8 ms·

This is exactly why PC gaming isn't dead. What I don't understand is why online gaming is huge for the one American console maker, but lags so far behind with

by allenp 15y ago

This is exactly why PC gaming isn't dead. What I don't understand is why online gaming is huge for the one American console maker, but lags so far behind with the two Japanese manufacturers when for years and years we are told how wired Asia is. The Wii is too casual and Sony just doesn't get it? Seems odd. Meanwhile, Microsoft is making $1 billion / year on their Live service.

Macha 15y ago
PSN is up there with Xbox Live. You can't claim Sony doesn't get it. If Sony had charged for it from the start it would be equally profitable but marketing decided it needed to be free to compensate for the initial excessive cost of the console, and now they cant charge for it without annoying their entire userbase. A technical failure, like this outage is not the same as not understanding something's importance.
- stinky613 15y ago
  The technical failings Sony has faced demonstrate, I think, conceptual flaws: if they understood the PSN's importance they should have exercised more care in designing it. I know that what I'm saying sounds like a cliche of 20-20 hindsight, but these are some pretty obvious security problems they've been dealing with. Giving trusted access based solely on firmware is one thing, but they've been sending plain-text credit card numbers with every transaction.
- cube13 15y ago
  PSN really isn't on the same level of service as XBox Live, though. A lot of features(both for end users and developers) aren't included in PSN that come standard with the 360's SDK. This includes things like cross-game voice chat(free for one on one communication, pay for a larger party on the 360), system-level friends list integration(free), and matchmaking(technically a pay service). None of that is included with PSN, but is present in Live, which means that the individual developers are generally left to implement those features for the PS3.
- roc 15y ago
  > "You can't claim Sony doesn't get it." I can and do. And I take issue with the suggestion that the PSN is up there with XBox Live. In users? Probably. In architecture, usability, desirability and integration? Not remotely. The alternative to Sony suffering from 'not getting it' is that they do get it and are short of money, ability or the desire to make more money. All of which seem a bit more unlikely than a possible culture gap. The PSN was created and launched looking like GameSpy from the 90s. They could have cribbed proper friends, matching, communication and content network integration from Steam or XBox Live. Both were up and functional and accepted improvements over the old systems for years before PSN debuted. But Sony didn't do that. And from their stumbled start, they continued to drag their feet on core PSN functionality, while simultaneously throwing a lot of cash, effort and press into Home. I don't know how you can reconcile that with a thesis that Sony does get it. Their ultimate answer to fixing the PSN seems to be waiting for third parties to take the reins. That is, they seem to be relying on Steam, Activision and EA's own systems that layer... more or less to the side of the PSN. It's a shift in network consistency, focus and usability that has happened to howls of complaint on the XBL side,but is being met with open arms on the PSN side. edit: pulled out a couple footnote refs i never actually drafted.
keeperofdakeys 15y ago
To be fair, a service like steam could have the same problems, and if you aren't logged in you won't have access to your games.
- Argorak 15y ago
  This is only partially true. Steam has an offline mode (you should activate it at least once), which works fine. I usually play on long train rides, so it is a feature I use rather often. Most of my single-player games work without internet, if not, they usually have third-party protection like securom (pro tip: don't buy them). If Steam crashes, SteamWork doesn't work (Cloudsync, Matchmaking, etc.), but thats like any other master server crash. Also, SteamWork syncing is true syncing, so you have all your game data on your device and accessible. Its not like Game for Windows Live where you have to be logged in to even access the save games on your computer. Say anything about Steam, but they are pretty far ahead in the 'user-friendliness' department.
  - iamdave 15y ago
    Except the offline mode in Steam is very finicky about when it works and when it doesn't, even IF you go through all the hoops and backdoors. Otherwise, I've got nothing but good things to say about Steam (despite the fact that I still hold a special place in my heart where I HATE Steam for replacing WON) Source: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=steam+offline+mode http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&#3...
    - GrandMasterBirt 15y ago
      I still am hating on steam for: a) steam startup is the biggest contributor to starting up any game I got on steam. b) attempting to sell a steam account results in a ban. Well actually why the hell can't one sell their steam account in the first place. Benefits: No CDs. Yay. Instant buying. Sales. Cloud Sync so I can uninstall games to conserve space until I want to play them again. Does not inject rootkits for DRM. (EA games still do, but thats ok I pirate those)

by allenp 15y ago

Macha 15y ago

PSN is up there with Xbox Live. You can't claim Sony doesn't get it. If Sony had charged for it from the start it would be equally profitable but marketing decided it needed to be free to compensate for the initial excessive cost of the console, and now they cant charge for it without annoying their entire userbase. A technical failure, like this outage is not the same as not understanding something's importance.

stinky613 15y ago
The technical failings Sony has faced demonstrate, I think, conceptual flaws: if they understood the PSN's importance they should have exercised more care in designing it. I know that what I'm saying sounds like a cliche of 20-20 hindsight, but these are some pretty obvious security problems they've been dealing with. Giving trusted access based solely on firmware is one thing, but they've been sending plain-text credit card numbers with every transaction.
cube13 15y ago
PSN really isn't on the same level of service as XBox Live, though. A lot of features(both for end users and developers) aren't included in PSN that come standard with the 360's SDK. This includes things like cross-game voice chat(free for one on one communication, pay for a larger party on the 360), system-level friends list integration(free), and matchmaking(technically a pay service). None of that is included with PSN, but is present in Live, which means that the individual developers are generally left to implement those features for the PS3.
roc 15y ago
> "You can't claim Sony doesn't get it." I can and do. And I take issue with the suggestion that the PSN is up there with XBox Live. In users? Probably. In architecture, usability, desirability and integration? Not remotely. The alternative to Sony suffering from 'not getting it' is that they do get it and are short of money, ability or the desire to make more money. All of which seem a bit more unlikely than a possible culture gap. The PSN was created and launched looking like GameSpy from the 90s. They could have cribbed proper friends, matching, communication and content network integration from Steam or XBox Live. Both were up and functional and accepted improvements over the old systems for years before PSN debuted. But Sony didn't do that. And from their stumbled start, they continued to drag their feet on core PSN functionality, while simultaneously throwing a lot of cash, effort and press into Home. I don't know how you can reconcile that with a thesis that Sony does get it. Their ultimate answer to fixing the PSN seems to be waiting for third parties to take the reins. That is, they seem to be relying on Steam, Activision and EA's own systems that layer... more or less to the side of the PSN. It's a shift in network consistency, focus and usability that has happened to howls of complaint on the XBL side,but is being met with open arms on the PSN side. edit: pulled out a couple footnote refs i never actually drafted.

keeperofdakeys 15y ago

To be fair, a service like steam could have the same problems, and if you aren't logged in you won't have access to your games.

Argorak 15y ago
This is only partially true. Steam has an offline mode (you should activate it at least once), which works fine. I usually play on long train rides, so it is a feature I use rather often. Most of my single-player games work without internet, if not, they usually have third-party protection like securom (pro tip: don't buy them). If Steam crashes, SteamWork doesn't work (Cloudsync, Matchmaking, etc.), but thats like any other master server crash. Also, SteamWork syncing is true syncing, so you have all your game data on your device and accessible. Its not like Game for Windows Live where you have to be logged in to even access the save games on your computer. Say anything about Steam, but they are pretty far ahead in the 'user-friendliness' department.
- iamdave 15y ago
  Except the offline mode in Steam is very finicky about when it works and when it doesn't, even IF you go through all the hoops and backdoors. Otherwise, I've got nothing but good things to say about Steam (despite the fact that I still hold a special place in my heart where I HATE Steam for replacing WON) Source: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=steam+offline+mode http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&#3...
  - GrandMasterBirt 15y ago
    I still am hating on steam for: a) steam startup is the biggest contributor to starting up any game I got on steam. b) attempting to sell a steam account results in a ban. Well actually why the hell can't one sell their steam account in the first place. Benefits: No CDs. Yay. Instant buying. Sales. Cloud Sync so I can uninstall games to conserve space until I want to play them again. Does not inject rootkits for DRM. (EA games still do, but thats ok I pirate those)