Whatever happened to PS3 XMB multi-user login?

Smokey Beef writes;

"I was pretty excited to finally have multi-user XMB logins. I thought that it meant that we were soon going to get a fully integrated multiple user login system for the PS3. Alas, it seems that it is not meant to be. The patch that added the support to Resistance 2 was back in March 2009 and I haven’t seen any significant development of the feature since then."

[Nitrowolf2]

i always wonder this, more games need to allow this

[Cevapi88]

i say give it some time...its bound to happen with the release of PS+

[Rot_in_Fail]

you ment PS4

[Cevapi88]

no i didnt...and whats with the disagrees...people dont think its gonna happen eventually down the road as PS+ keeps expanding??

Fuking fanboys

[Ju]

It works fine now. No need for PS+. Not a lot of games support it, though. Only one I know is LPB.

[raztad]

It will be supported in LBP2 as well. If you think about it, it makes sense devels implement this in-game, no xmb.

[bostoner]

Yea but hopefully they save you unlocks on the server by your psn name so when you go to your friends house to create/play together you wont have nothing in you POPit

[StanLee]

That doesn't make sense that the developer has to do it when there are so many games with local co-op like Army of Two, Borderlands and Resident Evil 5. One person playing doesn't get trophies.

[raztad]

"One person playing doesn't get trophies."

Is that true? if that the case, is a real issue. Sony needs to put something better in place.

[rdgneoz3]

Its the same as ingame music, the things to do it are in place from Sony's side, but the developers are the ones that have to enable it. And seeing as its not required, not many care to do it.

[raztad]

Actually is NOT the same. IN-game music is optional, but multiuser login sounds like a requirement for shared screen games.

[whateva]

you can sign in with 4 different PSN IDs

[Ravage27]

i'm really glad they made it a priority

[CryofSilence]

It works in a number of games. (The ones that actually need it)

[Blaze929]

Yeah I actually forgot about this. been using multi user logins on the xbox 360 since day 1. I remember Resistance 2 had this option so my brother could sign in as well but it sure is weird that Sony hasn't made this a default feature yet on the PS3's XMB - it shouldn't fall on developers of the game, it should be part of the OS.

Maybe the PS3 has problems multitasking or something. Explains why you can'e play music in the background when you launch another app, boot/exit a game etc. seriously blows. Maybe that's why we've yet to see cross game chat, party chat etc.

I mean ffs you can't even leave chat rooms without it shutting down!

But Blaze, you're an xbot! How do you know all this!? Oooooh right, becase I actually do own and use a PS3 :)

[tinybigman]

M$ has cross game chat patented so Sony not going to implement it; having to shell out millions to M$. as for the music stuff i find that's overrated i actually only use it for racing games; i'd rather listen to the great soundtracks that the games themselves have.

[table]

You are spot on blaze, the ps3 struggles to load the xmb smoothly when in game so I would agree that it was probably poorly designed from the beginning. I honestly can't see a decent PSN/xmb integration until the ps4. Xbox Live easily trumps it for features.

[SuperStrokey1123]

Borderlands has it as well

[Fishy Fingers]

I assume it's a feature in the SDK but left for the developers to implement, probably a lot just don't bother, doesn't appear to be something I often see gamers demanding.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

Leaving it to developers is almost a sure fire way of getting the feature ignored. Most of the time developers are too busy to implement small nick nack features. That is why they have crunch time!!!

You want it implemented in more games, it must be required by Sony!

[tdrules]

Sony sucks at having standardised features. end of.
"look guys we've given you Custom Soundtrack"
*small print: game by game basis, not built into the firmware*

[koehler83]

Sony would rather give developers full access to the resources available in the hardware. Why steal away additional RAM and processing cycles in the name of features that may be completely irrelevant to the game in development? Does God of War III need multiple logins? No. Does Infamous 2? No. Does Twisted Metal? Yes, and it will.

If listening to your music is more important to you than a quality game experience, save some money and buy a CD.

[rdgneoz3]

The ability for developers to use custom soundtracks in their games IS built into the firmware. Its just whether or not the developers feel like implementing it. Play pixeljunk shooter, you can record videos and upload to youtube, but not all games do that. Pain lets you play music from your hard drive directly from the game, I don't think any other games do that (though some let you play the music from the xmb.

Some features are useful, others can take away from the feel of the game. Try playing Heavy Rain with rap, heavy metal, or techno during the somewhat emotional scenes, doesn't go with the feel of the game. Sure Sony needs to push some of the features at times, but not everything is necessary or might hinder the game by taking up valuable memory (video recording KZ3 while sh!t is flying everywhere might be a bit too much, especially if you're trying to play in-game music).

[facelike]

There are more than that. MLB the Show allows you to use you own music in the menus and for when you walk up to the plate to bat. Zen Pinball, Red Dead Redemption and more.

It is up to the developers to use it and it works great.

[seij555]

Sony does too much of the leave it up to developers like with in-game music and in-game screenshots.

[CryofSilence]

If Sony forced it, that would take up valuable memory. It's a good idea allowing developers the choice so they can allocate memory more efficiently.

[Rumor]

developers get lazy. and hell, most great games on ps3 dont even use all its power! i bet that a little multitasking cant hurt memory that subnatially...

[raztad]

multitasking is not the problem but ram allocation. Standard sounds cool but it would mean an allocated slot of memory that cant be used for anything else, increasing memory footprint. Considering how little ram the PS3 has, the split memory pool of the PS3 (harder for devels to use) and how Sony has been making progress to reduce memory footprint (from 80M to 40M or so), I dont expect Sony to "waste" ram in optional stuff, that may/may not be used in-game.

[arakouftaian]

but its stupid that games like MNR do not have this feature
or any sport game or fighting game should have this

[King_many_layers]

it allows to access save data but it doesn't allow for multiple accounts to gain trophies

[Ju]

Wouldn't that require the game do be designed around that in the first place ?

So what if you find something in your host's game, a collectible, say. Do you get the trophy and he doesn't?

[hesido]

For games having local multiplayer, end of story. No two ways about it.

[Unicron]

Problem is, not enough games DO local multiplayer anymore. It's all online, which is disappointing. I look forward to splitscreen titles, like RE5 and Army of Two even!

[hesido]

Super stardust, zombie shooters, multiplatform psn titles (where the xbox version has multi login (mandatory) but not for Ps3 version.)

There are many standards to games published on a console, and this should be one of them.

For people comparing this to custom soundtracks is a different example, it involves in music taste and how much the game creator willing to let you not hear what the game wants you to hear.. But multiplayer login should be universal, keeping the second player identity, earning trophies together, these are things that enhances our PSN identities. Our identities make more sense.

[xino]

well...NOTHING!

Because the ps3 just can't multi task for sh*!
this is the reason why we can't see party system, custom music or cross game chat.

[MikeGdaGod]

funny guy

[King_many_layers]

custom music's been possible to input sine 2 years ago. *pats back* There there, trying's what counts

[rdgneoz3]

Custom music has been around for 2 years as King_many_layers said (hell, Pain has a version of in-game music thats been around for around 3 years), multi log ins work in LBP and MotorStorm will get it. Borderlands allows for multiple log ins / save files. PixelJunk Shooters has in-game video recording, and many games have in-game screen shots. The PS3 can do things, its just that Sony lets the developers decide if they want to do it, which they should push some things.

[rwarner174]

Xino,

You are dead on and those that disagree are horribly uninformed.
Its not that the ps3 can't multitask. It can and is actually really good at it. It is that XMB was not desigined with that in mind, hence why in game xmb looks like a hack and cross game chat will probably never happen. That is unless they redesign xmb, which they may be in the process of doing.

Not sure what multi player sign in has to do with multi-tasking though.

Also, in game music is built into the game. I am not sure this is true multi-tasking through the XMB OS. I think its a work around.

[Spenok]

Please stop trolling.

[shikwan]

that relied on six-axis tech (like Lair), that was said to revolutionize gaming?

[CryofSilence]

Flower says hello.

[shikwan]

So that's 2 games since 2006?

Looks like another feature Sony silently ignored.

Linux installation & Backwards compatibility says Hi back!

[Ju]

Hawx, Blazing Angels 1 & 2, Warhawk, IL2, FarCry2 (car steering), ...

[N4GayFanturds]

WHICH one of those games was REVOLUTIONARY...?

[microsoft-soldiers]

and dont disagree cuz is true. i have a ps3

below: yea that

[rwarner174]

Actually, I would say it doesn't have enough reserved ram for OS task as opposed to the physical amount of ram being the issue.

[Gawdl3y]

You don't seem to understand how the PS3's architecture works. It isn't necessary for it to have a lot of RAM, as the cell processor takes the load off both the GPU and others.

[Jeremy Gerard]

Your an idiot, how can a CPU take the load off RAM? RAM is a data holding cache, the CPU is more like an engine. A CPU can no more take the load off RAM than a V8 engine can take the load off a gas tank, sure some fuel can be held in the engine and fuel lines, but there is no substitute for an actual gas tank.

Same with the cell, sure the CPU itself has cache, but its no substitute for actual RAM, this is why the PS3 struggles to do things the 360 does with ease, because 360 has more available RAM.

[Mr Logic]

You obviously have no idea what you're talking about.

[CryofSilence]

The SPUs of the Cell are indeed capable of taking and executing algorithms that would be otherwise calculated on the GPU like physics (and a myriad of other things), which will take minimal RAM if any; thus, that frees up memory on the GPU for other graphic intensive processes. That said, it's still not a replacement for GPUs or RAM. So, neither of you is right or wrong.

[supremacy]

the thing is, Sony is wasting all this resourceful memory on crap like life with PlayStation and home. What they should do is do what ms does and bring important features at a minimal memory expense.

What Sony should focus on and make mandatory are...

Cross voice chat
Voice message
Multiple log in ids
Party system

Now add
Disc-less Netflix-(which is confirmed to becoming soon.)
3rd Party Browser support

Word of advise to Sony, take care of these first and then do or add whatever you want after that, i just want the above most importantly.

[snesfangirl]

and i am also one that wants voice messaging. hell, i'd rather have that instead of cross game chat if i had to choose.

[King_many_layers]

yeah sod attempting to build up a social network that could be the basis of the whole start up hub in the future. I think Home has such great potential for the next Sony console. ( I could see it being brilliant )

I'd imagine that they are working on it.. It's just the problem of having athousand games out already (roughly) All needing to work.. I hope I'm wrong here though

[Rumor]

i agree to the stars with this, BUBBLE+

[You Noob]

ps3 and 360 have the same amout of ram.

[siren]

Difference is that:

The Xbox360 reserves just 32MB of ram and manages to pull off multi-user login, cross game party chat, and custom soundtracks.

The PS3 reserves 56MB of ram (down from 90MB at launch) and does not support any of these much requested features.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

I was thinking of that. Both are 512MB, the difference is that PS3 uses 256+256 splitted RAM, while 360 uses unified 512. If anything PS3 have one of it's RAM units faster while the other runs at the same speed of 360's one.

Unless multi login involves really big data blocks, which it doesn't, the discussion is moot.

[blackpanther25]

Any game that needs it will use it. I remember i was one of those people fighting to have this feature made for Resistance 2. What happened? they made it. Little big planet has it as well and so will LB2. I didn't know motostorm will get it but that is great. This feature is local and two player online on the same screen and most games really don't do that. I don't play MW 2 so i wouldn't know if they have this feature or not (someone confirm).

I know its kinda stupid that sony left it for the developers. All i know is that if i really want a feature on a new game i will go to the official forum and request it like in Resistance 2

[Jeremy Gerard]

it doesn't already have this?!?!?!? WOW, every week I learn something else that PS3 does not have that 360 has had since launch, yet all these clowns on this site are constantly saying PS3 is miles superior to 360 in every way, I guess most of you really are a bunch of pure no holds barred fanboys aren't you.

[muzikjunkie80]

i own both sytems and when it comes to gfx yeah ps3 has the edge but when it comes to online and online features xbox 360 has the edge. as the saying goes u cant have everything :p but i do wish the ps3 had the same online features like someone mentioned above

[snesfangirl]

thing is most on here like jeremy is referring too would have you believe that ps3 and 360's features are equal- they are not.

live and the operating system in the 360 is much more user friendly, has all the features one would want, mainly communication features.

psn has came a long way since i had my 1st ps3 in 2007, but it is still "not the same" as the sony fanboys on n4g will lead you to believe.

the 360 was built around live, and MS knew what they we're going to do with live when they developed the 360, sony with the xmb didn't do this. this is ONE huge reason why you have seen somethings implemented long after launch of the ps3. in-game xmb comes to mind

[PirateThom]

When will the 360 have free online? My PS3 has had this since launch.

When will the 360 have battery free controllers? My PS3 has had this since launch.

When will the 360 have Blu-ray playback? My PS3 has had this since launch.

When will the 360 have proper hard drives? My PS3 has had this since launch.

Do you see how this works?

[muzikjunkie80]

360 dosnt need free online but ill give u the one about the battery then again it aint a big deal, 360 dosnt need blu ray playback and the 360 does have a proper hard drive. all the things u mentioned dont hinder the 360s gaming experience as where missing online features like no party chat or chat to friends while playing any game online does hinder the ps3 online gaming experience.

[FACTUAL evidence]

Yeah you keep saying XBL doesn't need to be free...When Sony gets all the feature that you have to pay for on xbl, don't ask why you're being charged.

[Garnett]

When will the 360 have free online ( the day hell freezes over)
When will the 360 get rechargeable batteries? (When you buy one)
When will the 360 get full 1080p movies? (Since last fall)
When will the 360 get a real HDD? (Since 120 gig came out)

When will PS3 get cross game chat?
When will PS3 get streaming 1080p movies?
When will PS3 get a proper dashboard?

[jr2424]

I always thought this feature was more important than cross-game chat. If you really want to make trophies important, isn't this feature essential?

[typikal82]

Mod Nation Racers needs this big time

[PirateThom]

Ugh, this is another 360 has so it must be important feature like cross game chat.

There's nothing better than not being able to just pick up a controller and start playing when you have to create a user and sign in with it.

I doubt anyone is so achievement or trophy focused that when they go to a friend's house, they need to try and acquire them by being logged in, because it's not like it gives you access to DLC and a lot of games don't support split screen competative multiplayer anyway, so stats are a no go.

[Non_sequitur]

Question. Can a person with silver play online with a person with gold (from the same console) or must both have gold? I never tried it out.

[wicked]

No the silver can not play online. You have to log in as a guest of the gold account,
Or have two gold accounts.

[Non_sequitur]

Thanks, good to know.

[IHateYouFanboys]

i had honestly forgotten about the PS3 not having universal multi-user logins for a long time, as i only use my PS3 for exclusives, and 9 times out of 10 they have no local multiplayer, so ive had no need for multiple logins.

it really shows just how poorly sony judged what this generation was going to want. their BIGGEST mistake was in not integrating everything into the OS. how they got this so wrong even after seeing the 360 release 12 months earlier with everything from multi-user sign ins, custom soundtracks, in-game guide, in-game messaging and cross game chat, achievements etc.

the fact that it STILL doesnt have it just boggles the mind. i mean, i could have 3 friends around my place, all playing halo 3 co-op, with everyone signed into their own profile and earning achievements and playing online. i can have 4 people signed in playing rock band, all earning achievements. but on PS3, it seems only a select few games have this, and you have to sign in in every different game, not just universally from the dashboard.

all it comes down to is that sony vastly underestimated what people would expect from a console this generation after the 360 had given them a taste.

[MyWordIsGospel]

PS3 pro's No subscription fee, no need to pay twice to play games, more diverse exclusives, 2 terraflop performance compared to xbox 1 terraflop, Bluetooth and wi fi built in, ability to use 3rd party hardware across the board great for internal HDD, lower fail rate, 1080p movies, BLU RAY (standard format for any HD MM / more disc space), Web Browser, Extensive multimedia features, 3D GAMING.

I would have to say anyone who knows toffee about Multimedia hardware, truly understands that it blows the 360 away so what if you have cross game chat its overrated.

in game music is now supported
Battlefield Bad Company 2 (offline only)
Bayonetta
Blur (offline only)
Burnout Paradise (patched and through in-game menu/radio)
Dante's Inferno
Dragonball Raging Blast
Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Godfather 2
Green Day: Rock Band
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days (offline only)
Killzone 2 (multiplayer only)
King Of Fighters XII
LittleBigPlanet (during pod and creating levels only, used via game's menu)
Medal Of Honor (limited to menus in the beta)
Midnight Club: Los Angeles (offline only)
MLB 08: The Show (through menu)
MLB 09: The Show (through menu as well?)
Modnation Racers
Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe
Motorstorm Apocalypse
Motorstorm Pacific Rift (offline only)
NBA 09: The Inside
NCAA Football 09 (only at certain times, touchdown ie)
NHL 10 (add music through playlist)
Red Dead Redemption (offline only)
Resonance of Fate
Rock Band 2 (Drum Freeplay only, possibly during menus as well)
Sacred 2
Shaun White Snowboarding
Skate 2 (possibly offline only)
Skate 3
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (mutes SFX sounds)
Sonic Unleashed
Street Figther IV
Super Street Fighter IV (including online)
Tekken 6 (offline only)
Trinity Universe
Warhawk (patched)
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 (offline only)
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010 (offline only)

PSN Releases (includes applications):

.detuned
After Burner Climax
Anarchy: Rush Hour
Battle Tanks (now Tank Battles)
Burnout Paradise (patched and through in-game menu/radio)
Burn Zombie Burn!
Call Of Duty Classic
Comet Crash
Crash Commando (lobby and main menu only)
Critter Crunch (with patch 1.1)
Crystal Defenders
Digger HD
Diner Dash
Echochrome
Feeding Frenzy 2
Flock
GundeadliGne
Gundemonium RecollectionHamsterball
High Velocity Bowling
Hitogata Happa
Hyperballoid HD
Life With Playstation
Magic Orbz (formerly Magic Ball)
Mahjong
Marvel vs Capcom 2
Military Madness
Noby Noby Boy
Pain
Penny Arcade Adventures
PixelJunk Eden (unlockable)
PixelJunk Monsters (patched)
PixelJunk Shooters
Planet Minigolf
Revenge of the Wounded Dragons
Savage Moon (patched)
Smash Cars
Super Stardust HD
Tank Battles (formerly Battle Tanks)
Wakeboarding HD
Weekly Toro Station
Wipeout HD (via menu, need to make a playlist)
Warhawk (patched)
ZEN Pinball

[fireplace]

What? You don't have it? Jesus Christ.

Ability to save game progress is only in some games too?