PS3 Upgrade July 2 - In-Game XMB Finally Here

[Russic]

Working the Monday before Canada Day. Nothing much to do but scurry around the interwebs looking for geeky content. Luckily today's geeky content has a sprinkling of concentrated awesome on it.

July 2nd will bring firmware update 2.4 to the PS3 which adds functionality that has made many ps3 owners (myself very much included) jealous of xbox 360 owners. Upgrades include:

- In-Game XMB: Access to friends lists, send/receive messages
- Trophies: Sony's answer to Achievements which works on a "Call of Duty 4" style of level upgrades
- In-Game Music: Play your own music over the gameplay sounds. Crap soundtracks no longer matter

While incredibly awesome, trophies and In-Game music will require a patch from the game developers but it's a step at least. Also, at this point voice-chat is not available but after going for a year and a half not being able to check messages in-game I don't really care.

Links to videos:
Playstation blog video 1 (everything but trophies): http://blog.us.playstation.com/2008/...art-1-the-xmb/

Playstation blog video 2 (Trophies):
http://blog.us.playstation.com/

Quick-run through:
http://gamevideos.com/video/id/19717

[FanIn80]

Awesome!

Not too crazy on the in-game music requiring a patch from the game devs, though. Hopefully there will be one for Oblivion!

[HotHotHeat]

Speaking of music on PS3, how come it won't detect my iPod?

[Russic]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Speaking of music on PS3, how come it won't detect my iPod?

That's always been a curious one to me. It should at the very least detect it. The file naming structure should be absolutely decimated, but it should detect it.

[Human Torch]

Originally Posted by Russic

That's always been a curious one to me. It should at the very least detect it. The file naming structure should be absolutely decimated, but it should detect it.

I'm pretty sure it does? My friend hooked up his ipod and copied songs over when we needed a soundtrack for that velocity bowling game.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Human Torch

I'm pretty sure it does? My friend hooked up his ipod and copied songs over when we needed a soundtrack for that velocity bowling game.

Really? I haven't tried it in ages, perhaps they've fixed it.

[LockedOut]

Looks like they pulled the firmware update for now with reports of some lockups after updating. I never did get a chance to update yet.

[Human Torch]

works fine for me

[The Ditch]

I would just like to say you can't play your own music on your ps3 except for a handful of games. This really sucks, the only complaint I have about the ps3 where the xbox is better. Listening to that terrible EA music over and over drives me nuts on NHL 09.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

I would just like to say you can't play your own music on your ps3 except for a handful of games. This really sucks, the only complaint I have about the ps3 where the xbox is better. Listening to that terrible EA music over and over drives me nuts on NHL 09.

This is true and it is pretty heartbreaking. Months later and it looks like no fix is ever coming. Game developers are given the option to put the functionality in, but it appears as though very few are actually doing it. PS3's biggest fault imo.

[zukes]

MLB The Show '08 had it. I am assuming that '09 will as well.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

I would just like to say you can't play your own music on your ps3 except for a handful of games. This really sucks, the only complaint I have about the ps3 where the xbox is better. Listening to that terrible EA music over and over drives me nuts on NHL 09.

Oh man, have you heard the custom music in the Xbox NHL 09??

I mean literally have you heard it? Because I sure as hell can't unless my volume is jacked to dangerous levels.