Firmware 3.00 Q&A

Thanks for the answers SONY. Appreciate it.

But why did you take out the PLAYSTATION game boot? I know you said it reduced loading times but I think many people would still prefer it to be in seeing as though the loading times are minimal.

Regards.

been away from internet 36hrs… just read the Q&A….
I switched to classic mode and got rid of the Fizz/hannahmontanasparklies….. but it reverted to the fizz the next time i started up my ps3. It’s not a major thing but i’d prefer to be able to switch off the fizz permanently.

I’m pleased that consideration is being given to the option to change font/icon size, and good to hear you intend to follow up on the friends list issue.
Looking forward to seeing the dyn. themes 2moro

yea i’m gonna join the whole bring the chime back bandwagon or at least make it an option.

also i know you guys said your working on it but fix uncharted already… I really wanna be able to finish it before uncharted 2 comes out… please at least give us an update on the time frame.

All Sony have done so far is to confirm the issued that have already been pointed out and just skipped over all the feedback that has been given.

I get some of what has been introduced and why we don’t have some features – in the minds of Sony too many custom settings will confuse some people (ie changing the size of icons/text, setting the PS3 logo to be on/off starting a game) and just generate more calls to tech support but on the other hand having stuff like audio must be set to 48KHz to work in the XMB while using the browser and friends list is far more complex for novice users to sort out.

As bad as the friends list design is I am assuming its allowing for future updates (ie more information will be added to the grey boxes over time).

Sony do need to start listening to its users when it comes to updates and also needs to step it up a gear or two as the PS3 does seem to be lagging behind abit now. I was, and I am sure lots of others were, expecting alot more from this update and TBH the XMB seems to have lost its edge of being a very clean and simple to use interface.

I hope Powers That Be are aware that they need to fix this mess ASAP (days, not weeks!). We ain’t for them – those powers are for us.

They’ve made many PS3 fans extremely [DELETED] off and they don’t even have the courage to speak for themselves and fix all this mess? They prefer to “look into some complaints” and MAYBE fix something!?

LOL!

Please don’t overlook fixing BioShock as well as Uncharted.

thanks
CZR

I love the new firmware, annoyed I never got to install Linux but the BBC iPlayer improvements make up for it, almost. If the iPlayer was HD and had the ability to download, now I would forget about something… can’t remember what.

@ tony5176: The thing is, Trophies aren’t mandatory. It’s a feature developers can use for their own games. Not every game available on the market (even the recently released ones) have the trophy support. However, more and more game developers notice that the community love Trophies, so eventually more games will have a set of trophies included. The same would apply to loading your own music via a custom soundtrack system. Burnout Paradise has it, so why not a game like (for example) Call of Duty, Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo or Tekken? I agree. But the game developer should have the last say in this. That’s what i think anyway. It might “ruin” the experience of the game, if you catch my drift.

@ tony5176 (continued): However, i can´t give an opinion on the Cross Game Chat since i don´t know if it should work on a system basis or on a game basis. Meaning that if it where system based, then a game developer doesn´t have to do anything. It´s there. Or does it mean that with Cross Game Chat you should be able to create a voice chat session within the game? I have no idea, because you don’t have to create a chat session in order to chat in Burnout Paradise, GTA4 and Rock Band 2. So, what does the Cross Game Chat do “differently/extra”?

@shilzar trophied are mandatory if submitted to sonh QA before jan 1st 2009

It is nice to know that the PS3 Brand Manager can dedicate his time to answering posts. There must be loads of companies out there that do not dedicate as much time as him to answer a couple of comments.

Well done that man! You certainly made me more brand aware.

Take a look Sony. this is what is needed from the GUI of the XMB.

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2009/09/09/xmb-gets-some-proper-de sign-work/

(source)

http://community.eu.playstation.com/playst ationeu/board/message?board.id=62&thread.id=1576611&view=by_da te_ascending&page=1

@ ShlizarAxis. trophies was mandatory for all games released after 09 the only games that didn’t have trophies from 09 was the ones that where sent to certification before 09 date. any game sent to sony for certification after the 09 date had to have trophies. theres plenty of sites with that news (google is your friend). i think anything included into the ps3 firmware should have to be used by developers i don’t see why sony don’t just make a few rules. there would be no more moaning about in game music if they did. also youtube record and uploading these things should be standard for all games released on our system. if anything it can only make ps3 multi platform and 1st party games stand out better for ps3

Good job! Glad to see we have been answered to. However may I not be the first in pointing out it may only be uncharted that consistantly freezes it is not the only game that does so. However (thats a big however) I still think 2 store icons is too much, and that the start up sequence should be reverted. This is completly unrelated too but, when I start a game the xmb fades away as normal, but then the screen flashes grey for a moment, I assume thats the ps3 switching from 1080p to 720p for the game but is there any way I can stop it?

Yh codwaw is another game that freezes momentarily on some occasions. Not much but enough to notice. On solo mode.

Where’s the game start chime gone? Why would you remove it?One of the reasons we removed the PS3 jingle is that it was created to indicate the start of a game, but now we’re offering non-game content such as Vidzone in addition to games. More importantly though, this change makes the loading time a bit quicker than before, which we think will be a noticeable benefit for all game users.

Yep you’re right, it was for starting a game and btw vidzone has its own. We/I want it back even with the new PS3 logo instead.
And lol about faster loading times thats a joke, you see a damn black nothing where usually the jingle was, bring it back please. This can’t be that hard.

The same for font size ‘n style, allow us to change to the “real” classic without fading and such things you’ve added. I didn’t paid for a glitter barbie styled console, wth?!

MOST IMPORTANT anyway is that you have to fix the game crash/freezes issue, this cannot be true. Oh and of course the dualshock thing, only works with put in cable, damn.

This is what update 3.0 should of looked like

http://community.eu.playstation.com/playstationeu/board/message?bo ard.id=62&thread.id=1576611&view=by_date_ascending&page=1

“We can confirm that some Dynamic Themes will be made available on the EU Store this week, and we have a little surprise prepared especially for our PAL readers that we hope you’ll agree is worth the wait!”

I want more info, what sort of surprise, is it a “we are only going to charge £2.98 per theme instead of £2.99″ surprise or is it “your PAL peeps are going to get some very cheap/free dynamic theme/s” surprise?.

Me want to know.
—
PS, as said before, please fix the fade up info times of the “whats new” and game section PSstore icons to match all other icons, it’s minor BUT it really shows a lack of testing and polish.

..useless Q&A.. (doesn’t answer the hottest question) ..and 2 useless reply.. well done

jus look 4ward 2 the sposed uncharted 2 multiplay beta 29th…..fingers crossed………

@ back2funk if you happy with the update then dont complain about people complain,go about your business and do your thing, some of us want things to change and its about the bigger issue not just bits and bob. Im not just complaining about firmware issues but other things i have issues with like feeble regionlization excuses for a dynamic theme really? still no word why God of War collection isnt gonna be released till probably after God of War 3. Why SCEE Q&A holds up games coming on to the store that work fine in other regions. take SSF2THD. why is home so buggy and why we still dont have picture frames? these are all issues i want resolving.

Cross game voice chat
In Game music
Much improved web browser (the current one is a joke. Why offer a browser when it dose not work any good?)
Party system

WHERE IS IT?!

thats the only thing that needs 2 fix up is the amount of stuff on psn compared 2 wat was promised i.e this infinite wave of “market place changing dlc & demo,s 4 all the newest best games”……..iv had my ps3 (well 7 as it go,s)since day 1 & its all starting 2 get a bit tedious now after the 60gb fiasco & 4 six axis pads,sony need 2 sit up take it on the chin & sort it b4 they loose me=last generation this generation & next………….

First i just wanna say that it is great that you guys take the time to anwser some of out Questions
But now to the hard part.

I can see why Sony would like to add new features to a new FW update, but insted of launching a bunch of new features, why not improve on already existing features in the FW.

I can think of so many things that would improve on the features we have now. Let me give you some exsamples.

1# Search feature for music, video, fotos and the media streaming feature.
2# Same filestructure as a PC, when you are streaming files from your PC.
3# Better ID tag support for your MP3 files.
4# No renameing of files when you copy them to and from your PS3 and PC via a USB/ext-harddrive.

continued:
6# Being able to remove default browser interlinks, like Trend Micro.
7# Better sensor filter when you are chatting, so it would follow the parental setting.
8# More colors for the bagground theme menu.
and some other things that i dont wanna mention right now.

Because i would rather have one solid feature, than 30 features that dossent really work like intented.

If you guys could come up with an anwser to some of these things i would be greatly valued.

Somehow I dont think we are getting anymore replies until the psn update tomorrow.
They either get us happy or get even more complaints which they can followup after that instead.

oooh a surprise, and btw,for the record, I think firmware 3.00, despite a few issues, is pretty good.

Hi Sony,

While I do appreciate the effort, I am not very fond of the latest firmware update. There is not one addition you have made that I can honestly say I like.

– Friends list looks terrible
– The background blur is annoying
– Adding “star dust” only looks ok during the night
– Names of icons disappearing might be a cool trick, but it is annoying when scanning trough media
– There appears to be no new avatars
– Dynamic themes are still not available
– The “Whats New” feature has not been updated since launch
– Large icons look really bad on my new TV
– Is there really a need for another PS Store icon?

Many of these updates would be fine if you made them optional, but unfortunately that is not the case.

You do make a valid point in regards to localisation, but after several years it is becoming more and more frustrating to hear the same excuse. Maybe it is time to split content into smaller regions?

I wish that this update was only a once off but we have been through this before with the delays to Play TV and Vidzone, not to mention playable content on the PS Store.

I hope that in the future your level of service improves as I do enjoy using my PS3 as my entertainment hub for my home.

uhm, weren’t there supposed to have been some replies to this today?
let me guess, they’re being localised.

You know the UK/EU people use to complain about the lack of a blog, but now here I am reading what SCEA should telling North American users (like my self) as well. Thanks for being so up front with these concerns, I really hope in the next update you put out, has the changes in there as well. I do like some of the new features and don’t mind all the PSstore bags but The XMB should start on my already purchased games(or folders) also please do more then “look into” the font size, its just way to big for those with an HDTV the old size was perfect. Other then that I am fine the friends list is not so bad (as long as your using a theme or custom background) the new clock (without blocking battery indicator) is great. Do those small things and I think alot of people will stop complaining.

@576 can’t you see the single reply they gave on comment 12 lol. thtats right nearly 600 comments a one reply well 2 if you count the reply to tell us of further replies.

yeah wraxand i saw those replies, but they were there at 8 oclock this morning.
i was kind of expecting scee to post some new comments since then.
should have known better. :0

Nice to have a reply. The whole look of the xmb is awful now. It used to look great in 1080p now it looks tacky. It looks like you got Tim Westwood to come in and “pimp” it out on the cheap. I find the text size insulting, the extra Playstation Store icons are utterly pointless and the friends list looks rubbish! No matter what you say to me face it, it’s a joke and i will never accept it as a success. Please, Please, sort it out you have taken away the quality feel in one horrendous update. Come on Sony whats going on? why are you constantly getting it wrong? why is the second rate browser STILL freezing my ps3? (after 2 years as well) Where is the in game Music? Where is the cross game chat? These are the Questions that NEED answering… Please will you just stop ignoring us and provide us with what we want as consumers.

I just want to play uncharted

I bought the new slim, and Uncharted 9 days ago, and haven’t touched it since, because it dosen’t work!

You can call me an unsatisfied costumer for sure….

“why is the second rate browser STILL freezing my ps3? (after 2 years as well) Where is the in game Music? Where is the cross game chat? These are the Questions that NEED answering… Please will you just stop ignoring us and provide us with what we want as consumers.”

Exactly. Bravo for Snoochmarster!

Mr. Mark Bowles,

Plase stop seeling PR nonsense! ANSWER OUR MOST BURNING QUESTIONS! SCE IS LACKING WITH PS3 TO THIS DAY AND WITH 3.0 IT’S EVEN WORSE! WE NOT ONLY DIDN’T GET WHAT WE ASKED FOR BUT WE WERE DEPRIVED OF MANY THINGS WITH 3.0!

SORT THIS OUT, STOP ACTING ALL HIGH AND MIGHTY! CUSTOMERS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT AND CUSTOMERS AIN’T HAPPY WITH 3.0 SO IT MUST GO!!!

Could Sony make a wishlist for the firmware updates. So the communitie can vote for priorties.

a thing I like to add is the possibility to access photo and music from a external hdd but then fully featured so you don’t have to import these to the local harddrive.

seriously, were you just lying about responding or did you just not bother when it came to it?
don’t bother thinking about answering this, there are far more important questions you can ignore than this one.

some people are never satisfied, you wanted answers and you got reasonable answers, yet you complain

I have a question that is not on the Q & A

Why the bar news not appear in pal accounts?

if it appears in Japanese and American accounts,Why not in Europe?

Thanks.

“The game is just the start… wrong things comes later, and we hope you will be ready for that, because once you have your PS3, we really don’t care and don’t mind, what do you think about it.”

This should be your next european ads Sony.

For US

IT
ONLY
DOES
EVERYTHING
WRONG

@561 set the native output in video settings to 720p as opposed to 1080p that way it should get rid of the grey refresh

Please, set Firmware 2.80 as 3.01 and let me download it from somewhere, so i can go on playing Uncharted.

@586

Why are you bothered?, all it does is display the very same info that’s in the whats new section, it’s a pointless feature now and that’s why there are loads of complaints in the US etc as it can’t be turned off (the old one could be turned off).

Be thankful we don’t have it yet, in the US for example they have had the same 9 or so messages from the whats new section scrolling constantly without changing for a week now, you really want that aswell?.

germanator7, this answers are just obvious things that people knew the day 3.0 came out. Is this Mark guy being paid for stating the obvious? If so, Sony should consider cutting his job. They don’t need Captain Obvious.

All Mark did was angering people because of avoiding the REAL QUESTIONS.

3.0
IT
ONLY
DOES
EVERYTHING
WRONG

WHEN’S THE FIX!?

Now for some constructive feedback; I think we all agree that XMB has to be lighter, with a smaller memory footprint so it is more stable. Forget about sparkles please. No one asked for sparkles.

I think we all agree too that the problem is not quantity of content on EU PS Store, but quality.

I think we all know too, that localization for PS1 games was already done in the past, so it does not count as a reason, and I can’t imagine why third parties like Konami or Capcom would want to screw EU users by not submitting their games for a quick cash in.

It’s even easier than a physical re-release in disc.

I don’t want to spam, but I’ll say it for the last time; there are people in SCEE who don’t really know what ps1 titles were good or bad, what can be done or not, when to do it, or how to do it.

Find them, and clean up the work chain once and for all.

Takehaniyasubiko you are right i just started uncharted and it didn’t work and i only require 1 trophy. I NEED THE FIX

i don’t mind the sparkles and friend list but the font is too large for my hd tv, you should be able to customize it in my opinion

Whatever happened to the promise regarding this morning’s replies to our burning questions? Is it bedtime all year long at SCEE HQs?

Hopefully we’ll get further updates on the firmware. I still think we should all at least have some patience as I feel that the team on the blog don’t really have any substantial information to offer us at this present moment in time.

I sincerely hope that this will change in the future of course and I assume that more information will arrive on the blog when the information comes pouring in from the men that be high above (or women for that matter).

@ hedges1001 and tony5176: Very well, i stand corrected. (^_^ ) I wasn’t aware that Sony made the Trophies mandatory since the beginning of 2009.