PS3 - User Interface Demoed at TGS

PS3 News by Lyndon M STAFF 790 days ago

Following the somewhat lacklustre keynote address given by Sony Friday morning Phil Harisson, Sony Worldwise Studios head, gave a private showing to select media of what the PlayStation 3 user interface (what we´ll see when turning the thing on) looks like. After requesting no photos or video be taken (it´s still a work in progress) the demo got underway.

The look is similar to the PlayStation Portable´s main screen with the bar of section icons and expands on the idea originally used in the PSP. The background was a blue shade with a white swathe that pulsed. The first icon shown is a user profile area where people can create and store their own profiles.

Next was a system setting tab which allows for a lot of customizing of various features such as audio and video. Also of note was the Network Update subsection which, as with the PSP, will allow the firmware to be upgraded and allow for more functionality after the initial release.

Following this was a Photo section which will feature enhanced functionality thanks to the Cell and the graphics processor. He started by showing several pictures, mostly of cats, shown in 1080p resolution similar to how it would be done on the PSP. There are other methods of seeing them, however. He selected a slideshow option which laid out the photos on screen as if putting them spread out on a table. As he hovered the icon over the pictures dates were shown in a handwritten font. The ornate interactivity comes courtesy of the PS3´s RSX processor, which allows photos to be moved around like 3D objects.

Next up is the Music tab which features a 3D visualizer that uses the RSX graphics chips to create images that move in time to the music. Following this was a video section where one can cue up their Blu-Ray movies and stores video clips.

The Game section is to be the main area for game content. Players will be able to boot up their games here as well as manage game saves from PS3, PS2 and PSOne games as well as manage downloaded extras from their PlayStation Network Platform.

A new item on the bar is a Friends tab where you can see if anyone on your list is online. Messages can be sent through a predictive-text onscreen keyboard or one can simply plug in a USB board. Players can also use voice and video chat using microphones and cameras.

Last up was a web browser capable of having multiple windows. Harisson brought up several pages including the Tokyo Game Show´s home page and toggled between showing all the pages as thumbnails and bringing one up full screen.

The demo closed out with a look at NBA 07 which is not currently playable on the show floor. While far from complete Harisson noted it runs at 1080p as do other games on the floor such as Gran Turismo HD, Ridge Racer 7 and several other titles.

Discuss

Comments Who Voted Related Links

PS3 - User Interface Demoed at TGS

Comments

Who voted for this story

Related Links