PlayStation Network

The PlayStation Network, often abbreviated as PSN, is Sony's online community and webshop for the PlayStation family of products. It was introduced in November 2006 with the stationary game console PlayStation 3.

Description

Each PlayStation console users must necessarily create a user in the console menu - similar to PC operating systems. In this, the user can in the console menu create an online ID for the PlayStation Network and associate it with the user name on the console (enable).

  • An online ID can be activated in two consoles simultaneously, whereby it is possible to use downloaded and purchased content on multiple consoles at once. However, an online ID can not appear more than once logged in at the same time on the PlayStation Network.
  • If several users are created on a console, such as family members or flat-dwellers, all users have access to the content that has installed on this console another.

Thus, it is possible to play the purchased and downloaded from online ID A game X on console 1 with the online ID and A on console 2 with online ID B at the same time, as long as online ID A activated on console 2 ( No ) is. The activation of a line ID associated with the serial number of the console. When a console for repair, replacement or is sold, the online ID should be disabled before necessarily.

PlayStation Plus

PlayStation Plus is a paid upgrade for the PlayStation Network, which is available since 29 June 2010. This service includes Network games, minis and PSone classics, premium avatars, dynamic themes, automatic downloads, and test full versions.

Membership can be completed usually charge for a period of three months or a year. For additional fees acquired products can be used even after the expiry of membership. The free games are no longer available after the expiration of the membership, but can be used after re- commencement of membership.

Instant Game Collection

Beginning in June 2012, Sony announced on the video and computer game at E3 in Los Angeles the expansion of PlayStation Plus to offer the Instant Game Collection at. Contents of the Instant Game Collection are several games whose offer will be exchanged in a given rhythm against other games. As a Playstation Plus member you can purchase the games at the time of the offer and use them until termination of membership.

PlayStation Store

About the callable Console menu PlayStation Store Sony marketed downloadable content for the PlayStation 3, PSP and PS Vita. Are offered free blu -ray movie trailers, game trailers, wallpapers, themes ( skins for the XMB) and demo versions of games as well as fee-based game titles and game enhancements such as new multiplayer maps, level extensions or game modes. In addition, content for the PSP and classic game of PlayStation ( PSone ) can be purchased. Since firmware version 1.80 the graph of PS1 and PS2 titles by upscaling to HD resolution and anti-aliasing can be upgraded bildtechnisch.

The contents of the PlayStation Store varies from country to country. Firstly, the menu structure for the regions of North America, Europe and Japan is different. So lacking in Europe as opposed to North America, for example, a separate category for demo versions, these can be found at the same place as all other paid content in the European store. The division into regions is also manifested by the fact that new content within a region appear at the same time, the European store new content is published each Thursday. However, even within a region ( eg Europe ), the same content is not available everywhere. In the German store is missing, for example content that will be critically assessed with respect to the protection of minors.

Payment will be in the stores in their national currency. In the callable from the console menu out account management, you can add the online ID credit. We accept all major credit cards, debit cards and the PlayStation Network Card. The PlayStation Network Card is a prepaid card for the PlayStation Network, which is distributed through the traditional trade and adds about entering a code online ID funds. In Europe, the PSN cards were published on 1 October 2009.

In most countries, it is also possible to borrow on the PlayStation Store movies or buy. There movies are available in normal SD resolution and HD resolution.

In October 2012, Sony has released an update for the PlayStation 3, which complements the PlayStation Store to numerous new features. It is now possible, for example, to look for games for a specific platform, so there is no title for the PlayStation Vita will be more mixed with those for the PlayStation 3. In addition, there is now a ranking of the top rated games, which should help with the selection.

Online multiplayer

Many games for the PlayStation 3 have online functionality. While the limited some on global online leaderboards, other games offer full-fledged MMO or at least online duels. The games use the online ID with which the game was started. Online games are always free of charge on the PlayStation Network. The ID which the player has once chosen is not more changeable and identifies the players from then on leaderboards or multiplayer games, without the player would have to register again in addition. It occasionally happens that a game update must be downloaded before participating in an online game. This ensures that each participant has the exact same version. This is the case if the software or the connection has to be optimized to the server (for example, Call of Duty 4 ), when errors are adjusted, the players not foreseen advantages enabling (see glitch ), or when new content is created such as in "Motor Storm": All online drivers get to see the newly acquired player painting. The program code is available through the update on each PlayStation, but only the player who pays for it, can use the special paint job.

Home

At the Game Developers Conference 2007 Network was the Sony platform "Home " for the PlayStation announced. It is a virtual world similar to Second Life, where users can move around, meet each other or can shop at virtual marketplaces. Also special private areas to be offered, in which you can use or share music and pictures together. The use shall be free in its basic version, for special extensions of his avatar, the private sector or for specific topics and an obligation to pay is provided.

Since 11 December 2008 Home is in the open beta phase on which one can participate without prior notification. When the final version of "Home " appears, has not yet been announced by Sony.

Starting point in "Home " is the own virtual "at home". This can be largely up yourself.

The remaining contents of " home" are partly created by Sony itself or software producer. These can be, for example, play billiards, bowling, golfing, go racing, etc. Often, these areas play the respective producers are assigned.

About the year 2009 in "Home" beyond a kind of game ( with puzzles, tasks, etc. ) via an " underground organization " in home instead.

Trophies

In June 2008, appeared with firmware 2:40 the " Trophy " in the menu, similar to the Gamerscore of Xbox Live. It is a reward system that will be awarded with the trophies of the genus Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. What rank has the trophy depends largely on how hard it is from her difficulty to unlock the trophy. A platinum trophy basically gives you more for unlocking all other trophies in a game. There are also " hidden trophies ". For hidden trophies is not displayed, what rank they have and how to unlock. Here, the player must find a way myself. For some games such as GTA IV or Buzz! Quiz TV has this functionality submitted by an update, since the beginning of 2009, all games must have trophies. For existing Scores prior to the introduction by an update no trophies may be distributed, they must be re- earned. With new ( paid ) addons to games often come also new trophies, although these press down on the percentage, but they are not necessary for obtaining the platinum trophy. The approximately 10 to 70 trophies per game titles do not intervene into the game and are looking for the run of play and the evaluation in the game irrelevant. They are merely informative nature and can be compared with other readers. This can lead to a further incentive to create certain challenges.

Examples of Trophies:

  • Make a full 180 -degree flat spin ( Burnout Paradise )
  • Smash 60 Burnout Billboards ( Burnout Paradise )
  • Finish the first mission (GTA IV)
  • Finish the story in 30 hours of play (GTA IV)
  • Defeat an enemy in the Pool (GTA IV)
  • Unpack the film Ender ( skate 3)
  • Complete the mission " Semper Fi" in the mercenary Difficulty (Call of Duty World at War )
  • Game completed (Sonic Unleashed )
  • Use Sonic's All-Star to turn Dr.Eggman! (Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing)
  • Collect all 7 Chaos Emeralds! (Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I)
  • Say that "the E.G.G. Station " zone, without taking damage! (Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I)

Folding @ home

In a project called Folding @ home ( FAH ) (as of September 18, 2008 Life with PlayStation ) was unused computing power of the console used to simulate the folding of proteins. Thus it was hoped that knowledge about diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer, Huntington's disease or Parkinson 's disease. The client program was pre-installed on the PlayStation 3. Approximately 35,000 regularly active consoles generated an output of more than one quadrillion calculations per second (1 petaflop ). That's about the speed of the IBM Roadrunner, which by November 2009 the world's fastest supercomputer. In addition, the research project took advantage of the graphics chip of the PS3. This made it possible to observe in real time the simulated protein folding.

However, these calculations were performed only when the Folding @ Home client was really active and the console has not been used for gaming or movies (that could also be turned off ). Use of the remaining CPU time in the background, as they are known by most distributed computing projects with PCs, did not take place on the PS3.

Life with PlayStation

On September 18, 2008 Sony Life with PlayStation published. It is a greatly expanded version of Folding @ home. Thus, the protein folding is calculated in the background continue, in addition you can now, however, news, live pictures from 60 cities, cloud images and retrieve the current weather. The current Folding @ home was set on the same day. On October 22, 2012 Sony announced to be removed due to a firmware update, the function of the PS3.

VidZone

Since July 2009, Sony PlayStation Store, the free VidZone program is available, which can be downloaded and then appears in the XMB menu under the category Music. It allows the user to watch music videos from over a thousand artists and bands as a live stream in good quality. The user can create playlists and watch them for free. About Remote Play for the PlayStation Portable, this service is also available on the go.

Data theft

From the evening of April 20, 2011, the PlayStation Network a long time was not available. The end of April it was announced that the unknown in the period of 17 had private data of up to 77 million network accounts to 19 April access and therefore Sony shuts down the network for analysis and correction of vulnerability. It was not clear at first, whether credit card data spied and had been misused. As of May 15, 2011 Sony began to start the network in many parts of the world again, including in the U.S. and Germany, but not, for example in Japan, because it was forbidden by the authorities because of not yet redeemed the promise of security.

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