The PS Vita Thread - Remote Play for all PS4 Games

[Drum]

Also, touchscreen would be pretty useful for inventory management (and Vita has a touchscreen anyway). Odd argument.

I was trying to say "separate screen." I guess that's where they put the map in P3rdG, but I never felt the tiny one in the corner of the screen on PSP was inconvenient at all.

Vita is clearly not the successor to PSP because it has no Monster Hunter.

As crucial as MH was to the PSP's success in Japan, it's ridiculous to base an entire system's lineage on one game series.

I was just using your own argument against you, I don't 100% agree with it.

[Jonathan Ingram]

Monster Hunter would absolutely run and play better on a Vita ..................... but the Vita is not a viable platform. It's stillborn. Without Monster Hunter that is. otoh, Monster Hunter will do well wherever it goes.

Is the Wii U a viable platform then? Because it`s getting a Monster Hunter game day 1.
If a niche game like Persona 4 can do 200k on Vita and increase the hardware sales tenfold, there`s no reason to assume Monster Hunter on Vita wouldn`t be a million seller.

Further, it's ahistorical - Monster Hunter only exploded in popularity in gimped form on the PSP. Worse graphics, control, no online etc.

I wouldn`t say the controls were that much worse. MH, MH G and MH2 DOS for the PS2 had you control the camera with the d-pad just like the PSP games. The second analog stick was wasted on attack inputs.

I expect they're going to be making longer term investments - buying smaller developers etc. I mean, they'll use their money to market 3rd party games and stuff (Nintendo marketed Tri in the west - if that counts as a moneyhat, but that's not what I mean by it). They're looking to build relationships - you don't do that just by handing out money. Iwata's smarter than that.

Publishing deals, co-marketing and help with development all require money. They are not literal moneyhats, but they go a long way towards securing software exclusively for your system.

[Skykid]

You also don't have to annoyingly glance between two screens all the time.

Why would having two screens be an annoyance? I don't play 3DS games glancing at the bottom screen unless there's something necessary to look at. If anything it's a useful feature that avoids having to pause the game to dip into inventories.

[Drum]

Monster Hunter would absolutely run and play better on a Vita ..................... but the Vita is not a viable platform. It's stillborn. Without Monster Hunter that is. otoh, Monster Hunter will do well wherever it goes.

Is the Wii U a viable platform then? Because it`s getting a Monster Hunter game day 1.
If a niche game like Persona 4 can do 200k on Vita and increase the hardware sales tenfold, there`s no reason to assume Monster Hunter on Vita wouldn`t be a million seller.

Further, it's ahistorical - Monster Hunter only exploded in popularity in gimped form on the PSP. Worse graphics, control, no online etc.

I wouldn`t say the controls were that much worse. MH, MH G and MH2 DOS for the PS2 had you control the camera with the d-pad just like the PSP games. The second analog stick was wasted on attack inputs.

I expect they're going to be making longer term investments - buying smaller developers etc. I mean, they'll use their money to market 3rd party games and stuff (Nintendo marketed Tri in the west - if that counts as a moneyhat, but that's not what I mean by it). They're looking to build relationships - you don't do that just by handing out money. Iwata's smarter than that.

Publishing deals, co-marketing and help with development all require money. They are not literal moneyhats, but they go a long way towards securing software exclusively for your system.

MH would do very well on Vita, but that would just get people to buy it on Vita rather than 3DS, and Vita is a mess of a platform which would ultimately put a lower cap on sales with higher dev costs. They made a decision. It might not even have been the right one for them in the long run. But it seems pretty logical now and when the decisuion was made. It might get reversed down the line. I can totally see it happening next year if 4 disappoints.
Also, of course WiiU is going to be a viable platform. What a strange comment. It probably won't do as well as Wii, but it was always going to do better than Vita. The MH game is just a port too.

[Jonathan Ingram]

A potential MH on Vita wouldn`t necessarily mean higher dev costs. Vita is supposedly one of the easiest platforms to develop for, not to mention that Capcom clearly isn`t shy about not utilizing full hardware power when making games. An MH for Vita likely would look like an uprezzed Wii or 3DS game. Monster Hunter 3G U for the Wii U is that way. So are Sengoku Basara 3 and EX Troopers for the PS3.

Anyways, it turns out SCEJ does have a whole one game in development for the Vita(or at least that`s how many they`ve announced so far). It`s a sequel to the classic PSX RPG called Ore no Shikabane wo Koete Yuke(Over My Dead Body). The original never left Japan and neither did its remake for the PSP. Here`s hoping the sequel will. The screens and art look quite good.

Also, Phantasy Star Online 2 Vita gameplay vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dijhqHtKVZI

[Drum]

[BIL]

When sea monsters discover the feathered look?

[Danza]

I wish I could get excited for the Vita, I'd like to have one because I own pretty much every console since the SNES/Genesis era but I don't know.

The total absence of Capcom, Konami, ATLUS and Square Enix doesn't bode well for the longevity of the system. Especially considering the big announcements were PSP multiplats and a 4 year old Wii port. The outlook just seems grim to me. I'm sure those games will be decent enough (I know Muramasa is because I played it a lot already), but they are only exciting to people who own the platform. If someone willing to buy a handheld saw God Eater 2 with PSP crossplay compared to Monster Hunter 3G crossplay with the Wii U.. Yeah.

I hope the Vita stops bombing and gets decent support, but for me the 3DS has far more appealing games coming. If the localization situation picks up it will be a killer. For RPGS like Etrian Odyssey, I think the second screen was invaluable as a map. I'm just so sick of Persona 3/4. I enjoyed them when I played them, but fucking hell Atlus. I'm not a fanboy of any kind, if P4G was coming to 3DS I would still be pissed off about lack of EO 4 and Soul Hackers, considering I haven't played either of them years ago. Oh well.

[BulletMagnet]

^^Looks like a lost Bayonetta boss. Dentiel, Angel of Oww I Shouldn't Have Bitten Into That Cliffside, maybe.

[Friendly]

I really hope things improve for Vita. At least it has been outselling PSP everywhere for a while now, I guess that's a good sign. Of course weekly sales are still very low. Looks like Vita's total sales will reach ~4 Million units by the end of the year. I wonder which install base is required to make third party developers interested...

[Op Intensify]

The total absence of Capcom, Konami, ATLUS and Square Enix

Capcom: UMvC3, SFxT
Konami: MGS & ZOE HD Collections
Atlus: Persona 4 Golden, rumored SMT main series game
Square-Enix: Army Corps of Hell

Almost entirely ports, but still. Would not be surprised if SMT IV got a Vita port.

[Op Intensify]

Also, DJ MAX Technica Tune just got announced for the US. Not one of my favorite rhythm games, but some people have really gotten into it, and this Vita version will have new elements like notes that require use of the back panel. They're making an initial release of the $100 limited edition, which will be extremely scarce (750 copies), before the standard becomes available. You might remember that DJ MAX Portable 3 had a similar ultra-limited edition here.

If you want the LE, preorders open on 9/24, on Pentavision's site only.

[Drum]

I really like that style of monster. It's the closest modern equivalent to the sort of stuff Data East was doing with games like Karnov and Chelnov. Or Psygnosis' stuff on the Amiga. Between Bayonetta, the Souls games and this Japan still knows how to make a rad-looking monster. Lemme know if you can think of a game I might not have heard of with a similar style! Actually, that might be worth a new thread ...

Would not be surprised if SMT IV got a Vita port.

I would be astonished if SMTIV got a Vita port.

[Op Intensify]

I wouldn't be so certain. Senran Kagura is getting a Vita port, after being 3DS-exclusive for so long.

Of course, the Vita is in dire need of some original, exclusive games of its own. Most consumers don't have any interest in console hand-me-downs. There's no doubt it'll be a shit game, but hopefully CoD Black Ops: Declassified will give the system's Western sales numbers a kick in the pants.

[Drum]

That is too silly to argue with, so you win I guess.
With all the MH variants being pushed into early next year for what looks like a relaunch, I'm guessing there is going to be a price drop around the same time. They'll probably do an after-xmas bundle with AC/CoD in the west too. I wonder what they'll drop it to. $199?

[mesh control]

GODDAMMIT
EDF Vita

[Skykid]

GODDAMMIT
EDF Vita

Love the way the guy is just shaking the gun at 1:30.

[AweOfShe]

Also, DJ MAX Technica Tune just got announced for the US. Not one of my favorite rhythm games, but some people have really gotten into it, and this Vita version will have new elements like notes that require use of the back panel. They're making an initial release of the $100 limited edition, which will be extremely scarce (750 copies), before the standard becomes available. You might remember that DJ MAX Portable 3 had a similar ultra-limited edition here.

If you want the LE, preorders open on 9/24, on Pentavision's site only.

I managed to preorder the LE. Definitely hyped for it. I'm going to grab myself a Vita at the end of the week, since my copy of Ys Celceta no Jukai is shipping my way. Gives me a weekend to play Gravity Rush as well.

[Op Intensify]

New Little King's Story is out in the US (download-only) in two days. I know some people were really in love with the original Wii game, so it should be of interest to someone. The games are essentially Pikmin crossed with a town building sim.

[Marc]

My Vita is proving a fantastic PS1/PSP emulator. So, is Monster Hunter any good? I feel as though I should play it, but given the three months I just dedicated to Dark Souls I'm kind of wary.

[Op Intensify]

Monster Hunter is the kind of game that's awesome with multiplayer friends but tiresome and unbalanced without.

[Jonathan Ingram]

So, is Monster Hunter any good?

Of course it`s good. There wouldn`t be so many people raving about it if it wasn`t.

MH is an action game in which you hunt big-ass, tough-as-hell monsters for their loot. You can`t level up your character, but you can use the loot to forge new weapons and armor or to upgrade your current ones. There is a central hub area where you can stock up on items, sell your loot, buy/forge new equipment and receive quests. Hunting arenas are divided into several areas with numerous farming, mining and fishing spots spread out across them(you`ll be visiting these a lot initially to procure items needed for creating equipment and various stat boosting potions).

The learning curve is very steep. I`m talking 10-20 hours before you can feel more or less comfortable with the mechanics. Difficulty-wise, Monster Hunter games are among the hardest to have come out in the past decade(starting with MHTri and MHP3rd they became a little bit easier, but MH1-2 and MHFU are hardcore to the max).

Many monsters take a lot of time to kill. There`s a time limit of 50 minutes for every quest, but if you`ve chosen the wrong weapon for the quest or simply suck too much, you may fail to get the job done in time. Running out of time is not going to be number one of your worries though, getting killed is. Monsters hit really hard and all have a rage mode during which they move faster and deal 2-3 times as much damage. One wrong move on your part and you`ll be done for in a matter of seconds. You can die three times during a quest. Every time you die, you`re brought back to the hunting location`s camp area, part of the money reward for the quest is subtracted and any effects you might have had on your character from stat boosting food and potions are nullified. When you die three times, you fail the quest.

There`s also the stamina bar to worry about. Running, hitting, rolling and blocking quickly depletes your stamina. It also decreases naturally with time and you have to eat rations and meat to refill it.

Having an epic armor won`t help you if you don`t know how to play. This is an action game, not an RPG. In many cases getting better armor simply means that you`ll be able to withstand more than one hit from the monster. Even having the best possible armor won`t prevent you from getting one-hit killed by some of the monsters(namely G-rank Black/Red/White Fatalis and rage-mode G-rank Diablos). The skills you have equipped on your armor usually matter much more than the defense stat as they can add more invisibility frames to your rolls, make you immune to poison, raise attack, stop your stamina from decreasing etc.

The game has several weapon classes all of which play drastically different from each other. My personal favorites are greatsword and gunlance(and switch-axe in MHTri). All weapons have a sharpness level unique to them. The sharper the weapon is, the more damage it`s going to do. Either way, they all get dull during a fight and you have to sharpen them from time to time with whetstones. Some weapon classes(like dual swords) get dull quicker than the others.

There`s also a variety of useful tools to help you on your quests such as paint balls(monsters always move between the hunting location`s areas, some flee the fight when they are weakened; keeping them painted will make their location visible on the map and save you a lot of time) flash bombs(to blind them) and traps. It`s also possible to temporarily poison and paralyze monsters or even put them to sleep if you have a weapon with a respective element. Many can be captured alive with a trap and special bombs when they are brought down to about 1/4 of their HP.

Oh, and you can`t see a monster`s HP bar in this game. You have to guess how much HP they have left based on their behaviour. Some start limping when weakened, others flee the fight or get enraged more often.

Anyway, if you decide to give MHFU a try, know this - the steep learning curve, the difficulty level and some boring tutorial quests may put you off at first, but should you bear with the initial hurdles and stick with the game, you`ll get an experience like no other. Just be be prepared to spend an unhealthy amount of time on it.

Monster Hunter is the kind of game that's awesome with multiplayer friends but tiresome and unbalanced without.

How is it tiresome and unbalanced? All of the quests are solo-able with some practice, even the online G-rank ones. Like, I used to get one-hit killed by G-rank Golden Rajang a lot, always used up all of my potions and sometimes even ran out of time, but now I can kill the thing naked in record time without taking any damage. I spent a lot of time on MP, but now I usually prefer to play alone.

@Marc
MHFU only has ad-hoc multiplayer by default, but it`s possible to play it online now that you have a PS3. To do that you need a wired internet connection and an app called Ad-Hoc Party which you can download from Playstation Store. Sony`s Japanese division developed it specifically for PSP Monster Hunter games since Capcom was too cheap to provide online infrastructure for the game. People also use it to play other PSP games online(especially Peace Walker, Gods Eater Burst, Dissidia and Patapon), but Monster Hunter is by far the most popular one. From my experience there`s never any shortage of rooms with people playing MHFU.

[Jonathan Ingram]

As of the recent CFW release it`s now become possible to run PSP backups on Vita(all thanks to Total_Noob for discovering a kernel exploit). That`s the good news. The bad news is that the firmware can only be launched through a save exploit in Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, Urbanix and Mad Blocker Alfa which have since been removed from PSN, patched and uploaded back. In other words, unless you had bought any of these games before they were patched, there`s no way for you to run the CFW now. Also, MHFU save exploit will only work if you haven`t updated your firmware to 1.81. Even worse, the kernel exploit is not game specific and there`s a good chance that it will be patched in the next firmware update.

I somewhat lucked out in this situation: I`ve had MHFU since the day I bought a Vita and I haven`t updated my firmware to 1.81. So, I decide to give this thing a try.

First things first, to avoid any misunderstanding, this is NOT a Vita native CFW. Vita itself still hasn`t been hacked. This is an exploit for Vita`s PSP emulator that allows to run most of the homebrew that could be run on a hacked PSP as well as backups of PSP games. The best thing about it is that all of the Vita`s PSP emulator`s functions available for PSP games purchased from PSN remain intact in this custom firmware.

Getting the exploit to work is nowhere near as easy as using CFW on PSP. Sony made it so that Vita`s file system isn`t recognized by other devices and the use of Sony`s official Content Manager is required to transfer anything from PC and Mac to Vita. And the CMA is a notoriously buggy piece of software that just outright refuses to work on some PCs. But other than that, the process is not very hard: you copy the hacked save file to one of CMA`s folders, connect Vita to your PC/Mac, upload the save file to Vita, then launch the exploit from within the game using the hacked save file.

I took a few quick shots:

CFW running on Vita


Brandish: The Dark Revenant


Kurohyou 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Ashura Hen(Yakuza Black Panther 2)


Princess Crown


Monster Hunter Portable 3rd(English patched)



I tried a few dozen games so far. All seem to work without a hitch. Guess I`m finally retiring my PSP. No need to keep it around anymore. And no way I`m going back to official firmware now.

[mesh control]

Can you use the Vita's screenshot function with PSP games?

[CMoon]

GODDAMMIT
EDF Vita

Love the way the guy is just shaking the gun at 1:30.

Not planning on buying a vita, but this is clearly one of the best video game commercials of all time.

[Jonathan Ingram]

Looks like a new exploit might be coming soon:
http://wololo.net/2012/10/18/so-you-mis ... g-for-you/

Anyone interested in playing PSP backups on their Vita better not miss out on this one. Chances are it`s gonna be the last release before the kernel exploit is patched in the next firmware update.

Can you use the Vita's screenshot function with PSP games?

You can`t.

[Marc]

Looks like a new exploit might be coming soon:
http://wololo.net/2012/10/18/so-you-mis ... g-for-you/

Anyone interested in playing PSP backups on their Vita better not miss out on this one. Chances are it`s gonna be the last release before the kernel exploit is patched in the next firmware update.

Can you use the Vita's screenshot function with PSP games?

You can`t.

Sadly, this is still the Vita's best selling point - it's a much nicer PSP. It's a fucking Dodo. I thought stories of Sony's incompetence were exaggerated, until I got my hands on the Vita, saw what a stunning piece of kit it was, and realized that Sony have not just fucked it up, but actually seem to forget they even released it at times.

[Skykid]

Sadly, this is still the Vita's best selling point - it's a much nicer PSP. It's a fucking Dodo. I thought stories of Sony's incompetence were exaggerated, until I got my hands on the Vita, saw what a stunning piece of kit it was, and realized that Sony have not just fucked it up, but actually seem to forget they even released it at times.

Not entirely, I see Vita ads on TV regularly at the moment, and I don't really watch much TV. You're right about the dodo part though. You're in the UK I believe? FYI CEX are offering £142 exchange on boxed 3G Vitas - that's leaves only £30 more for a 3DS XL in the same condition. I assume that gap will carry on widening, but if you do go for it now, Mario 3D Land is a highly recommended starting point.

[Drum]

Sadly, this is still the Vita's best selling point - it's a much nicer PSP. It's a fucking Dodo. I thought stories of Sony's incompetence were exaggerated, until I got my hands on the Vita, saw what a stunning piece of kit it was, and realized that Sony have not just fucked it up, but actually seem to forget they even released it at times.

Not entirely, I see Vita ads on TV regularly at the moment, and I don't really watch much TV. You're right about the dodo part though. You're in the UK I believe? FYI CEX are offering £142 exchange on boxed 3G Vitas - that's leaves only £30 more for a 3DS XL in the same condition. I assume that gap will carry on widening, but if you do go for it now, Mario 3D Land is a highly recommended starting point.

r u srs?

[Skykid]

r u srs?

Absolutely.