Ps3

[DarkArtist]

so I've wanted a PS3 for years and finally got one for Christmas this year. was so excited to finally hook it up and start playing some games and watching a few Blue Ray movies etc.... except there was one large annoying problem.... all of my PS2 games (40 in total) are Not Compatible with the PS3....

now i have to figure out if i can trade in the games for some store credit and hopefully get some PS3 games. I just don't understand how Playstation can make a better system that for one plays PS1 games but is not compatible with PS2. you would think that they would make it able to play PS2. the 2006 and 2007 versions are the only ones that are compatible with all PS games. for 2008 and beyond they stopped making it compatible. really really really frustrating.

[sith_killer_99]

Yeah, the first and second generation PS3 have PS2 emulation, the first generation is hardware based and the second generation is partially software based.

I believe they did it to cut costs. Sucks for gamers adopting the new technology.

The best solution is to get a first generation PS3 or see if there is a hack for the current generation PS3. If not you may have to trade in the old games.

I am looking at getting a Wii for the family, I considered a PS3 for it's blu-ray player, but there are better players out there for less money now. Besides, I have plenty of games for my PC and the graphics rock!

[Lord Malakite]

Yeah, the first and second generation PS3 have PS2 emulation, the first generation is hardware based and the second generation is partially software based.

I believe they did it to cut costs. Sucks for gamers adopting the new technology.

Correct on both accounts sk99.

[JediTricks]

The problem is that PS2 games run exclusively off the Emotion Engine CPU and Graphics Synthesizer GPU, so on the original PS3s they actually put an EE and GS chips into the PS3 alongside the Cell processor. That of course was expensive, so eventually they took out the EE and ran its backwards-compatibility off of emulator software while running its graphics through the GS, though this caused more incompatibility. Eventually, they pulled the GS chip as well, which lowered the price, and then after the price drop they redesigned it to the slimmer model that's even cheaper.

By comparison, the PS1 games are rudimentary and require far less proprietary hardware to run, all of it can be run via emulation with room to spare on the PS3. Of course, if Sony hadn't been so stupid as to put a meager 256mb of RAM in the PS3, it might have enough power to emulate both chips from the PS2 and rule the land with backwards compatibility. Then again, how much does a PS2 cost these days anyway? That's their theory, I guess, but it's a bad one as PS2 had the broadest selection of games in the history of console gaming.

[Quinlain_Vos]

ya i love my ps3 totally and completely but that is the one glareing problem with the system. luckily i still have my ps2 handy but heres a thoght. recently they released a ps3 version of the first to god of war games. i was exited to be able to play these on my ps3 and it also got me thinking that mabe they will remaster some of their more popular ps2 freanchises into 1 neatly bundled blue ray ps3 disk. this of course is all speculation but it is an enticing thought.

[JediTricks]

I read the review about the GOW re-release and they showed the visuals next to the PS2 visuals, and even without changing the game graphics code, the rendering engine on the PS3 looked way better in many respects.

I can't wait until GOW3 comes out! This year has so many good games coming out, the most I've been excited about in as long as they've been releasing games on disks.