PSN+ - impressions so far..

[KongRudi]

So.. I've not signed up for PSN+, were going to see how it turned out..
And now I'm kind of regretting that I didn't sign up in the start, think I will have to sign up soon.. What's your imperssions so far? Happy with the service, dissapointed?

Here is the games EU users would get access to if we were member..

Month 1: June 29th – August 3rd

Intro offer: Little Big Planet (standard edition) (Free for people who sign up for a year between 29th June and 3rd Aug)

PSN PS3: Wipeout HD
minis: Field Runners, Age of Zombies
PSone: Destruction Derby
Full Game Trial: Shatter, Savage Moon
Discounts: LBP God of War Pack – 50%, LBP: LocoRoco costume pack – 50%, Gravity Crash – 20%, Fat Princess DLC – 20%
Premium Game Element: KillZone 2: Steel & Titanium DLC
Push demo: ModNation Racers, Heavy Rain
Dynamic Themes: LBP Theme, SCEE produced: PlayStation “Game Is Just The Start” Dynamic Theme
2 x Fat Princess Premium Avatars

Month 2: August 4th – September 1st

PSN PS3: Zen Pinball
minis: Blast-Off, Alien Zombie Death
PSone: Medievil
Full Game Trial: inFamous, Mushroom Wars
Discounts: Zen Pinball Earth Defence Table – 20%, Warhawk Triple Combo Pack – 50%, Super Stardust HD – 20%, WipeOutHD Fury – 20%
Premium Game Elements: Motorstorm Pacific Rift: Adrenaline Pack
Push Demo: Flower, Pixel Junk Shooter
Themes: “SCEE produced: PlayStation Plus Dynamic Theme, Heavy Rain Crime Scene Theme
2 x Heavy Rain Avatars (Bird and Butterfly


Month 3: September 1st – October 5th

New intro offer: Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty

PSN: Sam and Max: Devil’s Playground (entire season)
minis: Vector Tower Defense
Echoes
PSOne Classic: Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
Full Game Trial: Warhawk (with exclusive 50% discount for Plus members on purchase)
Inferno Pool
Exclusive Discounts: LBP: Ico and Shadow of Colossus costume pack – 50%
Metal Gear Solid (PSOne) – 50%
Warhawk – 20%
Pixel Junk Shooter – 20%
DLC: Exclusive UFC Undisputed 2010 DLC
Dynamic themes: Exclusive PlayStation Move theme
Exclusive ‘Fish Tank’ theme
Premium avatars: Eye Pet Blue Goalie Avatar, Eye Pet DJ Avatar

Month 4: 6th October – 2nd November

PSN: Street Fighter 2 HD Remix
minis: Aero Racer, Yeti Sports
PSOne Classic: Syphon Filter
Full Game Trial: Gravity Crash (Plus exclusive 50% discount for Plus members on purchase), Hustle Kings (Plus exclusive 50% discount for Plus members on purchase)
Exclusive Discounts: Burn Zombie Burn (inc. free exclusive Home item for Plus members who buy)
Dynamic themes: Exclusive Move ‘Start the Party’ theme, Exclusive ‘Halloween’ theme
Premium avatars: Pain: Jarvis and Le Toot Avavtars, SingStar: Wannabe and Rising Star Avatars

 

[rabidrabbit]

If I had only just bought my first PS3 and had no games for it, I think PSN+ would be worth the one year subscription, just for the games you get for 'free'.

But as I have owned my PS3 from the launch, and already bought those games (LBP, WipeOut, Zen Pinball) when they were released prior PSN+, the service really hasn't been worth the money yet.
The freebies that I didn't have before are those exclusive avatars and dynamic themes, which are nice but as I tend to stick with the classy default theme and the same avatar I've chosen years ago, they've not been worth much either. The themes are pretty ugly anyway, wish they'd make more subtle dynamic themes in the style of the original, not those garish bold designs that they are now.

In fact, I think I won't be buying as much games from PSN as long as I'm a + member, in the hope of them getting a discount later a PSN+, or even free.
If the games were discounted immediately at PSN+ as they are released in regular PSN, I'd maybe buy more of them, even though in the end it would cost me pretty much the same.
The PSN+ ability to put downloads on a timer would be nice too, if it would dl patches to all my games while I sleep, but that doesn't seem to be the case; I must start the game and let the PS3 know it has a patch for it to work, so it's pretty useless too.

 

[Rolf N]

If I had only just bought my first PS3 and had no games for it, I think PSN+ would be worth the one year subscription, just for the games you get for 'free'.

But as I have owned my PS3 from the launch, and already bought those games (LBP, WipeOut, Zen Pinball) when they were released prior PSN+, the service really hasn't been worth the money yet.

This is a key point. New new games will be much more attractive PSN+ freebies than stuff from 2008, that existing owners already have bought if they ever cared at all. And I do expect the PSN+ selection to shift over to newer releases as deals are struck and PSN games continue to be made.

For myself, it doesn't add up. I don't value themes, avatars, early demos etc highly enough. The one monthly (?) PS3 game is the item that would matter to me, but I'm better off selecting myself what I want.

I want to state though that I'm not down on the service. There's definitely decent value for a type of gamer that's a bit newer to the platform, doesn't do as much research maybe and just wants some cool stuff coming to them on a regular basis. That just isn't me currently.

 

[Arwin]

I must start the game and let the PS3 know it has a patch for it to work, so it's pretty useless too.

It auto-patches only games you played after the PSN+ firmware went up, and then takes I think max 10 at a time starting with the latest games first.

I agree with most points otherwise though. Having LBP playable from HDD was a big plus for me however - it doesn't take much more than that to validate my purchase for the first year and we're not far into it yet.

 

[patsu]

I thought it's a waste of money and missed opportunity at first.

Now since I got into the free Hulu Plus preview, I think it's worth it for me. My wife watched the entire series of Heroes. That alone already saved us $$$.

Still don't like the game discount part. Thought they should just simplify it to give us PSN store credits, and let us buy any games we want.

Now, I think it's "just" a missed opportunity (or mistiming). But I suspect Sony will evolve it further.

 

[rabidrabbit]

It auto-patches only games you played after the PSN+ firmware went up, and then takes I think max 10 at a time starting with the latest games first.

Oh, then that's a lot better! Does it also auto patch disc based games, or just PSN games? I guess only PSN, as it's difficult for PS3 to know what games you have on discs, other than game saves and previous patches.

 

[Gradthrawn]

Oh, then that's a lot better! Does it also auto patch disc based games, or just PSN games? I guess only PSN, as it's difficult for PS3 to know what games you have on discs, other than game saves and previous patches.

Disc and PSN. And other non-game applications (installed on the XMB) as well.

I presume it keeps an index somewhere. Maybe archie can shed some light on the details of the update system, if he's around.

 

[tirminyl]

Oh, then that's a lot better! Does it also auto patch disc based games, or just PSN games? I guess only PSN, as it's difficult for PS3 to know what games you have on discs, other than game saves and previous patches.

It patches disc based games as well. Apps as well. My Hulu Plus app was auto-patched. Also, if you just so happen to have downloads that you didn't let finish, or downloads you haven't installed, it will take care of those when it turns on to check for updates.

I like it so far. There are tons of games I have not purchased that I have gotten through Plus, and I enjoy the auto-patching of games. There are definitely things they can improve on to make the service better.

 

[specwarGP2]

After month 4, its still not worth it to me. But I still have 11 months to go. Sony could easily make exclusive content for its own games for PSN+... like a special cars for GT5. That would make it worth it.

 

[KongRudi]

Still don't like the game discount part. Thought they should just simplify it to give us PSN store credits, and let us buy any games we want.

ehh... I think you've allways been able to do that, put money in the wallet and buy the games you want. :-/
This isn't mandatory, just an option, , for us to get more content, for less cost.
And Sony & content-providers are probably hoping that this will get us so shop more..

I expect that the content-providers of the PSN-game still get paid somehow.
Perhaps a big part of the the total PSN+ pot of gold.. While PS Mini- and PSOne-game providers get a smaller part, discount-providers get a smaller part again, theme-, avatar- providers get a tiny cut.. While Sony grabs the rest.. :-/ Or perhaps the discounted items, are Sony giving up their cut of the sale on PSN to make it more enticing for +members.. :-/

 

[tha_con]

So far it's been worth it for me just for the auto-download of patches alone. The games I play most have been patched quite a bit, so it's really awesome for me to never have to wait to play.

 

[patsu]

ehh... I think you've allways been able to do that, put money in the wallet and buy the games you want. :-/

Yes, but I meant discounts !
As in putting my money into Sony's wallet earlier because they give me discounts in dollar credits.

 

[Angelcurio]

If they allow me to remotely deactivate ps3´s, i would bite instantly.

 

[patsu]

Yap, that would certainly help when I want to watch PSN shows in my office PS3.

EDIT: Should be made available to all PS3 owners.

 

[goonergaz]

Well I think it's good, so far it's pretty much paid for itself...altho it could be better, as stated, newer games would help...but as I've stopped buying anything other than 'must haves' I see that eventually the value will get better.

WRT patches (etc) one evening I started to d/l a couple of demos and switched the machine off and went to bed - in the morning it had completed their download AND installed them for me

The thing that will make it the best system ever is in November when I predict we will get LBP2 beta access

 

[rabidrabbit]

Disc and PSN. And other non-game applications (installed on the XMB) as well.

I presume it keeps an index somewhere. Maybe archie can shed some light on the details of the update system, if he's around.

I'm still not convinced it patches disc based games, at least it hasn't patched my Singstar copy to v. 5.00.

 

[Arwin]

I'm still not convinced it patches disc based games, at least it hasn't patched my Singstar copy to v. 5.00.

And you played it after you got PSN+?

 

[Gradthrawn]

I'm still not convinced it patches disc based games, at least it hasn't patched my Singstar copy to v. 5.00.

I'm 100% sure it does, as it's patched several of my disc based games. In fact, it just patched Heavy Rain for me after I put it, started it, quit and went on to play U2. I just didn't feel like downloading the HR Move update (1+ GB from what I heard) so I let it do it instead. As Arwin mentioned above, it only patches games you've played (or at least started) after you got PS+.

 

[goonergaz]

I'm still not convinced it patches disc based games, at least it hasn't patched my Singstar copy to v. 5.00.

there should be no reason it can't other than then fact it doesn't know you own the disk as you haven't played it 'yet'.

having said that, for some reason the last f/w update didn't happen for me...but I wonder if my internet was playing up when it tried?

 

[goonergaz]

I'm 100% sure it does, as it's patched several of my disc based games. In fact, it just patched Heavy Rain for me after I put it, started it, quit and went on to play U2. I just didn't feel like downloading the HR Move update (1+ GB from what I heard) so I let it do it instead. As Arwin mentioned above, it only patches games you've played (or at least started) after you got PS+.

yes, that's right - the exact same thing happened to me with one of my games - next day I switched on it told me the patch was installed...IIRC it was the same time I d/l those demos, I was really chuffed to be saved the hassle