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Sunday, April 11, 2010

PS Store downloading service

So I did manage to download the PS1 game Nuclear Strike from the PS Store. I disconnected my wireless router and hooked up direct to my modem.

I don't know why the PSN Downloader won't work with my router. Like I said, it's so picky about downloading. Sony & PlayStation is so overly paranoid about having to offer content over download-- they don't want any downloaded games to be stored on a customer's PC, they want it to go direct from their server to the PSP-- they seem to be scared that somehow content is going to be pirated that way.... which is completely moronic. Think about it-- it's easy to tell what files comprise a game if you really want to know. The PSP is too open of a system that it can't completely hide files on the memory stick. But what does it even matter during the connection/downloading phase?

They think that if a download connection flickers in some small way, that the customer is doing something shady. But all the game content is tied to a user's account anyway, so why should it matter if a download is going slower at some point or whatever. Doesn't automatically mean we're somehow doing something nefarious... that kind of assumption doesn't even make sense.

Then there's trying to download games to the PSP directly over wi-fi. Even under best-case conditions it's notably slower, but I wonder how many people can even get it to complete before timing out. It's a great idea on paper. In real-world practical terms, it's useless if it doesn't even work.

Sony could make their download servers extra forgiving considering we've PAID FOR the content we're downloading. I download lots of stuff from free sites that handle downloading much better that the crap PS Store, that don't give me nearly as many problems with downloading as the PS Store does.

So yeah, the PS Store for PSP is simply a broken experience, and this is YEARS after it's been rolled out now. There's NO EXCUSE for such a craptastic experience. Who's in charge of this division of PlayStation, anybody? Or do they shuffle off bits of it to whoever's not busy at the time with their own division or whatever?

And don't even get me started on the lack of games on the PS Store... that's a whole 'nother issue.... Sony can't force third party companies to make their games available on PSN. But Sony *CAN* make their download service not suck complete balls. They *CAN* make it Mac-compatible... they could do all this stuff.... if they wanted to.

Stop being such a complete ass, Sony PlayStation Network division.


later
don

5 comments:

Herrjeff said...

Maybe access is better with a PS3, but I don't have one so I can't say for sure. I bought a few games over the last 2 years and those over 900MB often required 2-3 attempts. I have the impression it's easier using MediaGo while my PSP is connected to the PC, but online retailers like Direct2Drive have better tools to manage such operation.

Don said...

Do you download using the PSP directly, or using Media Go through a PC?

See, 2-3 attempts before a download shouldn't be acceptable to customers, yet we simply put up with it because there's no other option unless we have a PS3. Sony would *prefer* we own a PS3 and think of our PSPs simply as an accessory to it, but I know that the PSP is capable of much more. And it's not reasonable to expect PSP owners to own a PS3 simply to make it easier to use a PSP.

The PS Store setup for PSP just pisses me off. It's taken like an afterthought by Sony rather than them actually working to make significant improvements to it. I bet the PS3 store experience is smoother because that's where Sony's put their resources towards.


later
don

HerrJeff said...

My preference would be to download big files overnight directly to the PSP, but because I got disappointed too often the morning after, now I connect it to my PC and use MediaGo whenever it's over 500MB.

herrjeff said...

(Small) improvement to MediaGo with version 1.4: you no longer need to connect your PSP to the PC when accessing the store

Don said...

Yeah, I've updated to 1.4 and downloaded the ModNation Racers demo with it. My PSPgo was connected, but I noticed it didn't have the PLAYSTATION NETWORK DOWNLOADER(R) window like it used to (though I know a new version of the PSN downloader was installed with 1.4 so I'm sure it's still used just more invisible) instead Media Go switches to the Download page and shows the demo downloading there. Then you have to select where you want to install it, as in my PSPgo System Storage or wherever.

This could be a nice feature if it stops the Connection Error problem. I have no idea if it does, because I disconnected my router to download that demo... I will have to experiment to see if it will play nice with my router. But at any rate, it is nice not to have my PSPgo tied up waiting for a game to download.


later
don

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