PS3 Blu-Ray performance comparisons vs competing players

[MikeB]

An additional note with regard to spreading games onto several DVDs.

For the usual game spreading data onto several discs will not exactly equal the amount of data on a bigger capacity disc.

What I mean if you have a game cramming 25 GB of data on a single layer Blu-Ray disc and trying to span this data onto dual layer DVDs in equal quality, this will normally not result into 25/6.8 = 3.67 (of course meaning 4) DVDs. This is due to even for linear games developers are usually re-using graphics and audio data from earlier sections in later sections as well. To prevent constant disc swapping developers will then duplicate re-used data for each disc. So this could mean spanning the content could actually require 5 or even 6 discs depending on the game.

With regard to disc swapping, it is sometimes believed by some gamers that by spanning data onto several discs this will not impact game design. In addition to what is mentioned above, developers will try to keep disc swaps and production costs (box size, disc production) to a minimum. An extremely linear game (like Blue Dragon) will usually lead to far fewer sacrifices, but by having a far more open world like GTA IV or other games where you will have to re-visit previously visited areas this poses far more a problem. Game designers in such cases will then usually make any kind of technical sacrifice to keep the game on no more than 1 disc.