lynx, PC-EXP, GP32 NLU, GP32 BLU. Old Casio PPC, and used to have a Zodiac.

How would you know what I have or don't have ;)
 
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DaveC posted on Oct 24 2005 at 05:52 PM said:
I have a PSP, DS, GBA, GBA-SP, Lynx, PC-EXP, GP32 NLU, GP32 BLU. Old Casio PPC, and used to have a Zodiac.

How would you know what I have or don't have ;)

Then you should have a look at what chip the PSP uses.

Having 2 screens is like having....2 screens.
 
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Cyclops posted on Oct 24 2005 at 07:55 PM said:
DaveC posted on Oct 24 2005 at 05:52 PM said:
I have a PSP, DS, GBA, GBA-SP, Lynx, PC-EXP, GP32 NLU, GP32 BLU. Old Casio PPC, and used to have a Zodiac.

How would you know what I have or don't have ;)

Then you should have a look at what chip the PSP uses.

Having 2 screens is like having....2 screens.
Any other wonderful observation nuggets for us? Perhaps telling us how having a touch screen is like... having a touch screen? Or how using a D-pad is EXACTLY the same as... using a D-pad? Perhaps you could employ this awesome ability on things outside of handhelds, and tell us how trees are the same as trees. ;)
 
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TheTurnipKing posted on Oct 24 2005 at 07:48 PM said:
Any other wonderful observation nuggets for us? Perhaps telling us how having a touch screen is like... having a touch screen? Or how using a D-pad is EXACTLY the same as... using a D-pad? Perhaps you could employ this awesome ability on things outside of handhelds, and tell us how trees are the same as trees. ;)

If you can't follow a thread you should decline to comment read further-up.

Adding up screen res is like adding two 16 bit CPUs and calling the system 32 bit. It doesn't work that way. When you are playing a game the action is happenning on one screen, a 3" 256 x 192 screen. The DS only does the 3d on one screen while the other is mostly a map or HUD etc. Like a 2x 16 bit system which is better than a 1x 16 bit system , having two low res screens is better than one low res screen. The better solution to me is one larger higher res screen though. You can't emulate too much properly on a 256 x 192 screen as it is hot a high enough res to display all of the game screen, and the second screen doesn't help with that at all.

The observational nugget as you kindly put it is that two screens are just that two screens, they cannot (and certainly not by someone with zero understanding) be compared to two processers, or 16 bit to 32 bit. DaveC is advertising the PSP again.

Whats wrong with talking about screen real estate in the DS, the blindingly obvious, the fact that there is a hinge in the way. In reality the DS uses the 2 screens to seperate, aspects of the game, and does so effectively.

If we are asking the real question how would a GP DS benefit from emulation. I'm thinking scratch free screen(clamshell design) 2x screen real estate, and vertical games. Through in a bit of touchscreen and freeciv,statagus,xconquest,wesnoth and the many other statergy games become a bit more practical. What of emulation. I personally think it would be very cool for amiga/atari st or any other computer emulation to have a virtual keyboard on one pad. It would become a cameleon of portables. Would these things work better than a large single screen the answer is yes. would it be better for DaveC's snes emulation the answer is no.
 
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Man, I was going to respong, but Cyclops pretty much summed it up.

I want to point out that humans (read this as DEVELOPERS) will always choose the path of least resistance when it comes to development. If you have a portable Playstation - you're going to get protable Playstation games. That's fine - if you like portal Playstation games and you're not sick of the constant rehashing of games.

Personally, I've been gaming for 25 years. I want something new. PSP isn't designed for "something new" - its designed for "the same crap, just smaller". The DS FORCES developers to reconsider development. Some have done AMAZING jobs (Kirby's Canvas Curse) while others keep trying to force the same console games down our throat without even a kiss or reach around before screwing us (Marvel Nemesis). Take a chance. Try something new. The most ENGAGING games I've seen on the DS have no means of play with a PSP or many other devices (including the GP2x) - Meteos, Pac-Pix (the only game yet that EVERYONE has wanted to play after seeing it - gamer or non-gamer alike), Trauma Center, etc.

I believe in the tactile interactive experience now. I wasn't sure in the beginning ... but I'm convinced. Anyone that's performed a couple of surgerys on Trauma Center knows what I'm talking about.

And what makes the DS any more uncomfortable than using a PDA or worse yet, a cell phone to game on?

Again, I'm the last person to recommend a DS for emulation - but dammit, I'm having a damn good time with mine (Metroid Pinball today - WHOO HOO!)
 
Shane R. Monroe posted on Oct 25 2005 at 02:28 PM said:
Man, I was going to respong, but Cyclops pretty much summed it up.

I believe in the tactile interactive experience now. I wasn't sure in the beginning ... but I'm convinced. Anyone that's performed a couple of surgerys on Trauma Center knows what I'm talking about.

And what makes the DS any more uncomfortable than using a PDA or worse yet, a cell phone to game on?

Again, I'm the last person to recommend a DS for emulation - but dammit, I'm having a damn good time with mine (Metroid Pinball today - WHOO HOO!)

The concept is not bad it is just poorly implemented in the DS. The unit is too big, top heavy, blocky, and bulky, it is awkward to hold one-handed for long periods while you use the other for the stylus. The button position, feel, and size is lousy. The main screen is too damn small and low res. The whole premise of this thing is touching and feel and ironically where they blew it was ergonomics.

It would be better if they just had one large higher res touchscreen. You could always window off a section in software to be used as your touch area or you could use the whole screen if you wanted. With software windowing you could drag and set where you would want it for the most comfort. If they insisted on the 2 screen gimmick they should have made the top screen larger and higher res and left the bottom touchscreen small.

Cellphones and PDAs are easier to hold with their vertical orientation. You can cradle the whole thing with one hand. You can't do that with the DS because it is too wide. With the DS you hold one side with your thumb only on top and you don't get the leverage, it is prone to fatigue.
 
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I like the DS' size, but the case design is pretty bad. Considering the way you hold it, it's just a bit too rectangular, and I've heard there's some empty space in there. Plus it's sort of ugly.

Though, I could sort of mean the same thing as DaveC in different words. :p

I have to disagree about the screen size/layout thing though. The only improvement I can see there would be to make them both bigger. Every single DS game I've played (granted it's only a few) used the dual screens very well.
 
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