ps3 using hdd to drastically cut load times!

[nwo504]

Also unexpected was a feature in "Genji" to install the game, committing 4GB of data from the game's Blu-Ray disc to the PS3's hard drive — a three-minute one-time-only procedure available from the game's start menu that a Sony rep said cuts down in-game load times from about 15 seconds to four seconds. That's something Sony can offer, given that both versions of its console include a hard drive — 20GB and 60GB, respectively. "Genji" also happens to be done. The game is ready to be manufactured, one of the PS3's first finished works.

:clapping:

Now all i want confirmed is custom soundtrax in games.

I thought this deserved it's own thread.

[OmniCloud]

I've heard of another game doing this too-with the 20GB HDD-you'll certainly won't be able to do it for everything-but a nice feature. Custom soundtracks should be just about standard with all the space on PS3...

[Hrama]

Thank god it seems to be a standard laptop (2.5") drive then... especially if this is something that is going to occur a lot with PS3 games.

[Metal Sphere]

While it'll end up making the Premium pack cheaper in comparison, getting the base model and swapping the 20GB for a 160GB drive doesn't seem so bad now. It also doesn't say that it stays on there permanently. Chances are, if you delete it, the game will ask you if you want to install it again.

[Applefiend]

We used to do, well still do, the same thing with PS2, HD Loader. Making it standard is pretty damn cool.

(Cos HD Loader didn't always work).

Signs are that replacing your PS3 HDD with the biggest baddest HDD you can find is a terribly good idea.

[wotter]

This is great news, thank god Sony put a standard HDD in every console.

[Garfunkel]

this is interesting, if it is done right and neatly, like having a directory in root called "installed games" or something and in there it is under the games name than it will be a great feature. If not, not good.

I am very happy it is not a proprietary drive type and just a standard 2.5' SATA. makes it very consumer orientated. Congrats Sony.

[woundingchaney]

I dont much like the concept of downloading large portions on a console hdd but as long as it is optional Im fine with it. If it increases performance then more power to them.

[Red_Eyes]

15 seconds to 4 seconds. Still not fast enough. Lol.

[VG Aficionado]

Not only that's an optional feature, but I'm sure some games will end up silently installing some content on the HDD (always warning the user about this) which will surprise gamers when they see that the loading times are much shorter than the previous day.

[smurfx]

cool i'll always do this since i always usually only play one game at a time.

[smurfx]

---

[BruceWayneIII]

this is interesting, if it is done right and neatly, like having a directory in root called "installed games" or something and in there it is under the games name than it will be a great feature. If not, not good.

I am very happy it is not a proprietary drive type and just a standard 2.5' SATA. makes it very consumer orientated. Congrats Sony.

In the XMB you will find "Games Data Utility" where you can see the various cache footprints for the games you play and eventually delete those you don't need anymore, if you run out of HDD space.

[antuk15]

Some have mensioned another game, i beleive it to be RR7 ( but dont quote me on that )

[Crossbar]

Also unexpected was a feature in "Genji" to install the game, committing 4GB of data from the game's Blu-Ray disc to the PS3's hard drive — a three-minute one-time-only procedure available from the game's start menu that a Sony rep said cuts down in-game load times from about 15 seconds to four seconds. That's something Sony can offer, given that both versions of its console include a hard drive — 20GB and 60GB, respectively. "Genji" also happens to be done. The game is ready to be manufactured, one of the PS3's first finished works.

:clapping:

Now all i want confirmed is custom soundtrax in games.

I thought this deserved it's own thread.

Please, always add link!

[curryking1]

I hope that whatever is installed doesn't take up too much of the HDD. As long as it doesn't get in the way of me storing save files, pictures, trailers and whatever else I need to the extent it is frustrating. Anything getting beyond 5 gigs with a few games would be kind of shotty.

[SevenDesigns]

Some have mensioned another game, i beleive it to be RR7 ( but dont quote me on that )

Mobile Suit Gundam

The feature is optional.

http://f.hatena.ne.jp/images/fotolife/w/wapa/20061021/20061021152036.jpg

[woundingchaney]

Im wondering why caching wasnt used instead of an install???

[SevenDesigns]

Please, always add link!



PS3's Genji uses HDD to quarter load times

Posted Oct 21st 2006 2:00AM by Christopher Grant
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2006/10/hard_drive_ps3_genji.jpg

Before jumping into Genji to deal some massive damage to historically accurate giant crabs (nyuk nyuk) during Sony's Gamer's Day event on Thursday, MTV News' Stephen Totilo noticed a curious menu option:

INSTALL

What's this all about? Totilo writes, "Also unexpected was a feature in Genji to install the game, committing 4GB of data from the game's Blu-ray disc to the PS3's hard drive -- a three-minute one-time-only procedure available from the game's start menu that a Sony rep said cuts down in-game load times from about 15 seconds to four seconds."

So, regardless of the debate about the relative read speeds of 2x Blu-ray drives and 12x DVD drives, we can all recognize the obvious benefits of having a hard drive included by default. Why Genji appears to be the only title sporting this option is another question. Did excessive load times in the PS3's first finished title necessitate extraordinary measures, or will most games offer this time-saving option, à la PC games.

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/21/ps3s-genji-uses-hdd-to-quarter-load-times/

[Metal Sphere]

Im wondering why caching wasnt used instead of an install???

This is HDD caching, just on a massive scale. Notice how the loadtimes are much improved. Of course, you won't do this for every game and some won't even allow you to do it since they already load fast.

So much for BR making loadtimes slower than 12x DVD.

Edit: SevenDesigns, is that the paper for Genji or Gundam?

[Nameless]

I like the idea of the option, and this should be useful with titles that have longer load times. Personally I think 15 seconds is the limit and anything that takes longer tends to seem long... If you don't believe me count to 15 slowly or use a watch and if you are watching the clock you realize 15 seconds can take some time to pass... Don't get me wrong I'm not bitching about 15 seconds; I'm just saying that games should not exceed that amount of time.

The option of the HDD load is great for gamers and makes sense with the large amount of data courtesy of Blu-ray. Also, some MS fanboys have been making comments about the fast load times for the 360 and many games do sport a 5 to 10 second load time, but some are significantly longer, one example would be Splinter Cell Double Agent. SCDA has multiple load times before you actually start gameplay and it's over 60 seconds if you add it all up and that's unacceptable IMO.

PS: SCDA is a great title, the best one in the series IMO. (Must buy for stealth game enthusiast!) Peace

[Metal Sphere]

I like the idea of the option, and this should be useful with titles that have longer load times. Personally I think 15 seconds is the limit and anything that takes longer tends to seem long... If you don't believe me count to 15 slowly or use a watch and if you are watching the clock you realize 15 seconds can take some time to pass... Don't get me wrong I'm not bitching about 15 seconds; I'm just saying that games should not exceed that amount of time.

QTF. Anything longer than about a quarter minute distorts their perception of how much time has actually elapsed. It's like sitting in a classroom waiting for the class to end and you keep running how long until it ends, only to have it feel like the time's been stretched out.


The option of the HDD load is great for gamers and makes sense with the large amount of data courtesy of Blu-ray. Also, some MS fanboys have been making comments about the fast load times for the 360 and many games do sport a 5 to 10 second load time, but some are significantly longer, one example would be Splinter Cell Double Agent. SCDA has multiple load times before you actually start gameplay and it's over 60 seconds if you add it all up and that's unacceptable IMO.

PS: SCDA is a great title, the best one in the series IMO. (Must buy for stealth game enthusiast!) Peace

Exactly, one could say it's comparable to the pricing models for NA and Japan. Japan's got a massive price range for titles, while we've got 2 levels. Sometimes they get things cheaper, but most of the time, they're either exceeding ours or meeting them.

[Z]

Im wondering why caching wasnt used instead of an install???
I was wondering that as well. perhaps this is another method of doing this. I expext caching will be more prominant though.

anyway, having more options is always good.

[Metal Sphere]

I was wondering that as well. perhaps this is another method of doing this. I expext caching will be more prominant though.

anyway, having more options is always good.

Actually, guys, this is caching. It's just doing so with a sizable chunk of the game. So much so that it quarters load times.

Definitely makes that 160GB HDD I saw look good.

[woundingchaney]

Actually, guys, this is caching. It's just doing so with a sizable chunk of the game. So much so that it quarters load times.

Definitely makes that 160GB HDD I saw look good.

Right but it is installing, what I was wondering is why wouldnt it be possible to do this without installation of the large amount of data.

Im sure it is to some degree but with this being prevalent in a few titles one would think that there is an alternative that wouldnt require so much space usage.

It may be that this method is easier to implement in the later stages of the game design.

[Metal Sphere]

Right but it is installing, what I was wondering is why wouldnt it be possible to do this without installation of the large amount of data.

Im sure it is to some degree but with this being prevalent in a few titles one would think that there is an alternative that wouldnt require so much space usage.

It may be that this method is easier to implement in the later stages of the game design.

Because, quite frankly, these consoles cannot handle caching 4GB worth of data on the fly. So, it asks you beforehand to chuck what it needs onto the drive, and then it caches off of that plus whatever the drive and console can handle.

I doubt this'll be implimented later on, unless PS3s later on have 6x BR drives or faster.

[Domination]

Also unexpected was a feature in "Genji" to install the game, committing 4GB of data from the game's Blu-Ray disc to the PS3's hard drive — a three-minute one-time-only procedure available from the game's start menu that a Sony rep said cuts down in-game load times from about 15 seconds to four seconds. That's something Sony can offer, given that both versions of its console include a hard drive — 20GB and 60GB, respectively. "Genji" also happens to be done. The game is ready to be manufactured, one of the PS3's first finished works.

:clapping:

Now all i want confirmed is custom soundtrax in games.

I thought this deserved it's own thread.

I guess this throws a wrench at read speed debate, not that I didn't already expect the HDD to do this for game, but to use it this way is a bonus. :)

[section]

Well 15 seconds wouldn't surely make me cringe, we loaded 40 minutes for C64 games from tape only to notice the f*cker wouldn't still work in the end :)

But all the seconds they allow us to shave off the loading times are only a big plus.

[SevenDesigns]

This is HDD caching, just on a massive scale. Notice how the loadtimes are much improved. Of course, you won't do this for every game and some won't even allow you to do it since they already load fast.

So much for BR making loadtimes slower than 12x DVD.

Edit: SevenDesigns, is that the paper for Genji or Gundam?


The paper was for Gundam.

[Metal Sphere]

The paper was for Gundam.

Thank you for the clarification.

[lips]

uses as much disk space as a full dvd. blu-ray gen here we come!

[Steemo]

It just keeps getting better.. I have a quick question though.. I have a 160 gig external Seagate hdd.. Do you guys think I would be able to hook it up to take advantage of this?

[Metal Sphere]

It just keeps getting better.. I have a quick question though.. I have a 160 gig external Seagate hdd.. Do you guys think I would be able to hook it up to take advantage of this?

This is only for the internal drive. I'm currently looking at a 160GB HDD. Perfect for this machine.