Hacking the PSP Blog

(Off Topic) Will Grannies Become GAMERS?

(from ZDNet)

The kids will be itching to visit grandmother as often as possible if the video game industry has its way.

Software maker Microsoft and game maker Electronic Arts held a gaming day at a pensioners' settlement in Finland last week, taking another step toward gauging interest in gaming among seniors.

Pensioner Kaija Ekstam, who is 72 years old, grappled with a console to keep the car in the video racing game on course and mused that taking up the pastime would provide an exciting new platform for her relationship with her grandchildren.

"I have just started playing. This is great. My grandkids play these games so it will be nice to join them," Ekstam told Reuters. "I do not want to hear comments about female drivers."

Read the entire story here...

Itadaki says PSP too powerful for Ninja Gaiden

We're certainly impressed by Team Ninja's upcoming DS Ninja Gaiden game. But why is a hardcore 3D action game being developed for Nintendo's admittedly weaker handheld, especially when it comes from the typically technology-savvy team at Team Ninja? GamePro questioned the infamously opinionated Tomonobu Itagaki on why they avoided the PSP platform.

"The design philosophy for the PSP as a piece of hardware is a home gaming machine ... If we were gonna make it for PSP, it'd be better for us to make it for a powerful home system instead," he said. The PSP can display console-quality graphics, unlike the DS. It seems as though Itagaki would be far more interested in creating a new game for a home console rather than a portable, especially if it would take a similar amount of effort.

Puzzlingly, he believes that hardcore gamers wouldn't want a Ninja Gaiden game to appear on Sony's handheld. "I think if I were to develop this game on the PSP, most of my fans would be upset." Sorry to prove you wrong Itagaki, but we're more than a little upset that you think that way.

Andrew Yoon
May 18, 2007

Source: PSP Fanboy

The console sales at their six month birthday

Six months since the release of both the PS3 and Wii, Infendo put together a comparison chart based on the latest NPD data of where the most recent consoles ranked during the same time. The Wii is ahead of where the PS2 was at the six month mark, and both the Xbox 360 and PS3 rank behind the Gamecube (and we all remember how that ended). The first six month sales of the consoles rank in digits for North America as:

• Wii (2,470,000)
• PS2 (2,200,000)
• Xbox (1,900,000)
• GameCube (1,540,000)
• Xbox 360 (1,384,000)
• PS3 (1,271,000)

Infendo's Blake Snow says, "[This] means fans of motion-controls can expect to see a boatload of good games with fewer titles gracing 'real next-gen' platforms. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!"

If only the first six months showed the end game. Look at how small the difference between the Xbox and PS2 is in this chart after the first six months, and we know how that one ends too. The PS2 is still selling well while the Xbox has passed on. Although, it's getting hard to ignore the massive growth of the Wii as it gets older (insert typical quip about how it would be nice to have some more original Wii games here). With Iwata already expecting the Wii to hit 14 million units by next March, how big can the Wii get?



Alexander Sliwinski
May 18, 2007

Source: Joystiq

Announcing the NEO Summer coding contest 2007 for NDS(GBA) and PSP

Them homebrew coding penguins are back. Just a few short weeks after the conclusion of the Spring coding competition 07, the NeoFlash site is following up with an equally cool treat, as moderator Dr.neo announces the start of the NEO Summer coding 07 contest.

As with the Spring competition, slots are open for both DS(GBA) and PSP developers, with a total of 20 winners to be chosen for homebrews games, and 15 for homebrew applications. Here are the rules:

• All original entries will get +5 "original score " , but the second entry (same project from last compo but improved, and just enter one more time again ) will don't get any "original score" in this compo.
• The public poll will get less judge power , like just get half score than before.
• All last neo compo top 10 winners and neo compo partner site can give out their judgements (PM to Dr,neo), we will count them together, so it'll be more professional and more fair.
• The No.1 winner can't use their same project (even it's update a lot) to enter the next compo.
• You can enter the GAME contest and APP contest both.
• You must put the splash screen of "NEO Summer coding contest 2007" to your production.
• Homebrew submission deadline: August 20, 2007

As for the competition's expected prizes:

1. The No.1  : US$ 300 cash , and can choose anyone item from the final NEO product prize list.
2. The No.2  : US$ 200 cash , and can choose anyone item from the final NEO product prize list.
3. The No.3  : US$ 100 cash , and can choose anyone item from the final NEO product prize list.
4. The No.4 ~ No.10 : can choose anyone item from the final NEO product prize list.

The required splash screen and other important contest mechanics should be available at the link below.

NeoFlash Summer Coding Contest 2007

Source: PSPUpdates