Friday 13th:
Seems that it was unlucky for me as CON is not what both some respected gaming websites suggested NOR what Sony advertised.
My first impression was one of rushed product.
The lip-synch is completely out and the cgi flicker's in scene.
This is not a bad disk, many people have reported the same.
Similar reports have uncovered the game not rendering correctly on older ps2's, countless DRE's (disk read errors) and crashing in the game and while loading (I had three in-game crashes in ten minutes)
The majority is due to problems with it being DVD9.
The developers originally had the final game ready for review on two single DVD5 disks which in my opinion would have saved a lot of grief both for themselves and their customers. (remember what happened with the japanese release of Xenosaga and to a lesser extent with the US & PAL release?)
Anyway, on to the game, its Dark Alliance 1.2, pure and simple.
So far its been one endless dungeon crawl with a quest 'hacked' on as an afterthought, more to follow on that later.
Saturday 14th: Online Play Day
CON didn't 'detect' my network adaptor although its plainly visible in the 'hardware' area at the bottom.
Hmm, that means it 'sees' it but doesn't ALLOW it.
Ok, off to GAME for a Sony Network adaptor.
(saw alison, man she's FINE, opps sorry)
Ok, installed Sony adaptor, lets GO!
ERROR -833, o....kay...
Lets see..error -833 'Your PS2 is too old'
Too old? wtf??
Seems that Sony want me to send in my perfectly good and cared for PS2 for a 2nd-hand 'refurbished' one that's slightly newer.
Yeah right., I'll do that.
Sunday 15th
Borrowed a friends ps2, ONLY six months old, WITH the Sony adaptor.
ERROR -811....this is getting old quickly.
ok, let's see....-811 'You are not from the US', um thats right, so?
Seems NON US customers can play CON.
I need a PAL version.
So, in conclusion Sony believes we all need to be segregated onto our own little servers, with PS2's that were built after a certain date and run on Sony's own adaptors.
More to follow after I talk to Sony US on Monday.
Expect fur to fly.
Twobells
Update Tuesday 17th Febuary:
Seems that your game AND console must match for the 'DNAS' system to 'allow' a connection.
See the QA forum post: 'Anyone got a jap ps2 bb adaptor and hard drive. help!!'
'Be aware that DNAS will prevent you from going online with recent non-Japanese games. The game and machine region must match.'
Expect that all future SONY games to be the same, importing the game for OFFLINE play is fine (so far) but forget online play.
My feeling is that the SONY 'DNAS' system is a further attempt to remove import gamers from the equation.
What with lawyers representing Nintendo threatening importers and now this the days ahead look bleak indeed.
Update: Thursday 19th Febuary
Ok, I now know exactly what the problem is with the DNAS system and PAL ps2's.
The system doesn't detect the console it detects the NETWORK ADAPTOR.
If you have a PAL PS2 & a US NA then you can play.
The last three days I have tracked down EU SOCOM II players who all say the same, so if you want to play ANY forthcoming SONY game (FF XI for example) you'll need a US network adaptor.
This is TwoBells of the 'CONFAQ' signing off.
Seems that it was unlucky for me as CON is not what both some respected gaming websites suggested NOR what Sony advertised.
My first impression was one of rushed product.
The lip-synch is completely out and the cgi flicker's in scene.
This is not a bad disk, many people have reported the same.
Similar reports have uncovered the game not rendering correctly on older ps2's, countless DRE's (disk read errors) and crashing in the game and while loading (I had three in-game crashes in ten minutes)
The majority is due to problems with it being DVD9.
The developers originally had the final game ready for review on two single DVD5 disks which in my opinion would have saved a lot of grief both for themselves and their customers. (remember what happened with the japanese release of Xenosaga and to a lesser extent with the US & PAL release?)
Anyway, on to the game, its Dark Alliance 1.2, pure and simple.
So far its been one endless dungeon crawl with a quest 'hacked' on as an afterthought, more to follow on that later.
Saturday 14th: Online Play Day
CON didn't 'detect' my network adaptor although its plainly visible in the 'hardware' area at the bottom.
Hmm, that means it 'sees' it but doesn't ALLOW it.
Ok, off to GAME for a Sony Network adaptor.
(saw alison, man she's FINE, opps sorry)
Ok, installed Sony adaptor, lets GO!
ERROR -833, o....kay...
Lets see..error -833 'Your PS2 is too old'
Too old? wtf??
Seems that Sony want me to send in my perfectly good and cared for PS2 for a 2nd-hand 'refurbished' one that's slightly newer.
Yeah right., I'll do that.
Sunday 15th
Borrowed a friends ps2, ONLY six months old, WITH the Sony adaptor.
ERROR -811....this is getting old quickly.
ok, let's see....-811 'You are not from the US', um thats right, so?
Seems NON US customers can play CON.
I need a PAL version.
So, in conclusion Sony believes we all need to be segregated onto our own little servers, with PS2's that were built after a certain date and run on Sony's own adaptors.
More to follow after I talk to Sony US on Monday.
Expect fur to fly.
Twobells
Update Tuesday 17th Febuary:
Seems that your game AND console must match for the 'DNAS' system to 'allow' a connection.
See the QA forum post: 'Anyone got a jap ps2 bb adaptor and hard drive. help!!'
'Be aware that DNAS will prevent you from going online with recent non-Japanese games. The game and machine region must match.'
Expect that all future SONY games to be the same, importing the game for OFFLINE play is fine (so far) but forget online play.
My feeling is that the SONY 'DNAS' system is a further attempt to remove import gamers from the equation.
What with lawyers representing Nintendo threatening importers and now this the days ahead look bleak indeed.
Update: Thursday 19th Febuary
Ok, I now know exactly what the problem is with the DNAS system and PAL ps2's.
The system doesn't detect the console it detects the NETWORK ADAPTOR.
If you have a PAL PS2 & a US NA then you can play.
The last three days I have tracked down EU SOCOM II players who all say the same, so if you want to play ANY forthcoming SONY game (FF XI for example) you'll need a US network adaptor.
This is TwoBells of the 'CONFAQ' signing off.
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