Lynx2069 wrote:By PS3 database I mean through the debug menu. It clears the internal file structure and rebuilds it. The database becomes cluttered when it contains refrences to data not there. It will begin to slow the XMB if left unchecked.
Are you sure that there isn't a cache, because for example, Resistance 2 caches on start if you play anything other than Resistance 2.
I've never had an issue where a game took any longer to load merely due to another game having been played in all the years I've been using my PS3. What I have noticed, as I explained above, are the generation of game data in the 'installed programs' part of the XMB - especially on games that either have no install option at all (Oblivion) or installation is not mandatory.
Oblivion generates a swap file when it's first loaded - and updates this file while you play. It can end up really rather large, but leaving it alone can cause subsequent re-boots to be faster. Deleting this file only appears to cause Oblivion to need to re-cache data back into that file, slowing down the boot process.
Sometimes, errors can occasionally creep into that cache file. I've had more than one instance where the game became very slow and glitchy - and deleting that file solved the problem.
Ultimately, that's all a cache is - a file that can be used as additional memory (quicker to load from than blu-ray or DVD) and the XBox360's cache (upon thinking about it) is potentially exactly the same. The only real difference is that the XBox360 uses a system cache (like a PC uses a page file), whereas the PS3 uses swap files individually set up by the games that require them.
Playing a different game will not impact an individual swap file on a PS3, but since the cache is global (think 'pagefile.sys') on the XBox360 the system would have to re-allocate the cache to accommodate the game being played at any given time.
The downside for PS3 owners is that these large files can accumulate quite quickly, filling up the hard disk if you play a lot of different games and only have a small drive.
And it looks absolutely fantastic
