June 30
Overview of PSN improvements
There’s a lot of new things coming in the next firmware update (2.4) and i bet you’ve lost track of whats to come. This post is to take a look at the improvements that will take place when the next firmware update is released AND whats to come in the future. Firmware 2.4 will be released on the 2nd of July which is like a few days away!
Firmware 2.4
In-game XMB
Ok, so this is the long awaited and most asked for feature and its coming very soon. In-game XMB is where you can access the Xross Media Bar while playing a game. You’ll be able to message friends, change a few settings, switch from 1 game to another and a lot more. Check this video out to see more.
Gamercards
You’ll be able to view your trophies as well as your friends trophies. Whats nice about this is that you’ll also be able to compare your trophies to your friends and see who’s doing better at which game.
When you view someones profile now you just get a basic text based look. When firmware 2.4 hits, a new look will apply, making it look something similar to this:
Trophies
Sony’s answer to Xbox Live’s achievement system. You’ll earn trophies for reaching a certain milestone in a game that supports it. 70% of games will support Trophies when its released in a few days according to this rumor. Trophies will also include a levelling up system, similar to that in traditional RPG’s. Want to know more on Trophies? Click here to see a video walkthough.
Google Search Bar
A Google Search tool will be added in firmware 2.4 that will allow you to enter a search term and it will take you straight to Google. Pretty handy.
Future Improvements
Home
A community based service for Playstation 3. Just think a 3D Facebook, Bebo and Myspace. In Home you’ll be able to build your own apartment space and invite your friends to it.
Video Store
A store where you’ll be able to download “New Arrivals”, “Movies”, “Television”, “Anime”, “HD Only”, “Rentals”, “Purchase”, and “Top Downloads”.
Playstation 2 Store
This is the newest rumor. Apprently this will be revealed at E3. Classic PS2 titles are to make their way to the Playstation Store.
Life with PlayStation
When you turn on your PS3, Sony want to present you with the latest news and the information you require. This new service is called Life with Playstation. Click here to see a video of it in action.
70% of Playstation 3 games that are already released will be compatible with Sony’s answer to Xbox Live’s Achievement system, Trophies.
The July issue of Official PlayStation Magazine UK states that:
“PlayStation 3 achievements – called ‘trophies’ – will be unveiled soon (this bit we already know, but here’s the interesting bit), and 70% of games will already be compatible.”
This could be true because apparently it only takes developers half a days work to implement the trophy system into their games.
What games do you hope that will support Trohpies?
Grand Theft Auto IV
Uncharted Drakes Fortune
Metal Gear Solid 4
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm is a Playstation 3 exclusive fighting game developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Namco Bandai Games. Ninja Storm is due to be released fall of 2008.
Below are 22 in-game screenshots, so check them out!
Here’s a video of a map, you fly through the level, a level called Quarantine. Check it out.
“This map has some wide open areas that will make easy targets of those unaware of their surroundings.”
According to videogaming247, Playstation Network boss Eric Lempel, the firmware 2.4 update will include the Google Search Bar.
“We’ve addeed one more feature that we’ll talk about today,”
“This is something we did a few weeks ago on the PSP, with Firmware 4.0, and that’s the addition of a Google Search Bar.”
The next video of firmware 2.4 will be released shortly.
Thanks to sony-playstation.cz here are official images of the Trophy system that will be included in the next 2.4 firmware update. Looks like these rumors were true afterall.
June 30
In-game chat confirmed?If you take a look at this Neogaf post, you will see that while bringing up the Cross Media Bar in-game, you can start a chat session with your friends. Here’s an image.
Whether you can talk/view the webcam while playing a game is currently unanswered. But it seems like that because theres a seperate ‘create message’ in the menu. This is looking very bright in terms of functionality for the Playstation 3.
SCEE announced that firmware 2.40 will be available from July 2nd through automatic firmware upgrade after a long time of plea’s and requests/suggestions from users.
There have been speculation about when 2.40 would be released, including dates as early as April, June 12th along MGS:4 or E3. Nobody expected 2.36 to be released and feared the worst that 2.40 might be pushed back even further in the summer.
As you might have seen the first part of the walkthrough of v2.40 and maybe the second part as well, here is a little run down of what is to be expected.
Firstly, the 2.40 enhancement allows XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) access in-game. This means that you can access the PS3 menu at any time while playing most games, simply by tapping the PlayStation button on your controller. With 2.40, you can check if any of your friends are online (thanks to their own user profile), read and send messages, change some settings for games, all without having to quit the game you are playing. While you can’t pause an online multiplayer game involving other people, you can rejoin play at any time when you’ve finished browsing. Along with these enhanced communications features, the Friends list capacity will double to 100 Friends
2.40 also delivers trophies to recognise players’ achievements in the online arena. Other competitive activities recognise winners with trophies – so why not gaming on PS3? Many online games will have gold, silver and bronze trophies – with platinum available for those who snag all three – all displayed on the XMB for everyone to see.
The following first-party games are also slated to offer Trophy support:
- BUZZ! Quiz TV
- LittleBigPlanet
- MotorStorm Pacific Rift
- NBA 09 – PS3
- PAIN
- PixelJunk Eden
- Resistance 2
- SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
- Warhawk
Super Stardust™ HD will be the first game to introduce these trophies, so if you bought this PSN exclusive during the last year you can be one of the first to start gathering trophies.
Here’s part 2 of the ‘Firmware 2.4 video walkthoughs’. This time Eric will be taking on a tour around the Trophy system.
“But that’s only part of the story, as the next system software update also introduces the Trophy system to the PS3. This video demonstration shows the system in action.”
The following first-party games are also slated to offer Trophy support:
- BUZZ! Quiz TV
- LittleBigPlanet
- MotorStorm Pacific Rift
- NBA 09 – PS3
- PAIN
- PixelJunk Eden
- Resistance 2
- SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
- Warhawk
If you havent seen the official video of Firmware 2.4 in action where it shows Eric Lempel take you on a journey to in-game XMB, click here to see.
Anyway, more information and details are due including the first look at the Trophy system. This will be available at around 8AM EST / 5AM PST / 1PM GMT which is like in 15 minutes! A video will be posted on the Official Playstation blog and this video will take you through the Trophy system.
Here’s a video of a map, you fly through the level, a level called Quarantine. Check it out.
“The viral lab is going to be turned into a fierce battleground, lock and load, and by all means stick together.”
Want to take a look at the creatures you’ll be up against in Legendary? Well now you can with the following video. This video shows you some of the creatures you will have to face in this first person shooter.
“Just one of the many reasons you shouldn’t open Pandora’s box.”
June 30
26 Prototype screenshots
The DualShock 3 will be released on the 4th of July in Europe. According to Mania Game the controller will be released in Europe afterall.
“The Beach Boys knew what really counted in life: good vibrations, sun and surf. Wij hebben vorig weekend aardig genoten van de zon … We have nice last weekend enjoyed the sun … ten minste, als we niet verwikkeld waren in een spelletje Metal Gear Solid 4! at least, if we were not involved in a game Metal Gear Solid 4!
Vibratiefans begin alvast te juichen want Sony heeft ons gemeld dat de langverwachte DualShock³ eindelijk in de Europese winkelrekken gaat belanden. Vibratiefans already beginning to rejoice because Sony has notified us that the long-awaited DualShock ³ finally in the European winkelrekken is controversy. De releasedatum is, ondertussen bevestigd, 4 juli! The release, meanwhile confirmed on July 4! Je kan nu reeds een exemplaar reserveren in jouw Game Mania store! You can already reserve a copy in your Game Mania store!”
Here’s part 1 to the video walkthrough of Firmware 2.4. This video takes you on a tour with the Xross Media Bar.
You are shown how to access the XMB in-game and what you can do.
Stay tuned for the Trophy feature in action.
