Playstation2
Hardware:
When Sony showed its first new system demos in
April '99, the news traveled across the world in
milli-seconds. A lot of hopes built around what
has later to be announced as the PlayStation2.
With an enormously powerful engine that's capable
of grinding out millions of polygons per second,
graphics capable of creating human emotion on
characters, and built-in behavior patterns that
enable programmers to create gorgeous, life-like
animal motion and reaction, the system is truly
spectacular. Properly announced in Japan in
September 1999, I was there to watch the unveiling
of the system, play the first games, and speculate
over the new landscape of PlayStation2
possibilities.
But
Sony's goal this time around wasn't just to make a
polygon-crunching system like the first
PlayStation. The PlayStation2 is capable of
playing two media formats, CDs (650 MBs), and
DVDs, the latter of which can hold 3.2 gigabytes,
or if dual layered, 6.4 gigabytes. With this
amount of data, RPGs, adventure games, and even
racing games (anything!) can hold so much more
data than ever before that the videogame worlds in
which these creatures, humans or cars exist will
be changed forever.
What's
more is that the PlayStation2 can play movies.
Yep, DVD movies. Additionally, Sony's system can
hook up to several different kinds of peripherals,
such as digital cameras, videos, voice-recognition
systems, the Internet, hard drives, and more. So,
sooner than later, those who own a PlayStation2
will be able to locate and buy their game, movie,
or music online, download it to a hard drive, and
then play, watch, or listen to their favorite
thing. All via the TV and your PS2.
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