Vita?

[Zookster]

Good call. Uncharted is a very good portable game. I just read that the Killzone beta opened to all PS+ members on the 20th. It opens to everyone else on the 27th and closes on Sept 3rd. The game launches on sept 10th.


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Thanks for posting the timeline.

By the way, is it faster to download games directly to the Vita from the store or download to the PS3 and then transfer to the Vita? I have a very good Internet service (20 Mbps) and a new higher end router, so that shouldn't be a factor. Given it would be two-step process, I guess what it comes down to is whether the PS3 to Vita transfer is much faster than downloading directly to the Vita. Downloading to the PS3 is nothing because I can do it while listening to music or working.

 

[king3pj]

Thanks for posting the timeline.

By the way, is it faster to download games directly to the Vita from the store or download to the PS3 and then transfer to the Vita? I have a very good Internet service (20 Mbps) and a new higher end router, so that shouldn't be a factor. Given it would be two-step process, I guess what it comes down to is whether the PS3 to Vita transfer is much faster than downloading directly to the Vita. Downloading to the PS3 is nothing because I can do it while listening to music or working.

PSN downloads seem to be slower than Xbox Live or Steam whether you use PS3 or Vita. If you use the PS3 there is the additional step of waiting for the transfer to the Vita over USB so I just download directly to the Vita. Unless it is a game I want to play right away I use the web store though.

https://store.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/#!/en-us/home/main

If you use the web store you can go to your download list of all the Vita games you own and add them to your download queue. Unlike the PS3 this doesn't require waiting until your nightly check for updates. The Vita is smart enough to get updates whenever the system is in standby mode as long as it is connected to WiFi. This allows me to purchase a game on my lunch break, add it to my download queue on my Vita, and have it waiting for my to play when I get home. I'm assuming the PS4 will have this same functionality.

 

[Zookster]

PSN downloads seem to be slower than Xbox Live or Steam whether you use PS3 or Vita. If you use the PS3 there is the additional step of waiting for the transfer to the Vita over USB so I just download directly to the Vita. Unless it is a game I want to play right away I use the web store though.

https://store.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/#!/en-us/home/main

If you use the web store you can go to your download list of all the Vita games you own and add them to your download queue. Unlike the PS3 this doesn't require waiting until your nightly check for updates. The Vita is smart enough to get updates whenever the system is in standby mode as long as it is connected to WiFi. This allows me to purchase a game on my lunch break, add it to my download queue on my Vita, and have it waiting for my to play when I get home. I'm assuming the PS4 will have this same functionality.

Thanks for the explanation. I didn't realize the Vita could download in standby mode. That changes everything. I was afraid it was like the PS3 where I just had to leave it on and keep checking to see if it was done downloading so I could install it if I wanted to play it right away rather than doing the overnight thing.

BTW, I've never had Steam or Live, but in the early days of the PS3 and my ISP's top speed of 5 MBps, it used to take two hours to download a 1.5 GB game or demo. So my current ability to download a 10-12 GB game in 45-60 minutes seems like a major step forward.

 

[Zookster]

PSN downloads seem to be slower than Xbox Live or Steam whether you use PS3 or Vita. If you use the PS3 there is the additional step of waiting for the transfer to the Vita over USB so I just download directly to the Vita. Unless it is a game I want to play right away I use the web store though.

https://store.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/#!/en-us/home/main

If you use the web store you can go to your download list of all the Vita games you own and add them to your download queue. Unlike the PS3 this doesn't require waiting until your nightly check for updates. The Vita is smart enough to get updates whenever the system is in standby mode as long as it is connected to WiFi. This allows me to purchase a game on my lunch break, add it to my download queue on my Vita, and have it waiting for my to play when I get home. I'm assuming the PS4 will have this same functionality.

So are you able to successfully download games directly to the Vita? I've been trying for the last hour and it keeps hanging on the "Preparing to Download Screen" forcing me to do a hard reboot (hold down power button). I googled the issue and lo and behold this has been an ongoing issue for many many people since the 2.20 system update with no fix in sight.

 

[meStevo]

Yeah that happens to me every so often, always have to hard reboot.

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[king3pj]

So are you able to successfully download games directly to the Vita? I've been trying for the last hour and it keeps hanging on the "Preparing to Download Screen" forcing me to do a hard reboot (hold down power button). I googled the issue and lo and behold this has been an ongoing issue for many many people since the 2.20 system update with no fix in sight.

Yes. It has always worked for me.


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[Zookster]

Yeah that happens to me every so often, always have to hard reboot.

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Yes. It has always worked for me.


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Thanks for the responses. For some reason, I wasn't able to transfer the game (Star Wars Pinball standalone version) from my PS3 either, though I know I have plenty of space and I cleared the previous failed attempts to dl and install. I was however able to transfer two other games from my PS3, and then later I downloaded two games from inside the PS Vita store successfully. (My attempt with SW Pinball was through the download list.)

At any rate, thanks again to king3pj for the Dokuro recommendation. I wasn't planning on even putting it in my download list because the screen shots in the PS Store didn't do anything for me. But after your recommendation, I watched a gameplay video on YouTube and made Dokuro my first Vita game playing experience.

Lastly, one new question: Are there any apps that I should search and download from the Store? I grabbed Netflix and I'll add YouTube. But are there any others that are recommended? The reason I ask is I had trouble finding the NF app by browsing the Store and had to search for it by name, so I wonder if there are any others I'm missing.

 

[king3pj]

Thanks for the responses. For some reason, I wasn't able to transfer the game (Star Wars Pinball standalone version) from my PS3 either, though I know I have plenty of space and I cleared the previous failed attempts to dl and install. I was however able to transfer two other games from my PS3, and then later I downloaded two games from inside the PS Vita store successfully. (My attempt with SW Pinball was through the download list.)

At any rate, thanks again to king3pj for the Dokuro recommendation. I wasn't planning on even putting it in my download list because the screen shots in the PS Store didn't do anything for me. But after your recommendation, I watched a gameplay video on YouTube and made Dokuro my first Vita game playing experience.

Lastly, one new question: Are there any apps that I should search and download from the Store? I grabbed Netflix and I'll add YouTube. But are there any others that are recommended? The reason I ask is I had trouble finding the NF app by browsing the Store and had to search for it by name, so I wonder if there are any others I'm missing.

No problem. I'm glad you like Dokuru. It's pretty great to get good games like that for free via PS+. As for the apps... I don't actually have any installed on my Vita. Not even Netflix. The screen is beautiful on that thing but I usually carry my iPad with me when I travel too so I do all my streaming there with the bigger screen. I won't be much help in the app category.

Once you you play the free games for a while and get ready to start buying some, Guacamelee is a must play on the Vita. It's cross buy and cross save too so if you buy the Vita version you also get the PS3 version. It automatically checks the cloud and seamlessly loads your most recent save. It's pretty cool to play on the PS3 at home, go out of town for the weekend, and pick up exactly where you left off on the Vita. I tend to save most of my time with that game for the Vita because I have lots of great games to choose from at home and less on the Vita but it's great on the PS3 too.

 

[Zookster]

I keep hearing great things about Guacamelee. Beat 'em ups aren't usually my thing, but neither was RPGs, or any other number of genres, until I played an excellent example of one. And of course I'm not oblivious to the fact that Guacamelee is half price this week.

I was also wondering how seamlessly cross play/progress works. Does it work that seamlessly with Sly Cooper? I was concerned that because of the restriction that you have to wait 24 hours after to download a save file that was uploaded to the cloud, you couldn't hop back and forth between platforms without some waiting.

Regarding the Netflix app, you aren't missing anything. I was actually surprised that it didn't look that good on the Vita, given how crisp the games look. Netflix actually looks better on my 1st gen Kindle Fire.

 

[king3pj]

I keep hearing great things about Guacamelee. Beat 'em ups aren't usually my thing, but neither was RPGs, or any other number of genres, until I played an excellent example of one. And of course I'm not oblivious to the fact that Guacamelee is half price this week.

I was also wondering how seamlessly cross play/progress works. Does it work that seamlessly with Sly Cooper? I was concerned that because of the restriction that you have to wait 24 hours after to download a save file that was uploaded to the cloud, you couldn't hop back and forth between platforms without some waiting.

Regarding the Netflix app, you aren't missing anything. I was actually surprised that it didn't look that good on the Vita, given how crisp the games look. Netflix actually looks better on my 1st gen Kindle Fire.

I guess I'm not positive on the waiting period. I have only played it on the PS3 once to see how it worked but like I said I usually save that game for the Vita. What I do know is that it didn't wait for the nightly update to get my Vita save on the PS3.

When you launch the game it gives you a little notification telling you it is checking PSN each time you launch it. It only takes a second but it checks for the most recent save every time you open it. Now I'm not sure if it waits for the auto update to upload the save back up or if it just does it within the game like it does for the download. So even though my PS3 hadn't done the nightly update yet it still brought my current save in automatically on the PS3. I'm not positive if I played it again on Vita that same day or not but I do know that my progress from PS3 was seamlessly brought over to the Vita the next time I played.

A big difference between the Vita and PS3 is the auto update process. I don't think the Vita syncs at a set time every night. Mine usually seems to sync within a couple minutes of going to standby. You know this happened because the light will start blinking blue to let you know you have new notifications.

As for Sly Cooper, I couldn't tell you. I think I have only played that game on Vita.

 

[Zookster]

I guess I'm not positive on the waiting period. I have only played it on the PS3 once to see how it worked but like I said I usually save that game for the Vita. What I do know is that it didn't wait for the nightly update to get my Vita save on the PS3.

When you launch the game it gives you a little notification telling you it is checking PSN each time you launch it. It only takes a second but it checks for the most recent save every time you open it. Now I'm not sure if it waits for the auto update to upload the save back up or if it just does it within the game like it does for the download. So even though my PS3 hadn't done the nightly update yet it still brought my current save in automatically on the PS3. I'm not positive if I played it again on Vita that same day or not but I do know that my progress from PS3 was seamlessly brought over to the Vita the next time I played.

A big difference between the Vita and PS3 is the auto update process. I don't think the Vita syncs at a set time every night. Mine usually seems to sync within a couple minutes of going to standby. You know this happened because the light will start blinking blue to let you know you have new notifications.

As for Sly Cooper, I couldn't tell you. I think I have only played that game on Vita.

I did notice the expedited synching. Thanks again for your help. Now to give this thing a workout while watching the Chargers' preseason game tonight.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Those of you planning on getting Killzone: Mercenary may want to take a gander at this article...

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127467-Killzone-Mercenary-File-Size-Jumps-to-4-5GB-With-Day-One-Patch
?

 

[king3pj]

Those of you planning on getting Killzone: Mercenary may want to take a gander at this article...

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127467-Killzone-Mercenary-File-Size-Jumps-to-4-5GB-With-Day-One-Patch
?

Hmm. That's a pretty big chunk of my remaining space. I wish they would drop these memory card prices and release a 64GB or even a 128GB card. I have a 32GB card with about 8GB of space left. I really prefer downloading my Vita games instead of buying retail versions. The retail disks are very small but I like downloading instead so I can have everything stored right on my Vita. I don't have a case and I like just grabbing the Vita and going without putting all my little games somewhere. It's a mobile device and carrying around games, even if they are tiny, reduces some of that mobility. I will consider picking this one up at retail or renting from gamefly though.

 

[Zookster]

I'm having trouble bringing myself to pay more for a 32GB card for my new Vita than I did earlier this year for a 1 TB HDD for my PS3. But at the same time, I really don't want a bunch of retail-bought games floating around (90%+ of my PS3 purchases this year have been digital). I might have actually bought some Vita games on impulse in spite of my backlog, especially during these summer PSN sales, if I had a larger card. I also keep toying with getting Sly Cooper (PS3 cross-buy version) on Amazon for $15-$20 until I remember that the Vita version will come in the form of a code for the digital format, which I have no room for on my 4 GB card.

 

[king3pj]

Yeah, the memory prices are ridiculous. I kind of feel like a bigger memory card is necessary to enjoy the device though. Especially as a PS+ member 4GB just isn't enough.


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[Derwin0]

Yeah, the memory costs are the big killer on the Vita (I have a bunch of PS+ Vita games in my download queue with no where to put them). I wish they had gone to a standard memory type (aka SD), like they did with the PS3/4's SATA drive. That was my biggest gripe with the 360, the proprietary HDD.

 

[meStevo]

At least that was eventually mitigated by letting us use thumb drives. We have no hope of that here, instead they remain the biggest rip off in gaming.

"significant price drop" ... What a joke.

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[Zookster]

I'm going to at least try to hold out until I find a sale at my price point: 32GB for <$50 or 16Gb for <$30. I might have to cave if there are no deals on or before Black Friday. At least with 4 GB, I can have almost any single game on it to play. Right now I have Uncharted, Dokuro, and Nun Attack (couldn't resist), along with Netflix and YouTube apps, with a little over 200 MB to spare. Unfortunately, the file sizes listed in the PSN Store are less in almost every instance than the space they are actually taking up on the Vita.

 

[meStevo]

Trying to hold out on a 32gb too. $68 at Newegg is about the lowest ice seen since the "price drop" and Amazon only budged $5 after sitting at $79 since before the cut.

I'll bite in the $50 range.

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[king3pj]

I don't blame you guys. I shouldn't have said you need a bigger card to enjoy the Vita because that's not true. It's just obviously better to be able to put whatever you want on there without worrying about space. Even at 32GB I am starting to run out of room.

In addition to installation space some of the games have pretty big patches. Killzone's day one patch is over 1GB. I don't think that game even fits on the 4GB cards.


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