If you’ve signed in to the PLAYSTATION Network tonight on your PS3, you probably noticed that you were prompted to upgrade the system’s firmware to v2.17. In case you were wondering what it’s all about (and a quick Google search indicates that yes, you are) the operating stability of some online PS3 titles has been improved.
Hope that clears things up!
@tretle in other words, nobody ever promised it. You and others made assumptions based on pre-release screenshots, like believing Tekken 5 was going to look like the intro videos?
I too am a software developer. I write software for database systems and other high uptime systems, primarily Unix based. I wouldn’t for one second claim to know better than Sony how to do in-game XMB, so why do you believe that making in-game XMB is so easy? Do you know so much about game system programming?
Game systems are NOT PCs, they are designed to use 100% of their power in-game. The games are like mini operating systems of their own. A well written game can take advantage of huge amounts of horsepower from a gaming system that would never be tapped on a general purpose computer of the same speed. Consider what was done on the lowly PS2 with 32MB of RAM.
My assumption is that Sony never made the XMB available in-game because its actually a technical difficulty. They probably allocated too much of the cell and RAM to game access, and allowing the XMB to use up memory dynamically while a game is running is NOT EASY when the game does all its own internal memory allocation.
Now here’s the rub: there are several games already with in-game messaging. Resistance has had it since over a year ago. Lost Planet has it from within the main menu and rooms before getting into a game. Both allow access to the friends list from the XMB because it was programmed into their games. Ditto for in-game music in Bowling and Super Stardust. Obviously therefore its possible, why not be mad at developers for not using this capacity instead?
What do you want Sony to do, piss off the developers that make the games? I see no Sony press releases about in-game XMB coming at lauch nor now. Get over it, E-mail them with the contact link, but please stop talking about it in unrelated blog entries.
See https://blog.mikebabcock.ca for more of my opinions, lol.
Hey guys go to
http://www.colorize.net/home/
Thanks #189
Shows how much people pay attention to something they love.
The website shows the
!!!!HOME COUNTDOWN!!!!
5 days, 11 Hours, 23 minutes, and 30 secounds, and its still counting down………………………………………………….
But heres a question, when the 5 days are up where would you download it? That website, playstation store, or someother place?
Sony, Please Understand we need In Game XMB We Currently Cannot listen to our MUSIC in game Which is a Very Much Needed Feature It Makes games more fun and 100% better Say for instance your playing Army of Two shooting Guys is Fun But wouldnt you rathar be Shooting Guys With your Fav. song Playing? This is my fav. Feature on the Xbox 360 and Needs tom be Implemented If PS3 Is to Be The Better of the two Also We Currently Cannot Communicate with friends in game which is needless to say is Absouluty abusurd. Microsoft Xbox 360 has had this Feature sense day one im not bringing PS3 down but you guys need to step it up We have been waiting to long for this feature and its still not here i know supposibly it supost to release Somtime this year But there is still 9 months left this year The only way the Playstation 3 will regain its strenght is if this firmware is released in Q2 2008 Im Guessing now this is speculation of Course is that In game xmb will be released either with on along side either MGS4 or Home.
Hey…. Guess what..
I did the update and then after playing COD4 for an hours, I decide to play some PAIN multiplayer bowling with my wife. I had not booted this game in a month and it prompt me to game update.
The freaking update is stuck on 10% and does not move. I left it on overnight..and NOTHING..still stuck at 10%. I deleted and re-installed the game and the saves…and still the same crap..STUCK at 10%.
WTF…SONY
How do I fix this? Did the new patch cause this to happen??
i tough 2.17 was supposed to make Online Gaming more stable? well thats defenitly not the case i was just playing Army of two and it froze so many times online after this useless 2.17 update and it never froze before on 2.10 what is going on sony?
SPADA i just booted up Pain to see if i would have any problems I didnt it checked for updates and downloaded it in about 20 seconds flat so i dont think the fw (USELESS) 2.17 has anything to do with it but that doesnt change the fact that its the worst FW in Recorded history
Janglez…personalized music in game is already done and was ready on day 1. it’s now up to the programmers to allow the game to do it.
don’t believe me…try MLB: The Show or the downloadable Bowling game in the PSN. i understand that’s not a lot of games but the feature is there.
i’m sure in game XMB is either on the way or is already doable and just waiting to be universally implemented. but if it’s music you want you can already do that. but it’s up to the GAME to allow you to do that…not the PS3. if the PS3 just let you do it and the game wasn’t built to do it you’d have your music playing over the game music.
so please…before you start in with random complaints know what you’re talking about.
Even though Firmware 2.17 doesn’t include “in game XMB” that everybody seems to want SO badly.Basically 2.17 doesnt carry anything except stability improvements (or so we’ve been told by sony)maybe this firmware carries something else inside that sony has not mentioned or just won’t say.I believe that Firmware 2.40 will include the “in game XMB” & it should be released around August 2008.Try a Google search for Firmware 2.40 & you will find the info you’re looking for concerning “in game XMB”……But,have patience everyone,i read on gamasutra.com that a major update is on it’s way in April…..Check out the link…..http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17763
its good to see another update,even though is not HOME or IN GAME XMB but its good to see we are getting back on track. KEEP DOING WHAT YOUR DOING SONY>
I hated that update. waste of time if you ask me. like a 30-40 minute download and I don’t even know what it really did.
the updates are ok!
my PS3 does not beep three times when going standby any more!
cool!
Has anyone experience freezing issues since you install this update? I was playing DMC4 today, and it froze 3 several times. I hope it’s not a major issue.
This firmware update broke my ps3, I own a 40 GB PS3 and right after applying it it got super slow, I rebooted twice and took the game out of the console, and now it doesn’t read any games, BD movies, DVDs, or anything. Only the demos I download from the PSN work.. I already called support and they told me to send it back for repair, I honestly don’t think there is a hardware problem, but the firmware that broke it. I have seen several cases on the playstation forums where people have the same issue as I do after this update, SONY should do something to fix this, instead of us needing to send the console back for repair, which in the end will cost more to the company and to us customers. I’d really rather see this fixed by another firmware update quickly than having to send the console back and wait for 2 weeks to 1 month… SONY, PLEASE HELP US!!!!! btw I have a support case number logged already: 1-152259800, and also an e-mail case number for reference.. 5557401
Thanks for listening.
Gabrio
Well the update didn’t fix the disk read errors everyone has been getting. Seems like a growing problem sony, a big problem. Would be nice to see your failure rates now.
The new firmware broke my ps3 too!!!! I also have a 40GB Ps3 and it doesn’t read any games, movies, ANYTHING. Only the downloaded demos. I’m from Argentina, if i have to send my ps3 to sony could take MONTHS. ¿Why release a firmware like that? I hope you release another firmware that solves de problems, because i tried to donwgrade it and its not posible.
Mariano
i havent had any problems at all with new firmware but i have a near launch 60 GB. so guess its only the newer PS3’s or just 40GB people. hope it gets fixed soon for you guys.
THE EU PATCH BY IW FOR COD4 HAS BEEN ALMOST INTOLERABLE FOR NORTH AMERICAN GAMERS, WITH SERVER TIMEOUTS, MAJOR LAG BEHIND EURO GAMERS (GIVING THEM UNFAIR ADVANTAGE) AND NOW WITH THIS LATEST “UPDATE” (SHOULD BE A “BACKDATE”) MY SYSTEM CAN’T STAY LOGGED INTO THE PSN NETWORK FOR ANYTHING. I EXPCETTHIS CCROUPDEEE
since update i get dlna 2006 error when connecting to my vista media library, and its not my computer cause my 360 is working fine.
I’m not having any problems and I just got an 80gb this past christmas. Why complain about failure rates though people? Every single friend of mine that has a 360 including myself have had to send theirs in for one reason or another. THAT is terrible, yet that same group has not had ANY problems with their PS3s so quit complaining, nothing is perfect.
yeh this messed up my online play and now it lags alot more then it used to iam not very happy about what they did wiht it
Since upgrading to 2.17 my 60 GB system has had several freezes in Rock Band that required restarts. Strangely, the problem seemed to happen more often right after the upgrade and is now only happening once in a while.
Updated to 2.17 on my 80GB on Thursday and my system was working o.k. Went on Friday, playing COD4 and froze 3 times. The first time I had to dump out of the game and restart and I got back in fine. The second time, dumped out of the game and then the system wouldn’t read the disk. Restarted the system 3 times before it would read the disk. The third time, dumped out of the game and the system wouldn’t read the disk. Have restarted the sytem at least 7 times and still won’t read the disk and I have tried different disks. Haven’t called support as it is too late, I have to wait until Sunday. Now I’m seeing that this has happened to other people and Sony’s answer is send it in and pay $150? Seems that their software wrecked my system, as it worked just fine before the update. Why should I or anyone who has this problem have to pay to repair damage caused by Sony’s software? Looks like the PS2 “disk read error” nightmare all over again. You’d think after the PS2’s problems, Sony would make sure that this didn’t happen again, especially when they’re charging double the price of the PS2 for the new system.
Although I’m not sure what the current firmware update does (other than what’s stated), I would like to make light on some of the problems I’ve encountered and some suggestions for additional support.
Problems encountered (since firmware 2.10):
* Divx/Xvid playback – some of my files playback with stutters when streamed from a computer through a DNLA server. However, if the file is copied to the local harddrive is playback fine. Since bitrate is constant, what gives? Please figure this out.
Another problem with this is that some files midway through playback (usually when there’s black or a quick transition) give an error message Content cannot be played (8002880C Error). On my computer, the file plays back just fine without interruptions. I tried copying the file over to the PS3 harddrive and it still gives me this message. Why is this happening?
Suggestions to include in future firmware upgrades (if it comes in the next one, that would really rock).
* YouTube – need I say more?
* Video playlist or multiple select on videos to play back-to-back. Or perhaps even an option to playback the next file in the same folder or something. Episodics like the Heavenly Sword Anime is annoying to go back to the XMB and select the next Ep.
* DTS-HD MA – seriously, the PS3 is the best blu-ray player on the market with it’s upcoming ability to be Profile 2.0 compatible (and future profiles?), why not make it the ultimate Blu-ray player. You’ve already made it one of the best media hubs in the market now.
* XMB In-game and in-movie playback. Might as well make it available throughout all uses.
* Additional file support – .flv and .mkv
* DLNA server abililty – I think it’s great that PS3 can search for files in DLNA servers, how about the ability to share media files from PS3 to other DLNA clients? Currently we have 3 PS3s in the house. It would be nice to share files that have been downloaded to individual PS3s instead of having to copy them over.
* 1080p games – Although my primary concern is not upscaling, that option would be nice. My concern is that I have games that claim to be able to play at 1080p and yet my Samsung LCD (and many LCDs I’ve tested on) ends up outputting only at 720p. This happens with CoD4 and other games. I know the work around is to uncheck 720p and 1080i but the whole point is for the machine to do it automatically. I don’t wanna have to change the settings everytime I have to play RFoM at 720p.
* Clock – someone mentioned this in an earlier thread, I think that would be very useful.
* Update the browser and all the plug-ins including Flash.
* Auto Power off after Download manager is done
* Auto Power off Controller after 5-10 mins of doing nothing. Saves battery.
it is still funny. im playing a game in my ps3 some a friend send me a menssage and i cant see. i will have to get off the game go to the main menu and see the mensage. after i do this i dont feel like geeting back to the game. so what i do next is turn on my 360 elite and get to play halo lisseting to my music and chatting with my friend at the same time. and when my friends dont want to join my game a just send them a menssage while playing halo 3 and wait to see if they join. i didnt like xbox before but the truth is that i havent turn on my ps3 in weeks. ps3 is nothing but a blu ray bussiness for sony. they dont care about us. and other thing lower the prise of the grand turismo 5 prologe. thas a demos for $40.00. we need the real thing. what do you thing we are stu………………………….
Yea, thanks for the new update Sony (NOT)
Man, since the new update, I’ve been signed out, network error non-stop now. Even when I’m not playing online I still get signed out. Please have a NEW update soon to fix these problems that myself and others are having. I payed too much money on this for it to take a $hit can. It’s like going to a 5 star resturant and getting (you know what) food. Just please have a new update to fix this.
Apperently there is a problem with the new firmware 2.17 ,my unit is a ps3 40gb and ps support told me the unit needed to be serviced and they gave me a claim number ,right now my unit is useless ,im thinking of getting another unit because being a gamer can’t wait to play again ,but be sure it will not be a ps3 since the unit I bought could not play titles of the ps2, so sony please have a new patch to fix the problem ,VERY SOON.
Hey Sony WHY NOT INCLUDE IN GAME XMB!!!!! I heard the update didn’t fix the wi-fi, luckly I’m wired to my DSL. I can’t stand getting a message when in COD4 and its an invite to chat and that user sends it every 3 seconds until I quit the game. I would not have to do this if you had in game XMB!!! I could really care less about HOME until you(sony) release an in game XMB!! I don’t want to quit Home to text someone. I’m not asking to have the whole media bar available just basics like the Timeshift Online Demo has. I only play that game because it has in game XMB and so does the bowling thing but just music files, NO TEXT CHAT!! I had to block that user off my buddy list ’cause he was a retarded kid. Anyways Sony buddy ol’ Pal Get IN GAME XMB before Home or I won’t play it for too long if at all. at least put it on the in game PSP menu or something!!
On another note, Sony don’t let XBOX 360 have your BLU-RAY Drive as an ADD-ON!!! They are your bitter rival screw Microsoft!!! They bet on HD-DVD for whatever reason and lost BIG TIME. No one has it anymore not even Netflix.com!! But let those XB fanboys suffer for about 12 months then give it to them. Then they can stop bashing your(sony) awesome System!!
FORCE ALL DEV’S TO INCLUDE AN IN GAME XMB ALLOCATION IF YOU HAVE TO. NOT THAT HARD SONY!!! GTA 4 GT5 AND WIPEOUT BETTER HAVE IN GAME XMB!!!
I dont even play my PS3 except for Blu ray, ( i love Gamerscore!) but i still appreciate the update, thanks sony, give em an inch they take a mile.
Desidarious | March 14th, 2008 at 8:17 am
I know how you feel! i bought 360 when it came out, havent stopped playing it, i bought ps3 when it came out and hadent played it since day 2 of owning it. i mean 360 is so user friendly, easy and nice looking. PS3 store is just crazy, i may pay 50 bucks a year for 360 but it is sooooo worth it. PS3 has the same games as 360 and you dont get Gamerscore. In a summary, XBOX = Fun! FUN! FUN! PS3= 600$ Blu ray. Sony step it up, or you’ll be making games Like Sega.
My Gametag for 360 is Cx Lord Of War Send an invite if you like COD4!
Well, after a fun and interesting chat with sony support, I will be offline for 3 weeks minimum while my 3 month old system is sent back to sony for a warranty exchange. Support tells me that 2.17 didn’t kill me, it was a problem with the hard drive. (can you say PS2 deja vu, kids?) At least I had the PS2 for 3 years before it went belly up!! And that one you could fix yourself if you hunted online long enough! At least mine is still under warranty. I feel bad for the people who are out of warranty and are getting shafted for $150 to get theirs fixed. Come on Sony, I expected a little better out of the next gen console.
What in the unholy hell is this??
Ok, now, this website has officially lost a devoted reader, just due to the waves of dumb 360 fanboys that are now swarming just to incite anger amongst the children here. Sony, my suggestion? Ban every dumb kid that makes an aggressive comment! It works for Kotaku, just make a day dedicated to it. Tell the readers that their input is suggested, not ignored, but overall doesn’t need to be here. Show no mercy and run this thing like Slashdot, I want BANNINGS!!!
I agree with CitizenInsane27. Bring out the Ban Hammer and start swinging. As for this Firmware update. Whatever Firmware comes out, big or small, if its going to help in the long run, I’m cool with it.
yep, start banning your customers for getting annoyed at being left in the dark and lied to. Thats the way to run a dictatorship, lol.
In all fairness to anyone who got annoyed with this update and let their voices be heard at least it was on the topic of the blog post. Being firmware related and all.
If Sony want the bad press to stop maybe they should listen to their customers instead of ignoring or thinking about trying to shut them up.
If there are people out there that are annoyed about reading the angry customer comments then maybe you should skip them. Find something better to do with your time, the comments aren’t directed at you they are directed at Sony.
Too lazy to find which comment it was again but regardring in game xmb and the memory issues.
I too came to a similar conclusion at the start. BUT, when the hardware details were being finalised with the 360 and ps3 I remember Microsoft and Sony were raising and lowering the memory in the consoles almost as if they were trying to make sure they could compete with the competition.
Surely there must have been thoughts about how to handle memory, They did leave a core of the cell aside for future use, it wouldn’t make sense that they didn’t think to give developers some kind of restraints when it came to memory.
If they didn’t then thats pretty bad project management.
@ Tretle.
By banning people, I don’t mean the customers, I mean at things like post 283. Why do we care what is ID is on the other console here at a “Playstation” blog?
Jeff, as a PS user since your first product, as well as every other game console including both XBOX’s, and all versions of the Nintendo, including Wii, SCEA is BEHIND in their product.
I have to admit, Microsoft Marketplace and the whole menu system is MUCH easier and user friendly. Also, just stating there is an update is insuffecient. Let us know the good AND the bad.
SCEA, please FIX your stuff. Be more consumer focused. Develop a NEW GUI (graphical user interface) that is user friendly. As far as I am concerned, Microsoft is beating you at this game console. The only thing “COOL” I think SCEA is working on right now is “HOME”. Come on!!
Since this isn’t a major update I don’t have anything to complain about, and seeing how people in charge are supposedly readin the blogs I’ll just take this time to list some things that you should include in the next (real) update, to make sure it doesn’t feel like a big letdown.
-In game XMB (duh) as well as in Folding@Home and in PS Store, if possible
-Skype (ever since it was announced for PSP I’ve been wanting it)
-PS Store overhaul (Movies, TV Shows, music, etc.)
-Region Free for DVD’s (this should be possible since there are region free dvd players, and the games are region free)
-Friend search (look up users based on personal info, games owned, etc.)
-Reading music track info (like artist, album, etc.) when you import files from iTunes
-Being able to play Quicktime Movie files and Windows Media Player files that are imported from a computer
-More XMB customization (maybe nature themes like the Gaea one for the visual player)
-Updating Date & Time for Caracas (I live in Venezuela and Chavez set the clocks back 30 min)
(on a side note please release the Playstation Eye technology demoed at GDC, soon!!!)
Ever since 2.17 update I cannot get a picture on my TV!!! It seems to be due to EIA/CEA-861/861B compliance ( copyright protection software on my tv with HDMI cable) it was working fine before the update and now nothing. Component cbl works but then I don’ t get 1080 output. I have no way of overriding the TV program. Does anyone have any suggestions? THX
I updated my firmware to 2.17 and it totally ruined my PS3 wireless controllers not working, cannot connect to the internet wired or wireless, games freezing. It sucks called Customer Service 10X this weekend and all i got was to pay up 150 dollars. My PS3 was working perfectly before this update and I am really disappointed. I’ve been buying Sony product my laptop, my tv my camera all Sony. I’ve been a loyal Playstation fan until now. I’ve always equated Sony to high quality electronics now I am not so sure. How can something that’s working all of a sudden not work because of a FW update. Sony you have to do something about this really soon.
Browser still has problems (Freezing)
good i’m banned
One thing I’d really like to see, apart from in-game XMB or Home, is the option to turn off controllers, after being idle for a certain amount of time. It’s annoying having to press the PS button, and manually switch the controller off every night after logging into Folding@Home. It shouldn’t be too hard to implement, surely.
whenever I try to update an individual game for my PS3 like Rock Band it will give you that message when you first start up but when I try to download it it just drops my internet and I can never download it. Any solutions?
well guys i updated my ps3 and i talked to sony techs and i have to send in my ps3 because of are famous 2.17 fw update i have the 60gb and bought it oct 1 07 and now my system freezes and reeboots its self offline and online now i have to wait til sony send me my empty box and send them mine and then ill recieve me a brandnew 60gb ps3 thank goodnes i have the reciept and warranty still im sorry for all else that updated and having similar problems and have to pay sony do need to make things right and fix this asap well now im gonna be without a ps3 for about a month but when i do recieve my ps3 i WILL NOT UPDATE TIL NEXT FIRMWARE TO BE TESTED AND WORTH UPDATING !!!!
Firmware Update (v2.17) problems:
Sony BD Remote Control losses connectivity so you have to use a Wireless Controller button to continue.
please the XMB IN GAME
XMB IN SHIRT? :-)
We really need to get that in-game XMB and Home thing going here…. XBox is doing so well right now because the software on the XBox is actually way better (music in-game, etc)… The PS3 has an extremely large amount of hardware power that the current firmware is not taking advantage of. If the PS3 is to truely beat the dreaded Xbox 360, we need to get those things working ASAP