PS.. is it 5? I think we're on 5 now. PS5

that's surprisingly ok but then i guess they are just PCs under the hood. i still think he's crazy, mind.

(the eventual present was some kind of vr headset, probably the meta one)

Do you folks buy digital or physical copies of discs? I was pretty indiscriminate with the PS4, but I've been trying to lean physical with the PS5, mostly because it lets me buy used and also frees me to sell copies of games when I'm done (though if I'm being honest, I kind of like to hold on to games). Still, one of the biggest selling points of the PS5 is its loading speed, and having a digital collection lets you switch between games on the fly really quickly. Then again, one psychological advantage of physical is having the disc in there encourages me to focus on one game at a time; every time TLOU2 revs up in there is a reminder not to get distracted by the other stuff on the SSD. And dedicating myself to physical stops me from impulsively buying digital games on the PS store (unless there is no physical alternative). I'm kind of torn, because there are advantages to both. Sometimes I feel that PS is pushing digital, but they're reportedly releasing that standalone drive, so maybe they're torn, too.

I seem to be buying a mix. You can usually pick up disc copies of older games really cheaply but sometimes digital versions are on sale (bought TLOU2 for £8 earlier this month)

almost exclusively digital, i think i only wanted the disc version for Blurays etc

i use my wishlist and buy most wanted stuff when it's on offer, price doesn't seem much different to buying used discs, especially for the niche-y JRPGs i'm mostly into

Ok thanks folks, I do wonder if the flaw in my premise is that The Wire itself isn't middlebrow schlock too.

Lol wrong thread.

Lol wrong thread.

Lol wrong thread.

Same, Josh. Secondhand physical is often cheaper than digital too. And yeah, I do buy some games digitally but the hard format definitely makes me stick on track with tougher games. It's a bit like having the vinyl copy of an album rather than listening to it on Spotify.

Anyone know why when I watch DVDs and Blu Rays on my PS5 and PS4 they look so bloody terrible?

Netflix etc is fine, but these appear so grainy and fuzzy, and if I watch an animation like Persepolis there's a noticeable "ghost" line going on. Sound quality is variable too - voices can be very backgrounded and I've tried changing the settings but to no avail.

Looking through forums, I'm told I should expect this, as I've got a 4K telly and DVDs aren't great quality but surely it shouldn't be that bad?
I have also been playing the original PS1 version of FFVII and while I never played it back in the day, all the backgrounds look very fuzzy and blurry (the sprites are crytal sharp though). Why have I spent all this money for things to look and sound worse?

none of this happens for me so best guess is you're set up wrong somehow

I have also been playing the original PS1 version of FFVII and while I never played it back in the day, all the backgrounds look very fuzzy and blurry (the sprites are crytal sharp though). Why have I spent all this money for things to look and sound worse?

apparently they "lost the source files" for the FF7 backgrounds so any remake/remasters are using the same background images upscaled. there are mods for the PC version which use AI upscaling techniques for the backgrounds

ah...

Super weird to me that PS5 is introducing a new premium controller, of all things, seeing as the regular PS5 controller is imo one of the system's undeniable highlights.

It's a great controller but the thing people like with the customizable ones is the ability to adjust triggers, tension on the sticks, etc.

If all those things are great then it's just a product that's not for you

I would prefer a budget PS5 controller that was smaller and lighter...so basically a PS4 controller that works with all PS5 games, lol (I guess just include a really shitty version of the gimmicky functions that those games 'require', like the speaker and haptic stuff).

You can turn off the haptic stuff, right?

Probably, but that by itself doesn't let you use the PS4 controller, although it looks like there are workarounds: https://www.videogamer.com/tech/console/can-you-use-a-ps4-controller-on-ps5/

Yeah, if you just want the smaller size you're kind of stuck

The haptic stuff might be less powerful/sensitive in a smaller version of the Dualsense - thinking like the Switch joycons

Elite controllers are weird to me all round, I thought the same thing about the xbox ones. I spend my life surrounded by people who spend a lot more time gaming than I do, many of them are 15-20 years younger than me, and I still don't know anyone at all who's bought one of those things or shown any interest in buying one. Perhaps they're just snake oil for esports wannabes, like gaming's version of all that audiophile nonsense?

See also: high end gaming keyboards

Check out the battery size difference/ pic.twitter.com/oAOS7yWbiM

— Budd's Controllers (@buddscontroller) January 26, 2023

Apparently -33% battery capacity?

there’s a bit of the audiophile thing

the customized keyboard bug has infected a large number of my coworkers in the 25 - 45 year old range. just some sense that you’re in control of your environment and something to fiddle with

I should probably bump that range up a few years as I just remembered my manager has a clicky keyboard with led lighting

I could imagine buying these things if I had a LOT more disposable income, like the kind that could afford to buy a super nice PC gaming rig

lol my 11 yo son roasted me the other day by saying i have “an npc keyboard” (it is an apple wireless keyboard”

damn, owned

I'm not sure if it's a great one, though, because in the US you can walk into a chain store like Target (not even GameStop!) and there's half an aisle of gaming keyboards, headsets, etc. now

this is the world we've created

You should see the sneaker selection.

sadly I order those directly from the app that gives me exclusive sneaker drops

I am the problem

i have a gaming keyboard in case yr wondering who the rest of the problem is; i even use the optional grey caps for highlighting the W/A/S/D keys lol

not a huge fan of the wacky LEDs thing tho.

(not tactical enough prob)

I do it find it funny that mechanical keyboards came into vogue, aka slightly nicer looking versions of the heavy clunkers every PC had in the '80s and '90s

I have no idea whether there's extended research on whether comfort and actual health concerns (RSI, etc) have been studied but the idea that keyboards with a long throw on keypresses and different levels of resistance seems like something people are definitely evaluating

That's part of the custom controller thing, too. Beyond the fact Microsoft and Sony also have ergonomic or alternative input controllers in various states of release, the "elite" controllers tend to have back buttons that can be mapped to one of the regular ones so you're not moving between actions repetitively in a way that's likely to hurt your hand, and the resistance and distance you're moving the triggers is configurable.

I don't think questioning the need for different control schemes and controller/button types is necessarily ableist, but a number of people are seeking out these things to address what they perceive as a better experience. I think that's just a subset of the market.

i like a nice functional proper keyboard, albeit mostly for work

it was specifically the 120 flashing keys gaming keyboards i was thinking about

I'm afraid led lights is just something we have to bear with now and luckily they can mostly be turned off

i'm definitely not somebody who should cast shade on other people's conspicuous luxury purchases

also the ergonomics argument is a good point i hadn't considered

Apparently -33% battery capacity?

I think the argument for that is people who care about elite controllers = people who care about input latency = people who are going to play wired most of the time anyway to eliminate that latency, so battery capacity doesn't matter.

i have a gaming keyboard in case yr wondering who the rest of the problem is

oh god so do I and I love it so yeah I've got no right to roll my eyes at anyone ha! It's got some crazy high polling rate and I honestly do feel the difference in input latency between this and a regular keyboard when I'm....playing pinball.

wireless controllers don't necessarily have less latency than wired, it's a clusterfuck

Football Manager finally hits the PS on February 1, goodbye world

xp I think you meant more latency, but the point stands

PSVR2 out tomorrow.

Wife recently said yet to a desktop hi-fi system so I am on a cool down for buying more toys for a few months. Anyone picking this up?

I can't seem to find it as a separate in the UK. Semi interested

Is the ps5 generally available yet? Or will I still be paying scalper prices

I think it's a lot more available than it used to be, so avoid scalpers. This VR rig, though ... I'll never buy in to this tech, ever, but just reading about it, it seems like a decadent joke. It costs as much or more than the PS5 itself, it's not backwards compatible with previous PSVR games, it doesn't work with PCs, it doesn't have built-in sound (requires earbuds), a lot of people write that it all but demands the optional $50 charging bay. And it's a big silly looking thing you wear over your head. Hard pass.

the cousin i mentioned upthread was playing with his over Christmas in an empty room and you could come and go, watch him crawling around, and he wouldn't know a thing. you'd also hear a clunk every now and again where he'd hit his head on the radiator.

Would encourage you not to write it off until you’ve tried it Josh. There is the obvious safety warnings of never wearing it around company so as to protect one’s pride and general social standing. But if you can manoeuvre around that issue, it’s a real trip. I had a go at super hot on a friends meta quest a few years ago and the instant immersion is crazy. GT7 and resident evil are big pulls to try this it for me