PSPgo "Goodwill Program" revealed in Europe

Ok, we're finally getting the first glimpse of the often-promised Sony "goodwill program" for people with current (UMD drive) PSPs upgrading to a PSPgo:

From the EU PlayStation forum (posted by username Yaster):

The PSPgo rewards scheme will allow you to kick start your Go collection with a couple of free games for those who currently own an older PSP.

What you'll be able to do is download 3 games from a selection of 17, these can either be games from your current UMD collection or 3 new titles. The full list is as follows:

• Killzone Liberation
• Medievil
• Wipeout Pure
• Buzz Brain Bender
• Buzz Master Quiz
• SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo
• Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
• Everybody's Golf
• Resistance: Retribution
• Syphon Filter Dark Mirror
• Lemmings
• LocoRoco
• Patapon
• Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow
• Echochrome
• Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice
• Daxter

The process of obtaining these titles is as follows

1. Unwrap your shiny new PSPgo and start it up

2. Connect to PlayStation®Network and activate your new or existing PlayStation Network account for PSPgo Rewards

3. Start up your current PSP and connect to PlayStation Network

4. Login using the same PlayStation Network account , and launch PlayStation®Store

5. Pop one of your UMDs into the drive of your current PSP and register on PSPgo Rewards when prompted

6. Download a PSPgo theme

7. Wait for your email voucher for your three free games

8. Choose, download and enjoy!

This is going to begin on 1 October 2009 and will run until 31 March 2010.

Hmmmm. This is almost exactly what I thought Sony's "Goodwill program" was going to be, only I thought it might be 4 games. 3 or 4... close enough.

It also combines the theory that having a UMD in a PSP while connected to the PSN is noticible by the PSN.... so it raises the question, can Sony tell any UMD game that is in the drive & running while connected to the PS Network? if so, then they *could* make EVERY PSP game available as a free download that you own, as long as they have it in digital form. So, in theory, PSP owners with a previous UMD game collection should be able to acquire digital versions of all/most their games. BUT.... that's IN THEORY.

Let's face REALITY. Sony's *not* going to make that happen. It's possible, but I'd fall over if it actually happened. The reality is that when the "Goodwill program" (notice how I keep using "" for that term) comes to North America, it will likely be similar/same as the Europe one, only a different list of available games.

So, is getting 3 "free" download games enough incentive for being an early adopter of the PSPgo? There's a lot of skepticism-- to put it mildly.... but I suppose 3 free games is better than none.

Just have to wait til October 1, 2009 before we know for sure what our "Goodwill program" will be.

UPDATE: Just saw this article at IGN that states Sony has no plans for a North America rewards program.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

later
don

PSPgo headphone remote?

I've groused about the lack of a headphone remote for the PSPgo... it's just very convenient to have basic music controls at your fingertips while the PSP remains tucked away in a pocket (or wherever) Despite the larger size of the PSP, sometimes the headphone remote convenience of having it clipped to my pocket makes it superior to a smaller mp3 player that I have to take the entire thing out of my pocket just to change the volume or pause it.

There's a gallery posted of some new PSPgo accessories, and the one taking the most flak is the "PSPgo accessories converter" because it looks goofy.



It looks like it's basically a standard mini-USB port for any PSP accessory that uses that, like the PSP camera or GPS.



That's great, it's awkward looking, suX0rs, etc. blah blah blah.... the rest of the internet can go on about it.

What got MISSED in that news is this thing:





It looks like a PSPgo remote, but with no cable leading back to the PSPgo, it makes me think it's Bluetooth???? If so, that's pretty cool. While the thought of having headphone wires leading to a Bluetooth dongle kinda defeats the idea of Bluetooth, it's still a good idea. You can use whatever headphone/earbuds you want, which you can't if you're buying specific Bluetooth headphones. Hopefully the remote has a clip so it's more like an iPod Shuffle or Sansa Clip, but with the PSPgo safely tucked away.

At this point I don't know if it is Bluetooth for sure, but it would be awesome if it is.


later
don

Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron WebDoc #1

Finally some more info about Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron!

This developers vid starts off slow, with Star Wars Battlefront II footage. I hate it when they keep using that stuff since it's irrelevant to the PSP games. At least they credit the footage properly instead of misleading people into thinking that Xbox cutscene stuff is actual PSP footage.

But when it gets to the actual PSP game footage, I have to admit, I'm getting pretty excited! I love where the fighter is strafing an AT-AT from *waaaay* high above. The way ground & air is integrated in this game, it makes the battlefront look huge.




There's a comment that has me really curious:

"you're gonna be able to play on a single PSP with another player"

I'm not sure if this means gamesharing-- as in one copy of the UMD game can be played on 2 (or more) PSPs... or if this is some sort of "players take turns & pass the PSP back & forth" kind of thing??? Weird.

Only in the final minute do they get into the DS version of Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron. And it does look a bit.... stripped down.... still, I'm hopeful that it could be good. Unless it gets plain awful reviews, I'm still thinking I will pick up both PSP & DS versions at launch, the first time I've ever done that with a game.

And last but not least.... a release date!

11-3-09


Sa-wheeet.


later
don

Pink Floyd Guitar Hero/Rockband???

From this BBC article: [parentheses content added by me]

[Pink Floyd drummer Nick] Mason said that Pink Floyd has not ruled out working on a Rock Band or Guitar Hero-style game in the future.

"I think we'd consider it," he told the BBC. "I think everyone's looking at new ways of selling the music because the business of selling records has almost disappeared.

"I'm of the old guard who are really sad about that, because I always liked the concept of the album - rather than just cherry-picking tracks - and also the business of the art work that went with it."

I was JUST talking about this very idea the other day. Pink Floyd is my all-time favourite band.

But I don't really want to play a "Pink Floyd Rockband".

I've learned to play the actual songs on an ACTUAL guitar, and what thrills me is to play the music. I'm sure that it'd be kinda fun to play a Rockband/Guitar Hero version of them, maybe. I don't mind playing those games, though I don't love them.

But actually playing Gilmour's wailing guitar solos-- better yet, getting to improvise a bit within them-- now that's a thrill that no guitar controller can emulate, no matter how many buttons they add.

I'm not saying I'm anywhere near as good a guitarist as David Gilmour. It's not like I wrote/created the music, but my mistakes & idiosyncrasies in trying to play their music makes it a little bit "mine". How can people be content with just pressing buttons in time to music as opposed to actually PLAYING that music? Or at least trying.

I will concede that learning to play an instrument is much harder than just picking up a an instrument-shaped controller & having some fun for a few hours. Fair enough. If I really wanted to play a trumpet, I'd have to find a "Trumpet Hero" game since I have no experience with the actual instrument.

Whether I want it or not, it'll probably happen eventually. One thing Pink Floyd is not about is turning down money on the table. These games rake in so much $$$ that it's practically inevitable.

later
don

MP3Insider

A podcast I've been into for the last few weeks... CNET'S mp3insider.

It's a pretty good blog & podcast site. What I like is there's an audio version of the podcast, but there's also a nice video version, which is the same but we can see the people talking. It's in m4v format, but it's PSP-friendly. I've been downloading them like crazy & watching them on my PSP when I can.


I was really hoping that the next iPod Touch was going to have a camera, and other new features, but of course it turned out to disappoint. But mp3insider is filling at least some of my ravenous need for mp3 player information.


later
don

PSP lasts

On my PSP, last:

game played: Wipeout Pulse - It's alright. I'm not thrilled with the lack of variety in maps, and the lack of races. Too many time trials. The most annoying thing about the game is the placement of the speed/power up pads. They're placed so you just miss them unless you put some Herculean-level effort into it. It really kills a lot of the fun of the game.

video watched: Fanboys. Fun movie, though not ground-breaking. If you love Star Wars, you'll like it more. Oh, I started watching last week's episode of The Tudors (taped from TV) this morning too.

song listened to: DJ Champion - Alive Again. I should hate this song, but for some reason I can't get enough of it--nor can I get it out of my head.... I hate that DJ Champion Star song, but this one just grooves on me. I put it on my PSP last night & played it on repeat for like 15 times.

picture looked at: this one...



Since FHM only made a 2006 PSP calendar, I make my own PSP calendars. Handy.



later
don