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PSX
2 Online's PlayStation 2 FAQ |
Uploaded
11.14.99 |
Article
By Chris |
Media
Source: PSX.IGN.COM |
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How much will it cost?
In Japan the PlayStation2 will be around 39,800yen. ($360-$370). A US price has yet to be
announced. A safe bet will be $300 even.What exactly do they mean by backward
compatible?
Since the PlayStation 2 (PS2) will be able to play original PlayStation (PSX) games, and
use existing PSX peripherals, its is considered to be backwards compatible. The PS2's I/O
(input/output) processor which basically is the main processor of the original PSX, allows
the PS2 to use this processor to provide backwards compatibility with every PSX game.
While the PS2 will have its own custom peripherals, such as controllers, memory cards,
etc., it will also allow you to use your current PSX peripherals, even the elusive Pocket
Station. To prove this even further, on March the 2nd, 1999, the PSX2 tech demos where
being controlled by a standard PSX dual shock controller. And no it WILL NOT enhance
existing PSX games.
What does the PSX2
look like?
How many controller ports will
the system have?
The PlayStation2 will have 2 controller ports, but you will be able to hook up your
exsisting multi-tap, that you have for your PSX, to the PS2.
What is it called?
The official name is the PlayStation2. You may often also hear it referred to as the PSX2,
or Ps2.
When is it coming out?
In Japan the PlayStation2 will be released on Saturday, March 4 of the year 2000. A
specific US release date has not been released yet. SCEI has went on the record to say
that that the PlayStation2 will be released in fall of 2000 for the US.
Okay all of this is good and
great but who is making the games?
Official Japan Publishers/Developers
Acclaim Japan Ltd.
Arc Systems Works Co Ltd.
Artdink Corporation
Aruze Corp
Ascii Corp
AskCo Ltd
Asmik Ace Entertainment
Astroll Co Ltd
Athena Co Ltd
Atlus
Bandai Co Ltd
Banpresto Co Ltd
Bullet-Proof Software
Capcom
Chun Soft Co LTD
Compile Corp
Data East Corp
Dazz Co Ltd
Ecseco Development Ltd
Eidos Interactive KK
Electronic Arts-Square KK
Enix
Entertainment Software Publishing
Escot Corp
From Software
Fujikic, Inc
Gaga Communications
Gasto
Genki Co Ltd.
Gust Co Ltd
Hakuhodo Inc.
Hands On Entertainment Inc
Heartbeat Inc.
Hect Co Ltd
Hudson Soft Co Ltd
14 Corp
Idea Factory Co Ltd
Imagineer Co Ltd
Irem Software Engineering
Jaleco Ltd
Jorudan Co Ltd
Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co Ltd
Kaga Tech Co Ltd
Kodansha Ltd
KOEI Co Ltd.
Konami Co Ltd
Locus Co
M2 To Inc
Magical Company
Mainichi Communications Inc.
Media Factory
Media Works Inc
Mitsui & Co Ltd
Namco Limited
Nihon Syscom Co Ltd
Nippon Inchi Software Inc
Openbook9003 Inc
Pioneer Ldc
Riverhillsoft Inc
Sammy Corporation
Seta Corporation
Shoeisha Co Ltd
Shogakukan Production Co Ltd
SNK Corp
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc
Sony Music Entertainment (Japan)
Spike Co Ltd
Square Co Ltd
Starfish Inc
Success Corporation
Sun Corporation
Sunrise Interactive
T&E Soft Inc
Taito Co Ltd
Tecmo Ltd
Titus Japan KK
Official US Publishers/Developers
3DO
989 Studios
Acclaim
Eidos
Electronic Arts
GT Interactive
Midway
Naughty Dog
Psygnosis
Sony Computer Entertainment America
Take Two/Rockstar
Working Designs
Are there any games?
A-Train 6 (Artdink Corporation)
Flower Sun And Rain (Ascii Corp.)
Panic Surfing (Ascii Corp.)
Billiards Master (Ask Co Ltd.)
Sidewinder Max (Asmik Ace Entertainment)
American Arcade (Astroll Co Ltd.)
Pro Mahjong Kiwame Next (Bandai Co Ltd.)
Onimusha (Capcom Co Ltd.)
Street Fighter EX 3 (Capcom Co Ltd.)
Powerstone 2 (Capcom Co Ltd.)
The Next Resident Evil (Capcom Co Ltd.)
Lakemasters EX (Dazz Co Ltd.)
Battle Of The Ghat (Ecseco Development Ltd.)
The Next Tomb Raider (Eidos Interactive KK)
X-Fire (Electronic Arts-Square KK)
BBD 2000 (Enix Corp)
Bust A Move 3 (Enix Corp)
Exotica (Enix Corp)
Fighting QTs (Enix Corp)
Sonnette (Enix Corp)
Star Ocen 3 (Enix Corp)
Armored Core 2 (From Software)
Eternal Ring (From Software)
Bakuyru 2 (Fujikic, Inc.)
Jade Cocoon 2 Story Of The Tamamayu (Genki Co Ltd.)
Fly High (Gust Co Ltd.)
Boody Roar 3 (Hudson Soft Co Ltd.)
Bomberman 2001 (Hudson Soft Co Ltd.)
AI Igo 2001 (I4 Corp)
AI Mahjong 2001 (I4 Corp)
AI Shogi 2001 (I4 Corp
Sky Surfing (Idea Factory Co Ltd.)
Wild Wild Racing (Imagineer Co Ltd.)
1 On 1 Government (Jorudan Co Ltd.)
Tetsuman Menkokaiden (Kaga Tech Co Ltd.)
Kessen (KOEI Co Ltd.)
Mahjong Taikai III (KOEI Co Ltd.)
Shin-Sangokumusou (KOEI Co Ltd.)
Soldnerschild (KOEI Co. Ltd.)
Drum Mania (Konami Co Ltd.)
Gradius III and IV (Konami Co Ltd.)
Jikkyou Pawafuru Puro Yakyo 7 (Konami Co Ltd.)
Jikkyou World Soccer 2000 (Konami Co Ltd.)
Mahjong Yaroze (Konami Co Ltd.)
Reiselied (Konami Co Ltd.)
The Next Metal Gear (Konami Co Ltd.)
FX Pilot (Locus Co)
Tuning Car Race Game (M2 TO Inc.)
Magical Sports Catch Bass Club (Magical Company)
Magical Sports Koshien2000 (Magical Company)
Magical Sports Pro Golder (Magical Company)
Todai Shogi Shinkenbisha Dojyo (Mainichi Communications Inc.)
500 GP (Namco Limited)
New Ridge Racer (Namco Limited)
Tekken Tag Tournament (Namco Limited)
World Neverland 3 (Riverhillsoft Inc)
ide Yohsuke No Majan Kazoku 2 (Seta Corporation)
Perfect Golf (Seta Corporation)
Boku To Maoh (The King and I) (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.)
Dark Cloud (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.)
Den-Sen, Fantavision (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.)
GT (Gran Turismo) 2000 (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.)
IQ Remix (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.)
Popolocrois III (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.)
Splash Dive (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.)
L'Arc-en-Ciel (TBC) (Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.)
Tenchu 2(Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.)
WRC (Spike Co Ltd.)
The Bouncer (Square Co Ltd.)
Shanghai 5 (Sun Corporation)
Street Mahjong Trance Majin 2 (Sun Corporation)
Panzer Century G Breaker (Sunrise Interactive)
3D Golf (T&E Soft Inc.)
Go By Train! (Taito Corporation)
Choro Q HG (Takara Co Ltd.)
Ninja Gaiden (Tecmo Ltd.)
Unison (Tecmo Ltd.)
Roadsters Trophy 2000 (Titus Japan KK)
Robocop (Titus Japan KK)
Exactly what are the Official
Specifications of this system? |
CPU: |
- 128 Bit "Emotion Engine"
- System Clock Frequency: 300 MHz
- Cache Memory Instruction: 16KB, Data:
8KB + 16KB (ScrP)
- Main Memory Direct
- Rambus (Direct RDRAM) Memory Size:
32MB
- Memory Bus Bandwidth: 3.2GB per
Second
- Co-Processor FPU (Floating Point
Unit)
- 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 3
- Floating Point Performance: 6.2
GFLOPS
- 3D CG Geometric Transformation:
- 66 Million Polygons per Second
- Compressed Image Decoder
- MPEG2
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Graphics: |
- "Graphics Synthesizer"
- Clock Frequency: 150MHz
- DRAM Bus bandwidth:
- 48GB per Second
- DRAM Bus width: 2560bits
- Pixel Configuration: RGB:Alpha:Z
Buffer (24:8:32)
- Maximum Polygon Rate: 75 Million
Polygons per Second
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Sound: |
- "SPU2+CPU"
- Number of Voices ADPCM: 48 channels
on SPU2, plus definable, software programmable voices programmable voices
- Sampling Frequency: 44.1 KHz or 48
KHz (Selectable
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IOP: |
- I/O Processor
- CPU: Core PlayStation (current) CPU
- Clock Frequency: 33.9MHz or 37.5MHz
(Selectable)
- Sub Bus: 32 Bit
- Interface Types: IEEE1394, Universal
Serial Bus (USB), communication via PC-Card (PCMCIA)
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Disc
Device: |
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Okay
all those numbers sound nice, but how many will there actually be and how much will I be
able to see, on-screen?
The official number of polys that the PS2 is said to be able to produce is 75 million.
NOTE* This number doesn't take into effect that the texture maps, filtering, and lighting
have yet to e done. Will all the special shiny effects in place expect that 75 million to
drop to, 10-20 million, which is still a lot more than the DC's 1-2 million. Once we have
to take into consideration physics, artificial intelligence, audio, and other
processor-intensive effects, which will probably take the poly count down to around 10-12
million polygons per second, and believe me that's nothing to be sad about.What kind of special visual effects will
the PS2 be capable of?
The PS2 will feature all of the
usual special effects such as, mip-mapping, bi-linear filtering, anti-aliasing,
texture-correction, and Z-buffering. Its also believed that the system will be able to
handle Bezier surfacing, which is a technique that decides how many polygons are needed to
make an object have smoother surfacing. This technique also assists in allowing the object
to use as many or as few polygons as the system can handle at that precise moment. Game
developers will be able to easily insert Bezier-surfaced CG models into the PS2 code and
have the system render the object in real-time.
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How
does the PS2 fare against the DC, N64 and the original PSX? |
Polygon
Power |
- PlayStation 2: Around 20 million
polygons per second.
- Dreamcast: Around 3 million polygons
per second.
- Nintendo 64: Around 150,000 polygons
per second.
- PlayStation: Around 360,000 polygons
per second (lacks comparable effects)
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Main
Clock Speed |
- PlayStation 2: 300MHz
- Dreamcast: 200MHz
- Nintendo 64: 93.75MHz
- PlayStation: 33.86MHz
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Memory |
- PlayStation 2: 32MB Direct Rambus RAM
- Dreamcast: 16MB (plus 8MB Video RAM,
2MB Sound RAM)
- Nintendo 64: 4MB (+parity) Rambus
D-Ram (expandable to 8MB)
- PlayStation: 2MB (plus 1MB Video RAM,
512kb Sound RAM)
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Memory
Bus Bandwidth |
- PlayStation 2: 3.2 GB/s (Gigabytes
per second)
- Dreamcast: N/A
- Nintendo 64: 500 MB/s (Megabytes per
second) or about 0.5 GB/s.
- PlayStation: 132 MB/s (Megabytes per
second)
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Will
it use CDs or DVDs?
The PlayStation 2 will come with a DVD drive. This drive is capable of reading
CD-formatted discs, as well as DVD-formatted discs. Sony also made a special laser that
capable of reading both DVD, and CD. PS2 games most certainly come on DVD discs. Sony has
said that all games will be played of off regular CD's until a game calls for the need of
a DVD disc. Also a spokesman for Sony said that the PSX 2 will play DVD movies and music. Will it have a modem?
No the PlayStation2 will not ship with a modem. In 2002, Sony in conjunction with Sun
Microsystems, will have finished a broadband network, where you will be able to play
online, download anything from games, music to movies!
So what if it can use the old
peripherals, the question is will it be of any use?
Yes, the old PSX peripherals will have a use. The PS2 has complete backwards
compatibility. Now the real question is will you be able to use your existing PSX
peripherals with the next-generation games!!! As an educated guess I'd say no you wouldn't
be able to use those old peripherals because of the soul fact the new PS2 will be using
more advanced technology. For example, the PS2 might be using the memory stick. The memory
stick holds 1200 more times info than the current memory card. Since the games of the
future will use this technology, you can't expect them to work the same way or even at all
with dated technology. The same can go with controllers. Now on the vice versa side of
things SOME PS2 peripherals might be compatible with the PSX. I believe as long as you
play PSX games on the PS2 you will be able to use PS2 controllers and memory sticks. But
the catch is you won't be able to use your stick or controller in your current PSX system.
Is it more than a console?
Yes PS2 is more than a gaming system. As a matter of fact it could be defined as a DVD
player, a music player, or maybe even a future PC. The PS2 has the ability to mold and
change its colors into a diversity of things. Only time which will it also become. So far
it's a game machine, DVD, and CD player.
How long has it been in
development?
The PS2 has been in development
since the moment after the PSX was launched!!
Will Sony enhance the current
specs of the system?
They most likely will improve or add things to the system in many ways before the launch.
Most likely yes, I think they want to keep us on our toes, and not allow us to become
bored with the system before it comes out!
The PSX has had almost every kind
of game possible! How can they get any better?
Well 1st of all beside the spectacular graphics that it will be capable of! Expect better
physics and AI. Games like RE probably won't need any loading times when you go into
another room. Clipping, draw-in, and slowdown will be nonexistent or miniscule.
Is it REALLY 128BIT?
YES, the PS2, and the Dolphin are really 128bit, unlike the Sega DreamCast, which is
really 64bit.
What do developers think of the
PSX2?
"All sentences under this, that are in quotes, are direct quotes from the
developers themselves"
Some developers are optimistic -
"It'll be a pain in the ass for PC people," another engineer told NGO, "but
those of us with lots of PlayStation experience will be fine. It's got its challenges, but
every system does."
Some developers expected the PSX2 to
be - "God in a box."
Will it use the memory stick or
not?
Yes, The PS2 will ship with a new 8MB memory stick. Tthere has also been rumors that
Sony's zip drive may also be a candidate and a hard drive.
Will it be hard to develop for?
The PSX2 won't be easy to develop for. Its sports multiple processors which was one of the
many reasons the Saturn failed. The PSX2 will be a struggle for PC porters, but for those
who have PSX dev. Experience should be at home. There are a lot of middle ware tools for
the PSX2 |
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