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[cr4ck3rj4ck]

I bet it wont be free in the end. Sony makes a habit of changing their original statements

[twistedsymphony]

VERY interesting...

This could easily go the way of great success or horrible failure, but I think overall it improves Sony's online presence.

Buying a 3rd party solution is a quick and dirty way to add a whole lot of features fast, the biggest stumbling block is leveraging that system to work for your specific needs. Basically they need to make sure it integrates seamlessly with the console as opposed to some tacked on port of PC software... you need to be able to navigate through the menu's easily with a controller (where the PC version you'd use a mouse), make sure it works with the entitlement system, make sure it can handle more then one account at a time (remember PCs are only ever built for one player per machine), making sure the menus and other text are easy to read at SD as well as HD resolutions and 4:3 as well as 16:9 aspect ratios...

There are lots and lots and lots of little details that need to be worked out. As someone who work on integrating 3rd party software on a daily basis I can tell you that upper management LOVES this type of stuff because they can make one clean purchase and +10 to their feature list... they often don't realize that these solutions can still take a lot of massaging to make seamless and flow well with what's existing already.

As I said, this could make for a great success or a horrible failure. Here's hoping Sony is (and has been) giving this partnership the attention required to make it work in their favor. At very least I give kudos for them finally realizing that they can't make software to save their lives.  

The article seems to be mostly speculatory based on XFire's existing PC service (which is fine) but it still leaves question as to how it will handle things like leaderboards, entitlements, True Ranking, Gamerscore, reputation, and player feedback. All things that Xfire currently doesn't handle, but Sony has claimed to be handling with their upcoming service to combat Xbox Live.

I'm also curious to know how XFire benefits in this... where are they getting their $$? They said that they don't charge for features that are normally free on a PC but get their profits from their "content" but exactly what are they delivering for content?

[incognegro]

huh?

I thought xfire was just a IM client for games on ur pc.....whatever.

[gasclown]

although it seems an afterthought (rather than a design foundation like ms's live) its probably a good thing for ps3ers. Because, with the exception of motorola, sony make the worst software in the world. fingers crossed the service wont be utter crap.

[redwolf]

are they trying to compete with Xbox LIVE or XLink Kai  

[Mr Invader]

Didn't the PS2 use gamespy to run their online games?

And now the PS3 is gonna use Xfire...

I'll bet the qualirty of service will be the same.

[blame canada]

Anyone else tired of the PS3 bullshit? Seems like every week, 5 more things about how the PS3 is gonna become superirior, and compete with the 360/Wii. Ok, here's an idea of what I think sony meetings are like:

*PS3 meeting* "Ok lets see, uhm, what should we bullshit our way out of today... hrm, oh lets see, oh remember that HDMI cable? Yea, how about we tell everyone that we won't ship with one. Oh and how about tommorow we say something like, Oh! got it, we annouce we will be better than xbox 360 with online service! Yeah, that outta keep people busy while we work on getting these damn PS3's out to our game developers." CEO of sony, "What PS3's? "

Anyone else think the same?

[incognegro]

Although im sure we are all starving for some good news from sony's camp...this is ok but not really that impressive. I still don't understand how online gaming is gonna be free. if they can give me a good explanation for that then ill be happy. Wake me up when sony gets a clue....

[Deftech]

People, EVEN IF they say its Free, chances are that will change b4 the system launches, everything else has for poops sake  

[Deftech]

LOL, who woulda thunk it...

Posted today kids...

Source

QUOTE

Sony has been quick to quash rumours that the PlayStation 3 will incorporate a version of PC messaging and matchmaking solution Xfire for online gameplay.

While the company has admitted that one launch title - SOE's Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom - will utilise Xfire, there are no current plans to use the Viacom-owned technology.

Read the rest at the link provided above  

[KAGE360]

QUOTE(Deftech @ Sep 13 2006, 10:20 AM)

LOL, who woulda thunk it...

Posted today kids...

Source
Read the rest at the link provided above  

well this brings up a question. sony has said that their online network would include all that LIVE has (gamertags, friends list, invites, messaging, entitlements, and more) now if their online gaming service really includes all of these features, then why does untold legends need this software??

something is up, as always, and i see sony dissapointing with the online again.

[incognegro]

QUOTE(KAGE360 @ Sep 13 2006, 04:04 PM)

well this brings up a question. sony has said that their online network would include all that LIVE has (gamertags, friends list, invites, messaging, entitlements, and more) now if their online gaming service really includes all of these features, then why does untold legends need this software??

something is up, as always, and i see sony dissapointing with the online again.

Thats the first damn thing I thought! I knew something was fishy about this xFire deal (hence my first post).

[Mr Invader]

There will be NO XFIRE for the Playstation online network...

QUOTE

Yesterday we reported on Sony's potential use of Xfire as a component of their Playstation Network Platform (aka the PS3's answer to Xbox Live). The news was reported by many outlets, including our parent-site, Joystiq. This morning Joystiq posted the following update:

"Sony Online Entertainment has contacted 1UP and clarified that the Xfire technology was only being evaluated for the PS3 launch title, Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom. 'This proposed deal is completely separate and independent from the PlayStation Network Platform, and is something that SOE was examining specifically for Dark Kingdom.' It seems we're back to square one."

As it turns out, we may not actually be back to square one. But, first, this response from Sony raises many interesting questions:

Why is Sony experimenting with any facet of their online approach so late in the game?
Does the response imply that games/developers can do what they want from an online perspective, without a consistent and standardized experience?
If Sony's own proprietary stuff is so great, why have the trial with Xfire in the first place?
We'll we might be able to shed some light on at least that last question: It appears that Sony may not have a fully proprietary online platform (at least not yet). While they may not be using Xfire as an integral component of their overall strategy, we understand that they are using a number of 3rd parties to pull the Playstation Network Platform together. We received this note following our original story:

"Per your Xfire post, there are many network middleware providers partnered with Sony on the PNP. These are third parties that they use to supplement their in-house online solutions. This includes the likes of Gamespy and several others. To clarify the Internet gossip a bit, the Xfire story does not mean that Sony has outsourced their online platform to a single vendor. They are just one of the bunch. Sony continues to develop funtionality and their own Xfire-like capabilities while not trying to reinvent the wheel. Several PS3 titles use Gamespy, for example, to do their matchmaking already."

http://www.ps3fanboy...but-gamespy-is/

This is gay

They need to make up their minds about whats happening on the PS3

[lex_luther23]

This is going to be lame sounds like ps2 network all over again.

[KAGE360]

QUOTE(lex_luther23 @ Sep 14 2006, 03:16 AM)

This is going to be lame sounds like ps2 network all over again.

well it should, sony announced at E305 that their online strategy was going to be like the ps2's.  it was only a couple of months ago that they announced features similar to LIVE