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[sasimirobot]

My dad, who is in his mid 50s and about to retire from his job as an communication electronics engineer for the University of Florida, recently send me this email:

The Sony PSP has a game "Wipeout Pure" that contains a rudimentary Web
Browser.
It's there to access a single page, containing game updates. To gain
access to the wider Web:
1. On the PSP, go to Network Settings
2. Select Infrastructure Mode. Create a new connection and give it a
name.
3. Enter the name, or SSID, of the Wi-Fi hotspot and the password if
necessary.
4. Select the Custom address setting. You can usually leave IP
Address Setting to Auto.
5. For DNS Settings, select Manual. Enter the Primary DNS 67.171.70.72
This points to a computer set up by Jonathan Terleski, a student at
Carnegie Mellon.
It replaces the Sony page with a page that links to Google and other
useful (PSP) sites
( I used part of the HTML code from that web-page for use on my Sony
PDA.
From that modified page, now local on my PDA Memory-Stick, I can
enter a URL and go to it.
I also replaced his links with some of my own. Bruno)
6. Set it not to use a proxy.
7. Save the network settings. Make sure the Wi-Fi switch on the left
side of the PSP is on.
8. Fire up "Wipeout Pure." Go to the Downloads section and select
the connection you just created.
That should take you online.

The PSP has a Sony Memory-Stick slot. You can access the Memory-Stick in
the PSP via
a USB-A to mini-B cable. Connect the PSP to a computer with the cable.
Navigate to the USB Connection option under Settings to activate it.
A folder that displays the contents of your Memory-Stick should open on
your computer.

Here is how to watch movies on a PSP:
1. On your Windows PC, download and install 3GP Converter, a free
program, from http:www.nurs.or.jp/c-calcium/3gpp/
Click the link that says "3GP-Donverter031.zip" to download.
2. Run 3GP and switch it to English. Select the video format
"Customized: MP4, for PSP (Direct, renamed)."
3. Drag and drop video files to the 3GP window. They will be saved as
.MP4 files with odd file names on your hard drive. Don't rename them.
4. Connect the PSP to the computer via the USB cable. Navigate to the
USB Connection option under Settings to activate it.
5. Create a folder on the Memory-Stick called "MP(underscore)ROOT."
Under it, create another folder called "100MV01." Copy the .MP4
files there. You don't need the .THM (thumb-nail?) files created by the
3GM converter.
6. On the PSP, navigate to Video and Memory-Stick, where the movies
should show up.

Like I said, you can store local Web-pages on the Memory-Stick and
access them via a browser.
I was so happy when I figured that out!
I don't have my PDA with me at work, so I have to get back with you
about the directory tree "path".
It is something like "///file.something.something."
Understanding the Memory-Stick directory tree is the key to really using
a Sony PDA to it's full capabilities.
The PDA also stores any Webpage for off-line viewing, but in some wierd
format.
On my Sony Laptop, I can right-click a movie file and select "Convert
for PDA". The movie file will be converted and sent to the Memory-Stick
in the PDA.
It is sent to the Movies directory along with a thumbnail pic.

I might have to buy a PSP now although Sony's proprietary file formats are
a real pain.
Bruno


Not that any of this is groundbreaking news to this forum but its neat to see somebody as non-gamer as my dad have an interest in the PSP.

Anyways he doesnt really know anything about games and is just a super electronics geek, so what do you guys think he should pick up?

Ps. I told him to pick send me one while he was at it (I would never ask him to buy me one out of the blue so Im happy he is into it!)

 

[demi]

Well as non-gamer as he is, what do you feel he would like? He's had to have interest in something over the years, watching possibly you play a game now and then?


I would avoid Lumines honestly, I think he would just get a bit confused it. Perhaps racing and sports titles only apply? You know, just pick up and go.

 

[sasimirobot]

I dont know. I have never seen him play a game before. I havent played any PSP games yet so...

 

[demi]

Yeah, I'm trying to look at this from someone else's perspective, my uncle isn't a very active gamer, but he likes simple racing games (he has some poopy titles, he also has a son that plays these too), or action based ones (he liked max payne)...so maybe a racing/sports or action type game would be best?

 

[The Faceless Master]

Lumines

just tell him how to play and he's set...

 

[sasimirobot]

Yeah. I think Lumines is a good bet, he is far from an idiot so im sure he can figure it out. I think I will just tell him to pick up 2 copies of that and RR.

I cant exactly show him how to play since I live 1/2 way across the globe in Thailand, but if there is some way to set up online matches in the future that could be interesting...

 

[DIrtyWeasel]

I also think Lumines is a good choice. Puzzle games are usually good for non-gamers to start with.

 

[C- Warrior]

It has to be simple, easy and addictive. I know that defines all good games for anyone, but you know--basically the LAST THING you want to suggest to him are games like Devil May Cry 3 and Ninja Gaiden. You might as well just stab him in the throat.

MGS Ac!d isn't a good choice either, to me it seems more complicated than it needs to be.

Get him Ridge Racer.

It looks pretty.

It's arcade friendly.

And One button for gas, one button for brake.

Simple as that.

 

[8bit]

Your dad is a hacker.

 

[Bowser]

I got two words for ya:

SUC...Ahem, I mean RIDGE.RACER.

 

[sasimirobot]

my dad sent me this email today!--->

I got a PSP this weekend.
Didn't get it to play games, but I'll use it for that on the MD trip(s).
I had to buy one game, Wipeout-Pure.

That game has a link to a Sony game page via a web browser that is part of the game.
On the PSP, I set the Primary DNS number to that of a PSP web portal page.
Now instead of going to the Sony page it goes to the non-Sony portal page.
Last night I was web-surfing and even chatted on an IRC.

My Java retirement calculator page worked! Have not tried Flash yet.
The PSP can scan and list WiFi connections!
Some neighbor of mine has a wireless network.
I have made HTML portal pages for my PDA.

They have my favorite links and a text box and a "Go" button.
You can type a URL into the text box and click "Go".
On my PDA, I put a portal page on my memory stick.
That is better and quicker than having a portal page online.
Other people have portal pages online.

The Koreans have a PSP "game CD" that has a better browser and much more!
Every PSP hacker is searching for the "Holy Grail" (secret service menu).
Some of my lab equipment has service menus.

Service menus are usually accessed by holding down certain keys while booting.
I got one free movie, Batman. The 4 by 7 aspect ratio video is very impressive.
After 2 hours of playing and watching batman, the PSP had 5 hours of battery life left!
The PSP goes into the USB mode very easily. It didn't come with a mini USB cable, but I had one.

I put some of my pics on the memory-stick-duo (flash memory stick).
The PSP pic viewer is very cool.
Pics can be flipped and zoomed. The zoomed-in portion is displayed full screen. The whole pic is viewed in a little window
with the zoomed portion bordered by a frame. This frame can be moved around via the analog joy-stick.
I have a program that crops pics in any ratio including 4 x 7.

I downloaded a free program from Japan that lets me convert movies to the PSP MPG4 format.

I can "drag and drop" movies into the program and it will convert them and send them to the PSP's memory-stick.
Now I need a bigger, 512MB flash card.

The data from memory stick is not accessed as fast as data from the little CD.
This means that I have to convert DVD video files to MPEG files with slower frame rates and KB per sec. Bummer!

People are finding new ways to use the PSP, how about Voice over IP!
There is a problem when people call 911 via VOIP. The fire-truck may never arrive but the phone call was free.
I anyone has any ideas to try on the PSP, please let me know.
Bruno

 

[duckroll]

Man, your dad's pretty into this stuff, not surprising though since he's an electronics engineer. Still, it's pretty cool.

Here's how I feel about the PSP titles I own:

Ridge Racers: If he's into action-racing he might dig it, some of the tracks are really good but there's the problem where the game is really more suited for the teenager crowd or fans of Ridge Racer games to begin with. It's very much a precision and twitch racing game.

Lumines: A must have. It appeals to ALL ages and is really a pretty awesome experience. Naysayers be damned.

Twisted Metal Head On: It's a very straightforward vehicular combat deathmatch game but again the art and design is targeted at teenagers and/or fans of Twisted Metal to begin with. He might be interested in it for the online play aspect though, it's definitely someting interesting and new, plus the game doesn't suck like the other online playable PSP games which is a big plus.

Metal Gear Ac!d: Unless you know that your dad is actually into RPGs and strategy games I would say this is a big no. Tons of complex features are undocumented, the game is HARD and the story (like all Metal Gear plots) will likely seem very silly to grown adults that didn't grow up on the kinda storytelling we have come to expect from videogames. MGA is an excellent game, but not really friendly to non-experienced gamers at all.

Hope that helps.

 

[Lord Error]

Wow, your dad has basically done more with his PSP so far than I did with mine

Although he got some of the technical stuff wrong, it's impressive he picked up everything so quickly.

 

[Zaptruder]

Damn. Your dad sounds pretty cool. Wish I had a dad like that....

 

[human5892]

Dude, your Dad is AWESOME and should be a model for all older people everywhere. Many people at that age and older are intimidated by new technology, but he jumped right in with both feet.

 

[Minotauro]

I wish my dad's name was "Bruno."

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Cool.... but..... "Batman"?

 

[aoi tsuki]

Something tells me he might be more interested in the PSP's other functions. Let him fiddle around with browsing elements, and send him some other PSP hacking links.

Lumines and Hot Shots Golf are good choices. A lot of the other games require reflexes which might deter him from playing the, but given his retirement, he'd have the time to learn if he needed to.

 

[sasimirobot]

Cool.... but..... "Batman"?

Quote from the pops:
I got one free movie, Batman.

The last movie I ever heard my dad liking was "Aliens", this was back in the late 80s, so forgive him if he isnt a hipster.

 

[Neo_ZX]

Lumines and Ridge Racer are probably the most accessible games to your average player. I'd recommend those.

Do not get Darkstalkers. The control problems are real. I've been playing Street Fighter games for 15 years and I haven't seen a control issue this bad ever. Even on GBA.

 

[cvxfreak]

Lumines.