Sony to PSP devs: make games with bigger names, shorter play time

Sony has started changing their gameplan for the PSP by giving some advice to third-party devs. They're asking devs to make more games from big franchises, but make them shorter.

Think Chains of Olympus. It's a pretty short game, but it's one of the best PSP titles out there.

The idea is to encourage developers to not be hesitant about making games for the PSP because of the high costs of development. John Koller, head of marketing for the PSP, explains that PSP games outsell DS games in terms of unit sales, but

DS games require much less development investment, because the graphics aren’t as good, the gameplay isn’t as deep. In general it’s just not created for a more sophisticated, mature gamer, but usually [someone who is] under 12.

And so devs would still rather prefer developing for the DS. However, their new plan should get devs back on the Sony track: "The number one request we had was: look at franchise games, and don’t port them."

We did get into quality, and we did get into size. So quality is very important, obviously… Size is another thing. Many of the publishers had gotten caught up in the idea that ‘We have to make a console-sized game’ and it’s just not true. We launched ‘God of War‘ last year in March with eight hours of gameplay.

When we launched it there was an immediate reaction [against that]. But when you realize how a PSP is used, you use it for 10 minutes, put it down for an hour, pick it up for 15 minutes — eight hours was a very deep game. If you look at that size, that translates into development investment.

Now let's hope developers don't hear this and translate it as "so let's make DS-quality games for the PSP." That'd just suck. They're also looking to promote more PSP-PS3 interconnectivity:

If you have a big franchise, think about ways you can connect it to the PSP. Of PSP owners, 30% own a PS3, so that cross-ownership rate is growing. It’s a very strong loyalty. And there’s a really good opportunity for a publisher — or even us on the worldwide studios side — to have two sales, plus the consumer loving the interaction between both of them.

PSP Hardware Alarm Suite II v2.7 bld 1730

Description:
Mr. 305's PSP Hardware Alarm Clock Suite.

Features:

• Internet Time Synchronization with NIST time servers
• Currently the only Alarm Application compatible with ALL PSP’s including PSP SLIM.
• Sleep Mode Alarm with support for custom MP3 audio file.
• Power Off Mode Alarm that plays sound in XMB with support for custom sound; consumes virtually 0% POWER
• 12/24 Hr time formats
• Fully compliant with DAY TIME PROTOCOL (RFC-867) with support for Daylight / Standard
• More accurate time keeping than XMB’s DNAS service, with network delay compensation; automatically adjusts for network delays of transmission from server.
• Displays hours and minutes remaining as the alarm time is being set; updated in real time.
• Alarm can be set up to 23 hours 59 minutes in future.
• Alarm accurate to the second.
• Streamlined, extremely easy to use interface.
• Shows seconds & milliseconds;
• Aligned time display (constant length).
• Checks to make sure if an alarm was already set last time, if so, sets the alarm to that time. Reads time from ms0:/seplugins/HAPoweroffSupport.305 if it exists.

Download: PSP Hardware Alarm Suite II v2.7 bld 1730

PSP homebrew - PSP Bible

For the religious conservative sort, here's an app that you might find useful. It's PSP Bible and it basically lets you view and read the Bible and its contents on your PSP, making it a substitute for the holy book. Your handheld is definitely smaller and lighter than most Bibles, plus it's made of tougher stuff that won't tear and shrivel up as easily as Bible pages do.

Developer Kehon has finished the new testament so far, but the old hasn't been done yet, so it seems he's halfway there.


Download: PSP Bible

PSP Homebrew - eKaraoke v1.0

j3r3mie brings out some funky kind of fun for the PSP with his new release, eKaraoke v1.0. This homebrew, as you can glean from the name of the game, turns your PSP into a karaoke. Get ready to grab on to that microphone!

Now, this works through files to MP3 music files and lyrics for the RSC. Take note that the RSC files are compatible with most MP4 players, and are now made functional with the PSP.

To install:

1. Download and unzip the homebrew in the root of your Memory Stick.
2. Place, preferably in your music folder ms0: / MUSIC your RSC file and folder ms0: / RSC
3. Start from eKaraoke Games> Memory Stick XMB of your PSP.

Download: eKaraoke v1.0

The PSP Homebrew Weekend Warrior: More games, more apps, and the return of the iR Shell king

And we're back for another edition of the PSP Homebrew Weekend Warrior! We had to bundle together the big homebrew and general PSP news for last week's Weekend Warrior, but now we're back to the more specialized editions.

Anyway, a bunch of new homebrew applications and games were released this week, not the least of which is a preview of AhMan's amazing new project: a multitasking-capable iR Shell. Here's a recap of the week in PSP homebrew:

Applications:

• ScreenshotPNG Speedy Plugin - a tiny plugin app to take screenshots in VSH, GAME, and POPS - was updated to let users specify a file name. The coder's finally been identified too. Link.
• The gpSP mod coder has yet to be known, but he (or she) released a bugfix update for the GBA emulator. Link.
• From manatails007 comes Plugin2Flash, an app that allows you to install plugins to flash0 quickly and easily. Link.
  
• File away with the latest release of PSP Filer. Link.
  
• The PSP replay routine features in Protrekkr were improved in the app's latest release. Link.
• AhMan blows everyone away with a teaser for the next version of iR Shell.

Games:

• Ray the Flying Squirrel and Charmy Bee debut in the latest release of DJGameFreakTheIguana's OpenBOR spinoff, Chaotix Rage. Link.
• Merc Roid got not one, but two updates this week. The first update added more levels while the second one dealt with bugs and behind-the-scenes tweaks. Link 1, Link 2.
• If you're more into cracking codes that shooting heads off, PSP Mastermind is the homebrew game for you. Link.
• Another is PopBlocks, a matching game based on the flash game Pushori. Link.

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Frankly, the stuff that homebrew coders have managed to create for the PSP is amazing.
Just imagine what these guys can do if the handheld becomes truly open. Odds are it won't, but thanks to the efforts of all the homebrew coders out there - the big names as well as the unknowns - we're enjoying features and applications on our PSPs that we otherwise couldn't. Keep that thought in mind, guys.

The PSP Weekend Warrior: Who said the PSP was dead?

Again and again, over the past few months, we heard the PSP labeled as dying and, in some cases, already dead. Of course, Sony kept saying, "No it's not. Just wait until 2009!", but hey, we hardened gamers can recognize a line when we see one, right?

Turns out it wasn't just a line. Now the future of our beloved handheld seems pretty bright thanks to the announcement of a whole slew of big PSP titles that are all supposed to come out this year.

Software:

• LittleBigPlanet, Rock Band, Assassin's Creed, and MotorStorm: all coming to the PSP this year. Oh, and Hannah Montana too. Link.
• The first game to be detailed was Rock Band: Unplugged. Link.
• John Koller was in the news as well, revealing a few details about the new games:
• LittleBigPlanet will stick to create, play, share tenet. Link.
• Assassin's Creed a completely different game, unique to the PSP. Link.
• More AAA games to be announced in the months leading to E3. Link.
• Monster Hunter is popular in Japan. Too popular, in fact, that there's talk of another new PSP Monster Hunter game. Link.
• Sony is also courting Ready At Dawn for another go at PSP programming. Link.

Hardware:

• Hardware-side, rumors of a new PSP are still going strong:
• PSP-4000 incoming with new sexiness, sliding screen. Link.
• Shiny Entertainment's David Perry says the PSP2 is real and it won't have a UMD drive. Link.
• And here's John Koller's take on Perry's big reveal. Link.
• Europe's Go!Messenger service is shutting down, but the upside is that there are new features coming for Go!Cam. Link.
• And did you know that there's now a skin disease named after the PlayStation? Link.
  

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This is it, boys and girls. Now that we know what to expect in the coming months, the waiting starts, and everybody knows that that's the hard part. So what do we do to pass the time until the AAA titles start rolling in? Keep playing, of course!

There are a few good titles coming along in March, most notably Resistance: Retribution and Phantasy Star Portable. You can keep tabs on what comes out when by checking out our weekly On Shelves post on Sundays.

If you're rocking a homebrew-enabled PSP, we have new homebrew release posts all the time on the QJ.NET PSP blog. There's also our Tuesday and Friday specials: the QJ QuickGuide and QJ.NET How-To, respectively. And of course, don't forget the QuickPeek and the Weekend Warrior every weekend.

Well, that's all the space we have this week. See you guys again next weekend for another issue of the PSP Weekend Warrior.

Guinness World Records names its 50 most influential games of all time

Guinness World Records EIC Craig Glenday put together an unspecified group of industry experts to form a judging panel and rated the most influential games of all time. So who makes it to the top of their list? Keep your favorites in mind, then find out on the list below.

1. Super Mario Kart	26. Pokemon Red / Blue
2. Tetris	27. Guitar Hero
3. Grand Theft Auto	28. Project Gotham Racing 4
4. Super Mario World	29. Super Mario Galaxy
5. Zelda Ocarina of Time	30. Resident Evil
6. Halo	31. Ico
7. Resident Evil IV	32. Chrono Trigger
8. Final Fantasy XII	33. Gunstar Heroes
9. Street Fighter II	34. Soul Calibur
10. GoldenEye	35. Advance Wars
11. Super Mario 64	36. Ridge Racer
12. Tomb Raider	37. Super Metroid
13. Metal Gear Solid	38. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
14. Call of Duty 4	39. GTA Vice City
15. Sonic the Hedgehog 2	40. BioShock
16. GTA San Andreas	41. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
17. Super Mario Bros.	42. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
18. Zelda: A Link to the Past	43. God of War
19. Gran Turismo	44. Sega Rally Championship
20. Final Fantasy VII	45. Starfox 64
21. Pro Evolution Soccer 4	46. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
22. The Orange Box	47. WarioWare Inc.
23. Lego Star Wars Complete Saga	48. Saturn Bomberman
24. Tekken 2	49. Crash Bandicoot
25. Wii Sports	50. Outrun 2

My first reaction was, "WTF?!" While I really enjoyed Super Mario Kart in the SNES days and spent countless hours playing and mastering it, I don't believe it should even be in the Top 10, much less #1. What's Street Fighter II doing all the way down at #9? I firmly believe it made a hell lot more influence than that, it was the springboard for modern fighting games! Then again, that's just me.

There are a lot more titles and ranks up there that I couldn't believe my eyes seeing, but I'm sure you guys have a lot to say about that list. There wasn't any info given on the criteria on which the judging was made. One thing's for sure, I'd like to know more about this group of "industry experts."

PSP homebrew Java Mobile game emulator: PSPKVM v0.5.1

Updating their homebrew Java Mobile game emulator for the PSP, M@x and sleepper have released PSPKVM v0.5.1. Here's the changelog:

2009-02-28 23:20 v0.5.1

• Enable input symbol in password textfield
• Fix OSK bug
• Fix drawRGB alpha blending bug
• Fix a couple of bug inside VM interpreter

There are four downloads available. Just take whichever version is compatible with your PSP system, and whether you have the previous version of PSPKVM installed. If you do have PSPKVM v0.5.0, you'd want to get the "upgrade" version.

Download: PSPKVM v0.5.1 (1.50)
Download: PSPKVM v0.5.1 (1.50, upgrade pack)
Download: PSPKVM v0.5.1 (OE)
Download: PSPKVM v0.5.1 (OE, upgrade pack)