PS3 Ridge Racer: 9 minutes too long?
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Nov 2nd 2006 at 10:30PM }
The Nintendo Nsider Forums are lighting up with glee (and spilling onto Digg) at how horribly terrific it would be if Ridge Racer 7 required a 5 GB install on PlayStation 3's hard disk drive. Some generous (in favor of Sony) math calculates that the install would take 9 minutes and 46 seconds. The assumption is most PS3 games will require HDD dumps, forcing users to constantly install, erase, and reinstall -- these data chunks would fill up the drives fast; certainly the 20 GB model.Here's what we know: Ridge Racer 7 will have an optional 5 GB HDD installation feature that's in place to speed up load times. Currently, Ridge Racer 7 and Genji (4 GB install) are the only games known to include this option. While this will almost certainly change, there's little reason to believe that HDD dumps will become a PS3 standard (unless you buy Sony's "it's not a console, it's a computer" mumbo jumbo).
Anyways, waiting 9 minutes and 46 seconds for data to install isn't as agonizing as we'd sometimes like to believe; especially if it's a one-time (or once in a while) procedure. On that note, let's wait this conundrum out for a while longer, watch how it develops.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MR_COW @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:36PM
"The Nintendo Nsider Forums are lighting up with glee"
Thats cause most of them are 9 year old fanboies.
Why are people complaining? I could totally understand if it was required, that would be bullshit. But it isn't, it is an option that makes your gameplay loading times faster(Thus, probably saving you over 9 minutes). Don't like it, don't do it. You are bitching at an extra feature. I like extra features. Whoever doesn't is stupid.
snatch @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:36PM
Cool, Nintendo needs to learn from this.
latpack @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:37PM
hrm, it will definetely be a pain in the ass though. Take the typical gamer with seven games for example. Four gigs a game works out to 28 gigs just to get faster loading times.
Now he does have a choice. Not installing. But does he really want to sit through a couple minutes or more of loading before he can get his Def Jam Vendetta action going?
I thinks not.
007craft @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:40PM
All you sony fans are in for a shock once you find out how bad blue-ray is for loading. I work at a store which sells blu-ray (the samsung player) and I deal with it every day. Its very nice to look at, but the player takes 2 mins to boot up fully, discs take another 1 minute to read, and switching between chapters in movies takes 4-5 seconds rather then instant like DVDs.
I can only imagine games, as they are probably even slower. Im expecting load times to be 2x or more worse then ps2/xbox load times.
Hopefully my PS3 will still sell for big bucks on ebay :p
Lansing @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:40PM
Agreed with #1 this is optional and if you wish to put all your loading woes into one spot while you surf the net than more power to you. I'm wondering why this article got a negative slant when it is positive news. It is items like this that make me believe joystiq is a bit biased.
MR_COW @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:43PM
I mean, just put it on when you go to take a dump or something.
cool man owners @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:43PM
ummm... can't the game install while you play? That means for 9mins you have a bit slower loading times and then everything would speed up after that.
dkh @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:46PM
It's a good idea. If you could only keep (let's say) four or five games on there at a time, is that really a problem? Keep a party game or two on there for random occassions and a serious game or two that your rotate on and off every couple weeks. It's not like I play fifteen different games in a a given week and I doubt most others do too.
mocax @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:49PM
Maybe Sony should allow developers too lazy to optimize their games to publish them in detachable harddrives instead of BluRay
TibrisXVII @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:50PM
Hmm, I don't know what to think about this. One thing is for sure, it's not as bad as some gamers are making it out to be. If you don't want to wait through the 9 minute install at first play as, if you’re anything like me, you want to play that new game as soon as possible, than don't. The game ARE playable without that install, then once you've got that initial fix you can run the install. Also, it's not like you have to install EVERY game. I can see how installing whatever game is your obsession at the time to cut down a loading would be appreciable. And of course when you move on, delete it for whatever else you want to play it’s not like you can’t still go back and play that other game, it’ll just take longer to load. The Playstation line has always had terrible loading times so this could help a lot. As far as Snatch’s comment on Nintendo’s needing to learn from that, how so? Nintendo systems have always had very quick loading time as long as developers make the effort to optimize their games, something that should be possible on any platform.
Blizz4l9 @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:51PM
wow snatch that is a pretty dumb comment, what does nintendo have to learn from relating to this, Nintendo has always had the fastest load times so your comment has no backing.
MaX PL @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:52PM
PS3 SUCKS!!!
BluRay is GAY!!!
Brian O'lyaryz @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:56PM
I'm completely shocked that no one has mentioned the fact that all these PS3 games have not taken more than a regular dual-layered DVD (one layered in the case of Genji). Which totally disproves the theory that HD Gaming needs Blu-Ray.
Ross Castro @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:59PM
...It's Half-Life 2's installation all over again.
Fuzz @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:00PM
Realistically, the data on the disk is probably compressed. They can decompressit probably faster than disc read speed and HDD write sped is fast enough to keep up, so it may only be 1 gig of compressed data, so it would only take 2 or 3 minutes. I could be wrong here, but that's what I figure.
/can't wait to get a Wii
Martin @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:00PM
"1. "The Nintendo Nsider Forums are lighting up with glee"
Thats cause most of them are 9 year old fanboies. "
This comment section went downhill from the first post apparently. Sad.....
Did anyone notice that the 9 minutes 46 seconds was a generous (in favor of sony) estimation. Also, what does this mean about real load times with and without the data dump.... This could really be the Sony WaitStation 3 or the Sony LoadStation 3 or whatever you want to call it. Any videos of game loading times out there???
todzillla @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:01PM
what concerns me is the fact that sony has obviuosly rushed it's blu-ray. they wanted to beat hd-dvd to the punch and release this year to not give the 360 and the wii another holiday season with no competition. as a result the blu-ray is obviously under-developed and installing the game on the hdd is a way to band aid blu-rays pitfalls. It makes me wonder if the lasers are gonna burn out in a year or if they fixed that (or just band-aided that as well.).
Optimus Prime @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:04PM
Any optical media based game can benefit from an install mode...dont matter how fast it can load. Just because your 360 doesnt have that option is no need to hate.
And, that 12x DVD you guys keep harking about, do you want your 360 DVD to be spinning at 12x all the time... its one of the reasons 360 is so loud (esp. for a device meant to sit in your living room).
Judd @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:08PM
I like my 360 and I do not intend on getting a PS3. But...Let us not forget how long demos and arcade games take to download on Xbox Live. I've waited over an hour to watch trailers before. I'm not exactly sure what this feature does, but if it is an option, and if it shortens load times in the long run, I think it's a great thing. If a game takes a minute to load every time, I'd be willing to once wait 9 minutes, and then wait 10 seconds from then on.
I know this is off topic but while I'm here, tonight's Freak Show was about gay content in video games. It actually opened up with Senator "Clitton" banning a video game. No joke. The problem is unlike shows like South Park, no one watches this show, so I can't find a link to use for a news tip.
Quiznon @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:08PM
Personally, I find this rather funny. I game on all platforms, including PC, and plan on getting all the next gen consoles eventually. Stuff like this makes me laugh, because it makes the PS3 seem more and more like a baby PC.
The only thing that even remotely interests me in the PS3 are a few console specific games. I have a computer for watching movies with, playing music, looking at photos, surfing the web on my TV. If I want to watch Blueray disks (Which I don't see happening anytime soon) I'll just get the drive for my PC, costs about as much as the PS3 currently. And graphics? I've never bought a console for graphics, and never will. My gaming PC already matches or surpasses the 360 in graphics, and probably by the time I get a PS3 it will be inferior to my PC as well.
So yeah, a few games look kinda cool on the PS3, but not enough to even remotely convince me to buy one for over a year.
n0friends @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:09PM
at gamestop, we got the official sony box art today, nba 07 "requires 3gb of space" while the resistance game saves are 140mb
Dmnkly @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:09PM
I find it interesting that one of Microsoft's goals for the future of gaming on PC's is to make the startup more like a console experience, partly by eliminating long installs. Meanwhile, by adding optional hard drive installation to aid performance, Sony is bringing console gaming closer to the old PC experience.
Personally, I have no problem with either... but I do find it kind of funny.
Anna @ Nov 6th 2006 3:13PM
Wow, I don't think I've ever seen a slow spin speed listed as a positive.
Yay for fanboys (and girls) they make things interesting.
Steve2 @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:17PM
I thank Joystiq for treating this issue with respect, mentioning how it is optional and there is no info that says load times would be onerous if you don't use it.
This can be only a good thing. Although I have to say Namco are pretty weak developers for not pruning down the data set further. With a little analysis, I'm sure they could figure out a 1GB subset that would yield at least 50% of the speedup.
Anyway, this idea that raw transfer rates will doom PS3 to slow load times is forgetting that developer optimization of disk usage is the largest factor in load times, not a 30% difference in transfer rates.
I mean, I played the Rainbox Six Vegas demo on my 360 last night. The entire demo is only 360MB and it is resident on the hard drive. Load times should be unnoticeable. But they aren't. Running the demo requires you sit through a roughly 20 second "please wait" as the level loads.
Jason @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:16PM
I don't have a problem with this. Believe me, I'm not anyone's fanboy (unless you count computer gaming enthusiasts fanboys) and I despise Sony as a company (they can take their dystopian rootkits and shove 'em up their asses). However, I've always preferred installed games because load times are quicker than playing off of a disk. Folks with mod'ed Xboxes know this.
BikerGuy @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:36PM
I think this is going to be temporary. As time goes on Sony should put a faster Blu-ray drive in the PS3 and not needing to install games any more.
Paco From Del Taco @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:44PM
Whoever says this is a bad thing has their head so far up their a@@ that they have no reason to exist and share the same air i do. There is NOTHING negative about giving the gamer more options. Nothing. What is negative is forcing someone into a game control system in one way and one way only, such as twilight princess. So screw off nintendo fanboys.
quazz4life @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:47PM
"25. I think this is going to be temporary. As time goes on Sony should put a faster Blu-ray drive in the PS3 and not needing to install games any more."
You do realize that the first gen PS3's will still have this problem, even if Sony puts faster drives in later models, right? That's just an FU to early adopters.
DaPhatty @ Nov 6th 2006 1:51PM
Frankly, this is long overdue. As far as I am concerned, loading times SHOULD NOT be present in ANY current gen console (360, etc.). It's a disgrace that console manufacturers haven't given more consideration to eliminating them.
The Internet @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:48PM
This will probably be standard on many PS3 games. I know for sure that the install option is there for Genji, Ridge Racer 7, and Gundam. The load times aren't a big deal though. Uninstalled it's about 20-30 seconds to load. Installed it's around 15. So you put your favorite games on the hard drive and use those bonus 15 seconds for other tasks i.e. pick your nose, look out the window, think about dinosaurs.
Quiznon @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:49PM
Ummmm... Paco From Del Taco, you mean like what every other console does? Cause last I checked you could only play a game on a console by pressing buttons and using a joystick. Isn't that forcing someone into a game control system in one way and way one only? Sure you can change the buttons around, but you still have to press a button to attack.
Jinkin @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:51PM
Excuse me, but using the word "anyways" seems a bit unprofessional to me for a post on a news website (gaming or otherwise). I would expect that from a myspace but not something I should take more seriously.
Night Elve @ Nov 3rd 2006 12:09AM
@ 12.
Wow! your comment is so mature, really im in shock.
Anyways is an optional feature i dont care really, probably i will use it with a lot of games :)
ahhhyeaa @ Nov 3rd 2006 12:09AM
"The Nintendo Nsider Forums are lighting up with glee"
im sorry if its been said before, but it NEEDS to be said again.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, that is sad.
on the flipside: 9 minute install? if its one time only (duh) then im ok with it.
Justin @ Nov 3rd 2006 12:10AM
Not to "me too"... but...
I think it's a positive move. If you have the space, use it. Hopefully some 360 games will use a strategy like this as well, it being optional, you cover your bases with Core and Premium systems.
The H @ Nov 3rd 2006 12:12AM
its always nice to have options. not to mention how slow blu-ray read speeds are this early into the formats life. its a welcome addition. still not getting a ps3, but welcome nonetheless. and, to the guy who says nintendo needs to learn from this, nintendo always takes huge precautions against load times. even with the ps3's hard drive option, i can guarantee that wii load times will be nonexistent compared to ps3 load times. the speeds of dvd disc drives are insane these days.
IseWise @ Nov 3rd 2006 12:12AM
This is inaccurate. The below is an excerpt from a MTV story about installing Genji to the PS3 HDD. The Genji install takes 3 minutes and its 4GB's of data. Adding one more gigabyte cant possibly add 6 minutes of install time. Thats just doesn't make any sense. Check out the MTV story here: http://tinyurl.com/yh4q6a
"Also unexpected was a feature in "Genji" to install the game, committing 4GB of data from the game's Blu-Ray disc to the PS3's hard drive — a three-minute one-time-only procedure available from the game's start menu that a Sony rep said cuts down in-game load times from about 15 seconds to four seconds. "
MosquitoControl @ Nov 3rd 2006 12:24AM
I'm for it, so long as it's an option (and the developers don't take shortcuts assuming everyone will install.)
Throw it in, go do something for 10 minutes, come back, wait less when you actually care.
As I've mentioned before, I fully expect every next-next-gen console to include this as a standard feature.
SyChO @ Nov 3rd 2006 1:08AM
OMG!
You guys are so blind to the obvious! The "ONLY" reason they have this option is because the PS3 load times are "WAY" too long without it!!!
It can't be more simple tha
kiwiNick @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:42PM
I FORGOT WHAT LOAD TIMES WERE WHEN I SOLD MY PSP FOR A DS.
Loading is sooooooooo ghey.
Gran Turismo HD would be my goddam acid dream come true!
But Wii gets my initial dollars, because:
1) GT HD is 25 months away
2) I WANT SOMETHING NEW. I"M SICK OF THE SAME GAMES - Ridge Race 7? The first one was weak.
Wario Ware with my girlfriend, showing her how great rumble is.
Didn't think of that PS3 fanboys, did you? No vibes for the ladies is just stink.
Ragnarokender @ Nov 3rd 2006 1:30AM
This is ONLY a feature if non-dumped games have acceptable wait times (no more than most ps2 games is okay for me). And know one here knows the load times for sure so....allow the pointless debate to continue!
Pal @ Nov 3rd 2006 1:25AM
Play it on the disc, and when it's time to go eat some lunch, start installing. Come back and voila! It's done.
computer gamer @ Nov 3rd 2006 1:46AM
Exactly what was said above. Yes the install is OPTIONAL but the fact it is there at all is SCARY. The loading times on the Blu-Ray discs must be agonising for them to throw in a quick-hack-around like "installs" on a console.
Seriously flawed console, bottle-necked to the hilt in Ram, GPU and Drive Speed. Lap it up drones. ;)
PurpleSfinx @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:15AM
Guys, stop bagging Sony. Especially Xbox lovers.
Ever played an Xbox? Guess what! The games copy data to it's hard drive for faster loading. And it's not optional. But it was implemented well, so we hardly noticed. That's one reason you need the hard drive on 360 for backwards compatability.
The issue here shouldn't be THAT Sony is doing it, it should be that Sony is doing it AND how well will it work?
If I'm wrong, please don't flame me. I'm pretty darn sure that's what it does.
can't tell you @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:23AM
Have any of u guys complaining about Blu-ray loading even play the PS3? or even See it in person?! I am a game tester for a game developer company and we been testing a game for both XB360 and PS3 for the past month and let me tell you I haven't noticed loading time difference between XB360 version and PS3 version of our game. So before you post your retarded "assumption", make sure you actually tried the machine yourself 1st. And for whoever claim they work for gamestop or EB, you guys need to Shut the fuck up, you guys know nothing more than any usual gamers.
Lekko @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:26AM
one of the reasons I soft modded my PS2 was to put a HDD in it and play games off that instead of disc. Works great! Although I couldn't fit my entire collection on it (250 GB drive =/= 95 games), still it fit a good chunk, and allows me to jump in and play FAR faster. I haven't done the same for my xbox yet, but... not really worth it for the 8 games I own for it. Gamecube I would, but there's no way I know of yet to load games off a HDD for it.
Also, 15 seconds of loading cut down to 4 seems good to me. Count to four in your head real quick, that pretty quick and worth it to me. Besides, who here has such a pathetic life that they can't find something else to do for "9 minutes" which is more likely 5. Go make a sandwich, install it before you eat, install while watching a TV show, before you sleep.. yeesh.
The most annoying thing about fanboys is they don't ever think about a solution when it comes to a competing product.
fawazr @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:05AM
speculative whining. This game will nothing less than spectacular, but it's much easier to rip on something we haven't experienced yet.
CakeOrDeath @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:15AM
Whilst this wouldn't be much of an issue as a one time event, those with the 20gb PS3 are likely to have to uninstall and reinstall games on a regular basis due to hard drive space issues. The choice between regular 9 minute wait or increased load times to me seems like a singualrly unnatractive propersition.
Psaakyrn @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:18AM
To those who say that Sony is giving us options:
I think we should analyse the original problem, that load times are just WAY too long. So I want short load times without needing to install, is that too much to ask for? (Nintendo apparently agrees, Microsoft is average, but Sony apparently favours data content over data speeds) In the end, for the PS3, I've to either have an average much longer loading time, or shorter loading time at the expense of initial time sacrifice. And I hate waiting.
Just note that of the three, the Wii is the cheapest, smallest, most quiet, least noticible loading, coolest, least energy-using console. (But then again, you could argue that the Gameboy Micro trumps the Wii in all said factors, so said factors aren't neccesarily the best method of determining value)
theGreenGrunt @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:28AM
I looked up Apologists on Wikipedia then realized I need to link this thread of comments of Sony Apologists to that definition. Beautiful example. Thank you.