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Playstation 4 Details and Quick Thoughts

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Dual Shock 4 Controller
Dual Shock 4 for the Sony Playstation 4

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “leave them wanting more” but the Playstation 4 announcement from Sony was lacking pretty much everything. Fortunately, we did get a little bit of information about the new console. So here is a quick breakdown of what we learned about the Playstation 4.

-The Playstation 4 is designed like a gaming PC and will feature a custom x86 CPU, custom PC graphics hardware that utilizes GDDR 5 (very fast memory), 8GB of Unified Memory, and of course a hard drive. All of these hardware choices were made in order to make it as developer friendly as possible, unlike the PS3 which is notoriously difficult to program for.

PS4GraphicsDemo
A rendering showing off the graphics capabilities of the Playstation 4.

-The new console will allow you to pause and instantly resume gameplay without having to wait for the console to boot up. It will go directly where you left off, much like sleep mode for your computer. This is a great feature and I can’t wait to see it in action.

-The new PS4 Controller has a touch pad and offers up a share button that quickly uploads your best or worst gameplay moments to social media. The new controller does feature a 3.5 mm headphone jack which confirms earlier rumors. There is an additional stereo camera system that will work with the Dual Shock 4 for added interaction with your favorite games; it reminds me of a larger version of the Wii(U) sensor bar. The top of the Dual Shock 4 has a light on top of it which looks similar to the  PS Move controller, this is what the camera system uses to track the controllers motion.

-The PS4 will be coming “Holiday 2013”

Unfortunately, that’s about all we know for right now and we never actually got to see the console it self. I don’t want to completely trash the new console and I know it hasn’t even been released yet, but I have to admit that I’m not blown away with the PS4. It feels a lot like a PS3.5 and not a PS4. The hardware is solid and it looks like it’s going to be the most powerful console this generation but it’s still missing that “WOW” factor. We will just have to wait for more details from Sony.

 

 

Sony’s Big Event is Tomorrow

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Sony_logo

Well it’s been a few weeks since we heard about Sony’s big event, which is to take place tomorrow February 20th. Everyone is expecting to see the Playstation 4 and hopefully lots and lots of details.

We are obviously expecting the system to feature a cool new look along with enhanced graphics and processing power but a few other rumored features are expected to take the spotlight. One new feature we’re hoping to see is the ability to stream games. The gaming industry is slowly moving in this direction and I can clearly see why. The benefits of streaming a video game to a device are huge. For starters, it allows for advanced games with complex graphics to be played on simple devices like smartphones and tablets without the need for major processing power.

All of the work is done by the server, the device is merely a shell with a screen and some basic components.  It will also ensure that all users experience the same level of quality when playing a particular title. Developers will only have to make one version of their game for one platform and yet it will work on any device.

It’s not all good however. Streaming video games could eventually lead to the demise of the used game business. This is good for developers but bad for consumers, and not to mention businesses that rely on used games to make a profit.

Many rumors also talked about the exclusion of an optical drive but this seems unlikely as streaming and downloading full game content is just getting started. Another issue with an all-digital game system is the fact that many of us still lack enough bandwidth in our home internet connection to provide a reasonable and enjoyable experience.

We should also expect to see an improved social experience along with new control features like a possible touch screen on the new PS4 controller. Hopefully there will be some clarification on how backwards-compatibility will work, if at all. We may also see a price reduction on the Playstation Vita and hopefully the price on the new PS4. (expecting $350-$400)

We will provide updates tomorrow as soon as we can get them and process them, so check back with us to find out more!

StarCraft Universe an Incredibly Awesome Mod

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StarCraft Universe is now available to play! SC Universe has come along way and it’s looking pretty awesome. This Mod originally got a lot of attention from Blizzard due to it’s initial name, “World of StarCraft”. The name upset the folks over at Blizzard quite a bit. Ryan Winzell, who created the Mod, was originally thought to have created the Mod using methods other than the tool set offered by Blizzard Entertainment, and Blizz was looking to throw down the iron hammer on the project. Eventually, things were straightened out and it was found that the Mod was legit. Finally, it was allowed to exist but with a name change.

It looks like a ton of effort went into this project and I can’t wait to see it grow into something even better. It’s not often that you fool a large gaming company into thinking you’ve made your own full fledged version of their game.

You can get all of the mod details including screenshots and videos at their official mod site.

Harrison Ford To Comeback as Han Solo?

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Han Solo

If you haven’t already heard, there’s a chance that Harrison Ford may show up in “Star Wars: Episode VII”. This report came from Umberto “El Mayimbe” Gonzalez who mentioned it on Fox News Latino. The Idea is quite interesting to say the least and definitely a surprise to fans of the franchise.

If Han Solo does make it into the film it would be interesting to see how he is incorporated into the storyline. It’s quite obvious that Harrison Ford is a bit older, age 70, and that would clearly change the time timeframe in which his character would exist. Another question that comes up is whether or not he will show up as a cameo or a complete character with full involvement in the story. Either way, if he does jump onboard, many wonder if Ford finally get the chance to have Han Solo killed off? In an older interview with ABC, Ford talks about how he always thought that Solo should have died in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Who knows, maybe he will do the film just for that.

Nothing of course is official and if there was any deal in the works it would take some time before everything is finalized. One thing is for sure and that is we are getting more Star Wars and hopefully we are in for a treat.