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For those of you that missed it, there was an announcement by Sony just before E3 about the online plans. It was reported in OPS2M, and I post it here for your information...
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The day before E34, SCE America and SCE Europe held an impressive press conference, the primary focus of which was to release their online plans. The Network Adaptor is still slated for a 27 August release in the US at $39.99 and the package is set to include an Ethernet Adaptor and a 56k modem. Users will be able to choose their own ISP, and the start-up disc will contain demos of Madden NFL 2003, Frequency, Tribes: Aerial Assault and Timesplitters 2. Other online games planned for US release in the autumn include SOCOM: Navy Seals, Twisted Metal: Online, Tony Hawks Pro Skater 4, Auto Modellista and a slew of Sega Sports titles. FFXI, Everquest Online Adventures, Star Wars Galaxies and Resident Evil Online are due to follow in 2003. SCEA celebrated by holding a game of Madden NFL 2003 between a live participant at the presentation and an opponent situated in Florida, with commentary via satellite from John Madden himself.
SCE Europe's online strategy, however, is less clear. A November launch is tentatively scheduled, but in the UK we may be offered a Broadband Unit (containing the 40GB Hard Disc Drive and Ethernet Adapter but not an analogue modem) instead of the Network Adapter, at an estimated price of £120. The UK's online game line-up should be much the same as the impressive roster announced fot the States.
Much more online news next issue.
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The day before E34, SCE America and SCE Europe held an impressive press conference, the primary focus of which was to release their online plans. The Network Adaptor is still slated for a 27 August release in the US at $39.99 and the package is set to include an Ethernet Adaptor and a 56k modem. Users will be able to choose their own ISP, and the start-up disc will contain demos of Madden NFL 2003, Frequency, Tribes: Aerial Assault and Timesplitters 2. Other online games planned for US release in the autumn include SOCOM: Navy Seals, Twisted Metal: Online, Tony Hawks Pro Skater 4, Auto Modellista and a slew of Sega Sports titles. FFXI, Everquest Online Adventures, Star Wars Galaxies and Resident Evil Online are due to follow in 2003. SCEA celebrated by holding a game of Madden NFL 2003 between a live participant at the presentation and an opponent situated in Florida, with commentary via satellite from John Madden himself.
SCE Europe's online strategy, however, is less clear. A November launch is tentatively scheduled, but in the UK we may be offered a Broadband Unit (containing the 40GB Hard Disc Drive and Ethernet Adapter but not an analogue modem) instead of the Network Adapter, at an estimated price of £120. The UK's online game line-up should be much the same as the impressive roster announced fot the States.
Much more online news next issue.
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The thing i dont undersatnd is that us earthlings have gone to the moon travelled faster than the speed of light but they can get broadband for everyone ina country, unless they want to shell out hundreds of pounds for satelite broadband. HOw come we cant get broadband to everyone who wants it at an affordable price?
WòókieeMøn§†€® wrote:
> Everything online seems to incur a charge these days. :-(
I haven't played online for ages, but I thought servers for games like Unreal Tournament, Quake etc were free?
> Everything online seems to incur a charge these days. :-(
I haven't played online for ages, but I thought servers for games like Unreal Tournament, Quake etc were free?
I'm assuming that most online games which require servers will have some kind of charge. Any that can operate peer-to-peer probably won't.
Everything online seems to incur a charge these days. :-(
Everything online seems to incur a charge these days. :-(
WòókieeMøn§†€® wrote:
> But elsewhere has the 56k option... so they're giving themselves more
> work by removing it, surely? If the existing peripheral has a modem,
> they may as well leave it in. On the other hand, I suppose it would
> make it slightly cheaper if they remove it.
Yup, it would make th eadd-on cheaper, but then less people would buy it and use it, so less money would be made that way.
I'm guessing that Sony will charge for the online games? Or will they leave it up to the developers and publishers to plop their own charges on?
> But elsewhere has the 56k option... so they're giving themselves more
> work by removing it, surely? If the existing peripheral has a modem,
> they may as well leave it in. On the other hand, I suppose it would
> make it slightly cheaper if they remove it.
Yup, it would make th eadd-on cheaper, but then less people would buy it and use it, so less money would be made that way.
I'm guessing that Sony will charge for the online games? Or will they leave it up to the developers and publishers to plop their own charges on?
Your Honour wrote:
> Seems a bit of a muddle to me anyway. Unless Sony and MS are going to
> make deals with ISP's to try and encourage as many people to get
> broadband as possible? That would suit me fine...
Well, the I don't know about the MS package, but it says in that article that the Sony pack lets you choose your own ISP. Which means I should be able to run it over my NTL connection.
> Yup, but maybe because we're the only country not to have good
> broadband service, they can't be bothered to make exceptions for us?
But elsewhere has the 56k option... so they're giving themselves more work by removing it, surely? If the existing peripheral has a modem, they may as well leave it in. On the other hand, I suppose it would make it slightly cheaper if they remove it.
> Seems a bit of a muddle to me anyway. Unless Sony and MS are going to
> make deals with ISP's to try and encourage as many people to get
> broadband as possible? That would suit me fine...
Well, the I don't know about the MS package, but it says in that article that the Sony pack lets you choose your own ISP. Which means I should be able to run it over my NTL connection.
> Yup, but maybe because we're the only country not to have good
> broadband service, they can't be bothered to make exceptions for us?
But elsewhere has the 56k option... so they're giving themselves more work by removing it, surely? If the existing peripheral has a modem, they may as well leave it in. On the other hand, I suppose it would make it slightly cheaper if they remove it.
WòókieeMøn§†€® wrote:
> Also broadband only for the UK with PS2 as well, eh?
>
> Not confirmed yet by any means!
True. I can understand why the broadband is released in the US, and why MS only included a broadband adapter, as the US has a much better broadband infrastructure than we have.
But I would have thought that if Sony wanted to get a headstart in the online gaming world they would have released the lack of broadband over here, and released a 56k modem. Unless the type of things they want to do with the service wouldn't be possible with a 56k? But then why release it in other countries?
Seems a bit of a muddle to me anyway. Unless Sony and MS are going to make deals with ISP's to try and encourage as many people to get broadband as possible? That would suit me fine...
> It certainly is strange, considering we will probably be the last
> country to obtain a national broadband network.
Yup, but maybe because we're the only country not to have good broadband service, they can't be bothered to make exceptions for us? Afterall, the rest of the EU has better braodband than we do.
> Exactly. As you know, I currently feel that way about the entire
> software line-up on Xbox. :-)
No comment.
:-D
> Also broadband only for the UK with PS2 as well, eh?
>
> Not confirmed yet by any means!
True. I can understand why the broadband is released in the US, and why MS only included a broadband adapter, as the US has a much better broadband infrastructure than we have.
But I would have thought that if Sony wanted to get a headstart in the online gaming world they would have released the lack of broadband over here, and released a 56k modem. Unless the type of things they want to do with the service wouldn't be possible with a 56k? But then why release it in other countries?
Seems a bit of a muddle to me anyway. Unless Sony and MS are going to make deals with ISP's to try and encourage as many people to get broadband as possible? That would suit me fine...
> It certainly is strange, considering we will probably be the last
> country to obtain a national broadband network.
Yup, but maybe because we're the only country not to have good broadband service, they can't be bothered to make exceptions for us? Afterall, the rest of the EU has better braodband than we do.
> Exactly. As you know, I currently feel that way about the entire
> software line-up on Xbox. :-)
No comment.
:-D
Your Honour wrote:
> Hmmm, so you buy a PS2 for £200, then fork out another
> £120 to end up with the same hardware that you get in an Xbox
> for £200. Nice.
Yes, but what you're not considering is that two years ago when PS2 was launched, the inclusion of a 40Gb HD and Ethernet adapter would have made the price of the PS2 to over £500.
Xbox was able to benefit from the intervening price reductions to incorporate these into the unit from the start.
> Also broadband only for the UK with PS2 as well, eh?
Not confirmed yet by any means!
> Perhaps Sony and MS know something that we don't? It would seem
> strange that both companies would exclude such a large part of the
> possible market...
It certainly is strange, considering we will probably be the last country to obtain a national broadband network.
> As for the games line-up, it's hardly riveting is it. But still, each
> to their own...
Exactly. As you know, I currently feel that way about the entire software line-up on Xbox. :-)
> Hmmm, so you buy a PS2 for £200, then fork out another
> £120 to end up with the same hardware that you get in an Xbox
> for £200. Nice.
Yes, but what you're not considering is that two years ago when PS2 was launched, the inclusion of a 40Gb HD and Ethernet adapter would have made the price of the PS2 to over £500.
Xbox was able to benefit from the intervening price reductions to incorporate these into the unit from the start.
> Also broadband only for the UK with PS2 as well, eh?
Not confirmed yet by any means!
> Perhaps Sony and MS know something that we don't? It would seem
> strange that both companies would exclude such a large part of the
> possible market...
It certainly is strange, considering we will probably be the last country to obtain a national broadband network.
> As for the games line-up, it's hardly riveting is it. But still, each
> to their own...
Exactly. As you know, I currently feel that way about the entire software line-up on Xbox. :-)
Hmmm, so you buy a PS2 for £200, then fork out another £120 to end up with the same hardware that you get in an Xbox for £200. Nice.
Also broadband only for the UK with PS2 as well, eh? Perhaps Sony and MS know something that we don't? It would seem strange that both companies would exclude such a large part of the possible market...
As for the games line-up, it's hardly riveting is it. But still, each to their own...
Also broadband only for the UK with PS2 as well, eh? Perhaps Sony and MS know something that we don't? It would seem strange that both companies would exclude such a large part of the possible market...
As for the games line-up, it's hardly riveting is it. But still, each to their own...
Telewest said in a press release in May 2001
http://www.telewest.co.uk/ ourcompany/pressreleases/pr316.html
(space)
that technical trials for PS2 online gaming should have by the end of that year in joint partnership with Sony. I read somewhere else that closed beta testing of the PS2 online capabilities in the UK should have already started by now but can't find the original link to that press release.
My personal view is that the lack of information regarding this indicates that nothing is actually happening because everything has been put on hold again. Being a Telewest customer I was hoping to get in on the beta testing from the start but after several emails and no responses I've given up applying.
http://www.telewest.co.uk/ ourcompany/pressreleases/pr316.html
(space)
that technical trials for PS2 online gaming should have by the end of that year in joint partnership with Sony. I read somewhere else that closed beta testing of the PS2 online capabilities in the UK should have already started by now but can't find the original link to that press release.
My personal view is that the lack of information regarding this indicates that nothing is actually happening because everything has been put on hold again. Being a Telewest customer I was hoping to get in on the beta testing from the start but after several emails and no responses I've given up applying.
Personally I think SCEE will be making a mistake if they exclude the analogue modem, as broadband isn't widespread enough here at the moment.
Having no analogue modem excludes many customers. That is what I have said about the Xbox, and it must also be true aobut the PS2.
Having no analogue modem excludes many customers. That is what I have said about the Xbox, and it must also be true aobut the PS2.
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