Cross-Game Chat: Vita has it, PS3 likely never will...

[Azakos]

The lack of it doesn't bother me too much. If I want to talk to someone that is playing a different game, chances are it's because they're my friend in real life, so I'll just phone them. However, yeah, I still wish we had the feature. Anything to save my phone battery.

[Dreakon139]

Take this website for example, what features Sly adds to it will please some and not others, has he made it better? Yes, but only to those that like/want the features he's added. What about those that wouldn't make use of the features added?

It's like my seatbelt example, if someone walked up to you and said seatbelts are pointless... you'd probably look at them and say, okay... you're an idiot. It's a good feature that makes it better... no amount of indifference changes that.

Why should I give a damn about the opinions of a bunch of people who are completely indifferent to the topic at hand. It's like talking to a wall. If you (anyone) want to make a debate out of this, give me reasons why it shouldn't be added (if RAM weren't an issue)... otherwise I'm going to assume you all agree with me that it's a damn good feature with tons of upside, little downside and would make the PS3 a better console overall.

[Wade_VC]

If you (anyone) want to make a debate out of this, give me reasons why it shouldn't be added (if RAM weren't an issue)

Ah...but see.....I do not see nor recall anyone who says they could care less about it also say that is shouldn't be added, nor that those who think it should be are idiots, morons or narrow-minded. All we said is we could care less about it, it is a feature we would not use or need, and are not bothered by the fact it isn't there. So in that case, yes, I am indifferent: If it's there it's there, if it's not, it's not...no biggie.

Hell, I think the iPhone is great technological device, but I don't use one, want one or need one, and therefore could care less about it. Just as I and others have said we could care less about cross-game chat, no one said that technological advancements need to come to a stand-still because we wouldn't use such.

I'm not going to call you an idiot or narrow-minded because you want or like a certain feature and I or others do not (we'll call each other idiots on some other thread/debate ). As I mentioned before, I guess I just don't see how a console that offers these features:

High-Def Gaming

DVD/Blu-Ray movies

Movie/TV Streaming

Music

Etc.,

Gets the ire of so many because it is missing a single feature like Cross-game chat.

As it stands, my PS3 is a technological marvel compared to the little white blip and paddles played on an old black & white TV in the 70's. Do I appreciate technology....you bet your sweet ass; but I think many have become too spoiled as well. Rather than appreciate the technology we do have, some would rather complain about the technology we don't have.

We are speaking of a single feature...it isn't like the PS3 is as technologically dated as a 1970's Magnavox Odyssey.

[Pipsqweek]

It's like my seatbelt example, if someone walked up to you and said seatbelts are pointless... you'd probably look at them and say, okay... you're an idiot. It's a good feature that makes it better... no amount of indifference changes that.

First off, you seem to be adding in things (bolded) that no-one has said in order to bolster your point.

Just because I'm not bothered that a feature isn't there (and isn't going to be) in no way infers that it shouldn't be there or that I lack the ability to appreciate why someone would want it (see my previous post).

As for your seatbelt example, they're fitted to all vehicles, it doesn't mean that everyone uses them.

They're not going to retro-fit more ram to PS3s just like they're not going to retro-fit Blu-ray drives to Xbox 360s, it doesn't make them inferior to each other (unless you're a fanboy), just different. I love both my consoles (and their features) for what they do and don't ever look at a feature on one wishing the other had it. I accept their differences.

[Dreakon139]

As I mentioned before, I guess I just don't see how a console that offers these features:

High-Def Gaming

DVD/Blu-Ray movies

Movie/TV Streaming

Music

Etc.,

Gets the ire of so many because it is missing a single feature like Cross-game chat.

No one is switching to the Xbox for cross-game chat (well, not that I know of... I'm not switching and if I ever do it's not solely for that lol). The problem wasn't that we weren't getting it, it drew so much "ire" because of the fact Sony was so tight-lipped over it. If they came out years ago and said "we just aren't doing it, not enough RAM, blah blah blah" it would've put a lot of this issue to bed. But Sony kept dragging it along, saying "we might be working on it" or just not saying a damn thing despite it being the #1 most wanted feature on their own blog site.

It's not that this one feature makes or breaks the console... it's just the one question that never got a real answer until recently. The longer people have to wait for answers, the more they want it. It's simple as that. Though it helps it's a damn good feature.

First off, you seem to be adding in things (bolded) that no-one has said in order to bolster your point.

"Useless" and "Pointless" sing a similar tune in my head.

[Pipsqweek]

"Useless" and "Pointless" sing a similar tune in my head.

I agree and no-one on this thread has said either of them.

Useless/Pointless, to me, means something that would of no use of anyone, which is clearly not the case, hence why it's not been said.

[Dreakon139]

I agree and no-one on this thread has said either of them.

I could care less about Cross-game chat and find it a feature that, to me, is just plain useless.

Not to throw Wade under the bus or anything, but just saying.

[griffthedragoon]

All I can say is thank god for skype

[SIDEWINDER_21X]

For me this is a real shame as it is a feature I would have used a heck of a lot. It would've make single player games more sociable and allowed me to chat to my friends other than in a Call of Duty lobby!

[AlteredFormula]

Personally it's not for me, and I've never quite understood the fuss made about it.

I dont want to talk to other people playing a game different to me. If I'm playing SP, All I want to hear, is the game I'm playing, not my mate Dave telling me how many women he imagined he got with last week. If I'm playing MP all I want to hear is what is going on in the game itself, especially if it's team based.

I never used it on the Xbox, and wouldnt have if it was released on PS3.

I understand, there are people that really wanted the feature, but people need to get over the fact that its not going to happen and use the methods you have been using up until now. if crossgame chat is that much of a dealbreaker to you, move to the platform that supports it. The PS3 has been out for a few years now and we've never had it, I would have thought that people would have accepted that fact by now.

[eburkulosis]

I dont think enough people care about Cross Game Chat on the PS3 for Sony to invest in developing it, integrating it and maintaining it at this point. It's about Dollars and Sense. As far as Sony not being transparent about the issue, well, we have seen this before and nobody is perfect. Certainly not Sony's communications department. I think maybe you think this is a much larger issue than Sony does.

You can always use Skype or a similar software on your laptop or PC whilst gaming. Or use a good ol speaker phone Why does PS3 have to do EVERYTHING? Personally I like my Facebook and Netflix separate, I don't want PS3 apps for that. I also prefer my music on my iPod - not my PS3. I like my wife to make the dinner too, not put a pop-tart in the slot in the front. I like my PS3 to be a raw gaming machine. But that's just me.

[Dreakon139]

I dont think enough people care about Cross Game Chat on the PS3 for Sony to invest in developing it, integrating it and maintaining it at this point. It's about Dollars and Sense.

The 26,000 people that have meandered onto Playstation Blog Share would beg to differ.

Which leads me to my point of people irrationally disliking the feature, why on earth would someone vote it down? As I suggested in previous posts, there's very little downside to it. Even if you don't care about it personally because you don't use voice chat enough to appreciate it, why not throw your fellow gamer a bone and give it a vote up? Or just not vote at all, you indifferent yet horribly opinionated SOBs.

Sony would add this feature in a heartbeat if the PS3 could support it, they didn't waste any time getting it on the Vita.

[Wade_VC]

Or just not vote at all, you indifferent yet horribly opinionated SOBs.

This coming from someone that stated:

Why should I give a damn about the opinions of a bunch of people who are completely indifferent to the topic at hand.

anyone can appreciate a feature with so much upside and so little downside.

Talk about opinionated. Odd how your opinion about this feature you give great merit to, but others' opinions are worthless? It is you and you alone who has continued to call people names, try and insult them and use examples that have nothing to do with cross-game chat (yes, a safety device like seat-belts is a equal comparison to a video game chat ), and even go as far as to state that you could "give a damn" about others' opinions to further your like/want of this feature....yet that isn't opinionated? Nah...not in the least.......

Also referring to this statement, again:

Why should I give a damn about the opinions of a bunch of people who are completely indifferent to the topic at hand.

If you do not want to hear anything other than total agreement, you do NOT post on a public/open forum, that is what a BLOG, Facebook, MySpace, whatever is for. That way you can ensure that only the answers and responses you want to hear are posted.

You state 26,000 people want this feature according to the PlayStation Blog?

Let's do some basic math, shall we?

As of Nov 2010 (last released numbers), the PS3 has sold roughly 42 million units. To be fair, lets whittle that number down in half to account for failed units, internet usage, geographical or cultural differences, etc., which leaves 21 million units sold. That is a total of slightly less than 1.5% of all PS3 users who would want this feature (again, this is after removing half of the actual PS3's from the figures.)

Hell, let's get some even lower numbers for you...again, based on your numbers and actual figures:

PS Blog in favor : 26,000 (your numbers)

PS Blog/Forum Membership: 1,942,082 (actual count as of time of this post).

Even at this reduced number (1,942,082 PS Blog members vs 21 million PS3 owners) that is still a percentage of only 1.12% (+/- 1%) in favor or want of this feature that you claim "is much desired".

Even on this site, as of the time of this post, the figures are now:

80% against/could care less

20% for

I guess what stymies me the most with this whole thread is that rather than just plainly state that you would like to see this feature and you would utilize such, you go further by stating that only idiots and the narrow-minded do/would not.

Have I called it useless...yes, I guess I did based on the quote you gave. But at the same time, never have I nor anyone else called you or the few others who are in favor of this feature idiots or narrow-minded for wanting such.

Agree: Great

Disagree: Idiot's, narrow-minded, against technological advancement, hatred or severe incompetence, all serious consoles and handhelds nowadays include the feature, etc.

Yes, I fail to see any opinionated bias there.

[spidey0115]

lol I never knew that this was a touchy and heated subject. too much anger over a feature that we are never going to get on the Ps3. No point in getting all up in arms about it.

[Dreakon139]

This coming from someone that stated:

Talk about opinionated. Odd how your opinion about this feature you give great merit to, but others' opinions are worthless? It is you and you alone who has continued to call people names, try and insult them and use examples that have nothing to do with cross-game chat (yes, a safety device like seat-belts is a equal comparison to a video game chat ), and even go as far as to state that you could "give a damn" about others' opinions to further your like/want of this feature....yet that isn't opinionated? Nah...not in the least.......

Also referring to this statement, again:

If you do not want to hear anything other than total agreement, you do NOT post on a public/open forum, that is what a BLOG, Facebook, MySpace, whatever is for. That way you can ensure that only the answers and responses you want to hear are posted.

You state 26,000 people want this feature according to the PlayStation Blog?

Let's do some basic math, shall we?

As of Nov 2010 (last released numbers), the PS3 has sold roughly 42 million units. To be fair, lets whittle that number down in half to account for failed units, internet usage, geographical or cultural differences, etc., which leaves 21 million units sold. That is a total of slightly less than 1.5% of all PS3 users who would want this feature (again, this is after removing half of the actual PS3's from the figures.)

Hell, let's get some even lower numbers for you...again, based on your numbers and actual figures:

PS Blog in favor : 26,000 (your numbers)

PS Blog/Forum Membership: 1,942,082 (actual count as of time of this post).

Even at this reduced number (1,942,082 PS Blog members vs 21 million PS3 owners) that is still a percentage of only 1.12% (+/- 1%) in favor or want of this feature that you claim "is much desired".

Even on this site, as of the time of this post, the figures are now:

80% against/could care less

20% for

I guess what stymies me the most with this whole thread is that rather than just plainly state that you would like to see this feature and you would utilize such, you go further by stating that only idiots and the narrow-minded do/would not.

Have I called it useless...yes, I guess I did based on the quote you gave. But at the same time, never have I nor anyone else called you or the few others who are in favor of this feature idiots or narrow-minded for wanting such.

Agree: Great

Disagree: Idiot's, narrow-minded, against technological advancement, hatred or severe incompetence, all serious consoles and handhelds nowadays include the feature, etc.

Yes, I fail to see any opinionated bias there.

It's hard to pin-point a single part of this as a spot to springboard my explanation.

First of all, those statistics you chose are HEAVILY swayed. There are 3,000 members on this site, how many do you see at any given time? How many of those 3,000 members do you see contributing and participating on a regular basis? Take that percentage and apply it to the 1.9 million and tell me the whopping number you get... and even then that's not getting into how many people actually use the PS Blog Share.

Also bare in mind, not everyone who owns a PS3 has the internet, wants the internet or gives two shits about the PS Blog/Forums. I'd say a significant minority do actually.

There's a difference in my being opinionated as I am, and being opinionated like the lot of you. At first, at least, I offered reasons why I feel this is a good feature deserving of disappointment that it will never come. In terms of "disagreeing" with me, I got in return a lot of people saying "I don't get why people like this" and "this is useless to me". I explain myself, and get the same tired responses. These aren't opinions about the feature. You aren't disagreeing with me, at this point you're just upset I'm insulting the opinions of a group of people who don't have any. You people don't have opinions on the feature itself, just how it effects you. So quit trying to pretend like we're having a debate.

Offer a few good reasons why you'd disagree that this is a good feature, and I'll stop calling those who disagree with me idiots.

[Wade_VC]

Offer a few good reasons why you'd disagree that this is a good feature, and I'll stop calling those who disagree with me idiots.

Several of us already have, had you bothered to actually read them. We don't want to talk to others playing a different game, etc. But it is very clear, by that response, the ONLY people you want or care to listen to or have any validity in are those who support your opinion, period.

You are correct, that isn't a debate, that is simply wanting people to respond who are in 100% agreement.

Maybe next time if you desire ONLY those who will fall to their knees and agree with you 100%, you should preface your posts with such.

If this feature ever becomes available in the future, I hope you enjoy it and have fun with it.....either way, I will not call you an idiot or resort to insults because you do...that privilege is reserved for the rest of us narrow-minded idiots who want to halt technology by those who do get this feature, apparently.

[Dreakon139]

Several of us already have, had you bothered to actually read them. We don't want to talk to others playing a different game, etc. But it is very clear, by that response, the ONLY people you want or care to listen to or have any validity in are those who support your opinion, period.

That response pretty much amounts to "I don't care", "I won't use it". That's NOT a reason XGC is bad. That isn't good debate fodder AT ALL.

Good Reason To Speak Out Against XGC:

It encourages people to talk with friends instead of with your team (in a game that requires teamwork).

Bad Reason:

I don't like it. I won't use it. Talking to people in a different game than you is pointless.

One of those I will have a calm, rational discussion with. Another will get nothing but disrespect from me in a discussion about the validity of XGC, especially if used as an attempt to "disagree" with me. Can you guess which is which? Can you figure out why?

[Wade_VC]

That response pretty much amounts to "I don't care", "I won't use it". That's NOT a reason XGC is bad. That isn't good debate fodder AT ALL.

Good Reason To Speak Out Against XGC:

It encourages people to talk with friends instead of with your team (in a game that requires teamwork).

Bad Reason:

I don't like it. I won't use it. Talking to people in a different game than you is pointless.

One of those I will have a calm, rational discussion with. Another will get nothing but disrespect from me in a discussion about the validity of XGC, especially if used as an attempt to "disagree" with me. Can you guess which is which? Can you figure out why?

I will respond back to this thread (maybe, I think I am done) on Friday. Today is "Turkey Day"......a day for good times and kicking back, not bickering on the forums.

Edited November 24, 2011 by Wade_VC

[Paranoimia]

Even those who do want cross-game chat wouldn't give a damn about it if the 360 didn't have it.

However, the entire debate is now irrelevant. Sony have said it can't be done due to the way PS3 memory is allocated. It isn't coming, so regardless of whether the feature itself is irrelevant, discussing it most certainly is - at least as far as PS3 is concerned.

It's great that Vita supports it, for the simple reason that we at least won't need to go through the entire discussion process again for that platform. As for myself, I'm really looking forward to having my own Vita, but the cross-game chat feature is about the only one I won't be making use of.

That said, perhaps those of you who want XGC on PS3 and are getting a Vita will be able to combine the two.

[Maitre]

i'd not have this feature.

my only point being that if i'm speaking with someone while gaming i tend to get killed more often.

And i tend to have a compulsion to respond when someone phones me.

Dunno it's a valid argument. But if it does happen i hope there will be an option to turn it off.

Hell i even find the PSN message alert annoying because i'm too curious to NOT go look whats in it. o_O.

[Dreakon139]

Even those who do want cross-game chat wouldn't give a damn about it if the 360 didn't have it.

Just out of curiousity, what is your point with this? Of course if something like it never existed, most people wouldn't think of it. You could say that about anything. No one would give a damn about HD gaming on the PS3 if the 360 didn't have it. No one would give a damn about trophies on the PS3 if the 360 didn't have achievements. No one would give a damn about PSN or online gaming on the PS3 if other consoles didn't have it first. If the Xbox 360 ceased to exist, the only competition would be the Wii and the PS3 would probably be miles behind of where it is today as a result of it.

This doesn't dampen the legitimacy of the request though. If there's a good feature and the 360 helped to inspire it's addition to the PS3, why is that a bad thing?

[Nasty_Rory]

On a few occasions I have wished for XGC but those were very few (maybe only 4) in 4 years of online gaming on my ps3.

I have also wished for Criterion to patch NFS:HP so that I dont get penalised in night races for having a tv that does "real blacks" what ever that means - basically I want Criterion to stick a good 10 seconds on every night race!

I have wished for trophies for GRiD from Codemasters

and have wished for Activision to made COD Elite actually work.

However, in the grand scheme of things XGC to me would be like the Other OS feature. In other words I would go "Oh look at that" and then promptly forget it existed.

So If my gaming experiences are similar to others then 1 day in 365 of wanting XGC is not going to put it on the must have list.

Hell most of the times I have a struggle to even bother turning on the headset to chat to ones I am actually playing online with as mostly it either confuses me with instructions that I cant respond to or calling me strange names and questioning if I ever met my father.

So, whilst its a nice idea XGC doesnt cut the mustard for me.

I am not trying to be a Luddite here, but I think development money could be better spent elsewhere than on XGC no matter what the platform

[Paranoimia]

Just out of curiousity, what is your point with this?Of course if something like it never existed, most people wouldn't think of it. You could say that about anything. No one would give a damn about HD gaming on the PS3 if the 360 didn't have it. No one would give a damn about trophies on the PS3 if the 360 didn't have achievements. No one would give a damn about PSN or online gaming on the PS3 if other consoles didn't have it first. If the Xbox 360 ceased to exist, the only competition would be the Wii and the PS3 would probably be miles behind of where it is today as a result of it.

This doesn't dampen the legitimacy of the request though. If there's a good feature and the 360 helped to inspire it's addition to the PS3, why is that a bad thing?

The point is self-explanatory: People want it because the other platform has it.

It's not a question of "if it didn't exist, you wouldn't want it." Chat and online gaming existed on PC before it ever arrived on consoles, but the fact that it wasn't available on consoles never really bothered anyone.

I'm not saying it's not a legitimate request, nor am I saying it's a bad thing. I'm simply saying that no PS3 owner would be bothered about cross-game chat if the 360 specifically didn't have it, even though the PC did.

But as I said, requesting and discussing it is absolutely pointless as it's not coming. Given the number of features and functions the PS3/PSN has that the 360 doesn't, the absence of XGC is a small price to pay.

[Dreakon139]

I'm not saying it's not a legitimate request, nor am I saying it's a bad thing. I'm simply saying that no PS3 owner would be bothered about cross-game chat if the 360 specifically didn't have it, even though the PC did.

But as I said, requesting and discussing it is absolutely pointless as it's not coming. Given the number of features and functions the PS3/PSN has that the 360 doesn't, the absence of XGC is a small price to pay.

Console and PC gamers lived in completely seperate worlds for the longest time. They still do, but begrudgingly share more similarities in recent years. No one playing a PS1 or even a PS2 in their prime would ever look to the PC for interesting new online features, for very obvious reasons. The Xbox had pioneered this era of online console gaming, believe it or not, and as such... yeah, there's a lot of shit on the Xbox 360 specifically that other consoles could... and probably should... work into their consoles. Kudos for initially pointing that out.

I disagree that discussing XGC is pointless because a. it exists whether on the PS3 or not and b. it will be on future Playstation consoles/handhelds.

Much like some of you feel about XGC, I have little interest in watching Blu-Ray movies... one of the big highlights available on the PS3 but not the 360. I guess the difference is despite not having any interest in it, my first reaction to that feature isn't "how useless (to me)", but rather "I don't use them, but I understand why others might". The free online play comes with it's downsides, I guess you could include XGC on that list now. The exclusives are the biggest reason I'm sticking to the PS3, which I suppose makes them worth the price of hardware limitations.

[Paranoimia]

The Xbox had pioneered this era of online console gaming, believe it or not, and as such... yeah, there's a lot of shit on the Xbox 360 specifically that other consoles could... and probably should... work into their consoles. Kudos for initially pointing that out.

I play on a friend's 360 quite regularly, and XGC aside, I've seen little - actually, nothing - that it has over PSN. Even playing on my PS3, he has commented in the past that once you're in game, the experience is pretty much identical.

I disagree that discussing XGC is pointless because a. it exists whether on the PS3 or not and b. it will be on future Playstation consoles/handhelds.

Let me be more specific, then. I see no point in discussing XGC with regard to PS3 (the subject of this thread), since it will never happen.

Much like some of you feel about XGC, I have little interest in watching Blu-Ray movies... one of the big highlights available on the PS3 but not the 360. I guess the difference is despite not having any interest in it, my first reaction to that feature isn't "how useless (to me)", but rather "I don't use them, but I understand why others might".

Yes, I have no interest in XGC. That's my opinion, and the opinion of many others; it's an opinion to which we're entitled, and which is not 'wrong'. Yes, XGC will be on Vita. Yes, XGC will very likely be on PS4. That's fine, and if you want to make use of it, knock yourself out. But I personally still won't see it as particularly necessary, and I won't use it. That's my choice, just like not using your PS3 as a Blu-ray player is yours. You are not wrong for finding the feature irrelevant, just as I'm not wrong for finding XGC irrelevant.

No-one (well, not me) is saying it shouldn't be implemented, just that you can't miss what you never had. And some, like me, are saying that they wouldn't use it anyway. Should it have been implemented? In retrospect, perhaps. But it wasn't, and it can't be. As far as PS3 goes, that's it - end of discussion.

The free online play comes with it's downsides, I guess you could include XGC on that list now. The exclusives are the biggest reason I'm sticking to the PS3, which I suppose makes them worth the price of hardware limitations.

What downsides? Once you're in-game, the experience is barely distinguishable, if at all. The lack of XGC has nothing at all to do with PSN being free, it's due to the configuration of the system memory. And we are able to do far more on this free network than you can do on the paid Live network. Cross-platform play with PC/Steam (Portal 2), uploading game video direct to YouTube (Just Cause 2), and the forthcoming Dust 514's integration with EVE Online - all things you can't do on Live because of restrictions imposed by Microsoft. Not to mention things like the web browser (basic though it is), video editing & uploading, photo albums, VidZone, Home (love it or hate it, it's free)... while Microsoft put free software like Twitter behind the Live Gold membership paywall, as well as filling the Dashboard with adverts.

As things stand, as I said earlier, given the features available on PSN, I'll take it over XGC any day. That said, XGC is about the only real 'advantage' Live has remaining, and with the advent of Vita/PS4, that will be gone too.