Glen Atwell
Shaun InguanzoGTA IV kills Playstation 3 console
May 1st 2008 02:29
UPDATE (8 MAY): Rockstar has released a patch addressing the following issues.
Read more about it here.
Apparently it was Gamespy's servers and an issue with those overloading that led to the game freezing. I'm still unhappy that my PS3 is busted, though!
GAMER Herald is in mourning after the loss of Shaun's Playstation 3 console last night when the bluray drive in the system stopped reading discs.
The culprit? Grand Theft Auto IV.
Quite simply, the multiplayer feature in the PS3 version is broken and needs patching.
Apart from lag, the game constantly froze my 40GB PS3 - an issue I hadn't experienced over 10 hours of playing the single player element of the game, and have never experienced before with my PS3.
So when it froze once more last night during multiplayer GTA- and hitting the PS button, and the soft power button failed to unfreeze my PS3 - I was forced to use the switch at the rear of the console to reset it.
Upon rebooting, my PS3 no longer recognised game discs, bluray movies, DVDs, or even audio CDs.
A bit of research on Google has unearthed this to be a problem for PS3 users on par with the red-ring-of-death issue for Xbox 360 users.
Although not as widespread because it is triggered by the end-user, not an inevitable hardware fault, it seems switching off the console from the rear switch - even if you have to - while the console is frozen is a big no-no.
The only way to have the problem resolved is to contact Sony, hope your unit is under warranty, and send it back for repairs - all while having to wait for up to a month before receiving your precious unit back.
The bigger question is how can sites like IGN give this game a perfect 10 when so many users are experiencing these issues? Trust me, do a google search for 'GTA4 multiplayer problems' and you'll see that many people are already calling for a patch from Rockstar.
What version do larger gaming sites play when they review the game? Did they even play the multiplayer element? And how can a broken game score a perfect 10.
Don't get me wrong - this is a great game, and you'll want to buy it if you call yourself a gamer. But most sites, particularly with PC games, are scathing of launch bugs and glitches in their reviews.
Let this be a warning to you all with a PS3 and GTA IV - don't fire up multiplayer just yet.
And to Sony - what quality assurance tests did you put your console through? I can not believe that something as simple as flicking a power switch could trigger this misfortune.
Although I'm pointing the finger at GTA4's broken multiplayer, Sony's console is just as much the devil in this case.
Yours sadly,
Shaun
Read more about it here.
Apparently it was Gamespy's servers and an issue with those overloading that led to the game freezing. I'm still unhappy that my PS3 is busted, though!
GAMER Herald is in mourning after the loss of Shaun's Playstation 3 console last night when the bluray drive in the system stopped reading discs.
The culprit? Grand Theft Auto IV.
Niko Bellic is a dangerous man...
Quite simply, the multiplayer feature in the PS3 version is broken and needs patching.
Apart from lag, the game constantly froze my 40GB PS3 - an issue I hadn't experienced over 10 hours of playing the single player element of the game, and have never experienced before with my PS3.
So when it froze once more last night during multiplayer GTA- and hitting the PS button, and the soft power button failed to unfreeze my PS3 - I was forced to use the switch at the rear of the console to reset it.
Upon rebooting, my PS3 no longer recognised game discs, bluray movies, DVDs, or even audio CDs.
A bit of research on Google has unearthed this to be a problem for PS3 users on par with the red-ring-of-death issue for Xbox 360 users.
Although not as widespread because it is triggered by the end-user, not an inevitable hardware fault, it seems switching off the console from the rear switch - even if you have to - while the console is frozen is a big no-no.
The only way to have the problem resolved is to contact Sony, hope your unit is under warranty, and send it back for repairs - all while having to wait for up to a month before receiving your precious unit back.
The bigger question is how can sites like IGN give this game a perfect 10 when so many users are experiencing these issues? Trust me, do a google search for 'GTA4 multiplayer problems' and you'll see that many people are already calling for a patch from Rockstar.
What version do larger gaming sites play when they review the game? Did they even play the multiplayer element? And how can a broken game score a perfect 10.
Don't get me wrong - this is a great game, and you'll want to buy it if you call yourself a gamer. But most sites, particularly with PC games, are scathing of launch bugs and glitches in their reviews.
Let this be a warning to you all with a PS3 and GTA IV - don't fire up multiplayer just yet.
And to Sony - what quality assurance tests did you put your console through? I can not believe that something as simple as flicking a power switch could trigger this misfortune.
Although I'm pointing the finger at GTA4's broken multiplayer, Sony's console is just as much the devil in this case.
Yours sadly,
Shaun
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Comment by Harry
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Comment by Shaun Inguanzo
Blogocratic Nightmare
Can't believe my luck with next-gen consoles, and how easily they seem to break (except the Wii).
Lucky I'm away this weekend camping with the girlfriend! Otherwise I'd have to sit at home and contemplate what wold have been a GTA-fest.
Have you played the game yet mate?
Comment by Glen Atwell
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it's ok shaun. there's always endless ocean on wii to play.
Comment by Shaun Inguanzo
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Mario Kart Wii will keep me occupied though. Or at least it will have to
Comment by Brad Gaylard
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If this really is an endemic issue, as you suggest, then surely Rockstar will have a patch out pretty quick smart, right?
Comment by Shaun Inguanzo
Blogocratic Nightmare
Keep in mind that it's not entirely Rockstar's fault - the hardware thing is Sony's (my question to them is what happens if the power goes out while you're playing PS3?) but the glitching and freezing that led to that fatal reboot is definitely Rockstar's game.
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Comment by Shaun Inguanzo
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Here's a bit of an update for you all - I rang Sony Australia and they were AAA in their service.
No need for a receipt at all for warranty - just asked me my name, address and serial number and then emailed me a document that I must print out and take with me to Australia Post tomorrow.
When there, I simply hand the broken PS3 and the print out to the employee who boxes it up and send it off. I can pay an optional $5 bucks for registered (insured) post, if I like.
Sony then sends a new or refurbished model out within about 2 weeks.
I had SingStar songs on the HDD that you can't transfer or redownload, so Sony said they would refund the value of all my songs to my PSN Wallet so I can download them again.
A bit of a pain, but they at least made it easy for me in every way possible.
So while I'm definitely annoyed that the thing broke - and really angry that GTA multiplayer was so buggy - I'm happy with Sony's follow up on warranted products.
My advice Ann would be to wait a little while - I know I am apprehensive now.
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