(Obviously a short-blog. You weren't expecting me to write a novel about a firmware update now did you?)
Just mere minutes ago Sony release the new 3.01 Firmware. I've downloaded and installed it. And that about all I can say because I don't know what the changes are.
For those who are about to get into cardiac arrest: Fear not the nice gray friendlist is still in tact. And the bigger fonts too. In fact there aren't any changes we can
see. Which can only mean
Uncharted: Drakes Fortune is now playable for everybody. At least that's what I'm guessing. I myself didn't have any issues with the game. So maybe the ones that had problems can enlighten us if the game now runs as smooth as before.
Now while you're updating your PS3 I want to ask you something. Can you tell me what feature you would like to see in the next Firmware? Try to keep things a bit sane will you? We all know people really enjoy typing that "those guys over at Sony are a bunch of fags". But then in all-caps and with more grammar errors. But I'm just curious about your ideas and most of all why you would love that feature.
Forgot somethin: I personally would like to see two things.
1. I would love to be able to have full control over all the features on the XMB while in a video-chat. For those that never use it, you can't look at your trophies for instance. It's great to discuss the trophies in a chat room. "How did you get that one?" "How many more trophies do you need in that particular game?" etc.
2. I would also love to have full in-game XMB while playing PS1 and PS2 games and while watching a DVD or Blu-ray. Right now if you're playing a PS1 game you will remain logged in and can receive messages and sorts but you have to quit the game to read and reply them. This is obviously a bit harder to implement but it would make the PS3 much friendlier in use.
That's all I really want. I give the PS3 a 9.5 now. If it had those functions it would get a round and sold 10.
EDIT: Sony updated their blog and it says:
"Hi everyone, PS3 system software update 3.01 is now available for download. This is an optional update that improves system stability during use of some PlayStation 3 format software."
So yeah, that's Uncharted for you.
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The ability to send people nudes without them getting all butt hurt and blocking me for no reason what-so-ever.
I would like for that fancy video service to get available to more countries!
Can't thing of anything game-changing but being able to access the XMB while watching a DVD or playing a PS1 game would be nice. I'd also add Cross-game chat but I don't have anything to talk with right now so that's a bit redundant. And if I can't use it, no one can.
Cross game chat.
Forgot to add mine.
So yes Trebz, I would love your first option too. Also, I use those gay porn pics you sent me a lot to scare people out of video-chat. Not butt hurt at all. In fact send me more!
testing new comments system
@Niero
Thanks for getting the "Back to post" back in action after commenting.
I'm still waiting for that vagina port they've been promising for 2 years now.
I also want Atari Lynx games in the PSN-store!
@Takeshi I second your idea for XMB during PS1&2 games. But I doubt it'll ever get in since nearly everybody this generation couldn't care less about backward compatibility, something I'll never understand or relate to.
The ability to install your classic PSX games to run natively from your hard drive. What this means is simple. I love Bust A Groove, Incredible Crisis, Vagrant Story, Dragon Valor, etc.... NONE of these games have a snowballs chance in hell of being a PSN download. While these do work on my PS3, I would love the option to install them onto my system.
I'd love more variation in XMB design. I'd love some themes where the XMB fits with the Dynamic World in the background, instead of just being a straight line.
I'd rather have Naomi, MVS, and Sammy arcade games on the PSN store.
I would also like to access XMB while a blu-ray was playing (or while PS2/PS1 games are, hey, 360 can't do that either). I've been watching lots of Heroes lately and I'd like to be able to check on things or have downloads going while I watch. Along with that, I'd like to be able to set the video to keep playing while the XMB is up.
Playlists for media server content and being able to play media server stuff in-game would be nice.
Cross game chat would be alright, to make people stop talking about it. I'm fine with the text thing. It supports up to 16 people, and I can still talk to people in the game with me. Based on my 360 experience, if the FNF chat room switched to voice, I'd never bother joining it.
What I want isn't more of a feature, but a change in the way Sony operates their firmware releases.
I like my consoles to act like consoles. Meaning, I don't want to sit around updating my PS3 every single time I turn the thing on. And if this is going to happen, can we at least re-work it so that it simply patches the firmware and not downloads and installs the entire thing over?
It's the same issue I've had with my PSP only slightly less obnoxious.
@Sheppy
That's a great idea. Never thought of it. But I would love to see that implemented.
@Daxelman
I think that's just a matter of time. But yeah, some variation sounds nice. Especially new avatars. Or just the option to use your own.
@Trev
Good suggestions. I'm with you as far as cross game chat is concerned. I only want it so people would stop talking about it. I think it's annoying if people are talking to me while playing another game. I even jump out of the text chat when in a game.
cross game chat... or better quality control to ensure voice chat works as it is supposed to in games (unlike Sacred and BF 1943... neither of which has been patched yet!... and likely won't be).
Oh... and I found out about the update by seeing your PSN comment when I was checking messages while playing Sacred 2! Thanks Takeshi!
w00t Thanks Takeshi! u R@CK!
@Alex
I don't have a problem with the Firmware Updates themselves. It usually takes me about 5 minutes to download and install, even with the supposedly hefty 3.0 update.
But I do kind of agree with you about that consoles should remain consoles. Older consoles like for instance the SNES or PS1 worked fine out of the box and even if they could they never needed an update. Sometimes I think that game and console developers are getting lazy a bit and only want to get their product on the market as soon as possible. You can almost hear them say "We'll patch it later anyway".
@Elsa
It's indeed a matter of quality control. The devlopers are the ones responsible for making the mics work in the game. But yeah, if you could use an external voice-chat function to surpass any problems with mics in a game I would love it. This is something no one has ever brought up. They usually mention it "because the 360 has it". But like I said I won't actually use it to chat cross games.
oh, i got a list of must needed improvements i could list,
i would like not a cross game chat but an in/out/in game chat, meaning i'm playing warhawk while you're playing barbie doll adventure and we are chatting "while" playing. wants the point of pausing a game to just chat, while the processors are still blasting?
but, there is no reason the music should shut off when going into settings or viewing a profile.
we could use our consoles as a p2p server for media streaming.
the browser has a hard fuckin time pressing play/pause/fullscreen/etc on youtube/video sites, i click play and the arrow jumps to the middle of the screen.
more fuckin music visualizers.
tell me the exact number of messages i got, the space is there.
allow me to view my game save data in game. more ps2 ps1 options.
Personally, as nice as cross-game chat would be, i's just a luxury, not a necessity. The two makor things I want to see are must-haves:
1) Multiple PSN ID logins -- What's the point of having Trophies to compete with Achievements if only one player can earn them at a time? Ever play LittleBigPlanet with 4 people in the same room, while only Player 1 reaps the benefits? It sucks. A lot. Not only that, but only one friends list can currently be viewed at a time, shortening the amount of contacts you have to play online games with your real-life friends.
2) Multiple headset connections -- I know the PS3 doesn't have a ton of split-screen online games, but stuff like Unreal Tournament 3 has it, and so does Warhawk. I believe Borderlands will, too. Kind of unfair for only one player to be able to communicate with people, isn't it? You can save a ton of headsets, but only connect one at a time. More than once this has been a problem.
@Qraze
Let me guess, you wrote that comment using the PS3 browser. LOL
@Pedrovay
Never really thought about those things because I'm the only one who is allowed to touch my PS3 anyway. But in all seriousness, I can see what you mean.
yeah the multiuser-thing is a real pain in the but at NARPs too...
4 people playing who all have their own accounts but only 1 can sign in, even though the emailadres/pwd-combo makes it ideal for visiting friends :-)
Hm...where to begin...
I'll use a few of the ones here in addition to mine:
-Cross game chat: so you can effectively use your PS3 as a free conference call telephone
-100% PSN game demo rate, so you actually know if anything is good before dropping $10 on it
-When you hit the guide button during digital playback through my PC, make it so it doesn't stop the content completely (aka Xbox 360)
-PS1/PS2 XMB functionality
-Multi-user login
-Less firmware updates (sparing, like the 360)
-Ability to revert to the older, smaller text if you choose
-More contests
-More avatar choices
-More promotions like "game with the developers"
-Netflix
-More exclusive content (not "Joker DLC", but worthwhile chunks like The Lost and Damned, and Fallout 3's DLC near the time of launch, etc. To be fair, Sony seems to be jumping on this).
All of these features, except Xbox-->360 guide functionality are in the 360 at the present moment.
obviously cross game chat is a big demand, and although I would love to have that, I think that I would prefer more control over how the XMB organizes files first and foremost. I have specific ways I like to organize shit and when it doesn't fall into predefined categories I have to choose from, I get all pissy. I'll live with it the way it is if I have to, but it would just be nice to have a bit more control over the XMB's subfolders.
It's 5:42AM in the morning, and while I should be sleeping, I'm instead commenting on your blog Takeshi. :-)
I'm not sure i have much to add, because Magnalon pretty much listed about everything I would like to see added. If I only had to choose one thing though, it would definitely be cross-game voice chat. I'm pretty sure you knew I would choose this though, since it's really the only thing I ever complain about with Sony anymore.
Anyways, hope you are doing well Johan.
I can finally play Uncharted woop!
I'd like the system to not look like a Twilight fangirl's MySpace page when the bastard boots up.
@FatherChesz: You can turn the sparkling effect off already, by going into your system theme settings and reverting back to classic mode.
so far i cant think of anything my ps3 NEEDS as far a features. maybe improve the browser a little so you can actually use it like a real one. maybe scale the browser so it fits on a tv screen normally. with out having to rearrange the layout. or scroll to see the rest of the pages.
also ps1 and ps2 xmb functionality is useless without BC. so there is no reason for it.
i would agree some sort of way to customize the xmb yourself would be nice.
like adding or removing certain things. like removing the photos or movie icons. maybe different styles of xmb. like a ring type or vertical xmb?
more avatars of course.
"also ps1 and ps2 xmb functionality is useless without BC. so there is no reason for it."
What about the millions of people, like myself, who bought a MGS4 BC-Pack PS3 or earlier model? :D
I don't have any suggestions but I just wanted to say there are some really good suggestions here. You all should design a console together, I'd buy it.
It's good to see that you guys can tell me why you want certain features. Overall pretty interesting stuff. Except for some people that want their PS3 to be a 360 but that was to be expected.
@Takeshi
"Except for some people that want their PS3 to be a 360 but that was to be expected."
You mean except for me, who wants the PS3 to have added functionality. The only thing the PSN has over Live is that it's free. The 50% demo rate in particular makes me irate.
Just to add:
Look at all the features I listed that Live has over the PSN. Sure, you may say to yourself "PSN is a 9.5! I love it!" but why wouldn't you want any of those features?
Those that you mention sound great Takeshi. But I would like to see is having that music video channel released for Canadian PS3 owners. Assuming that is actually released to the US region. Anyways cross media chat is good, I cant think of anything else.
Hey it's that Dutch guy. You know, the one who didn't come to PAX!
<3
@Pew
Hey it's that Dutch guy. You know, the one who went to PAX all by himself without sending me a message.
<===8
@Magnalon
See, you can't even say why you would want those features. You can only come up with a list and finish it with saying that's what the 360 has and that's why you want it. Oh no you did, you want to use your PS3 to make conference calls for free. Pretty much half of your options aren't even related to the XMB. More contests? Now that's functional. And then you want them to add in functionality by having less updates. Saving them up doesn't make any sense to me. Let's say they came up with cross-game chat in January but you can't have it yet because the update is scheduled for June. Sound a bit shit now doesn't it? Before I'll go through your whole list I'll stop here and tell you why I don't want those features. Because I don't need them to enjoy my games.
Cross-game chat. I want to chat during load screens, I want to chat during single player games, I want to chat while we're in the same game!
I just want to chat at all times, throughout all functions, without interuption :(