How easy is it to port PS3 games to Vita?

The Vita is inarguably the most powerful handheld on the market. Much of the console's launch line-up has consisted of PlayStation 3 ports - but just how easy is it to adapt games for Sony's new platform?

To find out, VideoGamer.com spoke to developers from Capcom, Arc System Works, Ubisoft and Team Ninja...

[Nitrowolf2]

Seems like the actual porting is easy, but after that getting it with a high FPS,HD, Graphics, and utilizing some of the specs of Vita,such as Near,took more work then they probably had expected.

[Autodidactdystopia]

So... if the cell is so great and games on ps3 can only be achieved with the power of the cell, then why is it so easy to port games over to a handheld? I mean its a handheld...

The question is kind of rhetorical.

the vita's cpu isnt a powerhouse in relation to todays average desktop cpu so why is it that when you compare todays modern desktop cpu's to the cell, FB's pour from the cracks to come to its defense siting things like spes and floating point performance. when in reality many of the feats considered exclusive to the ps3 and cell are already at launch being recreated on a platform merely equipped with a quadcore arm proccessor?

[SilentNegotiator]

You clearly don't understand the difference between PORTING the game and RUNNING the game. No one said that Killzone or God of War 3 was porting to the Vita tomorrow.

BlazBlue, Ninja Gaiden, Rayman Origins, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3.....none of these games are going to win a medal for being technically impressive.

"the vita's cpu isnt a powerhouse in relation to todays average desktop cpu so why is it that when you compare todays modern desktop cpu's to the cell, FB's pour from the cracks to come to its defense siting things like spes and floating point performance"
-
Ah, I see. You're not looking for a real explanation. You're just here to say that "teh cell isn't dat powerfull mah pc is beter". Thanks, we didn't know that modern PCs could be more powerful. Thanks for the lesson. /s

[Autodidactdystopia]

I wasn't nor would I state the obvious in saying anything about pc being better.

I was asking a philosophical question relating to doublespeak.

I know a LOT. claiming that I "CLEARLY" don't understand something simple is an oversight on your part.

anyway, have an agree for expressing your opinion :)

go you!

[Yodagamer]

because the ps3 is a 6 year old tech, and it really isn't that hard to shrink down 6 year old tech (especially as of late when hardware in mobile devices improves every single day)

[SuperStrokey1123]

Seriously Yoda im suprised that you even had to say it but sometimes you need to point out the obvious to people.

[ApplEaglElephant]

"I know a LOT"
Lol. no you dont. If you did know alot, you wouldnt be making such stupid statement.

[MaxXAttaxX]

'SilentNegotiator' is right.
The PORTING of multiplatform games vs RUNNING exclusive games designed for the PS3 are very different.

Not sure if you were trying to take a jab at the Cell or trying to be funny.
Or simply didn't realize that there's a difference in tech 6 or 7 years apart.

[Mikhail]

So porting PS3 games directly would mean lowered FPS and other bugs. Sounds reasonable. I find this interesting since it can relate to the BC of PS4. This means that PS3 games can be ported to off the shelf hardware of today. I woder what Sony's approach for this and also Microsoft. Its either hardware and/or software emulation.

[Dante112]

@Mikhail

How can this relate to BC on the PS4 when we don't even know the official hardware for it yet or if it'll even have BC for that matter? We really don't know anything yet but the rumors that are out there for the PS4 and "Durango".

"At the early stages of development, when we had just ported the PS3 version on the PS Vita, the FPS was more than 10 times slower than the current retail version. We managed to realise the current quality by optimizing (i.e. multithreading) all processes related to the CPU/GPU, and we reached a result which is very close - almost identical - to the PS3 version of BlazBlue."

Nice, Blazblue looks amazing on the PS Vita. Clear and smooth as heck. They did good.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[sikbeta]

@Mikhail

You took the Cell of out the pic, but it doesn't work like that, PS3 games will not be easily emulated thanks to how different is the Cell architecture, that's why rumors saying Sony is ditching cell for the PS4 pretty much assure no BC in the PS4

[TENTONGUN]

just maybe ps3 games wont be compatible with the ps4. ps2 still sells cause of no bc. ps3 will be around bout a decade reguardless. makes me think that since most money sony makes is off software, would it be a good idead to make it bc. then again ps3 game sales will be mostly preowned when the ps4 is the big focus. seems like they can just shit on us when it comes to bc. sony might not waste their time and money with it

[portugamer]

I don't understand why, TODAY, people still wants Bc so bad.
Our TVs have 3-4 hdmi ports, no problem to have one ps3 near a ps4.
Unless ps4 does some magic upscale to 4k, no aliasing, and let us play uncharted,gow3,etc, games at 60 or 120 Hz, I would prefer playing on a 0 noise ultra-slim ps3,that will cost 99$, in a couple of years, instead of playing on a (maybe) +400 watt noisy ps4.

Maybe ps4 will have a 35nm cell processor ,for Bc, along with the (maybe)AMD CPU. Maybe that cell would cost 10-20$ to include one on the ps4, for media decoding,video,3d, music, and for a full scene AA x64/128 treatment, no more edges. This cell could help the system in many ways. Will the ps4 need a CPU/gpu,at 100%, with all those cores and MHz, just to run a mp3?

A good 'old' and cheap cell would be fantastic, for those 'small' tasks.

[Hozi]

If I know SONY they will release two versions of PS4, with limited BC, and then scrap it after those models are sold out. Then they will begin to re release games for PS3 playable on PS4 and sell it as an HD-HD Remake.

[gypsygib]

I just checked out a Vita demo station yesterday, I have to say that it's launch games have better graphics than both PS3s and 360s launch games imo.

[TopDudeMan]

Why would you need it ported? What about the remote play feature? No sense in buying the same game twice.

[ninjahunter]

Not everyone who will be buying a Vita owns a PS3. I for one am a PC gamer, but i will be getting the vita so that i can have access to some of the best franchises, such as ninja gaiden, bioshock or some of the playstation exclusives.

[Muitnorts]

I personally bought Rayman Origins for Vita. It's just a game that I feel suits the platform better than a home console (and looks incredible)
It'll just depend on the game. But remote play isn't as all encompassing as some would like, and it's limited to when you have a constant wi-fi connection.

[Nutsack]

Not that interested in straight PS3 ports...

Would mean the PSVita becomes a boring little brother that does the same as the PS3.

PSVita needs more platform defining own games other than what's on PS3. It needs the Loco Roco's, the Patapons, I still am flabbergasted why they didn't have those in the launch line up, especially for Japan that have no interest in Uncharted...

[JayD-1K]

i agree but, i wouldn't mind a Heavenly Sword port or even, a Lair remake with Vita controls!

[resistance100]

Lair works via remote play

[Dante112]

Don't worry. Newly made games are going to be announced for the PS Vita next Friday.

http://n4g.com/news/952018/...

@ jose

Well keep waiting, bub.

[PimpDaddy]

This is what I have been saying for awhile. The Vita is nice hardware. Nobody is questioning that. It's the games that will hold it back. They are catering to their "core". We all know their "core" will buy the Vita no matter what games their are. It's the other gamers that they want to sell the Vita to that will go out and buy the 3DS or play games on their mobile phones and tablets instead.

I'm not trying to hate on the Vita. I consider myself more than a casual gamer. But even for me the games aren't something that I don't already have on my PS3 or 360.

[supremacy]

I would agree with you to a certain degree, but even the 3DS has its share of ports.

I believe whats holding it back its the overall asking price for the experience. The unit itself, memory cards, ($50)games.

Some feel thats too much to ask for honestly, because the new and original ips will come and go and thats inevitable.

[tiffac008]

^I think developers are now using ports as their gateway in learning how to make games for a new hardware, without investing a lot of money doing so.

I would be surprise if this port trend continues, seeing as there is the Remote Play feature and the planned PS3/PSV Cross-content initiative.

And the prices will go down eventually, its the nature of the console business. So it won't be a barrier for long but Sony still needs to bring more free apps and PSV only games to justify the purchase, especially to the eyes of the general public.

[josephayal]

Cant wait for this beast to get hacked

[NiceGuy192]

Yeah, that would be so awesome because then the developers would become really motivated to make more awesome games for it.

[SilentNegotiator]

jose is a troll. He just wants the Vita to get pirated to death.

[portugamer]

You didn't understand.. I tell you.

Josephayal would be happy, because the hack scene would bring him wonderful applications, what they call homebrew.
Like everybody who mods their consoles, he isn't interested in free games. Just watch psp, and the wonderful apps people could run on the console, the famous homebrew. People were barely interested on playing games for free...

Sure,I'm sarcastic...

I hope psvita will be 100 times more secured than the ps3. So we can have wonderful games, and give our hard earned money to their creators, who just make our passion possible.

About piracy,ok, the 12 yo kid who got a console at Christmas, and can only buy 4-6 games in one year, I can understand the kid just wants to have fun playing his games, and will try to have a few more, without paying.

BUT when that guy is 20 or 30 something, works, and can afford to buy beer,or cigarettes,or hashish, 5 days a week, but is too stupid to understand that a hacked console will make developers just run away, or take little risks, with small productions, and instead of having 100 great games to choose from, every year, there will only a few, because that stupid guy won't pay for his game, even if it costs 1$.
its just incredible, how people can be soo damn *put name here*

Good luck, psvita.

[xflo360]

The best thing about this story is that they all said they would be working on more vita games. That is great news.

[slavish]

i figure porting from ps3 to psv will be difficult. Developers have to program games to run on the cell but the psv is a multi-core device. It would be easier to port games from pc/360 or modern pda/smartphones since they all are multi-core devices. If ps4 ditches the cell, as rumored, it would be easier to port from ps4 then ps3.

[Nutsack]

If you'd read the article first, you could have known the devs say its overall pretty easy...

[slavish]

if you read my post you would have noticed the 1st sentence. "I FIGURED porting from ps3 to psv will be difficult."

P.S. Im also not wrong. if you read the article Ryota Niitsuma - director of Marvel vs Capcom 3 "It's definitely not easy!" Non of the developers say its easy. They only say its easier then they thought! You should read the article.

[SilentNegotiator]

If we would have read your first post as written, we would read:

"i figure"

Not "I figured"

You can't get mad at people for misinterpreting your comment when you put something with a completely different meaning.

[Ulf]

It sounds easy, from PS3/360. The Vita has more RAM available from the get-go. If devs use all 3 available CPU cores well, they're probably in good shape.

[ninjahunter]

It may have more ram, but it has processing power comparable to the original xbox. But hey, doom 3 was on the original xbox so im optimistic.

[Ulf]

@ninjahunter,

Where on earth did you hear that 3 of 4 cores, on a quad-core ARM Cortex A9 are "comparable" to a 733 MHz Pentium III (the original XBox CPU)?

Maybe ONE of the cores is about that. Three of them would be about.. 3x? Probably more, as devs have been quoted as saying that the full Vita CPU is approximately as powerful as the PS3 PPU (a 3.2 GHz PowerPC v6 core).

Clock-for-clock, the Pentium III was a *terrible* design compared to just about every other processor in the past 15 years (the P4 is the only one I would consider worse), so I doubt that the original XBox CPU could hold a candle to the Vita's CPU.

[coolasj]

It seems the hardest thing is optimizing for a different set of hardware and using the new touch screen controls.
If it's this easy, expect to either vr strangled with $100 PSV + PS3 bundles. Or get cut a sweet deal at $80 and under. MLB The Show set the bar, lets see if the trend continues.
I'd much prefer buy one get both for downloadables, and $75-$80 for both retail.

[blumatt]

That would be awesome. both PS3 and PSV copies for $80.

[SnipeySnake]

I don't want this because Sony is trying to make this a portable ps3. There aren't many games that make me want this that aren't sequels/remakes/spinoff's to a ps3 exclusive franchise.

[ziggurcat]

"Much of the console's launch line-up has consisted of PlayStation 3 ports"

uh... no it hasn't.

[Hicken]

Just let the ignorant be ignorant. They'll treat the Vita like it's the only handheld to HAVE ports from the home console, then they'll treat it like that's ALL the Vita has.

Truth in the face of the willfully ignorant usually doesn't get very far, sadly.

[thebudgetgamer]

Moderately.

[Skate-AK]

Kinda weird that Team Ninja said that their all about graphics.

[Malice-Flare]

hmm. considering that PS3 games are easy to port from. what does that mean for BC when the next PlayStation is confirmed to be an x86-64 architecture? it means PS4 will have a separate PS Store with easily ported PS3 and PSN games. PS1, PS2, and PSP games are emulated so no problem there...

[zero_cool]

Science is unique in that its methods demand not only that the ideas proposed be tested and replicated, but everything science comes up with is also inherently falsifiable. In other words, unlike religion and politics, science has no ego, and everything it suggests accepts the possibility of being proven wrong eventually. It holds on to nothing and evolves constantly.”

Cheers Gamers & Happy Gaming!

[dboyman]

I would love to see 3d dot heros for ps vita! Would be great to have that game on the go...

[TheBreezyBB]

I don't want ported games on the Vita.

[portugamer]

To ninjahunter:
If you can show us uncharted golden abyss running on the original Xbox at more then 5 fps, I will offer you a vita.

Developers finally have a portable system with enough power, so they don't need to worry about it. So far, since psp was hacked, many studios, since they hadn't big budgets to make their games, they needed to release games on the Ds. But now, the QVGA blurried graphics, with flat textures, dumb mees, brain assistants and tones of games for kids, with simple features, so even a mentality retarded can play,well, those times are over. These studios finally can make their dreams and creations alive,with almost no limits.

I can't imagine how many hundreads games will be available in 1-2 years, for vita, with excellent psn games ported, like journey,etc.
It's gonna be insane,guys. And if they keep the prices low,like w they did with motorstorm rc, hustle kings,etc,its gonna be great for us,gamers.

Sorry for my comment about te DS, for retarded,etc, but we must admit,that except a few 1st party games,all the marios,monsters,etc,its full of crapware,like on the Wii. The same games,over and over, milked until the last drop.

On the vita, we know we may be able to play,one day, games like need for speed, sonic generations,and many many more.

When we see uncharted golden abyss, and what they were able to achieve,for a launching title, its just crazy what they may do, in the future. Really, I can't wait to have mine,in my hands, and admire that incredible screen, that looks insane, when watching gameplay videos.it looks like the image isn't really coming from the vita, and its added in post production, so the picture looks better,like the old movies,where you see the tv,with stunning video running. But NO, those images are really coming from the vita. The screen quality must be
Unbelievable.

[svoulis]

What people don't understand is exactly what you said! There is also another big factor against Piracy on the Vita,

The memory cards, and as much as it sucks to spend money on them, think of it this way.

If you are willing to hack your Vita, you still need to purchase a decent sized memory card to play games. On top of that the games wont work online cause of PSN not recognizing the firmware. Sony did this very smart, you wanna hack their system, you literally have to pay for it.

Anyway, well said.