[Rebel]

PS3's Genji uses HDD to quarter load times
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/21/ps3s-g...oad-times/
Sony tries to make us believe the PS3 is all powerful, but if it really was then measures like this would not be necessary at all.

but that is like saying: "We know load times will get worse as games get bigger and consoles more powerful, but I hold Sony to the unrealistic expectation that ANY game on their console will have short to nill load times."

It's just dumb. Load times depend on two main things: the amount of information being loaded and the ability of the machine to load data. Games are going to continue to get bigger, and consequently, their load times are going to get longer. And games will likly always be somewhat bigger than the machines they're going to be run on.

The game in question, Genji, has apparently 15 second wait times. I can't even blow my nose in 15 seconds, is this really a big issue? Furthermore, the logic behind this is very sound, it's easier and faster to access the same data from a hard-drive than it is from a disc. And what, exactly, is wrong with this? Playstation did not install the harddirve in their console so that we can sotre music on it, download jpgs or mods, it's for storage for games. The system and the game are making best use of the technology given to them, they are utilizing the harddrive provided with the console to make gameplay faster.

And to echo Mav, consoles are just computers designed for playing games and nothing else.

I'm gonna sum it up and be blunt. Your being unrealistic. Load times exist EVERYWHERE save a very select few games. From Kotor to Oblivion, Generals to Rise of Legends. Most load times are positioned to not affect the plot, the battle, or the dialogue, so in short, dont worry about it. Unless load times start appearing during "Critical Moment 43634" where you find out the background of a character and the macigal weapon needed to defeat the boss, there's no REAL problem with them now is there?

Oblivion loads small packets of the "world" every few miniutes when I play on my PC, a little text says "loading" my game slows a little and then 5 seconds later it's done and everything's back to normal plus a new area. But whenever I go to "new realm A" or "castle c" it loads with a loading screen.

In the end, arent there better things developers should be worrying about than load time? Wouldnt you rather have a good story, with good graphics, and good gameplay than not have to wait FIFTEEN SECONDS?