Welcome back to the world of gaming
I just wanted to say thanks for putting this web site up. I did have a question regarding the memory cards but I found the answer I was looking for in your mailbag archives. I have bookmarked your site and I'm sure I will be returning often to learn new things.
I did not preorder my PS2 like some did, I earned it the old fashioned way by standing in line at my local Walmart for 12 hours. I was the very first in line for the 21 units they had available. The 21st person arrived at 6:21 pm on Oct 25. If any of the other 20 people in that line read this, I want to commend you all for being extremely friendly and courteous throughout the entire evening when they went on sale at 12:01 am. I read several horror stories in the newspapers of other venues needing armed police officers as escorts to purchaser's cars. I hope you all are enjoying your purchase as much as my family and I are. For those that have stashed their Playstation2 away until Christmas, you are in for a real treat!
This is the first "game system" I ever purchased new. My son has had an original Nintendo that we bought at a garage sale 3 years ago. My wife and I are concerned about the level of violence found in some games. I am happy the game manufacturer's have voluntarily rated their games for content but I do find some games rated ok for teens (13 and up) very much adult in nature. I don't mean to grandstand in this particular forum but what redeeming value is there in watching a character writhe in pseudo pain and fantasy blood after watching another character decapitate them. Maybe it's just us.
Aaron, I don't expect you to play the censure police as to what game should or should not be bought and played. I realize this should be for each and every adult to decide for themselves what is and is not appropriate for the children under there charge. I do hope you will point out in your game reviews (perhaps you already do) what exactly a "newbie" such as myself can expect to find in the games released for the Playstation2.

A: Thanks for the letter. On the subject of the amount of "adult content" present in a game, I'll start adding the ESRB rating to our reviews.


Save me!
Q:i have ps2.i play metal gear solid on ps2 but when i want to save the mission the game does not detect the ps2 memory card why is that and do i have to buy a ps1 memory card to save it???????

A:You need to have a ps1 memory card to save your game.


Don't worry be happy
Q:It has come to my attention from a certian Magazine that the PS2 is not all its cracked up to be. I have heard that Sony, in trying to create aentertainment hub, didn't maximize its gaming potential and the Gamecube willblow it away. I already have a PS2 and I enjoy the games, but this concerns me.

A: If you already have a PS2, and you enjoy the games, you've got nothing to be concerened about. All of this "my console is better than yours" stuff really kills me. If you are having fun with the system you've got, be it Dreamcast, N64, or the Ps2, that is what gaming is all about, having fun.


Is it, or isn't it?
Q:I recently bought a PS2 in Japan and found it lable as SCPH-15000 outside but from System Config -> Version, it actually indicate Unit = SCPH-10000 but DVD Player Version = 1.01. Will it be possible for v1.00 DVD driver work in this unit?

A:This seems to be the case in the 1500 series. They didn't bother to change any of the driver information in the browser. You're outta luck when it comes to using the 1.00 driver though. It won't work.


Gore/Lieberman
As of late presidential candidate Al Gore and vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman have been consistently making threats to the videogame, music, and movie industries in an attempt to censor products containing what they deem as inappropriate. The Democratic party is out to destroy the everything that your website stands for in a blatant desecration of the constitution set fourth by our forefathers. This is a direct quote from Senator Lieberman aimed at numerous videogame, music, and movie makers, supporters, and retailers, "If your industries do not take the steps called for by the FTC within the next six months, and do not commit to uniform policies with real teeth, then we will call on the FTC to bring actions under the current false and deceptive advertising laws against companies that market these products to children. If we find that the FTC lacks sufficient authority under those laws to respond to this problem, then we will recommend narrowly-tailored legislation to provide the necessary authority." All that our organization is asking is that you respond in kind to his attacks on the United States Constitution and on the consumers, makers, and retailers of video games as a whole. We do not support a specific presidential candidate, only the idea that Gore/Lieberman in the White House will bring an age of censorship and control to our country of freedom. All we ask is that on your website you expose these men for what they really are and tell your readers that they are out to simply destroy the videogame, music, and movie industry.

A:Well, elections are just around the corner in the US, and this is a big issue for many gamers. If you are registered to vote, get out and vote on Tuesday. I'm not telling you who to vote for, just vote.


Name that Tune
Q:what is the song playing during the "kickimus maximus buttimus" commercial??

A:. For those of you unsure of what he is talking about, it is the music in the Madden 2001 commercial, and numerous movie trailers. It is written by Carl Orff, and it is called the Carmina Buranah O'Fortuna.


Slooooowwwww Moooottttiiiooonnn
Q:I was wondering if anyone has reported having problems with their ps2 slowing down during gameplay? I own Armored Core 2 and three time since I bought it has it slowed during gameplay. I was wondering if I was the only one having this problem and if I am, is there anyway I can contact Sony to find out if there is anyway I can remedy the situation. Thanx for the time.

A:Anyone now of any problems with Armored Core2? It seems to me that it is suffering from your basic slowdown. He insists that it's not. If you have any info, let me know.


Power
Q:Is it better to leave your playstation 2 on standby if you don't plan on playing it for two or three days or should you turn the unit off?

A:If you are going to be gone more than a day, I would go ahead and turn the system completely off.


PAL problems
Q:Will it be possible on PSX2 to play games that were made to run on Tv's with the Pal -N video system on Tv's with the Pal - M video system ?


Thanks for the help.

A:I cannot give you a concrete answer on this one. Information on the different PAL standards is difficult to find in the US. What I did find was that most NTSC-PAL convertors could convert to PAL -N and PAL-M, so they don't seem to be very different. Consult your local electronics store for a more definitive answer.


Short on time & cash
Q:When do u think would be the best time to buy the ps2 in terms of getting a good price and not worrying about waitng in line in a store or it being sold out?

A:The price is probably going to be the same for at least a year. Maybe in January it will be easier to get, but you never know.


I Need Dolby!
Q:Will the a/v cable provided with the psx2 be able to hook up to a Dolby Digital reciever with optical and coaxial inputs or will I have to buy a seperate cable for that, and how much does one cost?

A:You will have to purchase a seperate cable for that. You can buy this cord at any self-respecting electronics store. It'll run you about $25.


F1 Championship
Q:Hi, I will have a ps2 come November 24th, hopefully(I live in England). And all the games mags over here are saying that EAs f1 championship 2000 will be out on launch, but you say otherwise, could you please clarify the situation.

A:The latest info I have says November 15th. Of course, as usual that's subject to change.


Manufacturing Problems
Q:i couldn't wait so i pre-ordered my ps2. my biggest fear is that there would be some modifications made to the design in the next few months and my ps2 would have some problems that a later produced one might not have. any thoughts?

A:I suppose that it is possible that there could be some problems with the system. However, the Playstation2's launch is so high profile that I think Sony has made extra sure no embarrassing problems will turn up.


RFU 4 U?
Q:Will my playstations rfu adapter work on the PS2. If not how much will one cost for the PS2. Please get back to me asap. I saved money all summer to buy the PS2 on the day of its release, so i need to know if i have to get a new rfu adapter or not.

A:Yes your old one should work. Take that money and buy another game.



Here's a list
Q:
1.)Will u be abile 2 use psx controllers on psx2, or do u have to buy new controllers.
2.)Do psx games take more memory-card space than older games.
3.)Will the PSX2 improove the graphics Of PSX games?
4.)How much will the disk drive cost... can you save games on a disk

A:
1.) Yes
2.) Yes, but the memory card's capacity is much larger so it's not really a big deal
3.) Yes, it will improve some textures, but it will not be a very large improvement
4.) There has been no announcement on the price. It should be capable of doing this, but there has been no announcement about that either.