Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Encryption, Simplified<\/a> )<\/p>\n2014’s flagship PS4 release, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, was completely lackluster<\/strong>, plagued with bugs, the servers were HACKED PRIOR TO RELEASE, and the most popular mode, “Zombie Mode”, was only available as a pay-for-play DLC!\u00a0 Everyone made excuses, everyone had answers, everyone said “it doesn’t suck THAT bad”, but the reality is that anyone who paid for CoD: Advanced Warfare wasted their money.\u00a0 It was a crap release with major problems and shortcomings.\u00a0 The only cool thing about CoD:AW was the Easter Egg of having Kevin Spacey, whose character, “Frank Underwood”, is a Call of Duty fan, play as the CEO of Atlas!\u00a0 (Was that worth $80?\u00a0 NO…. no….. no, it wasn’t….)<\/p>\nPS4 seems to be riddled with release delays<\/strong>.\u00a0 Battlefield Hardline, one of the most anticipated IPs for PS4 was delayed from August-2014, to MARCH, 2015.\u00a0 Additional titles that were delayed:<\/p>\n\n- No Man’s Sky<\/li>\n
- RIDE (PS3 and PS4)<\/li>\n
- EarthNight<\/li>\n
- Batman: Arkham Knight (All platforms)<\/li>\n
- Metal Gear V (PS3 and PS4)<\/li>\n
- Uncharted 4<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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<\/span>The PS4 Lifestyle<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/span>PS3 vs PS4<\/span><\/h3>\nOriginally, I thought the Playstation 4 would slowly eclipse the PS3, and use of the PS3 would simply decline in to a closed system, as new releases drop off, and use of the platform online declines.<\/p>\n
A year in, Playstation 3 is still going strong<\/strong>, with almost every major PS4 release mirrored on the PS3.\u00a0 There are very few PS4-exclusive titles… less than 20 at this time.<\/p>\nThat means that the only value-add over PS3 at this time is better graphics, and in some games, more content<\/strong>.<\/p>\nOn PS3, gameplay was largely a multiplayer experience, where multiplayer was a function of single-player.\u00a0 Games such as Battlefield and Call of Duty supported full-screen, immersive single-player experiences, but your buddy could pick up a controller and join you.<\/p>\n
PS4 is basically a single-player only experience<\/strong>.\u00a0 Other than Mortal Kombat, I have yet to see a game that supports multiplayer, single console.\u00a0 The expectation is that you and your buddies all have a PS4, you’ve all legally-purchased the same game<\/strong>, and you play online, rather than side-by-side.\u00a0 The “PS4 effect” is so bad, you basically SHOULD NOT BUY a 2nd controller<\/strong>, unless you just want to have one handy while you’re charging your primary.<\/p>\nThe other issue with PS4 multiplayer is that it’s basically impossible to play unless you pay $50\/yr<\/strong> for Playstation Plus (See my previous rant).<\/p>\nFinally, no one seems to own a PS4<\/strong>.\u00a0 Playing online with your friends is a lonely experience<\/strong>!\u00a0 They are all still playing PS3<\/strong>, or they’ve moved BACK to PC gaming<\/strong>.<\/p>\nSummary:<\/strong>\u00a0 There’s more action in PS3-land<\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0 If you happen to find life on planet PS4, it probably won’t be intelligent, or it will be leaving soon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/span>Playstation Plus<\/span><\/h3>\nHaving been coerced in to a Playstation Plus membership, what does this do for me?<\/p>\n
From Sony, here is what I was promised:<\/p>\n
\n- Access to Alpha and Beta releases (Ummmm NONE or VERY FEW, because there are NO PS4 TITLES!)<\/li>\n
- Exclusive content (Still looking for it?\u00a0 CoD:AW Zombies?\u00a0 NOPE!\u00a0 I bought the Atlas edition, and…. NO ZOMBIES)<\/li>\n
- Shows and Movies (Expectation:\u00a0 Neflix streaming.\u00a0 Reality:\u00a0 Um… where do I go for this?)<\/li>\n
- Access to Free games (Expectation:\u00a0 FREE GAMES FOR THE PS4!\u00a0\u00a0 Reality:\u00a0 Most or all of them suck, and only a couple are for the PS4.\u00a0 The rest are for PS3 or Vita)<\/li>\n
- Discounts (Expectation:\u00a0 Steam Sale\u00a0\u00a0 Reality:\u00a0 “Prearranged” discounts on software that you wouldn’t purchase unless you ALREADY HAD had PS+ )<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Net benefit<\/strong>:\u00a0 I get to play games, that I already own, online<\/strong><\/span> with my friends, because they can’t play with me in my own living room?<\/p>\nOK, so Playstation Plus is a complete waste<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/span>Other PS4 “Features”<\/span><\/h3>\n\n- Video game streaming:\u00a0 Requires a Vita.\u00a0 You have to be REALLY committed to Sony to make that much of an investment.<\/li>\n
- Watch Bluray disks:\u00a0 I have an LG 3D Bluray player and a 55″ 3D TV.\u00a0 I HAVE watched Blurays, and even 3D Blurays on the PS3, but since they are sitting side-by-side, why would I really use the PS4 for watching movies?<\/li>\n
- Watch Netflix:\u00a0 PS4 is connected to a Smart TV.\u00a0 Less PITA factor (See Sony Menus below)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
So… I don’t use it, except to play games.\u00a0 There is no added value for me.<\/p>\n
I suspect it’s the same story for most people, the exception being a dorm room \/ solo apartment scenario, but shouldn’t ALL THAT be a buy-up addon, rather than charging the 80% of us who DON’T USE NOR NEED the “extra” features?\u00a0 Most of this is just software…. how about a “PS4-lite” edition<\/strong>, where you save $200, but you just play games?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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<\/span>Problems and Support<\/span><\/h2>\nBasically couldn’t log in to Playstation Network (PS3, nor PS4, nor PC) for an entire month, while they sorted out their DDoS problems.<\/p>\n
During this time, my profile got locked out, but there was no way to contact Sony!<\/p>\n
Chat online:\u00a0 Requires you to log in… no way to log in, because CloudFlare was misconfigured!<\/p>\n
FINALLY chat online:\u00a0 Sony rep ended the chat without resolving my issue (basically hung up on me)<\/p>\n
Recently, all of my contacts disappeared.\u00a0 Contact Sony by phone?\u00a0 They hung up on me.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nA company that won’t talk to you doesn’t care about you.<\/p>\n
Sony’s Playstation Support SUCKS!\u00a0 It’s WORSE THAN COMCAST!<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\nYou would expect that being a Playstation Plus member affords you some extra level of support.\u00a0 IT DOES NOT!<\/p>\n
SONY:\u00a0 YOUR CUSTOMER SUPPORT SUCKS!\u00a0 Hanging up on someone works when your target demographic are unemployed millennials living off Mom’s credit card, but for the REST OF US, that you claim is the “Maturing game market”, we expect RESPECT for the dollars we spent with you.\u00a0 If this is how I’m treated as a Playstation customer, I’ll go elsewhere!\u00a0 Stuff your Playstation 5.<\/p>\n
Steambox!!!\u00a0\u00a0 Here, I come!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n