I was thinking of getting a new gaming system.

[Togath]

I was thinking of getting a new gaming system sometime in the next few months. The main one I was considering was the PS3, but I wanted to ask a few questions about it(and other newer[2005 or more recent]) systems.
first, on a PS3, can I play PS2 or PS1 games?
and second; are there ways to disable to online features of modern gaming systems? The online aspect is the main reason I've avoided getting one.
Also, have there been any fantasy rpgs released the past six years for non-portable gaming systems?
The only one that comes to mind are the fable series and god of war 3.
And how are the first two assassin's creed games(I've only mainly seen gameplay from the 3rd)?

[Gnomish Wanderer]

Woot, I can answer all of these.

First off, you should be aware that you are buying at about the time of a gen change, within a year or two. The PS4 is probably right around the corner, I'm positive we'll be getting a demo at E3.

In terms of backwards compatibility, the PS3 started off able to play a majority older games and quickly lost the ability as they made hardware changes to bring down the price. The new PS3's won't play older games unless you repay for them and download them through the Playstation Network.

For the online features, it actually takes more work to turn them on. For PS3, the online features require you to sign-up for an online profile as well as have your PS3 connected to the internet somehow. If you don't mind me asking what is it about the online features that have been holding you back? The greater majority of them won't have any effect at all, especially on PS3

Fantasy RPG's? Plenty. There's been the Elder Scrolls, Final Fantasy, Darksiders, dozens of others, really. I have too poor a memory to really give a comprehensive list.

And finally the Assassin's Creed games were really great. People have a problem with teh first one because it's a tad repetitive, but the story is very strong and I had fun with it regardless. The second was phenomenal, though 2 part b and c were somehow not very memorable. The online features for those last two were awesome though :smalltongue:

[Togath]

Are the PS3s old enough to be backward compatible more expensive then more recent models?

Also the main reason for disliking online things is because I both don't like the idea of having non-secure information, and prefer consoles for the fact that they don't have complications that online things do, so the fact that it isn't automatically on sounds pleasant.

Also, do you think PS3s are likely to drop in price if PS4s are likely to come out in the next year or two?

[Gnomish Wanderer]

I spent an extra $100 for my older system so I'd have full backwards compatibility, but you could always get lucky and find a 1st or 2nd batch PS3 for a reasonable price. I do think the price is going to drop within ~3 months of the PS4 release on newer ones, but for the older models it could go either way depending on how people feel the demand is. I will say that I've hardly used my backwards compatibility at all (seeing as I ended up losing my old ps2 game collection shortly after buying the ps3 ;_;) but the newer systems just aren't as good as the older systems as it wasn't just the backwards compatibility they chomped out.

Yeah, I could see why you might be worried about security, especially after the big PS3 hacking problem of last year. To each their own :smallsmile:

[Togath]

Yeah, I could see why you might be worried about security, especially after the big PS3 hacking problem of last year. To each their own :smallsmile:

Aye, that was the main thing that made me nervous about Sony's security(your talking about the one that made them shut down all of their online services for a week or two, correct?).:smallsmile:

[Raimun]

You need to be online a bit but not all of the time.

Newer games may require system updates to work but if you have those updates, you can play your games offline. Still, updating requires you to make a PSN-account and they ask some of your personal information.

[KillianHawkeye]

As far as internet security goes, I'm not sure how it works for the PS3, but if you opt for the XBox 360, you can purchase Microsoft Points and even XBLive Gold membership subscriptions in a gift card-like format available at most stores, thereby never having to give Microsoft your credit card information. Creating your XBox Live account does require giving them your e-mail address, but that's it.

I suppose that Sony has fixed the huge gaping holes in their network security by now, but I prefer to just not take a chance with that sort of thing if I can avoid it.

The latest versions of the 360 come with built-in wifi, but I believe you can disable it in the settings menu, so if you really want to avoid being online you can simply never connect your console to the Internet. PS3 probably can do the same.

[BobVosh]

I was thinking of getting a new gaming system sometime in the next few months. The main one I was considering was the PS3, but I wanted to ask a few questions about it(and other newer[2005 or more recent]) systems.
first, on a PS3, can I play PS2 or PS1 games?
and second; are there ways to disable to online features of modern gaming systems? The online aspect is the main reason I've avoided getting one.
Also, have there been any fantasy rpgs released the past six years for non-portable gaming systems?
The only one that comes to mind are the fable series and god of war 3.
And how are the first two assassin's creed games(I've only mainly seen gameplay from the 3rd)?
Technically, but not likely.
Yes
Yes
Good.


Aye, that was the main thing that made me nervous about Sony's security(your talking about the one that made them shut down all of their online services for 3 months, correct?).:smallsmile:

Corrected that for you :D

As for RPGs, I would recommend The Witcher 1 and 2, and Dragon Age (but not DA2)
Skyrim is technically a RPG, but it isn't a role playing game in so much as a combat, exploration and extreme loot simulator.

[Cristo Meyers]

Online on the PS3 can be limited to "online long enough to download this patch" and then you go on your way. That only requires the usual sign-up info. They have cash cards for the store just about everywhere, so there's also no need to give them any kind of credit card info.

As for Assassin's Creed: 2 is superior to 1 in just about every way. 1 tends to get dull closer to the end simply because of repetition. My only real beefs with 2 are the amount of time the game covers (really? over twenty years? It's a game where Da Vinci made a working bomber, I can handle a little timey-wimeyness.) and it's love of "chases." Though chase implies that it's actually possible to catch the person you're running after.

Brotherhood would be better than 2 if they hadn't included the Assassin Recruits. 3 games later and they still haven't made that aspect really interesting.

There's plenty of fantasy RPG's out there, especially for PS3. I just can't say which are actually any good.

[Togath]

I don't understand what you mean by game patches?
I would assume it lets you play a buggy game as long as you never connect it to the internet, and how would a patch even work for a console game?

[Cristo Meyers]

Pretty much the same way it works for a PC. Patch downloads onto the PS3 and installs. Most, if not all, PS3 games involve installing data to the PS3 hard drive. The thing's pretty much a PC in it's own right now.

As for not patching if you never connect: I dunno, never tried. Can't see why not, though.

[Togath]

Why did they make it so you install games onto a console:smallconfused:.
Also the main reason is because I like finding bugs in console games to be honest. Can you at least install a copy of a game on as many different consoles as you want?

[Cristo Meyers]

Why did they make it so you install games onto a console:smallconfused:.

Presumably to cut loading times, but I don't know.


Also the main reason is because I like finding bugs in console games to be honest. Can you at least install a copy of a game on as many different consoles as you want?

As far as I know.

[Togath]

As far as I know.

I suppose that's one advantage then, since I would only need a copy long enough to install it from the sounds of it.

[Cristo Meyers]

I suppose that's one advantage then, since I would only need a copy long enough to install it from the sounds of it.

The game still runs from the disk, it just installs some files onto the hard drive.

[Togath]

What am I missing then, does it install them or does it run from the disk?
Why would it need to only install part of it?, Do you mean they store saves internally now with the game itself running from the disk?
I'm really bad with technology, so I'm having trouble understanding, and I haven't kept track of any changes the past six years or so.
I think I sort of understand now, but I still find it odd that they partial install, are saved games stored internally as opposed to externally now?

[KillianHawkeye]

Well in the case of the XBox, you can install the entire contents of your game discs to the hard drive, but you still need the disc to launch the game because of the need to maintain copy protection. Obviously, any games that you just download are exceptions to this.

All save data will be stored on the console's internal memory (or whatever memory device you attach via USB connection, I suppose), since it can't be written to the game disc. XBox also allows cloud storage now--Playstation probably does, too.

[Zevox]

I think I sort of understand now, but I still find it odd that they partial install, are saved games stored internally as opposed to externally now?
Saves are internal by default now, yes. Memory cards do still exist if you want to use them, but naturally are sold separately.


Also, have there been any fantasy rpgs released the past six years for non-portable gaming systems?
The only one that comes to mind are the fable series and god of war 3.
:smallconfused:Where did you get the impression that God of War is an RPG series? It's an action series. The action series to most western gamers I'd imagine, since it popularized the over-the-top action style of combat for the genre.

Anyway though, yes, there are lots of fantasy RPGs out there. Hell, if you're looking at six years, there were still PS2 RPGs coming out in that timeframe, including my favorite game of all, Persona 4.

A brief list of fantasy RPGs I personally have for the 360 and PS3 would include:
- Dragon Age 1 and 2
- Tales of Vesperia (360 exclusive)
- Dragon's Dogma
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
- Lost Odyssey (360 exclusive)
- Blue Dragon (360 exclusive)
- Eternal Sonata
- The Witcher 2 (360 & PC exclusive)
- Tales of Graces F (PS3 exclusive)
- Disgaea 3 & 4 (PS3 exclusives, tactical RPGs)

And those are just the ones I own (though I haven't played a couple of them yet), not all the ones I know of.


And how are the first two assassin's creed games(I've only mainly seen gameplay from the 3rd)?
I've only played the first so far, and it's alright. Combat was fun, but too easy. Story could've been better, but wasn't bad per se. Got me interested enough that I intend to play the rest to see how they improve on it, but I wouldn't say it made me a fan.