Sony PlayStation 3

The good: More affordable $299 price; slimmer, more compact design with quieter operation; all games in high-definition; easy-to-use interface; doubles as a Blu-ray and upscaling DVD player; built-in Wi-Fi; 120GB hard drive; HDMI output with 1080p support; no external power supply; built-in Web browser; free online gaming service.

The bad: Lacks backward support for PS2 games; no infrared port means non-Bluetooth universal remotes aren't compatible; online gaming, media, and commerce options still aren't as fully developed as Xbox Live, though they're getting better.

The bottom line: With a smaller design, more energy-efficient operation, lower price tag, and built-in Blu-ray and multimedia capabilities, the PS3 Slim delivers a compelling package for an affordable price.

Specifications: Product Description
Sony PlayStation 3 Slim

Back in 2004, four years after first launching the PlayStation 2, Sony brought out a new, much more compact PS2. Timed to come out just as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was hitting stores, the redesigned console helped breath new life into the PS2 franchise. It remains on store shelves today--you can pick one up for just $99.

Needless to say, Sony hopes that a trimmed down--and less expensive--PS3 Slim will similarly invigorate sales of the PlayStation 3, which has lagged behind the Nintendo Wii and the Microsoft Xbox 360 and has taken some of the luster off the PlayStation brand (even as earlier versions of the PS3 received high marks from this publication). To many industry observers, the Slim PS3 represents a moment of reckoning for the PS3--a chance at redemption if you will--and clearly some serious engineering has gone into the creation of Sony's latest black gaming box and media player.

If you're a fan of the PS3 or have been sitting on the fence, waiting for its price to drop to $299, the good news is that from a features standpoint, the 120GB Slim PS3 is nearly identical to the 80GB and the 160GB "fat" PS3 models that Sony's in the process of phasing out. Aside from losing the capability to install another OS (Linux) on your PS3, nothing much else has changed. You still get built-in Wi-Fi connectivity (the Xbox 360 Wi-Fi adapter is a $100 add-on accessory), two USB ports for plugging in external storage devices and charging the PS3's Bluetooth wireless controller (one DualShock 3 controller comes with the Slim), and the same built-in Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player with BD-Live capabilities.

Like its predecessor, the Slim also supports playback of MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4/h.264 video files from USB or disc-based media, as well as JPEG image viewing (the slideshow functionality is quite impressive). Like the Xbox 360, the PS3 can act as a digital media hub, with the ability to stream content from any DLNA-compatible network device, including PCs and network attached hard drives. And you also get a built-in Web browser (optional Bluetooth keyboards are available), which is serviceable, though not as good as any of the major browsers available for PCs.

Around back, you'll find an Ethernet jack, an HDMI output (no cable included), an optical digital audio output (SPDIF), and the proprietary PlayStation AV output for analog audio and video. A composite AV cable ships with the unit, and because it uses the same connector as the PlayStation 2, that system's S-Video and component cables should work with it, as well (to get HD video, you'll need component or HDMI).

The bad news is that Sony didn't add new features to the Slim. Alas, while we didn't think the company would be nice enough to throw in an IR receiver so you could control the PS3 with a standard IR universal remote, Sony has eschewed IR again. Also, if you're pining to play your collection of PS2 games on Slim, you'll be disappointed to note that backward capability remains a thing of the past (the option only existed only on some of the earlier PS3 systems Sony released).

The story here, then, is all about design, and it's generally a good one. For starters, the Slim is 33 percent smaller and 36 percent lighter than its predecessors, and it really does look significantly more compact when you put it up against the "fat" PS3. Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder, and many people, including this reviewer, think the Slim's new frame is fairly fetching.

Yet, we've also heard people say that the new "textured," or matte, finish gives the system a cheaper look. Maybe so, but pick the Slim up and it feels quite substantial. And while we're sure Sony doesn't want people referring to the Slim using adjectives like cheap (except when it comes to the price tag), the company does want this PS3 to appear more "casual" and appeal to a wider audience (read: casual gamers).

PlayStation 3 Slim unboxing -- photos

In that regard, the PS3 Slim's new design and finish seem well thought out. And the new system is not without a little glam--there's a mirrored strip on the front of the unit next to the opening of the slot-loading disc player and some glossy plastic on the sides. Those shiny finishes, like the glossy finish on the "fat" PS3, do pick up fingerprints, and it's also worth noting that the matte finish does absorb the oil from your skin and attracts smudges. In other words, if you end up handling your PS3, expect to have to wipe it off from time to time just like the old "fat" model.

More important than some branding changes (the PS3 logo and lettering has undergone a redesign), the touch-sensitive power on/off and eject buttons on the front of the unit have been replaced by standard push buttons and the master power switch that was on the back of the old unit has been removed (alas, you still can't charge the controllers while the system is off).

Some people will like that the master power switch is gone, but parents with small children would probably prefer if Sony had left it on the back to keep their toddlers from accidentally turning on the system. The new button in front is nice and responsive and doesn't require too firm a touch to turn the system either on or off (this system appears to boot up just as quickly as the old system--in just less than 20 seconds), so your little ones will have no problem firing up your PS3 in your absence.

According to Sony, to achieve the new small size, the internal design architecture of the PS3 Slim has been completely redesigned, "from the main semiconductors and power supply unit to the cooling mechanism." As always, we're impressed that Sony engineers have been able to build the power supply into the system itself rather than forcing you to deal with a giant external power supply like the one found on the Xbox 360.

The PS3 Slim is powered by a new 45nm version of the Cell processor, which runs at the same speed as the 60nm processor in the "old" PS3 but is smaller and more energy efficient. Company representatives said that power consumption for the Slim has been cut from 280 watts to 250 watts. (We'll be verifying the Slim's power consumption with our own independent testing soon.)

Ramping down the power consumption and, more importantly, the heat the system generates has let Sony tone down the cooling fan. With the Slim, you'll still hear some fan noise if you're close to the unit, but the hum is fainter, and it shouldn't bother you during quieter scenes in movies so long as you're not sitting right next to the PS3. (Fan noise on the previous systems varied wildly; some were noticeably loud, others were all but silent.) We also noticed that after playing a game and Blu-ray Disc for more than an hour, the light breeze the fan emitted was warm but not hot (you can hold your hand up to it without fear of getting scorched).

A couple final notes about the design: With earlier PS3s you could prop your unit up vertically or lay it down horizontally. Out of the box, the Slim is designed to be used in a horizontal position, but Sony will sell a $24 stand that lets you stand it up vertically and not worry about having it tip over. And in case you were wondering, you can also upgrade/replace the hard drive without voiding the warranty, though Sony has moved the hard drive from the side of the unit to the front for easier access. (To remove the hard drive, you simply unscrew two screws on the bottom of the Slim that are covered by a small door that snaps open and closed.) The only caveat: the Slim uses the smaller 2.5-inch drive size generally found in laptops. They're more expensive than the larger 3.5-inch hard drives that go into desktop computers.

We ran some tests of disc load times and some basic Blu-ray performance tests and came to the conclusion that the Slim runs just as well as the older model and keeps the PS3 near the top of our Best Blu-ray Players list.

At this point, as we await the release of version 3.00 of the PS3 firmware (it comes out September 1, 2009), there's not a whole lot to say about our experience using the PS3 Slim because it was, well, pretty much like using the "fat" PS3. That leaves us with some pre-existing qualms with the PS3 experience versus that of the Xbox 360. While we like that the PlayStation Network is free (versus Xbox Live's $50 per year fee), it's also a bit less full-formed. Yes, downloadable movies, TV shows, and games are available (all for per-download prices), but the system lacks the Netflix streaming subscription found on the 360. Likewise, Hulu video--once available through the browser--is now blocked (Hulu's fault, not Sony's). Thankfully, the Play On software offers a work-around for both, but it'll require you to leave your PC running to view those services.

At the end of the day, you can quibble about the Slim's new casual look, the lack of backward compatibility for PS2 games, no IR port, and such former extras as a built-in memory card reader and extra USB ports (we'd still like one on the back of the unit). But the fact is the PS3 Slim costs half of what the original PS3 cost when it first launched.
see more in my next posting...

Cheats for hitman

Hitman: Contracts Cheat: Open all Levels
Enter the following code at the main menu: X, TRIANGLE, CIRCLE, LEFT, UP, RIGHT, L2, R2

Hitman: Contracts Cheat: Skip Level and Earn Secret Weapon
During gameplay enter R2, L2, UP, DOWN, X, L3, O, X, O, X

Hitman: Contracts Unlockable: Weapons
Each weapon is unlocked by completing the mission and achieving the Silent Assassin rating.

* Mission 1: CZ 2000 Dual Pistols
* Mission 2: Micro Uzi Dual Submachine Guns
* Mission 3: Silverballer Silenced Dual Pistols
* Mission 4: Magnum 500 Dual Pistols
* Mission 5: Sawed-Off Shotgun Dual
* Mission 6: M4 Carbine Silenced Assault Rifle
* Mission 7: SG220 .S Dual Pistols
* Mission 8: MP5 Silenced Submachine Gun
* Mission 9: AK 74 Silenced Assault Rifle
* Mission 10: GK 17 Dual Pistols
* Mission 11: Micro Uzi Silenced Dual Submachine Guns
* Mission 12: PGM Silenced Sniper Rifle

Hitman: Contracts Unlockable: Mini Gun
The mini gun is held by a patient who is behind the locked doors of a basement room in Mission 1: Asylum Aftermath. The keycard that unlocks the doors can be found during Mission 9: The Wang Fou Incident. It is called Orthmeyer’s Keycard and is on Lee Hong’s desk in his office on the second floor of his mansion. After finding the card, finish the mission and save your progress. Quit to the main menu and replay the first mission. Head to the northern section of the map and turn right in the small room with the red flashing sensor on the ceiling. Pass through the west door and dispose of the patient in order to collect the mini gun.

Hitman: Contracts Unlockable: Dual Gold Desert Eagles
After getting the key card from the Wang Fou Incident you most likely went to Asylum Aftermath to collect your Mini Gun. After that continue thru the level and when you get to a large room with windows and the door ahead... STOP! One patient will be walking around and on your right will be steps leading down to a door with red lights over it. Enter that room with the key card. Walk forward until you find the Gold Desert Eagle Guns right under your nose!




Platform: PlayStation 2


Hitman: Contracts Hint: Come back to Life
When your health bar reaches zero the game will enter a black and white death sequence. If you are able to get four consecutive head shots on four different enemies during this sequence you will receive a small amount of health and return to the game.

Hitman: Contracts Hint: Master Key
In the level “Traditions of the Trade” when you are on the 3rd floor you will eventually see a vacuum boy. When he opens a door to vacuum the room, go to the door and pick up the master key. You should then have access to most doors.

Hitman: Contracts Hint: See Lee Hong
In the level Asylum Aftermath, once you get the double Desert Eagles, keep going forward through the second set of doors until you get to the last tank with a body in it, then look to the right and there is a tank with Lee Hong written on it.

Hitman: Contracts Hint: Getting the M60 Early
On the level "Deadly Cargo," it is possible to get the M60. If you don't get it here, you will have to wait until the 2nd to last level. Make your way to where the SWAT sniper is, on the building overlooking the ship. After the SWAT team attacks the ship, a helicopter will begin circling the area. If you shoot the gunner on the ship, he will fall to the ground with his M60. Make sure that you assassinate the target first and you kill the gunner while the helicopter is over a land area that you can reach.

Hitman: Contracts Hint: Reflection Ghost
When playing The Meat King's Party look at the loading screen of the slaughter house. You should see a faint skull. This skull is also on the pinball machines in Rotterdam Rendezvous.

Hitman: Contracts Hint: Drown fritz on TOT
If you can sneak into the sauna area, you will see a guard. This guard will patrol the area, trying to protect Fritz. CAREFULLY kill, of anesthetic him. Once you have taken care of him, SNEAK down the small set of stairs into the pool and fiber wire Fritz. (Fritz makes rounds of going to the bar, sauna, and the pool.) If it works well, you will see a "cut scene" showing 47 drowning Fritz

Hitman: Contracts Hint: Ghost
In the level Traditions of the Trade, as soon as you enter the building if you go to the right of the staircase you will see a set of double doors. Go through them and pick the second set of double doors with a sign that says hotel wing closed. Once you do that go to room 106 or any of the other rooms around there closed off by police. Go into that room and walk into the bathroom then go into first person view and look in the mirror and you will see a ghost.

The Ghost in Traditions of the Trade appears in all the bathroom mirrors in the closed-off wing of the hotel.

Also, in the room where the guard is taking a shower, it appears as if he sees the ghost himself. When looking in the mirror, he acts creeped out, puts his hand up to it, and then turns his head to look.

If you shoot out any of the mirrors in that wing, the blood splatter stops even though you still get a target.

Hitman: Contracts Easter Egg: Ghost Blood in room 106
In traditions of the trade it was previously posted there was a ghost. But I found something else. This only worked in room 106, but after looking at the ghost in the mirror if you turn around you can see your target flicker red. When it does shoot and blood will spatter on the shower wall. Very cool.

Playstations And Why They Are Popular AND FANTASTIC

Nati Roberts

Playstations are one of the most popular gaming consoles on the market. There are several reasons for this.

The biggest reason is the graphics. The Playstation has some of the best graphics on the market, capable of rending 360,000 polygons per second. This enabled it to render almost any image quickly and sharply, making it ideal for any game that you could play on it, whether it was taking jewels from a safe, sniping a villain, or slamming someone to the floor. The images were gorgeous, and are among the industry’s best.

The controls are a dream; very responsive, and easy to learn, the controls are some of the best designed in the gaming industry. Although the games themselves may have had some ridiculous problems, the Playstation’s controls themselves allowed any player to master the game to whatever level the player was capable of. Capable of handling up to four controllers with appropriate hardware, the Playstation could easily keep a group playing for days.

The Playstation was also the first console to integrate a DVD player into itself. This allowed the interesting situation of the owner being able to watch an anime, and then play a game based on that anime, all on the same piece of equipment; a great development on a console. Of course, it was a fully-functioning player, with all the features that you would expect from a DVD player; you could find an Easter egg on the player just as easily as you could on the games.

And the variety of the games is definitely not second-rate. With the Game Cube being for kids, and the XBox for showing off, the Playstation seemed to be a personal industry favorite. You could find games for any genre, any rating. You could find the standard fighting games, platform jumpers, and side-scrollers, as well as some truly weird games (such as Cubivore, a game of evolution modeled on actual theories). There were some dating games available, as well as games that were compilations of other games from years past. Not only did it have the best games of today, but best games of yesteryear. The Playstation literally had a game for anyone, with a strong line of educational games and more illicit games for other ages.

The system had few weaknesses. The DVD player wouldn’t last, having to be repaired after a relatively short time. Also, there were only spaces for two controllers. At least the memory cards could hold more game records than other games.

In short, the Playstation is easily one of the best consoles ever designed. The console can keep a group of guys spellbound for hours, and then a little girl could take over the system with her own games. There’s a lot to be said about a console that can allow even the youngest child a wide range of entertainment options, including education games and Disney DVDs. A good console for a good time.

The cheats for grant theft auto for playstation.

R1, R2, L1 , X, Left , Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up $250,000, full health and armor (also repairs cars if you are in one)

RIGHT, R2, UP, UP, R2, CIRCLE, SQUARE, R2, L1, RIGHT, DOWN, L1 Aggressive Drivers


R2, Circle, R1, L2, Left R1, L1, R2, L2 Aggressive Traffic

LEFT, TRIANGLE, R1, L1, UP, SQUARE, TRIANGLE, DOWN, CIRCLE, L2, L1, L1 All Cars Nos

L1, Circle, Triangle, L1, L1, Square, L2, Up, Down, Left All Pedestrians Are
Elvis

up,x,triangle,x,triangle,x,square,R2,right all taxis get nitro + jump up when you press L3

L2, RIGHT, L1, UP, X, L1, L2, R2, R1, L1, L1, L1 All Traffic is Junk Cars

Right, R1, Up, L2, L2, Left, R1, L1, R1, R1 All Traffic Lights Stay Green

Triangle, L1, Triangle, R2, Square, L1, L1 All Vehicles Invisible (Except Motorcycles)
SQUARE, L1, R1, RIGHT, X, UP, L1, LEFT, LEFT always midnight (time stuck at 00:00)
x,x,square,r1,l1,x,down,left,x andrenaline mode
L1, L2, L2, Up, Down, Down, Up, R1, R2, R2 Any vehicle you punch this in, can blow up anything like a tank.
SQUARE, RIGHT, SQUARE, SQUARE, L2, X, TRIANGLE, X, TRIANGLE Attracts Prostitutes with Sex Toys/Gimp Suit
Circle, L2, Up, R1, Left, X, R1, L1, Left, Circle Black Traffic

Square, R2, Down, Down, Left, Down, Left, Left, L2, X Cars Float Away When Hit
suare, down, L2, up, L1, circle, up, x, left Cars Fly
Right, R2, Circle, R1, L2, Square, R1, R2 Cars on Water
L2, RIGHT, L1, TRIANGLE, RIGHT, RIGHT, R1, L1, RIGHT, L1, L1, L1 Chaos mode
Triangle, Triangle, L1, Square, Square, Circle, Square, Down, Circle Civilians are fast food workers & clowns, CJ is a clown, cars are pizza scooter, BF Injection, HotKnife, Tug, Quad, etc.
Right, L2, Down, R1, Left, Left, R1, L1, L2, L1 Commit Suicide
R2, L2, R1, L1, L2, R2, Square, Triangle, Circle, Triangle, L2, L1 Destroy Cars
Up, Up, Down, Down, Square, Circle, L1, R1, Triangle, Down. Everyone bikini babes, all cars beach cars, Cj in shorts and flipflops.
Right, R1, Up, L2, L2, Left, R1, L1, R1, R1 Spawn Faster Cars
Circle, Circle, L1, Square, L1, Square, Square, Square, L1, Triangle, O, Triangle Faster Clock
Triangle, Up, Right, Down, L2, L1, Square Faster Gameplay
R2, Circle, Up, L1, Right, R1, Right, Up, Square, Triangle Flying Boats
R2, X, L1, L1, L2, L2, L2, X Fog
up, up, square, L2, right, x, R1, down, R2, circle Full Weapon Aiming Whilst Driving
Left, Right, Right, Right, Left, X, Down, Up, Square, Right Gang members spawn much faster
Circle, Right, Circle, Right, Left, Square, X Down Gives you an automatic six star wanted level
DOWN, SQUARE, X, LEFT, R1, R2, LEFT, DOWN, DOWN, L1, L1, L1 Hitman In all weapon
square,square,R2,left,up,square,R2,X,X,X Improve Suspension
up, L1, R1, up, right, up, x, L2, x, L1 Increase car speed
L1, R1, SQUARE, R1, LEFT, R2, R1, LEFT, SQUARE, DOWN, L1, L1 Inf Ammo
Down, X, Right, Left, Right, R1, Right, Down, Up, Triangle Infinite health, still hurt from explosions, drowning, and falling.
Down, Left, L1, Down, Down, R2, Down, L2, Down Infinite Lung Capacity
Left, Right, L1, L2, R1, R2, Up, Down, Left, Right Jetpack
Up, Up, Triangle, Triangle, Up, Up, Left, Right, Square, R2, R2 Jump 10 times higher
Triangle, Square, Circle, Circle, Square, Circle, Circle, L1, L2, L2, R1, R2. Jump 100 feet in air on bike
CIRCLE, RIGHT, CIRCLE, RIGHT, LEFT, SQUARE, TRIANGLE, UP Locks wanted level at however many stars you have. They will NEVER increase or decrease, not even with bribes/cheats. Still get attacked in impound.
R1, R1, Circle, R2, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down Lower Wanted Level
SQUARE, L2, X, R1, L2, L2, LEFT, R1, RIGHT, L1, L1, L1 Max All Vehicle stats (Driving, Flying Bike, Cycling)
Triangle, Up ,Up, Left, Right, Square, Circle, Down Max Fat
triangle,up,up,left,right,square,circle,left Max Muscle
L1, R1, TRIANGLE, DOWN, R2, X, L1, UP, L2, L2, L1, L1 Max Respect
CIRCLE, TRIANGLE, TRIANGLE, UP, CIRCLE, R1, L2, UP, TRIANGLE, L1, L1, L1 Max Sex appeal
R2, X, L1, L1, L2, L2, L2, Square Morning
SQUARE, L2, R1, TRIANGLE, UP, SQUARE, L2, UP, X Never become hungry
R2, X, L1, L1, L2, L2, L2, Triangle Night
L2, Up, R1, R1, Left, R1, R1, R2, Right, Down No citizens or cops, only gang members having gun fights
X, Down, Up, R2, Down, Triangle, L1, Triangle, Left No Peds, Hardly any traffic, Parked cars still spawn
R2, X, L1, L1, L2, L2, L2, Down Noon
Left, Left, L2, R1, Right, Square, Square, L1, L2, X Orange Sky
R2, X, L1, L1, L2, L2, L2, Square Overcast
Down, Up, Up, Up, X, R2, R1, L2, L2 Pedestrian Attack (cannot be turned off)
Down, Left, Up, Left, X, R2, R1, L2, L1 Pedestrian Riot (cannot be turned off)
R2, R1, X, Triangle, X, Triangle, Up, Down Pedestrians have weapons
X, L1, UP, SQUARE, DOWN, X, L2, TRIANGLE, DOWN, R1, L1, L1 Peds Attack (Guns)
X X Down R2 L2 O R1 O Square Peds become asian dudes with Katana's. Mostly black cars and motorcycles patrol the streets.
Triangle, R1, R1, Left, R1, L1, R2, L1 Insane Handling
Circle, L1, Down, L2, Left, X, R1, L1, Right, Circle Pink Traffic
Right, L2, L2, Down, L2, Up, Up, L2, R2 Prostitutes pay you instead of you paying them
R1, R1, Circle, R2, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left Raise Wanted Level
DOWN, SQUARE, UP, R2, R2, UP, RIGHT, RIGHT, UP Recruit Anyone (9mm)
R2, R2, R2, X, L2, L1, R2, L1, DOWN, X Recruits Anyone (w/Rockets)
Up, Down, L1, L1, L2, L2, L1, L2, R1, R2 Sand Storm
Triangle, Up ,Up, Left, Right, Square, Circle, Right Skinny
Triangle, Up, Right, Down, Square, R2, R1 Slower Gameplay
Right, Up, R1, R1, R1, Down, Triangle, Triangle, X, Circle, L1, L1 Spawn a Monster
Left, Right, L1, L2, R1, R2, R2, Up, Down, Right, L1 spawn a parachute
Circle, Circle, L1, Circle, Circle, Circle, L1, L2, R1, Triangle, Circle, Triangle Spawn A Rhino
R2, Up, L2, Left, Left, R1, L1, Circle, Right Spawn a Stretch
Down, R1, Circle, L2, L2, X, R1, L1, Left, Left Spawn Bloodring Banger
Circle, L1, Up, R1, L2, X, R1, L1, Circle, X Spawn Caddy
R2, L1, L1, RIGHT, RIGHT, UP, UP, X, L1, LEFT spawn dozer
R1, circle, R2, Right, L1, L2, X (2), Square, R1 Spawn Hotring Racer #1
R2, L1, Circle, Right, L1, R1, Right, Up, circle, R2 Spawn Hotring Racer #2
CIRCLE, X, L1, CIRCLE, CIRCLE, L1, CIRCLE, R1, R2, L2, L1, L1 Spawn Hunter
Up, Right, Right, L1, Right, Up, Square, L2 Spawn Rancher
R1, UP, LEFT, RIGHT, R2, UP, RIGHT, SQUARE, RIGHT, L2, L1, L1 Spawn Tanker
Triangle, Triangle, Square, Circle, X, L1, L1, Down, Up Spawns Hydra
Left, Left, Down, Down, Up, Up, Square, Circle, Triangle, R1, R2 Spawns Quadbike
Triangle, Triangle, Square, Circle, X, L1, L2, Down, Down Spawns Vortex
R2, X, L1, L1, L2, L2, L2, Circle Storm
Circle, Up, L1, L2, Down, R1, L1, L1, Left, Left, X, Triangle. Stuntplane
Up, Left, X, Triangle, R1, Circle, Circle, Circle, L2 Super Punch
TRIANGLE, LEFT, SQUARE, R2, UP, L2, DOWN, L1, X, L1, L1, L1 Traffic is Country Vehicles
L1 L1 R1 R1 L2 L1 R2 Down Left Up Turns All Vehicles Into Country Vehicles
Down, R2, Down, R1, L2, Left, R1, L1, Left, Right Unlock Romero
Circle, R1, Circle, R1, Left, Left, R1, L1, Circle, Right Unlock Trashmaster
R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up Weapons 1
R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Down, Left Weapons 2
R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left , Down, Down, Down Weapons 3
L2, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, SQUARE, LEFT, R2, SQUARE, X, R1, L1, L1 Weather Cloudy
X, Square, Down, X, Square, Up, R1, R1 Calls the nearest ped to get in your car or get on your bike. Only gives a confirmation message if you're in a vehicle and there'

Quality Vs Quantity in Video Games

This is the risk developers find with making their games longer. With a limited number of hours to play video games, I will not finish games that I find go on for a long time if I am not a huge fan of them. This decreases its value for me because I will never get to see the conclusion of the story or square off against the toughest boss enemies that the game has to offer.
Is there a perfect sweet spot for games to reach, where they provide enough content without getting tedious midway through the game? Should all games have a minimum length, say 10 hours? 15 hours? Should shorter games be cheaper because of their length? Is it better Video games are one of the most popular forms of entertainment, now rivaling the film and music industries. Compared to movies and music, video games are much more expensive per purchase. On iTunes a typical album goes for about $10 and DVD movies generally are under $30. Meanwhile full retail games usually go for $60 on both the PS3 and Xbox 360 ($50 for PC and Wii). The current economic downturn has hurt most businesses worldwide, and video games are no exception. Game sales are down substantially from just a couple of years ago and many companies are being forced to lay-off workers and whole development teams. For consumers it is more important than ever to choose games that are a good value. Determining what exactly makes a game a good value is a difficult question to answer, as proven by the drastic difference in sales from one game to another.




A lower cost is a sure way to increase value. Digital distribution does allow for this as publishers do not have to charge for the cost of shipping a game to stores. Every major current gaming platform (PC, 360, PS3, Wii, DS, and PSP) allows in some capacity for digitally downloaded games. The newly announced PSP Go will only allow for downloadable games. This is certainly a good trend but it is not quite the solution, at least not yet. For starters, the vast majority of games are still purchased at retail. There are a few reasons for this. Console manufacturers are just starting to integrate fully featured games into their download services and so most of the major titles cannot be purchased this way. Console gamers will also need an adjustment period to get used to the concept so even as more games become available through Xbox Live or PlayStation Network, there will still be a period of time that retail purchases outsell their downloadable counterparts. Secondly, there has yet to be a noticeable cut in price for buying the downloadable releases. Buying a new release on the Steam download service for PC generally saves a couple dollars, but isn't the drastic cut that was expected. Also, games designed with the downloadable market are still generally less fleshed out than standard releases. Battlefield 1943 for example is a download-only game recently released that has the same style gameplay as the retail versions in the series such as Battlefield 2 or Battlefield 2142. However, it only has 4 multiplayer maps and 3 classes to use. This is far fewer than the previous entries. So even if Battlefield 1943 is cheaper, it is cheaper because there is less content.
So for the most part, price will not be the determining factor of games just yet. They are usually the same price as competing games.
In that case it comes down to the game itself when looking at value. Some games offer tremendous amounts of content. Supreme Commander takes about 30 hours to complete, The Orange Box could take even more to finish all of the included games, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion could last for over 100 hours if a player chose to see all it has to offer. Then there are multiplayer focused games that could provide an infinite amount of replayability. Call of Duty 4 has gotten over 100 hours of online play from certain people and World of Warcraft has so much to it that Blizzard charges $15 per month to play it and still sees millions of users play for years.
On the flip side, Call of Duty 4 takes under 10 hours to plow through its excellent, but brief single player campaign. The God of War games are critically acclaimed but none of them are very long and do not provide any multiplayer gameplay either.
This leads to the important question. What makes a game worth buying? If it is the number of hours to finish than role playing games such as Final Fantasy and Fallout 3 are surely at the top of the list. However, it is impossible to measure the hours required to finish a multiplayer game. Going back to Call of Duty 4, you can see all of the maps and modes in just a couple of hours, but some people keep coming back for more.
The answer to the question will surely vary from person to person. For me the best value is a high-quality, high-content experience. I have currently played Oblivion for over 40 hours, have not finished it, and still enjoy playing it. That is undeniably good value. It gets harder to choose when it comes to games that are short but sweet and games that are long but mediocre.
Braid, a downloadable game for Xbox Live Arcade and PC is a Super Mario-style platformer with a twist that your character can manipulate time to solve puzzles. I purchased this game and finished it after just 4 or 5 hours of play. The game even has a mode to try and beat in 45 minutes, acknowledging how short it really is. There is no multiplayer either and so I have not gone back to it after finishing it. That said, I absolutely loved the game. Everything from the unique gameplay, to the soundtrack, to the storyline fits really well together. The game costs money though, and I got far fewer hours of it than I did with other games.
I have been told that Titan Quest for PC can take up to 40 hours to finish. While I appreciate the developers trying to extend the length of the game, I personally did not fall in love with the game. I put in about 5 or 6 hours into it and although there wasn't anything particularly wrong with it, I ended up moving on to another game and never completed it. It might have the potential to be a worthwhile purchase, but I did not get as much out of it as I had hoped for the price I paid.
for a game to be short and excellent or long and good, but not great? I don't know if I can answer these questions but I would love to hear from anyone who has an opinion on the topic.

This site provides estimates for the length of various games that we have completed as well as articles like this one considering the value of games. We are continuing to add to our database of game-times and welcome reader contributions of how long it took them to finish certain games.