17 replies to this topic

[IMG News]

According to Macsimum News, Sony has applied to patent a new compiler capable of rendering Playstation games playable on both Intel and Motorola processors. Whether or not the patent indicates a chance for the new technology to benefit Mac users remains to be seen.

The big question that can’t be answered by this patent is perhaps the most important. That is, being that the system is described in such a manner that a PowerPC system will be able to run CD’s written for an Intel based system and vice versa, will their “dynamic compiler” be restricted to Sony based Systems? Meaning – is their new emulation scheme simply designed to allow Sony desktop and notebooks to run Playstation games and Intel productivity software to run on the PlayStation – or – will Sony be opening up their PlayStation games to be run on any PC systems such as Intel Macs?

Being that Apple joined the Blu-ray Disc Association board on March 10, 2005; you have to wonder if Apple and Sony could come to some sort of an agreement on video games that would benefit both parties. Back in March I posted a report which included a photo of Steve Jobs with a Sony Bravia HDTV being prominently displayed in one of his slides. Again in March, I posted another report that touched on Intel’s truly amazing Conroe gaming demo that reached speeds of 111 frames per second (fps). By combining Conroe with Sony’s advanced emulator and a top line Nvidia graphics card – Apple’s Intel Mac would be one stunning gaming platform in time for this Christmas. Sony on the other hand would like nothing more than to be able to penetrate the PC market with PlayStation games in order to strike back at Microsoft in their own back yard.

For the rest of the story, which includes a more detailed description of the compiler concept, follow the link below.

Return to Full Article - InsideMacGames News

[teflon]

so now therell be even less reason to buy a PS3? you might be able to just buy your intel mac and be done with it?

and of course, what with the GPU in the PS3 being surpassed before its even released, you might even get better frame rates.

I suppose its sensible, in a way, because its the game licensing that makes the console manufacturers the money, not the consoles. But once again, Sony seems to be killing the PS brand and diluting it...

[placy]

Maybe they're finally doing something with that Connectix Virtual Game Station technology that they
bought/shut down a while back...

[bobbob]

Someone should take a class on compilers before granting a compiler patent. Fig 3 is just a normal day at the office.

I'd just like one clarification. Which PlayStation version are we talking about? If you don't add the number, I'm guessing either PSX or every version, which are quite different.

[Ichigo27]

This means it's either  a compiler that's UB compatible or it's an official PlayStation 1 and 2 emulator.

[Smoke_Tetsu]

There are already quite a few PSX emulators out there that do a good job of emulating a PSX (and other systems like Nintendo 64) for the PC and use dynarec (dynamic recompiler) and a couple for Mac that doesn't have that part ported except for new versions being made for the intel macs. I'd love to be wrong but I don't think Sony is interested in making a commercial emulator for any of their Playstations for the PC\Mac. If anything they applied for the patent to try to squash the little guy (those people making emulators as a hobby) to keep their PS2\PSX emulation exclusive to the PS3. But unless it's some uber fantastic new kind of compilation that is not like dynarec and is a lot better I don't think they should be able to get the patent because you can point to emulators like ePSXe and PCSX, etc. and count them as prior art. One last thing and what I have noticed is most dynarec cores in the emu scene seem to be made and optimized for intel so if they made a good one for PPC and actually are going to benefit the mac with it that would be great but I'm not holding my breath.

[Ichigo27]

I doubt it that they are creating one instead of a complier though.

[Smoke_Tetsu]

I might also add that a lot of Playstation (1, 2, 3) games are already ported to the PC or about to be ported at a later date or in the works for a simultaneous release. Of course though that's not guarantee that those games would come to the Mac as it's kind of like for every 10 PC games coming out there is maybe 1 for the Mac.

But yeah.. again I doubt that Sony is making an emulator for the PC\Mac with any kind of technology. I think this is more about getting an emulator for the PS3 and trying to get ammo against hobbyists who make emulators for the PC\Mac. They use dynamic recompilers in those types of emulators Sony didn't invent that.

[Ichigo27]

Smoke_Tetsu, on August 1st 2006, 02:49 PM, said:

I might also add that a lot of Playstation (1, 2, 3) games are already ported to the PC or about to be ported at a later date or in the works for a simultaneous release.

Games created by a Third-party game developer.

[Smoke_Tetsu]

Ichigo27, on August 1st 2006, 01:52 PM, said:

Games created by a Third-party game developer.

That's besides the point.  <_< The point is for a lot of titles there's no need for emulation and also even bigger than that is Sony is probably not going to make a commercial emulator to play any Playstation game on the PC and especially not releasing it for the PC\Mac. It's just something I will have to see to believe if they are going to do that or not.

[kingarthur_kom]

I would like to play Gran Turismo on my Mac!  

[calroth]

placy, on August 2nd 2006, 03:42 AM, said:

Maybe they're finally doing something with that Connectix Virtual Game Station technology that they
bought/shut down a while back...

placy got this one right (implicitly).

When Sony bought out the rights to VGS, it wasn't to usher in a new revolution in emulation-based gaming. It was to put a halt to the technology, since they couldn't do it through legal means. Nobody heard from VGS again.

These patents are there so that Sony can legally crush anyone who tries more emulation of their machines. They're not going to do anything like this themselves.

[Smoke_Tetsu]

calroth, on August 1st 2006, 04:06 PM, said:

placy got this one right (implicitly).

When Sony bought out the rights to VGS, it wasn't to usher in a new revolution in emulation-based gaming. It was to put a halt to the technology, since they couldn't do it through legal means. Nobody heard from VGS again.

These patents are there so that Sony can legally crush anyone who tries more emulation of their machines. They're not going to do anything like this themselves.

That's what I said. Although I still think that they shouldn't be able to get the patent as there is plenty of "previous art" on this one.

[Ichigo27]

calroth, on August 1st 2006, 05:06 PM, said:

placy got this one right (implicitly).

When Sony bought out the rights to VGS, it wasn't to usher in a new revolution in emulation-based gaming. It was to put a halt to the technology, since they couldn't do it through legal means. Nobody heard from VGS again.

These patents are there so that Sony can legally crush anyone who tries more emulation of their machines. They're not going to do anything like this themselves.

Correct.

[Smoke_Tetsu]

Ichigo27, on August 1st 2006, 04:23 PM, said:

Correct.

*sigh* How does he get a correct and I don't? I said the same dam thing!

[Ichigo27]

Smoke_Tetsu, on August 1st 2006, 05:27 PM, said:

*sigh* How does he get a correct and I don't? I said the same dam thing!

Cut me some slack Tetsu, I forgot to quote you.

[Tesseract]

Why did they even bother to mention a figure of 111 fps without saying what the benchmark was? (Yes, I read the earlier article.) It's like saying you ran a performance test on a car and the result was "20 gallons".

[bobbob]

Or you claimed your new console would get "100 fps".