They were also the culprits that started the steps to PSNPocalypse becoming a reality
Wait, what are you trying to say exactly? That the people who started the CFW hacking (which in turn lead to the huge downtime) are responsible for the current trophy cheating methods? If so, that's correct. Before CFW trophy hacking, there was just a handful of vulnerable games cheated via elementary file replacing. Then came CFW and it was totally expanded and out of control, but contained due to CFW users requiring old PS3 firmwares. Then came December 2011, where a software took the CFW method and applied it to a PC program...and that's where trophy hacking went totally out of control, and it's only getting worse by the month. With Game Genie, it definitely might make it even more widespread.
The trophy system is already borked to hell sadly. The introduction Game Genie only adds up to the hacking and cheating.
Vita seems to be the only bastion that is somewhat free of hacking (bar from the tites like Motorstorm and Sound Shapes you mentioned earlier)
No, the trophy system is not ruined. The
PS3 trophy system is - with the exception of online server stat based trophies and performance based trophies that won't pop with manipulated saves, every PS3 format software (retail and PSN) are vulnerable. It's only a ticking clock until Little Billy gets his "platty save" for a game to fall. Vita is pure only because of how it handles backup.
And that's just it. Backing up. Companies were being nice by giving the ability to back up saves to PC, but once you introduce "PC" to the mix, you're asking for problems.
Don't even get me started on Xbox 360 and backing up profiles - it lead to "profile editing" which makes the PS3 trophy hacking look like child's play. On there, they're simply toggling games to have the full 1000/1000 with the click of a button with PC software and taking it back to Xbox Live safely. Talk about sinister. Gamerscore Corrections are not enough, they need to cut that bullshit from making it to Xbox Live from the source.
Anyway, what I'm saying is, cut out ability to back up to PC, and literally all trophy/achievement manipulation will come to an end.
Remember these?:
I think it's time to bring them back. No backing up to PC bullshit, just proprietary memory cards. I don't care if people complain. Cloud saves can be an additional option - again free of any sign of being able to be taken to PC. This is the only way to lock out trophy/achievement save manipulation. Mix that with a PS Vita-esque backup (without PC backup) method and it's foolproof.
As for Game Genie, it's not the existence of it that's an outrage in itself (the other software was the nail in the coffin), it's the fact that Sony approved the product to be in the market and sold at retail. This is almost concrete evidence that Sony has no idea what's going on OR doesn't care and is apathetic.
Fun fact: The blog.share site strangely doesn't approve trophy hacking topics. The SCEA support site also
removed the "Trophy" entry in the support contact dropdown list a few months ago, as trophy hacking started to really escalate and they were more than likely getting lots of people complaining. Sounds like SCEA at least knows what is going on but instead of taking action, is trying to make believe it doesn't exist and as little people find out. Also note Game Genie is an American product, just like where SCEA is.
And Steve, PLEASE remove that stuff about how to cheat and the link to the cheat forum. Believe it or not, lots of people are lurking this thread and cheaters will be bred.
