Folding@home Update

211 2

SUPERVILLAN

We are all very excited here for the release of the new Folding@home (FAH) client for the PS3! This latest update addresses issues in two major areas: user requests and improving the accuracy of the core that we have running on the SPU. In addition, we totally revised the rendering engine for the molecules and added a more sophisticated display format, which is closer to the imagery you find in biology textbooks. This actually required a protocol change and the protein needs to be described in much more detail from Stanford University’s side of things.

We’re lucky to have a very dedicated group of FAH users and many of you have submitted requests, and ideas, for improving the application. While it’s challenging to address every issue raised, we did try to address your burning ones, especially those that interfere with the science or slow down the performance of the PS3 computation network.

Another really cool feature that was also requested by the FAH community is the support of PSP Remote Play. In this latest version we enabled this feature so you can now access FAH remotely from your PSP (that you already own, since it’s such a cool little gadget) which is an awesome combination since the CELL processor is actually doing the Folding job, but the PSP fully controls the UI so you can carry it around with you.

Of course, we still kept all the familiar and useful features of previous versions, such as the IP lights and Multilanguage support for all PS3 supported languages.

It is heart-warming to watch the community rally behind this project – this passion is in turn encouraging us to continue to look for ways to make it better.

Comments are closed.

211 Comments

2 Author Replies

  • I had to repost.
    You guys killed with this update. Now I can leave my PS3 in Remote Play and Folding @ Home for 24/7. I can fold 24/7 like I have been doing since the client came out and take advantage of Remote Play. I can always connect to my PS3 and check messages, chat with friends, listen to music on my PC,and download videos on the PS store and then relaunch into F@H all from my PSP. Then connect again if I feel like it. This came just in time too, I got Jury Duty tomorrow.

    Totally Awesome, Thanks for listening.

  • @hammertime

    For your selfishness, you will one day get one of these diseases that Stanford is trying to cure. But because of your ignorance and care for no one but yourself, there wont be a cure to help you.

  • @hammertime:

    I think you should think twice before you even say such things.

    Because you probably even don’t know what you talk about. These diseases can be actually cured in our own lifetime if we can keep this up. If we did not do this, no one knows how long it would have token the scientists to find a cure. This helps certainly NOW.

    global warming is a problem that comes next to it, but in a very other timeschedule then this. We can’t cure globalwarming with our ps3’s (maybe its an idea to sue microsoft because the xbox gets 100 degrees :P with so many xbox’s that is actually global warming :P)

    but were doing the best thing we can to help the world and you should be happy with that and not being such a jurk.

    [ontopic]

    every update is in my oppinion good. It means that the programmers are doing the best they can to get the best results and satisfaction. I must however honestly commit that i do not fold very often, because i have a problem called “parents”. Nevertheless, i am sure this update helps everyone with doing the best for the world-community.

    Keep it up SONY, your doing a very great job!

    [/ontopic] ;)

    -Q

  • @hammertime: At least it goes to a good cause, hmmmm waste energy to cure cancer, or waste energy going on the internet to trash talk about things you’re real smart Mr. Save energy. I think I know which one is better. You on the other hand…. well I don’t want to humiliate you.

  • @Clover09

    no i already did :P

  • @ Sony

    Can we please get a KILLZONE 2 update of any kind. After looking at the new screen shots that hit the web today I am wanting to talk about KILLZONE 2 with out talking with 360 fanboys aka the Jealous Haters. thanks:)

  • PS3 gets Folding@Home update, enables PSP Remote Play | Redslush.com

    […] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments […]

  • Aww, I know it’s been said, but I wish I could play some music or a movie while folding.

  • great now that we are all getting into a huge political debate about which should take primary concern, global warming from leaving our ps3’s on all the time or cancer which this folding is supposed to help
    This is not a blog to discuss those kinds of matters of opinion this blog is to discuss sony relevant news. People trying to convince others like hammertime that folding is worthwhile is absolutely pointless. people who are going to fold are aready doing it and people like hammertime will never do it no matter what so stop talking about it
    Now that that is out of the way, i got my ps3 expecting to be playing great games. i drop $600 to do this. right now i only have resistance (great game btw) i see games on the horizon that i definatly like, warhawk, lair, ect. now there are some other nice features on the ps3 that are not about the games and i like them but folding is not one of them
    i do care about the issues that you guys brought up cancer and global warming
    first letting you ps3 run for extended periods of time will not do nearly as much damage as driving to where ever you need to go. i know that you can leave it on for long periods of time (a nice one uping the xbox in that department) but what is the point. i dont want to leave it on for 24 hours a day. I dont see a relevance in folding
    To the cancer thing i dont know how exactly the folding program works i think simulating protiens or something but how does that help. cancer funding and awarness has been going on for a while now and i have not really heard any break throughs. plus with so many cancers and causes of cancer how can you say we are close to a cure is there is a cure. and i really dont see how running this program will help if someone wants to try to explain it to me please go ahead
    at the beginning i folded for a little bit but
    1. it takes forever to finish
    2. there is no gradification
    3. it is down right boring
    if you really want to get me to do it put some good features like let me at least listen to music the ps3 should be able to do that much multitasking and yes it does need to be able to do this
    that was long and i am sorry for taking up so much room but i had to tell ya straight up how i felt about this

    btw sony you are doing a great job no matter what anyone says keep it up. you guys beast the xbox

  • oh and one more thing just so everyone knows…im not hear to sugar coat things…so if you dont like what i have to say then too bad…

    and i could really care less what anybody has to say to me…cuz apparently im one of the last hardcore gamers out there…you guyz are content with your ultra dunb rated e games then thats fine…i want rated MATURE…blood, guts, f**kin vulgarity, i want 1080p not 720…i want games/demos not trailers…i want the truth not smoke screens or being ignored…PS3 games not PS or PS2 games

    all these extra features are fine…the FAH or the Bluray…blah blah blah…but the extra features are NOT why i bought my PS3…all the extra features are GRAVY…do you guyz eat just gravy?? or do you like mashed potatos and gravy??…cuz Sony is just giving us gravy with no potato

  • UK and Australia got Folklore demo today btw for anyone interested

  • Potential Customer

    I am now leaning toward the 360. I thought that having a blu-ray would be nice, but after the deal with Paramount, there’s a real chance (although small) that I could buy into two failed platforms with the purchase of PS3.

    We were told we’d see fireworks at Leipzig. I know it’s not over, but there’s barely been a spark from Sony so far-another empty promise. Also, Harrison said the days of sub-par ports are soon over. Will this be just one more empty promise?

    I completely understand Loucifer’s and other’s frustrations. On every forum I visit, the Sony apologists constantly point to future releases and the failure rate as the Xbox as the reason PS3 is the best. I really don’t want to buy a disposable system. But the fact is that if the 360 wasn’t such a bad design, this console war may very well have been decided by now.

    The Sony fans better thank Microsoft and Nintendo. If not for competition from them, just thank what you’d be getting for your $600.

  • @Loucifer
    Folklore demo what? Where? LOL I pre ordered this game today. Mabey we will get the demo tommorow. It is Thursday in the land down under.

    @Potential Customer
    Damn bro we havent seen you in a while. I think I already told you that I bought a 360 at launch and sold it once getting the PS3. I like the PS3 more. And as far a Paramount goes they got paied $150 million dollar 18 month deal. HD-DVD still wont outsell Blu-Ray this holiday season and Paramount will be back. Target (the 2nd biggest retailer) is only going to be selling Blu-Ray players this 4th quater and Blockbuster is also backing the Blu.

  • I really enjoyed the new look. The proteins look kinda fuzzy. Good stuff.

  • @Loucifer: Good thing Unreal Tournament 3 is right around the corner, it was confirmed 1080p at 60fps, that should make you happy because that game has lots of gore.

  • I am running the advanced client anybody know what the difference between the pink and blue lines on the graph are

    thanks

  • To all those who keep saying “who cares?” re: Folding@Home, go troll somewhere else. Obviously /some/ people do care, so this is for them. Some of us think that 200W of power to try and save people from serious diseases is worth it. Compared to the hundreds of thousands of watts required to run the data centers so you can play games online, you really shouldn’t talk unless you never turn your PS3 on in the first place.

    To those who keep dissing the PS3 with their “at least it can do something because there’s no games for it” comments, you’re all blind or have way too much time on your hands. There are quite a few very good games for the PS3 out already, many more in the pipe, and as many as are often available within the first year of launch of a new system. Go troll elsewhere as well.

    If you don’t like the system, or you don’t like Folding or you don’t like Ratchet & Clank or whatever, go tell your friends on some hater blog somewhere, don’t do it here where people come to legitimately find out about Playstation news.

  • @Clover09

    I hear ya on the UT3…but mid to late Nov and possibly even Dec at the rate the PS3 is goin is not exactly right around the corner

    around the corner is Strangehold in 3 weeks…which i swear if it looks worse then the 360 version like GWAR and RB6 im going to f**kin break something

  • @40cal

    do you really think we will?? i mean i’ve seen your posts i know your a “wishful thinker”…but i wont be holding my breath…since i got it myself from the aussies

    oh and no its not..nor was it thursday in Australia OR the UK…the stores were updated wed…something the US PSN should be doing but isnt…so now Japan, Aus & UK arent waiting for Thursdays

  • Heaven help me…

    Loucifer has hit on a point that i agree with. :) I see games like Dead Island, Bioshock and Alan Wake being exclusive to the 360 and i’m wondering where the similar titles are for the ps3. Where are the horror title exclusives?

    Granted there are a lot of relatively violent shooters coming out but they miss the charm of shooting off a zombies leg and having him keep coming.

    Manhunt 2 has disappeared and now looks like it’s in 2008 limbo… how is this game any worse than horror films? RELEASE IT! :) Watch “Ichi the Killer” and everything will seem tame in comparison.

    @ potentialcustomer

    360? you’d risk your life? Some kid tried to cool his crashing system down by wrapping the power brick in plastic and dropping it into a tray of water. Fortunately he was only knocked senseless but … Beware the red ring of death! Seriously though, games are starting to be released that require a hard drive (borderlands) so make sure you get an elite or a pro.. or whater it is.

    I don’t imagine you’d get a core system (or arcade as they’re renaming it) but it does set a nice trend.. Microsoft, smiling and enforcing upgrades if you want to play the new games. Hard drive required? Hd Dvd drive required? Give it until Christmas… Let the wave break and decide post-consumer madness. If all the exclusives end up disappointing then buy a 360 and roll the dice.

    I can’t imagine why people wouldn’t run F@H… turn it on when you go to sleep and turn it off when you wake up. How long does that take? Push a button and you’ll save lives.. push a button and you’ll help keep yourself from spending the last ten years of your life fighting to remember your children or your wife. Alzheimers is horrible to watch and even if there’s only a remote chance that i’ll help the understanding and treatment of it then.. i’ll leave my ps3 on.

    Actually i’m quite happy to hear about all the selfless ps3 owners who’ve helped to make the inclusion of the f@h program worthwhile. Kind of tosses out the window the idea of gamers being mindless lunatics with gun fetishes. The only reason i haven’t been leaving my system on 24/7 is out of fear of damaging it but apparently my fears are unfounded.

  • Some of your comments make me laugh and cry!

    this is a GAMES SYSTEM ! thats what its been made for!!!

    I have my opnion so DEAL WITH IT !!!!

    And yes Globalwarming is an issues!

    I can understand that you americans cant see the problem because your all like george bush …. need i say more!

  • I leave the PS3 on, and sometimes, when I’m forgetful, the 150watt bathroom light too. Oh, and the fishtack pump, and the immersion heater, and the giant lava lamp (cos it takes five hours to get started again, so I just leave it on). Oh hec, if I look at all the power usage in my home while I sleep, the PS3 is paltry.

    Buy your power from an environmentally considerate power utility.

  • CHIP Online XBOX-PS3-Watch Blog » Blog Archiv » Update für Folding@Home (PS3)

    […] PlayStation Blog […]

  • @hammertime : surely you dont know anything about the PS3…

    You never heard SONY? The PS3 isnt a gaming console but a super computer! This goes way beyond the idea of a console ‘just for gaming’

    For ***** sake please READ THE FACTS before you post stupid things.. like that.

    (and your post about global warming.)

    -Q

  • LifeParticles.com » Folding@home gets an update, PSP Remote Play

    […] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments […]

  • nice to collaborate…
    if you want to collaborate in the project with our group just put this group number on F@H: 84371
    The group is called “electronados”.
    Group created by our web people to collaborate in this amazing project.
    http://www.electronados.com

    And one question: Will support PS3 mp3 playback while running apps like F@H or playing?? it would be very interesting!!!

    have nice!!

    =P

  • The PlayStation 3 (colloquially known as the PS3) is the next video game console in Sony Computer Entertainment’s (SCEI) market-leading PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 is slated for release in spring 2006. It is the successor to the PlayStation 2 and will mainly compete against the Nintendo Revolution and Xbox 360. Sony has announced that the PS3 will be backwards compatible with earlier PS1 and PS2 games. …

    ITS A BL**DY GAMES CONSOL…arrrg!

  • @ hammertime

    What is this ‘Nintendo Revolution’ and where can I get one? :P

  • 40cal= OPTAMISTIC

    Lousifer= PEAMISTIC

    Its not like I am sitting around waiting on the demo just said that the U.S. might get it today. Oh and FYI I’m an Australian citizen. Just happen to live in the states. Why did you even respond to my post. It is not like you ever have anything useful to say, Mr. negative over here. Quick someone give this man some Prozac. And how are you going to tell me when its Wed in the U.S. that its not Thur. in Australia?

  • @40cal

    LOL…actually i dont consider myself an optimist or pesimist…i consider myself a realist…the glass is neither half full or half empty…its just a glass with water

    and im not negative…if Sony gave me something good i’d praise them…but thats my problem…nothing to praise…im not about to praise a company for lets say a game thats due to be released in a year…then in a year i’ll give them praise…so if they deserve criticism im gonna give it…and since Sony really hasnt done much since the launch then criticism it shall be :)

    oh and i responded to you cuz you seem like an adult that can carry a decent conversation

  • Got an off-topic question :

    – Who am I supposed to contact to get Casino Royale in Blu-Ray ? I did not entered my first adress correctly.

  • @Davitron : my man ;)

    @hammertime: Omg… if i were you, i should really really be ashamed of myself… saying the PS3 is only a game console…. if you say this… a discussion isnt actually worth with you because you dont even know what you talk about.

  • @Loucifer

    I just posted the Lair review under the last Lair Post. (the score part 2) go check it out. And I guess you just have water in your glass, my glass is always half full. LOL

  • Potential Customer

    Sonystyle just came out with the 80gb w/ Motorstorm and I just hit the buy button. I rationalized the purchase by thinking that maybe, just maybe, after I play through MStorm and R:FOM, that Sony will have possibly got up off their fat lazy butts and started to support their console.

    I couldn’t bring myself to buy a disposable console (360). I got $150 off the purchase, and even though I got it “cheap”, I expect a lot more than has been delivered to the people who financed the R&D of the console.

    I’m really hoping that MS can correct their red ring problem. For the sake of us PS3 owners, Sony needs to be pushed to perform better.

  • @ Potential Customer

    I link you will love that PS3 you just bought. Hope to see you on Warhawk next week. Your going to have to change your user ID to Customer now. LOL

  • Hey guys good job! But what about firmware upgrades? nothing for us this week? How is that In-Game XMB thing going?

  • How about using the PS3 for others @home proyects such as SETI@home… for those of you who don’t know.. SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence)

    SETI@home is an extremely popular distributed computing project that was launched by U.C. Berkeley in May 1999, and is heavily sponsored by The Planetary Society. Over 5 million computer users in more than 200 countries have signed up for SETI@home and have collectively contributed over 19 billion hours of computer processing time.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SETI ;D

  • Nice work with updateing Folding@Home, it is a great problem, and some day Sony will get alot of credit for helping cancer and other disease research.

    Someone from Sony please read this.

    Heavenly Sword is suppose to be a huge title for PS3 that will try sell systems and take away sales from Halo 3.

    With that said. I just read the UK IGN rating for Heavenly Sword, and the guy gave it a 7.0. Come on whats going on here. He said the graphics are sweet, the animation and sound is good, but the game gets repetitve and theirs some problems with the combat.

    I really hope the US version of Heavenly Sword isnt this bad. I was hoping Heavnely Sword would get a middle to high 9, because if it doesnt, why even hype the game and release it.

    This game was suppose to be a game us fans can drop back on to help sales of the PS3, and reasure people the PS3 is better than 360.

  • So Loucifer…

    Are you going to complain about how much money you’re spending in the near future? 5 days to Warhawk, 11 to Lair, 19 To Heavenly Sword, 24 to Stranglehold.
    As well as Dead Head Fred and Monster Hunter Freedom 2 for the psp both in 5.

    We’re getting a decent game a week for the next month or so. Then Home is just around the corner after that. As if I’m going to get tired of Warhawk in a week… I’m going be looking for you buddy so hopefully… um… you’ll stay still long enough so i can knock you out of the sky a couple times :)

    @ PotentialCustomer
    Glad to hear about the purchase. I think you timed it pretty well and the only thing you’ll have to worry about is devoting enough time to each game to give them their due.

    @Xipo
    not to knock what i consider an interesting program but… what will really change if you find a planet which potentially will show evidence of intelligent life? The findings will be debated as to its validity and even if society gets behind the belief that there is an intelligent race out there… it becomes a novelty. We have no means of interacting with them so.. all we’re left with is awareness. F@H seems to have concrete benefits which could impact us all definitely within the next 20 years. People will always doubt something that shakes their beliefs but who will say no to a cure for a life threatening illness?

  • @roadclimber

    No sir!…cuz im not buying Lair and Heavenly Sword…not my type of games..whether they’re good games or not i wouldn’t enjoy them…and HS is like Ninja Gaiden on roids…and NG is a great game…Warhawk even though its rated T and Stranghold are must buys for me and i think i can manage spending $120 over 3 weeks

  • @Lp47

    Play magazine gave Heavenly Sword 100/100. We allready know there are no problems with the combat. Unless there talking about the small learning curve. I think all these reviewers have been playing to much Wii and forgot how to play a real video game.

  • kinda wonder why Microsoft hasn’t released a folding@home client….

    i already know why not: cheap piece of garbage cooling system they’ve used causes it to overheat and stutters after 2 hours..

  • @loucifer
    I feel your anger I think its because we share something called “Impatience”.

    @clover9
    You sold me on UT3.60fps and 1080p is what the PS3 should doing with every game because 1080p
    is unknown territory for the 360.

    @roadclimber
    I saw a something somewhere Bioshock is coming to PS3.Turns someone was looking at a file about the controlls for the pc demo and at the of top one the controll list was (xbox360/PS3).I’m not for sure if its true but I’m hopeful for 2008.

    @customer
    Good pick,it was worth it.You got a good deal sonystyle by the way.

    and to the rest.
    The PS3 will pick up with good games.The cell processor is very hard to work with because it new technology.To fully understand visit
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_microprocessor
    the same goes for the whole PS3 the cell,the blu-ray,everything is new tech and it WILL take time learn it to take advantage of it.The PS3 is kind of ahead of its time really(like from the future nearly) its more advanced than us.The cell alone is a huge step up from everything.Whichis why I got PS3 instead of the nearly peaked out rev limiter style xbox 360.In time we will laugh.

  • Sony’s strategy is also helping game developing companies out.

    When you look at it, 10 good games coming out in a month doesn’t really help them earn the money they all desire. They all instead will be competing because a majority of buyers cant afford 10 games at about $60 each over a period of a month.

    This way, both Sony and game developers win.

  • It’s nice that they have an update. But I would like to request the option for the ps3 to ask me if i want to download a new WU after it sends the finished one it just worked on. The reason I ask this is because I, myself, cannot have the ps3 running all the time. Also, I read that the Wu expires in 2 days for the ps3 so even after the WU has expired my ps3 still works on it and sends it back. It has no scientific use and I am just wasting resources for nothing. As of now I do not have the resources to continually run F@H, maybe long enough to complete a WU start to finish a few times a week. But when it sends the finished WU it automatically gets a new one to work on and I cannot complete that in the 2 day time limit. The next time I run F@H the WU has already expired and I end up wasting the resources because the WU that my ps3 is working most likely was already sent to a different ps3 thereby making mine useless scientifically. The PC version of F@H has the option to ask you before it connect to the internet to get a new WU and I ask that this option be included in the ps3 in the future. That or some smaller WUs that don’t take 8 hours to complete. Thanks for your time.

  • Glad I can give my support.

  • @roadclimber

    I know what you mean.. but i don’t think that if we ( humans ) are to find that there is evidence of intelligent life nothing would change… in fact, i think it would change the history of humanity 4 ever and the PS3 would be the tool that was used to find it… which i consider a great marketing tool xD!! ( every one would buy a ps3 ). the F@H client is great, don’t get me wrong… but i’m just saying that we could have many other “@HOME” programs as a choice… such as SETI@HOME.. ;D

  • another thing.. at least the F@H client should be already in the ps3 from factory… with the gamer having the option to leave it folding or not..

  •   PS3 gets Folding@Home update, enables PSP Remote Play by Need for Information

    […] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments […]

  • @Xipo
    I’m still skeptical about debatable proof impacting the world but that’s a whole other issue and i’m sure we could go back and forth forever. Personally i like the idea of adding anything at all to the Ps3. The fact that it has all these updates and is continually improved upon is one of the things that impresssed me about it.

    That being said… F@H is pure gold for Sony right now. It gives a massive boost to a philathropic project and helps to expand the image of the PS3 as a multi function device. Mainly though it gives the impression that Sony is a company that has concerns besides simply making money. Seti doesn’t quite come across with the same altruistic spirit.

    If you put it plainly .. helping cure diseases or finding aliens. Despite the impact that the latter would have… whenever you bring up aliens, you tend to get a standard response from the majority of people. Dismissal. Fringe science. It’s really hard to put any kindof negative spin on trying to help ailing people.

    Hopefully they will look into it in the future though. I think the success of the F@h project will go a long way to encouraging other programs as well. Sadly, they’ll probably include something with tangible benefits for the ps3 owners and then we’ll see how many people stick with beneficial projects with no rewards.

    Rambling :/
    Sigh. No Bioshock.

Please enter your date of birth.

Date of birth fields