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Ask PS3 Fanboy: Volume 8

majed athab
Updated ·7 min read

We've returned for the fourth week in a row. What can we say, we love answering your questions. Keep them coming guys and gals.

Keep checking back every weekend -- we'll be sure to answer all intelligent, fun, and relevant questions that you may have. If you haven't asked us anything yet ... why haven't you? Send an e-mail to majed @ ps3fanboy.com with the subject "Ask PS3 Fanboy." We'd like to stress, if your e-mail doesn't include that subject heading, your question will not be answered. If you've got PSP-related questions, be sure to ask them on Ask PSP Fanboy.



[Image: T3]


Devin S. asks: When do you expect to see a slimmer version of the PS3?
PS3F answers: The smaller, remodeled PSOne appeared five years after the launch of the PlayStation and at around the time of the PS2 launch. The slimmer PS2 replaced the older, thicker PS2s four years after launch; the following year the PS3 was publicly unveiled. While we could easily say that a slim PS3 could appear four to five years into the PS3's lifecycle, we'd also have to factor in that the remodeled PSOne and PS2 units only appeared slightly before they were replaced by a successor. Considering that the PS3 will only be turning two in a few months, all we'd have to say about a slim PS3 is that you won't see one anytime soon -- if history is to teach us anything.

Ryan H. asks: Supposedly, the reason for all the HDD installs is mainly because of the fact that the Blu-ray read time is just too slow to transfer all the data it needs to. Has there been any word, since drives are now being advanced to higher read/write speeds, of maybe an upgrade or redesign with improved Blu-ray drives so that the quality and efficiency of the systems will improve vastly?
PS3F answers: Yes, that is the reason for the HDD installs. As for the new systems with improved drives, we haven't heard any news regarding improved drives specifically; we also doubt the new 80GB and 160GB units would feature a huge hardware revision like that. A major revision like that would most likely appear together with another huge change. [See previous question!]

John C., Aziz A.H., Olli H. ask: PSN prepaid cards coming to Europe?
PS3F answers: Not at the moment. No.

Cody B. asks: Do you guys have a Trophy guide for PixelJunk Eden?
PS3F answers: Yes! However, it's not ready yet. Jem was working on it awhile back, but, in case you haven't noticed, he's been very busy. After all, he's been jet setting to Leipzig GC and PAX this past month. Watch out though; he said he'll have something soon.


Daniel V. asks: Will Sony ever release a PS2 emulator for us 40GB PS3 owners?
Sony has stated last year that their strategy moving forward will not include PS2 backwards compatibility. That is the reason why it removed the feature from current 40GB units in the first place, and the very same reason you'll find the brand new 80GB and 160GB SKUs missing BC as well. It is highly unlikely that Sony would focus time and resources on going back to this, only after having removed it from all its systems. We doubt an emulator will happen.

Markus H. asks: I have heard that it is possible to have the PS3 connected to a PC monitor instead of a TV. This is supposed to be possible by doing it through a VGA cable. Does this work well and is there a way to get sound through this connection as well?
PS3F answers: You'd probably want to go with a monitor that has an HDMI input. Since VGA is an analog signal and HDMI is digital, it's difficult to get them to play nice -- you can spend money on a converter (which will cost at least three digits) and even then you will only get 720p resolution.

Andres asks: Metal Gear Solid 4 has no Trophies but you do get emblems, is there a possible upcoming patch to convert these emblems/medals into Trophies?
PS3F answers: Emblems have always been a part of Metal Gear Solid games; it's just that you don't "collect" them in the other titles like you do in MGS4. They're not there for Trophies-sake and neither do they make very good Trophies, so a patch to "convert" them is highly unlikely. They don't make good Trophies because they're all equally difficult to attain -- they'd all have to be gold or silver considering the effort needed to attain one (meaning completing the entire game). Long-short of it: Trophies and emblems are fundamentally different and don't translate into one another.


Andre M. asks: Is it true that the only way to get images into LittleBigPlanet is with the PlayStation Eye and not any image on your HDD?
PS3F answers: Yes, this is true. It will be this way, at least for the time being at launch. The game could possibly be patched sometime after. You can read the official statement from Media Molecule in this interview here.

Gerry M. asks: Which retail stores are having LittleBigPlanet pre-order bonuses?
PS3F answers: So far, we have details on all five American pre-order items. Two pre-order items have been announced for Canada, but only one of these has revealed their retailer. As for EU pre-orders, we only know of one at the moment. It looks like physical items such as the sticker book and pouch are only available in the US while the digital downloads look like they'll be available in all territories included in the pre-order campaign. For your convenience, check out the list below:

US pre-order items:

  • Best Buy - Nariko Sackgirl code (downloadable in-game item)

  • Circuit City - LBP sticker book

  • GameStop - Kratos Sackboy code (downloadable in-game item)

  • GameCrazy - Burlap LBP pouch

  • Amazon - Digital Brady Games game guide

Canada pre-order items:

  • EB Games/GameStop - Kratos Sackboy code (downloadable in-game item)

  • ???? - Nariko Sackgirl code (downloadable in-game item)

EU pre-order items:

  • PLAY - Nariko Sackgirl code (downloadable in-game item)

  • ???? - Kratos Sackboy code (downloadable in-game item)

Alex Z. asks: How do you guys feel about consoles headed the way of the PC? What I mean by that is, games being released too soon or not properly tested and or, "we'll just fix it with a patch" mentality.
Andrew answers: I don't have a problem with patches. Very rare is a game that's actually shipped broken at launch. Yes, there are noteworthy exceptions (like Castle Crashers), but games have been very solid, in spite of the availability of patches.

What I do have a problem with: announcing DLC before a game even comes out. Very few companies do DLC right. DLC should be developed AFTER a game ships, and only because fans demand it. PixelJunk Monsters did a great job of listening to fan feedback: people wanted more, so they made more. Q-Games didn't make any DLC for PixelJunk Racers -- simply because there wasn't any demand. Companies should stop charging me for things that should've been included in the game in the first place.

There's no point to releasing DLC if people don't want it, and I refuse to pay for DLC that comes so soon after a game comes out.
Majed answers: I find the ability to patch games to be an excellent boon, and yeah, I agree that the ability shouldn't be abused. As long as it's not being used as an excuse and only used as a backup fixer-upper, then I'm all for it.
Alan answers: I personally don't care as long as they eventually fix the problems that come up. Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears a lot of the glitches occur during online play, which wasn't even a factor several years ago.