Firmware v2.40 FAQ

+ Posted by Eric Lempel // Director, PlayStation Network Operations

Hi again! It’s great to see the positive reaction to the unveiling of system software update v2.40. We can’t wait for you to finally go hands-on with XMB access in-game and the Trophy system – and it’s less than 2 days away. Not surprisingly, a number of you have posed questions both here and on other forums. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Will voice-messaging/private chat be featured in 2.40 as well? If not, can we expect to see this feature added in the future?

 

We are evaluating the opportunity to offer voice chat, but for this update, we wanted to focus on text messaging as the key priority for communications that our users have asked for.

Can you use the web browser in game?

No, you must exit the game before browsing the internet.

Will In-Game XMB come up during playback of PS2 games, Blu-Ray discs, and DVDs?

The XMB is an exclusive feature for PS3 game titles. Accessing the XMB during gameplay was the top request from our users, which we focused on for this update. However, we continually engage PS3 owners for feedback and will evaluate the opportunity to offer XMB access during movie playback in the future.

Can we go to the display settings and change anything there in-game (resolution, input, etc)?

No, you must exit the game before changing these settings.

Will it be possible to change in-game the sound output?

Yes, sound output changes are supported.


Will we be able to access the PLAYSTATION Store while in-game?

No, but you can view your downloads in progress.

Will we be able to stream music (either via media server or USB drive) for custom soundtracks or is it relegated to music stored on the HDD?

Currently only music stored on the HDD is accessible in games that support this feature. We’d also like to reiterate that Firmware v2.40 merely enables custom soundtracks. It’s up to developers to include this feature in upcoming games (or to patch existing ones).

Does 2.4 enable cross game invites? Will it down the line?

No, cross-game invites are not available in this system software update. We are evaluating opportunities to expand on the new features delivered in 2.40.

Will trophies be mandatory for all games release here on out?

We are working with developers to ensure that Trophies are supported across the board in the future.

Where is each player’s trophy stat info held? I am going to upgrade my hard drive and I don’t know if the trophies will still be on my account if I earn some and then get a new hard drive.

Trophies will be attached to users’ PSN ID. Trophy data needs to be synchronized to the online account on PSN to be transferred to the new PS3 system.

Will the patch automatically allocate unlocked trophies according to your saved files or would you have to do it again?

No, Trophies aren’t retroactive.

Can we view PSN profiles/Trophies from a PC using a Web browser? Will there be an API for web developers to access the PSN data, so online profiles can be created?

We’re evaluating these opportunities to expand where Trophies can be experienced.

Can you only compare trophies with friends that are online?

As long as a friend has a PSN account, you can compare trophies with them regardless of their online status.

Is there a limit to how many trophies the devs can put set by Sony?

There’s not a limit on number of trophies, but there’s a value assigned to each trophy. Developers must balance out the trophies that are available to stay within an overall value based on whether the game is considered large-scope or small-scope. Essentially, a user that has unlocked every trophy in one game would have the same level as a user that unlocked every trophy in another title, all titles (depending on scope) have the same overall impact on a users’ level.

Will new games have a cool little icon on the back saying “trophy compatible?”

We’re currently working on how Trophy support will be messaged to the consumer on our software packaging.

When you get a trophy, does it make a noise?

Currently, no.

What is Eric’s favorite cheese?

Mozzarella

Once again, we will continue to evaluate opportunities to enhance the PLAYSTATION 3’s system software throughout the console’s life cycle. Consumer feedback has contributed greatly to the contents of Firmware v2.40, and continues to be appreciated. Don’t forget, this Firmware will be available for download on July 2nd.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2008/06/30/firmware-v240-faq/

The biggest thing I worry about with Trophies and "levels" is being locked out of games or stuck playing with some kid who can't play simply because I may not get to play a lot. I consider myself an excellent gamer, but I don't play a lot due to real life. If games start locking out anyone under level ___ you are going to force people who don't play much (who may be good) to play with people that absolutely suck. It's my biggest gripe with "gamer scores" and "levels".

The biggest issue here is SONY hasn't improved custom soundtracks... before it was up to the developor. Now its it still up to the developer but SONY provide an interface....

I was expecting SONY to make it so that feature actually works with all or most PS3 games... or atleast they could make it work for all PS1 games ....

So in-game XMB basically adds viewing Trophies + in-game messaging.
Trophies adds Trophy support which will be luckluster for a few months before is starts becoming the norm...

Sheesh, Kotaku just slammed 2.40 over this FAQ.

http://kotaku.com/5020918/240-qa-gives-us-that-morning+after-feeling

Some things seemed a little obvious at the moment. Unless you can do it on the 360, I wasn't really expecting to be able to do things like use the browser or change display settings (because I want to change my resolution from 1080p to 480p mid-game for no reason at all).

Obviously though, some things I'm a little disappointed at and I hope they fix right away like being able to do these things during PS1/2 games and such.

I've heard something about a Microsoft patent being thrown around. However, I don't really know much about that.

leo won this one, locked