Ripten Rant: PS3 Users Don't Need an In-Game XMB

"Today is the start of a new Ripten mid-week feature, where I, the resident Brit, get to rant about an issue in the gaming industry. If you have anything you'd like me to address in future rants no matter how big or small, don't hesitate to contact us. This weeks rant concerns the much wanted In-Game XMB for the Playstation 3.

There was some fuss over the last PS3 firmware update before it even hit. 2.0 was rumoured to contain a number of much wanted things – such as being able to play your own music during games, or bring up the cross-media bar (XMB) during gameplay. This final feature is perhaps the most wanted by Playstation owners, but I'm here to say they don't need it."

[PirateThom]

"So what am I waffling on about? Of course we need an in-game XMB, I hear you cry at me in a slight tone of annoyance. No, what you need is in-game messaging, and voice-chat to friends who are playing other games. This is what you need."

Exactly, but people are saying "In-game XMB" because it's easier than saying "in-game messaging, and voice-chat to friends who are playing other games"

[riqued]

Lets just hope Sony is smart enough to understand that.

[barneysdancin2]

Sony needs to work on it, making in game invites, ingame crosschat
and the ability to check a message without having to quit a game.

i still can't believe it is a year into the ps3 life cycle and still Sony hasn't implemented the feature that most users want.

[DemiseofPandas]

I think Sony already knows it is about the messaging and chat, according to their poll they gave out to GAP members recently. A bigger problem was that same poll showed that they cared more about in game music.

[solar]

i stopped reading when he was asking ppl to email him what to "rant" about. o.O wth is that? you "rant" because your pissed off about something. what a joke.

[eLiNeS]

LOL, The Xbox had all this last gen, I guess you get what you pay for. XBL FTW!!!!!

Maybe next gen Fony will get it right, Xbox 360 with XBL FTW!!!!!

Enjoy the next 10 years before the next gen consoles come out DelayStation fandroids.

@below
hey, just saying, Fony can't compete with the Xbox 360, they in fact have gone backward this gen and made it more of a Trojan horse with blu-gay then a gaming console. And talking about going backwards, whats up with no feedback in the controller. Suckers!!!

[jackdoe]

elines, you are such a fvcking fanboy. Ignored. Back on topic, Home is supposed to take care of most of these features, but I would prefer it if they were accessible outside of home on the XMB.

[rubarb23]

you can disagree with what eLiNeS is saying all you want, but in end, he is telling the truth?
yes he is.
and the truth hurts doens't it?
anyways guys, keep waiting for them good games and features

[Armyless]

I can't wait for HOME to allow us to LAUNCH games like UT3 with our clans in one meeting place. That is, when I'm not designing game content in Little Big Planet. But it would be nice to have in-game chat and cross-game invites.

My PS3 is STILL ON btw, happily FOLDING@HOME with 640+ Work Units. Haven't turned it off since February and not a single overheating problem. It's great to have such a reliable console.

[HarryEtTubMan]

They already said PS3 is getting this soon

@ the sticky BOT

Even if it was in '09 that's ok because I will still have 7-9 years to use it wil games being made. Unlike your RRODbox that will be dead in 2-3 years. Burn bot

[sticky doja]

Yah but soon to Sony is like '09 or so.

[Barreldragon00]

Yes we do.

In fact thats all i want every thing else i could care less about. Achievements eh i rather play the game for the sake of playing the game not to earn some points. In game music using an iPod or stereo works just fine for me.

[jiggyjay]

You don't get it.. With the 360s ingame music.. You get to hear the soundeffects from the game.. When you have your Ipod blasting you won't be able to hear the ingame soundeffects..

[osirisomeomi]

They need to allow for a convenient match-up system for friends, so they can just click 'join friend' and they're playing the same game. If the game is full, send a notification to the other person requesting that they quit, and then together the service matches them up at a new server automatically. Combine this with the ability to message each other, etc and they have a winner.

[poopface1]

I thought you could already do that. Live also has a privat chat that you can join and I think yuo can talk to your friends while playing different games. It could replace long distance phone calls. I think that sony really need these pretty simple features. I thought live on xbox 1 was quality but the 360 version is soooo good it makes joining friends easy as poo. Even if PSN is free it should include these features. I dont have ps3 but if I did id be upset about this guys totaly wrong opinion, telling you you dont need it even though he knows its the most wanted feature?

[Hydrollex]

n4g = News for gamers
o4g = opinions for gamers

[Sam Fisher]

my god that was funny

[kalistyles]

I definetly need in game XMB. Why? Because some of my games on my surround sound don't get sound at all. I have to go into the sound setting and switch off the 5.1 and the av 5.1. Which means if I go into a game with it on the sound doesn't come on and I have to quit the game go into the settings and then go back into the game. For some reason it only happens with EA games and 2K games. But it is still annoying. With in game XMB I wouldn't have to quit my game. I know its my surround sound because it's an old model. By the way, does anybody know of a good surround sound system for a decent price thats good with the PS3? I'm looking for a new one.

[WAR_MACHINE77]

I have this one
http://www.circuitcity.com/...

it sounds very good and its pretty cheap too

[ikkokucrisis]

Alright I take it back,

I vote for in game messaging too.

[aaquib5]

They think that we want to watch photos and videos, but if they bothered to actually talk to someone who's been demanding in-game XMB, then they'd know that we just want the XMB for 3 things. Messaging, music, and settings. I don't know these Ripten guys have been hearing, but both Sony, and I know that we only want those 3 things. Besides, do you really think that Sony could possibly implement video, photos and PS Store in a game??? The system has 256mb of main RAM, and we can't even listen to music during browsing the PS Store. I can't imagine playin games while browsing the PS Store.

[zPlayer]

your a genius and absolutely right!

[AllroundGamer]

yes we need it, i don't want to quit a game just so i can read a message, that some friend wrote me...

Edit: EZCheez oops, i was too lazy to read the article :)

[EZCheez]

It said that we don't need the entire XMB, just the friends list.

[hotshot127]

wouldnt in game messaging come with in game xmb

isnt in game xmb where you can bring up the cross media bar.

and in the cross media bar, you can send a message or listen to music so again, wouldnt in game xmb work for in game messaging

[EZCheez]

In fact, some games already are. Rock Band has in-game friends list access, and it's awesome.

The reason in-game messaging would be easier to implement is because your friends list is only a small part of the XMB, and sounds like it would take a lot less RAM to bring up in-game. Trying to bring up everything on the XMB in-game almost sounds impossible while playing a game. And the last thing you would want in-game access to is the settings menu because if you ask me that would unlock a huge can of worms changing settings around while in the middle of a game.

[Ju]

Either this has been added recently, or it was there before, but the Community menu in Resistance opens the XMB friends list as well. So it is available for games. I just think the devs have to implement/activate it.

[ReBurn]

Chances are that even if you had in-game XMB you wouldn't be able to change game settings without a reboot. Are people not smart enough to change the settings before starting the game?

If people want it that's fine. But since the things people say they wan't currently aren't available in-game, giving access to the XMB isn't necessarily going to make it happen. Maybe instead of complaining that Sony isn't listening, perhaps people should be more clear in telling Sony exactly what it is they want. Because access to the XMB for the sake of access is silly.

[mboojigga]

The message was clear when they saw what the 360 was doing since launch. That is what is so dissapointing about the PS3 online service. Great that it is free but you don't offer what some of us are so used too. It is little things like this that make the difference with me buying my multiplayer games for the 360 and just exclusives for the PS3. The online seems like it is just constantly trying to catch up to the 360's online service. Yes you pay $50 a year for a service vs a free service but everytime I get online for the PS3 I enjoy it to a point....I start missing the features of Live. So I look forward to having instant chat messaging that I get from a paid service that is doing a da*n good job of it.

[Bladestar]

lol... Sony is listening... Sony is very aware gamers want these features... hell.. even before the PS3 was released.. duhh some of these features were available even for the PS1... I remember being able to switch Ridge Racer 1 game disc with a music CD and it would work...

What Sony is trying to do is figure out how to do it without bringing down the games... If games are having framerate issues now.. imagine once they implement all these features...

[PirateThom]

Considering that the OS is running all the time and using the same memory, even without XMB, it's not that big a deal, the deal is that Sony gave developers the option to include the in-game friends list, but hardly anyone (even Sony devs) went with it, because they want it done via the system.

So, now the problem is integration.

[InMyOpinion]

They didn't need rumble either ;)

In-game XMB is last gen!

What PS3 owners need is a 360, easy as that.

[IamTheStorm81]

Saying "in-game XMB" is just an abbreviated way of saying that we need in-game messaging, in-game music play lists and in-game private chat. It's not to say we need full access to the XMB while in a game.

What we need is small XMB created specifically for use whilst in game, that gives us access to our friends list, our message box, our music play lists and access to in-game private chat and maybe Bluetooth settings. Of course we don't need full XMB access, but rather a small, in-game specific XMB that offers the features I listed.

Most anybody who knows anything about the PS3 or it's features knows what in-game XMB means.

[mboojigga]

Simply state give me what the other guys are giving me(MS) Today.

[Polluted]

It looks like nobody actually read the article. Go see what he has to say before you get all wound up guys.

edit: and gals.

[Rice]

I need in game-xmb it would be so much easier........... Like if i was paying online or something, i need music too pump me up.

[Clinton514]

People need to stop saying "in-game xmb"

Heh and yes I know what you mean kingxtreme. ;)

[vaan]

Don't we need LESS sh1t in the system ram while we are playing games?
Not more?

[InMyOpinion]

The PS3 has super powerful RAM that allows for games to load a little longer, look and play a little worse than 360 versions and last up to 10 hours. You think something like in-game xmb would jeapardize it's superior RAM? No way!

[Armyless]

The PS3 OS is always on. Implementation is a firmware update, the problem, as stated before, is INTEGRATION. The developers were left with the OPTION to include these features, but few have and now it looks like Sony is being asked to include the option at the OS level.

The PS3 OS is always on, and always uses the same amount of DEDICATED memory. If you didn't have your head shoved up your a$$ you'd know that.

[Muppetmeat]

I've FINALLY got a limey bastard to tell me what I do and don't need instead of the government. And all this time, I thought I could really use an in-game XMB, but this Brit just cleared things up... How stupid I've been all along!!

[slowlearner]

Wow! 30 comments with no fanboys bashing the ps3. Progress?

[WilliamRLBaker]

any time some idiot tells us we dont need a thing for no reason at all we unite, its like america when we get attacked! darky! whitey! yellow guy! wonder twin powers activate! AHHHHHHHHHH

[darkvenom]

in the hell is this a$$h@le telling us what we don't need?

[undacovabrothe]

Also people got to remeber in game messaging just doesnt consist of being online i should be able to play a game like assasin creed and send messages. The system resistence has is not a full version of in game messaging just for online. Although if they added that system when u pressed the ps button in the middle to pop up for everygame in or out that be good enough and chat.

[jared81799]

of course we need XMB access. I want to be able to surf for a strat guide or something when im playing a game.

[Premonition]

There is a flaw in this, there could be cheating evolved at some point in the future, for example, access the XMB to do a chat go back in-game and talk while playing and say if the person your talkin to is dead, he can move around the map (if the game allows) and tell you where everyone is. I remember this happening on CoD2 for the 360.

[Relientk77]

um idc what he says I want an in game XMB

[jackdoe]

I don't need it, but it would still be nice to have one.Don't see what the problem is. Why not encourage Sony to include one in their next firmware update?

[Double-Edged]

hmmmm...

After having 360... I'll feel naked with out in-game XMB.

cuz I always need to know what my friends are doing and how they are progressing in the game... messaging and everything, chat, etc.

But it all comes down to in-game music.

PLAYING FUNK BEATS WHILE PLAYING CRACKDOWN is FUUUNNNNN!!!!!

and what is better than... listening to your own music while tearing the track up in FORZA2.

PS3 owners would love In-game XMB.

Just imagine playing motorstorm with your own music.

duuuhhh.. it would be crazy and increase attraction.

[darkvenom]

agree Double-Edged + bubble for you sir.

[ElementX]

Go Sony. Provide us users with a half assed version of XBL. At least MS has their online sh!t together.

EDIT: I knew this comment would get disagrees. Face it, XBL has the features, cross game chat, invites, an "achivement" system that has been around since the system was launched (what? PS3 "trophies"? what about those games I beat last year? What? no recognition? Will I have to play those games over again to get the trophies after I download a "patch"?) PS3 is great, 360 is great, but 360 has a better online system.

[jackdoe]

I'm sorry but if you seek recognition for beating a game, you seriously need a life. Games are a nice distraction, and fun, but as a badge of honor? No thanks. Sitting on my ass, playing a game does not earn that kind of recognition. Helping the poor, now that is an achievement to be proud of.

[ElementX]

Tell that to the millions of 360 users who enjoy the gamerscore as a fun feature. Maybe helping the poor or whatever is something I do through donations.

One year I donated over $500 to the Salvation Army. That about covers me for a few more years.

[INehalemEXI]

wait a min this guy is missing something though.... what the bleep he think home is for , you gather in home and enter the game as 1 unit.

Im sorry but I don't like interuptions while in game. When I was playing crackdown on my 360 waiting for the halo 3 beta to start working. That frigan bubble would keep popping up with folks wanting to join my game. No thanks I seriously don't like that. Though X game chat would be nice its not what im looking for from sony atm.

Would rather have ingame XMB , Music etc. I may not be the most social of people though so maybe its just me.

If you really had to tell your buddy something then you could message him anyway if you had in game XMB anyway dude. Stop trying to divert sony's attention from the fact we want ingame xmb, music etc. before its implemented.

/rant denied.

"Every time I plant a seed. He say Kill it before it grows." - Bob Marley

[Bombomb]

Sony don't need in-game XMB, they don't even need games. They get 10-15 free movies, I think that's good enough and a free half-assed PSN service.

Sony needs to ask ms for some help, so simple to implement buts its taking a year. told ya they weren't ready. so many promises, yet so much of it undelivered.

wait wait wait with them...

you want divx & xvid from Ms BAM!!! you got it..

[PimpHandHappy]

in game messaging is what i want most

[The Wood]

the entire xbb is not needed, granted. Settings menu is needed (sound, picture and accessories )and in game messaging is needed . cross game chat not really needed.

EDIT

His point about things that are not needed holding sony up is a fair point but we are the consumer that they have to continually please.

[ultraviolentz]

i for one WOULD like to visit the store in game, pause and resume downloads, and change resolutions. i dont need some tard telling me what i want. hes like microsoft

[THE_JUDGE]

message system needs an overhaul. I can see why full XMB may not be needed but some of these things are important features should implemented soon and we should be told if they aren't going to be here until Home is launched. If Home is the solution to the problem, I wish Sony would just say, "Sit tight, Home will be the answer to all of your problems" That would make me happy at least knowing that a fix is coming.

[whoelse]

Dont tell us what we do and do not want! Do i want messaging? Yes. Do i want music? Yes. Do i want internet? Funny as it sounds but sometimes i do. And Video and PLAYSTATION Store.

[sleepbox]

I pull up my in-game LIVE blades constantly...this is a feature I thought the PS3 had...wow, it really IS behind the 360 tech-wise...

[Cynical-Gamerzus]

Other than that Im looking forward to HOME.
IM and messaging, checking email while im playing a game is pathetic and girlie..
Ill be busy blowing things up.So Im game music but who cares about chatting like some microsoftnut lover

[SpinalRemains138]

It would be nice to update your buddy list while playing online

[Boondocks26]

LOL