Untold Legends sequel goes gold

Sony Online Entertainment's second action RPG for the PSP marches into factory, due in stores March 14.

Like a good many PSP launch titles, Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade got largely middling reviews. However, the role-playing game's hack-and-slash action won many fans, making it one of the top titles for Sony's handheld for months.

Today, Sony Online Entertainment has announced that Untold Legends' sequel, Untold Legends: The Warrior's Code has gone gold. Veterans of the first Untold Legends will notice the game's expanded storyline, which includes high-quality animated cutscenes, along with quite a few in-game cinematics. The plot in question concerns a secret society of shape-shifters on the short end of an attempted genocide by the hands of a powerful warlord. A small band of survivors comes across a secret that could lead to their salvation--that's when the players come into play as one of five character types.

Untold Legends: The Warrior's Code will also see the return of a cooperative mode, and gamers with more bloodlust can opt for the player-versus-player mode. Adventurers will traverse 45 areas across five new chapters and will battle more than 40 unique monsters and contend with 12 boss battles. The game is rated T for Teen, retails for $39.99, and will begin its retail quest March 14.

Source: GameSpot

From Russia With Love for the PSP - New Screenshots and Trailer

Five new screenshots and a trailer from James Bond 007: From Russia With Love have been released. James Bond 007 : From Russia With Love will be the first game to put players in the universe of the classic James Bond films.

  

Set in the original 60's Bond era, the game features movie-based missions as well as original, action-intensive sequences, a broad and deep variety of gameplay, fully-integrated vehicles, social multiplayer experiences, gorgeous women, and classic, upgradeable weapons and gadgetry with modern mechanics.

 

Download: [From Russia With Love Trailer]

Source: PSPupdates

Homebrew: Devour RSS Reader v1.0

It seems that Sony did something right with its latest firmware release – the RSS reader seems to be a feature that a lot of people want on their PSP. So many people want it that there are already a couple projects being worked on creating a homebrew RSS reader for 1.50 PSP’s that can rival Sony’s official reader.

Enter liquid8d and Devour RSS, the latest application designed to retrieve RSS feeds, written in Lua. This is still a work in progress, but it can currently choose connections, browse offline, update feeds at startup, and sports customizeable themes and skins. There are a few problems with hanging, not finishing downloads and not allowing redirects, but hopefully that will all be sorted out in the next release. Don’t forget to read the README for installation instructions and control layout.

Download it here.

Requires the Lua Player, which you can get here.

Grand Theft Auto Cheat Device v0.8b Released

GTA Cheat Device. The program that started it all. Without this first bit of unsigned code ever to be run on 2.01+ firmware, Fanjita’s eLoader wouldn’t have been possible. Edison Carter has now released an update to this historical program – along with all the other amazing and useful tweaks and cheats you can use with Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, now you have the ability to teleport to the play target (the little red marker you can set on the map). Along with this, Edison has optimized the video recorder. (Thanks for the email, Bam!)

Download the U.S. version here.
Download the U.K. version here.

Homebrew: Universal Remote Control App Released!

A new universal remote control homebrew app has been released by Massa84. It only works on Firmware 1.5 for now, but this is the first real universal remote app for the PSP!

Download it here.

On-Screen Keyboard Tutorial Released by McZonk

McZonk, the primary developer of Quake II for PSP, has written a guide explaining how to use the PSP's on-screen keyboard.

Read about it and download the tutorial here.

Fastest DVD to PSP Converter Launched

From the release on the web site:

Now 300% fasterDVD -to-PSP conversions. Enjoy tv-series, home movies, and even feature films on your Playstation Portable and watch them in great quality, in full screen landscape mode.

A memorycard as small as 128 Mb is sufficient to store a full length feature film, or up to a hundred minutes of other content. With only two clicks, this PC software converts the content of any video file (AVI, MPEG, DivX, etc.), from any drive (harddisk, CD, DVD, removable) to a super small movie, which will play on the Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) device, from a postage stamp size memory card. You can use a headset or the built-in speaker to listen to the sound. Subtitled and foreign language DVDs are also supported. You wil have to see the quality to believe it, using superior MPEG4 encoding, feature films look crisp and sharp on the PSP and still fit on a relatively small multimediacard. Let the kids watch their favourite tv-cartoons in the car or put your DVD's on a memorystick to watch on a business trip. In less than 45 minutes, you can put a full DVD on your PSP. Much faster than the competition.

Software runs on: Windows XP

Download Free Trial Version - Buy full version - Upgrade

Note from Auri: You may also want to couple this application with DVD43 at www.dvd43.com.

Game Review: Mega Man Hunter X (GameSpot)

World Rally Championship comes to PSP

The new Namco Bandai Games Americca Inc. brings their first title to the PSP

With a brand new merger behind them, Namco Bandai Games America Inc. are already starting to bring some new games to the table. The latest to be announced is World Rally Championship for the PSP. It's the first officially licensed World Rally Championship game for any handheld.

"We are excited to bring one of the most popular rally racing franchises to the handheld market," said Business Director at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., Jeff Lujan. "WRC offers the most exhilarating rally racing experience available for the PSP system."

The gamew will span 5 conitinents and 16 countries. From the streets of Japan to the hills of Mexico, tracks will be varied and beautiful. Watch for World Rally Championship in March 2006.

Source: GameShout

GUBA Usenet video service adds PSP support

GUBA, the Web-based Usenet video and image search service, has added Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) support. The PSP joins the video iPod as a supported device.

The Usenet is a bulletin board system that’s long been part of the Internet, and a large chunk of the traffic that passes through it is binary-encoded data including movies and digital images. As it’s broken into “newsgroups” and binary-encoded data can be fragmented into many individual files, or postings, before it can be reassembled, the Usenet can be difficult to navigate.

For a monthly subscription fee, GUBA enables users to browse or search Usenet archives for video or image content. GUBA provides the ability to preview and download the video, watch it instantly using Flash Video. In the case of iPod or PSP users, GUBA can also transcode the video to a size and format suitable for their device.

PSP transcoding joins other recent enhancements, including the ability to create custom Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds.

Source: Macworld

Graffiti-Free PSP Event In London (Kotaku)

Kotaku reader Chris hit a PSP event in London last Friday night at the V&A Museum. A chandelier was created with 50 small TFT screens dangling from it. Artists created video content for the PSP, which was broken up via a grid on each of the small screens. According to Chris, the PSP video was then fed into a computer, where Isadora software was used to split the signal into components, through multiple outposts and up to the chandelier. PlayStation staff was milling about, giving folks in the crowd free PSP demos as well as lending out portables to play with exclusive content. Cool!

Watch a Vid [PixelSumo]
Read More [PixelSumo] Thanks Chris!

Source: Kotaku

New PSP Media & Homebrew Manager Released - Upspear v0.1

SukkoPera has released his first version of Upspear, a new “PSP Manager” that runs on your PC. It’s got a whole list of functions from moving and renaming your homebrew to converting 1.0 homebrew into 1.50 compatible format. Here are the details:

• See the homebrews you have installed, rename and delete them.
• Identify useless folders in psp/game.
• See your savegames and delete the ones you don't need anymore.
• Hide the "corrupt data" icons or push them to the bottom of the list.
• Kxploit a 1.0 eboot.pbp, making it work under 1.5 firmwares.
• View the contents of a .SFO format file (i. e.: param.sfo).

Many things have still to be implemented, as I don't have as much time to spend on it as I would like, but basic features are there, and it should *never* crash (hopefully ). We have made this test release so that people can use and test the program. Should you encounter any bugs/crashes, we would like you to report them, mailing us at enjoy.the.silence [at] iol.it.

Download it here.

Free PSP Mag: PSPWeekly Magazine Issue 5 Released

The crew over at PSPWeekly have released their 5th issue of PSP Weekly Magazine. At 114 pages, this issue is sure to entertain you with all the news you may have missed over the last week. This weeks issue contains plenty of news, reviews, homebrew, cheats and a lenthy but interesting tutorial on coding!

Download it here.

*** Run Homebrew on 2.01, 2.50 and 2.60 PSPs with eLoader!!! ***

Fanjita, the same wizard who brought us the original eLoader as well as downgrading hacks among many other hacks, and Ditlew, have brought eLoader to the scene. eLoader is a homebrew launcher for the PSP that enables you to run many of the existing homebrew games and applications available for free on the Internet today (this should exclude pirated/ripped games, of course).

Some examples of homebrew applications include:

• Game System Emulators (like Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, Atari Lynx, and many others)
• Cool Games
• Movie and Music Players
• PDA functionality

You will need Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories to use his launcher.

The PSP is awesome, we all know that. Homebrew applications make it even better.

You can read about and download eLauncher here.
You can buy Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories here.
You can learn more about homebrew at HackingPSP.com's Homebrew Central here.

Homebrew: PLynx Atari Lynx Emulator v0.90 Released

PLynx has the newest version of his port of Handy, an Atari Lynx emulator, for the PSP. Added in this version is homebrew support and the ability to rotate the screen’s display to take advantage of some of those top-view scrolling games! If you ask me, it's only natural that you can play games from the world's first color handheld console on the world's best handheld console!

Download it here.

Homebrew: MP3 RSS Feed Downloaded for 2.60 PSPs and above (also requires Windows)

Those of you who have PSP's with firmware that supports RSS feeds, Matthias Graffe has emailed us from Germany about his MP3 streamer for your PC that you can access with your PSP. You 2.60'ers may not have access to the wealth of homebrew (yet) but this IS something you can use to make the most out of your PSP. 

First download, install and configure Hfs (PSPortal) with this how to: psp.servegame.com (You don´t need the "RSS, Live Music Streaming" Part)

Create a Folder for your RSS Files and share it like your MP3 Folder as a real-time folder with Hfs.

1) Edit Filename, Title and Description or choose the "Use Subfolders" method. Then the chosen Subfolder of the first level (NO subfolder in a subfolder!) of your shared MP3 Folder will be used as Filename, Title and Description. (optional)

2) Choose your, with Hfs shared, RSS and MP3 Folder and edit the HTTP Address - it must point to your MP3 Folder. Save your Config - or reset it (optional) What the App is doing: if path.dat found, then reset to this save - otherwise reset to default).

 3) Now choose the MP3 Folder to Feed (it must be in the shared MP3 Folder) and click "Search MP3s and make the RSS Feed!"

Download it here.

Cool Hardware Hack: PS2 Analog Nub Mod for PSP

Okay, let’s face it - the PSP’s analog nub, while creative, isn’t the most comfortable thing in the word. Most of us would prefer the same sort of analog control that we’ve trained with over the last five years. The PS2 controller is well designed, there’s no denying that, and many gamers prefer it over everything else. Thanks to epixx we can now bring a little bit of the PS2’s familiarity and comfort to the PSP with this interesting analog nub mod. When you’re done, you’ll be able to switch back and forth between your PS2 nub and the original with ease. I’m sure many of you have a an old PS2 controller laying around somewhere, so check this out and give it a try! (Thanks for the tip, realn0whereman!)

Thanks for the link PSPU!

Read the how-to article here.

Homebrew: Homebrew Pack for eLoader

Since the release of Fanjita’s eLoader Beta a couple of days ago, a whole new world of homebrew has opened up for PSP owners with 2.01 or 2.50 PSP’s. Finding homebrew that does work is a little tough, but forum guru LostJared has released a pack of his ports and programs that are eLoader compatible:

• 3D Cube
• 3D Rotation
• 3D First Person Demo
• MasterX with KDE Theme (contains a console where you can type commands with the on screen keyboard)

For a list of homebrew that works with eLoader, make sure to check out Fanjita’s List of Compatible Homebrew.

Download it here.

PSP Game Organizer Released

Mads L has released a handy little program designed to make your life easier and your PSP more organized! We all hate the way the PSP lists programs – never in the order you want, the occasional corrupt icon here and there… you know how it goes. Well this simple tool will allow you to easily move your programs around to your liking, and move those pesky corrupt icons to the bottom. Unfortunately, there’s a limitation in this program where it will not find a PSP if the drive letter is higher than “G:“, so I couldn’t completely test it out. I expect this problem to be fixed in future versions. *hint hint*

Download it here.

Source: PSPUpdates

Homebrew Hack: FlashMod v2.0 for 2.00 and 1.50 Firmware

IchigoKurosaki from Orbis PSP Development has once again released his latest version of FlashMod, a great utility for changing certain aspects of how your PSP operates. The big news about this release is that there is now a version for 1.0 and 2.0 PSPs, allowing you to increase the CPU and GPU speed of UMD games, as well as edit menu titles in the XMB.

Features for Firmware 2.00:

• Load UMD's with CPU clocked at 333 and GPU clocked at 166
• Restore/Edit XMB Menu Names (Can't use PSP Menu Edit by Loco for Firmware 2.00)

Features for Firmware 1.50:

• Load UMD's with 2.00 or higher support (Has not been improved)
• Load UMD's with CPU clocked at 333 and GPU clocked at 166
• Restore/Remove asura effect
• Restore/Add custom backgrounds
• Restore/Edit XMB menu names
• Version reminder removed due to complaints

Features for Firmware 1.00:

• Load UMD's with 2.00 or higher support
• Load UMD's with CPU clocked at 333 and GPU clocked at 166
• Restore/Remove asura effect
• Restore/Add custom backgrounds
• Restore/Edit XMB menu names (Can't use PSP Menu Edit by Loco for Firmware 1.00)

Please read the included documentation and warnings - any program that writes to your PSP's flash memory has the potential to damage your PSP.

Download the 2.0 firmware version here.

Download the 1.5 firmware version here.

Gadgets Weblog: Trick Out Your PSP with Lights and Translucency!

This was such a cool article I had to post it... -Auri

f you're a true techy geek and are not afraid of cracking up your game consoles for customization purposes (or repairing) take a look at The Lamma's articles.

The latest article will teach you how to make your PSP look like this:

Cool? Check out the Making Lighted Trigger Buttons for the PSP tutorial for step by step instructions.

The site isn't updated much besides the previous PSP Mod, but there are other news/articles in the site like the XBox 360 section and a tutorial about changing the buttons position on the Xbox controller

Read the whole article here.

Source: The Gadgets Weblog

Homebrew: Original Duke Nukem Clone Released

David Goffe has released his first homebrew game, Dave Gnuken, which is based on an old DOS favorite of his, Duke Nukem (not Duke Nukem 3D, mind you).

From the release:

Dave Gnukem is a 2D scrolling platform shoot-em-up. It is very similar to (and inspired by) Duke Nukem 1.

Download it here.

Homebrew: Quake II PSP - Second Patch Released

McZonk from Team Emergency Exit has released a small patch for his Quake II port. McZonk has been working hard for his exam, so major updates won’t be coming before he finishes his exam. Good luck, man.

Details about this release:

Changes:

• graphic and game bug fixes, should run more stable
• 333 mhz support
• on screen keyboard (press left trigger in input mode of console or on text fields).
• player name is now saveable

There is still no sound, no multiplayer (I saw Quake 1 has adhoc now, I'll add it to after exams), no full singleplayer and no 2.0 or higher support.

Download it here.

Source: PSP Updates

Run Homebrew on PSP 2.01 and 2.50! w00t!

Fanjita has announced it! SWEET! Run homebrew on 2.01 and 2.50 PSPs!

We finally made a more solid breakthrough with the EBOOT loader for GTA tonight. Not only does the menu now work properly, but I've also managed to run the uo_SNES9x emulator, and play the Pilotwings ROM (the only one I have), on both v2.0 and v2.5.

This package allows you to run some standard PSP homebrew on any version of Grand Theft Auto, and PSP firmware version v2.0, v2.01 and v2.5.

It's an initial test of the loader, that doesn't support the full range of homebrew, but works well enough for an initial release.

It does NOT run on v2.60 firmware.

Please note also the new name for the EBOOT Loader - eLoader.

Time to get some sweet homebrew running on your PSP. You can find a lot in the libraries.

DOWNLOAD THE HOMEBREW LAUNCHER, ELOADER, HERE!

Here is the list of known compatible homebrew (a list which will obviously grow):

Uo_Snes9x (SNES) 0.02y32
Throttle-X
Squarez 0.8.1
Spider Solitaire
Snakman
PSPaint v3
PSPChess
PSP Calendar v0.3
Lunar Lander 0.5
In The Air
Ghost In The Matrix v0.2
File Assistant 0.04
Dual Tetris 1.0
Bombjack
1MHz Reader

20,000 Sony PSP Videos Available from GUBA Search

GUBA, a multimedia search service of Usenet videos, has added the availability of Sony PSP-enabled playback of GUBAs indexed Usenet video content. Now, Guba is offering more than 20,000 videos which are selected from the worlds oldest and largest bulletin board service. GUBA subscribers (via paid subscription) now have the ability to download their preferred content directly onto their choice of mobile video device; the PSP (Playstation Portable) or Apple’s iPod.

In addition to offering videos in PSP or iPod format, GUBA also offers the ability to subscribe to RSS feeds using keywords that match particular interests so when new videos are posted to Usenet matching these user-defined parameters, GUBA automatically uses the indexed keywords of the files description to provide RSS feeds.

GUBA says that one unique aspect of their service is the ability to access multimedia content available on the ‘dark web’, which refers to Usenet and other forms of multimedia content not indexed by the major search engines such as Yahoo, Google or Microsoft.

“GUBA has once again demonstrated why it is the market-leader in providing content to all platforms,” said Thomas McInerney, CEO of GUBA. “Our technical leadership has enabled us to further extend the GUBA experience onto a new platform that has proven to be one of the hottest sources of portable entertainment.”

Source: Search Engine Journal

Preview of Taito's New Game "Exit"

Lucasarts announces XBL Content for Star Wars Battlefront II

Now at more than 4 million copies sold across all four available platforms (PlayStation 2, Xbox, PSP and PC), Star Wars Battlefront II was the No. 2 best-selling videogame of 2005, according to NPD Funworld. It’s also – in less than three months of availability – the new best-selling Star Wars game of all time. On Tuesday, January 31, LucasArts releases a large dose of premium content for owners of the Xbox version, downloadable via Xbox Live.

     

For only $4.99, Xbox players who purchase Battlefront II’s downloadable premium content gain two new playable hero characters (Jedi Kit Fisto and the evil Asajj Ventress) as well as four of their favorite maps from the original Star Wars Battlefront. Each of the downloadable maps – including Yavin 4 (Arena), Bespin (Cloud City) and two on icy Rhen Var (Harbor and Citadel) – boasts bonus modes of Conquest, Capture-the-Flag and Assault (a good-versus-evil hero free-for-all that includes the new characters and other heroes already in the game in one Force-ful battle royale). Assault modes have also been added to the preexisting maps on Coruscant, Mygeeto and Naboo, and Rhen Var’s Harbor map includes an additional Hunt mode featuring wampa ice creatures. 

The new locations and heroes enable Star Wars fans to relive some of their favorite heroic confrontations, as well – this time with entire armies backing them. On Bespin, Luke Skywalker takes on Darth Vader as seen in The Empire Strikes Back. Meanwhile, as depicted in Cartoon Network’s Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series, Anakin Skywalker goes up against Asajj Ventress in the jungles of Yavin 4. Count Dooku’s protégé even comes equipped with an exciting new weapon – two lightsabers attached with a fibercord.

The breakdown of available heroes for the new maps is as follows:

Bespin: Cloud City (Conquest)
Rebel Alliance: Luke Skywalker
Empire: Darth Vader
Republic: Aayla Secura
Separatists: Asajj Ventress

Bespin: Cloud City (Capture the Flag)
Rebel Alliance: Han Solo
Galactic Empire: Darth Vader
Galactic Republic: Kit Fisto
Confederacy of Independent Systems: Asajj Ventress

Rhen Var: Citadel
Rebel Alliance: Han Solo
Galactic Empire: Boba Fett
Galactic Republic: Kit Fisto
Confederacy of Independent Systems: Darth Maul

Rhen Var: Harbor
Rebel Alliance: Chewbacca
Galactic Empire: Emperor Palpatine
Galactic Republic: Kit Fisto
Confederacy of Independent Systems: Asajj Ventress

Yavin: Temple
Rebel Alliance: Luke Skywalker
Galactic Empire: Boba Fett
Galactic Republic: Anakin Skywalker
Confederacy of Independent Systems: Asajj Ventress

Source: Lucasarts

Nintendo To Shrink DS to Spur Sales Taken by PSP

Recent news that the PSP has begun to outsell the DS consistently for the first time may well have prompted Nintendo to announce a lighter, slimmer version of their handheld.

The Nintendo DS Lite may well be released as early as March in Japan and will carry a $145 price tag, with the original DS enjoying a significant price cut as well.

The DS Lite is 133mm wide by 73.9mm high by 21.5mm deep and weighs just 218 gram, 21% lighter than the standard DS.

Of course, the trade off for an improvement to the DS's pretty ugly design, is a reduced screen size which doesn't really help its multimedia credentials any.

The PSP has made a lot out of its portable media center strengths and the DS, which according to many actually has a better range of game titles, is starting to look a little limited.

Source: Media Center PC World

Hackers Circumvent PSP 2.50 Firmware Protections (Gamasutra)

The ongoing battle between Sony and software hackers over executable code on the PlayStation Portable has swung back in favor of the hacking community: a hacker by the name of Fanjita has unveiled his method of executing code and other applications off of the memory stick that works with most of the latest versions of the PSP firmware.

Fanjita's program, called eLoader, works with PSP firmware versions 2.01 through 2.50, though it is incompatible with the very latest 2.60 update. The software exploits a flaw in the release of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and disguises itself as a saved game file for the popular PSP title. Once the save file is loaded by somebody who owns a copy of GTA:LCS, it executes what is presumably some kind of overflow exploit, and can then load homemade software off of the system's memory stick media.

Sony has typically combated unauthorized code running on the PSP by rendering the exploits invalid with a new firmware update, and then requiring that the update be installed in order to to run games published after its release.

Players determined to run emulators or homebrew games on the system usually accept that a dedicated unit for such software is necessary alongside a "clean" system for commercial games; the significance for such a community is not as much in defeating another version of the firmware protection as much as it is gaining access to 2.50's improved wi-fi Internet features while still being able to run unsigned code.

Source: Gamasutra

OT: Coupon for you Addicts (PSPUpdates)

I have always been of the mindset that you aren't a true gamer unless MMO addiction has caused you to: drop out of school, get a divorce, forget what month it is, or seriously consider leaving this life behind for the sure knowledge that your favorite cyber-world is in fact the afterlife you are sure to ascend to.

I've suffered through addiction to Ultima Online, EverQuest (three times), Star Wars Galaxies, EverQuest 2, World of Warcraft, and various other MMORPGs. While off topic, I thought it was cool that the guys over at GamerKing.com sent us a 20% off coupon to give to our users to help them feed their MMO addictions with in-game currency (gold, plat, credits, what have you) for their game of choice. Just use coupon code "PSP" (all caps) when you check out for 20% off.

Remember kids, MMOs can cause serious injury to your friends, family, education, marraige, health, body fat %, and cause the line to blur severely between reality and game. But damn they are fun.

Homebrew: Quake Ad-Hoc Multiplayer Released (PSPUpdates)

I know that this will get many of you out of your seats and ready to frag your friends! Chris Swindle has taken Peter McKay’s port of Quake and added Ad-hoc support for multiplayer capabilities between two or more PSP’s! The bugs are still being worked out and the sound was temporarily removed, but this is indeed a big step forward for multiplayer PSP homebrew! Just set one PSP as the ad-hoc host and the other PSP’s should detect it. Any feedback you can give will certainly help Chris fine-tune the program.

Download it here.

Homebrew: PSPRadio v0.38-Pre2 Released (PSPUpdates)

My all time favorite program for the PSP has been updated, and you'd be crazy not to check it out - homebrew just doesn't get any better than PSPRadio from Raf and Company! So if you have WiFi and still haven't given it a try despite my forceful persuasion in the past, get on it... or else! Here's what's been changed in the newest pre-release:

NEW FEATURES:
-Core: Added support for logging via WiFi instead of using the memorystick. (r729)
-External: Added a simple server application which can receive the log-entries via WiFi on the PC. (r729)
-3DUI: A new popup dialog has been added to show error messages from PSPRadio. (r732)
-Core: Next/Prev via HPRM are now global (r733)
-TextUI: Updated skins from Semtex199 (r733)
-Core: Added new playmode "GLOBAL". When on this mode, when the last track of an album finishes, the player goes to the first track of the next album. (r734)
-Core: Updated SHOUTcast db.xml to latest as of 1-26-06 (r736)
-Core: Added support for ID3 tags (v1 and v2) (r738/739)
-Core: Made Playback mode a config item in PSPRadio.cfg. Now its saved with the other config options. Make sure you update your PSPRadio.cfg for this to work. (r744)

BUG FIXES :
-3DUI: The active item are now default selected when entering the option screen. (r728)
-3DUI: The program version is now only shown on the option screen when using the 3D UI (r727)
-3DUI: Fixed a couple of bug which caused the UI to read random data. (r730)
-Core: Added check for buffer event, so they are only sent when there are changes. (r731)
-Core: Fixed bug where HPRM would crash the local files screen (r733)
-TextUI: Corrected problem where 12AM was being displayed as 00AM (r734)

Download it here.

Homebrew: Sokoban Featuring Link

Fabre has released his first creation for the PSP - a Zelda themed version of Sokoban! Fabre is aware that there is already an existing version of Sokoban out there, but you can't have enough of a good thing, right? The initial release comes with 9 levels, but Fabre supplies instructions on how to edit, alter, and create your own levels to add to the collection:

Editing the game: You can change the levels easily, just open one of the files in Notepad or similar. Here is what different symbols mean in the level file:

'B'=Block
'J'=Jug
'L'=Link
' '=Space

If you have done it right, the file should be 362 bytes. If it is larger or smaller, make sure the text editor you are using has put only a CR/LF at the end of each line. You can change the graphics by renaming the files to *.png. Transparency is supported, the filenames should make it pretty self-explanatory, don't change the resolution of the images or the level won't render properly. For now, levels can only be named from '1' to '9', I'll fix this in the next release.

Download it here.

Homebrew: Naruto Adventure Alpha Released!

KingOfNoobs has finally taken the plunge and released his first homebrew game written in Lua, taking inspiration from one of his favorite icons – Naruto! It’s still a work in progress and some of the physics aren’t working quite right such as collision, but it’s great to see one of our youngest members getting involved with programming - keep up the good work, KON!

Download it here.

Homebrew: PSP Screen Capture v0.2 Released

Nekokabu has released his PSP Screen Capture, version 0.02. PSP Screen Capture is a screenshot taking program working on v1.00 and v1.50 PSPs. It works better than PSPgrab from the screenshots Nekokabu released. Details:

How to use
Put a game UMD into the PSP, then start the program. The UMD will be automatically loaded. Then you will be able to take screenshots by pressing the Music button. You can take 1/4 sized screenshots by pressing ¡°volume -¡± and the music button together. The captured pictures will be put into capture folder of the PSP.

Note

• Some games doesn't let you take screenshots.

Changelog:

• Output file number is changed to 3 digits
• File overwriting problem fixed
• Background icon attached

Download it here.

Transport Tycoon Deluxe Port for the PSP Released

Jamie has just released his port of Transport Tycoon Deluxe (Open TTD) to the PSP. As you can see by the screenshots, this game looks absolutely beautiful. At this point, the game is playable but cannot save or load games yet.

- Pending major fixes

• Fix saveload functions
• Enable network mode

Pending minor fixes needed

• Support midi tracks
• Resize some windows
• Fix dropdown menus positioning
• Screenshots support
• Fix map button/dialog

Jamie also wants to hear any feedback, patch information or suggestions: “Any kind of patch, sugestion or contribution is welcome, contact me at jpenalbae@gmail.com”

Download it here.

Utility: PMP Muxer for PMP Mod Updated

Jonny has released a new version of his PMP Muxer program which is used to make AVI files (DivX/Xvid) compatible for 1.50 PSP's to play in full resolution with his media player, PMP Mod. This small update corrects the problem with the "invalid keyframe value" error that was being experienced when converting video files.

Download it here.

Source: PSPUpdates

Homebrew: Vortex Now Works on 2.0 Firmware (PSPUpdates)

Mach-one's space shooter Vortex made quite an impact on the homebrew community when it was released last week, but to the dismay of many it only worked on PSP's with 1.50 Firmware. So it should be welcome news that a new version of Vortex was been released which is compatible with 2.0 Firmware!

Homebrew: Doom v0.05 Plus Released (with Source Code!)

Greg Berkhof has been wanting to release his modified version of DOOM-PSP for a while now, but every time he is about to do so someone else releases their own version. But now the time is right and he has emailed us DOOM-PSP Plus to post here at PSPUpdates! Here are the improvements that Greg has made to this popular homebrew port:

1. Cheats - by holding down start and pressing either x, o, square, and triangle, you can activate god, all weapons, level warp, and full map.

2. Auto-run - by default your marine will now run without having to hold down the run button. When you do hold down the run button, you will walk.

3. Map zoom - pressing up or down on the dpad/nub allows you to zoom in and out in the automap.

4 Gamma - by default the current gamma setting is 3, instead of 0. This brightens the game consideratly, however, may cause some washout.

To Install:

Firmware 1.0 and 2.0(with EBOOT Loader)
1. Create Doom dir under Games.
2. Copy save, wads, inst, config.ini, and timidity.cfg into doom folder.
3. copy eboot.pbp from fw10 into doom dir.
4. copy any main wads into doom/wads dir and pwads into doom/wads/pwads dir.
5. launch game, select wads and play! to set up controls press L+R+Start and follow instructions.

Firmware 1.5
1. Create Doom dir under Games.
2. Create Doom% dir under Games.
2. Copy save, wads, inst, config.ini, and timidity.cfg into doom folder.
3. copy eboot.pbp from fw15/Doom into doom dir.
5. copy eboot.pbp from fw15/Doom% into doom% dir.
4. copy any main wads into doom/wads dir and pwads into doom/wads/pwads dir.
5. launch game, select wads and play! to set up controls press L+R+Start and follow instructions.

Source code is included so further modifications can be made by anyone interested in continuing the work!

Download it here.

Homebrew: WebNab v0.2 for the PSP Released (PSPUpdates)

 

Danzel, from our forums, has updated Webnab to version 0.2. Webnab (Why Eat Banannas? Not A Browser), has now developed into a full fledged RSS / Atom reader for your PSP.

 

Version 0.2 allows the user to add in your own feeds to the program and allows for changing the background. If you have any problems, issues, suggestions, or feeds that don’t work proprerly, post in Danzels release thread.

Download it here.

Sony Puts Down Aibo Robotic Dog

(I know, not exactly PSP related, but there were rumors the PSP could control Sony's robotic pet, which was a technological marvel. Now we may never know what else it could do. -Auri)

New Media Experience Coming to PSP

Sony has taken its Aibo robot dog to 'live on a farm' as part of cost-cutting exercise that also sees the demise of the company's Qualia line of pricey, high-specification products. As well as ending its line of robot pooches, the company is ending development of the previously-forthcoming Qrio robot.

The company reported some of its strongest quarterly earnings in several years on Thursday and upgraded its forecast for the full year. Both sales and net profits jumped to all-time highs, helped by good news from product sectors that had been problematic.

Ten months after a major management reshuffle that saw Howard Stringer appointed chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), the company reported sales and operating revenue of ¥2.4 trillion (£12 billion as of the last day of the period being reported) for the three months to December, up 10 percent from a year earlier. Net income was ¥168.9 billion, up 18 per cent.

Sony's key electronics business saw improvements on the back of brisk sales of its Bravia LCD (liquid crystal display) televisions, which achieved number-one market share in the US, according to Nobuyuki Oneda, Sony's chief financial officer, speaking at a Tokyo news conference. Sony was late to the LCD TV market and its products had been performing poorly until the launch of the Bravia line.

Electronics sales were up 4.7 percent to ¥1.6 trillion and operating profit increased 56.2 percent to ¥78.9 billion. Sales fell in Japan and Europe but climbed in the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Sales of DVD- and high-definition camcorders were also healthy, and Sony sold more digital music players in all regions, it said. However, sales of CRT (cathode ray tube) televisions fell as consumers showed a preference for flat-panel models, the company said.

"In the electronics business there were signs of recovery but it's not yet at a satisfactory level," said Oneda.

Continuing the restructuring in its electronics business, the company said it would end its Aibo robot line, stop development of its Qrio robot, stop development and manufacturing of PDP (plasma display panel) televisions, and stop selling in-car entertainment products in Japan. It will also kill its Qualia line of pricey, high-specification products.

In the gaming sector, strong demand for Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP) helped lift overall sales for the division by 48 percent to ¥419.2 billion, and operating income by 52 per cent to ¥67.8 billion. The company shipped 6.2 million PSPs during the quarter, up 5.7 million from a year earlier, and 5.4 million PlayStation 2s, 2 million less than the same quarter a year earlier.

Sony's pictures division recorded a small loss on flat sales after the lack of a hit movie in the quarter. It's financial services sector reported a 31 percent increase in revenue and a 238 percent increase in operating income, thanks in part to higher returns on investments.

The results had been eagerly awaited by Sony watchers for signs that the corporate-wide restructuring is paying off. The plan, which was outlined in September, is on track, Oneda said.

By the end of 2005, Sony had achieved cost reductions of ¥15 billion out of its target of ¥200 billion, which it hopes to reach by the end of March 2008. Its total staff count has been reduced by 2,400 against a target of 10,000, and 3 manufacturing plants have been closed or sold against the target of 11 by the 2008 deadline.

For the full year, Sony said it now expects sales to be ¥7.4 trillion, 2 per cent above its previous forecast, and net income to be ¥70 billion. Sony had previously said it expected to lose ¥10 billion [b] during the full year.

Source: Digit

Review: Sony Location Free Player Pak

Where do you watch television the most? Is it on the couch, on a favorite recliner, or just in bed? With Sony's LocationFree Player Pak, you can watch your favorite shows from anywhere you can access a broadband connection.

Whether you're sitting on the porch within reach of your wireless network or in a cafe halfway around the world, your television can go with you. All you need is a notebook computer or a PlayStation Portable.

Unfortunately, when you get over LocationFree's novelty, you'll find it has lots of problems.

Impressive Features

LocationFree accepts inputs from up to three video sources. There's an integrated NTSC tuner, an s-video or composite input, and a second composite connection. That's plenty of connections for hooking up your TV, DVD player, and VCR.

When you have it hooked up, LocationFree only offers a one-to-one relationship, so only one person can watch shows through the device at any given time, but that's the same limitation you'd have at home where only one person has control of the remote.

LocationFree includes integrated Wi-Fi for all popular standards (802.11a/b/g) to broadcast a video signal throughout the house. The Wi-Fi capability also can be used as an access point, so it's especially convenient for those who do not have a wireless router or need to extend the range of an existing network with another access point.

On your computer, you'll need to install LocationFree Player to find, view, and manage your TV shows. Sony's device uses a dynamic DNS system to associate its unique address with your broadband IP address to let the player find only your TV.

For PlayStation Portable owners, firmware 2.5 or higher includes the player already, so you just need Wi-Fi access and you're ready to go.

Missing Pieces

Unfortunately, LocationFree isn't well thought out. There's no pass-through capability, which means devices with a single output, like a cable box, can't be connected to a television simultaneously. We'd forgive the missing pass-through if Sony included the necessary cables and adapters to split the signal, but the LocationFree package doesn't even provide an Ethernet cable.

On the wireless side, we expected the presence of a bridge mode to connect to an existing wireless network and eliminate the need for a network cable. But LocationFree acts only as an access point. You'll still need to get a network cable to LocationFree if you're planning on streaming outside your home. That proves problematic for the majority of households that don't have network connections behind their television sets.

To control your TV, DVD player, and other devices, LocationFree relies on infrared to transmit the control codes. Unfortunately, the device comes only with one transmitter and requires careful placement if you want to control more than one device.

If you plan to use three devices, for example, you'll need your components stacked and the infrared transmitter strategically placed to hit them all. Horizontal arrangements won't work.

Performance

Video playback is smooth with LocationFree's on-the-fly MPEG-4 encoding. Whether it's inside or outside your home network, you won't be plagued with the kind of stuttering video that you find in most online video-streaming services.

Sony recommends a minimum upload speed of 300 Kbps to maintain watchable quality. LocationFree automatically adjusts the bitrate according to you network's speed, which means that the video quality gets better with faster speeds.

While video playback is smooth, colors aren't as vibrant as what you'd see directly on your TV. That's not unexpected and typically is the side effect of most video-compression technologies. However, set side-by-side with other devices that do the same thing, like SlingMedia's Slingbox, LocationFree's colors look dull, flat, and unimpressive.

Verdict

Frequent travelers will appreciate access to their home-television lineup, especially in contrast to what's available at most hotels. Add a DVR into the mix and you can catch up on all those shows you record at home but never have time to watch.

Around the house, LocationFree effectively turns a notebook or desktop computer into another television set.

LocationFree does a respectable job and the feature list is impressive, but Sony has taken too many shortcuts that hamper what could have been a great device.

The Slingbox might not have integrated wireless and might have fewer inputs, but video quality is superior and it comes with everything you need to get up and running. That makes the Slingbox a better option. Unless you're a PlayStation Portable owner and you want TV on your handheld, skip LocationFree.

Sony LocationFree Player Pak

Specs: NTSC tuner; two video inputs; MPEG-4 compression; Integrated 802.11a/b/g; infrared transmitter.

Pros: Integrated Wi-Fi; multiple inputs.

Cons: Dull colors; No A/V pass-through; cables not included; single infrared transmitter.

Verdict: Sony's LocationFree does a respectable job and the feature list is impressive, but Sony has taken too many shortcuts that hamper what could have been a great device.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Price: $349.99

http://www.sonystyle.com

Source: Yahoo! News

Microsoft's Guilty Gear Coming to PSP this Spring

Majesco has announced that a new Gulity Gear title, Guilty Gear Judgement, will be released for the PSP this spring. The game combines two titles on one UMD — the arcade fighter Guilty Gear X2 #Reload, plus a brand new side scrolling game, Guilty Gear Judgment. Both games will feature ad-hoc multiplayer modes. No further release or pricing information was available.

“Widely praised as one of the leading 2D brawler franchises, the Guilty Gear series has a long history of offering gamers deep, character-driven game play,” said Ken Gold, vice president of Marketing for Majesco. “These exciting new installments will provide hours of entertainment while offering two unique new game play experiences that fans can enjoy on the go.”

Guilty Gear Judgment features 20 Guilty Gear character favorites, including Sol Badguy, Potemkin, May, and Dizzy; 18 levels of 2D side-scrolling action; and special moves like Psych Burst, Dust Attack and Roman Cancel. In addition, both games within Guilty Gear Judgment offer wireless multi-player connectivity for up to two players.

Source: PSPWorld

New Media Experience Coming to PSP

The Guardian Gamesblog discusses the announcement that a Metal Gear Solid digital comic is in the works for the PSP. There's also going to be a title called 'The Silent Hill Experience', which will be a sort of guide to the series. From the post: "Designed to offer a comprehensive guide to all things Silent Hill, The Silent Hill Experience combines a number of media formats to give a compelling overview of the horror series. Using an intuitive 3D interface, users can view all-new Silent Hill digital interactive comics, listen to music from the four games in the series, and watch exclusive video content. The Silent Hill Experience also features an interview with Christophe Gans, the Director of the highly anticipated Silent Hill movie, starring Radha Mitchell and Sean Bean." Nice that they're finally doing something defining with the console.

Rumor Mill: Microsoft to Develop PSP Rival

Business Week has started a pretty good rumour today - that Microsoft is to develop a handheld device in the same market as the PSP and existing portable media centers.

To be accurate Business Week actually say that Microsoft is putting together a working party to look at the business case for developing such a device. This isn't really headline news, despite out excitement, as Microsoft probably has committees working on everything from intelligent toasters to missile guidance systems, most of which will never see the light of day.

Pouring fuel on the rumour fire, Microsoft's Peter Moore (yes, he of the quickly refuted 'Xbox 360 will get a Blu-Ray drive' comment) said "Any Microsoft media device would have to leverage the company's most significant consumer strength, video gaming."

We're not sure at which point Microsoft's key consumer strength became gaming instead of the fact that 90% of the world's PC are sold with a Microsoft OS, but we like the idea.

Source: Media Center PC World

Gamble ConFight - Character Images (PSPUpdates)

Gamble ConFight is a fighting action game, embedded with gamble system. The "Con" means cheating in the gamble. Normally, you bet your own fighter and wish him/her to win. But it is ok to bet on the opponent if he can win. You can't win always, but losing to the opponent purposely is an easy job…
 

Manga Fans, Nana Is Coming to the PSP (Kotaku)

According to Konami’s Nana website, the PS2 game will appear on the PSP this year. No further details have been announced. The PS2 game is based on the hit manga of the same name, which has also spanned a movie with sickeningly cute Aoi Miyazaki and waffish Mika Nakashima. There’s a tribute album. Yes, a tribute album for a comic book. It’s that popular.

Watch the Preview Here [Apple]
Info Here [Konami]

Source: Kotaku

MGS digitally stripped for PSP (GameSpot)

Konami brings interactive comic featuring Solid Snake and Metal Gear characters to Sony's handheld.

SAN FRANCISCO--The 2006 Konami Gamers' Day in San Francisco had more than just games on display today. Wilson Cheng, product manager at Konami Digitial Entertainment, said, "I am very happy to announce that Konami will be introducing a new type of genre that combines different types of media onto one UMD disc."

Thankfully for longtime Konami fans, the subject of the "new genre" is something gamers will be very familiar with. It also appears to answer questions raised by legendary designer Hideo Kojima, who recently told Famitsu that he was working on a non-game project for the PSP called Metal Gear Solid BD.

Metal Gear Solid Digital Comic (working title) is an interactive comic book-style story from franchise creator Hideo Kojima and producer Noriaki Okamura. Artwork will be provided by Australian comic book artist Ashley Wood, who fans may know from his work on Todd McFarlane's Spawn and the Metal Gear Solid comic books.

"MGS Digital Comic goes way beyond just clicking through scanned comic book pages," said Ryan Payton, international manager of Kojima Productions. "It provides an involved interactive experience as players must investigate the MGS story, link together plot points, and complete the puzzle of the Metal Gear narrative through multiple play throughs."

It's unclear just how interactive the comic will actually be, but a trailer shown at the event certainly confirmed it will be animated. Voice bubbles appear in sequence with the game's audio, and static images slide across the screen as comic-style effects like "Bang!" or "Pow!" appear onscreen when characters fire bullets.

Konami has not announced a release date or price for Metal Gear Solid Digital Comic.

Source: GameSpot

Game Review: Street Supremacy Hands-On (GameSpot)

Silent Hill PSP and Others Make Konami’s '06 List

Wow, Konami just dropped an enormous list of game titles hitting this year in my mailbox. Some on the list include a Rumble Roses for the Xbox 360, a Silent Hill for the PSP and of course, the 3D glasses-enabled Metal Gear Acid2.

beatmania
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Music
Platform: PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system
beatmania is a revolutionary new interactive DJ simulation game for the PlayStation 2, which combines high-energy pulsating music with cutting-edge videos. Utilizing a specially designed DJ controller and featuring more than 50 tracks, beatmania lets gamers feel the vibe, drop the beats and create the pulsing energy of a club in their own homes.

CMT Presents: Karaoke Revolution® Country
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Music
Platform: PlayStation 2
Saddle up with the hottest new addition to the Karaoke Revolution series. Karaoke Revolution Country marks the first branch out to a dedicated genre for the popular franchise. Officially licensed by CMT (Country Music Television), America’s most popular country music network, Karaoke Revolution Country features 35 all-new chart topping songs made popular by the hottest names in country music!

Gradius Collection
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Shooting
Platform: PSP system
Gradius Collection is a compilation of five beloved Gradius titles in one exciting game. Spanning more than 20 years of exciting releases, the titles include Gradius, Gradius II, Gradius III, Gradius IV, and the never-before-released in the United States, Gradius Gaiden.

Konami All-In Poker
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Card Game
Platform: Xbox video game and entertainment system from Microsoft
Shuffle up and deal in the most exciting card game on the planet. This no-nonsense poker game lets new players learn the ropes and allows experienced poker players to get right into the action. Players choose from one of five classic games including Texas Hold ‘em, Omaha and 7 Card Stud. In-game tutorials teach players the basic strategies, and Xbox Live online game service component lets players compete online for exciting multiplayer action.

Konami’s Chess Battle (working title)
Release date: Fall 2006
Genre: Strategy
Platform: PSP system
Konami’s Chess Battle combines intense 3D graphics and storytelling with a variety of single and multiplayer game modes for the ultimate chess experience. Set in a time prior to the age of man, players determine the fate of the world in a great battle. Players can choose to battle as one of five fully interactive 3D chess sets, including magicians, an aquatic civilization, cybernetic beings, forest-dwelling spirits and servants of chaos — or have the option to play using a classic 3D or 2D chess set.

Metal Gear Acid2
Release date: March 2006
Genre: Strategy
Platform: PSP system
Following the deep tactical strategy from the previous Metal Gear Acid game, Metal Gear Acid 2 features an improved card-based strategic gameplay system with card weapon upgrades and over 500 cards to use. The title delivers enhanced tactical gameplay and new visual effects, including an innovative 3-D mode packed with exciting gameplay and trailers that are viewed with special 3-D glasses. As the role of top-secret agent, Solid Snake, players will make calculated decisions to plan out their infiltration strategy and accomplish the mission in a turn-based game.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
Release date: March 2006
Genre: Action
Platform: PlayStation 2
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence is the newest game in the highly-acclaimed Metal Gear Solid series, created by the world-renowned Hideo Kojima. It features the complete smash-hit action game Metal Gear Solid3: Snake Eater, as well as all-new game modes such as robust online multiplayer gameplay, different camera perspectives, new duel mode, a demo theater mode, additional Snake vs. Monkey stages and the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake games that were previously released only in Japan.

Rumble Roses XX
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Sports/Wrestling
Platform: Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft
The follow-up to last year’s smash hit all-female wrestling video game and the first wrestling game for Xbox 360, Rumble Roses XX will feature a full lineup of incredible looking wrestlers along with all-new moves, gameplay modes, tag team action and online play. Set to be the “best-looking” game for the new console, Rumble Roses XX features more than 20 playable characters, including all the popular ladies from the original Rumble Roses such as Reiko and Dixie. Each wrestler will also have a variety of costume changes, new moves, different crowd reactions and attitudes depending on their persona.

Silent Hill Experience (working title)
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Multimedia
Platform: PSP system
Unique among all PSP system products available on the market, The Silent Hill Experience combines a variety of media – comics, music and movies – to deliver a complete behind-the-scenes look at the popular Silent Hill franchise. Using an intuitive 3D interface, Silent Hill fans will be able to view all-new digital interactive comics, listen to music from the long-running series of Silent Hill video games, and watch exclusive video content, including an interview with the director of the highly-anticipated Silent Hill motion picture.

Steel Horizon (working title)
Release date: Fall 2006
Genre: Strategy
Platform: PSP system, Nintendo DS
Steel Horizon combines turn-based strategy with intense action to deliver an exciting game play experience to players of all ages. Players will be able to build and command a powerful WW2 naval fleet, comprised of battleships, submarines and aircraft carriers. By combining the best of turn-based strategy and real-time action, players will strategically position their fleets and engage in real-time 3D combat.

Street Supremacy
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Racing
Platform: PSP system
Experience the super-charged world of street racing as a member of a team out for supremacy. Face off against rivals as you race through Tokyo’s traffic-filled streets. Stay in front of your opponents, dominate the competition and rule the highway! Featuring unique RPG-style racing gameplay, single and multiplayer modes and numerous licensed vehicles, Street Supremacy is must-have for the PSP system.

Suikoden V
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Role-playing
Platform: PlayStation 2
Continuing the series’ legacy, this newest installment will take fans on an all-new epic adventure through never-before-seen continents located within the immense and exciting Suikoden universe. Suikoden V, like its predecessors, offers unparalleled in-depth gameplay, 3-D environments, a riveting storyline as well as the series’ trademark 108 Stars of Destiny. The game features significant enhancements from all the previous installments in the series, including 6-member battle parties, multiple mini-games, the homebase system, and many other new features which create a unique gameplay experience like no other.

Tao’s Adventure: Curse of the Demon Seal (working title)
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Role-playing
Platform: Nintendo DS
In this exciting, action-packed RPG, players take on the role of Tao, a young magic student living on Bente Island, who must travel on an incredible journey to save his family and fellow village people from an evil monster curse that has turned everyone into stone. During this mystical quest, players will embark on an epic voyage packed with many traps and tricks, multitudes of monsters, 40 floors of thrilling battle adventure at the Monster Tower, and an endearing storyline which RPG fans will love.

World Soccer Winning Eleven 9
Release date: Early 2006
Genre: Sports/Soccer
Platform: PlayStation 2, Xbox, PSP system, PC CD-ROM
Winning Eleven 9 shoots and scores with the best soccer experience in the industry. This new edition combines the attention to detail that has been the series’ hallmark along with new formations, Master League enhancements and – for the first time ever – online play. Winning Eleven 9 features real players, a large variety of licensed teams, photo-realistic graphics, and a huge variety of stadiums, helping players re-create the same excitement that surrounds the world’s most popular sport.

Ys: The Ark of Napishtim
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Role-playing
Platform: PSP system
The Ys series is one of the most beloved RPG franchises of all time. Now on the PSP system, gamers-on-the-go can experience the beautifully rendered environments, distinct storytelling, exciting plot twists and unique characters that set Ys apart from other action RPGs. Additionally, players can unlock new mini-games and databases revealing the secrets of Ys, as well as listen to the game’s complete soundtrack as well as view movies and trailers in the Ys Media Player.

AMUSEMENT

Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Music
Platform: Arcade
The hottest revolution and bestselling video game in the music game category returns to its arcade roots with Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA. The first arcade version to be released in North America in 6 years, Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA features over 300 songs, all-new game modes, vibrant graphics and more than 2000 dance step patterns.

FUTURE PRODUCTS

Yu-Gi-Oh! USB Duelpass Key
Release date: Spring 2006
Platform: PC
By plugging the Yu-Gi-Oh! USB Duelpass Key into a computer, the user is automatically launched to a unique Yu-Gi-Oh! Online.net login page, where they can duel with other Yu-Gi-Oh! gamers anywhere in the world. The user is credited with 90 duel points and receives 3 virtual cards, one of the cards is exclusive to the product.

MOBILE

Blockshot
Release date: Winter 2006
Genre: Mobile/Action Puzzle
Based on the popular Quarth arcade game, Blockshot combines elements of both shooting and puzzle games. Shoot carefully to make a solid block and clear them from the screen. Keep an eye on the big picture and work as efficiently as possibly.

Cubic
Release date: Winter 2006
Genre: Mobile/3D Puzzle
Cubic is a puzzle game played over all sides of a 3D polygon cube. Choose the color and go! Reverse pieces are made by sandwiching in the opponent vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The player who has the most pieces wins!

Dance Dance Revolution
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Mobile/Dance
The hip tunes and party atmosphere of the arcade version go mobile! Players use their fingers to “step” on the arrows right, left, front, back on your phone. Use some tricky finger work to get the high score.

Push-It!
Release date: Winter 2006
Genre: Mobile/3D Puzzle
Push It! is a sliding box game which challenges players to create a safe course by sliding boxes into open areas in the path. Be careful not to disturb certain objects along the way. Caution: highly addicting!

Tamakoro 3D
Release date: Spring 2006
Genre: Mobile/3D Action
Keep the ball rolling without falling over the edge and avoiding the traps. It doesn’t matter which path the players uses, so find a shortcut or detour to shorten the time score! Net ranking and new road course downloads will be available.

Sony Preps Playstation Portable Puzzlers (Siliconera)

There’s little doubt that Nintendo DS as revived a couple of gaming genres, including puzzle games. Polarium, Meteos and even the Brain Training series are all part of the puzzle genre. Coincidentally, all of these games are also hot sellers on the DS. Not to be out done Sony decided to dust off a couple of PSP classics for re-release this March. You’ll be able to get a copy of XI Coliseum (Devil Dice in the USA) a remake of the brain bending dice rotating puzzle game, Bomberman: Bakafuu Sentai Bomberman with wireless action and I.Q. Mania a remix of Intelligent Qube with even more puzzles than the original.

All of these games all you to play with ad-hoc (i.e. people next to each other PSPs in hand) wireless, but you don’t need to have the same game to play over Wifi. So if you have a copy of Bomberman and someone else has I.Q. Mania both of you can play Bomberman. Each game also comes packaged with a couple of mini games like Mahjong and Bowling. Could these games attract the same “non gamer” audience that the DS is going for?

SIG Analysts Examine PSP Profit Margins (Gamasutra)

The Susquehanna Interest Group's latest Video Game Journal, produced by financial analysts looking at the video game market includes an analysis of the PlayStation Portable, in terms of expectations of its future growth as well as the possibility of offsetting next-generation development costs by taking advantage of the PSP's potential margins.

The report compares the margin of high-end PSP games, which retail for a $50 price point, to those on the PlayStation 2, whose games carry a similar price point. Looking at sales for November 2004, which are more established than 2005's holiday season, gives the SIG analysts figures of average revenue of $17.5 million and average profit of $7.1 million for PlayStation 2 titles released in that month.

Comparatively, the average PSP game released in March 2005, the month of the system's launch, had an average revenue of $8.6 million and average profit of $5.7 million. "While PSP titles produce less absolute gross profits," said the journal, "the titles have a much higher margin since they require lower development costs and lower royalties to Sony."

Furthermore, according to the report, "We acknowledge that longer development cycles result in higher development costs, which are reflected in the development costs of console titles. However, development costs do not fully account for the opportunity cost in committing to a longer development cycle. If a console title takes two years to develop, and a PSP title takes one year to develop, a publisher could theoretically create two PSP games and generate greater profit in the time it takes to create one console game."

The report concludes by suggesting that in order to make up lost revenue during the transition between console generations, publishers rely on higher margins of PSP development and "port most of their PS2 titles onto the PSP platform."

SCEA Acquires Zipper Interactive (PSPUpdates)

Sony Computer Entertainment announced today its acquisition of long-time development partner, Zipper Interactive.

Noted for their prolific military shooter franchise "SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs," Zipper joins the newly formed SCE Worldwide Studios. Its second studio purchase in as many months, Sony recently acquired Guerilla B.V. in December of 2005.

Zipper Interactive is headquartered in Redmond, Washington and develops award-winning titles for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable entertainment systems. Seeking an exclusive lock on the SOCOM franchise, the two comapnies entered into an exclusive development contract this month.

While the financial terms of the agreement went undisclosed, Zipper Interactive CEO commented on the Sony deal:

"We were first drawn to Sony Computer Entertainment by their vision for growing the videogame industry," said Jim Bosler, president and CEO, Zipper Interactive. "We've enjoyed an incredible relationship with SCE for more than six years. This has allowed us to combine our cutting edge technical and design capabilities with SCE's creative insights and extraordinary support to become the leader in the online console multiplayer field. As a part of the Sony Computer Entertainment group we can look forward to introducing innovative titles that push online functionality and community experiences even further."

Karaoke Rocks PSP (PSPUpdates)

Portable TV website has launched its Karaoke download service for the PSP with the support from Taito and Yamaha.

You will be able to download Karaoke songs into your PSP and then play them. The 2 services launched by the 2 companies are with different features.

- Taito Karaoke

Price: 105 JPY per song ($0.90 USD)
Access period: 15 days
Main genre: J-Pop

- Personal Karahodai (Yamaha)

Price: 158 JPY per song ($1.35 USD)
Access period: 30 days
Main genre: Pop

You will need to update your PSP System Software to the latest version (currently 2.60) to download from P-TV website.

Homebrew: 2ch Browser v20060125 for PSP

Japanese author Mr. 44 has released a new version of his homebrew "2ch Browser", version 20060125, codename “2006 browser”. 2ch Browser is a homebrew browser for viewing the 2ch forum, the largest forum in Japan. The changes of this version are:

• Bug fix (partially)
• Keyword search in thread list (Start + Select + R)

Download it here.

Official PSP 2.0 Browser Special Website Update - January (PSPUpdates)

Japanese Playstation official website has announced the monthly update of the PSP special website for 2.0 browser.

The events for January are:

– New Wallpapers for Download

The wallpapers of January are up for download now. Only the wallpaper of “Fukufuku’s Island” is available for download with PC. You need to get other wallpapers using the PSP.

 

– Cool Present Campaign – Round 4

Campaign period: December 20, 2005 – January 26, 2006.
Present: 3 “Stealth” T-shirts (M-size)
Qualification Requirement: Users with Playstation.com Japan login ID.

- How to View the Webpage on PSP
Open the default bookmark "PSP(TM)" using the web browser. Select "Japan Menu" -> "PSP Site List" -> "Playstation.com Japan".

Sony Memory Stick PRO DUO Suffer From Free Space Issue (PSPUpdates)

Playstation.com Japan has released an announcement on a free space issue of Sony’s Memory Stick PRO DUO. This issue affects model MSX-M1GST, MSX-M2GS and PSP-MP1G.

The problem happens when you format your memory stick to initialize it. The free space might be less than the designed value. In this situation, you will not be able to save as much data as the designed volume.

To resolve this problem, you need to re-format you memory stick once more. Please note all the data stored on the memory stick will be lost when you perform formatting. Make sure you backup all the useful data from your memory stick before formatting.

Design Volume of the Memory Stick PRO DUO:

MSX-M1GST: 940MB or more
MSX-M2GS: 1850MB or more
PSP-MP1G: 940MB or more

If you are unable to fix this issue by yourself, please contact Sony Tech Support.

PSP Talkman Reviewed (ConsoleGameWorld)

The speech recognition works really great and I'd have no hesitation recommending you pick up a copy.

The Talkman for Sony's PSP is a voice-activated translation software application designed to let you interact in foreign languages with the help of your PSP. Outside of pure translations, Talkman lets players play games to test their fluency of a language.



We recently received a Talkman from our friends at Liksang for review. Installation is easy. You simply plug the microphone into the top of your PSP (which looks sweet!), and insert the UMD and away you go. The Talkman can convert between 4 languages - English, Japanese, Mandarine Chinese and Korean.



After testing the Talkman for a couple weeks, I am happy to report that it works brilliantly. Not only will it help you in your pronunciation of all the common words in these languages, it will also help you learn new words, and how to use them in a sentence.

But perhaps where the Talkman really couuld come in handy is if you're travelling to another country. For even if you don't know the language, you could effectively use the Talkman to communicate with the natives. You see you can ask the Talkman to say something in another language. For example, if I'm in a bar in Japan, but I don't know how to ask for a drink, I would navigate to the "bars/clubs" section on the talkman, and select "ask for drink". The Talkman then speaks this in Japanese, and prompts for a response selection in Japanese text, which is then spoken back to you in English. Simple, but effective! The included mini-games are also a lot of fun. The speech recognition works really great and I'd have no hesitation recommending you pick up a copy. If not for travel purposes, then simply to learn other languages!

Review by Richard Manley.

Get your Talkman from Liksang now for just US$70!

Source: ConsoleGameWorld

Star Trek Comes to PSP

The second Star Trek title announced by Bethesda today is Star Trek: Tactical Assault for the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP.  Not many details are available on the portable title, but it is a real times space combat game also slated for a 2006 release.  Below are screenshots of the game, presumably taken from the Nintendo DS version.  Gaming Horizon will have more information on this title as soon as it becomes available so stay tuned.  For now, enjoy the screens below!





Source: Gaming Horizon

WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 Cheats

IGN continues to release new cheats for PSP games... now they have a ton for WWE SmachDown vs. RAW 2006.

Check out the cheats here.

iRiver picks a fight with the PSP (Stuff Magazine)

The new dictionary definition of plucky: after years of battling the iPod in the MP3 market, iRiver turns its attentions to the PSP with a handheld games console.

The G10 will be hitting UK shores before Christmas, and has a few aces up its Korean sleeve. On the spec front it’ll sport a glorious 4in, 800x480 pixel display and – like the next Gizmondo - run Windows CE 5.0.

Most impressive, though, is its killer jab at the PSP and Nintendo DS: internal storage of either 4GB or 8GB, making the new gamer a potential multimedia mogul too.

According to web whispers, a Wi-Fi connection will not only let you battle mates wirelessly and download games, but will ultimately hook up to an iRiver music and movie service (it already has one in Korea). If that’s is true, the G10 could yet do the impossible and succeed where the Gizmodo and N-Gage have nosedived.

The Korean company, currently undergoing a structural reshuffle and centralisation of resources back to its homeland, also had some more concrete announcements. The U10, its tiny, kooky video player, will be available in a 2GB guise from March or April, and its line of flash music players, including the H10 and T range, will soon be available in new capacities.

Music, though, is unlikely to remain iRiver’s main hobby, with the company hinting at going down the Archos route, with less focus on MP3 and more on convergence, perhaps even including sat-nav and organiser features. And to that we raise a glass – there are plenty more seats at the convergence table.

By Mark Wilson

Source: Stuff Magazine

Analyst: 360 to maintain lead, PSP to pull ahead (GameSpot)

UBS's Mike Wallace thinks Microsoft and Sony will win the next-gen console and handheld wars, predicts 3 percent spike in 2006 software sales.

Citing the start of the next-generation console transition and the lack of a Halo 2 or San Andreas-level blockbuster, many analysts predicted game sales would shrink in 2005. And while US retailers sold $10.5 billion of combined gaming hardware and software--6 percent higher than in 2004--taken alone, software revenue did slide 3 percent, from $6.25 billion to $6.06 billion.

Now, more and more analysts are beginning to predict what 2006 has in store for the game market. The latest expert to join the chorus is Mike Wallace, the lead game analyst at the Wall Street investment firm UBS. "We expect US software sales to grow 3 percent in 2006 (up from a 3 percent sales decline in 2005)," he said in his most recent report. "This is up from our prior view of flat sales in 2006, with the year-over-year increase mainly due to 2005 being weaker than expected."

Wallace believes the increase will be fueled by the debut of the second and third next-generation consoles. "The launch of Sony's PlayStation 3 console later this year, along with the launch of Nintendo's Revolution console, should represent the official start of the new cycle," he said. He also agreed that the PS3 will miss its previously announced spring launch window and will go on sale across the Pacific first. "We think a summer launch [in Japan] is more likely, with the US and Europe launches still expected in Q4," he said.

As for which console will win the first round of the next-gen war, Wallace thinks that Microsoft's decision to launch first will pay off. "We are projecting meaningful sales of Microsoft's Xbox 360 (4 million units) in the U.S. this year," he said, going on to forecast that the PS3 and Revolution will sell around 1 million units each by the end of the year.

By contrast, the Xbox 360 sold only 607,000 units by the end of December 2005, thanks to widespread shortages. That said, Wallace predicts that the current drought in supply of the console will end in the spring. "Xbox 360 hardware supply continues to be constrained, which will probably hurt industry sales over the next few months," he said. "However, this situation should improve throughout the course of the year, as Microsoft works out its manufacturing issues with the console."

Looking farther ahead to 2007, Wallace believes the 360 will maintain a sizable lead over its rivals. "We are projecting the Xbox 360 and PS3 console installed bases to exceed 10 million units and 7 million units in the US that year, respectively, while the Revolution installed base should surpass 3 million units." He also said that a slowdown in PlayStation 2 sales will be somewhat ameliorated by a price drop from $149 to $99, most likely around E3 in mid-May.

As for other platforms, Wallace believes Sony will also cut the price of the PSP--a move that will lead it to pull ahead of the DS in overall sales. "The next-generation handheld installed base should also start to represent sizable numbers in 2007, as we expect the PSP and DS installed bases to reach 15 million units and 10 million units that year, respectively." However, Wallace stated that Nintendo's Game Boy Advance will give it an edge in the overall handheld market in 2006, saying "ongoing sales of GBA should be driven mainly by the continued popularity of the Game Boy Micro."

Peering even deeper into his financial crystal ball, Wallace thinks that the game industry will continue to grow at a healthy pace. He predicts that in 2008, the combined installed base of all three next-gen consoles (PS3, Xbox 360, and Revolution) will exceed 38 million units and will climb to a whopping 52 million units in 2009.

As for the portable market, he projects that there will be 34 million next-gen handhelds (that is, the PSP and DS) in gamers' hands by 2008, with the number rising to 43 million the following year. He did not give figures for the Game Boy Advance's installed base in those years.

By Tor Thorsen -- GameSpot

Source: GameSpot

Race Driver 2006 Crosses to PSP

Codemasters brings its TOCA racing expertise to the portable system.
by David Adams

January 24, 2006 - Codemasters announced today it will bring its acclaimed Race Driver series (known also as TOCA Race Driver) to the PlayStation Portable. Race Driver 2006 is set to arrive for the portable system this May, offering a "massively expanded" take on Europe's TOCA Race Driver 2.

The meat of Race Driver 2006 will be competitive racing with up to 21 cars on-screen at once. The game offers realistically modeled performance cars, damage physics, and wireless multiplayer support for up to 12 racers.

Race Driver 2006 includes a broad selection of racing modes: GT Sports Car Racing, Street Racing, Rally, DTM, V8 Supercars, Global GT Lights, Rally Cross, Formula Ford, Open Wheel Grand Prix, Classic Car Racing, Super Truck racing, Stockcar Oval Racing, Ice-Racing, Convertible Racing, and Performance Car events. In addition to the full Career Mode from TOCA Race Driver 2, the PSP title offers Trans-World Cup mode, which focuses on shorter races for the gamer on the go.

This North American Race Driver adds ten new tracks, bringing the total to more than 60 circuits. The game's 50 available cars include the Buick Gran Sport 455, Pontiac Firebird Formula 400, Dodge Charger, Gemballa GTR 750 EVO, Koenig GT, and Koenig GTD.

Source: IGN

01/24/2006

01/24/2006

01/24/2006

Homebrew: LuaLinker v0.2: MP3 Blog Linking Software

Curt Self aka Modsyn has released an update to his MP3-Blog retrieving program LuaLinker. With this program, you can download any file (especially MP3's) from a bookmarked page and download it straight to your PSP for immediate listening pleasure. This program includes a standalone EBOOT version which does not require LuaPlayer. Here is what has changes since the last version:

new features (for preview):
Increased speed!! Now downloads are much much faster.
Added in-program menu
Added keyboard input (TTLDE style) for adding bookmarks from the program
Added "follow links" mode so you can use a link from an online site like a bookmark
Cleaner/optimized code

upcoming for full release:
A prettier skin from WraithLord (who does most graphics work for my apps)
Selectable input methods ( TTLDE/psprint/OSK )

just a reminder that you can queue up songs (or links) by hitting the right button at the download selection screen. to unmark a selection, just hit left while it's selected. selected links are indented so they are clearly visible.

Download it here.

Note: This application requires the Lua Player, which you can get here.

Homebrew: PSP Rhythm 3.0 Released!

The PSP Rhythm Team has just released the latest version of their awsome hombrew program, PSP Rhythm 3.0. PSP Rhythm 3.0 will run on PSPs with firmware versions 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0.

Inspired by classic drum machines such as the Linndrum and Roland TR-series, PSP Rhythm has been created to use the simple, yet effective 16 step style drum sequencer. PSP Rhythm incorporates the use of audio sample playback instead of drum synthesis. PSP Rhythm has been directly influenced by one of our favorite modern drum machines, the Elektron MachineDrum. The most significant is our use of "parameter locks" (as used by the MachineDrum). Parameter locks enable you to change the pitch, volume, balance, start and end time per step to create moving, changing melodies and effects. This control over your sounds will give you much more creative freedom and allow you to not only use drums, but to use instruments in your music

Pattern Mode:

• 16 Step Pattern Sequencer
• Flam
• Reverse*
• Parameter Locks
  Pitch
  Volume
  Balance
  Start*
  End*
• Memory Banks
• 16 Patterns per bank
• 16 sample sounds
• Mute

Song Mode:

• 1 Song per bank
• 512 Pattern Step Sequencer
• Sample Mixer
• Custom Tempo and Swing Settings

System Mode:

• Tempo (30.0 - 280.0 BPM)
• Swing (50 - 80%)
• Save Bank (0-3)
• Load Bank (0-3)
• Copy Pattern (current pattern > 1-16)
• Clear Pattern
• Clear Song
• Song Mode - Normal or Loop
• Text Color (For custom skins)
• Audio Channels (1-32)
• Save System
• Bounce song to WAV?*
• QUIT? (For PSP OS 2.0 users)

* New for Version 3.0

Download it here.

PSP Weekly Issue 4 Released (Free PSP Mag)

We're into the fourth issue now, and so far PSPZones has kept their promise of providing a weekly magazine for the PSP - and the look keeps getting better and better as they settle in to this new publication. At 70 pages, you'll find plenty in PSPWeekly to keep you occupied, including:

• OutRun 2006 Review
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Review
• XCM Seawalker Preview
• News Summary of the Week
• Homebrew Summary of the Week
• And more!

Download it here.

PLynx Atari Lynx Emulator Updated - Now Works on 2.0 PSPs!

After the disappointment many of you suffered when you realized that the PLynx Atari Lynx emulator would not work properly with Fanjita's 2.0 EBOOT Loader, the author (also called PLynx) decided to tackle that problem. Now everyone will be glad to hear the PLynx v0.82 now is compatible with 2.0 PSP's! On top of that the menu interface has been redesigned so now it's prettier to look at too!

Download it here.

Homebrew: PSP News Reader v0.1b by Gary13579

Gary13579 has released an update to his RSS News Reader for PSP. He has updated his application to handle a few bug fixes, and separate files for each XML feed. Here's what he had to say:

This release covers one bug where it would crash for some odd reason on the modshark XML. I've also re-added the RSS feed for this site.
One last change, I've made it so each XML feed is put into a separate file.

Next I plan on using a ported libcurl by danzel, as this program is currently having problems downloading files 5mb+ in size (MP3s!!).

PSP News Reader v0.1 beta

• Now writes XML feeds to separate locations for each feed (timestamp in filename soon?)
• Updated the URL to my RSS feed
• Fixed a bug where it wouldn't download the modshark feed then crash

Download it here.

Fanjita succeeds in bringing SNES Emulation to 2.01+ PSP Firmware (PSPUpdates)

Fanjita has let us in on a bit of news that is sure to make many 2.01+ users deliriously happy. He and Ditlew have managed to get uo_Snes9x, a Super Nintendo Emulator by Y, running on 2.01+ firmware. This preview and the release of the Multi Save Game Loader, looks to be the start of what the Eboot Loader meant for 2.0 firmware. Console emulation is one of the most commonly sought after features of PSP homebrew. In a couple of days it looks like it will be a pleasant reality.

We finally made a more solid breakthrough with the EBOOT loader for GTA tonight. Not only does the menu now work properly, but I've also managed to run the uo_SNES9x emulator, and play the Pilotwings ROM (the only one I have), on both v2.0 and v2.5.

At the moment everything is hanging together with a pretty nasty hack. Ideally I'd like to get that fixed up before release, but it's more likely that we'll decide to release things as they currently are, and iron out that issue later.

Please note that lots of basic homebrew is still not working, but I thought that getting SNES emulation running was a big enough milestone to celebrate! Also, if we do decide to release, it will take a few days to knock the code into a releasable format.

Amazing work once again Fanjita and Ditlew. Congratulations on your latest accomplishment.

Need For Speed 5-0-1 Performance Upgrades FAQ Released

IGN has released a new FAQ for Need for Speed 5-0-1 Performance Upgrades.

It's pretty big - check it out here.

Game Review: Prince of Persia: Revelations

From PSP World:

Prince of Persia: Revelations is the first installment of the PoP franchise to come to the PSP. Based on the popular console game Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, Revelations features some new levels and challenges absent from Warrior Within. Unfortunately with the port came some existing problems that troubled the original.

Gameplay has been transferred over from the console version fairly successfully, but unfortunately loading can occur at any point in the game, which can cause problems in navigating deadly mazes and puzzles — that, and the fact that the load times are excruciatingly long. The controls don’t suffer much from the lack of the extra analog stick, and keep the action running smoothly, when the framerate isn’t stuttering from the amount of enemies on the screen.

Graphically, the game suffers from some of the same strange chopping problems as the console version, but overall it is a very beautiful game. That said, the art direction of the game gives it an overly dark tone, which can be a problem when playing it in bright environments — important items and puzzle elements can be missed fairly easily.

None of these problems can even compare to those that plague the game’s audio. Simply put, the audio is a disaster. At times it sounds as if it is reading music meant for a different part of the game, and that’s if it is playing at all. Strange chopping, artifacting, and just flat out failure of the audio really hamper the overall game experience.

Overall, Revelations simply feels like it was shipped about 60% of the way through the development process. There are bugs, problems, and issues that could have been taken care of or at least minimized by another month or two of development. The game isn’t terrible, but we certainly wouldn’t recommend purchasing it — if you need a Persian action fix, rent, don’t buy.

Review Round-Up

IGN: 6.0
“In the process of porting over a complex title such as Warrior Within to the PSP, almost every facet of the game has been adversely affected. And not in a small way, either.”

GameSpot: 7.4
“The game does lack the battle challenges from the original Warrior Within, but that’s no great loss. Revelations is a very nice overall translation, but some serious sound quirks and other bugs keep it from being easily recommendable.”

GameSpy: 6.0
“We can’t deny the appeal, even amongst the flaws, but when you’re left imagining how much better a version of Sands of Time or Two Thrones would have been, it doesn’t matter how faithful the port is.”

Modojo: 8.0
“Bottom line is, if you’re a fan of the Prince of Persia brand and don’t mind doing a little work to get the pleasures out of this game, then Revelations should definitely find a place in your library.”

Aggregate Rating: 6.7

Engadget Reveals the 10 Most Wanted PSP Accessories

Engadget has released their list of the ten most wanted PSP accessories.

And... the... winnnnnnnners... arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre! (in no particular order 'cause the site is in Chinese, and even Google's translator couldn't parse it)


PSP on TV -- PSP-to-TV converter


BLAZE -- PSP-to-TV converter


Neo 4-in-1 -- Memory Stick Media Converter Adapter that hooks onto the PSP.


X2 1800 mAh Battery Pack


PSP TalkMan Game/Utility (link: Lik-Sang peeps the PSP TalkMan)


First Keyboard for the PSP (link to announcement)


PSP Theatre with Remote Control


Datel's Max 4 GB Hard Drive & Battery Combo (link to original article)


GameExpert's PSP Dock


Logitech Playgear Street Polycarbonate PSP Case


Arkon's Deluxe Multi-Angle Windshield Mount (Cooool!) (link)


If anyone has a translated version of the page, please let me know! :)

Source: Engadget China

PSP Faceplate Fitting Service in U.K.

www.psptree.co.uk are offering a new bolt-on to the existing PSP screen replacement service. They are also providing a faceplate fitting service where you can choose from 10 faceplate colours and they will fit it at the same time as doing the screen replacement. New faceplates are available for £14.99 including VAT and labour. Faceplates are also available for sale separately. Also for sale are sets of different coloured buttons, and spare battery covers.

Source: PSP Emulation News

Counterstrike for PSP Released

I haven't had a chance to run this yet, but I've seen complaints that it doesn't run unless it's run through PSP-OSS, a homebrew shell for the PSP... Contact the developer if you run into trouble.

HEY GUYS!!! once again i update counter strike for psp
read the readme file for info on lvls and guns

The New Lvls dat will shock all is.........

CS_ASSAULT!

if anyone has any consurns or stuff pm/im me or go to the new post named

"counterstrike 2.6 Updates/requests"
--NOTE: the abaove thread is on my sig just click!"--

Hope At least a few people like it

READ THE COUNTERSTRIKE.txt in the wads BEFORE RUNNING!!!

ENJOY!!

Download it here.

More Homebrew for 2.01+ PSPs: ***MULTIPLAYER*** GTA Pong for 2.01

(I couldn't stop laughing when I read this was available... Of course, not because it's silly - it's just so cool to see all this new homebrew coming for 2.01+ PSPs, and that the first multiplayer game would happen to be Pong... It's not multi-PSP, unfortunately, but two people can play with the same PSP just like the old Pong games did <grin>)

I found this cool site with the history of Pong on it, in case you're interested: http://www.pong-story.com/intro.htm

So, about this game... which requires you to have the PSP game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, and a PSP with firmware (a.k.a. system software) version 2.01 through 2.60 (although it may work on later versions, it has not yet been tested on them).


Percival has updated his version of GTA Pong to support 2 players on the same PSP! I could be wrong, but I believe that makes this the first multiplayer homebrew game for those of you with 2.01, 2.50, or 2.60 firmware! Here are the other changes in this groundbreaking program:

-2 player support
-Added exit menu
-Faster ball movement
-The ball now actually looks like a ball, not a square
-The ball didn't actualy hit the player's paddle, now it does
-1 second delay after scoring

Instructions:
To install, Place the proper savegame folder (ULUS10041S5 for US, ULES00151S5 for UK, or ULES00182S5 for DE) on your Memory Stick. Boot up GTA and load this savegame file.

To play multiplayer with a friend, hold the PSP vertically so that one person has control of one side of PSP, and your friend the other.

As with any GTA-run homebrew, you need a different version of the homebrew app depending on which GTA you have:

Download the US version here.
Download the UK version here.
Download the DE version here.

Splinter Cell Essentials First Look--A Sam Fisher Retrospective (GameSpot)

Media Update: Neopets: Petpet Adventures The Wand of Wishing

New Screen Shots from Neopets, an upcoming Sony game for the PSP:

Game Developer Conference (GDC) will have Orchestra Playing Game Themes (Ferrago)

GDC makes concert-ed effort

The Game Developers Conference is only a matter of weeks away now, and whilst it isn't known yet whether anything truly juicy will be revealed, the show is certain to offer attendees a little more entertainment than the average trade event. A Video Games Live concert will close the show, with a full orchestra in attendance to deliver renditions of classic videogame themes. The San Jose Civic Auditorium will play host to the concert, which will be held on March 24th, the final evening of the expo. The Symphony Silicon Valley orchestra will perform, alongside their full chorus, and a memorable evening is promised for videogame fans.

Tunes from Mario, Zelda, Halo, Metal Gear Solid, Warcraft, Myst, Castlevania, Medal of Honour, Sonic, Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy will feature, alongside a retro arcade game medley, taking in twenty classic games. This is the second time a concert has been held in tandem with the event, last year Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu conducted the same orchestra through a series of favourite pieces.

"Featuring VGL at GDC fits in perfectly with our goals of provoking innovation among game creators, and producing ideas that have dramatic reach into the greater entertainment audience," commented director Jamil Moledina. More on this as we get it.

Source: Ferrago

Game Developer Majesco in Trouble (Geek.com/IGN)

Majesco still struggles to stay afloat amid its current financial battles, and even more game titles are being cut in the process. During a recent earnings conference call, Majesco announced that it is canceling two more projects: Taxi Driver, a game based on the classic Martin Scorsese film, and another Xbox 360 title called Demonik.

This is just another series of game cuts that Majesco is hoping will help it to stay financially viable. Late last year two other titles that were in development for the PSP were also canceled. One of the games to receive the axe then was the popular vampire vixen game BloodRayne, and the other was the PSP port of the Majesco game Advent Rising.

Majesco's troubles started last year when its titles PsychoNauts and Advent Rising were received by the consuming public with lackluster results. Since then the company has had to reduce its staff by 20% and has canceled or sold several projects that were in development.

Source: Geek.com / IGN

EA (Electronic Arts) Slashing Prices

After the warning of revenues shortcomings late last year, it was inevitable that Electronic Arts was going to do something to try to boost sales. That something has turned out to be price cuts on a selection of its major titles for current-gen platforms.

The price cuts are for games it has released on the Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube, and PC, with other formats, such as the Nintendo DS, PSP, and Xbox 360 seeing no price changes. EA dropped prices for games such as FIFA 06, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Madden NFL 06, and NBA Live 06--all of which have been reduced to US$29.99. EA's top selling Christmas title, Need for Speed: Most Wanted has also seen a price drop to $39.99. Medal of Honor: European Assault is now $19.99. This pricing revamp should buoy sales for EA in the short term and could be the start of an industry wide price drop for current-gen titles.

Obviously, Sony will want to avoid this price change, since the current-gen PS2 is still its main console. I don't think this helps Xbox 360 in any way, since its games are already priced higher than the previous generation's ones were at the same period in their lifecycle. Having the game prices on other formats drop just makes it more obvious how expensive its games are.

Source: Geek.com / Gamespot

Godfather on PSP Verrrrrrrrrrry Delayed

From Gamer Lounge:

Electronic Arts has confirmed that its movie licensed gangster romp, The Godfather, will not be appearing on PSP or Microsoft's next-generation Xbox 360 console when the game hits retail stores in March.

Already the subject of various development delays, The Godfather was originally scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2005, during the industry's busiest sales period as consumers prepare for Christmas. The initial change in release dates, pushing the title to March 2006, prompted analysts to lower their estimates for the company's full-year performance.

Development on current generation platforms, including PC, PS2 and Xbox is almost complete for the Mature-rated title, and the game is on schedule for a simultaneous multi-format release in March.

New Cheats for Death Jr. Released (Video Game Strategies)

Tons of Death Jr. PSP cheats - everything from invincibility to level warps.

Death Jr. PSP Cheats

How to enter Death Jr. Cheats:
Death Jr. PSP cheats are entered while the game is paused. Simply pause the game, hold the L and R triggers and enter the cheat code.

All Weapons And Weapon Upgrades
While holding L and R press Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, X, O

Ammo Refilled
Triangle, Triangle, X, X, Square, Circle, Square, Circle, Down, Right

Assist Extender
Up, Up, Down, Down, Triangle, Triangle, X, X, Triangle, Triangle

Attacks Have Different Names
Up, Up, Down, Left, Triangle, Triangle, Square, X, O, Square

Big Heads
Triangle, O, X, Square, Triangle, Up, Right, Down, Left, Up

Big Scythe
Triangle, Square, X, O, Triangle, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up

Bullet Holes Become Pictures
Up, Right, Down, Left, Up, Triangle, O, X, Square, Triangle

Eyedoors No Longer Require Souls To Open
Up, Left, Down, Right, Left, Triangle, Square, X, O, Square

Fill Pandora Assist Meter
Up, Up, Down, Down, Up, Right, Down, Left, X, X

Free All Characters And Unlock All Levels
Note: Must enter any stage and re-enter the museum for code to come into effect.
Up, Up, Up, Up, Down, Down, Down, Down, X, X

Free Seep
Left, Left, Right, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, X, X

Increased Health and Stamina
Up, Up, Down, Down, X, O, Triangle, Square, X, X

Invincibility
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Left, Right, Right, Square, Triangle

Monsters Are Different Colors And Scythe Has Trails
Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X

Odd Monsters And Scythe Has Trails
Triangle, Up, O, Right, X, Down, Square, Left, Triangle, Up

Unlimited Ammo
While Holding L and R, Press Triangle, Triangle, X, X, Square, Circle,
Square, Circle, Right, Down

Weapons Have Different Names
Down, Down, Up, Up, Left, Right, Left, Right, Square, Triangle

Death Jr. Level Warp Cheats

Advanced Training Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, Square

Basic Training Stage
Up, Triangle, Up, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X

Big Trouble In Little Downtown Stage
Up, Triangle, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X

Bottom Of The Bell Curve Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, Triangle

Burn It Down Stage
Down, X, Up, Triangle, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X

Final Battle Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, Triangle, Up, X

Growth Spurt Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Up, X

Happy Trails Insanitarium Stage
Down, X, Down, Triangle, Up, X, Down, X, Down, X

Higher Learning Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, Triangle, Down, X

How A Cow Becomes A Steak Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Down, Triangle, Down, X, Down, X

Inner Madness Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Up, Triangle, Down, X, Down, X

Into The Box Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Up, Triangle, Down, X

Moving On Up Stage
Down, Triangle, Up, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X

My House Stage
Down, X, Down, Triangle, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X

Seep's Hood Stage
Down, Triangle, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X

Shock Treatment Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Down, Triangle, Up, X, Down, X

The Basement
Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Up, Triangle

The Burger Tram Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Down, X, Up, X, Down, X

The Corner Store Stage
Down, X, Up, X, Down, X, Down, X, Down, X

The Museum
Up, X, Down X, Down, X, Down, X Down, X

Udder Madness Stage
Down, X, Down, X, Up, X, Down, X, Down, X

Source: VGStrategies

Homebrew: MasterMind for the PSP!

KennethDM has created MasterMind for the PSP!

From the ReadMe:

This is my first homebrew attempt, it's a simple game, but not so easy to win.
The goal is simple, you have to find out what the secret code is.

Using left and right on your analog pad, you select the circle.
Using up and down you change the cirle's color.
If you are satisfied with the colors of the row, press cross,
now the little circles will show how good your guess was:

-the number of green circles is the number of correct colors at the correct place
-the number of blue circles is the number of correct colors at the incorrect place

This game is limited to 6 attempts, it is based on mini mastermind which is a mini version of the original mastermind.

If feedback is positive, I plan on expanding the game with the following:
-more (and harder) game modes
-high score list
-two player mode (one player inputs the code, the other one has to crack it)

Download it here.

Using the Nintendo DS to sniff out wireless networks just got a whole lot easier (ArsTechnica)

(yeah, I know it's a DS hack, but it's still pretty cool -Auri)

If you're tired of lugging a laptop around with you on a wardriving trip there may now be a much easier, more portable alternative. While the homebrew community for the DS has never been as strong as the PSP's laundry list of 3rd party apps there are some interesting things being released. The program referenced here started as a way to control games using the DS's gamepad on your PC, but a clever poster at the 3DGPU forums found out it's also a powerful tool for finding wireless networks.

It quite adeptly displayed signal strengths, WEP status, MAC addresses and SSID's for 6 networks around me. My wi-fi adaptors only ever came up with 3. 

Usefulness? Checking signal strength (it auto-refreshes) for your networks, looking for DS hotspots for on-line play, and other (potentially more criminal) uses of course. Homebrew stuff just keeps getting cooler.

Indeed it does. The linked program on the post seems to be a very nice tool for finding networks and hotspots. You can't argue with that sort of functionality out of a device that can fit into your pocket.

Rez Coming to PSP? (Spong)

Mizuguchi’s cult classic ported to handheld?

One of SPOnG’s all time favourite Dreamcast and PS2 games, Sega’s sublime music-shooter Rez, is rumoured to be in development for PSP.

Shacknews.com reported over the weekend that, according to their source at Sega, a PSP port of Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s classic is "...sounding like a pretty sure thing".

Whilst a handheld version of this classic videogame would seem to make total sense to the hardcore Sega faithful, it might not make as much sense to Sega’s bottom line-driven sales teams. SPOnG hates to be the voice of commercial reason, but it also has to be remembered that neither versions of Rez sold in any significant numbers.

The game is one of those strange things – a critically-lauded, much-loved classic that very few people actually bought or played. On the other hand, for this very reason, it could well be given the ICO treatment, with a polished PS2 re-release coming out alongside a PSP version, thus making the game actually available again, outside of rare CEX sightings.

SPOnG spoke to our sources at Sega UK this morning who refused to comment on the rumour.

Ah well, we sure hope that we do get to see Rez on PSP soon, although we will wait to hear confirmation directly from Sega before we get too overexcited.



Source: Spong

Star Wars Films Not Coming To PSP Anytime Soon (TheForce.net)

From TheForce.net, a Star Wars fan and news site:

We've had some fans write in recently asking about when Revenge of the Sith or any of the 5 other Star Wars films will be available for the new Sony Play Station Portable ( PSP ) in it's UMD format ( Universal Media Disk ).

According to Lucasfilm there are currently no plans to release any of the films in this format. Which of course doesn't mean "no", so there is always hope!

We'll keep you posted on this subject soon as we hear anything on it!

Review: Metal Gear Acid (GameInfowire)

Metal Gear Acid PSP Review

By Mark Diller

Some things just go great together. Chocolate and peanut butter. Football and cheerleaders. Britney Spears and your television’s mute button. And now, with Konami’s “Metal Gear Acid,” we have a new pairing for the ages: 3rd-person stealth action and strategy card games.

Wha...?

It’s true, Konami has taken their venerable “Metal Gear” franchise and inaugurated it on the PSP by way of a strategy card game. When you heard that Snake was coming to your handheld, you might have imagined yourself sneaking up on enemies and exerting quiet but lethal force, and you are ... it’s just that you do it by way of playing cards from your hand. Strange? A little. But it’s also a strangely successful mix of two game genres that you might never have thought to put together.

The game does take some getting used to, particularly since the in-game tutorial is one of the first adversaries that you have to face down. I don’t know if it’s been badly translated from the Japanese or just wasn’t that great in the first place, but you’ll come through the tutorial with only the vaguest notion of how this game is supposed to be played, and it will take a few levels of trial and error before you really figure out what you’re supposed to be doing. There’s a lot going on with those playing cards, and the level objectives aren’t always as clear as they should have been, but if you stick with it you might find yourself quite engrossed in the game.

There’s a story involving terrorists, secret scientific installations, endangered politicians, and murderous dolls that’s told by way of static artwork and text-only dialog (Konami certainly didn’t go all out on the eye candy), but I’m not going to go into that--mostly because I’m not sure I really figured out what was going on with the story in the first place. You might get more into the story than I did, or you might play it like me, taking each level as a puzzle that you have to solve. You’ll find yourself at one side of a map with your objective on the other side, and guards, security cameras, and robots standing in your way. You have to get from here to there either without being seen or by killing everyone quickly enough that they don’t set off the alarm.

“Metal Gear Acid” is a turn-based strategy game, so you have all the time you need to figure out your next move, and that move will be defined by the cards you’ve drawn from the pile. Every card has basically two functions--move or act. You can move with nearly every card, or you can perform the action defined by that card (shoot a weapon, perform healing on yourself, evade an enemy’s weapons, or even call in an air strike)--but not both. Generally speaking you only get two moves per round, so you’re confronted by strategy choices on nearly every move: if there’s an enemy you need to take out, do you move first and then shoot him from close range (therefore leaving yourself out in the open at the end of the turn) or do you shoot and then move (ensuring that you’ll be able to hide, but also making it less likely that your shot will be fatal)? If you need to move and don’t have a movement card in your hand, which one do you use--that weapons card that you’ve been saving for when you need it, or the healing card that you might need if things don’t go according to plan, or maybe that grenade card that could be lethal but is likely to alert the other guards to your presence? Puzzling over your options like this accounts for a good 95% of the time you spend playing the game.

Is it fun? I thought so. It can certainly be frustrating when you’re stuck on a level and can’t figure how to get past it, but then when you do crack the code and move on the feeling of accomplishment is all the greater. But bear in mind that I enjoy strategy games, and I particularly enjoy games where I have time to think about my move before I make it. If you’re an adrenaline junkie who cut your teeth on twitch shooter games, you might not like this game nearly as much. And if you’re into instant gratification, “Metal Gear Acid” might ask for a little more patience than you care to offer--there are lots of levels and lots of twists in that curious little story before you’re finally done. But if you like the idea of spending hours or even days working your way through a series of strategic challenges, this could be the game for you.

Ratings (1-10):

Graphics: 5. In a word, the graphics are “cheap”--what’s there is fine, but Konami made very little effort in the graphics arena and it shows (particularly in the cut scenes).

Sound: 5. Same as with the graphics: dialog is expressed by text, and otherwise all the effects are straight off of an effects disk. It’s not that the sound or graphics are bad, it’s just they’re both severely limited in scope and effect.

Gameplay: 8. Adding randomly-drawn cards to a stealth action game works much better than you might think.

Story: 7. Both weird and interesting, as only a Japanese game can be.

Replayability: 7. I could see trying to play this game all the way through without killing anyone. I’m not sure it’s possible, but it would be interesting to try.

Overall: 8. An odd but interesting alternative for strategy addicts.

Source: GameInfoWire

Gizmondo Unit Files Bankruptcy (Red Herring)

While it's not exactly PSP related, the Gizmondo was supposed to be the "killer portable," even licensing XBox titles like Halo for playback. Unfortunately, it looks like Tiger may have lost in the handheld market again... it's still a cool device, if you ever get to see one.

From Red Herring:

A newcomer in the portable game market seeks protection for its European unit.
January 23, 2006

Highlighting the difficulties of entering the portable game market, the European unit of Tiger Telematics, the company behind the Gizmondo game device, has filed for bankruptcy protection, according a filing Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The SEC filing said the company’s U.K.-based subsidiary, Gizmondo Europe, is seeking “a moratorium in order to affect a financial restructuring of the business.”

Gizmondo Europe is immediately subject to protection of the court and all enforcement actions of creditors are automatically stayed,” Tiger Telematics wrote in the filing.   Tiger Telematics has struggled to turn around its U.K.-arm. Last week, it cut staff costs by 50 percent to save money, said the filing.   The company also recently received a bridge loan of $5 million. Tiger said the funds would “reinvest in the business in the U.K. and to restructure the overall debt of the European business.”   The bankruptcy filing for Tiger’s U.K. division is not unexpected. It signals the difficulty of making headway in the portable game device market, which has long been dominated by Japanese game maker Nintendo. Tiger Telematics makes the Gizmondo game device which launched in the U.K. at £229 ($409), and $400 in the U.S.   Nintendo has dominated the portable space with its GameBoy Advance and DS (see Nintendo Rises in Japan). Only recently, Japanese rival Sony has been able to find success in the market with its PlayStation Portable (see Sony Enhances Game Device).   “I have not been predicting much success for the Gizmondo from the beginning,” said Brian O’Rourke, an analyst with the research firm Instat.   Mr. O’Rourke said Tiger’s decision to price the Gizmondo above Nintendo’s DS and Sony’s PSP gave the device a “significant weakness.”   Tiger Telematics also had no experience in the game business, said Mr. O’Rourke, which put the  company at a disadvantage.   “The game business is obviously very competitive, and requires specific corporate skills, such as striking deals with game developers, etc., that is tough for a newcomer to learn,” said Mr. O’Rourke.

Homebrew: Portable Mastermind for PSP v1.0

kennethdm has released his first PSP homebrew game, Portable MasterMind. Another small, yet extremely addictive game - great for while you’re riding the subway!

The idea is very simple, but it’s not easy - the goal is to figure out the secret code before you run out of attempts - you’re limited to 6.

    Using left and right on your analog pad, you select the circle.
    Using up and down you change the cirle’s color.
    If you are satisfied with the colors of the row, press cross,
    now the little circles will show how good your guess was:

    -the number of green circles is the number of correct colors at the correct place
    -the number of blue circles is the number of correct colors at the incorrect place

    This game is limited to 6 attempts, it is based on mini mastermind which is a mini version
    of the original mastermind.

Download it here.

Ape Escape Academy Spurs Creative Dissing (GameLife)

It’s one thing to have your game panned in a review. It’s quite another for the reviewer to use your own promotional crap to do it. Wired’s Chris Kohler hated Ape Escape Academy so much he wrote a bad review about it and then blogged his contempt.

Instead of just panning it again in the blog, he decided to review it side by side with the kids’ game “Barrel of Monkeys” it came with to determine if the game is indeed more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

The end result: No.

From the article:

Appropriate for:
Monkeys In Barrel: Ages 3 and Up.
Ape Escape Academy: Nobody

Monkeys Made of:
Monkeys In Barrel: Plastic
Ape Escape Academy: Heartbreak

Choking Hazard:
Monkeys In Barrel: Severe
Ape Escape Academy: You may choke on your own vomit while playing.

Wow, now that’s no good. 

Source: GameLife

Follow Up With the Kid Given a PSP by the Internet (Yahoo! News & Boing Boing)

Junior gets his PSP!
A couple of weeks ago, I linked to Mr. Jalopy's fundraiser to by his young friend a Sony PSP. Here are the photos of the happy kid. Many thanks the Boing Boing readers who donated money for Junior's PSP. When Junior was unwrapping the PSP he said, "Where do the batteries go?" and then caught himself - he knew! He had drawn the battery door about fifty times! I explained to Raquel (his mom, on the right) the videogame rating system and that Grand Theft Auto is the videogame equivalent of a kill-murder-hooker movie.

Some people got it and some didn't. Apparently, being poor and uncommonly creative is not enough to merit reward. For those concerned that I got away with some sort of scam I assure you, I will never spearhead another collection unless I make friends with a third world kid with a fatal disease that wants a Nintendo DS.

Source: Boing Boing

The original drawings from this kid can be found here.

PSIX Feature List & PDR Project Revealed! (PSPUpdates)

Last week we reported on the official launch of the PSIX Website, the home of Fluff/Naoneo's much talked about PSIX shell that has been in the works for almost half a year. Now that it's imminent release is scheduled for a week from today, the feature list has been revealed and we get our first glimpse of what this program intends to do, as well as a sneak peak into what PSIX is looking like these days:

Features to be included for launch day :

- Eboot/UMD Launching with Psix callback
- Fully featured audio player
- Audio player playlist with shuffle, repeat, loop etc.
- Image viewer
- CPU Speed adjustment
- Customizable eboot icons
- File manager
- Two professional skins, Default and Termina
- Module management system
- Customizable backgrounds

Features for future releases :

- Network functionality, updating, downloading and sharing
- Video playback (may make it for release)
- Advanced boot configuration (2.00 eboot support)
- RSS reader

Modules :

- Ski-Free
- Text reader/editor
- Notebook
- PBP (Psix Basic Painter)
- Psix Calendar/Scheduler

This feature list is based on estimations, some features may make it for final release, some may not, we will do our best to get as much in and stable as possible for launchday, if we feel more should be done for the Pro version release, we will release Psix Lite on launch day, and Pro at a later date.

Please keep in mind that Psix Pro users are entitled to free lifetime updates, which cover all subsequent changes and updates to the psix application.

Additionally, Fluff has announced the PSIX PDR (PSP Developer Resource) in an attempt to create a source for development support!

Through the process of psix's conception, realisation and progression, it became clear to me that there was little in the way of development support, due to the closed doors on psp development as far as sony were concerned.

The site ps2dev.org is now known the world over for it's assistance to developers in that of the development of the PSP SDK and various other tools, libraries and resources. It is with this in mind that i start the PDR project, basically with my share of psix sales (35%), all of it will go back into the psp community, in the form of books, software and when needed, hardware.

How much i end up with, to put back into the psp community is anyones guess, however i will do my best to provide resources to as many developers as possible.

Applications for resources will start to be accepted via this page starting from Feb 6th, you may however contact me right now, if you have any ideas or assistance for this project, be it book recommendations or advice.

 

PMP Mod v1.01 - Malloc Mod 4.01 Released (PSPUpdates)

Last night we covered the release of PMP Mod v1.01 by Jonny - the fantastic full resolution AVI (DivX/Xvid) player for 1.50 PSP's. Many of you who were used to Malloc's modified version were slightly disappointed that Jonny did not incorporate Malloc's fixes into the new version. Well, it didn't take long for Malloc to take v1.01 and apply his added functionality to it, as well as adding some new features:

• added Jonny's 1.01 fixes
• added alphabetical sorting of files in selection menu
• added USB activation in selection menu (refresh file list with START)
• fixed small slowdown creating more audio drop than the previous versions (it should be as quick as the first versions now)
• fixed interface.tga hardcoded path -> the path to the pbp can now be renamed
• fixed small buffer clear bug whith zoom mode changes
• fixed small precision problem with luminosity boost

Download it here.
Download the source code here.

XI for the PSP - New Images (PSPUpdates)

Famitsu has released some new images for the upcoming PSP title XI. Apparently the PSP version will feature 5 players with tons of  mini games. Here are some images:

Samurai Warriors: State of War - New Screenshots (PSPUpdates)

From the description:

Set amidst Japan's most volatile era, Samurai Warriors: State of War gives players control of famous samurai and legendary ninja in an ever-unfolding war. Gamers will use classic Japanese weaponry including swords, longbows, and sickles to fight their way through wide-open battlefields and trap-laden castles. Samurai Warriors: State of War comes complete with 19 playable characters, all-new stories, and competitive multiplayer challenges.

Webnab PSP News Reader v0.1

Danzel has released a new homebrew program with, probably, the craziest name we have seen yet. Webnab v0.1 ( Why Eat Bananas, Not A Browser) is a program that allows you to read front page news from a limited number of news type sites. Currently it supports PSPUpdates.qj.net (Parses front page), Slashdot (rss feed), and apple (rss feed).

To Do:

• Add more feeds (HackingPSP.com blogs will be released in the next version! Thanks Danzel!).
• Add picture and comment viewing to pspupdates.
• Fix some characters.
• Add general rss reader (mostly done)
• Release under GPL (its not GPL licensed atm so don't ask for the code, I'll release it when I'm ready to)
• Go to bed.

To Not Do:

• Write a complete web browser.
• Add anything I don't want to.

Not tested on 2.00, should probally work... Any suggestions of feeds/sites/features to add, post em in this thread.

Download it here.

Lua Lava Lamp Released

Team XodiMac and Lil_fred has released their first Lua program. This simple Lua program plays a JPEG picture sequence to make it looks like a lava lamp.



Download it here.

Requires the Lua Player, which you can get here.

PMP Mod v1.01 - View DivX, Xvid, AVI Files on PSP

Here is the newest version of one of the most downloaded pieces of PSP homebrew software: PMP Mod by Jonny. This revolutionary piece of homebrew allows you to play full resolution AVI files (DivX and Xvid) on your 1.50 PSP providing near UMD-quality video. Here is what's new with PMP Mod and it's Muxer program:

• All the problems in the "Common problems" section are corrected
• Muxer: improved avi parser (more compatibility and support up to 4GB avis)
• Muxer: improved mp3 parser (more compatibility, wild search for mp3 frames)
• Muxer: a log file is written at the end (GUI programmers can use the last line of this log for error checking)
• Muxer: the tk version should run on linux with no modifications now (please someone should confirm this)

Download it here.
Download the source code here.

MP3 RSS Feeder for Firmware 2.60 PSPs (requires Windows, too)

Matthias Graffe has released his MP3 streamer for your PC that you can access with your PSP. You 2.60'ers may not have access to the wealth of homebrew (yet) but this IS something you can use to make the most out of your PSP.

First download, install and configure Hfs with this how: to: http://psp.servegame.com

Now share your MP3 Dir and use this path in the MP3 RSS Feeder.

Create a RSS Folder and share it with Hfs and use the path in the MP3 RSS Feeder. For later use, you can also edit the index.html, and use the folder as link for the RSS Music Button, then a simple click on the Button is enough to reach the RSS Folder, for adding new items.

I hope you have Folders with Artistname 1, Artistname 2, Artistname 3, ... in your Shared MP3 Folder, then you can use the "Use Subfolders" Method - means setting the RSS Filename, -Title and Discr auto by Subfolder Name (only works on the first level of the Shared Music Folder).

Choose a MP3 Folder to seed (MP3 Folder 2 feed) and seed it, now you can just enter your PSPortal and open your RSS Files.



Have Fun streaming your whole MP3 Archive local or over the Internet ;-)

Use path.dat.org without .org if MP3 RSS Feeder crashs at start because of wrong loaded path.

Download it here.

SexyPSF Homebrew - Play Playstation Music on your PSP!

Weltall has released his latest update of yaneurao’s SexyPSF .PSF player for the PSP. This is a project Weltall decided to add to because he liked it a lot and wanted to add some more functionality to it. This program will let a user play Playstation format music on your PSP. Changes in this version include:

This version has some bugfix about song changing and some addition like the
requested timer and stop time saved into the file.

* added conversion of sexypsf's stop/fade time from ms to seconds
* added a elapsed time timer (hhh:mm:ss)
* added showing of psf lenght (stop time)
* added option to stop and start the next song when elapsed time is equal to stop time stored in the psf
* added malloc's sound bost algorithm (from pmp) but commented out because i need to change data types for the buffer to don't have distorsion
* fixed a bug about l1 (and remote back) if touched a folder or played songs from root causing exception
* fixed a bug about controlls stopping working if "stop when time reaches stop time" is enabled and nomore songs are available on the current folder
* added a 2.0 version with kernel mode removed
* added a makefile to make 2.0 version
* Added about screen (can be called with square on file selection mode)
* better cpu/bus mhz data placement in play mode(with square)

Download it here.

PSP Galaxy Issue #4 - Free PSP Online Magazine

PSP Galaxy #4 has been released. Some of the goodies in this issue are:

Silent Hill Movie Trailer
Interview with Steve Purita from EA Canada Reviews of Ape Escape Academy, PQ Intelligence Quotient and Kindgdom of Paradise.
Terranova Weekly Comic
Plus the regular goodies and more!

Just unzip the file into your PSP\PHOTO directory and you'll be ready to read! The video folder should be put in the root directory of the memory stick.

Download it here.

XLink Kai to create online PSP gaming network? (Engadget)

So apparently Xbox-scene's got a connection close to XLink Kai -- the group behind the Xbox network-tunneling software that enables online gameplay outside Xbox Live -- who's laid claim that the group is hard at work on a system to do the very same with the PSP. That is, it sounds like XLink Kai may be out to enable a complete "pirate" online PSP gaming network -- then again, they may not be. Still, the thought of online gameplay anytime, anywhere on the PSP by way of hacked firmware running XLink Kai's game network software is more than enough to pique our interest.

Source: Engadget via XBox-Spy

Homebrew Quake II Wins PSP Updates / Lik-Sang Coding Competition

From Team Emergency Exit developer McZonk's blog:

My Quake II port has won the DCemu/Lik-Sang Coding Compo. Thanks to all the judges gave me points.
The other two of the top three where my favorites too: Iris by PSmonkey and this team and Toppler by Deniska. But I think Quake II was the killer entiry and I has won deserved. Even it was close.

A short word of Thank You to everyone in the psp community gave me nice feedback or serious critism. You make me belive in Quake II and help me to improve the game. The compo has shown that there is a lot of high quality homebrew for the psp.

A lot of people ask me about: What do you think about Iris? Iris is nice and has some nice features Quake II didn't have. The most games in the compo where in beta state. Because the games are written in the spare time of the coders. So Iris and Quake II was. But I think Quake II has much more potential than Iris because it is a port and not a new game. I still have problems with using mods for Quake II PSP but it will be possible some day. There are tons of huge levels, mods and other stuff. And I don't belive that homebrewers can make a new single player game set. That's why emulators and ports offers the most possiblities. Emulators offers a lot of games but they are sometimes really slow. So my advice is: Go and port games!

URL2PSP - Wifi Http/ftp Download App (PSP-News)

dbeyer3069 has released Url2PSP, heres the details from his site:

This service is FREE and allows you to transfer URLs of files you would like to download to your PSP by entering them here. The PSP unit will connect to this web site, login using the MAC address of your PSP, transfer your list of desired file URLs and then download them.

The URLs you enter will be stored for up to 7 days in this website’s database. In the current version, you must remove the URLs from our database yourself, or wait for the system to purge them automatically after 7 days. In a future release, URL2PSP will automatically remove them for you. For simplicity and your privacy, we are asking for your MAC address instead of an email address.

NOTE: Although this web site only serves as a way to make downloading to the PSP easier and does not do any file transfers itself or store any files, please don’t use this service to aid in the downloading of any illegal or copyrighted materials. Your cooperation is appreciated.

To get started or to sign back in, please enter your MAC address. Your MAC address appears in the LOWER LEFT CORNER of the URL2PSP program screen as well as in the System Settings of the PSP.

Updates will be provided on a regular basis. Please check back for updated versions.

Looking for a homebrew-compatible PSP? (PSP-News)

SuccessHK have a mass of v1.52 PSP Consoles in both Ceramic White and Original Black which can be upgraded to v2.0 firmware to play 85% of all PSP Homebrew (via the eboot loader) and still be able to play the top games like GTA Liberty City Stories.

You can find the files you need for moving to Firmware 2.0 or downgrading to Firmware 1.5 in our Homebrew Central section here.

Killzone PSP details emerge (GamesAreFun)

Guerilla Games recently shed some light on its newly revealed Killzone title, Killzone: Liberation for the PSP, and we've got a few of the first details.

Does anyone remember the rumors of the PS3 version of Killzone not being the second in the series? Well, it looks like those rumors hold some weight; in fact, we now know Killzone: Liberation will be a direct sequel to the first in the series.

"But wait, how will the FPS control on the PSP?" That's a big question, as the PSP lacks a second analog stick, but have no fear: Killzone: Liberation won't be a first person shooter at all, but rather a third person shooter with similar camera angles to Metal Gear Solid.

As for other changes, the game has an increased emphasis on stealth. Apparently you're playing to free your comrades as Jan Templar (Liberation, get it?). To make your mission even more difficult, the Helghast now come in various forms, but luckily for you, this version includes many more weapons, including a crossbow.

We expect a formal unveiling of Killzone: Liberation this month, so stay tuned!

Source: GamesAreFun

Rockman Rockman - Construction Mode (PSPUpdates)

The Rockman Rockman official website has updated the section of Construction Mode.

In this mode, you can build your own level with different tiles, set your start position and other settings of the level. After completing the level, you can test it and save it for later use or even share it with your friends!

Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budoukai for PSP (PSPUpdates)

Kamehame… Are you serious? Yea. Dragon Ball Z is heading for the PSP! The PSP version is in the same fighting genre like the PS2 Dragon Ball Z3. You will be able to experience speeding battles in the game, with “Aura Bust” and other new systems. The game will be heated up with high tactical challenge and vivid gameplay! Stunning skills are also included, you will be able to use them in real-time. The 16:9 wide screen will offer totally different gaming experience, your eyes will not want to leave the screen!

The game is slated for this spring, price normal (5,040 JPY/$43 USD).

 

 

Nero Digital Offering PSP Download Contents (PSPUpdates)

Nero Digital is now offering PSP video download contents on their official website, probably for demonstrating the profile for PSP video encoding. Currently there are several movie trailers available for downloading. Here is a full list:

• Freedomland
• Fun With *** and Jane
• Into The Blue
• Memoirs of a Geisha
• Oliver Twist
• Rent
• The Exorcism Of Emily Rose
• The Fog
• The Gospel
• The Legend Of Zorro
• The Pink Panther
• Underworld: Evolution
• Zathura

All of the trailers above are at 320*240 resolution, possibly MPEG4 AVC.

Homebrew Development Example: Stopper 69 for PSP

SG57 has released his mini-game/trainer called Stopper 69. The game itself is very simple – press square when the number accumulates exactly to 69. The author wanted to encourage everyone that is interested in programming – start with tiny projects, and improve them gradually. Here is the message from the author:

This is my little mini~game homebrew game / Trainer because first off...it's a game and secondly, it's a good example of how a first time dev should start, small to big.

The source code of this is also included so all the new devs out there can take a look and learn a few shortcut lines of code and how to use some lines of code properly (blitting multiple images, making one entire backround, using bools, the '} else {' function, etc.). This also incorporates almost all the Lessons together into one source code so theres no more worrying about losing or forgetting how to define a variable, make a table, booling, etc.

Thanks go to everyone who is involved in the PSPDEV scene (via PSPSDK, toolchain, cygwin, etc.)
And of course, thanks goes to Brad Dwyer (aka Yeldarb) for making the Lessons on programming to get me started.

Download it here.

Seizure Inducer v0.1 (PSP Homebrew)

Seriously, this could cause epileptic seizures, so use it at your own risk!

Xodiac21 and Team XodiMac Inc. have posted their first homebrew demo, Sezuire Inducer (Flying Colors?) version 0.1 for PSP. This demo flashes lines and different colors on your PSP screen quickly to create a swimmy effect. Eboots for v1.0/2.0 and v1.50 PSPs are included.

Download it here.

Monkey Ball Adventures Heading to the PSP (Game Asylum)

The next instalment of Sega's spherical simian simulation will go by the name Monkey Ball Adventures and is being developed by Lego Star Wars creators Traveller's Tales.

It's story-based and not unlike a platform game in design. There are five themed worlds and different balls to discover, including a wooden one that lets AiAi, MeeMee and chums roll over water. There will also be sections where the monkeys get to fly over to new areas, just like the Monkey Target mini-game. Speaking of which, a bunch of party games and puzzles are being chucked in for good measure.

So far, the official Playstation 2 Magazine has confirmed that this title will appear on the PSP and PS2, but was unclear on wether or not to expect Monkey Ball Adventures on other consoles.



Source: Game Asylum

Homebrew Utility: PSP Filer v0.2 Released

Mediumgauge has released his PSP Filer version 0.2. PSP Filer v0.2 is a simple file browser for PSP. Here is what has been added in this version:

• Added side scrolling, the analog stick will produce high speed side scrolling
• Modified the background viewing algorithm
• Increased the maximum number of characters allowed on 1 line
• Added help via the triangle key

Download it here.

New Homebrew Game: Vortex for PSP

Mach-One has released their new hombrew game, Vortex PSP. The Vortex is a space-skill game. Your viewpoint is above your spaceship. Your mission is to find the rescue pod, and return it to the central teleport, before the timer reaches zero. You can pick up some extra time and extra points along Your way.

After You returned the pod successfully, You have the same mission, but now a different level. Each level contains colorful obstacles, avoid to colliding with them.

Download it here.

Ms. Driller Homebrew PSP Clone of Mr. Driller Released

AntiroC has just released Ms Driller, his clone of Mr Driller for the PSP. AntiroC has modified the contorls to compensate for bad diagonal movement handling with the PSP, the controls are:

Move: Analog or D-Pad
Dig / Drill: Circle
Jump/Right: Right shoulder button
Jump/Left: Left shoulder button
In the future, AntiroC plans to increase the resolution, improve the readability of ingame text, and possibly add some background music.

Download it here.

Homebrew Loader Coming to 2.01+ PSPs! w00t! (PSPUpdates)

Fanjita has just announced that he and coding companion Ditlew made some drastic headway today, clearing the biggest hurdles standing between them and getting an EBOOT Loader to run with the Grand Theft Auto Exploit. This would effectively make PSP's with 2.01, 2.50, and 2.60 firmware as "homebrew friendly" as 2.0 PSP's, causing much of the PSP Community to rejoice around the world (and the sales of Grand Theft Auto to go up even more). Here is what Fanjita had to say:

    Ditlew and I made some breakthroughs today with the EBOOT loader for GTA, and I'm so excited I thought I'd share the news, since we've been hammering away at this problem for weeks now, and it feels like we're starting to get somewhere.

    Last night we finally managed to remove what is believed to be the last traces of GTA from the PSP's memory, and we appear to have full user-mode control over all the available memory and resources (with the exception, of course, of flash memory).

    So far this hasn't translated into everything magically-working, including the loader menu, but we have run the first homebrew game using the EBOOT loader - "PSP Rick Dangerous".

    So, there's still a lot of work to do, but it's coming along nicely.

    This also seems like an opportune moment to properly introduce Ditlew, although we've been working together since the start of the EBOOT Loader for GTA project. He's a 30-year-old Dane working as a lead programmer, with a past in the gaming scene and a strong passion for AI - not to mention a sharp mind and a lot of determination.


Congratulations to the both of you on this breakthrough, I'm sure it won't be long before everyone is enjoying the possibilities of PSP homebrew!

New Hack: Remove Wavy Lines, Change Menu Names, and More with FlashMod 2.0!

IchigoKurosaki of Orbis PSP Development has updated our forums with news of the next release of his increasingly popular PSP application FlashMod. This program will allow you to modify certain aspects of your 1.50 PSP such as removing the wavy lines, changing your background and changing the menu names in the PSP's XMB. His latest attempt is support for UMD games that require 2.0+ Firmware. While some progress is being made, it still needs some work.

WARNING: If you used FlashMod 1.0 or 1.5 to change Backgrounds please Restore the Default Backgrounds with 2.0 and install your custom background again. This is due to the original writing to flash code when it couldn't find a file it would just write it as 0 bytes.



New Features:

.:UMD 2.00 or higher support:.
Not yet finished and requires a 2.00+ Firmware in the root of your Memory Stick in the folders "Flash0" and "Flash1". Right now the only fix i have is a untested SOCOM fix. It will also run your UMD's at 333Mhz for the CPU and 166Mhz for GPU. This will not write to your Firmware or UMD.

.:UMD Loading support:.
This will runs UMD's without 2.00 or higher support. It will also run your UMD's at 333Mhz for the CPU and 166Mhz for GPU. Which means Faster Loading time and smoother Gameplay.
.:Change XMB Menu Names:.
This will let you change your XMB Menu Names just follow these steps:

1. Extract the Utilities folder on to your Desktop.

2. Go into the Utilities folder and run "PSPMenuEdit.exe"

3. Now select you Language and click on the button [...] under [Edit topmenu_plugin.rco]

4. Now select [topmenu_plugin.rco] which should be located in the utilities folder.

5. Once you are done editing all your Menu Names just click [Patch File] and copy the [topmenu_plugin.rco] out of the utilities folder to the root of you Memory Stick.

6. Now go into FlashMod and select [Install Custom XMB Menu Names] and your done.
.:Even safer writing:.
Now will not write if it can't find the file and will display the [Flash Complete] Picture longer.

.:Version used Info:.
Now if you are unsure of what version you have used of FlashMod just go to your XMB (Cross Media Bars) and go to [Settings]-[System Settings]-[About PSP™] and after it shows the copyright information it should tell you "Firmware Flashed with: FlashMod Version 2.00"

.:New Graphical User Interface:.
Now with discriptions for all the features included on the GUI.

.:New Agreement:.
The new agreement is due to FlashMod being Open Source and Public Domain which could cause people to download a Version of FlashMod that might not be from Orbis PSP Development. So for yours protection I urge you not to download FlashMod if it does not say Orbis PSP Development. As for people that want to release their own version of FlashMod please tell me before releasing any unofficial versions.

I Agree by downloading FlashMod Version 2.0 that I relinquish Orbis PSP Development of any liabilities concerning the software effect on my PSP.

Download it here.

And another development kit! Cross Platform GUI Toolkit for SDL from LostJared

There have been so many great programs and tools coming out of our PSP Development forum that it's been hard to keep up with all the releases. From ports, to visual demos, to games, to applications, to DevKits - there is so much going on around here! The latest tool comes from LostJared and is a simple window'd toolkit for 1.50 and 2.0 PSP's. Coupled with his past work this week, Jared seems on a mission to make it as easy as possible to create homebrew for the PSP!

    This is basicly what I have been workin on all day..

    Its a cross platform GUI toolkit for SDL, that works with PSP/XBOX/Windows/Linux etc.. It is still in very early stages of development (considering I only started today or was that yesterday?)

    Contains 2 programs built in right now.. more to come soon..

Along with this download, a new port is also released - Master X. You can find the program in the "PSP Release" folder of the downloaded file.

Download it here.

eBooks Coming to Sony Connect Download Service - Maybe Eventually to PSP?

    While you never know what Sony will do, it seems plausible that with their new eBook download service coming to Connect.com (their media download service), and their new eBook (it's beautiful), it would make sense to enable eBook viewing on the PSP's high resolution screen.

The Sony Reader is about as big as a paperback book.

From Wired News:

Screening the Next Best-Seller (hey, maybe it's my book?)

New non-Sega Sega handheld en route? (Engadget)

Anybody remember the GameGear Pocket? Wow... An amazing handheld from a company that just couldn't catch a break in the next-generation console and handheld wars a few years ago...

From DCEmu via Engadget:

The Makers of PSPonTV (PSP to TV Adapter) sent me some rather interesting news earlier that isnt on their website, heres the info from the email/press release:

First, the most exciting thing to happen this year for us may be the SEGA licensed TV game systems. We hope you are equally excited, and that you will try to secure an agreement with us ASAP.

SEGA LICENSED DIRECT "Plug & Play" TV-GAME
Since the HK Toy Fair finished, we have finalized the official license from Sega to manufacture many Sega licenced TV game systems and a hand-held console (like Gameboy).

Until now, we have nearly 50 licensed Sega games that you can choose from! Many of them are Sonic the Hedgehog and other big name titles! Our product design is done by a famous Japanese product designer, and resembles the Sega & Sonic style outlook. You will be quite impressed by our current in-house designs.

You can choose from either 10 in 1 or 20 in 1 versions of the "Plug & Play" Sega TV Game systems.

This means you can get the list and choose 10 or 20 games to put inside each game console. You can do less than 10 but the cost would be the same as 10 games. But for example, you can create a Sega Sports game system just for sports games, or a Sega Sonic game system just for Sonic games...however remember the price stays the same for 1 up to 10 games.

Please see the attached photo "thumbnail" of the clamshell packing, so you can have an idea of the quality for our in-house designs. Anyone wishing to sign an NDA, are welcome to view our full size in house designs immediately.

You are welcome to discuss your own tooling design with us, as we will be happy to do the custom tooling or you can accept our in-house designs which are also very attractive. We can offer some exclusive designs and configurations for many countries, so you are welcome to ask for exclusive distribution of our designs if your company has large enough sales channel to support the exclusivity.

You are welcome to request a quote based on your estimated quantity order, and the 10 or 20 game systems. The retail price should likely be up to US$29.95 for the 10-in-1 game systems, and up to US$39.95 for the 20-in-1 game systems, but this is up to your market to decide.

We are developing a Sega hand held system also (like Gameboy), which will contain 20 games of your choice and have a high quality 2.5 inch LCD screen. For an additional cost, we can create a cartridge based version as well, so you can have 20 games inside plus sell multi-game cartridges also. Due to some exclusivity being discussed for some countries already, please rush to tell us ASAP if you wish to order the hand held console system for your country. Our in house design for the Hand-Held system is similar to the Sonic design of the plug-and-play TV game system, so you can expect it to be very attractive design.

Making Google Videos Work on the PSP

PSPVault has a great article on making the videos from Google's new video download service work on the PSP:

Some of you may have noticed that over on video.google.com there's an option to save videos (in mp4 format) for playback on the PSP. Some folks are having problems getting them to playback on their PSPs and here's why; in the directions google has for putting the videos on your PSP, they fail to mention what they're encoded at. Google has encoded their PSP videos in the AVC format, meaning that if you put them in the old M4V folder they will not work.


Read on....
You have to rename them to the AVC naming format.

Then they will play.

In other words:

1) Go to video.google.com
2) Pick a video you want to download
3) On the sidebar, pick the "Sony PSP" option for download.
4) Pick a location on your PC for the file
5) Connect your PSP in USB mode
6) Navigate (or create) to the XXXANVXX folder (Where X is whatever number you want) in MP_ROOT
7) Copy the video you downloaded to the XXXANVXX folder
8) Rename the file you just copied to MAQXXXXX.mp4 (Again X are random numbers of your choice)
9) Disconnect the PSP
10) Enjoy!

Source: PSP-Vault

Valkyrie Profile : Lenneth New PSP Screenshots

New screenshots have been made available for the upcoming PSP game, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth.

Check them out here.


Source: GameInfoWire

Homebrew Central now available on HackingPSP.com!

Well, it's been a long time coming, but I've finally finished the first version of Homebrew Central, your one-stop-shop for finding homebrew software, launchers, development resources, and information.

Check it out here.

Leave me feedback here so I can make it even better!

Thanks again!

Best,

Auri Rahimzadeh
Author, Hacking the PSP

Korean Game DJmax Emotional Sense Portable Announced for the PSP (Addict3d.org)

GameSetWatch brings word of DJmax Emotional Sense Portable, a South Korean DJ game for the PSP. The title was released late last week and has mobile and online incarnations as well. Sony Computer Entertainment Korea has a buncha screens and song clips up, which look and sound pretty dang neat. No word of US/Euro release, but from the looks of it, it’s only a matter of time before this title is in our grubby little hands.

Images Here [PlayStation Korea] via GameSetWatch

Source: Kotaku

Looking for cheats? PSP Cheats may be able to help... (addict3d.org)

For those of you who don't want to play a game all the way through, but rather just jump straight to the end, PSP Cheats may be able to help! This useful site has game saves you can download that already have everything you need to beat the game, without having to spend all that money for a Game Genie (which I've heard mixed reviews on how well it works).

Check out PSP-Cheats.org.

Check it out... but always back up your saved games! (I go over how to do this in my book)

-Auri

The Godfather delayed for PSP (PSPWorld)

EA games has announced the delay of The Godfather for both the PSP and Xbox 360.

"While we don't know what the reason for the delays are, one could surmise it has to do with developing for radically different systems. The Xbox, PS2, and PC versions are still slated for their March 2006 release. While no release dates have been set for the PSP and Xbox 360 versions, EA representatives are calling for a late summer release."

PSP beats Nintendo DS for second week in Japan (PunchJump)

Sony's PSP hardware has beat Nintendo DS in Japan in one-week sales from Jan. 9 – Jan. 15 in a report from Media Create.

The handheld entertainment system sold 57,686 units to top Nintendo DS at 54,284 units.

Sony's PSP also outsold the Nintendo DS the week prior by over 40,000 units.

The dip in Nintendo DS sales is the result of a hardware shortage in Japan. Nintendo apologized to customers in early Jan. for lack of stock in the retail chain due to a sudden surge in sales that left retailers without stock.

The video game veteran said that a sufficient supply would trickle back to retail in late Jan.

(via PunchJump)

World Rally Championship screeches onto PSP (GameSpot)

The officially licensed PS2 racing series hits the starting line in portable form; first details inside.

The PlayStation 2's World Rally Championship series is making its way to the PSP under the name WRC: FIA World Rally Championship. The latest issue of Famitsu revealed the first details of the game, which is slated for release in Japan this March.

The biggest difference in WRC: FIA World Rally Championship for the PSP is that the game allows multiplayer games. The racer will allow for up to eight players to simultaneously compete with each other via wireless connection in ad hoc mode.

Like previous releases, WRC: FIA World Rally Championship is officially licensed from the FIA international racing league, and includes all the machines that raced in 2005, as well as six concept cars. The game features 16 stages based on real courses from the World Rally Championship's 2005 season, including tracks in Spain, Mexico, New Zealand, Greece, Great Britain, Turkey, Argentina, Cyprus, France, and Japan.

Realistic weather and time of day will effect not only the game's visuals, but also each car's handling--for example, driving will be a lot tougher when there's rain or snow covering the road. Cars in the game are modeled after their real-life counterparts and will actually take and show damage when they crash.

(from GameSpot)

Hacking Your PSP Audio (ExtremeTech)

This feature appears in the ExtremeTech book "Hacking the PSP." If you want to catch up on another PSP hacking article, check out Running Linux and Windows on the PSP.

The PSP's audio capabilities are second to none among portable gaming platforms on the market today. In this feature you will learn the audio formats supported by your particular PSP, the right formats to use when encoding audio, how to access your iTunes library with your PSP, and much more.

Read the article here.

TwinTail LDE v2.1 for PSP - Lua Development Environment

Ema has released a new version of TwinTail LDE, version 2.1. TwinTail LDE is a text editor written in Lua, and used to edit Lua scripts while inside of your PSP. This homebrew is separated in Japanese and English version. Here is the changelog:

2.0 -> 2.1:
- Added OSK selector(by plugin)
- Added new OSK
- Modified skin

Download the English version here.
Download the Japanese version here.

There is also an interesting W.I.P. MQO Model Viewer on Ema’s website:

[24 Dec 2005] Actual screen on PSP(60 fps).
Now running under a little modified LuaPlayer :)

What's MQO?
- MQO is a data format of 'Metasequoia'.

Why MQO?
- Parsing MQO is easy for lua.

Really interesting ;-)

Homebrew Memory Stick Speed Tester!

MIB.42 is still working on memory stick related projects. This time he has brought us his MSTest, Memory Stick benchmark utility for the PSP, version 1.0. Here is his message:

I just got my new SanDisk 2GB MemoryStick Pro ( the light blue one ) and run the R/W tests. Read speed is same as the 512M one ( 14.3 MB/s ), but the write speed dropped a bit compared to the 512M ( 4.3MB/s vs. 5.2MB/s ), but this should be fine and still pretty good...

I also cleaned up the memorystick test program which I attach. Can be interesting to run it on those HDD devices...

Assigned buttons :
X             - HELP screen
SELECT        - Clear Screen
Up/Down       - Change test data size
Shoulder      - Test data size +- 1KB
Left/Right    - Test data size +- 128KB
Square/Circle - Test data size +- 8MB
Triangle      - Change the number of R/W tests
START         - Start the tests
During Test :
Square   - Cancel Write Test
Triangle - Cancel Read Test

Download it here.

Splinter Cell: Essentials - New Screenshots

Ubisoft has released 9 new screenshots for their upcoming PSP release, Splinter Cell: Essentials. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Essentials takes players deep into the Splinter Cell saga.

Experience all-new missions and objective exclusive to the PSP system, and discover the untold story of Sam Fisher through flashbacks to various missions from the entire Splinter Cell franchise. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Essentials starts where Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent ends, and takes players to the years before Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell when Sam was still a Navy Seal. As well as classic and new levels, the game features all the weapons and gadgets from the Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell franchise, in addition to new ones exclusive to the PSP system game. Players can also practice their skills in wireless multiplayer modes, challenging friends in Spy vs. Spy Deathmatch.

More details can be found on the official web site here.

PMP Simple Converter 0.08 for PMP Mod

Miemt11 has released his PMP Simple Converter for PMP Mod, version 0.08. PMP Simple Converter for PMPMOD is a video converter for the full resolution media player PMP Mod. Here is the release info from the author:

– What can it do?
Convert any video (rmvb, avi, mpg, wmv, asf, vob, mov) to PSP PMP format.

Change since version 0.07 (small update)

1: Allow you to direct transfer of your encoded PMP video to PSP
2: add a short-cut to open your PSP Video folder
3: minor fix

– Component Requirement
1: Get all the memcoder component from [here].
    and install all any directory you like. e.g. C:\Mencoder
    For wmv and rmvb get the essential codec from [here]
2: Put pmp_muxer.exe to the intall directory e.g. C:\Memcoder
3: Now extract my PMP Simple to the intall directory e.g. C:\Memcoder
4: .Net Framework Runtime 2.00 from [here]

Download it here. (NOTE: THIS IS A WINDOWS APPLICATION!)

Homebrew: MasterPiecePSP v2.6 for "All Platforms"

Lostjared is really working hard for the scene! He has updated his MasterPiecePSP to version 2.6. MasterPiecePSP is a Tetris like game, except instead of dealing with differently shaped pieces the goal of Masterpiece is to rotate the colored bars on each block in order to join up three of the same color. This release is tagged with “All Platform”, this means it will run on PSP firmware 1.5, 2.01+ and Windows/Linux/FreeBSD etc…

(note Lost Jared's favorite quote appears to be "Open Source, Open Mind")

Changes

* Graphics
* MasterX Fonts

Download it here.

CrossGTA-0.2 Windows/Linux/PSP1.5/2.01+

Lostjared, who's been porting games to the PSP like crazy the last few weeks, has released CrossGTA-0.2 Windows/Linux/PSP1.5/2.01+. CrossGTA is a sample Demo/utility pack started with Hello world. Source code is also enclosed. Here is more details from his post:

4 Examples starting off with Hello World ending with a Video Game..

Source Code contains the majority of the algorithms you need to get a basic
game up and running easily.. Simply start off by reading Hello World, Than Random Pixels, then Knights Tour, than you can finish it off by MPGTA..

Also contains source code for a few tools I wrote to use with this Pack..

mxf2c - Translates MasterX Fonts (which really just translate truetype fonts to mxf) to C array
bmp2c - Translates a 24bit Bitmap to a C data structure array
mxFont2 - MasterX Font Editor.. With the ability to translate a windows truetype font to MXF to use in your PSP game..

Full Source Code for everything is included and your free to use it change it destroy it do whatever you so please with it... Its all Free..

Open Source, Open Mind

- Jared Bruni

Download it from our development section here.

Dgen Sega Genesis / Megadrive Console Emulator v1.30 for PSP

Syn-Z has released a new version of his Dgen, version 1.30. Dgen is a Sega Genesis / Megadrive emulator for PSP. Here is the changelog:

Version 1.30

• Turbo mode added (key config added)
• State delete function added (Select + Square)
• Message option added when performing state save/load
• State save displayed with date

Download it here.

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth - New Screenshots

Square Enix has announced that they will release Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria for Playstation 2 as a descendant in 2006, and Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth for Playstation Portable as a remake of the original Valkyrie Profile on March 2, 2006.

Check out the official web site here.

Tetris for German GTA v2.0 by Fanjita (but for 2.01+ PSPs (: )

With the release of 2.01, 2.5, and 2.6 many gamers became aware, many after they purchased their new PSP, they would be unable to play homebrew on their new handheld. This could have been avoided had they checked the firmware before you buy.

However, Fanjita has been making excellent progress with version 2.0 PSP's , in addition to the newer PSP versions. Today he has released a update to his exploit that now also "allows you to run up to 4 other GTA-ready homebrew applications, using 4 spare save-slots" with the German censored (16+) version of Grand Theft Auto. He also stated that "this is a test of the general-purpose GTA loader that will be used as the basis for running the EBOOT loader on v2.01+" If you are a developer, now is a better time then any to check out Fanjita's Developer Package for the GTA Exploit.

To install:

• Unzip the contents of this package into the /psp/savedata folder on your memory stick. Note that if you have an existing savegame that uses slots 3,4,5,6 or 7, then this will be overwritten by the Tetris savegame. You can see which slots you are using by the folder names - ULES00182SX : X is the slot number.

To use:

• Start up GTA as normal. When it has loaded, select "Load Game", select the Tetris savegame and confirm the load as normal. After a short delay, the Tetris game should start.
• To quit the game, you will need to hold your power button for 10 seconds. The HOME button doesn't work, this is a known problem.

Installing other homebrew:

This package comes with 5 homebrew savegame slots. You can use these to choose between your 5 favorite GTA-ready homebrew applications. To copy a GTA homebrew into place:

• Decide which slot you want to use. Tetris uses slot 5 by default.
• Copy the "tetris.bin" file from your new GTA homebrew into the ULES00182SX folder - where 'X' is the slot number you have chosen.
• Optionally, copy an ICON0.PNG (for the game icon) and a PIC1.PNG (for the larger game picture, seen in the savegame manager) into the folder, to make it easier to remember. You need to follow the format of the existing PNGs in the folder.

Note - this version only works with the German censored (16+) version of Grand Theft Auto.

Download it here.

New Version of PLynx Atari Lynx Emulator Released - Version 0.4!

PLynx has released a new version of his port of Handy, an Atari Lynx emulator, for the PSP. I remember this unit - a friend bought a few and hardly played them, so he handed me one. I think I played a lot of tennis on it. I also had the TurboGrafx 16 if anybody remembers NEC's entry into the color handheld gaming market (with those slick little gaming cards and the 6-8 AAA battery requirement).

Here's what's new in v0.4:

• Screen size selection : Original, x2, Full screen
• Filtering method selection : Nearest, Linear
• Possibility to overwrite last saved context file
• Save configuration for each game

Download it here.

Team Emergency Exit PSPdualBoot Progress

Placa from Team Emergency Exit has posted the latest news about his PSPdualBoot and other projects.

Hi all,

These are no news about Quake 2 this time but about my progress at PSPdualBoot and other projects.Because I get about 40 mails every day I decided to give you some information's.

Progress in PSPdualBoot isn't that good as I want it to be because of some exams coming on I have to practice for. If everything works like I want it to work I will release it in the first quarter of 2006. But it is still possible that I come to a point where I don't get any further.

I do have 2 other projects beside dualboot, one of it is a tool which I write with dot_blank and one of my own. Dot and I started to code a NAND-Writer, we didn't do much yet, but this will change.

My own project has only got a project name until yet. It is called "ProjectElisha". I won't tell you more about this project at this time but it has something to do with 2.0. The name is just fun and has nothing to do with the program.

Cellular Talk and Sony VoIP (PSPUpdates)

A hope expressed by many PSP gamers has been, will there be a "cellphone attachment" or other similar type of vocal communication device for their PSP. In the recent months we have seen the release of titles such as TALKMAN, and Socom, both which use the PSP microphone or headset.

3rd partys are already jumping on the bandwagon and making devices such as the Plantronic's Bluetooth Stereo Headset or Wireless PSP Headset by Thanko. Of course lets not forget pertinent user modifications like using any headset with your PSP that would make vocal communication on your PSP (using current software) possible for anyone with a little time and resources. It would seem Sony is keeping their options open for future communication development as well, while expanding good ideas, and adding more peripherals such as a Camera attachment.

As previously reported, Erik Lagerway, once CEO of Xten (which is now Counterpath) said that they should be able to "hack together" a softphone for VoIP on the PSP handheld gaming console. Now, at his new job working with Eyeball Networks, there have been rumors about a new SIP softphone client that is under development for the Sony Playstation Portable.

Another possible thought is that Google Talk may be trying to open its doors to such communication that might be compatible with the PSP. In the Google Talk blog it was stated that "people using Google talk services can now chat with users on other XMPP services and vice versa. If you want to connect your service to the Google Talk Service you should know that Google Talk uses the dialback protocol as described in RFC 3920."

All in all it is quite a good possibility that something of this nature will be developed, and possibly as a homebrew application. Recently spoken about applications such as PSP Radio, PSP-OSS, and the highly anticipated yet controversial release of PSIX keep PSP gamers glued, while with each update recognizably touching the limits of PSP's homebrew at the current time and always progressing.

New Firmware 2.01+ Game: Penguin Scramble!

For once, the folks who have 2.01, 2.50, or 2.60 PSP's have something to hold over the heads of those of us who have stuck with 2.0 or lower - they have a homebrew game that we can't play! Penguin Scramble by Percival is the first "2.01+ Only" program in what I hope is many more homebrew projects for 2.01+, following Tetris, Snakman, and Pong earlier this month. At the moment, all 2.01+ Homebrew requires the Grand Theft Auto UMD in order to work.

The goal of Penguin Scramble is to survive as long as possible. Don't touch the ice at the roof or the bottom!

BETA NOTES:
===========
Penguin Scramble is still beta. The following are known problems:
-highscore
-sometimes the cave is impossible to go through
TODO:
-highscore :-)
-good looking menus
-hazards
-more features

Installation:
=============
To install, Place the proper savegame folder (ULUS10041S5 for US or ULES00151S5 for UK) on your Memory Stick. Boot up GTA and load this savegame file.

Controls:
=========

At title screen:
Press any button to start the game

During the game:
L - speed down
R - speed up
Start - pause
Select - quit

Download it here.

New Hack: Lock Your PSP At Brightness Level 4!

Lock Your PSP At Brightness Level 4!

Brightness Level 4 is bright… but we need the power adapter plugged to keep it. The problem is obvious - we can’t drag the damn power cord everywhere.

The problem is over now. We are glad to share a very handy method for keeping your PSP locked on Level 4 Brightness, without any messy process.

1. Plug your power cord.
2. Adjust your brightness to Level 4.
3. Start a UMD game/homebrew.
4. When the program launch video is being played (the one with green balls flashed and PSP text in the middle of the screen), make sure you unplug the power cord from the PSP when the launch sound effect is over. You will notice that the brightness didn’t fall down to level 3.

And now, your screen brightness is locked at Level 4! You can suspend and resume the PSP, turn it off and back on, or even turn the screen off by pressing and holding the brightness button until the screen is turned off, and none of the actions above will make your PSP lose Level 4 brightness!!! The power saving screen shutting off function will not change the brightness too.

The only way to go back to brightness level 3, is to adjust it manually by pressing the brightness button.

We should say, this is a very handy way to keep the brightness on-the-go. Level 3 is not enough for some videos sometimes. The only thing you need to make sure is not to touch the brightness button until necessary.

Credit goes to Sam for the email hint! =D

TOMB RAIDER LEGEND ON PSP ANNOUNCED (Sweet!)

Lara Croft has traveled to the most prestigious locations throughout the world. She has entered the depths of the most awe-inspiring yet deadly tombs. But the time has come for one of her greatest journeys yet. Now Lara Croft can travel with you wherever you go, as Eidos confirms that Lara Croft Tomb Raider Legend will be released on the PSP in North America!

To celebrate, it's time to flood you with a massive new batch of screens for the PS2, 360, Xbox and PC - including some great shots of Lara Croft in action on Sony's handheld! Lara Croft Tomb Raider Legend for all platforms is set to ship this Spring.

Tomb Raider Legend all-console screen shots

(via Tomb Raider Chronicles)

Samurai Warriors Overrun the PSP

Koei's Japanese Dynasty Warriors-alike is headed to the PSP in a remarkably similar-sounding format.

First there was Dynasty Warriors and the destruction was massive. Then came Samurai Warriors, which was pretty much the same but swapped the Chinese out for Japanese warlords. And now you'll be able to take Samurai Warriors on the road in the brand new PSP incarnation.

Samurai Warriors: State of War is, much like Dynasty Warriors for PSP, a more bite-sized version of the console experience, purpose built so that you can get in snatches of eastern mayhem when you're in the queue at the bank or sitting at a red light.

Whether you're into knives, throwing stars or any of the other 16th century Japanese tools of war, you'll find something here to your liking. You command an officer on the battlefield, dealing out oblivion to those foolish enough to cross your path while still keeping enough of an eye on overall strategy to ensure your team comes out on top.

And if the legions of foes that populate the bloody battlefields and castles aren't enough for you, you'll also be able to tackle up to three other players in the PSP version's exclusive wireless multiplayer.

Samurai Warriors: State of War will be out for PSP on 24 March. For more, head over to Koei's site.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games

(via Kikizo Games)

New PSP Titles Coming from Taito: Mahjong, Trains and Bubbles

January 18, 2006 - Last week, we shared details on Taito's new lineup of Japanese DS games, including Cooking Mama and Monster Bomber. Today, we've got some news from the company's PSP development half. Taito has three new titles in development for the PSP, one of which could conceivably find its way across the Pacific.

First up is Honnkaku Younnindatsu Pro Mahjong Mahjong-Ou Portable, set for Japanese release on 3/23. That's a mouthful for a new mahjong game featuring fourteen real-life mahjong masters pulled from four mahjong leagues. The game includes a quick match mode for those who just want to get in a quick round and also has a "Pro's Ready Room" mode where you'll find details on how each of the game's super stars got their break.

Even less likely to make its way to America is Densha De Go! Pocket Osaka Kanjou Line Edition. Yes, it's another one of those Densha De Go train simulators no one's talking about, and this time, Taito's giving players the chance to watch scenery slowly coast by in the Osaka area. In addition to the 40-minute Kanjou Line, which was already featured in a PS2 version of the title, the PSP version includes a new feature that lets players exchange player cards with one another using WiFi. The player cards contain driving history and player rank information. A release is set for 3/30.

The last game is a new entry in the Bust-a-Move series, known in Japan as Puzzle Bobble. Titled Ultra Puzzle Bobble Pocket, this new PSP version features the same Puzzle Bobble gameplay we've all grown accustomed to, but adds 16 modes of play for both single and versus players. A Japanese release is set for 3/23.

(via IGN)

HORSE RACING Hits PSP! Winning Post 6 announced for PSP

In America, baseball and basketball titles face off yearly for victory in the crowded sports gaming market. In Japan, the battle is fought over horse racing. This March, Sony and Koei are vying for the crown on the PSP.

Koei will be bringing Winning Post 6 2006 to the PSP. A port of the 2003 PlayStation 2 Winning Post 6, the game has updated data for 2006 and the expected wide screen support. Winning Post 6 allows you to raise up to three horses in a stable, both in Japan and overseas.

Sony has something bigger planned for PSP owners: the all new Derby Time 2006. The game retains the basic idea from Derby Time's PSP debut title last year, offering players the quick experience required of a portable game system while retaining the depth that derby fans expect.

Derby Time 2006 adds a number of new features over the original. You can now interact more closely with your horse, massaging it and giving it special food. The original allowed you to equip items to your horse; in 2006, you can equip up to three items from an expanded list. The game's scenario mode has seen some big changes, as you now select the scenario you'd like to play next. Included are "VS Scenarios," which take you through the storyline and "Free Scenarios," which have nothing to do with the story.

A Japanese release for Derby Time 2006 is set for March. Winning Post 6 2006 is without a final date at the moment, but is also scheduled for some time in March.

(via IGN)

New Game Announced: Pursuit Force Designer Diary #1 - The Beginning

EA BRINGS DEF JAM PROPERTY TO SONY PSP: ‘The Takeover’ to arrive in March as prequel to ‘Def Jam Vendetta.’ (EurWeb)

From EURWeb:

*Electronic Arts in March will release "Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover" for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP), allowing users to again run the virtual streets of NYC as Ludacris, Method Man, Redman and other urban artists.

      “The Takeover,” the prequel to the award-winning "Def Jam Vendetta," also allows PSP gamers to play as Busta Rhymes, Carmen Electra, Lil' Kim, Snoop Dogg and Xzibit in an effort to unravel the events that lead to ‘Vendetta” and find out how the D-Mob got to run New York City.

       The game features new fighting moves and locations, and for the first time, players can battle in one-on-one death matches using PSP's wireless functionality. Fighters can also suit up in gear from Def Jam University, Phat Farm, Brand Jordan, Ecko Unlimited, Enyce, Rocawear, Sean John, State Property and Reebok.     

       The PSP version features more than three dozen tracks from the Def Jam artists' 2003 and 2004 album releases. According to EA, there's a good possibility they will be available for download.

Adventure Player Axing Downloadable Games (Bummer!)

What a bummer... this is a great product that enables many people to create fun PSP games without any programming knowledge... Sharing was the best part! Get it while you can!

TOKYO--In Japan, From Software announced that it will end its distribution of games for Adventure Player, a do-it-yourself software program that lets users produce and download adventure games for the PSP. Adventure Player's official Web site currently offers 57 downloadable games, but they will be taken down on January 31. Most games are downloadable for free, while others range from 105 yen ($0.91) to 777 yen ($6.74).

(via Yahoo! News)

Muscleman Musclegenerations New PSP Screenshots (GameWire)

GameWire has posted new screen shots from the upcoming Muscleman Musclegenerations game, a port of the popular PS2 game. The PSP version will sport a "tag" mode, so heroes can compete in a tag-team fashion. This is a work in progress, but it's looking great!

     

Via GameWire

Tokobot invades Europe in March (PSPUpdates)

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and Tecmo, Ltd today announced a European publishing agreement for Tokobot, developed by Tecmo for the PSP. Tokobot is anticipated to be released in March 2006.

 

Tokobot, Tecmo's first game for the PSP, is whimsical and wonderfully quirky. The storyline begins thousands of years ago, in the land of Moritari, where a prehistoric race created extraordinary technology that revolutionized life. Now, in modern times, this lost technology is being excavated from the ruins of the ancients by private laboratories. However, the rediscovery of mini mechanized helpers, called Tokobots, has sparked interest from treasure hunters who plan to use the robots' powers to take over the world. It's up to our hero, Bolt, to foil their evil plan.

 

Players begin with just six Tokobots but, as the difficulty ramps up, the player will have to seek out extra robots in order to deal with the increasingly complex problems. Tokobots are able to generate 'joint actions' – a fusing together with Bolt to create ladders, swings and gliders – and can unify in Karakuri Combinations. Call one of these into action and watch your Tokobots merge and become a larger, much more powerful or more useful robot - such as the sword wielding samurai or block lifting crane.

 

The game also features a Time Attack mode once the player has completed the Story mode, as well as a selection of highly engaging mini games. The combined effect is a unique, fun and compelling gaming experience that can be played anywhere and at any time.

 

"Tokobot is a fantastic first title for the PSP from Tecmo," said James Ellingford, International Managing Director of Take-Two Interactive Software. "We're delighted to continue our work with Tecmo and are confident Tokobot will find favour with the PSP's already impressive install base."

Veoh Networks offers PSP Video Downloads (PSPUpdates)

This week Veoh Networks announced that the majority of their 20,000 video library will be available for download in PSP format. Veoh is a free Peer-to-Peer software package that has been serving up television, movie, and independent videos since its launch last September, and now they're taking advantage of the large demand for portable media thanks to the PSP and iPod.

Veoh software, installed on a consumer's PC or Mac, creates a virtual television network able to distribute TV-quality, full-screen video to hundreds of millions of users with broadband connections. Motion picture studios, television networks, organizations and individuals can publish unlimited amounts of video content to the network, providing consumers with unparalleled choice in television programming and control over their viewing experience.

Unlike rogue P2P networks used to share mostly pirated video, Veoh is a community of publishers and consumers, where published content is approved by editors, and consumers are assured they get what they request. The system also integrates tightly with RSS, providing content producers with easy publishing to multiple video systems.

Def Jam: Fight for NY - New Media Released (PSPUpdates)

Electronic arts has released tons of new media for their upcoming title Def Jam: Fight for NY. Below is a large selection of Fight Posters, Character Renders and Logos from the game.

Lumo's 3D Model Export Script Update

Lumo has updated his 3D Model Export Scripts. In todays update he has made changes to his Alias MAYA 7.0 export script to CMSH (Colored Mesh) written in MEL so that you can now export Vertex painted models!

In addition he has released a CMSH to 3db converter including the required cygwin1.dll. NOTE: this still works with preview-s version.

v2 beta preview
+ added multiple color support
+ Maya CMSH exporter
+ conversion tool cmshTo3db
+ 3db analyzer (version vertex/facecount)

Todo:
+ NV (mesh)
+ strafe, rotatte, zoom (viewer)
+ light (viewer)
+ uv (mesh)
+ textures (mesh)
+ remove e-xxx float information bug from msh files (mesh / load)

Lumo has made the request for any bug reports and feedback that you have for his applications and wants to thank Knifa for svn support. If you have made 3D models and would like to submit them to Lumo to assist in his development please contact him at : lumo2000[AT]gmail[DOT]com.

Download it here.

PSPShot v0.2 for the PSP Released

Tsukasa has released v0.2 of PSPShot, his screenshot tool for the PSP. PSPShot allows you to take screenshots of what is on your PSP’s screen at almost any time. This come is handy for taking screenshots of games, applications and videos from your PSP. Unfortunately, he has still been unable to prevent the occasional line from showing up in some shots, but here is a list of features he has added in this release:

• USB Support everywhere (eg. Games)
• Remote control support
• No need for pressing any button to set the screen for screenshot mode
• More comfortable button settings

Download it here.

Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror Beta Test Opened (PSPUpdates)

That’s right, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is doing a public beta test. Of course, you will need to upgrade to firmware 2.6 for this beta. The beta will only accept applications that are made from a PSP through the PSP’s web browser at http://pspbeta.us.playstation.com. Once you log on to that site using your 2.6 Firmware browser, simply follow the onscreen instructions to register for the beta. If accepted, you will recieve a “Welcome Aboard” email that will have details on how to access the beta test website, and your beta kit will be sent.

If you have 2.6 firmware and plan on signing up, let us know how it goes!

UPDATE:

Coolmatty has just sent us in this list of instructions that can be used to register for the Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror beta test from your PC without needing to use a 2.6 firmware PSP.

1. You must have Mozilla Firefox. Get it at
http://mozilla.org/products/firefox
2. You need to install this extension.
https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=59 (Remember,
after clicking install, you must completely close Firefox and restart it!!!)
3. Go to tools>User Agent Switcher>Options>Options.
4. Click on User Agents on the left.
5. Click Add.
6. In Description, put PSP (or whatever you wish to call it.)
7. THIS IS IMPORTANT! In the User Agent box, put:
Mozilla/4.0+(PSP+(PlayStation+Portable);+2.00) EXACTLY as shown.
8. Hit OK, then OK again.
9. Go to tools>User Agent Switcher>PSP
10. Now browse to the beta signup page that you received in the email.
(Note that you must have already registered your PSP on playstation.com,
and marked that you do have wireless internet to receive the email)
11. You’ll notice that the page will display normally. Fill out the
info, and submit everything. Yay! Now to wait for the “You’re Accepted”
email!
12. Oh, and you’ll probably want to set your User Agent back, also. Go
to Tools>User Agent Switcher>Default. That’ll change it back.

Second Note: This does NOT GUARANTEE that you will automatically be
accepted, nor that the Syphon Filter game itself will run on firmware
lower than 2.60. This simply bypasses the restriction on the beta signup
form. But seeing as SOCOM ran on 1.5 firmwares, there is a hope this
only requires 1.5 or 2.0, NOT 2.6!

Neopets: Petpet Adventures - The Wand of Wishing - Screenshots (PSPUpdates)

Neopets: Petpet Adventures - The Wand of Wishing - Screenshots

Neopets: Petpet Adventures - The Wand of Wishing brings a hidden Petpet world of Petaria to life. Players move through the game using characters they create from among four popular Petpet species and, utilizing the wireless Ad-Hoc mode, can compete head-to-head in the Battledome using their characters from the single-player game. In their search to overcome evil and recover the fabled Wand of Wishing, players will discover more than 100 unique characters and enemies, as well as have the opportunity to collect and use over 800 items.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

ProDG for PSP Wins Prestigious 2005 Front Line Award.(PSPUpdates)

SN Systems, a subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. specializing in software development tools, is delighted to announce that ProDG for PSP has been chosen as the 2005 Front Line Award winner in the Programming Tools Category of Game Developer Magazine.

ProDG for PSP has proved to be a huge success from the moment it launched, resulting in it being the development environment of choice for 20 of the 24 PSP game titles listed for the North American launch window. ProDG for PSP has gone from strength to strength and sets the standard for PSP development tools within the industry. Complemented by accessory products such as Tuner and ProView, SN Systems' range of PSP tools have gained the status of market leader thanks to the company's ability to innovate coupled with nearly 20 years of industry experience.

Andy Beveridge, Director at SN Systems, said: "It's a great honor to win this award and be acknowledged by the industry and the very people that use our tools on a daily basis. We'd gained plenty of experience from previous platform launches and knew what we had to do to get it right from the start. It's been a very busy year for everyone at SN Systems and this is a perfect finish to 2005. Rest assured, we will continue to build on the success of ProDG for PSP by continuing to evolve the product further, ensuring it remains the market leader and first choice for all PSP game title developers."

Mike Dean, Director of Finance & Operations at Amaze Entertainment enthused: "We are extremely pleased with the SN Systems ProDG for PSP toolset; it allows us to debug faster and develop more efficiently which results in a higher quality end product. SN Systems support staff are outstanding. Whenever I've had an issue, they've responded within 24 hours and usually had a fix for it. They're genuinely interested in making their products and our lives better."

SN Systems would sincerely like to thank Game Developer Magazine and everyone who nominated ProDG for PSP for this award. Many thanks also to all the developers who have chosen the ProDG suite of tools for their development environment; their support and feedback is greatly appreciated and has been integral to the tools' success.

Bonus DVD Now Available Wtih "Stacked" Pre-Orders (PSPUpdates)

Myelin Media LLC, a publisher of interactive entertainment software, today announced that a bonus DVD is now available for consumers that pre-order the upcoming Texas Hold 'Em game, STACKEDTM with Daniel Negreanu at select retailers throughout North America. The DVD, titled Inside STACKED, features interviews with the seven professional poker players in the game as well as a behind the scenes look at the development of the game and will be available free of charge to customers that reserve their copy of the game at any GameStop and EB Games location in the United States and Canada. STACKED is scheduled for release on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PSPTM (PlayStation®Portable) system and PC, and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99.

STACKED with Daniel Negreanu is the first video game to combine next-generation artificial intelligence, massive online tournaments and professional learning tools into the definitive Texas Hold 'Em experience. Featuring involvement from Daniel Negreanu and six of poker's most prominent young stars, STACKED will let players actually improve their game through a comprehensive single player career mode featuring an exclusive learning AI system, a comprehensive Poker School hosted by Daniel himself and the STACKED Masters system, an all-inclusive online tournament structure that will let gamers participate in huge sanctioned competitions as well as smaller custom tournaments and individual games with friends and guests alike.

OT: Coupon for the Addicts (PSPUpdates)

I have always been of the mindset that you aren't a true gamer unless MMO addiction has caused you to: drop out of school, get a divorce, forget what month it is, or seriously consider leaving this life behind for the sure knowledge that your favorite cyber-world is in fact the afterlife you are sure to ascend to.

I've suffered through addiction to Ultima Online, EverQuest (three times), Star Wars Galaxies, EverQuest 2, World of Warcraft, and various other MMORPGs. While off topic, I thought it was cool that the guys over at GamerKing.com sent us a 20% off coupon to give to our users to help them feed their MMO addictions with in-game currency (gold, plat, credits, what have you) for their game of choice. Just use coupon code "MMODAILY" (all caps) when you check out for 20% off.

Remember kids, MMOs can cause serious injury to your friends, family, education, marraige, health, body fat %, and cause the line to blur severely between reality and game. But damn they are fun.

Homebrew Game: Pang v0.1

The popular arcade game Pang! which has many versions available for play on the web via Flash or Java applets has made it's way to the PSP thanks to DingoFR. If this game seems familiar, it's because there is a US version that went by the name of Buster Bros. The object of the game is to travel around the world, using your weapon to bust the bubbles as fast as possible. Each time a bubble is hit, it splits in two until you shoot the tiniest bubbles. With a wide assortment of weapons to pick up to aid you in your quest, this new homebrew game should provide a lot of entertainment!

Controls:
Circle : Fire.
Start : Pause
Select : Exit
LTrigger : screenshot.

Download it here.

Koei's Samurai Warriors: State of War Coming to PSP

Koei Ltd. today announced plans to release Samurai Warriors: State of War on PSP. The Samurai Warriors games have already appeared on PS2 and Xbox, and following in the footsteps of the Dynasty Warriors series they have thrilled gamers across the globe with their spectacular battles and explosive action. This move onto the Sony PSP will enable gamers to experience Samurai Warriors' frenzied action on the move and against friends. Samurai Warriors: State of War is scheduled for release in Europe on March 24th 2006.

About Samurai Warriors: State of War on PSP

Samurai Warriors: State of War for PSP is a tactical action game set in the turbulent times of civil war Japan. Players will get to take control of famous military commanders and other legendary characters, and engage in a multitude of battles in a dramatically unfolding war.

From the thrill of carving your way through a flood of enemy soldiers to the stunning dramatic scenes, all the best-loved features from the acclaimed PS2 version make their triumphant return. And with the inclusion of new features such as the Battlefield Area System, which adds new strategic gameplay ideal for portable gaming, and full screen action, this is everything fans of the game could wish for in their pocket.

Samurai Warriors: State of War is sure to enthrall you, whether you're a battle-hardened veteran of Samurai Warriors and Samurai Warriors Xtreme Legends, or if this is your first time to experience the drama and intensity of samurai-era Japan.

Game Features

1. Become an unrivalled warrior in civil war Japan

Samurai Warriors: State of War is set in civil war Japan, when great commanders such as Nobunaga Oda, Shingen Takeda, and Kenshin Uesugi struggled for control of the country. Arm yourself with classic Japanese weaponry such as katanas and shuriken, and launch into the chaos of 16th century Japan.

The action is relentless, and ranges from massive open-field warfare to sieges of trap-laden castles. With a variety of unique characters, moves, and environments, Samurai Warriors: State of War will give you an unrivalled taste of Japan's most volatile era.

2. A rich tapestry of characters await

Many prominent figures from Japanese history make their appearance in Samurai Warriors: State of War, including the legendary soldier Yukimura Sanada, the revolutionary Nobunaga Oda, and the enigmatic ninja Hattori Hanzo. Each character has signature weapons and skills, as well as their unique role to play in this dramatic epic.

Exclusive PSP Features

1. All-New Story System

Samurai Warriors: State of War offers an all-new story structure that lets you align your characters with a specific army corps. Select a corps for your character, and guide them through a series of tactical and action stages. Once that particular story reaches its conclusion, you will get an ending, and then have the chance to take the same character down a different story path. There are six playable characters at the start, with many more characters and story paths to unlock.

2. New, More Powerful Bodyguard System

In this game, the player is joined on the battlefield by an extremely capable "second in command" bodyguard. There are 200 of these bodyguards to choose from, and in addition to fighting along side you, they will raise your stats and offer other benefits. As your bodyguards grow, they will become true partners in battle, and be able to perform some PSP-exclusive actions!

3. Short-Term and Long-Term Play Options

Samurai Warriors: State of War's "Battlefield Area System" divides the battlefield into smaller, strategic sections, making the game perfect for quick, portable play. In addition, there are many long-term elements that will keep you coming back for more, such as the raising of character and equipment stats.

4. Wireless Multiplayer Support

By popular demand, competitive multiplayer combat is available, with support for up to four players. This competitive mode offers quick gameplay over a variety of stages, and there are additional items that can be gained in this mode as well.

Homebrew Demo: Alpha Flame Visual Demo

LostJared is at it yet again, starting the day off with another psychodelic visual demo for the PSP. But unlike the many, many, many releases Jared has ported to the PSP over the last few days, this one is of his own creation. If you enjoy this kind of thing, make sure you check out Jared's other releases by download his LostPorts Pack.

This one you gotta see for yourself.. It implements a algorithm I thought up which I call AlphaFlame.. Runs smooth on PSP and even smoother on the PC.

This is not a port but a total re-code for PSP however it works on anything that supports SDL as long as its in 32 bpp.

The pixels on the right hand corner are to show the difference between a random swarm of pixels and the alpha flame.

Download it here.

Homebrew Game: Vector Infector Beta 1 Released

From the description:

Forum newcomer smyads has release Vector Infector, an extremely addictive shooter similar to the ever popular Geometry Wars. The graphics are very well done, the single soundtrack is decent enough for a first release, and I can't be bothered to write any more about it because I have to go back to playing it!

I'm fairly new to the PSP, and have been spending the last week or so learning how to play with its innards. I've come up with this little game, which is a 'port' of Vector Infector, a game being put together by one of me mates. It's a Geometry Wars inspired game. Basically, you have to kill everything that moves, except for the shiny little gems, which you collect. The more gems you get, the higher your score multiplier, and the bigger your guns get.

It's still VERY beta so any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Controls:

Dpad or analoggy to move
Shape buttons to fire
Ltrigger = switch between robotron-esque and straight-ahead shooting
Rtrigger = freeze movement for aiming when shooting straight ahead
Select = dump screenshot to MS root (just raw, sorry!)
Start = cycle music (only 1 track though, so never mind)

Download it here.

PSIX Website Officially Launches!

PSIX, the long awaited operating system shell for the PSP has been the talk of the town ever since it's original inception months ago. Despite a few stops and starts and concerns from the community, it seems that PSIX is back on track and getting ready for a release on February 1st. Today, Fluff (a.k.a. Naoneo) opened up the official PSIX website with some new info, mysterious pictures, and other announcements that may or may not be music to your ears:

Psix, setting a whole new level of homebrew quality
From every angle psix emits a glow of pure quality, combining both breathtaking quality graphical interfaces with easy intuitive control systems, from the many onscreen displays you always know exactly what is going on, be it the current song, or if usb is enabled, even if software on the psp requires an update! Get ready for the new beginning.

Massive feature list
With the additional feature of being able to update you're software on the fly, psix makes sure that you're gaming experience is the best it can possibly be. Stay tuned for the complete feature list, to be released her very soon!

Extended module system
Imagine a wireless server module, you could share you're files wirelessly with other friends running psix, a radio module, listen to internet radio or even stream music off a friends psp! The possibilities are endless, and it's all within our grasp!

Just what is this worth?
While we have no price set in stone at this time, the full version of psix will most probably be set between $7 and $15 per license, this license covers all future updates and patches, and also gives you access to the development forums where you can take part in discussions with other developers and suggest things which may be added to psix!

Playstation Portable Anniversary Rare Goods Present Campagin - Winners Announced (PSPUpdates)

We have reported that the Japanese Playstation official website had started a special present campaign. Now, the winners are announced on the website [here].

The presents are very interesting:

A Award:

The same PSP case with the “Playstation Pictogram” series
by “Porter”, but in different color. Though it is not the real Pictogram, it is still a
rare not-for-sale product. (The PSP itself is not inluded.)

B Award:

PSP themed rare goods (Messenger Bad(E), T-shirts (E)).

W Chance Award:

PSP Talkman pouch, “Hot shot golf” (Minna no golf US version):
“Open Tee” logo screen cleaner. UMD & Memory Stick case,
black draw string bag, Frosted drawstring bag, Memo pad &
White gel ink pen, Rubber keyring.

Best of Best Award:

The same PSP case with the “Playstation Pictogram” series
by “Porter”, but in different color with A award. Though it is not the real Pictogram, it is still a
rare not-for-sale product. (The PSP itself is not inluded.)

Best Award:

Back pack rare in Japan

Special Award:

Tote Bag with Loco Roco theme design.

All these presents are very rare in Japan. This displays the title of this campaign: Rare Goods Present Campagin.

KOEI Announces New Game

KOEI, those strategy-fiends who craft such nice games today announced the impending release of Samurai Warriors: State of War for PSP. The game should appeal to fans of some of KOEI's other games, most notably Dynasty Warriors.

Set amidst Japan’s most volatile era, Samurai Warriors: State of War give players control of famous samurai and legendary ninja in an ever-unfolding war. Gamers will use classic Japanese weaponry including swords, longbows, and sickles to fight their way through wide-open battlefields and trap-laden castles. Samurai Warriors: State of War comes complete with 19 playable characters, all-new stories, and competitive multiplayer challenges.

The tactical action game is set for release in America in March.

BeitHell 2000 - World Hell Ranking Started (PSPUpdates)

The official website of BeitHell 2000 has announced a period limited campaign as well as the ranking system of the game.

As we reported before, BeitHell 2000 is a collection of various mini-games. Only a limited set of games is available at the beginning. You are supposed to play the games in order to get beit points. After collected enough points, you can buy more beit games, items and puzzles.

But obviously, the game doesn’t just stop here. The game company offers a chance for you to take on other gamers with your game score. When highlighting a mini-game on your PSP, a password which contains your high score information will be displayed on the bottom of the screen. Take down the password, then head to the “High Score Ranking” section o the official website, select the according game and click on “High Score Password Entry”. Then enter your password with full-width characters. After this, your score will be logged into the database. Only the one with a high score will be displayed in an obvious place.

The official website has also started the first “Period Limited Championship”, dated from January 16 to 30. There is no detailed information on this event, but I think the rule should be simple: make it to the top ranking.

Just a hint: there are only hundreds of players who has submitted their scores.

If you still have no idea about this game, just watch this video and take a look at the screenshots here.

Taiko Drum Master - New Track Downloads Available (PSPUpdates)

Two new tracks for Taiko drum master are now available for download. The titles of the tracks are “Masu” and “Boku no chikyuu, bokura no chikyuu” (My earth, our earth).

You need to prepare for the download in the game first. Then open the HTML file in \PSP\SAVEDATA\PPCD00765_NAMCO_TAIKO to open the download page. Click the 2nd link to start downloading the files. Download the Don and Kat files separately to \PSP\SAVEDATA\PPCD00765_NAMCO_TAIKO. Open the game and go to track selection menu, you will see the new track tagged with “DL” in the list.

Tenchi no mon - Online Downloadable Service to be Shut Down

Tenchi no mon official website has posted a notice: the online download service of Tenchi no mon will be ended one month later, on February 17, 2006.

LostPorts Homebrew Pack v0.2 (PSPUpdates)

So it's been all of... well, a day since LostJared's last pack of homebrew ports, but now our resident trippy hippie has completed yet another compilation for you to waste hours of your lives messing around with. This pack contains a few new releases, as well as some programs previously mentioned earlier today. He's also updated Trails Simulation so it runs at a higher framerate. Source code for both the PSP and the original Windows version is included and a great example to start porting your own programs to the PSP.

Just run ./build_all.sh from the command line to build all the source code
make sure you have PSPSDK and SDL installed..

Whats New:

* 5 New Programs I did today
- KnightsTourPSP
- FileBrowser
- CodeMatrix
- ThoughtMatrix
- MovingFractals

* Update to Trail Demo to use CPU Overclock for faster frame rate
looks great now.. Special thanks to BlackPhenoix for the info..

Download: [LostPorts v0.2]

DOOM for PSP Updated - version 0.05!

DOOM-PSP has been a very popular homebrew port since it's initial release, supporting various different WADs and mods. Now, StereoMike has release "DOOM-PSP v0.05" a modification of Lantus' original DOOM-PSP v0.04.

Download it here.



Here's what StereoMike has added and fixed in this great program:

-Added Selection of PWAD to load in addition to the main (I)WAD.
PWADS should be put in a directory below the WAD directory
for example
PSP/GAME/DoomPSP
PSP/GAME/DoomPSP/WADS --put the main wads here
PSP/GAME/DoomPSP/WADS/PWADS --put the PWADS here

Select with triangle.
Can also view txt-files, scroll with Square button.

-Can now load IWADs that are not named correctly. Just assumes that it's a Doom 2 wad.
This makes for example DUKENUKEM.WAD load without having to rename it to DOOM2.WAD

-Music now works fine
Uses samples from the opensource freepats.opensrc.org
Needs these placed in the inst directory. This is included in the package.

-Compiled against latest PSPSDK

-Changed key usage to cross for selection in wad list and circle to go back.

-Changed exit screen to say "press x to exit" instead of "press y to exit"

-Fixed going back one directory by using circle button.

-Rearranged a bit in the code.

Changes in Doom-PSP v0.04 S.S b6 fix

-Fixed problem with screen alignment
Was a problem with the memory aligment of the texture.

-Increased the music volume to a normal level

Changes in Doom-PSP v0.05

-Added showing of datestamps of savefiles

-Fixed problem with changing to chainsaw and showing map

-Dehacked support (use square to select a file) Batman Doom has been tested and is working, a sample .deh file is included

A big Thank you to the author of Chocolate Doom (http://www.chocolate-doom.org/) for letting meuse his code for the dehacked support.

Oh, and Dehacked files are used for modifiying the behavior of Doom, weapon damage and rate and such things. Try out arsenal.deh to see what it's about

PSP Screen Capture Utility - PSPShot v0.1 - Released!

Tsukasa has released a very useful tool for the PSP - PSPShot v0.1. With this program, you can take screenshots of your PSP screen in almost every situation possible: XMB Menu, Video, UMD Games and so forth. This comes as a welcome release, especially for the PSPUpdates team as ot will simplify getting good screenshots of programs. It's still got some kinks to be worked out, but it's definitely a great start! Here's what Tsukasa had to say:

It's still buggy and makes sometimes strange lines in the screenshots, if the background is moving too fast. I'll try to solve this problem in the next version.
The screenshots are BMPs, which will be saved under X:\PSP\PHOTO\PSPShot\

Controls:
Start: Starts the system menu in "screenshot mode"
Select: Starts the insertet UMD in "screenshot mode"

L: Enables normal movement
R: Makes a screenshot
L+R: Exit the program

If the background is moving too fast, it helps when you take more than one screenshot, so you can choose the best one.

Download it here.

PSP Radio v0.37 Final

Raf, JPFouch48, Sandberg, and some very talented artists have released the final build of PSP Radio v0.37 - one of the most sophisticated PSP homebrew apps allowing you to stream audio over the Internet!

This is a great improvement from previous releases - a tremendous amount of additions, changes, and bugfixes have been made. Feel free to check those out here. For additional details, ensure you take a peak at ‘whatsnew.txt’ and ‘readme.txt’ - both included in the zip archive below.

Download it here.

Team X-Tender Announces "Seawalker" Waterproof PSP Bag (PSPUpdates)

Team X-tender has recently unvieled their XCM Seawalker waterproof bag for the PSP. The Seawalker encases the PSP protecting it from dirt, sand, dust and water. Protecting your PSP for up to 20 meters under water, the Seawalker has everyone but scuba divers covered as far as PSP protection goes. Here is what Team X-tender had to say:

The first water proof PSP carrry case in the world! Need rugged PSP protect