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Memory limitation is PS3's 'biggest challenge'

The PS3's 256MB of memory, half that of the Xbox 360, is the biggest challenge developers face when making games on Sony's console, Monster Madness producer Lee Perez has told VideoGamer.com.

Perez, who has worked closely on the development of Monster Madness and upcoming DS game Ninja Town, said that while the PS3 has half the memory of the 360, its Cell processor can in theory allow developers to "offset" those problems.

Speaking specifically about the unique challenges PS3 development presents, Perez said: "The biggest thing is the memory. The PS3 only has 256 megs of memory. The 360 has 512 so you have twice the memory when you load a level. Now the offset to that is the Cell processor, so if you understand and your engine can understand how to use the multiple cores in tandem you can offset that. Theoretically you can do a lot more, especially if you have a lot of physics objects because it's very math intensive, not memory intensive. So finding that sweet spot where your game does well in both and it takes advantage of its individual skills is tough."
Updates:
Update: We believe Lee Perez is talking about the PlayStation 3's GPU, which has access to 256 MB GDDR3 RAM, not the system's combined 512 MB RAM. In contrast the Xbox 360 features 512 MB GDDR3 RAM shared by the CPU and GPU. We've contacted publisher SouthPeak Games for clarification.
jtorry - contributor
Published: 553 days 14 hours ago | News | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360
 
 
 

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