[PAX 2007] - PSP Slim Hands On

[bapenguin]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1432/1238522500_8e802eed42_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/36274847@N00/1238522500/)

While walking around the Penny Arcade Expo show floor I noticed some attractive ladies with PSP Slims tethered to their bodies. After getting some hands on time with them (the PSPs, not the ladies) I must say I'm rather impressed. The system is light...damn light. The whole 33% lighter claim might even be too low. I pulled out my regular PSP and a DS Lite just to compare side by side. The PSP was a night and day difference, and I even think it's lighter than a DS Lite.

The shape of the system is much the same, maybe slightly shorter. The analog nub is also slightly redesigned with a hallowed out look behind it, and the d-pad felt great too. I was on the fence about picking it up (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34477), but after getting some hands on time with the Slim, it's going to be an instant upgrade for me from my existing PSP.

[Mot Wakorb]

(the PSPs, not the ladies)

Shenanigans I say! I was actually kinda weirded out about having to play it tethered to someone.

[Lind]

I got a PS3, if I get myself a PSP what kind interconnectivity (is that even a word) stuff can I do? Share files n stuff i guess.

[BlackPete]

Any news about its battery life?

[Siraris]

I ordered the limited edition Star Wars one the other day with my credit card points (I want the white system, don't care much if it is star wars or not). I'm psyched, especially with some exciting games out/coming soon.

Lind: You can download games onto the PSP from the PS3, look at photos, watch movies and listen to music, and if you get the new PSTV (which is exclusive to Europe) you can watch live TV and recorded TV anywhere in the world on your PSP.

[AniAko]

Any news about its battery life?

A lot of the weight was cut out because it uses a smaller battery, but the redesigned components resulted in less battery consumption, so it's safe to say you can expect similar battery life times

[Gorvi]

I got a PS3, if I get myself a PSP what kind interconnectivity (is that even a word) stuff can I do? Share files n stuff i guess.
Remote play is the biggest, though you can transfer any PS1 games you download over to the PSP as well.

[Wadmaasi]

So what are the must play PSP games? Despite the bills I racked up this month, and Jr. starting daycare in Sept., and my car's brakes wretchedly failing the state safety inspection, I feel like I'm only a couple days away from ordering a PSPLite. Shared DS releases don't count, as I've already got a DSLite.

[total]

So what are the must play PSP games? Despite the bills I racked up this month, and Jr. starting daycare in Sept., and my car's brakes wretchedly failing the state safety inspection, I feel like I'm only a couple days away from ordering a PSPLite. Shared DS releases don't count, as I've already got a DSLite.

So far my must haves are the Final Fantasy titles (and I fucking hate FF, but these are tons of fun) and Tekken DR. If you have a PS3 Tekken might be a worthless purchase tho.

[Gorvi]

So what are the must play PSP games? Despite the bills I racked up this month, and Jr. starting daycare in Sept., and my car's brakes wretchedly failing the state safety inspection, I feel like I'm only a couple days away from ordering a PSPLite. Shared DS releases don't count, as I've already got a DSLite.
That depends on the genre(s) you like. Off of the top of my head:

Daxter, Metal Gear Ac!d (2 more than 1, but they're both good), WipEout Pure, Jeanne d'Arc, Crush, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Lumines 2, LocoRoco, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, and Killzone: Liberation. That should be a good start, and they're all PSP exclusive.

[H1PO]

Is it too light? I hate the PS3 controller, simply because its sooo light. Is the PSP now too light?

[RandomViolence]

A lot of the weight was cut out because it uses a smaller battery, but the redesigned components resulted in less battery consumption, so it's safe to say you can expect similar battery life times

PAX Train demands you tell PSP story!!!

[Switcher]

Any news about its battery life?

Actual news would be about any games that actually warrant purchase of a PSP...slim or otherwise.

[Gorvi]

Actual news would be about any games that actually warrant purchase of a PSP...slim or otherwise.
Nice troll, but that's been inaccurate for a while now. Try again.

[frederec]

I'm still waiting to hear if something like the Pandora battery hack will work on the PSP slim. As soon as that is working, I'm getting a second PSP...for my wife. Darnit, why can't I get away with pawning off my old PSP on her?

On the upside, I'm planning on using the purchase of a slim as an excuse to buy one of those 8gig memory sticks I've been drooling over, I'll give her my old 2gig. 8gigs won't hold ALL the games I own, but it will sure be roomy.

I'm also curious. How will I know for sure that I'm buying a slim? Checking amazon, I presume it's the package labeled PSP 2000? Is "slim" just what it's being called unofficially?

[Adam Blue]

Actual news would be about any games that actually warrant purchase of a PSP...slim or otherwise.

Gradius Collection. Salamander Collection. 'Nuff said.

I sold mine a few weeks back in anticipation for this. The biggest draw for me is being able to play PSP games on my TV.

[Adam Blue]

I'm still waiting to hear if something like the Pandora battery hack will work on the PSP slim. As soon as that is working, I'm getting a second PSP...for my wife. Darnit, why can't I get away with pawning off my old PSP on her?

I think I remember hearing Sony say they'd be supporting Homebrew this time around. Can anyone verify that?

[Gorvi]

I think I remember hearing Sony say they'd be supporting Homebrew this time around. Can anyone verify that?
I don't think it was what everyone would want. If I remember right, there was an interview with Phil Harrison around E3 where he said they were interested in some of the things that homebrew devs were doing.

[AniAko]

PAX Train demands you tell PSP story!!!

tsk tsk tsk, you should have tuned in to EAR last night, I shared it for all, but just for you Randy-poo. ;)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1413/1259975722_2d6fdbb27d.jpg


So I'm walking by a PSP Babe, and she asks me if I want to play. It was some PSP tomb raider which didn't catch my interest, but I noticed the PSP was a silver color. I immediately knew it was one of the "Lite" PSP versions, so I started studying the thing over taking notice to its weight, new button/switch placements, and the new UMD drive redesign. I started asking the PSP Babe questions, which of course she didn't know the answers to. So she led the way to someone at the booth that knew more about the PSP. I followed her as the PSP was attached to her. When we arrived that the person who could answer my questions, I first mentioned to her that being a "light" little girl, I simply could run off with the PSP and just drag her around the exhibition floor behind me. She and the guy she brought me to laughed, and I asked all my questions. Once I was satisfied, I looked up from the PSP, and asked the PSP babe "Are you ready?" And she quizzically looked back and asked "For what?" With that, I smiled, and pretended I was about to take off and drag her around the con. I wasn't planning on it, so I had a loose grip on the PSP, at least, one looser than as if I was taking off with it. Little did I know I was at the end of the cable's length already, and that slight tug sprung the PSP into the air at about head height. As it began to plummet to the floor, I reached my leg out, to attempt to lighten the blow. Fortunately there wasn't enough slack to reach the floor, and the PSP turned out just fine. When I looked up, everyone got a hearty laugh out of the situation, thankfully. I apologized, and promised not to be a jerk anymore. That was day 1, needless to say I steered clear of the Sony booth for the remainder of the time...

[frederec]

I think I remember hearing Sony say they'd be supporting Homebrew this time around. Can anyone verify that?

Like Gorvi said, something like that was mentioned, but not they way people like me want. I do have a couple of homebrew games on my PSP. But I will be perfectly honest, I have a hacked PSP because running games off a memory stick reduces load times and increases battery life (since it's not using the UMD drive). I generally will rip a game as soon as I get home from buying it, and if it either 1) has crappy load times (Spectral Souls) or 2) is really, really small (Puzzle Quest or Bust a Move) I'll load it on my memory stick. It's also nice having several games on your PSP and not having to swap discs.

I am grateful that PSP games have been getting better with load times as well as graphics. I haven't felt the need to play Crush or Jeanne d'Arc of the stick, and those games are about the best games I've played on the PSP.

[Evil Avnovice]

I'm still adamant about holding of on this, but I might change my mind; my current PSP's d-pad is completely shot now after so much Lumines-ing.

[Wadmaasi]

Ugh, why is FFT: The Lion War $40?

[Gorvi]

Ugh, why is FFT: The Lion War $40?
Some PSP games are, but all portable Square-Enix games are $40, DS included.

[frederec]

Ugh, why is FFT: The Lion War $40?

Crap, I didn't notice that. Maybe we'll get lucky and it'll magically drop in price before it comes out. I think Jeanne d'Arc was originally listed at $40, but came out at $30.

I'm such a helpless FFT fanboy, I'll buy it anyway.

Some PSP games are, but all portable Square-Enix games are $40, DS included.

Watch it. FF1 and FF2 for the PSP are both $30. Same with Chocobo Tales.

[Gorvi]

Watch it. FF1 and FF2 for the PSP are both $30.
Well, true, but that ripoff is a totally different matter......

[frederec]

Well, true, but that ripoff is a totally different matter......

I'll give you that. I borrowed FF1 PSP from a friend recently. While I enjoyed that it looked pretty, I couldn't get over the fact that I've bought this game THREE TIMES already, two of which were not that long ago (PSX and GBA versions).

I think they could have gotten away with it if they were bundled together (like the last two times they put out FF1 and 2) for $30 or less.

[Wadmaasi]

So let's say that, for handheld gaming, I prefer turn-based strategery games and RPGs. What are some older ones that I could pick up for (anything) less than full price that are decent to good?

[Gorvi]

So let's say that, for handheld gaming, I prefer turn-based strategery games and RPGs. What are some older ones that I could pick up for (anything) less than full price that are decent to good?
Field Commander, Jeanne d'Arc, Valkyrie Profile, Metal Gear Ac!d (1 & 2), Brave Story, Dungeon Siege, Dungeons & Dragons Tactics, and Gurumin. Some of those are newer, but they're all good.

[frederec]

So let's say that, for handheld gaming, I prefer turn-based strategery games and RPGs. What are some older ones that I could pick up for (anything) less than full price that are decent to good?

I don't think there are too many of those out that are old. The only one of those I can think of is Spectral Souls, but don't play that off UMD, the load times are reprehensible. It can be had for $20 or less.

I think for SRPG, it's the new stuff and the upcoming stuff that is what's good. Jeanne d'Arc is a good strategy RPG, it's new, and it's $30. I've been hearing good and bad things about D&D Tactics, but I haven't played it myself.

I'm looking forward to Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. Your opinions may differ since they're ports. But I'm really looking forward to the promised extra content in these games, and I like them a whole lot anyway.

I keep crossing my fingers that the PSP Wild Arms will come to the US. It's apparently a hex-based strategy RPG, taking the battle system innovation from Wild Arms 4 and 5 and expanding it to a full-on SRPG. I hear there's also some sort of connectivity between Wild Arms PSP and Wild Arms 5, but I don't know how that works.

I've heard some good things about Brave Story, but I haven't played it myself.

Most of the PSP RPGs are mediocre. A number of them can be had for cheap, but you may or may not like them. See for example the Nippon Ichi website for a list of games they've put out on the PSP. Each of them is odd in its own way, but enjoyment can be had if you look for it. And since they weren't terribly impressive, they can be had for cheap.

[Gorvi]

If you want to talk about future games as well, there's R-Type Tactics too. That and Wild Arms XF look really good, and I'll be importing them if they don't make it out here. But if Wild Arms 5 can make it out here, I'll bet that XF will too sometime soon. Probably early next year.

[Wadmaasi]

Thanks guys, though you're making not buying the PSP-2000 extremely difficult. How would I hide it from the missus?!

[Avy]

Thanks guys, though you're making not buying the PSP-2000 extremely difficult. How would I hide it from the missus?!

Buy her one as well?

My husband and I are going back and forth about whether or not to purchse a PSP when the new one comes out here in Canada. The only titles that are really of interest to me are Castlevania and Silent Hill Origins - but I'm not 100% certain whether or not two titles warrants the purchase of a new system. [Even though the ability to play them on a TV is a serious plus, since we usually switch back and forth when we play Silent Hill games.]

Is the system worth it? For someone that isn't really interested in the movies or music aspect of the PSP, would you guys recommend it for someone who just enjoys good, solid games?

[Gorvi]

I'd recommend it, but I'm a big fan of the system. I've bought more PSP games in the past 2 years than for any other system. The easiest thing to do is to go to GameRankings and pull up the top 50 rated games and see if you see enough that interest you. It'd also help to find a release list (IGN's seems to be the most reliable) and look at what's coming out as well.

I've heard pretty goodd things about SH: O from the demo that got leaked recently, so that should be pretty solid.

[Wadmaasi]

Buy her one as well?
If only it were that easy. My wife tolerates (barely!) my gaming habit; 7 years on this December (not to mention the years of friendship, dating, and engagement that preceded actual knot-tying) and she still doesn't understand it.

[Heretic Machine]

I'm seriously considering picking one of these up this year if they're crackable.

[PAXtrain]

I'm seriously considering picking one of these up this year if they're crackable.I'm sure if you apply significant pressure evenly to both sides, you can get that done.

[pirateTITAN]

I think I remember hearing Sony say they'd be supporting Homebrew this time around. Can anyone verify that?

I've heard it before, I think Phil was saying he'd allow it if he could without pirates(heh) having there way with it.

Still, there is a precedent of great PSP homebrew developers actually being drafted into and working on official PSP projects and games.

[pizzatime]

I'd like to get some "hands-on" looking at those pics, no one says mediocrity can't bring pleasure, nudge nudge wink wink say no more. Paper bag over the head?

[ElektroDragon]

Where did they find all those ugly women? I'd be scared to approach them.

[Wadmaasi]

Seriously? This thread was pretty informative. What the fuck.

[Retrievil]

I want one, but only if it's possible to use custom firmware on it. I love my PSP now, but when I got it I wasn't too thrilled with it.

Loooong load times, which in my mind are unnacceptable on a handheld. When you only have 5 minutes to play, who wants to wait a minute to load a screen/map/whatever.
Shitty battery life. 3-4 hours is not enough.
Crippled video playback (though that has been somewhat fixed with fw3.30+).
Carrying UMDs around sucks. What moron designed these things with no flap. Stick em in your pocket and every bit of lint or whatever finds its way into the umd, ultimately ending up in your UMD drive.

Modded firmware allows you to rip games onto the memory stick, which pretty much eliminates loading times.
Playing off the memory stick extends the battery time to a more acceptable 5-6 hours.
Homebrew players allow you to watch just about anything at whatever resolution you want.
No UMDS to cart around, since the games you have are on the stick.

[Avy]

Seriously? This thread was pretty informative. What the fuck.

This isn't the EvAv I know! Bring back the flames! Bring back the fanboys! Where did they go? *cries*

But seriously, it was informative. I'm still undecided. Maybe I'll wait until the bundle comes out just get a memory stick...oh, wait, that's the ugly silver one...Okay I'm still undecided.

[Wadmaasi]

This isn't the EvAv I know! Bring back the flames! Bring back the fanboys! Where did they go? *cries*
Flames and blind fanboyism don't bother me. Thinly-veiled misogyny does.

[Wadmaasi]

I want one, but only if it's possible to use custom firmware on it.
Hasn't every PSP firmware revision been hacked? The homebrewers will figure this one out, too.

[Avy]

Flames and blind fanboyism don't bother me. Thinly-veiled misogyny does.

At least it's thinly-veiled. Haven't you ever been to Digg? It might was well be called weallhatewomen.com.

Most guys around here are pretty good though, although some of the comments in this thread [and a few others I've noticed] have been totally uncalled for. I don't see what rating a woman's appearance has to do with a gaming system, at all.

[oldjadedgamer]

I'm going to get the Jak pack. I've been waiting on the redesign. I'm still not a fan of the open screen though. I'm going to get Loco Roco, Size Matters, and Field Commander. I'm sure I can find these all on the cheap now that they have been out ofr a while.

Also, DVDFab converts DVDs directly to PSP so I'm just going to get a bunch of TV shows on DVD and put them on my PSP and watch them on the bus ride on the way to work.

It still remains a mystery to me why the discs themselves have an opening on the bottom of them to allow scratches and such. The Sony minidisc never had this problem and had a sliding protector to protect the disc from scratches.

I'm excited, just got to be on the look out for the super hardcore titles that load way too much.

[Wadmaasi]

Success! I pulled the "you really DID marry a 12-year-old!" shtick (complete with boyish grin) and weaseled permission out of her. Now to decide if instant gratification is worth paying tax at Best Buy, or free shipping + no tax is worth ordering from Amazon. Anyone know of any deals like the free Brain Age with DSLite that Nintendo was offering when the DSLite launched?

[Wadmaasi]

At least it's thinly-veiled. Haven't you ever been to Digg? It might was well be called weallhatewomen.com.
Actually, I don't think I ever have been do Digg. I've always spent so much time here and at Shacknews that I don't have time for Slashdot, Digg, and the like.

Someone's misogyny in and of itself doesn't bother me on more than an intellectual level; I'm not in the business of trying to change peoples' minds. But shitting on a perfectly informative thread irks me.

[Retrievil]

Hasn't every PSP firmware revision been hacked? The homebrewers will figure this one out, too.

Kind of. The latest firmwares have been hacked in that they have ben decrypted and combined with the 1.5 or 2.71 kernel, so you can have all the latest features, game compatability, and the ability to run homebrew. They have no been hacked to the point where you can pick up a 3.50 or 3.51 fw PSP from the store and run homebrew. Actually up until the last couple weeks, if you had a 3.50 or 3.51 PSP you were screwed. Google Pandora's Battery if you want to know more about downgrading 3.50+ firmwares.

The main problem I see is that this new PSP is not just a cosmetic redesign like the DS Lite was. The motherboard is completely different, the one existing PSP modchip will not work with it, and who knows what kind of extra protection they may have added. I'm sure it will be done, but it's not going to be a matter of just finding an exploit and flashing any of the previous custom firmwares.

[Disgustipated]

Kind of. The latest firmwares have been hacked in that they have ben decrypted and combined with the 1.5 or 2.71 kernel, so you can have all the latest features, game compatability, and the ability to run homebrew. They have no been hacked to the point where you can pick up a 3.50 or 3.51 fw PSP from the store and run homebrew. Actually up until the last couple weeks, if you had a 3.50 or 3.51 PSP you were screwed. Google Pandora's Battery if you want to know more about downgrading 3.50+ firmwares.

The main problem I see is that this new PSP is not just a cosmetic redesign like the DS Lite was. The motherboard is completely different, the one existing PSP modchip will not work with it, and who knows what kind of extra protection they may have added. I'm sure it will be done, but it's not going to be a matter of just finding an exploit and flashing any of the previous custom firmwares.

Actually, 3.50 firmware is crackable, it's the 3.51 and 3.52 that are h nondowngradable. However, they hace cracked 3.51 and 3.52 and made them custom firmwares.

[Wadmaasi]

Has anyone found a complete listing of the contents of the PSP Lite's package? I'm having a hard time finding hard info on it, other than Amazon says it will be released on 2007/09/10. Best Buy and Newegg don't even list it as a pre-order item. Guess I should check EB/Gamestop's website.

[Grimmjow]

Actual news would be about any games that actually warrant purchase of a PSP...slim or otherwise.

People are still using this as a argument huh...LOL!

[D.D.D.]

Has anyone found a complete listing of the contents of the PSP Lite's package? I'm having a hard time finding hard info on it, other than Amazon says it will be released on 2007/09/10. Best Buy and Newegg don't even list it as a pre-order item. Guess I should check EB/Gamestop's website.

Well here in Japan they only have the hardware alacarte. All they give you is the A/C adapter and a battery. I haven't seen the bundles like they have back in the USA...

And so far the only reason I'm considering one is the Dracula X remake despite owning the PCE version since it came out. :o