Instead of using a unified system for on line play like Microsoft’s Xbox Live, Sony is taking the same route as it did with the PS2. So what will this mean? well on line gaming with the PS3 will be like on the PC and this could cost us the end user a small fortune!
Firstly I will describe how a unified system works and for this example I will use Microsoft’s Xbox Live, you pay a yearly fee to Microsoft to hook your XBOX up to live, it is around the same cost as new game for the year, and you connect to Microsoft’s servers for on line gaming, this way Microsoft can keep control of the what is offered to the consumer in the way of quality of gaming and the only fee is the only paid to Microsoft.
A non unified system has its good points and its bad points, the good points are the publisher will not be constrained by the rules and regulations like on the XBOX so they have a wide berth to basically do what they want within reason, but this may turn into a main for us the end user if the software houses decide that every game that goes on line has a fee like on the PC. This will mean every game you purchase and you want to play on line you will have to get a membership for, yes this means a user-name and password for every game and a fee for every game too.
It will be OK if the software houses get together and arrange something that will be cost effective for the end user but I wouldn’t hold my breath with that happening, this is either going to go two ways it will be the birth of the next generation of gaming on consoles or it will be the death of the PlayStation, I don’t think anybody like to give the thumbs up to Microsoft but for a change they have done something correct with the Live! system they use for on line gaming and being Microsoft the daddy of the PC I would of thought they would of been the ones making the mistake and going for a non unified system but it looks like they have learnt their lesson with that gone.
SONY listen up you are releasing a better console than the XBOX 360 sort out your on line play or you WILL loose us all.
Yes you heard it here first Nintendo are going to be releasing a micro version of the game boy! Oh why and that is all I have to say on the subject, would you purchase on of these when you can get the power of the PS2 in a handheld with the PSP? but if you do want to read more on this subject here http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000920054680/
XBOX Friends is very clever and you can use it in two ways either just use their website to view who is online in which game or become a watcher!
To view who is playing which game just goto Http://www.XBOXfriends.com click onto game search and find the game you are looking for lets say you wanted to look for Call Of Duty: Finest Hour just look htrough the list till you find it an dclick the link which will take you to http://www.xboxfriends.com/ViewGame.aspx?id=200 The list at the top is who is currently online and the list at the bottom shows who was online and when they last played.
To be a watcher again goto the main website and download the software, its a little like MSN Messenger so its quite easy to use.
Now if you don’t see your name on a game list and you know you have been playing it, well thats because you have to be on the friends list of a watcher otherwise XBOX Friends has no way of tracking your actions.
PLEASE NOTE: XBOX Friends and its software is in no way endorsed by Microfoft, see the XBOX Friends website for more information.
You have probably heard that you can play on-line with your XBOX but how and what do you need?
All you need is a fast internet connection over 512K and a XBOX Go-Live starter kit which costs £39.99 and comes with a Communicator that plugs into your controller, a head-set that plugs into the communicator and 12 subscription to XBOB Live which is usually £39.99 ayear.
There are other types of starter kit available too that come with full versions of game slive Halo2 and these are priced from £49.99 to £59.99 ( Hava a look in places like Game for special offers)
One thing that goes not come with the kit is a Eithernet cable which yu will need to connect your XBOX to your modem or router, the official XBOX connection cable as thgey call it is priced at £9.99 but goto Http://www.Ebuyer.com and you can pick on eup for as little as £1.99
The good news is that when the XBOX 360 comes out at the end of the year you will be able to use you standard XBOX Go Live kit with it, so you dont have to go and purchase another kit.
Check out http://www.xbox.com for more information
So you ar eprobably thinking what the hell is he going on about an iPod is for playing music not games, well you are wrong!
Some clever space monkey has managed to put Doom onto his iPod for the full article goto http://www.ipodlinux.org/Doom
Infact any davice that you can put Linux onto will play Doom! check out this link http://www.itplaysdoom.com/ for more devices that play Doom
Here is a preview of the new PlayStations 3 due for release next year.
http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowArticle.action?article=1121156666920
