Ars has a nice two-part overview on the processor: http://arstechnica.com/index.ars
I'm hoping that the next generation begins to leverage the processor less than the GPU. Procedural programming and physical models are the way of the future and has the potential to make game environments enormously more organic and realistic. It's not ridiculous to say that the streaming vector units on the PS2 have been almost solely responsible for keeping the unit competitive against the Xbox. I hope some of that expertise can be leverage to the Cell (which is really just 8 "vector CPUs" controlled by a simplistic PPC). The guys at Naughty Dog were really the first to successfully leverage those vector units for the PS2 - I can't wait to see what they've got in store for the PS3. Where Naughty Dog goes Sucker Punch and Insomniac will soon follow. I'm also dying to see how the controller has changed for PS3 (they say it will be changing "significantly"). I LOVE the dual shock, but I would like to see more trigger-like l2/r2 buttons and there's potential for more. I've often thought that pressure plates on the grips (which react with analog precision to the tightness of the grip) would be great so some things. If you've played "Silent Hill" you know that your grip tightens naturally when you're pummeling a closer with a pipe - it would be great if the controller responded to that natural action. Also I'd love to a see biometrics included in the controller (and they wouldn't be expensive). Motion detection (to recognize jitter and controller pitch/yaw/roll) would be cheap and able to pick up those times that you "lean into" the controller when making a jump or driving. A simple temperature sensor could be leveraged into a simple "mood" detector. All of these things would be cheap but, if standard, could be leveraged all sorts of ways in all sorts of games. More pragmatically I would REALLY like to see built in wireless controllers (with a mounted recharging station). It would also be VERY nice to have a built in microphone on the controller itself, perhaps even a headset jack. Most rumors also have a next-generation eye-toy as a standard for the PS3 - some even have dual eye toys (for depth perceptive stereo vision). It would be really cool to see the latter. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:146783 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
