After all this time... I've finally gotten a PSP w/ Pure!
So I've read the manual, played some Vector TT, some Vector SR, and some Zone. Tried all the ships, looked through all the options, enabled the hacker skin, all the usuals. Now my thumb hurts, so I have to stop playing for a bit. Probably go to work. Take care of business.
So here are my first impressions:
Controls: Very good, limited only by the fact that the PSP isn't a Dual Shock. I love that I can assign any darn fool button I want to be anything I choose.
Absorb: Love it! Totally brilliant.
Feiser: WTF? It's FEISAR! All caps! With an "A"! Because it's an acronym! Gotta love those typos in large face type...
Free Play: An excellent addition! I hope this mode sticks around.
Stats: I knew it was coming and I still laughed when I read "Time spent looking at stats". Somehow, it's still that funny.
Music Setup & Sequential Play: Another totally brilliant idea. Now I know for sure I'll be listening to all the music, and not just accidentally get the same three songs for half an hour. I never liked "Random", and being able to take certain songs out of the loop is a great feature. Not sure if I'll use it, but am I ever glad it's there!
Special Thanks: Robert Foxx. Woot!
Director of Product Development: Connie Booth? Of Monty Python fame? Nah, there must be more than one.
The Music: I haven't really noticed any of it yet. I find that odd. Perhaps it just meshes with the game so well that I don't notice it, and that's a good thing, but I'm used to "noticing" several tunes while playing (and being somewhat distracted from playing!) and that hasn't happened yet.
Vector: I've heard lots of "it's too slow!" complaints about Vector, but so far it just seems like Vector. Have these people played WO3? Vector was slow. I'm wondering if I'll get to Venom and not find enough speed increase, that might explain what the noise was about.
Anyway, that's me carrying on for far too long, I'm actually here to ask some questions of those who would know!
1) What firmware should I go up to? I'm at 2.8 now (I think) and I don't want to go very far over 3 (due to issues with Pure and the download packs not working anymore on those firmwares), but I think I would like to go up to 3.04 OE or whatever it's called so I can get the framerate improvement (not important here at Vector, but I'll get to Phantom eventually).
2) The analog nub falls off. What's up with that? I'm thinking I should put a dab of gunk in there and press it on so that it's stuck forever.
3) The "Memory Stick Duo" door opens while I'm playing. I've had to tape that sucker shut! My left index finger rubs along it when I'm playing and it just pops open and ejects the card. Not good! I got the PSP used, so I'm thinking that might be a problem I've inherited from the previous owner.
4) What's that little switch for? Right on top of that door there's a swtich, it seems to have a 'broadcast' and 'squelch' mode judging by the little pictures. I thought it would be a lock for the memory stick door, but that door opens regardless of switch position. If I'm taping that door closed, I'm also taping that switch into one position. I kind of wish it came with a Users Manual like it was supposed to. The price of getting the unit cheap, I guess.
5) No USB cable, no wrist strap, and there's a bit of dirt inside the PSP. Looks like I'll have to pick up some accessories. Suggestions/advice/warnings? Do I have to open this thing up to get that speck of dirt out? It's right smack-dab in the middle of the screen, just on the inside. Sooo annoying!
Is it ever nice to finally be playing this game!