Last time, Microsoft stole a march on
Sony by announcing the Xbox 360. This time, the PS4 has beaten any Xbox
successor to the punch. David C. looks at what the future holds for the
PlayStation brand
While it doesn’t seem that long ago since
the PS3 emerged, it was actually launched in November 2006. That, it has to be
said, is still relatively recent when you take into account that the PS2, which
hit the shelves in 2000, was only discontinued in January this year, but gamers
have been eager to see the emergence of a new machine and so it came last
month.
The
new PS4 DualShock 4 being officially unveiled
On 20th February, after a short,
hyped-up period, journalists descended on New York to hear what Sony had to
say. They were also dying to set their eyes on the new machine, with all having
guessed that the Japanese company would be unveiling the PS4, the first real
salvo in the next-gen war, despite the efforts of Nintendo some months before.
What a console looks like is just as
important for many as what’s actually going on inside. This is, after all, the
machine that will most likely be sitting beneath their television for the next
few years. On this score, gamers were disappointed. Sony discussed a lot about
its new machine, but it didn’t show the actual product. In a world when a sneak
peak at a possible prototype of a new iPhone can set Twitter and the web
alight, this kind of omission was greeted with incredible howls of disgust,
Then again, gamers are in good company. The
head of Sony in Japan claims not to have seen the machine either. You could
take that to mean the designers haven’t really finished sorting it out or you
could feel that Sony is holding back to stoke the fires for when the console is
finally unveiled in all its plastic glory.
However, we did get lots of information
about what’s going on inside the machine and we also got to see the controller,
and given that, this is the thing that you’ll probably see the most (and
certainly grasp the most). It’s surely the most important aspect of the
exterior hardware and one that should excite all but the most cynical of
players.
The controller
Dubbed the DualShock 4, the controller
looks similar and yet very different to the version PlayStation gamers have
been using for a number of years. It’s an evolutionary step for the pad, which
is slightly larger than those that have gone before but with a concerted effort
to make it as comfortable as possible. The rounded handgrips mean the extra
size doesn’t cause an issue, and this is helped by the rubber, textured
material that surround the parts you wrap you mitts around.
Dubbed
the DualShock 4, the controller looks similar and yet very different to the
version PlayStation gamers have been using for a number of years
Some things remain the same. Both the left
and right analogue sticks have remained, but they are differently shaped. Those
familiar with the sticks of the Xbox 360 will see that Sony appears to have
taken some inspiration from the indent on the top of the sticks, which feels
better than the rounded ones of PS pads of old. Again, it’s about comfort and
it ensures that the gamer has better control.
Aside from the feel of the sticks and the
D-pad, which more than takes a cue from the handheld Vita, there are two
absences that have been noticed with these pads since the day we first set eyes
on them. Start and Select have been scrapped and in their place is Share and
Options. We don’t know what the latter will hold at the moment, but we have a
very good idea about Share and we’ll come to that a little later on.
Before we do, we’ll look at the touchpad,
which is the most major difference between the new controller and those of the
past. The Vita has a touchpad on the back and that is being replicated here.
It’s placed in the center of the controller and while it is not used for
scrolling (the sticks will be sued for that purpose), this touchpad doubles as
a press able button and provides extra control for some games. We’ll have to
see it in action before we can really go to town on the possibilities, but
we’re guessing it won’t be too dissimilar to the way touch is used on vita.
As well as all of this, there are the usual
shoulder buttons. L2 and R2 are now concave and they point outwards from the
base of the controller, again providing extra comfort. They will be a hit with
FPS fans, of that there is no doubt. L1 and L2 are the same as before, albeit
larger, but few would have a problem with that. Add to that a light bar, which
will change colors to identify players and signal various in game happening and
you have an exciting, well-thought out controller.
Care to share?
Now let’s look at that Share button. These
days, games are not meant to be played in isolation. They’re things to be
shared and enjoyed with others. Social media is a key aspect of our lives an
while it may feel tiresome that Sony is jumping on that trend and feeding the
monster, the demand is there, so it needs to be addressed.
For this reason, gamers will be able to
share their triumphs via the Share button on the controller. They will be able
to scan through the last few minutes of gameplay, since the PS4 will make a
record of what you’ve played so that cool moments can be relived. It will be
possible to tag this footage and keep it before returning to the game, and when
you get to blasting, puzzling or whatever it is that you’re doing at that
moment in time, the video will be up loading without you having to worry about
hanging around for bars to reach 100. As for Facebook, gamers can share their images
and videos with their friends on this daddy of social networking.
Gamers
will be able to share their triumphs via the Share button on the controller
Users can connect their Facebook account
with their Sony Entertainment Network account, but the sharing goes beyond
this. The PS4 also enhances social spectating by enabling gamers to broadcast
their gameplay in real-time to friends using live internet streaming services
such as Ustream. It’s like those days of old when you would stand around an
arcade machine watching someone achieve a high score but without that physical
presence. The potential here for accomplished gamers is huge, and Sony will
surely be hoping that they will gain a following from other players who like to
watch skill. Whether or not less skilled players will want to show off their
gaming prowess (or lack of it) is another question.
While these live broadcasts are going on,
friends can make comments on the streamed gameplay. The PS4 provides dedicated,
‘always on’ video compression and decompression systems that enable seamless
uploading of gameplay. Where this comes into its own and where the
aforementioned rubbish gamers will now shout for joy is when a gamer gets stuck
on a challenging level. Friends can join the game and help out, and there will
be myriad ways of doing so. An example Sony gives is that friends can offer
health potions or special weapons when a player needs them most during actual
gameplay.
