Open Beta Home

Update #2: 51N15T3R has now added the US PlayStation Home .PKG File (76.9MB) to our PSN Link Database!

Update: It appears some are still experiencing a C-991 network error when trying to log into the service with a message that tells you the connection to the server was lost.

As reported earlier today, you may now download PlayStation Home. The tech issues are now ironed out, and it's download is under the PlayStation Network Icon in XMB, you can't miss it!

From Jack Buser (Director, PlayStation Home) via PS Blog:

Hi PLAYSTATION 3 community,

I am so very happy to announce that PlayStation Home has now officially entered into Open Beta. Restart your PLAYSTATION 3, and you will see the PlayStation Home icon under the PlayStation Network column of the XMB. Click on the icon, and you are in.

Getting to this point has required a tremendous amount of participation, input, care, and passion from the thousands of beta testers who helped make PlayStation Home what it is today. So to all of you that have tested, from all of us on the PlayStation Home team here at Sony: “Thank You!”

For those of you that are new to PlayStation Home, be sure to plug in a USB keyboard (or pair your Bluetooth headset) and start meeting your fellow PS3 owners. And remember, even with all the spaces, rewards, items, and activities available today, what you see now is just the beginning. Home will grow, change, and evolve very quickly – and it is all based on your feedback.

This is your community, and we are listening.

PLaystation Store Update For October 17, 2008

Per Grace Chen (Senior Manager, PLAYSTATION Store) today:

Hi again! The weekend’s here – time for your weekly update of new movie & TV shows on the PLAYSTATION Network.

This week we’ve added new video content from the following television series:

• American Chopper, Season 4
• American Dad, Season 3
• Astro Boy, Season 2
• Bones, Season 4
• Family Guy, Season 7
• Fat Guy Stuck in the Internet, Season 1
• Friends, Season 4
• Fringe, Season 1
• Gossip Girl, Season 2
• The Thin White Line
• Family Guy, Season 3
• Fringe, Season 1
• Privileged, Season 1
• Robot Chicken, Season 3
• Rules of Engagement, Season 1

We’ve also added the following feature films:

• August
• Bless the Child
• City of Men
• Deterrence
• Dragonslayer
• Flashback
• Ghost
• Heaven Can Wait
• Almost Heroes
• American Ninja
• Auquamarine
• Be Kind Rewind
• Demolition Man
• Mission: Impossible II
• Pet Sematary
• Sex & The City
• The Dead pool
• The Hills Have Eyes
• Two Weeks Notice
• You Don’t Mess with the Zohan

Have a great weekend!

Resistance 2 Trailer "Last Hours"

Community Relations Manager for Insomniac Games James Stevenson has made available the latest Resistance 2 'Last Hours' Trailer via GameTrailers today.

To quote: As development on the game is wrapping up in here in Burbank, and the last few bugs are hunted down and squashed, we wanted to make an announcement we’re very excited about. Since Resistance: Fall of Man, one of the biggest feature requests for the game was that we implemented split-screen online play.

We are happy to announce that Resistance 2 will feature 2-player split-screen play for both competitive play as well as our 8-player online co-op campaign! Now you won’t have to stop leveling up your medic just because your friend is over!



In addition – we recently announced the contents of our collector’s edition. Many of you wrote in asking for the bonus disc to be a Blu-Ray instead of a DVD. We can also announce that the Bonus Disc will now indeed be a Blu-Ray disc, bringing almost all of the special features to you in High-Definition.

We are excited to play you guys online during the public beta in the coming weeks, as well as when the game releases on November 4th.

If you have questions or comments, please post below. Bryan Intihar and I will be around to answer!

New SpringWidget

Get this widget!

WWE SmackDown 2009 at IGN

PS3 Firmware 2.42

A new PlayStation 3 Firmware has hit Network Update, namely version 2.42.

According to PlayStation Network director Eric Lempel via the PS Blog, PS3 Firmware 2.42 improves the playback quality of some PLAYSTATION 3 and PlayStation format software.

As usual, a direct link to the PS3 Firmware download is provided below in case you wish to install the update manually.

Download: PS3 Firmware 2.42 (US) / PS3 Firmware 2.42 (EU)

PS3 Controller

Manucc1, a member of Spanish community Elotrolado (linked above), believes there may be a possible PS3 exploit in the PS3 Controller... although SIXAXIS or DS3 is not specified, and it could work in a similar manner to the Pandora Batteries in the PSP.

This claim is based primarily on speculation that in the PS3 controller there is a chip that is the same as on PSP, and it is alleged to control Firmware in some fashion.

Info on the chip is available HERE, and a list of IC chips in PS3 is available HERE.

This EEPROM chip may allow Firmware to be installed (when you install Firmware on PS3, you always have to use the controller... before 2.1, you had to plug the controller in via USB).

For those who don't speak Spanish, they are currently looking into the contents of the chip and seeing whether this will lead to anything more.. but have long way to go yet.

PS3 Firmware 2.40 download

The wait is finally over for those anticipating the day PS3 Firmware 2.40 would be available.

A few weeks back, we posted a video of PS3 Firmware 2.40 Debug in action on a TEST PS3 unit, and more recently Sony confirmed the PS3 Firmware 2.40 Update's Features (including detailing which titles currently offer Trophy support), along with an Official PS3 Firmware v2.40 FAQ.

Download: PS3 Firmware Update 2.40 (US) / PS3 Firmware Update 2.40 (EU)

Without further ado, grab PS3 Firmware Update 2.40 above and feel free to share your feedback with us!

PS3 Firmware 2.40 video

Just before the official release of PS3 Firmware v2.40 retail, another video of the much-anticipated v2.40 Firmware in action has now surfaced on YouTube.

The video comes from xM4GN3Tx there, and attempts to guide people through the upcoming PS3 Firmware 2.40 update.

Those interested can check it out below, while the rest of us await the official 2.40 release from Sony.

Enjoy!

Night Of Champions Live

Watch live video from WWE Night Of Champions Live on Justin.tv

Call Of Duty World at War Trailer

Call of Duty is back! Today the exclusive debut teaser video is released.

It reads: Enter the pacific theater. With flamethrowers.

The video is available to watch below, courtesy of GameTrailers.

Enjoy guys!

Xross Media Bar's

Sony declares "game on" as Adam Turner discovers the PS3's menu system is now built into Bravia televisions.

The user interface seems to be an afterthought on many consumer electronic devices, but Sony has obviously had its UI boffins working overtime (playing games consoles - nice work if you can get it).

They've decided that the XMB (Xross Media Bar) menu system used by the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable is more friendly that the menus used by Sony's big-arse Bravia LCD televisions, so the new generation of Bravias will utilise the PS3's menu system.

The old Bravias were designed around a standard tree-like menu system, with options opening up to the right as you scroll down through the categories. The Bravia's Xross Media Bar menus are built around a similar concept, the menus are sightly more animated but it still requires you to scroll down through categories as your options pop up on the right.

The Xross Media Bar actually has a similar look and feel to the Vista Media Centre interface and even the changes in Windows Mobile 6.1.

The Bravia's move to Xross Media Bar is more cosmetic than functional, yet I can't deny that I prefer it over the old Bravia menus. Smooth and responsive menus reduce the feeling that you're fighting with a device. The iPhone's touch-sensitive menus, that allow you to flick to scroll, are one of the best examples of this.

While PS3 lovers are probably rejoicing at Xross Media Bar's move to the Bravia, the big question is whether your average suburbanites will take to it. What looks intuitive to the tech-savvy may very well look intimidating to everyone else. According to Sony, Xross Media Bar won an Emmy award - but I'm always suspicious of Sony winning awards after the SIXAXIS affair.

GameTrailers have shared a handy Metal Gear Solid 4 guide on close quarters combat.

In related news, early sales figures from Japan show that MGS4 has already sold over 300,000 copies (not including bundles). Around 130,000 standard editions were sold and 170,000 limited editions were sold.

A detailed look at Snake's melee moves is below:

Enjoy!

Hacked2123

It's been a long time coming, but 06/12 is finally here. For months, I've held a secret, something that may have the shear potential to ultimately unlock the PS3. A few select, knew of my work, and my prospects for this project, and a few select others were told "06/12 is the day."

Explanation: So on this day I give to you a PS3 Tri-Fold Attack Potential release (and Update 1.0 Files, NOT NEEDED- but for those who want to examine the file verification system), all stemming from one game that has a very grave security flaw.

Call of Duty 3: Many games prior to discovering this one, had great potential to write files to the PS3 HDD, such as Resistance: FoM, Motorstorm, and Warhawk. Warhawk was a particularly good one at that cause at the time we managed to overwrite other game param.sfo's.



The major flaw that came about was patches, and game updates that blocked our methods. At the time we had little knowledge of the HDD's true importance to the system's operation, as with prior PS3 Dev news on AIX.

This leads me to the security flaw of CoD3, it can't be patched without an entire Firmware update. This means all PS3 Dev's who choose to continue research in this area will find it always available to them, should they not update (which was not the case for Warhawk that used a "Server Down" call message to direct users to the PSN Store to update).

Note: This is the only game on the PS3 that allows updating to occur without being logged into your Playstation Network Account :D

For more information, read the included NFO File or view the YouTube video above.
Click for Fullsize!

Ubidays Home

PS3 Home BETA testers are experiencing all the sights, sounds and action of Ubidays '08 through PlayStation Home's new Media & Events Space.

Sony announced the space yesterday, and said that it that will serve as the live entertainment hub of the thriving PS3 online community, hosting everything from new game unveilings to sports events to fashion shows.

Ubidays Home video below from DarkoD via YouTube- enjoy!

PS3 Flash

First of all, readers of our Forums know (with the assistance of our Members) we have recently been doing research into the PS3 RCO file format.

Note that it is different than that on a PSP, however, contains similarities as well. We have received a few questions as to "why" we want to examine the files... it's for a few reasons. First off- We are all curious! Secondly, the RCO files, in support with other files, enable/disable "links" to PS3 XMB options.

In related news, we have now accessed the PS3 Flash's FileSystem, and among other things (to be posted in Part 2 or 3 of this article) it contains a folder called "ps1emu".

What is it for? We found out! Inside the ps1emu folder, upon the insertion of a PS2 disc, a file is copied there by the name of "ps1_rom.bin". Oddly enough, it is actually the custom made PS2's BIOS for the PS3! Why it's in the PS1 folder is unknown to us just yet, however, we can confirm it is the PS2 BIOS. An excerpt from ps1_rom.bin is attached below in the screenshot.

Finally, in regards to our PS3 Flash work thus far: Successful changes have been made to some areas, however, they are not useful just yet. Before we can change large areas of code we need to recalculate the PS3 Flash's ECC. Work is ongoing on that, with more to come, including more goodies from the flash!

Home Beta

So, why was PlayStation Home delayed? Sure, we know Sony desperately needed more time to improve the service, but that’s a rather vague reason.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe boss David Reeves has elaborated on why they chose to delay Home, revealing that the decision was made due to a lack of focus towards gamers, and more of a focus towards advertisers and sponsors.

We’ve realized that maybe we were too ambitious with the non-gaming applications within Home, getting sponsors and stuff like that.

In that sense we were deserting gamers. So, we’re concentrating on the gaming by launching games in Home, and attracting people who are into gaming in first - instead of the Nike people, or Adidas people who are into fashion and not necessarily into gaming.

Barring any last minute delays, the Home open BETA is set to launch this fall.

Rockstar working around the clock to fix GTA IV freezing

Rockstar customer service representative has issued the following statement regarding the freezing issues PS3 owners of GTA IV have experienced:

"A patch is being worked on around the clock to address the issues. It's bound to be. That's how they address this sort of thing. It is being worked on. We're looking into it. You will hear from us if a patch is released. A patch is usually the way it's been done."

The rep also said that they have not been told what is causing the game to freeze and that they are "devoid of information at the moment".

To quote: We were also given some tips on how to combat the freezing experienced on the PS3 version of the game, including:

Completely remove the game from the system but leave saves behind.

Turn the console off for 15 minutes without any cables plugged in, then turn it on and try again.

Play without access to the Internet.

Turn off the auto save function and the controller vibration setting.

GTA IV Multiplayer Gameplay

BACKLASH STREAM 2008

STREAM BACKLASH 2008

Watch live video from xtreme wwe channel on Justin.tv

Watch live video from xtreme wwe channel on Justin.tv

A week ago we posted news that the Lite-On DH-401S can read Sony PS3 game discs!, and today I am adding a brief follow-up to that article.

I grabbed one of the drives last week and it arrived a few days ago, installed it into the PC, and can confirm Jan70's findings- that it indeed reads PS3 Game Discs flawlessly!

Below are a few screencaptures illustrating the drive, dumping Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom for PS3 via DVD Decrypter which took 00:14:10 to copy 8.27 GB (8,880,652,288 bytes) of data. As you can see, the resulting .ISO image file is viewable in iSOBuster and as suspected the disc-based encryption layer is still present as is on dumps done via PS3 Linux/SAK... as illustrated in WinHex below.

In summary, for the low price (under $130) the Lite-On DH-401S drive is very handy for renting and ripping PS3 discs (or backing up your own :p)... however, once again until there is a way to actually run them on retail PS3 consoles the resulting images are only good for examination and archival purposes.

MGO Beta

According to their Web site, Konami has now postponed their Metal Gear Online Public BETA for gamers outside of Japan. To quote: IMPORTANT NOTICE for all METAL GEAR ONLINE PREMIERE BETA players We would like to thank all players for their keen interest in taking part in the beta test. However, we regret to inform you that due to extraordinary levels of traffic from all around the globe, we have been unable to run the service to the level we expected. As a temporary measure, we will be deferring the start of the US public beta test until we are able to stabilize our server. We would like to apologize for all inconveniences as well as confusion caused. We would like to add that due to the above reasons, we will be making the following changes to the schedule: 1) Starting date: TBA. We will be making another announcement on 22/4/2008 23:00(PDT) 2) Beta Test closure: This will now be on 11/05/2008 at 24:00(PDT) rather than 06/05/2008 at 24:00(PDT) IMPORTANT: Please note that your voucher code will only be valid up until 05/06/2008, so please make sure to register them by then

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, MGO Beta and more

Hi all! Since Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is such a huge release, with so many different promotions and packages, we thought we’d take some time to clarify the rumors and speculation going on out there, as well as break some news about what we’ll be offering.

In case you have not heard, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots hits stores June 12th, 2008 and is rated “M” by the ESRB. This is for all the different configurations of the product, detailed below, which includes: the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Standard Edition, the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Limited Edition, the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” PLAYSTATION 3 Hardware Bundle, and the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Limited Edition PLAYSTATION 3 Hardware Bundle. We’ll get to details on each of these below.

First, the “Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2” free pre-order bonus offer DVD with MGO Beta Unique Product Voucher Code insert…

This is a special offer, made through participating retailers and store locations, for customers that pre-order either the MGS4 Standard Edition or the MGS4 Limited Edition. We’ve been receiving reports over the last couple of weeks that store locations have been making the item available as soon as they’ve gotten the shipments in. As of this writing, participating retailers and their respective store locations should be getting their shipments and making them available. Unfortunately, we don’t have any more granular information beyond that, so you really have to check with your retailer/store location of choice, see if they are participating, and find out when and if they will have stock available. Also, please bear in mind, quantities are very limited, so you will have to do a bit of “legwork” to secure your copy while supplies last.

The “Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2” DVD contains extensive original video content, which primarily focuses on the interconnected history of the “Snakes”: Big Boss (Naked Snake), Liquid Snake, Solidus Snake, and of course, Solid Snake. Additionally, the DVD contains a compilation of the MGS4 trailers to date and a special Prologue video to MGS4.

An insert in the “Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2” DVD case is your ticket to the Metal Gear Online Beta, containing the Unique Product Voucher Code (UPVC) and instructions on redeeming the UPVC to download the Beta client via the PlayStation Store when the download becomes available. The download of the MGO Beta will be available from April 17th 2008 to May 5th 2008 and the game play will be available from April 21st 2008 to May 5th 2008.

Over the last couple of weeks, we have heard a lot of questions from customers who have attained the “Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2” DVD, particularly about redeeming their UPVC via the PlayStation Store right now. Let’s make this clear: you CAN NOT redeem the UPVC for the MGO Beta download until April 17th, you will get an error until then. Do not attempt to redeem your UPVC for the MGO Beta right now, it won’t work! You will be able to do so April 17th!

Second, the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Standard Edition …

Yes, the image above represents the final box art for the MGS4 SE. Mr. Kojima and his team specifically designed the packaging art to convey his artistic vision for MGS4 – for all you MGS fans, this has been the status quo since the beginning of the franchise. If you have put in the extra effort to pre-order with a participating retailer/store location, while supplies last, you can also obtain the “Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2” DVD with MGO Beta Unique Product Voucher Code insert (detailed above). This product, of course, includes the full game of MGS4 as well as the Metal Gear Online “Starter Pack”. What is an MGO “Starter Pack”? We’ll get to that in just a little bit below, suffice to say, it is a full and complete multiplayer component of MGS4. Additionally, exclusively available through GameStop, customers reserving the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Standard Edition will receive an exclusive MGS4 Art Book at time of purchase. This offer is good while supplies last, see stores for details. The MSRP of the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Standard Edition is $59.99 USD.

Third, the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Limited Edition…

Yes, we just revealed another never before seen final box in this article, this time for the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Limited Edition, which will be available exclusively through GameStop. The MGS4 LE contains everything the SE offers (above, yes, with the potential to get the “Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2” DVD with MGO Beta Unique Product Voucher Code insert), as well as a collectible box with exclusive artwork by famed Kojima Productions illustrator Yoji Shinkawa, an additional Blu-ray disc containing two unique and never-before-seen Metal Gear Solid “Making of…” documentaries, and the MGS4 Soundtrack. Additionally, customers reserving the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Limited Edition will receive an exclusive MGS4 Art Book at time of purchase. This offer is good while supplies last, see stores for details. The MSRP of the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Limited Edition is $84.99 USD.

Fourth, the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” PLAYSTATION 3 Hardware Bundle…

Again, hot off the presses, a never before seen box! Of note, for the first time ever, the PS3 will be packaged in a white box as opposed to the typical black one, and of course, is also branded with MGS4 goodness! Inside you will find the 80GB PLAYSTATION 3 package (yes, the 80GB PS3 has been resurrected for this bundle), and will include a PS3 DualShock 3 controller - yes, the PS3 controller that rumbles, and the MGS4 SE (detailed above).

Fifth, the “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” Limited Edition PLAYSTATION 3 Hardware Bundle …

Sorry, no box reveal this time (we have to keep some surprises )! We are confirming that there will be a North America offering of this VERY, VERY Limited Edition bundle! This is the “gunmetal grey” PS3 – the one seen selling out in a matter of moments in Japan at the KonamiStyle web store. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting product!

Lastly, sixth, we’d like to shed some light on “Metal Gear Online” and the MGO “Starter Pack” that comes with MGS4 …

From what we’ve seen here at Konami, there has been some confusion as to what exactly a “Starter Pack” is, so let’s put that to rest right now.

The MGO “Starter Pack” that comes with MGS4 (all configurations, detailed above) is a full-fledged, fully-featured multiplayer component of MGS4. It is not a “demo” or “teaser” in any way, as some have speculated. It comes packed with maps, weapons/items, an in-depth character creator – where your character can be personalized, and most importantly, customized – with special abilities that can be “leveled” and improved through experience, the SOP system, and much more. There will also be an extremely deep community experience through a specialized portal that will feature stats, communication, and other never before seen features - which we’ll dig into at a later date…

So, you may be wondering why we call it a “Starter Pack”, well, the answer is very simple: because it’s just the beginning. We have a huge slate of downloadable content planned for the game which encompasses new maps, weapons/items, and much more. Eurogamer has a fantastic preview up, which is a great primer on MGO, and details some of the unique features that show why it’s not just another shooter…

But, of course, if you’re one of the lucky few, you’ll be able to get your hands on the MGO Beta in just a couple of weeks (April 21st 2008 – May 5th 2008), and see for yourself!

Also, please don’t forget to check out the latest KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS REPORT from Ryan Payton at Kojima Productions in Japan!

And with that, we end this particular article. We’ll be watching the comments, so please let us know your thoughts, and specifically what you’d like to hear (we’ll do our best to address your burning questions, but please bear in mind, we’re really busy working on MGS4 among a lot of other great Konami games, so please understand we will not be able to get to everyone’s questions)!

Check back here on the PS Blog next Monday, April 14th 2008, as we have a very special surprise in store for you! See you next Monday!

PlayStation@Home

Update: CJPC has now publically posted the FULL PS3 Home Links for those who wish to further experiment.

Shortly following the earlier Site News from xtianoPL detailing PlayStation@Home working, but you can't play! we have a follow-up courtesy of rda990... According to THIS post (and also the pics/video below) he can play in PS3 Home now without being invited into the BETA program, however, there are no other users active he states as follows: I am the only one there. I can't see anyone there, it's like me being the last man on earth. I haven't seen anyone yet, so far I have been in the (I think its) something Squar- the theather, and right now I'm in the bowling alley.

How to Metal Gear Solid 4 Beta

1) Go to this page
https://id.konami.net/login.do


2) Click on the top left corner blue link



3) On the new page that comes, don't do anything. Just click on the bottom left link.



4) On the new page, click again on the bottom left link:



5) On the new page, you will see this:
*Note that you only need to fill out the boxes where you see the red star*


First star: KONAMI ID: choose your personal MGO BETA ID
Be aware that you cannot use CAPS.

Second star: PASSWORD: You need to enter (and re-enter it in the box just under it) your password, which should include minimum 9 symbols, in these 9 symbols at least 2 digits.


6) Then continue scrolling down to find the following:


First star: Do not do anything
Second star: Select and copy the text on the right, and paste it into the box like i show it in the above picture


7) Continue scrolling down to find this:


First star: Enter (and re-enter it in the box just under it) your email address
Second star: Like previously, select the text on the right and copy-paste into the box

Third star: Select any of the 2 choices
Fourth star: Click on the button you see.
On the new page, you have to do the following:





1- Enter the numbers in the box (120 - 0013)
2- Click the button represented by the arrow (it's the one right under the number 120)
3- After doing so, you will see some writings showing at the bottom.
Like represented by the arrow, click on the blue bottom left link that you see to confirm.



8) Almost done, continue down the page and you will see is this:
Don't do anything, just click on the bottom left link.




9) On the new page, which summarize your infos, click on the bottom left link once again



10) Now click on the link like shown in the picture



You will now get an email, so log into your inbox and click on the confirmation link provided in the email to finalize registration. The link will send you to this page, so click on the bottom left link.



Now for the final time, click on the bottom left link




11) Go to this page:
https://id.konami.net/mgo_beta

Here enter your KONAMI ID and PASSWORD you created during the registration, then hit the below button:



Once that done, you will see a survey, just enter whatever you want at random, then confirm.
You will finally have your japanese MGS BETA code.

You will then receive an email with you code.
Now all you have to do is wait until the MGO open beta is available for download.

Note: To create a japanese account, follow the steps here:
www.japanesepsn.com

Download Third Person Cam

Enter the battle with an over the shoulder camera and see the Action from an all new perspective! Action Cam is designed to offer better visibility, depth, and feedback to the player than the normal first person view, and offers pixel-perfect accuracy.



Download

You heard it here first. Forget about GTA IV. Forget about Gears of War 2. Forget about Metal Gear Solid 4. All of those games are going to be awesome, yes. All of those games are going to sell millions.

But one game from Bethesda Softworks is going to rise to the top in 2008 and claim the crown for game of the year. That game is Fallout 3. As creators of the critically acclaimed Elder Scrolls series, Bethesda has firmly established itself as one of the leading RPG game designers on consoles.

Currently in development for the Xbox 360 and PS3, Fallout 3 is set in the United States after a nuclear war in the year 2077 kills almost everyone on the entire planet. After the nuclear fallout, only a handful of humans who took refuge in Vault 101 in Washington DC are thought to have survived.

For 200 years Vault 101 has remained closed... awaiting the day when it is safe to emerge into a world that is completely decimated, and where radiation has mutated those who survived outside the safety of Vault 101.

While very little has been released to the public on this game, the buzz from review editors and industry insider’s that have had the good fortune to see the game is incredibly positive. Early word on the game also indicates that there will be 200 different endings. Whether these are true endings or slight variations on few different ones remains to be seen.

The strength of the game will no doubt come from the huge impact your character has in the world, and how it affects not only the gameplay but the story as well. For example, you may be given the opportunity to nuke a town off the map. If so, it will be gone for the rest of the game. Or, you can save it. The choice will be up to you, and the consequences will play out differently depending on your actions.

I have little doubt that the next installment of Fallout 3 is in good hands with Bethesda. They have proven themselves with Morrowind and Oblivion and are working on a project that really excites them. When the nuclear winter ends, I think that Fallout 3 will be the last game left standing and claim the crown for Game of the Year in 2008. Now lets just hope it makes its scheduled 2008 release in late fall. Only time will tell.

Bonus video can be seen below:

GTA IV Screenshot

The lighting here is great. I love the little red and white lights all around, especially to the left of the shot.

Is that a one hole golf course under the back wheel of the helicopter?

Thanks to RockStar for this great screenshot..

Click to enlarge it, and enjoy!

Firmware 2.20 Update

Update: The official changelog is now detailed at Sony's site linked above, with 2.20 changes including:

- Playlists that were created in Music and Photo can now be copied along with the content they contain to a PSP system. You can play the content on the PSP system in the order that was set on the PS3 system.
- BD Profile 2.0 is now supported. With BDs that support BD-LIVE, you can access internet content for the BD.
- Resume play* can now be used on a BD or DVD even if the PS3 system has been turned off or the disc has been ejected. However, there are some discs on which resume play cannot be used.
- DivX content that exceeds 2 GB can now be played. Also, subtitles can now be displayed for DivX content.

Currently via Network Update (or linked below), those interested can grab PS3 Firmware Update v2.20 hot off the press!

We'll post an official changelog when it's available, but for the most part 2.20 changes are detailed in the Press Release from earlier today.

Download: PS3 Firmware Update 2.20 (US) / PS3 Firmware Update 2.20 (EU)

To recap, notable features in the update include support for BD-Live capable movie titles, an optimized Internet browser that can now steam video files directly from Web pages, and support for DivX and WMV format videos larger than 2GB in size.

PS3 KeyVault

We have a few PS3 development updates for the new week, including some PS3 KeyVault Project and PS3 Flash news.

To start, resident PS3 Dev subdub has been a bit busy, so he has yet to put the finishing touches on our PS3 KeyVault Server Application. In his absence, both ggparallel and mainman have picked up the slack, and are finishing up the server application. While they are finishing up the app, they are also optimizing the code so it is more versatile as it can auto-update clients, and it will also be able to handle more requests.

Below is a picture of the client application's Web interface that runs on any PS3, including retail consoles via OtherOS. It basically lets you configure the PS3's IP address, check the status of the program, the kernel, and transmitted packets.

Another resident PS3 Dev, who recently received a PS3 TEST unit, is currently awaiting some new hot air rework tools. His PS3 TEST (see HERE) then has an appointment with some solder and wire. We expect to have the flash dumped soon, barring any unforseen circumstances, and then we can analyze the differences in the IPL as well as the mystery detection bits.

Finally, my PS3 Backup Launcher (for Debug units) is at version .002. The menu system was ported over, it is now a nice selectable menu. Due to this change, the graphics library is a bit limited.. so no cool moving background anymore, just a plain grey one.

Also we have noticed some extra checks in a few newer PS3 games that disallow repatching and running from Internal HDD (USB HDD still works fine). We are currently attempting to locate and patch these calls in the newer titles.

In the picture below you see four games, including the disc handed out in Japan at PS3 Launch- the "HD Visual Preview Disc" which is actually a game SELF with two movies! Also in Alpha .002, support was added to boot games from BD/DVD, which works perfectly provided the disc has been properly mastered.

More to come, and hopefully we can get our PS3 KeyVault Project underway soon!

Time Splitter 4

TimeSplitters 4 is the fourth installment of the TimeSplitters series developed by Free Radical Design.

In June 2007, the Official UK PlayStation Magazine revealed that another installment of the TimeSplitters series was in the works.. However, at Kotaku, Rob Yescombe, the scriptwriter for the previous title in the series, said that the systems they were developing the game for were "unsigned at the moment." Free Radical's David Doak has described Wii development in general as "a good thing to do" and followed that up with "I think we want to put it [TimeSplitters 4] on the Wii", in an interview with Game Informer.

"I'm sure it's possible to do a control scheme that works," Doak added when asked about his thoughts on developing a first-person shooter for Wii.

Steve Ellis reported that "They're gearing up to insert monkeys and guns into all the wrong places." In an interview with David Doak, he alluded to focusing gameplay rather than special effects or graphics.

The logo for the game is currently a spoof of the Gears of War logo with a monkey head replacing the skull. There was some concept art for a monkey in Master Chief's armour. Because of this, it is expected that there will be more in-game "potshots" of those games as well as other gaming franchises. Yescombe from Free Radical confirmed that prediction.

• Developer(s) Free Radical Design
• Series TimeSplitters
• Platform(s) PS3, XBOX 360, [probably also Wii]
  
• Release date 2009
• Genre(s) First-person shooter
• Mode(s) Single player, Multiplayer
  

James Bond 007 [2008] (PS3, XBOX 360)

Quantum of Solace (assumed title) is an upcoming video game featuring fictional secret agent James Bond; the game is presently in production. To be published by Activision and developed by Treyarch, Beenox and Vicarious Visions (for next-generation consoles, Windows PC and hand-held platforms respectively), it will be released sometime in 2008.

The game will be the first James Bond title produced by Activision; the company acquired the video game license to the Bond franchise in 2006. This will also be the second game to be based after one of the movies, the first James Bond game to be playable on a next-generation console as well as being the first James Bond game to feature Daniel Craig's likeness. The game will be an adaption of the 22nd Bond film Quantum of Solace.

According to Kagari (a GameStop employee), the North American release of the Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition box set will feature a soundtrack CD, along with an extra Blu-ray disc.

The disc is said to include an interview with the game's producer Hideo Kojima, two 'making of' documentary, videos, and four chapters from an MGS graphic novel.

Finally, those who pre-order will also receive a free MGS artbook at the time of purchase. In total, the LE set is set to retail for a hefty $84.99.

Bear in mind this is all still unconfirmed at the moment, however, stay tuned for further details as they are available.

Cyberfix has released the first version of PS3 SAK Export And File Merger. Built off of NZHawk's ISO Backup Merger, this program basically makes it easier to output/copy PS3 games to ISO format (Converts Blu-ray.a files to .ISO)

Good work guys.

No this does not mean PS3 backups are playable.

[Download PS3 SAK Export And File Merger Plus v0.1.0.0]

Source: PS3hax.net

Come ByPassare il Firmware 2.17

This tutorial will allow you to easily bypass the Firmware Check on your PS3, simply by using the a proxy server to redirect the update txt file to a local file on your hdd with different information

0.) View your proxy Download

1.) Download PS3 Proxy and configure your PS3 to use it.

Go to settings -> network settings -> internet connection settings then choose custom. carry on through all of the options until you get to proxy server. select use then enter your pc's ip address and use 8080 for the port number. After this is configured, save settings but dont test them.

With ps3 proxy, enter your pc's IP address in the IP address box and select ps3 mode, then pust the start button



2.) With ps3 proxy look in the logs and look for the ps3-updatelist.txt



3.) Right click and Save Target as... Save to your pc. Also right click again and Copy Shortcut.

4.) Goto the replace files tab and paste the copied shortcut into the left white box.



5.) Open the txt file you downloaded and replace the ImageVersion and SystemSoftwareVersion to this:

Code:

ImageVersion=00000aa0;SystemSoftwareVersion=0.0000

Your file should now look something like this:

Code:

# UK Dest=87;ImageVersion=00000aa0;SystemSoftwareVersion=0.0000;CDN=http://duk01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/uk/2008_0313_b859ca0f15fe9516d85fd0d89444ac5b/PS3UPDAT.PUP;CDN_Timeout=30;

6.) Save and close the file.

7.) Go back to the ps3 proxy and redirect the file to the file you just edited.



8.) LOGIN TO PSN AND ENJOY!

Hope this helps you lot!

Source: PS3hax.net

PS3 News

Le false comunicazioni di PS3 Slump, Playstation 3 FirmwareMorpher e Team ICE hanno portato alla conclusione che solamente in estate i veri hackers si metteranno a lavoro per un programma che permetterà alla PS3 di lavorare sulle ISO.

Source: Staff