PS3 has lost to Wii and Xbox360 (discuss)

[MYstIC G]

Because live provides reams of content tbh. Not necessarily content I'd want (I've let mine lapse to silver until SSF4 comes along) but clearly someone does.

 

[nath]

Because live provides reams of content tbh. Not necessarily content I'd want (I've let mine lapse to silver until SSF4 comes along) but clearly someone does.

What content over and above the Silver subscription is that? I was under the impression pretty much everything that's on Gold is on Silver (possibly with a slight delay for demos). Premium content you have to pay for separately so it strikes me that Gold is mostly for the multiplayer. I'm happy to be corrected about this though, I've not used it much.

 

[Stimpy]

Gold Membership

Xbox LIVE Gold is a premium membership that lets you play games with friends online. Gold membership includes all the features of Silver (below) plus additional benefits and features.

* Multiplayer games: Invite your friends into a multiplayer match and compete against each other or play co-op through expansive adventures.
* Marketplace: Gold members get early and exclusive access to select game add-ons, demos, trailers, videos, and more.
* TrueSkill matchmaking: For every ranked game you play, TrueSkill finds the best match for your skill level.
* Parties: Invite a group of friends into an Xbox LIVE Party, then you can all join games and play and chat together.
* Gamer feedback: Use the feedback system to select players you want to play with (or avoid) the next time you're online.
* Watch Netflix movies: Xbox LIVE Gold members who also belong to Netflix can watch Netflix's extensive library of streaming movies and TV shows right on their console at no additional charge.

Silver Membership

Xbox LIVE Silver is a free service that allows any Xbox 360 user with a broadband connection to get online and interact with the Xbox LIVE community.

* Gamer profile: Showcase your online reputation and achievements for your friends to see.
* Avatar: Share the customized Avatar that represents your online identity.
* Friends list: Add other Xbox LIVE users to your friends list and chat using the headset or send text messages.
* Marketplace: Download free content from Marketplace such as demos, trailers, music videos, dashboard themes, and lots more.
* Microsoft Points: Redeem Microsoft Points (available at retail stores or through Xbox LIVE) for extra game content, Arcade games, movies and TV shows, independent videos, and more.
* Gold Weekends: Look for special offers from Xbox LIVE that let you experience the excitement of multiplayer gaming free.

 

[MYstIC G]

I'm not offering to do a detailed list but there are examples such as Xbox.com | Official Xbox 360 UK | 1 vs 100 Season 2

Don't get me wrong, the multiplayer is obviously the main reason to subscribe but my response was to "how do they get away with charging". The answer being, like all things, they provide a service. Which of course may or may not be to everyone's taste.

 

[ST^]

I'm not offering to do a detailed list but there are examples such as Xbox.com | Official Xbox 360 UK | 1 vs 100 Season 2

Don't get me wrong, the multiplayer is obviously the main reason to subscribe but my response was to "how do they get away with charging". The answer being, like all things, they provide a service. Which of course may or may not be to everyone's taste.

I don't see how they provide more. Sony's free service has had a lot of games make use of dedicated servers. Paying for p2p is ridiculous.

 

[nath]

I guess I have too much of a PC mentality. I can't shake the thought that basically all the stuff it provides would be free on PC (bar the price of whatever game you're playing). I appreciate that MS are in a position to charge so why not, but paying a premium for something should result in a premium service. To me that means dedicated servers, and in the absence of community run free ones, paying for MS hosted dedicated servers seems reasonable. Paying for what Gold currently gets you, not so much, though that's just me.

 

[old.user4556]

Forgive my utter ignorance because I don't play console games online (except for Uncharted 2 and Burnout a few times which I fucking loved!):

My mate has a 360, he's a complete fanboy, there is no changing his mind (not that I ever suggest he needs to, but he's a vehement 360 zealot). One of the things he trumpets is that the 360 online mode is totally unbeatable, years ahead of the PS3's and that the "online experience is just so much better". Now, I don't dispute this fact, but I also take it with a pinch of salt knowing he's never owned / played online a PS3.

So, can someone with both consoles lay it out in absolute child's layman terms what is so good about the 360's online capabilities?

 

[Aada]

What content over and above the Silver subscription is that? I was under the impression pretty much everything that's on Gold is on Silver (possibly with a slight delay for demos). Premium content you have to pay for separately so it strikes me that Gold is mostly for the multiplayer. I'm happy to be corrected about this though, I've not used it much.

There is a ton of content silvers don't get if you think they get the same as gold your very mistaken.

 

[MYstIC G]

I don't see how they provide more. Sony's free service has had a lot of games make use of dedicated servers. Paying for p2p is ridiculous.

Who said they provide more? I said they provide loads of stuff. You really have a penchant at the moment for blurring lines where they are clearly defined and marked out

360 just works Big G to be frank, it did right from the off and still does. I've used various incarnations of the PSN and whilst the current is by far and away the best version, it's always felt "flaky" (to me personally before anyone jumps up and down and waves flags).

However none of it beats PC gaming and nath, you're quite right that you get all the shit for free on the PC. With gaming videos however you're normally staring at a box on a website filled with ads, etc. Whilst I'm not saying live is "ad-free" if I erased 95% of all the ads on the web for £30 a year I think I'd get a few subscribers (who knew nothing of Adblock).

 

[Ch3tan]

Forgive my utter ignorance because I don't play console games online (except for Uncharted 2 and Burnout a few times which I fucking loved!):

My mate has a 360, he's a complete fanboy, there is no changing his mind (not that I ever suggest he needs to, but he's a vehement 360 zealot). One of the things he trumpets is that the 360 online mode is totally unbeatable, years ahead of the PS3's and that the "online experience is just so much better". Now, I don't dispute this fact, but I also take it with a pinch of salt knowing he's never owned / played online a PS3.

So, can someone with both consoles lay it out in absolute child's layman terms what is so good about the 360's online capabilities?

Right, more people online for any given major title in my experience, the browsing of servers and ability to create an online "party" is very useful. It's built around a live system that worked well from the first xbrick. It is very smooth and just works well. I don't know if that is worth £40 a year, I am starting to think "no", but it is better than the online experience you get with the ps3. Hell for the first year of the ps3, even the demo store was abysmal!

 

[soze]

I have all 3 machine the one thing i hate about the 360 is 45% failure rate i do not care if they swap them fast its ridiculous if it is really that high.

That being said if people ask me what to buy i always say the 360 for gaming ps3 for home cinema. The PS3 has some exceptional games but the whole 360 for £100 less thing is a winner

 

[ST^]

Who said they provide more? I said they provide loads of stuff. You really have a penchant at the moment for blurring lines where they are clearly defined and marked out

It isn't implied that by paying for something, you should be getting more than you can get elsewhere for free?

 

[nath]

However none of it beats PC gaming and nath, you're quite right that you get all the shit for free on the PC. With gaming videos however you're normally staring at a box on a website filled with ads, etc. Whilst I'm not saying live is "ad-free" if I erased 95% of all the ads on the web for £30 a year I think I'd get a few subscribers (who knew nothing of Adblock).

Oh yeah I don't for a second object to paying for something and £30 a year to remove ad's from the web would certainly be worth it (if Adblock didn't exist). That said - aren't all the gaming vids available on Silver too?


Aada, aside from what has already been pointed out, what is it that separates Gold from Silver? I've been on Gold for a few months here and there with random 1month trial cards but I certainly didn't notice any significant difference between the two beyond multiplayer capability.

 

[Sparx]

you say only MP if its a small thing, MP can make just one game last a year longer, i mostly pick a game based on MP i can do with my RL mates

 

[nath]

Granted but my point is that it doesn't seem... right... to pay money for a multiplayer service that doesn't use dedicated servers. Feels like you're getting stiffed, y'know?

 

[Sparx]

not really, i mean in 3 years or so ive been using live its been down once. Its very reliable and with constant news updates everyday via the spotlight, and 1 vs 100 is a brilliant free quiz where you can earn MS points

I dont look at it like what do we get more than silver i look at all the great things the live experience is, it wouldnt be as good if the gold members didnt pay for it

Oh also another note due to people paying for live Arcade games have gone massive! started out the largest arcade game couldnt be bigger than 50MB now its 2gigs due to upgrades etc

 

[ST^]

not really, i mean in 3 years or so ive been using live its been down once. Its very reliable and with constant news updates everyday via the spotlight, and 1 vs 100 is a brilliant free quiz where you can earn MS points

I dont look at it like what do we get more than silver i look at all the great things the live experience is, it wouldnt be as good if the gold members didnt pay for it

Oh also another note due to people paying for live Arcade games have gone massive! started out the largest arcade game couldnt be bigger than 50MB now its 2gigs due to upgrades etc

How can something be free if you're paying for it?

 

[Ch3tan]

Sparx, the point is that the ps3 online service is nearly as good as live now, and free. MS had some justification when the psonline was shit, they really have none now. You can download demos, arcade games, premium content, infact everything you can on LIVE, for free on the ps3.

Oh and Soze, you may want to check the pricing of the ps3 and 360, there is no £100 price difference now. The Pro console was discontinued. The comparable model is the elite which is £199 rrp. The ps3 is £249.

 

[Sparx]

How can something be free if you're paying for it?

Because the price of Gold hasnt increased at all since 1 vs 100 started, so due to no price change its a free extra

 

[Ch3tan]

you say only MP if its a small thing, MP can make just one game last a year longer, i mostly pick a game based on MP i can do with my RL mates

But if it is free to play online on the other consoles, and the experience is now only marginally better on the 360 (and the gap is narrowing), where is the justification to pay for LIVE or buy a MP game on the 360 if you owned more than one console? I know my LIVE membership will not be renewed next year, and I wish I'd bought MW2 on the ps3.

 

[Ch3tan]

Because the price of Gold hasnt increased at all since 1 vs 100 started, so due to no price change its a free extra

LOLOLOLOLOL

If you can't access something unless you pay for it, then it is not free. It is an addition to the service you were paying for, you are still paying for it though.

 

[Raven]

A problem I also have with the 360 is the controllers, I just don't like them, they just feel uncomfortable, its the same gripe I had with the Dreamcast. After so many years of use (I use a PS2 pad on my PC for emu's and whatnot) the Sony pad just feels better.

I am sure you can eventually get used to the 360 pad but having played on a mates 360 I was less than impressed.

 

[Sparx]

Well £40 a year makes no difference to me at all and i shall continue to pay it and be very happy with what i pay for. I would rather pay that and play games with all my RL mates than get it for free and play on my own

I hear the party mode doesnt work on MW2 on PS3 is that true? live is great that you can make a team before even starting the game

 

[Sparx]

A problem I also have with the 360 is the controllers, I just don't like them, they just feel uncomfortable, its the same gripe I had with the Dreamcast. After so many years of use (I use a PS2 pad on my PC for emu's and whatnot) the Sony pad just feels better.

I am sure you can eventually get used to the 360 pad but having played on a mates 360 I was less than impressed.

You are definately the first person ive heard that says the 360 pad is worse than Sonys. Sony pads feel like light cheap plastic, they are horrible.

Is the PS3 dashboard still the same as the PSP? its been ages since i saw one. I will get a PS3 eventually, i kinda wish i didnt spend £200 on a bluray player and got a PS3 instead lol

 

[Sparx]

Now these pads were horrible to use, felt like you were holding a plate lol

 

[MYstIC G]

It isn't implied that by paying for something, you should be getting more than you can get elsewhere for free?

No, people can pay what they like for stuff. The phrase "you get what you pay for" isn't a guaranteed certainty. Can you please now stop being unnecessarily awkward, have a week off

Oh yeah I don't for a second object to paying for something and £30 a year to remove ad's from the web would certainly be worth it (if Adblock didn't exist). That said - aren't all the gaming vids available on Silver too?

As far as I know, no, not all the vids are available. Additionally in most instances you get early access to stuff like demos. Going down from gold to silver I've noticed the difference. It's annoying, but not annoying enough to have me re-subscribe until SSF4 comes along.

PS: Whoever said 1-100 is free is a mug, it's not, your gold sub pays for it. It's only "free" in the sense they could charge more M$ points for it but don't because they need to have differences between silver and gold. Other devs don't do this because they sell shit and make money with the M$ points. Microsoft makes its money from your live subscription so doesn't have to.

 

[Sparx]

Well i see it as a free extra as it wasnt there a couple of months ago and now it is and im still paying the same money. I dont have to play it and i still pay the same. I have been playing it and its been great fun

 

[MYstIC G]

Well you need an eye exam then. It's not free. It is an extra benefit that has been added to your subscription.

By way of comparison if you got an upgraded seat on a plane flight, it would be an extra benefit. You wouldn't ever get said benefit if you hadn't already paid for a ticket on the plane to begin with.

 

[Sparx]

yeah i suppose i class a freeby as an extra benefit. Ive always been of the thought i paid so much for something then thats all i get. Anything on top is a cheeky freeby, or benefit

 

[MYstIC G]

It's certainly a bonus, however the whole "free" thing is just marketing to get people on side and think they're great.