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"Playstation Network Trials - Diary"

February - Noticed in OPSM2 Magazine that if you wanted to take part in the official Sony Network Trials you had to sign up for beta testing via their official website. Anyone who gets in on the trials will receive a free copy of SOCOM: US Navy SEALS as a 'thankyou' at the end of the trials. Wow, never knew that, so scuttled on over.

Signed up, answered a load of questions via an online form about my connection type, who I was, what ISP I used, what games I liked, how much I played games, where I played them, and so on. Then I waited. And waited. And waited...

March - Banner pops up on the official Sony website advising that signups for Network Trials have now closed. The waiting continues. The nailbiting commences.

April 1st - WHOOHOOOOO! E-mail received from Sony confirming I've been chosen to take part in the Playstation 2 Network Gaming Trials. Advised to sit back and relax and wait for another e-mail from 7th April onwards advising where I can get hold of the Network Trials gaming kit which contains:

Network Adaptor (ethernet) for PS2
Network Access Disc, plus connection instructions
SOCOM: US Navy SEALS (online gaming mode only)
SOCOM USB Headset (for voice chat during gameplay)
Ethernet straight through cable (2m)

Meantime there's a huge section added to Sony's official PS2 website all about Networking, including indepth glossaries, broadband options, a list of their partners who sell compatible products, how to set up Internet Connection Sharing, Routers, Direct Connections and so on, basically a 'Dummies Guide to Home Networking'. It's very good, takes me 6 hours and a few coffees to read it and take it all in, and results in me ordering a home network kit so that I'll be able to play my PS2 online and keep the PCs connected to the internet at the same time.

April 4th - Set up home network, go into shock when I realise how easy it is to do and get everything working first time.

April 7th - E-mail arrives from Sony advising that the Network Trial gaming kits are now available to order (£41.98 including delivery) and provide a link to take you straight to their shop. So surfed over there, registered an account with their shop, where, after a few goes because the shop is inundated with people trying to order their kits as well at the same time, I manage to place an order.

Included in the e-mail is a little paragraph advising us that we'll be able to preview code of other games, which will be mailed to our home addresses, so might be getting to practice on Hardware: Online Arena and Twisted Metal Black: Online ages before anyone else.

April 8th - Confirmation e-mail arrives advising that my order for their kit has been placed and that my order is on its way.

April 8th - Two more e-mails received, one from the Playstation Broadband Team and one from the Trial Manager, both apologising for the problems most people had ordering from the shop, and advising that the shop has now been geared up to cope with the huge response.

April 9th - Noticed that my order status at the shop for the Network Gaming trial pack has now changed from 'pending' to 'shipped'. Am currently camping out by my front door awaiting delivery.

I'll update this thread for you as the trials continue, to give you some flavour of how the trials are going, the niggles we're overcoming, but most importantly how much fun it is to blow complete strangers to pieces in SOCOM: US Navy SEALS online.

Any one give a date when use mere mortals can get the kit? I did'nt bother signing up as I have Uni and what not. Had fun on the XBox Beta so kinda wish I was on PS2 having some fun. Actually I havent even played XBox Live since the middle of December. Got 1 player games to keep me going as well as Movies, and Uni work. Plus its too much of a hassle getting the kit out every time.

FantasyMeister wrote:
> El Juicy wrote:
> Ahhh, when's FM's next update.
>
> I posted a review of SOCOM on the SR site this morning :)


I saw, and a well deserved GAD to you my man. I'm thinking about claiming SOCOM just for the offline paryt of the game, seeing as i'm positive my family wouldn't get broadband.

I got accepted for the trials last Thursday when somebody else opted out, so I am waiting on my adapter as we speak (order still pending though).

I've set up my PC to share the connection with the PS2, so barring any problems - watch out FM, I'm coming to kill you! Wooohoo ha haaaa....

El Juicy wrote:
> Ahhh, when's FM's next update.

I posted a review of SOCOM on the SR site this morning :)
I'll be getting (hopefully) Midnight Club II in the next couple of weeks so I'll give you an update on how it plays online later on.

Ahhh, when's FM's next update, i'm beggining to get hooked to a game i've never played before. I really wish i could get broadband, it's just my family aren't exactly in a decent financial position. So, i'll probably get the game offline anyways, but how i wish i could play it online.

FinalFantasyFanatic wrote:
> What about Dectruction Derby?
> And that other one with the cars and gund and stuff ... with tanks I
> think, whatever it's called.
>
> I thought you testers were only to check the whole thing worked
> properly at the start. But is it a proper job-type-thing? Will you
> keep getting games to test?
>
> I'm beginning to dislike you*


*Quite a lot, actually

Damned right :D

What about Dectruction Derby?
And that other one with the cars and gund and stuff ... with tanks I think, whatever it's called.

I thought you testers were only to check the whole thing worked properly at the start. But is it a proper job-type-thing? Will you keep getting games to test?

I'm beginning to dislike you.

Hehe!

phuzzy wrote:
> And just now : Twisted Metal Black Online!
>
> Yay!

Shhhh, that was meant to be a secret.
Can you imagine the ruckus if we told them we were testing Final Fantasy XI too?


oops...