LOVEFiLM – Now on the PS3
Today is the release of LOVEFiLM on the PS3. Pretty good news, this and mubi gives quite a wide range of media – as well as the PS3 Video store for anything I decide to purchase (although I prefer a disc).
Hit by a block at the registration step, when being told my password is too long. Was accepted with the normal browser signup though, so not all bad.
First time trying to play a movie the app just crashed, second time it was fine.
The searching is a little annoying as it updates the titles every time I select a letter. This causes the app to freeze slightly. Also seems to be missing a lot of titles in the streaming catalogue but that will change over time.
Something else, nothing streamed in HD. I don’t know if this is permanent, temporary, an account option, only the movies I selected, estimated that my internet isn’t fast enough? I’ll look into that later. The streaming of what’s there does start almost instantly and does include pause & seeking functions, however, not via the blu-ray remote controls standard buttons. This is something I would expect to change in an update in the fairly near future.
£9.99 is a pretty good price assuming I continue to make use of it. Luckily my Unlimited internet (subject to fair use) actually seems to be unlimited, will know over time.
Call of Duty – Black Ops
The game, Call of Duty – Black Ops, arrived today (release day), after me ordering it with just one day to go…I forgot until pretty late. Demand can’t have been that high or just massive overstock, I don’t know. However, I can’t really say if I am impressed or not. It’s just another Call of Duty with the obligatory extras that keep the game “fresh”.
I played through a few levels of the single player campaign. The was an “entertaining” glitch on the first level at about the half-way point which caused two teammates to appear on a roof. As a result……stuck. Woohoo. Restart and, at least this time, it was fine but, after seeing that, my attention was waning.
After a couple of levels, I decided to call that quits and go to play zombies. Zombie Nazis from World at War are back and a lot of fun.
Maybe more of the classic online modes will be a bit more entertaining, only time will tell. I just hope it’s engaging enough the game doesn’t get left gathering dust. Regardless of how much it’s played, you can bet on being sucked in and doing it all again on the next release.
Another month – another post
I really had intended on getting out more than 1 post per month, but clearly I can’t manage that.
Left 4 Dead 2 now native on OS X. Finally, 5 months after the initial Steam OS X release we get Left 4 Dead 2 along with some new maps…sorry campaigns. I actually thought I would have been more excited, but I’ve only managed 1 1/2 hours … if that.
The Mac Steam store really hasn’t been that active for the previous couple of months either – oh well.
I’m sure there were several PSN+ releases I actually wanted but game-wise my PS3’s have been a little redundant.
That pretty much covers everything for the last month of my life…depressing huh. Actually it’s not quite check my other blog, a few boring, techie things this month.
The thumbnail image is unrelated, just a snap from my holiday.
PS3 3.41 Update
Nothing greatly interesting here. I heard there was a bug in this release when replacing HDD’s when using this version, which has since been updated but no version number increase.
The two changes I can see are;
- the beginnings of “You may like” which is going to suggest ways you can spend more money, based on the money you have spent so far.
- Incremental firmware updates, so you don’t need to download the full thing (about 160mb for 3.41) every time. I imagine this will only apply for some updates, an update for 4.0 would be the full thing…but who am I to say.
It has been a while
Well, its been quite some time since my last post, so I thought I would at least add something.
Due to my house move, I have used most of my spare time packing. After moving in I was without Internet and was forced to use my spare time for unpacking….great.
Either way, since I’ve been browsing today, I see there has been a PS3 update, PlayStation Plus updates announced for August & September, several PS3 store updates, uTorrent 1.0.something for the Mac, several anime episodes I have not yet seen, broadband usage now shown by my ISP (yay I get to see what I really use), a steam client update which at a glance seems to fix an obvious “bug” and I know there is more, but not for now. I’ll try and post stuff on the useful bits of the web over the last couple of weeks, just to catch up, if I think its interesting.
PlayStation Plus
Announced at E3, PlayStation Plus is a new subscription service to the PlayStation Network.
At release, I subscribed a year, costing me £39.99, the same as an Xbox Live Gold subscription for the year (from Microsoft directly). So, what did this get me (me personally, which I now own and have downloaded, not everything it offered)?
Free Games (usual price in brackets)
- Little Big Planet (£19.99?)
- WipEout HD – PS3 (£13.99)
- Destruction Derby – PS one (£3.99)
- Fieldrunners – minis (£3.99)
- Age of Zombies – minis (£3.99)
Game Packs
- Killzone 2 Game pack (£4.79)
Other stuff
- An orange icon next to my name
What would I have purchased even without the subscription?, well just WipEout HD. I would not have got the minis or PS one content att all, if I didn’t own a PSP though. I really don’t like looking at those graphics, stretched to 1080p on my 42″ television.
So far there have been no additions to this since release, however I do recall reading somewhere, this would not be a weekly thing like the rest of the games on the PlayStation store, but this would be a monthly update. Looking at what I’ve got so far it a bit meh.
Although the collection has been slim so far, I am still on the fence as to whether or not there will be a renewal, obviously being 1 year away things are likely to change.
Under the Account Management -> Transaction Management -> Services List, it seems to suggest that both WipEout and Little Big Planet expire at the end of the year, when my PS+ sub expires..really hope this is not the case.
What else?
Automatic updates. I find it strange this is a paid feature, but that’s not the point here. I downloaded WipEout HD and upon opening it told me there was an update. Instead of doing it then I decided to leave the update and turn off the console. 2 days later I come back and it asked me to download this update. I would have thought, during this 48 hour period, the auto-update might have done something.
COD MW2 – Resurgence Pack – Out Now
Another map pack is now out. Again on the slightly pricey side, but its not that bad.
5 additional maps. 3 new, 2 from Call of Duty 4;
New maps – Carnival, Fuel & Trailer Park
Updated maps – Vacant & Strike
The PS3 download for all 7 different versions (depending on the number of the box spine) comes in at a fairly reasonable 346mb. Thankfully I have my new 2.5″ drive to put into my PS3 as soon as I can be bothered to backup my current data.
Not much to say on these yet as I haven’t played them first hand, only seen videos, might post an update in the near future if I can get some playing time in.
Metal Gear Solid: Rising
I can’t believe that I missed this. It’s also quite an achievement for this to even be possible at the moment, billions of possible actions. This is on a completely different level to rag-doll physics, which was awesome when I first saw that.
Heres the trailer. Watch the whole thing, but specfically 1:45 – end… and I HIGHLY recommended watching @ 720p.
I have a feeling it will not quite live up to my expectations and I’m expecting the Xbox version to be somewhat crippled in comparison but…amazing.
Bleach now on Crunchyroll
For a few days the more recent episodes of Bleach have been available on the Crunchyroll website. This is another anime series Crunchyroll has got which I already watch and may push me to get a subscription. For anyone who doesn’t know what Bleach is either go here, read the manga, watch the series on crunchyroll, buy the series, watch one of the movies…….
Going through myanimelist and the Crunchyroll anime list, I’m sure most of what I am watching is available as well as several of what I have watched & intend to watch are also there.
So…why havn’t I already got a subscription?
This is actually quite a simple answer. I don’t want to sit in front of my computer to watch anime. Although I own a 24″ imac (soonish to be replaced by 27″ imac), I also own a 42″ TV which I most defiantly prefer to use.
The device I use at the moment for most of my media & online streaming is the Popcorn Hour A-110. Unfortunately Crunchyroll is not in the online services section of that box. A PS3 is attached for Blu-ray & DVD’s which have been released in the UK, or work on my UK based console.
OK.. So there is Boxee, a great bit of software, supports crunchyroll, but the only “set-top” box it runs on is the Apple TV, which from what I can tell, doesn’t work at all with the 720p stream and not well with the standard ones. At this stage I am not going to plug my imac into my TV for this stuff when I have dedicated hardware for the job. Downloads would have been a great addition, but I don’t expect that to happen any time soon.
So, whats next?
- Popbox, when originally announced, looked to have Crunchyroll support. This seems to have since dissappeared and at this stage, there is no UK release.
- A mac mini under the TV, really costly for, really, only crunchyroll (maybe I can replace the old mac-mini and use that instead).
- The boxee box, no mention of price, UK release, or even if a lot of online services will work
- Plugging in my imac to my TV. Although this is a possibility I’d rather not.
- Using the PS3 to watch. This could be the one I choose, as long as it works. Both positive & negative responses so far. I have packed away my PS3 ready for a house move so its not happening quite yet.
E3 – Filled with wow…
This years E3 really does seem to be the best to date. Lots of stuff all round, much more than I am even going to mention in this post. These are just the things that are my personal favourites.
Sony
- 3D gaming with a demo of the upcoming exclusive, Killzone 3, expected February 2011.
- Move (even though I feel it is a bit gimmicky)
- LittleBigPlanet 2
- PlayStation Plus
- Portal 2, properly done for the PS3 & the trailer looks to have much more physics details
Microsoft
- Kinect – previously Natal. Lots on this as well, including some titles.
- Gears of War 3
- 360 Slim, built-in wifi & disc-scratching technology
Nintendo
- 3DS – 3D gaming without glasses
- The return of many classic nintendo characters
A wide range of games (non console exclusive) were also there
- Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Mortal Kombat
- Sonic
- Dead Space 2
- F.E.A.R 3
- Medal of Honor
- Quantum Theory
- Crysis 2
- Silent Hill 8
I think, in time, I might add a bit more on some of these individually along with screenshots etc.
