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[Bad_Boy]

How good is this "background downloading"? Can you download while playing games?

I already described how BG downloading will work earlier in the thread. Nobody cared though. :/

...

* Background Downloading (exact details of this are not confirmed)

Details:
You download something, you can go back to the xmb and do whatever. When you start a game (and I think dvd/blu-ray movies too, not sure) the download stops. The download resumes when you go back into the xmb.

It's not perfect (meaning downloading while in-game), but it's a shit load better than what we have now.

 

[painey]

isnt folding@home on ps3 a 200meg download or am i mixing it up with something else? If it is i hope it isnt mandatory

 

[bud]

If those are the only updates, I'm going to hit bud with a baseball bat.

...what?

 

[The Innocent X]

I already described how BG downloading will work earlier in the thread. Nobody cared though. :/

...

Well, I think people will care. In fact, the day it comes out, they`ll probably be a 10 page thread moaning about it!

Doesn`t look good for other in-game functions (messaging etc) if they can`t even spare the CPU cycles to download something, although maybe its the fact that they can`t detect when you go online multiplayer to turn the download off.

 

[GameGamer]

isnt folding@home on ps3 a 200meg download or am i mixing it up with something else? If it is i hope it isnt mandatory

The Windows download is only 372KB.

I can't imagine the PS3 version is drastically different.

.

 

[Midas]

I already described how BG downloading will work earlier in the thread. Nobody cared though. :/

...

Thanks.

Not 100 percent background downloading then, but it's better than nothing. Altough I do assume that people want background downloading becuase they want to be able to play games while waiting for the download to be completed.

 

[teiresias]

Well, I think people will care. In fact, the day it comes out, they`ll probably be a 10 page thread moaning about it!

Doesn`t look good for other in-game functions (messaging etc) if they can`t even spare the CPU cycles to download something.

Pretty much every other in-game function people are clamoring for requires use of the internet connection, and when you're connected to Xbox Live the 360 pauses background downloads as well, so I really don't see how this is an issue.

 

[Bad_Boy]

If those are the only updates, I'm going to hit bud with a baseball bat.

Theres gotta be more. I remember when they fixed BC IQ problems in 1.5 firmware, they didn't even acknowledge that they fixed it in the firmware update log, it was just... sneaky. "Can't fix something that isnt broken" they say...

Well, I think people will care. In fact, the day it comes out, they`ll probably be a 10 page thread moaning about it!

Doesn`t look good for other in-game functions (messaging etc) if they can`t even spare the CPU cycles to download something.

IIRC they added in-game friends list in the 1.6 firmware SDK so I would assume games will start to use it. It's odd to explain because I don't think it can just be pulled up in any game, it has to be supported by the game. The explanation is on innerbits blog.

 

[Jonnyram]

It's the same info. I'm sure no one will say that the patch is insignificant because it has some meaty stuff in there but it was a patch that had certain expectations beforehand.

wollan [wol-uhn]
vt
- to raise expectations of an upcoming Sony product to levels far exceeding their actual potential.
There he goes again, wollaning the latest firmware update

vti informal
- to become a victim of an over-sensationalised piece of good news regarding Sony.
Looks like we got wollaned again chaps

 

[Midas]

wollan [wol-uhn]
vt
- to raise expectations of an upcoming Sony product to levels far exceeding their actual potential.
There he goes again, wollaning the latest firmware update

vti informal
- to become a victim of an over-sensationalised piece of good news regarding Sony.
Looks like we got wollaned again chaps

Good one. :lol

 

[mckmas8808]

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20070319/ps3.htm

JAPANESE READERS, What the **** does this thing say!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!


I can't read that sh!t.

 

[The Innocent X]

Pretty much every other in-game function people are clamoring for requires use of the internet connection, and when you're connected to Xbox Live the 360 pauses background downloads as well, so I really don't see how this is an issue.

I'm just wondering. Live is much more integrated in that sense, so it knows when a multiplayer game is about to start. With the PS3 mulitplayer approaches being more varied, I`m wondering if there is no "I'm online using the connection" flag that games set, and so the PS3 doesn`t know when to pause the download.

I do think that not dedicating enough resources to system functions while in game is going to keep coming back to haunt both MS and Sony in this gen, it's such a useful feature, and yet it looks like both companies are straining at the limits that they have allocated already.

 

[Bad_Boy]

JAPANESE READERS, What the **** does this thing say!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!


I can't read that sh!t.

background downloading.

 

[spwolf]

downloading backgrounds for PS3? Looks like that...

 

[plagiarize]

gamesfront.de had something up about the PS3 firmware update (a date for japan i think) but my german isn't too hot.

i'm hoping for a download queue... hopefully that won't be hoping for too much.

 

[plagiarize]

background downloading.

imagine how funny it'd be if all along they just meant 'wallpapers' when they said they were adding 'background downloading'.

 

[Bad_Boy]

imagine how funny it'd be if all along they just meant 'wallpapers' when they said they were adding 'background downloading'.

That wouldnt be that funny at all.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

prays they have quietly improved wireless firmware

 

[dark10x]

The pic also states that you can check the status of your downloads via the "Network -> Download Management" option.

 

[mckmas8808]

I'm just wondering. Live is much more integrated in that sense, so it knows when a multiplayer game is about to start. With the PS3 mulitplayer approaches being more varied, I`m wondering if there is no "I'm online using the connection" flag that games set, and so the PS3 doesn`t know when to pause the download.

I do think that not dedicating enough resources to system functions while in game is going to keep coming back to haunt both MS and Sony in this gen, it's such a useful feature, and yet it looks like both companies are straining at the limits that they have allocated already.

Sony set aside more than enough resources they just aren't as smart as MS to activate it. And MS are super smart, but have less resources set aside.

 

[mckmas8808]

The pic also states that you can check the status of your downloads via the "Network -> Download Management" option.

Thank you dark10x (the japanese reader). So what does that mean? You can see the remaining % of your current download?

 

[The Innocent X]

Sony set aside more than enough resources they just aren't as smart as MS to activate it. And MS are super smart, but have less resources set aside.

I disagree. But we shall see.

 

[kaching]

The Sony page says that the PSP has to be connected to a wireless router within your home in order to access the PS3. I presume you have to be on the same network still.

They could be referring to the initial setup, to pair the PSP with the PS3.

 

[Y2Kev]

...what?

Don't worry, the baseball bat will be made of kisses.

 

[brandonh83]

No date yet? Argh. This Thursday would be great since the new Spider-man 3 trailer is hitting at the end of the week, that'd be a nice HD surprise to go along with the firmware, now wouldn't it Sony?

 

[Bad_Boy]

No date yet? Argh.

uh...this friday. The 23rd.

 

[brandonh83]

uh...this friday. The 23rd.

Must've missed the memo as usual. I just assumed if there was a date it would be in the OP. Thanks.

 

[plagiarize]

Japan: Firmware Version 1.60 erscheint am 22.03.07

19.03.07 - Sony gibt bekannt, dass die Firmware Version 1.60 am 22.03.07 in Japan veröffentlicht wird.

Zu den Neuerungen gehören eine Anbindung an das 'Folding@Home'-Projekt, verbesserte Funktionen des Internet-Browsers, der Zugriff mit PSP auf PS3 über einen Hotspot, die Anzeige einer kompletten Tastatur bei Texteingaben, das Herunterladen von Daten im Hintergrund, uvm.

In Europa wird das Firmware Update am 23.03.07 veröffentlicht.

german anyone?

 

[Bad_Boy]

Must've the memo as usual. I just assumed if there was a date it would be in the OP. Thanks.

no problem.

german anyone?

looks like the same stuff the other sites are reporting.

 

[The Innocent X]

german anyone?

Exactly the same info as posted at eurogamer

Beaten. Curse my slow fingers!

 

[glaurung]

german anyone?

Japan: 1.60 Firmware will be released on 22.03.07

Among the new features are: Folding@home, enhanced functionality of the web browser, PSP to PS3 access over a hotspot, a full-screen keyboard for text input (this sounds wrong), background downloading and so on.

Hope this helps.

 

[Oni Jazar]

I guess this confirms that there won't be XMB access during gameplay.

F-ing Sony. If they would just fix this it would go a long way to competing with XBL.

Also probably no custom backgrounds which is really baffling. It would have been a greay way to personalize your system.

Jonnyram & Bad_boy I updated the original post with your info.

 

[Midas]

Japan: 1.60 Firmware will be released on 22.03.07

Among the new features are: Folding@home, enhanced functionality of the web browser, PSP to PS3 access over a hotspot, a full-screen keyboard for text input (this sounds wrong), background downloading and so on.

Hope this helps.

Yes, it sounds wrong.

Jonnyram wrote it this way;

Full-size on-screen keyboard

 

[dark10x]

Thank you dark10x (the japanese reader). So what does that mean? You can see the remaining % of your current download?

Pretty much.

 

[kaching]

I guess this confirms that there won't be XMB access during gameplay.

Considering that official changelog that Jonnyram just linked to doesn't even mention the new software emu for for PS1/PS2 games, this doesn't appear to be a complete list of what to expect. Not that I'd necessarily hold my breath for XMB access during gameplay.

 

[arcader]

hah - now that I know what folding@home is - im excited for in order...

- multitasking allowing XMB PSN features to integrate into any game (PSone, PS2 and PS3)

- Folding@home

- all that other BS

 

[Ryu1999]

Relax guys, eurogamer says that there are "plenty of meaty new features"

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=74287

But they listed only the ones that jonnyram posted already...except IMPROVED BC! which means logically, ps3 will have everything that Wollan claims it will have because if Sony's hiding one thing from us, it means it could be hiding everything from us!

 

[Bad_Boy]

I guess this confirms that there won't be XMB access during gameplay.

F-ing Sony. If they would just fix this it would go a long way to competing with XBL.

Also probably no custom backgrounds which is really baffling. It would have been a greay way to personalize your system.

Jonnyram & Bad_boy I updated the original post with your info.

Yeah it's an on going problem they really need to fix.

 

[The Jer]

Tony Hawk's Project 8 literally freezes for about three seconds when someone logs on/off and the message pops up. I can't imagine what it would do if they attempted to introduce other XMB features.

I think the inclusion of other XMB features in existing games is unrealistic.

 

[teiresias]

Tony Hawk's Project 8 literally freezes for about three seconds when someone logs on/off and the message pops up. I can't imagine what it would do if they attempted to introduce other XMB features.

I think the inclusion of other XMB features in existing games is unrealistic.

I've had XMB messages pop-up in Resistance with no kind of performance penalty.

 

[The Jer]

I've had XMB messages pop-up in Resistance with no kind of performance penalty.

Project 8 was the only game I've had the problem with. But, its a whole 3 seconds of freeze. The point being that I don't think all games have been created with enough of a "cushion" to allow for further feature implementation.

 

[Udde]

isnt folding@home on ps3 a 200meg download or am i mixing it up with something else? If it is i hope it isnt mandatory

I believe it's about 40MB...

 

[Bad_Boy]

Must've missed the memo as usual. I just assumed if there was a date it would be in the OP. Thanks.

Actually, I stand corrected. It's the 22nd for JP/NA and the 23rd for EU. Sorry about that. I thought it was the 23rd for everyone.

 

[Jonnyram]

Considering that official changelog that Jonnyram just linked to doesn't even mention the new software emu for for PS1/PS2 games, this doesn't appear to be a complete list of what to expect. Not that I'd necessarily hold my breath for XMB access during gameplay.

Didn't Harrison say that the new BC will not run on the first gen machines? If so why would they mention it in the Japan list? The new BC is only going to be running on the PAL machines, until they move all machines over to a software-only BC solution.

 

[glaurung]

Didn't Harrison say that the new BC will not run on the first gen machines? If so why would they mention it in the Japan list? The new BC is only going to be running on the PAL machines, until they move all machines over to a software-only BC solution.

Rolling out updates that would differentiate between hardware revisions would only create new problems, not solve them. I cannot reason the idea that some users get software emulated BC and the others get the full-blown EE physical crunch.

It remains to be seen, but it would make more sense to move the entire BC to software at once. Meaning that the EE chip on the first-generation hardware units would simply be switched off.

Three more days for the update to hit the machines.

I am sad that I cannot afford the machine right now.

 

[mckmas8808]

Yes, it sounds wrong.

Jonnyram wrote it this way;

Full-size on-screen keyboard

So what exactly does full-size on screen keyboard mean? We aren't going to have to deal with that bullsh!t keyboard box if we have a keyboard plugged in?

 

[glaurung]

So what exactly does full-size on screen keyboard mean? We aren't going to have to deal with that bullsh!t keyboard box if we have a keyboard plugged in?

I think it means that instead of the PSP-like keyboard that looked a lot like a cell phone's keypad (multiple letters under each button) you now get a full-blown QWERTY keyboard layout on the screen. Takes less getting used to, I reckon.

 

[mckmas8808]

I think it means that instead of the PSP-like keyboard that looked a lot like a cell phone's keypad (multiple letters under each button) you now get a full-blown QWERTY keyboard layout on the screen. Takes less getting used to, I reckon.

But will I still have a limiting box that I have to type in? Or will it actually let me type in boxes on websites like IE and Firefox?

 

[TTP]

I think it means that instead of the PSP-like keyboard that looked a lot like a cell phone's keypad (multiple letters under each button) you now get a full-blown QWERTY keyboard layout on the screen. Takes less getting used to, I reckon.

T9 ftw!

 

[Doctor_No]

looks like this (except in English):