You are viewing an archived version of the site which is no longer maintained.
Go to the current live site or the Adventure Gamers forums
Adventure Gamers

Home Adventure Forums Gaming Adventure PSP Potential for Adventure Games


 
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 07-13-2009, 04:12 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Marduk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: You want to know where I live? Are you some kind of stalker?
Posts: 279
Send a message via MSN to Marduk Send a message via Yahoo to Marduk
Default PSP Potential for Adventure Games

It seems like more and more Adventure Games are using online distribution as their main form of distribution (with tangible copies still available, but not quite as high a priority).

I've been reading a little about the PSP Go and it seems that they're doing away with the UMDs and instead all games will be downloaded. (It'll have a 16Gb drive and you'll be able to transfer them from a memory card or download them directly through WiFi or through a PS3). Correct me if I'm wrong about any of that.

I wouldn't go as far as to suggest that a PSP would be as good a format for the genre as either the Wii or NDS but I can't help but think it would be more appealing to developers using, or intend to start using, online distribution as a key feature of their business model than any competing console.

Thoughts?
Marduk is offline  
Old 07-13-2009, 04:30 PM   #2
merely human
 
Intrepid Homoludens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 22,309
Default


Myst on the iPhone or iPod Touch. Click the image to see it in action!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marduk View Post
Thoughts?
iPhone 3Gs FTW.

Furthermore, developing only for PC, I believe, is so stupidly out of date now. Especially when you have powerful mobile platforms like the PSP, DSi, and iPhone, and all of them have a huge install base already. It's a more delicious deal because then developers and publishers can make more money which they can use to develop even better and more ambitious adventure games, if not actually more innovative and experimental games.


1112 on the iPhone and iPod Touch. Click the image for a video review!

And beyond that digital distribution is also environmentally sound - no more discs and less paper and other materials used. If you don't have the fastest connection at home just go to your nearest wi-fi spot and d/l the game there.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marduk View Post
...I can't help but think it would be more appealing to developers using, or intend to start using, online distribution as a key feature of their business model than any competing console.

Thoughts?
Remember, too, that consoles like PS3 and XBox 360 can also do digital downloads of full games. XBox Live has a robust store for this.
__________________
platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs | gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii | blog: a space alien | book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris | games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain | sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer | music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake | twitter: a_space_alien

Last edited by Intrepid Homoludens; 07-13-2009 at 04:52 PM.
Intrepid Homoludens is offline  
Old 07-14-2009, 01:28 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
MikeLXXXVIII's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: By the Norse Fjords
Posts: 348
Send a message via MSN to MikeLXXXVIII
Default

I wouldn't say I am too keen on point and click adventure games on the psp with pad controls. However I am very interested in these visual novels they never seem to get out of japan. If they would be more interested in localizing if it just goes online.

But sure digital distribution gives it a fair chance!
MikeLXXXVIII is offline  
Old 07-14-2009, 03:43 PM   #4
merely human
 
Intrepid Homoludens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 22,309
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeLXXXVIII View Post
I wouldn't say I am too keen on point and click adventure games on the psp with pad controls. However I am very interested in these visual novels they never seem to get out of japan. If they would be more interested in localizing if it just goes online.
LOL, then stop trying to make point & click adventure games for the PSP with pad controls! Why shove yourself back inside the box when you expand to a new platform? Think more progressively in terms of design. Make the game play so that we players can navigate through the game world by using another kind of interface besides p&c.

On the iPhone, for example, the entire p&c interface is replaced by, you guessed it, your fingertips! And I'm sure on the PSP a different and efficient system can be thought up.

But naturally, you can even throw flat 2D graphics out and replace them with beautiful real time 3D worlds where the character can, say, turn her head to look at things of interest and that's your clue to investigate further.

There are many possibilities to explore beyond p&c, why shove yourself back in the box?

Quote:
But sure digital distribution gives it a fair chance!
And that is the reality of digital distribution!
__________________
platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs | gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii | blog: a space alien | book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris | games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain | sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer | music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake | twitter: a_space_alien
Intrepid Homoludens is offline  
Old 07-14-2009, 04:34 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Marduk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: You want to know where I live? Are you some kind of stalker?
Posts: 279
Send a message via MSN to Marduk Send a message via Yahoo to Marduk
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens View Post

Myst on the iPhone or iPod Touch. Click the image to see it in action!
Is that one of Myst's sequals? I remember how good I thought the graphics were at the time but I was under the impression that it hadn't aged that well.
Quote:
Remember, too, that consoles like PS3 and XBox 360 can also do digital downloads of full games. XBox Live has a robust store for this.
That sentance (the one you quoted, that is) wasn't particularly well thought out at all.

What I meant was that it might be preferable for developers to produce game for, or port them to, the PSPGo than another handheld system because games can simply be downloaded to it. However the WiiMote and stylus is already a pretty tantilising alternative to the mouse of a PC.
Marduk is offline  
Old 07-14-2009, 05:37 PM   #6
merely human
 
Intrepid Homoludens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 22,309
Default


Project Natal for XBox 360.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marduk View Post
Is that one of Myst's sequals? I remember how good I thought the graphics were at the time but I was under the impression that it hadn't aged that well.
It's the original Myst. Click the image to see for yourself. The mouse has been replaced by your fingertips. Instead of it being point & click, it is now touch & go!

I think it still would've been possible to port realMyst (the real time 3D version of Myst) to iPhone or even PSP. Both devices are powerful enough to handle the graphics.

Quote:
...the WiiMote and stylus is already a pretty tantilising alternative to the mouse of a PC.
Remember, the upcoming Project Natal for Xbox360 is also an amazing consideration for adventure games, as well as a similar motion sensing interface for the PS3.
__________________
platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs | gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii | blog: a space alien | book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris | games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain | sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer | music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake | twitter: a_space_alien
Intrepid Homoludens is offline  
Old 07-15-2009, 02:08 AM   #7
Banned User
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 784
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens View Post
It's the original Myst. Click the image to see for yourself. The mouse has been replaced by your fingertips. Instead of it being point & click, it is now touch & go!
I think he was talking about that image. I don't recall seeing that specific image in the original myst.
kadji-kun is offline  
Old 07-15-2009, 04:14 AM   #8
Freeware Co-ordinator
 
stepurhan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: South East England.
Posts: 7,309
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens View Post
On the iPhone, for example, the entire p&c interface is replaced by, you guessed it, your fingertips! And I'm sure on the PSP a different and efficient system can be thought up.
So in other words, it's still a point and click interface. The fact that you're using your fingers instead of a mouse cursor doesn't really change that. You're pointing at a specific part of the screen and clicking (tapping) on it. How is that a revolutionary change?

I don't own a PSP (I do have a DS which uses similar point and tap for the adventures I've played) but presumably it doesn't have touch screen technology, so can't make use of this adaptation of the old point-and-click interface. I can see how resorting to using the movement pad would make point-and-click a cumbersome interface. This is why developers need to realise that straight ports of games won't always work because the standard control systems won't necessarily translate across formats easily.
__________________
No Nonsense Nonsonnets #43

Cold Topic

A thread most controversial, that’s what I want to start
Full of impassioned arguments, of posting from the heart
And for this stimulation all will be thankful to me
On come on everybody it won’t work if you agree
stepurhan is offline  
Old 07-15-2009, 04:38 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Marduk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: You want to know where I live? Are you some kind of stalker?
Posts: 279
Send a message via MSN to Marduk Send a message via Yahoo to Marduk
Default

I still don't see why using a Dpad or analogue stick isn't as good as a mouse (or other alternative) to some players. What's so bad about it?
Marduk is offline  
Old 07-15-2009, 04:42 AM   #10
Freeware Co-ordinator
 
stepurhan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: South East England.
Posts: 7,309
Default

With a mouse it feels like you're moving your hand to whatever you're interacting with (with the tapping variant, you're literally doing that) With a Dpad or joystick you're got a sense of separation between yourself and the cursor. Also (from using cursor keys for similar tasks in the past) I've found it is much easier to overshoot when using keys/joystick as compared to a mouse, which can get quite frustrating after a while.
__________________
No Nonsense Nonsonnets #43

Cold Topic

A thread most controversial, that’s what I want to start
Full of impassioned arguments, of posting from the heart
And for this stimulation all will be thankful to me
On come on everybody it won’t work if you agree
stepurhan is offline  
Old 07-15-2009, 04:55 AM   #11
Super Moderator
 
Dale Baldwin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Southampton, UK
Posts: 3,139
Default

You definitely have more precision with a mouse. Sam and Max is so much easier to control via mouse on PC than it is with a controller on XBLA, which I would presume is why Telltale have started moving towards more direct control-based systems for movement in their games.
__________________
Now Playing: Catherine, Sword and Sworcery:EP
Recently Completed: The Witcher
Dale Baldwin is offline  
Old 07-15-2009, 07:36 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
MikeLXXXVIII's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: By the Norse Fjords
Posts: 348
Send a message via MSN to MikeLXXXVIII
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marduk View Post
I still don't see why using a Dpad or analogue stick isn't as good as a mouse (or other alternative) to some players. What's so bad about it?
I would say the fact that you have to drag the cursor with the limited movement on the pad! however phoenix wright that was made for gba worked fine. However that was a game where there wasn't all that much interaction with the backgrounds/plus the backgrounds were very small so easy quick interaction.
MikeLXXXVIII is offline  
Old 07-15-2009, 08:43 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
MartyMcFly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 240
Default

I must say, I have SCUMMVM on my PSPSlim and the analogue nub works beautifully, with one of the shoulder buttons, when pressed, decreasing cursor speed. Works a treat.
MartyMcFly is offline  
Old 07-15-2009, 10:21 AM   #14
full of tricks
 
Trickless's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 67
Default

Well, they're porting Shadow of Memories(Destiny) to the PSP in Japan. It'll be interesting to see how well that translates to a portable device.
__________________
Japan Adventure Attack!
Trickless is offline  
Old 07-15-2009, 05:45 PM   #15
merely human
 
Intrepid Homoludens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 22,309
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dale Baldwin View Post
You definitely have more precision with a mouse. Sam and Max is so much easier to control via mouse on PC than it is with a controller on XBLA, which I would presume is why Telltale have started moving towards more direct control-based systems for movement in their games.
To which I say it's about bloody time.
__________________
platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs | gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii | blog: a space alien | book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris | games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain | sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer | music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake | twitter: a_space_alien
Intrepid Homoludens is offline  
 



Thread Tools

 


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.