Gaming irks

[Anpanman]

I only connected the PS4 to the internet to download the DVD/BR facility, now it doesn't connect and therefore no update problems.

[Golgo]

Yeah I only log in occasionally to see what's happening/in the shop and when I explicitly want to check for updates, but mostly play offline precisely to avoid this kind of nuisance. But then you get the alternative nuisance of the console and game reminding you at every opportunity that you are offline, that you don't have full access to content, leaderboards, friends and sharing, etc., and that this is a most dreadful crime in this day and age.

[fuse]

It's not just updates that are bugging me, the assumption that everything should always be permanently connected to the Internet is driving me nuts.
Broken Age on the Vita completely freaks out without an Internet connection - I play on my commute and tethered it to my phone yesterday so it could grab my cross-save data, but now it's getting caught in a loop and crashing whenever it starts if I don't keep on doing so, or even, heaven forbid, if I try and turn on flight mode. I turned tethering back on this morning so I could at least play some more, and as it decided to save at one point whilst I was going through a tunnel, again, it crashed. Grr.

[wakka]

I only connected the PS4 to the interent to download the DVD/BR facility, now it doesn't connect and therefore no update problems.

Yeah but then you are playing the 1.0 version of every game. Many games now feature critical day 1 and later updates that fix a whole raft of issues. It's not ideal but it's a reality - and I'd rather not be playing a beta version of the game.

[Anpanman]

Yeah but then you are playing the 1.0 version of every game. Many games now feature critical day 1 and later updates that fix a whole raft of issues. It's not ideal but it's a reality - and I'd rather not be playing a beta version of the game.

Fair point but I don't play online so again doesn't affect me.

[Golgo]

I think it does, dude. Offline/SP games are usually buggy out of the box so a day 1 patch is often a must.

[wakka]

I don't play online either Ampanman (except Mario Kart and Pokemon). It has quite a significant effect on SP though, especially in complex titles like Witcher 3 - which tend to ship with a ton of bugs. They refined the interface and stuff for that game too, not long after release. I wouldn't want to be without those fixes and additions, personally at least.

[speedlolita]

You should always grab the latest patch before playing, even if you're not playing online. I don't have PS+ but I know I would not risk putting time into a game, have it patched later and then have my save rendered useless - as has been the case in the past.

[Anpanman]

I only have EDF4.1 and come to think of it something did download for it when I downloaded the DVD/BR plus I think the system updated but it's been offline ever since.

[eastyy]

I think in someways it is a awkward situation as some games may have a game killing bug at launch....but then some of game patches may have it so you cannot use previous save games.

Got to say though except when i come across game breaking bugs when i have read patch notes i probably would not have noticed most of the stuff they change except in fighting games though. Killer instinct and Mortal kombat x have changed so much since launch

[eastyy]

Price of Blazblue Chronophantasma Extend for the europe digital release.....69.99 euro for the ps4 and 54.99 for the ps3 ....ouch

[randombs]

Heavy Rain had a bug that deleted your save or something.

Gaming is such a mess these days. Steam has made PC gaming more like console gaming but console gaming is turning into the PC gaming of yore so they've somehow managed to meet half way.

I remember the first time I used a 360. I borrowed an Arcade pack, some pads and a few games from work for the weekend. Fired up PGR3 with my mates and the game told us we needed an account for offline multiplayer but, having no memory card or hard drive, I was unable to make one. So we basically took turns for a while.

Granted that's just one game but it set the tone for me. Those innocent days of inserting a game and just playing it were on the way out.

[fishbowlhead]

People that stream games. So this has become a thing that people are making obscene amounts of money off now? Really? Wow.

[randombs]

What's wrong with that? It's just like any other monetised nonsense on YouTube. Those streamers make obscene amounts of money simply because obscene amounts of people watch their videos.

I generally don't watch them but I've seen a few. For example, I subscribe to Yakumo(although he's not a streamer per se, his vids are basically gameplay with commentary over the top) and a short pewdiepie video of Goat Simulator convinced me buy it on PS3. He's gorgeous, btw. Wowzers. Yakumo is sexy in a different way, and I like to listen to his lilting voice when I'm going to sleep. I think he's Welsh. Is he Welsh?

[Asura]

People that stream games. So this has become a thing that people are making obscene amounts of money off now? Really? Wow.

Yes and no. It has become a thing, and some people make obscene amounts of money off it.

The vast majority (like 99%) make no money, and might only get a few people to watch when they stream. It's more about the fun of doing it. A relatively small number of people turn that into cash, but really just pocket change to pay for the necessary equipment etc.

A very small number of people make enough to live on, and a comparatively tiny number make large amounts of money.

Those people are quite talented. There's really a fair bit of work to it. It just doesn't seem like that, because part of the "act" is to seem relaxed and having fun, when in reality before/after each stream there's a lot of technical work, self-analysis, production, social media work, traffic analysis...

Essentially the cliche has become "they just stream games and make millions" but that's like saying someone just made an iPad game and made millions.