Tag: Vita

OK, I’m getting a little ahead of myself, as technically tomorrow around 3PM’ish will be the end of a full week, but I really couldn’t resist myself.

Today I’m offering up three random, but heavily focused, tidbits for your viewing pleasure.

Battery Life
For a portable device, how much time away from a charger is an important question.  According to Sony’s official blog (Ultimate Vita FAQ):

Q: What is PS Vita’s battery life?
A: Officially, PS Vita is rated at approximately 3 to 5 hours of gaming, 5 hours of video playback, and 9 hours of music playback. Recharging the battery from 0 percent will take approximately 2.5 hours.

From a gaming perspective, you’ll notice that the most graphically intense games such as UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss are slightly more demanding on battery life, while simpler games such as Escape Plan are less demanding. To further maximize battery life, you can employ measures such as reducing the screen’s brightness or deactivating Wi-Fi. By and large, PlayStation employees who have used PS Vita extensively in the real world have praised the unit’s battery life – if you pick up PS Vita on day one, be sure to let us know what your experiences are.

3-5 hours is about right, except I feel like I’m hitting the lower end. I know that feel is not tangible, and while I haven’t done any experiments, I’m fairly certain that I’m not getting 8-10 hours.

Cross Play – Hustle Kings
I’m not sure what time Sony got around to updating the store last night (at 10:45PM I gave up), but this morning I was able to start a free download of Hustle Kings. I picked up this game on the PS3 long ago as part of a sale, or PS+ incentive, or some such, and never really played that much. Sony was nice enough to offer it up for free to owners of the PS3 version, which is very cool in my book. Hooray for Sony! Bravo!

Remote Play
I have messed around a little with Remote Play and much like Remote Play with the PSP; it is a little hit or miss.

For starters, Remote Play will not work over 3G. I understand data limitations and required bandwidth utilization, but it sure would be nice to kick off my PS3 from anywhere, go to the store, and download whatever it was that tickled my fancy, in order for said download to be on the PS3 when I arrived home.

What games with Remote Play? I experimented some with download games, and found that PSOne Classics (specifically Final Fantasy V), PixelJunk Monsters, PixelJunk Shooter (but not the sequel), and High Stakes Bowling all played successfully.

I doubt that developers will have any incentive to go back and address older games via a Remote Play patch; hopefully someone of the newer titles will eventually support this underutilized feature.

Wow. Sony really did a piss poor job of providing simple, concise details describing their 3G Data Pass and free PSN game offering (confirmed to be Super Star Dust). More specifically, what to expect when you purchase an AT&T data pass.

Once you cut through the rumors, theories, and innuendo, gamers just want to know what has to happen next to get the free offers.

For example, this thread outlines several different explanations, which is typical of how badly Sony screwed the pooch on this offer. What happens during the official launch next week as Sony gets flooded with “where are my data pass and free game” emails? Or maybe with the 3G Launch Edition, Sony got it right and included pack-in vouchers.

The confusion starts with the official Vita page:

When you purchase and activate an AT&T DataConnect plan, receive Super Star Dust plus DLC ($14.99 value)
How to get your game:

Select and sign up for an AT&T DataConnect Pass plan.

Login to your PlayStation®Network account on your PS Vita.

30 days after your DataConnect Pass activation, you will receive a game voucher code redeemable on the PlayStation®Store.

Fair enough, only I didn’t receive any sort of confirmation from AT&T as part of my 3GB purchase receipt to indicate that I could look forward to a free 250MB data pass and Super Star Dust plus DLC.

Sony’s support site sort of attempts to clear up the confusion.

If you purchase the 3G/Wi-Fi PS Vita AND sign up for an AT&T DataConnect Pass plan, you are entitled to a free voucher code for the PSN title Super Stardust Delta.

However, as detailed in the program details and limitations, this code will not be delivered until 30 days after DataConnect Pass activation.

After 30 days have passed since sign-up, you will receive a game voucher code via email that can be used to download Super Stardust Delta for free.

So I am entitled to a free voucher for Super Stardust Delta, however no mention if Sony is sending this confirmation or AT&T.

What about the free 250MB data pass? Glad you asked. Sony’s help site was actually helpful; promotional code confirmed …

With the purchase of the 3G/Wi-Fi PS Vita, AT&T is offering consumers who purchase an AT&T DataConnect Pass plan a second plan for free (250MB). There is no voucher that needs to be entered in, the promotional code will be added your DataConnect account. To redeem the free DataConnect Pass, you will need to log in to your DataConnect account and redeem it there.

You must purchase a DataConnect pass before March 31, 2012 to be eligible for the free 250MB DataConnect pass.

Hopefully this article helps clear up some of the confusion over the free PSN game and free 250MB data pass offered with your First Edition and 3G Launch Bundle Vitas. I have a help desk ticket into Sony to clear up the confusion around how the PSN voucher will be delivered. I will update once I receive some sort of confirmation from Sony.

My First Edition bundle arrived safely and securely yesterday thanks to Amazon (release day shipping) and FedEx. I also picked up a 16GB memory card, a screen protector, Lumines, Hot Shots Golf, Uncharted; Little Deviants was packed in with the bundle.

My very first impressions are that the hardware looks sexy; yes, it is the long awaited PSP2 (i.e. dual analog sticks), but so much more. This will be a common theme everywhere. Not only are the game cartridges small, but the memory card a tiny. They will get lost. In fact, as I was setting up my Vita, I had a moment of panic when I could not find my 16GB memory card, lost in the clutter of the kitchen counter. It is small.

I didn’t get off to a good start with my Vita. Upon start up, one of the first things you get to do after setting up your language and date/time is purchase a 3G data pass. As I was attempting to type in the various info boxes on the data pass form, I ran into multiple issues. The screen wouldn’t refresh properly, the text entry keyboard would not close, and so on and so forth. I finally gave up and turned off the system to start over.

This happened three times. On the third go, the Vita wouldn’t even turn off. What a mess! After doing some quick google searches, I saw that I may need to hold down the power button for 30 seconds. That did the trick.

I skipped the data pass section and moved on with the rest of the setup. It is not really intuitive. Because a firmware update was required, that had to be completed before I could link up with my PSN id (jcalvert for anyone keeping score at home).

Once that was done, I once again attempted to purchase a data pass. This time I was successful. Maybe the earlier failures were related to the firmware shipped with the Vita? Who really knows …

I do know that I purchased a 3GB non renewing data pass, which may have actually been a mistake. As posted in an earlier article, the First Edition bundle has a deal for a 250MB data pass and a free PSN game, 30 days after purchasing and activating a 250MB data pass. The AT&T insert included in the box mentions the free PSN game, but not a restriction on the data pass size. I’ll have to do some digging to see what I can turn up.

While I received a purchase confirmation email from AT&T, I didn’t get anything that noted that I would receive a voucher for a 250MB data pass or a free PSN game. Assuming I will receive these in 30 days, not knowing if the voucher is good for any game priced under $14.99 (or whatever) is going to limit my purchases during the next 30 days. Or at least until I figure out if I am going to get a voucher.

It’s not as if I’m going to be starved for games; four is a good start. If I need more, Target is offering a 2 for 1 special, which is something of a shocker for the mainstream Vita launch on February 22.

I’m not going to spend much time on the games; will just hit the high points for now. I didn’t have time to fire up Uncharted or Little Deviants.

Lumines is fantastic; really just what I was expecting. I only managed 1.5 hrs with it yesterday, but it was a rewarding 90 minutes. Is it worth $40? Hmmm … really depends on what you are after. I love zoning out and just grooving to the music; at least I did with the original PSP version. While it has creative use of the front touch screen (activate your avatar special) and rear panel (rapidly tap to restore your power up to 100%), I’m not sure casual fans will appreciate the upgrade from the PSP. Visually eye popping, yes, but as a system seller, Lumines has niche appeal.

Moving on to Hot Shots, I can easily see myself getting addicted. I haven’t played the series since the original PlayStation days or PSOne as it is now called. After playing one practice round of 9 holes, and managing a -3 in one of the online tournaments, I am ready for more. In the interests of full disclosure, I played a second tournament, and I was doing really well until I managed a +7 on the last hole. Ouch!

As mentioned above, I’ll post some more comments on the games later. Metacritic currently has Lumines tied with Rayman as the top rated Vita game. Uncharted and Hot Shots have also received favorable scores; Little Deviants looks to be the stinker.

I messed around a little with the Near application. The first time I fired it up, I discovered an unpopulated location. i.e. me. When I fired it up again last night, Near discovered two over Vita players, both playing Welcome Park, within a two mile radius of my house, which was pretty cool. At least in my area, other gamers are feeling the Vita love. This morning Near discovered four gamers. I’ll have to experiment some more because I’m not really sure what I can do with Near, but it is a very cool concept.

Closing comments. Don’t ask me if the Vita was worth the money. After shelling out for the Fire Edition bundle, three games, a 16GB memory card, and a 3G data pass, I have spent a ton of cash on Sony’s newest portable console. I’m happy with the purchase; honeymoon period if you will. Only time will tell if I am going to get gaming value for my investment.

As I sit here throwing together this article, Lumines Electronic Symphony is due to arrive later today, to join Hot Shots Golf World Invitational and Uncharted Golden Abyss, sitting on my kitchen counter waiting for Big Daddy to show up tomorrow.

The wait is almost over.

Speaking of waiting, TheSixthAxis has a great article on Vita load times. To be honest, this is disappointing; I thought the move to “cartridges” and digital content would have made load times almost nonexistent.

Of my three initial games, I have to admit that I am most looking forward to Hot Shots Golf, which will probably be the first game I throw in my new system.

As of right now, after the launch I’m looking forward to MLB 12: The Show and Ciel nosurge (although I doubt it will receive a U.S. release). I’m also very tempted to pick up FIFA; will probably cave and pick this one up as soon as I can flip a few older games on eBay to cover the costs.

On a final note, I was surprised to see anything “pro” Vita in the final pre-release hype buildup cycle. While this article is UK centric, it has a couple of interesting points.

That six year run also helps the older gamers who love the PSP to have the confidence to jump on the PS Vita. The last thing people want to do is invest in something that won’t be around for long. I’m convinced Sony have dispelled that myth and that while the initial investment is high, it clearly delivers benefits over the short, medium, and long terms.

…

Ultimately I think the PS Vita is going to succeed for a very simple reason. It reaches out to a customer base that is not being served at the moment. Yes the smartphones can play games, but are those games as richly detailed as ‘Uncharted: Golden Abyss’? Do they have the depth and speed required to make ‘Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom’ the best beat ‘em up since ‘Match of the Millennium’ on the Neo Geo Pocket? Do they offer the graceful controls of your racer in ‘Wipeout 2048′?

In the end, the Vita is an expensive day one investment, but that goes for any new platform release. Day one is always at a premium, and has a lot of associated risks. Will the system fail, be poorly supported, and die a painful death?

As the author points out, Sony does support their platforms with a long lifecycle. Hopefully this also is the case for the Vita. If Sony cannot show that gamers are getting a 100% difference experience compared to a smart phone, I think Sony (and early adaptors) will be in for a world of hurt.

With the Vita a mere 11 days away, for those receiving the “super special, I’ll pay extra to get it a week early” Launch Day Bundle, the anticipation is building.

Opinions are all over the map; the launch library is solid to above average, however the hardware has been received as sliced bread, with a high degree of skepticism over the hardware launch cost.

Me? I’m all in. In fact, I am on target for the Launch Day Bundle, and I still have a WiFi and a 3G/WiFi system on preorder with Amazon for good measure. $250-$350 will do that to a my wallet; I like options, but I am 99% leaning towards getting my WiFi/3G version early on February 15.

My preorder list is currently Lumines: Electronic Symphony, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, and Uncharted: Golden Abyss.
Of course Little Deviants, which is bundled with the system.

Lumines is just a fantastic puzzler. I’m not at all happy with the $39 price point, but I think it will be an overall good purchase. After all, I still play my PSP Lumines.

Hot Shots Golf? What’s not to like with this classic sports franchise? Plus it is going into the release window at the lower tier $29 price point.

Unchartered is the system seller; at least in the West. This should be a fantastic portable gaming experience. With that said the $49 price point is really ghastly. It downright sucks, and because Unchartered will throw up big numbers on sales charts, more publishers may get the itch to follow suit. Let’s hope not because I have no intention to flip $50 for a Vita game on a regular basis.

For good measure I also went with a 16GB memory card. This one was a tough pill to swallow, because the 3G/WiFi system was upgraded to include an 8GB card, while the Launch Day Bundle only includes a 4GB card. At any rate, before I digress too much, I went with the 16GB card because I was not willing to lay out $100 for the 32GB model, and an 8GB card seemed to offer minimal advantages over the bundled 4GB card.

The countdown is on to February 15. Happy Saturday!

I know Vita sales figures (or lack thereof) has been discussed ad nauseam, but now that we are down to the wire on the U.S. Vita launch, with decisions to be made on which hardware option to order, and of course which games to pick up, I think it is fair play to throw in a couple of comments.

Japanese response (via post launch sales data) is staggering. Awful in fact. I haven’t seen anyone do an overlay of the 3DS and Vita in the opening weeks of their respective launches; that could be really telling.

Sales of Sony’s new portable fell 57 percent week-over-week, dipping below 20,000 units for the first time as it placed fourth in the hardware rankings. Since launch, weekly Vita sales have come in at 324,859 units, 72,479, 42,648, 42,915 and now 18,361.

Sony doesn’t have Mario (Kart or the tried and true platformer) or Zelda to save it. Vita needs a Monster Hunters type game (what the Japanese seem to dig), unfortunately for Sony, it is already available on the 3DS, so why would consumers double dip?

What Sony has, at least for the U.S. launch, is a handful of decent quality titles. Will that be enough for Sony to build better momentum in the U.S. (or Europe) compared to the current state of play in Japan?

I’ll probably go with 2-3 day one games, picking up another 2-3 over the next 30-60 days.

Most Likely To Purchase Day One: Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Hot Shots Golf, and a quality RPG (will have to wait a bit).

After My Wallet Recovers: Disgaea 3 Return, maybe FIFA 12, F1 2011 (would really like a good racer), and LUMINES Electronic Symphony. These all depend on the reviews, and how much my wallet recovers from Vita launch shock.

Looking Forward To: Gravity Rush (currently scheduled for May), which looks like a unique platforming experience. Also interested in Little Big Planet, which should give infinite gaming possibilities on the go.

For portable gaming bliss, I need 1-2 quality sports games, a great racer, a time wasting RPG, and 1-2 different types of games, and I’m a happy camper. I’ll have a good time seeing how the Vita helps me fill out my gaming library.

You have to love Amazon. I currently have three different PlayStation Vitas on pre-order: WiFi and 3G/WiFi from June, and the PlayStation Vita First Edition Bundle (3G/WiFi) from October. Just trying to cover all my bases.

I’ve been on the fence for a while trying to decide if I really need 3G, much less a brand new handheld system. Now that the U.S. system launch is just days away, it is time to make a decision.

The First Edition Bundle is decent enough, but how long will a 4G card hold up? Two PSN games? Once (I hope not if) PSOne support is added, that 4G card will fill up quickly. I could care less about Little Deviants, which seems to point me towards one of the basic packages.

The U.S. bundle includes a PS Vita 3G + Wi-Fi model, a limited edition case, 4GB PS Vita Memory Card, and Little Deviants game for $349.99 (MSRP). The Canadian bundle includes a Wi-Fi model, a limited edition case, 4GB PS Vita Memory Card, and Little Deviants game for $299.99 (MSRP). Best of all, you can pick up the PS Vita First Edition Bundle on February 15, 2012, so this is your chance to play before everyone else.

To make things interesting, this weekend Sony announced some special launch day bonuses for anyone picking up a 3G Vita:

With only 27 days until the launch of PlayStation Vita, we are excited to announce two PS Vita 3G/WiFi bundles. If you were one of the lucky consumers to pre order the PS Vita First Edition Bundle, in addition to the PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi hardware, a limited edition case, a 4GB PS Vita Memory Card and Little Deviants game, we will now be including an AT&T DataConnect Pass good for one free 250MB session, and a PlayStation Network game – both provided upon 3G activation. And the best part, you still get it a week before the official launch date.

In addition to the PS Vita hardware, we will be including an 8GB PS Vita Memory Card, an AT&T DataConnect Pass and a PlayStation Network game all for the usual MSRP of $299. This SKU is part of a promotional offer and will sell out immediately so we strongly recommend that you purchase your PS Vita early to make sure you get the extra value!

This is a pretty good deal; I guess Sony was not able to push enough 3G systems, so now it is a 3G “launch bundle,” but thankfully the price is not going up to compensate for the “extras,” which means they really are freebies. This is a nice switch from the evil days of forced bundles which included a ton of shit that no one really wanted. Speaking of which, see Little Deviants.

According to the comments section from the previous link at Sony’s official’ish blog, Sony has confirmed:

John Koller on January 28th, 2012 at 9:54 am said:
The DataConnect Pass provides 250MB of data after you activate and complete your first session. And the PSN game has not yet been announced but will be a $15 value.

So no free game for 30 days, and I bet there is some hidden T&C or stipulation that you have to re-up at least once to get the $15 bonus PSN game.

Now that the AT&T data plans have been announced, I am not totally scared off by 3G pricing:

The AT&T DataConnect Pass plans are month-to-month with no long term contract. All plans include complimentary AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot access in the United States. There are two plan choices:

250MB for $14.99, 30-day recurring, which starts at the date and time of purchase, with the ability to opt out at any given month.

3GB for $30.00, 30-day recurring opt out, which starts at the date and time of purchase.

My wife’s Verizon data plan is $30 for 4GB, so the Vita offering is not that far off the mark. With the above announced incentives, I am leaning towards one of the 3G offerings. I just have to decide which one. Kind of a nice problem to have.

Speaking of Christmas, I have been having dreams and visions of a Vita dancing in my head. Alas, I am not going to import, so the wait continues for few more weeks. Which version will I get?

I have multiple pre-orders with Amazon. An early edition bundle, Wi-Fi version, and of course the dreaded ‘how much will AT&T screw me over on pricing’ Wi-Fi + 3G version.

If I decide to go with an AT&T 3G contract, I will get the First Edition Bundle, which has the advantage of a memory stick, storage case, and a game. Honestly, I could care less about Little Deviants, but it is nice to get a bundled game. Interesting enough, Amazon no longer shows the memory stick as part of the bundle.

Still time to decide, cancel orders, and watch the Japanese Vita news and updates. Sony will fix Remote Play and support PSOne classics before the U.S. launch, right?