Support NeoGAF

[NullPointer]

Thread should be renamed "PS3 patches and installs have gotten out of hand".

I still love my PS3 (and free PSN) but damn, the entire system could use some serious work.

 

[Deadbeat]

I'm not saying it's a good thing just that it's a thing already.

I knew it was a thing already. I thought you were implying that I missed the boat.

 

[Thoraxes]

Mail your card with you save to Nintendo so that they fix the glitch on it. Sure is way better.

Still though, with Other M they would fix the save and you could still play through the game again anyways. I never even ran into that problem, and given that there were
I'm not trying to defend it, and that shouldn't have been a problem, but they're definitely fixing all those problems with the 3DS, and that only happening to them once over the course of a lot of years really shows a lot in this day and age, where some games (i'm looking at you Bayonetta PS3) are pretty much required to play some games to have them be playable.

Also the Graces F thing was all on Namco in Japan.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

Wait till you get in there, that game has the most offensive loading I've ever experienced. And it's shit.

Imagine the crazy rubber banding and last lap weapon spamming of Mario Kart, only twice as annoying and with none of the charm or course design. And on that note, the course creator was a bit of a letdown too. Easy to use, sure. But not particularly flexible. It's not an awful game, it's just really poorly balanced and optimized. Props for the concept, shame about the execution.

 

[firehawk12]

PS3 patching would be fine if they let everyone use the auto-patch feature instead of making it a PSN+ feature.

 

[Erasus]

I love patches. You realise that devs put out patches to fix shit in games right? When there is a patch, in any game, I think "good, some bugs got fixed or content got added, I´ll check the patch notes."

Stop complaing about devs taking care of their games!!!

 

[NullPointer]

I love patches. You realise that devs put out patches to fix shit in games right? When there is a patch, in any game, I think "good, some bugs got fixed or content got added, I´ll check the patch notes."

Stop complaing about devs taking care of their games!!!

I think the anger is more towards the games getting released while still needing those fixes. That shit they're fixing shouldn't have been broken in the first place.

But I'm with you in one respect - when I hear of a patch for one of my games I'm usually hoping its a nice addition or update.

 

[Erasus]

I think the anger is more towards the games getting released while still needing those fixes. That shit they're fixing shouldn't have been broken in the first place.

I understand that but in complex games today they cant put that much into Q&A. I read a quote from Valve in a magazine that on the first day that they release a game, the playerbase has more in-game time than they have in a year testing it.

There will always be bugs/glitches in games, especially when games are so big today.

Its good that you too are pro-patches (Just DL´d a TF2 patch that fixed a bunch of crashes!)

 

[fernoca]

I love patches. You realise that devs put out patches to fix shit in games right? When there is a patch, in any game, I think "good, some bugs got fixed or content got added, I´ll check the patch notes."

Stop complaing about devs taking care of their games!!!

Though the overall complaint is more targeted to the way the patches are handled on the PS3, were basically each patch is individual or varied sizes.

On Xbox 360 a developer can release 3 patches, but you only get 1 update prompt/download with everything. On PS3 you have to download the 3 individual files.

I mean, is it necessary to download the 2,500+ files in Eye of Judgment? Just to try the game online with a friend? Why not let me only download the fixes and leave the actual cards/content optional. Which is another "problem" with PS3 updates, some patches contain everything, so that everyone can see everything online even if they don't own it.

Overall, I do like patches.. especially when they add content to the game too.

 

[JesseZao]

Always a joy to wait 30 minutes before playing almost anything on my PS3 when I fire it up. Hate the update/download system. Really wish it would have faster download streaming and maybe install stuff in the background while downloading it.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

I think the anger is more towards the games getting released while still needing those fixes. That shit they're fixing shouldn't have been broken in the first place.

But I'm with you in one respect - when I hear of a patch for one of my games I'm usually hoping its a nice addition or update.

The problem for me is the length of time they take. On Xbox it's a 10 second wait, on Playstation you can wait upwards of an hour (admittedly a worse case senario, but they are generally far longer than is acceptable, especially given the swiftness MS's procedure).
I agree, it's good that dev's fix their games post release. I also don't think it's unreasonable, bearing I'm mind the complexity of most of todays games, that dev's need to do this after release. You could wait forever to release while you try and squash all the bugs, so as long as the game is 99% working and functional, then I'm OK with it. Plus, some dev's apologize with free DLC!
*patiently waits for Brink maps*

 

[Erasus]

On Xbox 360 a developer can release 3 patches, but you only get 1 update prompt/download with everything. On PS3 you have to download the 3 individual files.

Ah, the thread title and post made it seem like the OP was against the idea of patching.

Being a PS3+PC gamer, that 360 way of handling patches would be friggin awesome to have.

 

[Alex]

It's mainly Japanese companies in general, let's not even get started at how Square handles updates for their MMOs.

 

[dwebo]

Installing a patch downloaded from PSN takes almost just as long (not quite as painfully long as gt5 initial install though), installing infamous from PSN took forever too, even when the download did not.

Yeah, but a faster hard drive wouldn't solve those issues either, at least not in a ps3. From a gamepro test via google:

Time to install version 1.82 update
5400rpm speed test: 1min 58.6 sec
7200rpm speed test: 1 min 54.2 sec

 

[outunderthestars]

Ok, so after 58 minutes I was able to finally play the game. The game turned out to be terrible. So I spent more time loading, installing, and patching the game than I did actually playing it. Bleh

 

[Sansana]

It's kind of annoying when you just want to play a quick match with friends yet waiting is all you can do. Recently experienced it with Wipeout. Felt bad.

 

[Andrefpvs]

Here's how I deal with it:

Let PS+ download and install patches (and games downloaded from the Store) while I sleep.

Install retail games while I go take a crap (I like to take 20+ minute craps).

It's not perfect, but it works for me

 

[outunderthestars]

It's kind of annoying when you just want to play a quick match with friends yet waiting is all you can do. Recently experienced it with Wipeout. Felt bad.

So far on Day one of owning a PS3 all I seem to have done is install and update games.

Why does a PSN demo need a ten minute install?

 

[Zaphod]

I dig my PS3 and I love GT5. It does crack me up that I was able to download and start playing CIV5 faster than I was able to install and update the physical copy of GT5 I purchased.

 

[SneakyStephan]

Yeah, but a faster hard drive wouldn't solve those issues either, at least not in a ps3. From a gamepro test via google:

How the hell does that even work, the famous cell processor taking forever to unpack the archives lol?

edit : I remember reading about a test like that (but it was with an SSD vs 7200 rpm HDD) and the conclusion was that it was bottlenecked by an older slower SATA connection (not that that should already be hit with a 7200 rpm hdd)

 

[Interstellar]

It's kind of annoying when you just want to play a quick match with friends yet waiting is all you can do. Recently experienced it with Wipeout. Felt bad.

...or you could press circle to skip it.

 

[fernoca]

Ah, the thread title and post made it seem like the OP was against the idea of patching.

Being a PS3+PC gamer, that 360 way of handling patches would be friggin awesome to have.

Yeah.
The disadvantage some have (I don't mind) is that the title updates are installed on the cache, so are temporary. Depending on the size of the memory unit, the more games you play, the faster you might need to re-download the update. You can play 20+ games and be required to update again if you go back to game #1. But still nice to just download one small up to 5MB file that fixes problems, than downloading multiple ones that do the same...and add other stuff you might not need or use.

But it's nice, since title updates are separate of the ones with actual content and those are mostly optional. So you don't need to download like with most cases in the PS3 everything, just to play online with a friend that has the same content/game you have.

For example, the OP's example with ModNation, not only the patches are to fix the loadings and other aspects, but also contain every asset/clothes/etc. related to the customization of the game, just so that he could see other online with it. If anything it should be optional and if he wants to see and play with stages that have those, then he could download that by separate.

Ok, so after 58 minutes I was able to finally play the game. The game turned out to be terrible. So I spent more time loading, installing, and patching the game than I did actually playing it. Bleh

Give the game some more time, it is great. ;p
Learn to drift to earn boost and hold onto items to max them and attack everyone.

For example a quick-green turbo in level 3 creates a portal that teleports you sometimes ahead of the other players. A regular missile on Level 3 turns into multiple homing missiles that attack nearly everyone.

And adding boost by drifting can be used for turbo, but also as a shield. the more you have the more time you can use the shield to avoid attacks.

 

[StuBurns]

...or you could press circle to skip it.

How's he going to play online then?

 

[Sansana]

...or you could press circle to skip it.

It was an online match so I'm not sure if it would be possible.

 

[vocab]

Oh ya, another thing I would like to point out is PS3's lack of performance while installing a game/demo while downloading one at the same time. CPU utilization and HDD access times pretty much go up, and take twice as long. I've ran into it many times, and maybe some of the people having really long install times didn't know about it.

 

[REV 09]

Welcome to your console future.

This is exclusively a Playstation issue. 360 updates are super quick and you'll never be stuck going through a cycle of "catch-up" updates. No mandatory installs either.

Everytime I try to play UC2 mp I have to download some bullshit updates or something before entering the mp lobby. Takes like 15 min most times...I assume that if you played frequently that this wouldn't be an issue, but hopping back in for a quick game every couple of months is tiresome.

 

[buhdeh]

Sony doesn't know shit about making a user-friendly experience.

My personal worst was Pain. I got a code for Pain for free when I got my 3DTV. The thing literally took hours to download a billion patches. All so I could play some shitty slingshot game which I deleted after 5 minutes.

 

[JasoNsider]

Very minimal 360 patching
I don't even remember patching Wii even once (quick disc firmware updates maybe?)

The PS3 however....Good god that is a broken system. I don't even WANT to boot up some of my games because of this.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

I will never complain about patches because I lived through gens where a glitch in a game was there until you bought a new copy.

 

[dak1dsk1]

Makes you miss cartridges.

 

[clav]

Not to sound like a troll, but this is why I love the quality in Nintendo games. They aren't bug-free, but they are a hell of a lot closer to it than anyone else in their releases.

Haha. Oh wow.

I sold Mario Kart DS for a reason.

 

[AndyMoogle]

Very minimal 360 patching
I don't even remember patching Wii even once (quick disc firmware updates maybe?)

The PS3 however....Good god that is a broken system. I don't even WANT to boot up some of my games because of this.

They don't even have patching on Wii. Aside from firmware updates that is. Nintendo better have a patching system for Wii U or it's going to be terrible.

Haha. Oh wow.

I sold Mario Kart DS for a reason.

If it's people cheating with flash carts you're referring to, then it's more of a problem with their online system, and the DS itself, rather than the game.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

The day I brought inFamous 2 home, which was release day, mind you, there was a 100mb patch waiting for me.

It took about 40 minutes. When it finished, I no longer wanted to play the game that night and just did it tomorrow.

 

[surly]

What about in 10 years, how am I going to get those updates that are not permanently stored on the system?

It's not ideal, but you can copy them off the hard drive to your PC using a transfer cable. There's also 2 or 3 online databases where you can download Xbox 360 title updates straight to your PC, although I won't link to them here in case it's against the rules.

They don't even have patching on Wii.

Nintendo have the slowest patching system of all: -

However, the fix requires that you physically send your save data to the company in the mail. Players in Japan may copy the data to an SD card or send the entire Wii to the following address:

Nintendo Service Center "Metroid Other M" Dept
56 Kaguraden Ogura-cho
Uji, Kyoto 611-0042
Japan

http://www.1up.com/news/game-breaking-metroid-bug-acknowledged-nintendo

 

[Concept17]

I don't mind long patches and installs. Allows me to get settled, grab a snack, check an OT, etc...

But then again, my gaming roots are primarily in online pc games, where long patches, updates, etc were common place and more often exciting than not.

 

[inner-G]

If you seriously OMG HAVE TO PLAY NOW, unplug the ethernet cable or disable wi-fi.

You can always get the patch some other time, it's not like they're holding a knife to your throat.

 

[fernoca]

They don't even have patching on Wii. Aside from firmware updates that is. Nintendo better have a patching system for Wii U or it's going to be terrible.

Per game they could; like Black Ops on Wii. But aside Activision, who was also the first to use DLC, SD Card for DLC and patches...not many did.

 

[Alex]

Makes you miss cartridges.

Not really, it makes you wish that most Japanese publishers weren't completely inept in regards to the internet.

I hope that Sony learns some lessons going forward (Vita already looks better than the PS3's setup) and I am very curious to see what kind of possible abomination Nintendo turns out with the Weeooo.

 

[IrishNinja]

yeah, LBP1 was awful for this if you left it alone for a long time. MGS4/O too.

i once tried pain, and it mustve been at it nearly a half hour; each time it finished, it'd find more shit and go downloading again before booting to the game itself, like a loop of shit. fucking horrible; didnt even ask me "WOULD YOU EVEN USE ANY OF THIS CRAP Y/N". kinda pissy that i my poor 60GB, where i fight for HDD space, has a 1 gig or so update for Heavy Rain for move considering i dont own that, really shouldve asked me first.

 

[FyreWulff]

Updates on the 360 are pretty fast. Why is it so slow on the PS3?

Edit: So if 360 updates were stored permanently , they would be slow as well?

As of Rock Band 3, 360 games can have permanent patches (RB3 stores the Title Update permanently in it's folder).

Unfortunately older games don't get this benefit, so I'm SOL if Live ever goes down and Perfect Dark XBLA's patch gets wiped..

 

[Monty Mole]

I think the PS3 has to be the least user-friendly console of all time. I remember when the first Xbox was announced and people were taking the piss on forums saying "it's Microsoft so we'll have to install the games lol!". Well, PS3 came and that's exactly what happened. But it's the patching that frustrates me the most. I can't even be arsed to stick LBP in, or boot up Vidzone, because it's been a good few months and I know I'll just have to sit through shit loads of updates.

 

[bender]

When you update Hot Shots Golf from retail, it doesn't just download a patch that brings you to the newest version, it updates EVERY patch it's had...in order. At this point I think it takes about 3-4 hours to update it all lol

Funny you mention this but I installed/patched HSG last night on a new PS3. It took between 1.5-2 hours to install and patch the game. It felt like patching an MMO.

 

[dejay]

Scenario - driving home, feel like playing game x for a bit. Loads game. Requires update, cannot load in background. "Baaah, ok, I'll wait"......."Almost finished, cool! Oh wait, another patch."

Switches on 360 to play something else. Shuts down 360 2 hours later. "Why is my PS3 on? Oh yeah, game X has updated, I might play that tomorrow". Forgets about game X for three months. Decides to play it again. Requires update, cannot load in background...

It would be nice if you could get a warning that your game needs an update before you want to play it.

If you seriously OMG HAVE TO PLAY NOW, unplug the ethernet cable or disable wi-fi.

You can always get the patch some other time, it's not like they're holding a knife to your throat.

That's not a great solution.

 

[alphaNoid]

you get what you pay for.

 

[NullPointer]

If you seriously OMG HAVE TO PLAY NOW, unplug the PS3

Fixed for likeliness.

 

[Phonomezer]

The PS3 however....Good god that is a broken system. I don't even WANT to boot up some of my games because of this.

Yep, I got LBP from Welcome Back and I haven't played it because I just know there is going to be an obscene amount of annoyance involved.

 

[Mxrz]

I think it took me 45 minutes to install 16GB for GT5. Infamous took me about 15 minutes. Patches are huge, but I notice I get them quicker than expected given their size. The last 350ish MB GT update only took about 5 minutes for me.

I've learned to just pop a game into the drive, start the install, then go for a sandwich or something though. Some games do seem to take entirely too long, but i wouldn't say it is universal. Sometimes I'm surprised when a new game loads up immediately. I'll usually exit and restart the game, thinking I'd missed something.

But actually, I think i prefer this to MS strict cap. If the Devs feel the game needs a patch or two, then I'm all for it. Played a couple of games that could've really used one.

 

[CadetMahoney]

Microsoft puts limits and restrictions on how patches are done. On PS3 the devs do whatever they want so they will toss out ridiculously sized patches all the time.

If you chose to install GT5, it took something like 50 minutes to install IIRC

I'm glad I didn't buy gt5, not only because it didn't live up the hype by far but I hate playing games off disc in general.

 

[astroturfing]

i wanted to buy Socom 4, but i can't because my PS3 refuses to download patches from Zipper. i tried to download the patch required for the beta about 40 times, crashing my PS3 every single time when the download got to 1%. tried everything, nothing worked.

the same happened with the MAG demo. their patch would not download more than 1% and my PS3 crashed. for some reason it did work eventually though and i got to try out the game, which was alright.

never buying a Zipper game though, odds of their game working on my PS3 seem very slim. every other game's patches have always worked no problem...

 

[Deleted member 13876]

No problems here. I have actually experienced slower download speeds on Microsoft's Paid service.

This is pretty much impossible actually.