The ups & downs of the PSN

If you are a gamer then you are probably aware that the PlayStation Network went down on April 20th. After a few days it was revealed that the reason for the outage was due to Sony checking the system after they discovered the network had been compromised. The original belief was that PSN would be down for a few days while the vulnerability was patched. This caused two large outcries from the gaming community :-

PSN Users:NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! What will we do?

Xbox Live Users: HAHAHAHAHA

Now, I am one of the lucky ones who have both. Oh before you ask, no I did not scream NOHAOOHAOOHAOOHA!

A short while later when Sony discovered the full extent of the depth of penetration their system had encountered, They decided (Rightly in my opinion) to use this downtime to do a overhaul on the security of the PSN and related systems. Leading to a much longer downtime for gamers than was originally advertised.

As of the date of publish for this post, PSN has be partially brought back online for most people, Multiplayer gaming is possible, and Sony are doing their best to get all services back online for all players. They are also compensating users for the inconvenience. There will be a list of games that you can pick three from to download, there will be free months use of PSN+, and a lot of other gifts from Sony.

Now I think this is very good of them, they did not have to give away anything to compensate users for the unavailability of what is a free resource. Yes those who pay for PSN+ or other paid for systems deserved a month or two of their subscription back. But for everyone to get a gift, that’s something they did not have to do, and I think its very decent of them.

For those of you in Europe you can read more on what you will be offered here.

“Better dead than Red” But Even Better “Red Dead Redemption”

At the weekend I had a cunning plan. A plan so cunning, you could say “it was as cunning as a fox  who’s just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University“. Now that’s cunning!

Before I tell my cunning plan, I need to set the scene, or at least explain the events leading up to “The Cunning Plan“.  It all starts on a Saturday morning, not any old Saturday morning but the start of a three day Bank Holiday weekend. It starts with a man with a stupidly long list of things he really needs to do, and no inclination to do any of them. Well I’d been putting off stuff for weeks/months/years. I am spod watch me idle!

So I really needed to make some headway into the growing pile that was the task-list. It was while contemplating this that “The Cunning Plan” was hatched.

You see it came to me as if whispered into my ear by the angel or devil that sits on my shoulder (I always get those two mixed up). I would get myself the game “Red Dead Redemption” that I had read so much about on different peoples Blog’s and which so far had good write-ups.  So I would go get myself this game and place it in a prominent position. And if I completed a load of tasks then I could treat myself to playing the game. I am Male, Watch me get bribed!

Plan formed, I quickly made a list of the most pressing tasks on my Whiteboard and headed out to the shops. The first shop I tried was sold out, The second did not even have it listed as a released game, The third shop turned out to be a cake shop, The fourth was a constitutional right, Luckily the fifth was more promising.  I just had one pitfall to pass.

I entered the shop to be confronted by a series of displays for the iPad, There was box’s of them all looking new and shiny. I know I’m waiting for the none mac tablets to be released but I am a geek, I love new technology. The draw of the shiny almost drew me in, but I rolled a 20 on my resist willpower, and was able to pass.  I made it to the game section to spot the “SOLD OUT” sign on the Xbox360 section of the game. Luckily they had one left in the PS3 section, so I was saved, the game bought, and I returned home.

So there I was, Task list on whiteboard, prize for completion in hand. What could go wrong?

Well, the thing is the game may not have worked, and needed replacing which would annoy me after completing my tasks. So what harm could there be in just throwing it into ps3 and checking its ok. I could just watch the intro and then turn it off when I was sure it worked. I could do that couldn’t I?

And that was the moment “The Cunning Plan” failed. and the weekend vanished. In my defence the game is great. Wide open landscapes to ride over, all the wildlife, random encounters, missions, fun. I don’t think I’ve done any of the plot elements of the game yet. I’ve just wandered the land killing & Skinning animals, shooting the rope on people being hanged, and generally killing people. Oh and I’m on my eighth or ninth horse.  I’ve met several people walking alone in the desert who’ve asked for help, only to pull me off my mount and ride off on it when I’ve gone to help. Which means I then have to shoot my horse dead so it falls on the horse thief while i then walk over and shoot them in the legs and arms, and leave them lying bleeding on the floor.

Oh. I guess I could just shoot the rider dead and leave the horse alive? Hummm never considered that.

I do recommend the game to anyone. Unless you really have other stuff you need to do first.

Full House: What do I win?

Due to a very lucky (for me) set of events at the weekend I now have a PS3. (On top of having a XBOX 360, Wii, PS2, DS, Saga Mega Drive, etc.)

My eldest Nephew decided to watch a film with his girlfriend Saturday night. He got the film, and just before going to watch it he remembered the video lead for his PS3 was at a friends house, and he was unable to retrieve it till Monday. So he popped to an acquaintances house, who he knew was after money and had a spare lead.

My nephew being who he is, ended up buying a full PS3 system off him, since the price was so low. He used it that one evening to watch the film, with the intention to sell it on the following day. Only since he bumped into me before he had a chance to sell it on, I picked it up from him for pennies.

I now need suggestions of good games that are only out on the PS3.