Firmware 2.00 Video Demonstration

sainraja  |  November 7th, 2007 at 11:31 pm

I liked the update. I would have loved it better with XMB access during gameplay (at least only for messages.) But, its something I can look past. I do love the customizable themes though. That certainly was a surprise to me.

Thanks for the update guys. Keep up the great work.

sainraja  |  November 7th, 2007 at 11:34 pm

As for suggestions:

1. Ability to make a folder yourself to organize the XMB.
2. Being able to read messages without having to log off the game.

These are all I really care for. I am sure other people will let you know what they want.

Lp47  |  November 7th, 2007 at 11:44 pm

Thanks for the update, i downloaded it about 2 hours ago just before i started playing warhawk. The theme packs are sweet! I cant wait untill some one makes some insane looking skin.

EViD  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:16 am

great work guys

Foxx  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:28 am

Great update, I think people made 2.00 into some huge deal where the Playstation 3 would be revolutionized. This added some nice features, and I’m really interested to see how the information board will be used and how often it will be updated. If anyone Eric Lempel or any other SCEA employees that work on the firmware read this, there are a few suggestions that I would like implemented and I’m sure others would to.

1) In game soundtracks
2) Background voice chat so I can talk to people while playing games or have a private voice chat while playing the same game
3)In game XMB (that idea has been beaten to death)
4) Ability to create sort folders - the options you guys give for sorting is pretty good but I want to be able to sort my downloaded titles and my game demos into separate folders along with maybe something for the network demos just to make it a little less cluttered.

Anyways, that’s just my own personal wish list and I think they’ll eventually be there but the biggest thing for me is to have background voice chatting.

Nismobeach  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:38 am

In-game XMB!!!

Kedaro  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:42 am

Like I said previously in a different blog, that we here on the playstation.blog, are in general the hardcore fans, and in general we stick with Sony, because before the ‘ps3′ we were the hardcore of the entire gaming community. Now you’re just making us look like fools for trusting you, sticking with you, and I’ve been known to get into heated debates with many ‘xboys’ accross the net, who have the oddacity to trash on ‘me/people like me’ just because of our choice of favorite system etc etc… I remember playing online games on my pc 10 years ago, and remembering how fun it was to play those ridiculously old(now) games while listenning to my own music, and It’s definitely my most memorable online gaming… ever, it’s not that we don’t need your game soundtracks, we do, we as hardcore like to hear your game dev’s musics, and signed artists etc, the first while… but then, when it gets REAALLY OLD!!!, We want to play our own music through the same source as the game music used to come from, while we’re blasting away online competition, or racing around the track for the 400th time, I mean some of us even kinda’ did this with psone, by replacing cd’s with audio cd’s during gameplay, TAKE A HINT!, we as gamers feel insulted that you continue to overlook the importance of this one (1) singular most important thing we want as gamers, It’s ridiculous, I just keep shaking my head at this whole state of business you guys are in, I feel as though I could almost cry for Sony, because Christmas is coming, and you took away a major possible selling point for your system, we as the gamers who shelled out for ps3 day one… or week one, week two, hell even first month, have been continually smacked in the face, and the large majority of us, take it in stride… standing by your side, until the entire gaming community is laughing at us, for ever defending you in the first place, I can’t believe I’m watching ‘myself’ of all people type this on the playstation.blog, that’s how upset I am…
LOOK! the people … your people! your fans! are not asking for in game xmb, it’s obvious that the large majority of them just either A- want the option to listen to their own playlists during gameplay, both online, and offline. or B-want the option to be able to message their friends from anywhere in a game environment without having to quit the damn game to do so. It’s ridiculous that this hasn’t been an option from launch of your system.

I’m still a hardcore Sony fan, I owned psone… have 4 ps2’s, 1 ps3, 2 psp’s, 215 games, and I cannot believe I’m witnessing this level of ignorance from the company I adore.

Hal  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:44 am

I’d really like to see the Playlists added to the Games section too so that we can sort games and demos into categories. I download a lot of stuff.

Question: Will the Information Board ever be bigger when you expand it? Like with the inclusion of associated pictures / videos relative to the selected news story.

Other than that, I really really really like the Remote Start feature. Thanks for that. I’m also looking forward to creating our own themes.

Oh and here’s the requisite vote for in-game XMB.

Chef Skillz  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:47 am

Can we please get over in-game XMB? Did anyone here ever think that they might release it with HOME?
I am very happy to hear that they finally got Remote Start working. As a PSP owner, I am very happy to hear this news.
On this note, the PSP is having a GREAT year. Did anyone else notice this? There are quite a few good games available for it
Be patient people, they are FULLY AWARE that we want in-game XMB.

CoeusTitan  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:49 am

Wow, Kedaro.

My sentiments exactly.

Ignorance is NOT bliss, Sony.

S3NTRY  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:53 am

LOL @ 259.

Wow, you are unbelievable. I understand where you are coming from, but DAMN you make it seem like, A) Its the end of the world… or playstation for that matter. And B) That you KNOW what they are up to.

How do you know they are not working on it?

They KNOW what we want, especially after today, just chill, it will come… damn bro, dont take things so personally.

This update is great so far, loving it.

Kedaro  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:54 am

I guess I have no life, if I care this much, but I had to add that from my internet research, the three most commonly sought after things people want in Firmware updates are.
1- option of own music in game
2- option of messaging/chatting from inside a game’s runtime without shutting it down.
3- A date and time display or hud, alongside the menu, that can be accessed by ‘Playstation’ button.

mgillespie  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:54 am

It’s laughable how incompetent Sony are..

They make statements like this:

“As soon as the firmware goes active, our System Software Update page will refresh to reflect all of the features found in firmware v2.00.”

Urrm, 2.0 is live, but that page has not been updated to reflect it yet.

Why say these things, when you can’t actually deliver them?

S3NTRY  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:55 am

@ Hal (650): You can! I just found that out a while ago, lol.

You can sort music, images, videos, AND games now by album names.

You name 3 games’ albums as “Demos”, then they will go in a demos folder.

Its great, exactly what I wanted.

bungleboy  |  November 8th, 2007 at 12:58 am

Wow, there’s some serious feedback on this firmware update, and it seems fairly clear what people want. Strangely enough its been the same thing people have wanted since the beginning.

It would be nice if Sony would at least acknowledge the fact that people are after certain features and at least let us know if they intend to do anything about it, rather than pretend the demand doesn’t exist and release minor (but still useful) updates instead.

Maybe Sony could ask for feedback on the top 10 features on this very site and post the results a week later (does this sound familiar to anyone? Has it been 7 days yet?)

Sarcasm aside, it would be really cool someone could blog an entry regarding in game XMB and video codecs. Even if it is to say its not going to happen. At least we’d know where we stand. And I’d be able to decide if I need to fork out more money for a media center that can play common media.

Seriously, you can’t explicitly ask for feedback and then not acknowledge it. About 80% of the entries here are talking about in game XMB. I’m not that interested in that feature but the everyone else seems to be so Sony should be listening.

Sorry for the rant but its a little annoying when I see these updates again and again with no significant gain. It’s not really worthy of a major number increase.

Finalsquall  |  November 8th, 2007 at 1:34 am

Thanks, Eric, It must be hard to appease everyone. I like the update and I hope soon we can have a better xmb. Considering that the PSN is free… I won’t complain. Thanks… I’d rather have what we got then pay for an online account.

Cheers

omegasyde  |  November 8th, 2007 at 1:43 am

Dear Eric Lempel @ SCEA,

I am a 25 year old man and I believe this update was good HOWEVER, you guys knew about the hype behind the 2.0 update.

For future reference if hype for for the 3.0 update and you guys don’t meet the expectatations or even come close, just add a .01 or a .1
EX. instead of 2.0 you guys should of labeled this update 1.98.

this would of saved this blog alot of harsh comment from 14 year old. In all reality, if you guys do not hurry more people who both a 360 and a ps3 will opt for the 360 version simply because of little features that can be implemented with XMB.

I Alos figured it out that SCEA isn’t in charge of doing the updates and that updates come from Sony Japan (some studio) there. A lot of idiots here, still don’t realize that you guys don’t have much say in what goes into the actually patches besides recommendations. I believe you Eric that your staff is quite competant and are doing the best you can. Perhaps you should send blog responses to the big wigs in Japan. I know Phil Harrison and Kaz know what PS3 users want…

Its just the marketing & research department over there need to get their head out of ^^^es and really implement the XMB. I don’t know the work involved and I won’t claim to be a software expert, but not having the in game xmb will hurt your software sales and sway users toward getting 360 version simply because of stupid stuff like in game music and text messaging.

I know Eric that you are the messenger but it will only be a matter of time. So lesson learned.When 3.0 gets hyped up with imaginary features and your team doesn’t believe it will come even to half of expectations, call is 2.98

ParthianArcher  |  November 8th, 2007 at 1:45 am

Sony is not reading any of this, so write what you want.
Heck, write about how ‘good’ the Xbox 360 is and they wont even notice.
Go nuts! Post explicit content, Im telling you, Sony doesn’t read what we type.

omegasyde  |  November 8th, 2007 at 1:46 am

One more thing 2.01 patch add a clock and a parental timer when the PS button is pressed.

Kedaro  |  November 8th, 2007 at 1:50 am

@263 S3NTRY
I am a Sony Fanboy, Over the many years I have boughten every piece of hardware and all the software I could, including singstar, and eyetoy, I have two kids, and a wife who love to play games together, but yea I do have a life, I get out, I have fun, I party it up, I design games in my spare time, I AM HARDCORE(about the game industry in general), yea I take this seriously, because it does mark the end of something…
A- My defending Sony against the hordes of jerks on the net that bash them, as this entire FW update is just something they can use against me, and I honestly have no ammo against it. Until ps3(supposed to be superior next gen system) can do the things that the (supposed to inferior next gen system) can, I’m embarassed to promote ps3 to even my closest of friends… Sorry.
B- My faith in Sony atm. I want SONY to win this gen, and every gen that comes after, Sony deserves it for revolutionizing the industry… And they were on the right track, so WTH? is all this…?

So sorry if I got to ‘emo’ for you…haha, but I’m extremely attached to gaming, it is my life, it’s my work, it’s my family’s fun, it’s where I escape the real world, and my escape is growing mold?

PS3_GAM3R  |  November 8th, 2007 at 1:57 am

I love FIRMWARE 2.0. I love the new CHAT interface!!! I hope they don’t change the chat interface anymore after this, if so they should give us the option of using this new one!! Kepp it up SONY!!

epic  |  November 8th, 2007 at 1:59 am

Truly saddening that they failed to deliver on this release. Add me to the list of people who want: In-game XMB, Custom music for gaming, DIVX/MPEG/AVI playback, and folders for game sorting. I’d say do something better with that store, but it’s functional for now, so I can deal with the growing pains of it.

I, too, have owned vast collections for all generations of Playstation and feel like the PS3 is doomed if Sony doesn’t listen to the audience who actually bought into this hyped system. Luckily, games are slowly starting to come out. For once, I actually have choices as to what game I should buy next - finally a reality.

Come on, Sony, if you ask for advice - please take notes from those who actually bought your system; not fellow coworkers, as they seem to not have the slightest clue what the real gamers want.

stringent  |  November 8th, 2007 at 2:15 am

Not bad. Some other features which would be good.

1. Search media rather than scrolling through and add it to a custom playlist.

2. Ability to access a network share (like a NAS box or share on a PC)

3. Clock would be nice, but I feel the other two would be a priority!

rich2010  |  November 8th, 2007 at 2:19 am

An updated internet browser is urgently required. The browser at the minute is far too clunky to be of much use and has other problems :

1) Is always running out of memory

2) Needs to be able to use all the latest plugins (Flash etc)

3) Needs to stop prompting to be able to use cookies when you’ve already accepted it for a site and get asked on every page of that site again and again.

4) The interface when used with a keyboard is too slow, for instance, when you type into a form box you get the popup keyboard onscreen - I understand this is useful for people who don’t have a USB/bluetooth keyboard, but why not have the option of turning this off if you DO have a keyboard ?

If we had an email client / messenger client aswell then I could almost get rid of my PC.

Shiloa  |  November 8th, 2007 at 2:57 am

As an update goes, this is actually quite nice, it’s just that most of the PS3 community have been expecting to see in-game XMB for this update for so long and so it’s such a massive downer.

nanoverse  |  November 8th, 2007 at 3:01 am

I am really concerned about the new user interface elements and icons. They look like they are taken from another console.

Please keep the design team in check and keep your consistency on these things as you have a clean and clutter free UI in your hands.

sand_times  |  November 8th, 2007 at 3:03 am

I’ve created an account specifically so that I could leave a comment. I too agree with the general buzz around that the 2.0 firmware update is rather disappointing.

Part of the reason I recently bought a PS3 was because I could see the commitment by Sony to improve the PS3 in prior firmware releases.

It is probably difficult to release a firmware update on such high public expectations. The fact is, the PS3 needs to prove itself against the less expensive and more widespread 360. If the Sony is to ‘win’ and prove its premium, it needs to surpass and exceed the expectations and capabilities of the 360. It’s the unfortunately reality in the current playing field.

From a personal point of view, the firmware upgrade doesn’t really hold anything interesting for me. I use the default backgrounds on my 360, windows xp, ubuntu, os x and the PS3.

The updates so that the PS3 can be used as a media center look (incrementally) good. I’d be interested in trying the features out. I’ve been using the PS3 more as a media center. I have to admit, I haven’t played the PS3 much and have been playing games on the 360. If it is interesting for you to know, I purchased the 360 only a month earlier than the PS3. The catalyst was mostly Bioshock.

Thanks for the update Eric and making it more transparent for us to see the developments at hand.

zapruder  |  November 8th, 2007 at 3:08 am

why not post a film with why there is no in game XMB.. not that i care (well ingame chat would be great) but it seems everybody here does like to know why not.

Canthor  |  November 8th, 2007 at 3:36 am

Nice features added, but is it worth it to be called a v2.0 release? Not sure about that… there are more important things to be addressed then new icons or backgrounds. In Game XMB, Chatting without the need to leave the game (can this not be done???).
You look for feedback? Here is comes:
- to win any battle in market dominance you NEED to OPEN UP the platform. PS3 is a great platform, but as long as you keep the platform CLOSED to you and not open up to the public, it runs the risk of not advancing. Simple things like adding a clock when pressing PS button: trust me, if OPEN the PS3 user community could download and run probably already multipole versions of ‘ a clock when pressing PS button’.

What I hate most at the moment: the game selection can not be sorted into folders! is it that tough to create this addon?

In the end, I currently assume that Sony has resourcing issues in developing break-through upgrades (people, money, skills… who knows). I am sure there are lots of skilled people out there who would LOVE to create addons, tools and, yes… backgrounds and icons… so: SONY, don´t waste developer time on gimmicks, but create a TOP 10 Prio list (or TOP 100), publish it here, get a voting from the PS3 user community on what to focus, and maintain it… online, with status dates! Can´t be that difficult. Linux users can do… so why not Sony?

Keep on the good work, but you can become the better… OPEN up!

Flanders  |  November 8th, 2007 at 3:39 am

Gamesblow isn’t a 360 troll….anyone who has followed his posts through the months would tell you this. He’s a seriously disapointed person, much like I am.

Just two days ago I was in a positive PS3 mood after playing COD4, the first third party multiplatform game that was A) released at the same time as the 360 version AND B) pretty much as good as the 360 version! My positive PS3 buzz plumetted to the ground and went splat as soon as I heard confirmation that there was no ingame XMB in 2.0. Although to be honest even with all the rumors going on for months that it would in there, I kinda figured Sony would disapoint. I’ve been setting my expectations really low for Sony and the PS3 for awhile now.

joel  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:01 am

Im selling my ps3 today. In gamestop, for a 360 elite.

tails-4  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:02 am

cool stuff

zapruder  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:07 am

FEEDBACK; make it so that the PSP Go!Cam also works via the ps3.. thanks.

zapruder  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:08 am

@joel; don’t forget to delete the ps3 blog link in your browser.

zapruder  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:14 am

FEEDBACK: Make it so that the PS EYE works in the background so the XMB can be controled ‘minority report’ style.

dateman  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:19 am

No point commenting as Kedaro (and gamesblow) have nailed it.

Sony don’t appear to have a clue…they are adding some new colored curtains to the titanic…

chanskie  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:30 am

Well, the update is ok, at least SONY is keep on working on it. After all, we can’t really pleased everyone at the same time. People who doesn’t like it, stuffed. Who gave a [DELETED]. My Xbox 360 and Wii is sitting on my table eating dust at the moment. Xbox 360 are all FPS….so sick of it. At least SONY got balls to bring out something different and not stick to the winning formula at the time. Cheers

joel  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:30 am

Ok Im not selling my ps3.. that would be stupid..

Anyhow, were is the GO!CAM? The psp camera? You promised us last year..

zapruder  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:31 am

@dateman; at the time you bought the ps3 it didn’t and still doesn’t say it has in game XMB (assuming that’s your problem) so why the hell did you buy the damn thing? you got it hoping it would fulfill all your needs? lol.. grow up. Try and get MS to do something for once you’ll soon notice that Sony is doing a better job.

ozzyuno  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:33 am

I like this 1.94 UPDATE not!!

tirminyl  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:40 am

#Canthor #282
What do you mean having an open or closed platform? They have the most open console platform compared to their competition. They allow you to install bigger HDD’s, allow you to install another OS on it. Letting you customize your own them, etc. Compared to everyone else, that is pretty open to me, and things are just getting better in that regard.

gamenut6659  |  November 8th, 2007 at 4:43 am

Wow….the music playlist is one of the main features I was looking for, and I didn’t see it coming. Keep up the good work and after reading these impatient requests use have your work cut out for you. I definitely have sympathy and envy for the under appreciated developers that work on these updates.

Thanks from a musician who plays by ear and plays from there PS3 this playlist was a true timesaver and a godsend.