and there's a "PlayStation" button in the middle.

The same controller again? Boo.

Based on what? Isn't that up to the game and developer?

Makes what Nintendo said in that Time article really hit home. About "by listening to your customers, you can satisfy their needs, but you can never surprise them." I wasn't a fan of the boomerang myself, but at least they didn't buckle.

Maybe for charging? That'd be nice.

Duh, I didn't think about that. Hopefully there's more too it to since usb is for more than just power.

Maybe the PS button is to get onto the new online service?

Someone wake me when all this Gran Turismo crap is over.

I can't wait to hear those honks in 5.1! Seriously, get on with the show...

It's probably also used to go wired if the need arises.

Sorry, referring to GT:HD

See, that I will never understand. Why wouldn't the controllers always operate on Bluetooth, regardless of charging or console?

So are we watching this guy not really play a game (screen certainly doesn't look like gameplay) that doesn't really exist (was just developed for E3) on hardware that isn't really a PS3?

And based on experience, Marketing demos (not just in the game world) can easily be tweaked to make things appear better than they are. The game could have been loaded onto RAM or flash or something...a little hand waving and things are good to go. Since the units are not final production units, we'll never know exactly how they are running.

Signal interference is probably public enemy number one right there. I know I've had to switch out my Logitech a couple of times at my last apartment due to that.. but I'm not "up to speed" on the differences between RF and bluetooth so maybe it's a moot point.

You have got to be shitting me... card battling with 3D renders? and motion sensors?

is this stream choppy as hell for anyone else? i'm getting long pauses between video.

stream's ok here.

that card game would make a good saturday morning cartoon...

Online strategy coming up...

5:18: Kazunori Yamauchi from Polyphony Digital takes the stage. Shows a Gran Turismo prototype: Gran Turismo HD. It's assets from GT4 boosted to PS3-quality, including 1080p -- and yes, GT HD for PS3 is targeting 1080p for the final game as well.


Shows a selection of cars from the game, including bikes and scooters. A mix of race cars and consumer cars. Gameplay is shown, looking very much like GT4 in hi-def. Has some very cool sound effect technology, but it doesn't look to be that new content is included in any way. HD seems to be the big thing -- 3 times the detail is in this image than what's on most people's home TV screens.


Kazunori talks about loadtimes. Nice news -- GT HD uses the hard disc for optimized loadtimes, with running gameplay in a matter of a few seconds. More gameplay, with hood cams and 60fps motion, but again, no cool new stuff like an in-the-car view to rival that of PGR3. This is purely GT4, and GT HD for PS3 will be getting a lot more work in on it.


A joke reel. They show the difference between GT1 and GT4 (at regular resolutions, a tiny standar-definition square taking up a quarter of the screen), then back to GT HD. Even without the new features of GT HD that we're expecting, the difference in resolution is phenomenal when you put it in those terms.


GT HD again, this time with the Grand Canyon level. Lighting and reflections and detail really show off here in the replay sequences as the camera gets up close. The 3D crowds are also done with more people and 3D elements than PS2 was capable of, although this build is still clearly very early in the works.


5:30 -- GT HD showing concludes. Kazunori promises online features for the game, and also much improved quality over what was shown in this early demo. GT HD is hoped to be released not too far after the launch (GT3 was over a year after launch, considering the Japanese PS2 launch.)
5:33 -- Phil Harrison takes the stage again, reminds people that GT HD was just the start.


5:34 -- Richard Marx, the creator of EyeToy comes up, and shows Eye of Judgment. Created by SCE in Japan. You use an EyeToy for card combination techniques, moving your hands to move the cards and also activate actions with real cards. The PS3 ducky makes a cameo, then gets iced away by Marx's cards.

I thought it was just camera interface, not motion sensors. I think its Sony's attempt to show they are innovative beyond just hardware muscle.

Riiiddgeee Raccceeerr!

Gooo!

I love it.

PSP Download content: Ridge Racer.

PSP running 1995's Ridge Racer... God the load time was awful! He could barely talk off the cuff enough to distract us.