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Taustin Powers

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 5, 2005
273
610
This is my first PSP, haven't had time to open it yet. What is there to know for an absolute newb?

I'm assuming the first step will be to configure my WLAN and then register it with the PSN account of my choice? (Pretty sure I'll go with the UK account - best selection of games for the 10-free-games offer.) Then download some demos, I guess? While I wait for my download code for the 10 games?

Does Media Go work on a Mac? How easy is the syncing/managing games with the PS3?
 
Media GO (or whatever they call it now-a-days) it actually pretty decent. I have never loaded much media on my PSP, just because it's not the greatest device for that. Last I checked it doesn't work with mac so.... yeah... you might have some issues there.


FIrst step, however, is to download Persona 3 Portable. :D
 
Media Go is still PC only, which is definitely a pain.

One thing I did was grab an additional 16GB memory stick ... yeah, I have a lot of games through PSN!

Ditto the Persona 3 remark - just got started, but sweet so far.
 
Media Go is not very good, it frequently times out (for me) losing my whole cart. It tries to sync videos, photos and music (so watch out if you have a big iTunes collection for the love of god!). You basically have to disable everything forcing you to manually copy games over (no big deal though).
 
I haven't bought anything yet. :)

I activated it with my UK account, and now I'm waiting for the email code to get my 10 free games. :D

In the meantime, I downloaded demos for Jak&Daxter, Resistance, Syphon Filter and Everybody's Tennis.....and I haven't even had enough time to try them all yet.

I should go on a long train ride or flight somewhere, so I can have an excuse to use the damn thing! :D
 
Woohoo, got my code! :D. Installing my ten free games now. Unfortunately, this will likely take all day, since for this promo, you need to download them directly to the PSP via wifi, and there doesn't seem to be a "download in background" option. (or am I missing something?)

Installed LBP and GTA-VCS already, wipeout is next!
 
Had to go pick up my Go from the local post office after a failed delivery attempt Saturday but it's here, under the desk charging.

I'm gonna activate my PSN account during my lunch break with hopes of getting my games code within the next two weeks.

I'm afraid to touch the thing without a screen protector, and I can't wait to get home so I can apply the ones I bought the other day.

Hopefully the smaller screen makes application easier than the PSP-3000 was. (Which I gave up on, actually)
 
Woohoo, got my code! :D. Installing my ten free games now.

I really don't get why they have been so bad about offering this only in the EU region. I mean, they really could have done much better with the Go worldwide if they had some form of global freebie, and better still with some amount of a 'UMD loyalty' program. They really screwed themselves over.

That said ... while I am loving Persona 3, I have found myself playing more of Hot Shots Tennis and LEGO Harry Potter over the last couple of weeks ... cool stuff :)
 
I really don't get why they have been so bad about offering this only in the EU region. I mean, they really could have done much better with the Go worldwide if they had some form of global freebie, and better still with some amount of a 'UMD loyalty' program. They really screwed themselves over.

That said ... while I am loving Persona 3, I have found myself playing more of Hot Shots Tennis and LEGO Harry Potter over the last couple of weeks ... cool stuff :)

You get three free games in the US right now, those being Socom Fireteam Bravo 3, LittleBigPlanet PSP & Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters.

All three are games I wanted to play on my PSP (In the case of Ratchet & Clank, Ever since I had my 1000, which I've subsequently upgraded to a 2000 and then 3000) but never bought so I figured that $60-$80 of free games plus a decent price from Amazon ($165 after gift cards) was enough to get me to try out the Go.
 
At launch? Loyal fans like me got NOTHING! EU folks did get 3.

Okay, I REALLY don't get why a lot of people are suddenly complaining about later buyers getting a better deal than first day buyers. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THAT. EARLY ADOPTERS PAY THE MOST! Every console drops in price or adds great bundles somewhere down the line. When the PS3 dropped to $299, nobody cried "Wah, us loyal fans who bought it on day one got a bad deal"....what's the big deal here?

This isn't specifically directed at you, btw - I know you are comparing the US launch deal with the EU launch deal here. But the amount of complaints on forums and blogs when they announced the 10-free-games deal was incredible. "I bought it day one, why didn't *I* get a deal like that??!?" Well, because you bought it on day one, idiot...

/rant off :)
 
Right ... they now give away 3 while the EU gets 10.

At launch? Loyal fans like me got NOTHING! EU folks did get 3.

Why are you acting like this is something unprecedented?

You could just as easily say "Well what the hell, Nintendo, I bought my Wii back in 2006 and you only gave me one free game (Wii Sports) instead of two!" (Wii Sports Resort & Wii Sports)

What the hell, Microsoft! My $400 Xbox 360 only came with 20GB of storage and now you're giving people a hard drive that's over 10 times are large AND you're throwing in Wi-Fi for no extra charge?
 
Why are you acting like this is something unprecedented?

I'm not ... I am just amazed at how Sony failed to act as a unified body and therefore had disproportionate 'pack-ins' at launch, alluded to the possibility of something (UMD trade-in) and then didn't definitively kill it until after the launch ...

I mean, let's not forget that as of April '06 they were ahead of Nintendo in handheld sales, and every day since then has seen them losing market share! They are currently #3 behind Nintendo and Apple in terms of handheld gaming ... and that is where they were when they launched the Go.

My complaint is that they had an opportunity, but instead tried to weasel sales with hints of a UMD program ... but nobody believes anything they say anymore since they have a rich history of treating their customers like crap. And instead of even doing what Sony Europe did and meeting gamers half-way with the three game pack-in, SCEA basically said F U ... buy games again.

As for me, I knew exactly what I was getting - I knew there would be no UMD program, I knew there were no freebies, I knew that the PSN store would continue to be over-priced on everything (though I honestly wouldn't have guessed how often games would either not arrive or arrive very late!), I knew that PSP Minis would continue to be basically iPhone game ports for 3x the price ... and so on.

Yet I *LOVE* my PSP Go. I can't touch a UMD system anymore, and I prefer the Go over my DSi and iPod Touch. I use it all the time and routinely run down the battery ...
 
My PSP Go arrived on Monday (Well, rather, I had to pick it up at the post office due to a failed delivery attempt on Saturday) and thus far I love the goddamn thing. It fixes my biggest issue I had with the PSP: Size. Finally it feels like a portable system. Something I can slip into my pocket easily. It's easily my second favorite hardware design for a handheld, right behind the Game Boy Micro and right before the DS Lite.

It's also nice to be able to finally just grab the thing and go without having to decide "What games am I going to take with me today?" I'm looking forward to receiving the codes for my freebie games as they're all games I wanted to play and I'm also looking forward to playing alot of stuff I've missed on the PSP for whatever reason.

I bought a bunch (Almost all) of the PSP Go accessories at Wal-Mart last weekend since they were all on clearance. (Both Hard & Soft Cases, Screen Protectors, Cradle, & the Earbuds/Mic) and I might actually go back and buy an extra USB cable, as it was the only Go accessory on sale I didn't grab because I didn't see needing a second one just yet.

I'm actually even considering buying a Dual Shock 3 and setting it up with the thing over at my brother-in-law's place using his PS3 so I can have what is essentially a mini-PSOne and I can catch up on all those titles that I've missed as well on an actual TV with an actual controller.

Now to just avoid touching it until I get the screen protectors (hopefully) on. I played with it a bit yesterday before it went back into the box so here's hoping I haven't ****ed it up yet.

Pictures to follow whenever I get my computer back from the shop.

Also, Screen protector went on pretty much as well as can be expected last night, thank god. No bubbles and no bubbles caused by dust as far as I can tell.

There's one or two tiny flecks in there that are so tiny that they disappear depending on the angle you view the screen, so it's not perfect, but I know for a fact if I pull it up to reapply it's just gonna make it worse.

I have one extra protector as they come in a pack of two and I'll likely pick up another 2-pack while Wal-Mart has 'em on sale.
 
Man, you went all out on accessories! :)

All I got is a case (got in today). But then again, I really don't expect to use the PSP very much outside of travelling.
 
Man, you went all out on accessories! :)

All I got is a case (got in today). But then again, I really don't expect to use the PSP very much outside of travelling.

I'm more or less gonna store this thing in my glove compartment as emergency gaming. If I ever had to wait somewhere for something I'll have it on-hand.

What case did you grab?
 
I'm more or less gonna store this thing in my glove compartment as emergency gaming. If I ever had to wait somewhere for something I'll have it on-hand.

What case did you grab?

My kids got me the Sony soft case, and I grabbed a video cable on the forums here for cheap ... and that is all of my accessories. I have never felt the need for a screen protector for a PSP, but mine is always stored in a soft case.
 
What case did you grab?

I got this Hama case:

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It's like a very hard soft case, if that makes sense. ;) Has a little extra compartment for earbuds and/or USB cable. Looks nice enough, and it really doesn't add much size to the Go. €6.99 on Amazon.
 
Good news for you Go-only owners, there's a summer PSN sale starting today (apparently, wont hit Euro till tomorrow). My wallets prepared for a beating :(.
 
Good news for you Go-only owners, there's a summer PSN sale starting today (apparently, wont hit Euro till tomorrow). My wallets prepared for a beating :(.

Compared to the insulting spring sale this is 'better' ... but still incredibly weak. Compare this to what happens on Steam or GamersGate - folks actually discover new stuff ... and you see how typically crappy this sale really is.

PSN Blog link:
PS3:
Fat Princess – $7.49 sale; $14.99 reg. (Click here for our review.)
PixelJunk Shooter – $4.99 sale; $9.99 reg. (Click here for our review.)
Groovin’ Blocks – $4.99 sale; $9.99 reg.
Madden NFL Arcade – $7.49 sale; $14.99 reg. (Click here for our review.)
Wakeboarding HD – $7.49 sale; $14.99 reg.

PSP:
The Eye of Judgment Legends – $14.99 sale; $29.99 reg.
echoshift – $7.49 sale; $14.99 reg. (Click here for our review.)
Patchwork Heroes – $4.99 sale; $9.99 reg.
Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars – $14.99 sale; $29.99 reg. (Click here for our review.)
Lunar Silver Star Harmony – $14.99 sale; $29.99 reg. (Click here for our review.)

Minis:
Tetris – $4.99 sale; $9.99 reg. (Click here for our review.)
Dracula Undead Awakenings – $2.49 sale; $4.99 reg.
Monsters Probably Stole My Princess – $2.49 sale; $4.99 reg.
Zombie Tycoon – $2.49 sale; $4.99 reg.
Bloons – $1.49 sale; $2.99 reg.

I mean ... look at the PSP Games ... mostly mediocre stuff nobody cares about, and at 50% off GTA is the same price as retailers like Amazon have had it for months ... and $10 for Tetris sums up the reason Minis are such a sales failure ...
 
Ah that's not so cool then.
If they do a 50% off Chinatown Wars here tomorrow (£30 to £15), they'd still be £5 more expensive than the UMD. I thought they might have pulled off a Steam like sale where every title has a %age off and some titles at 75% off.
 
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