Outrageous programming

[PZ]

I've encountered one of the more outrageous examples of programming this morning - loaded up AC2 and an error message comes up.  "Unable to update the trophy data.  Game will quit."  :D

It is difficult to believe that the inability of the program to update this type of data would cause the game to stop functioning.  This is yet one more example of the ones posted by Art regarding software publishers requiring Internet access in order to play their games.

[spaceboy]

No PZ, it has to do with a widespread issue with the PSN affecting all "fat" PS3s (slims not affected).  This occurred late yesterday and is rumored to have to do with the internal clocks.

It is recommended NOT to use your console at this time.

BUT, you are right, the internet connectivitiy (in this case the network connectivity) requirement is at the core of the issue.  But the issue is from the trophy system being tied to the games progress.

I'll update when I hear some news.

here is the official Playstation twitter link

http://twitter.com/SonyPlayStation

[PZ]

Thanks for the information spaceboy - I had no idea.  [rant] However, from reading the twitter, it annoys me even further that I had a perfectly good playing system/game yesterday, and now they say not to even use the console (even though nothing is wrong with it).

Now I wonder if the PlayStation network foolishness is why I can't get into Uplay.

This kind of thing is bad enough to make me want to get a different console.  :D

[/rant]

[spaceboy]

despite the fact that I was hoping to play some last night and didn't (didn't want to corrupt anything)  I'll only really be miffed if they can't fix it soon or the issue causes any lost data that can't be restored or downloaded again.

gaming nowadays require pretty complex systems especially in order to give all the cool features we have. I'd much rather have to deal with a software glitch that can be patched vs. hardware failure. 

I surprised myself how easy going I am about it (maybe because I had to explain to my son not to be upset earlier in the day - before I knew how big the issue was...)

[Art Blade]

can't you guys just disconnect from the net and play?

[PZ]

That was my next step - but the unit is using wireless and that means disabling the connection.  This unfortunately means that I'll need to go through the odious setup routine again when i want to connect - all around a true pain in the neck.

[Art Blade]

There is only one thing I can think of: " :D "  ;D

[spaceboy]

Art,

Since the problem is coming from a date issue in the internal clock it's not clear if your system would be ok if you'd never connected, but once connected for sure it ain't happy.  That said, my son did play a game on the console (Afrika) which has trophies and it worked fine, so it kind of comes back to PZs original post about the individual game's programming requiring some kind of connection or "check" on the net.  Oddly enough, the browsing capabailities of the systems were not affected.  I trust this issue to be resolved pretty quickly.

[Art Blade]

sounds like a patch of sorts, then. Well, good luck, guys  :)

[PZ]

It is funny that AC2 was affected on my system, so I started Uncharted 2 which worked perfectly, and I believe that it also uses a trophy system - correct?

There is some kind of a relationship between the software that Ubisoft writes and the Playstation network because one of the failures I get upon trying to connect to Uplay (Ubi server) is that my playstation connection is having problems.  I think I'll try FC2 next to see if it still plays on my "fat" console (maybe it needs to go on a game diet)

In any case, it is the programmers fault for writing a fatal stop into the game to begin with - they could have easily written a routine to bypass the trophy system in case of Internet connection failure.

[spaceboy]

a good number of folks at the MAG forums are saying the fatties are working again, but Sony hasn't twitted anything

lol go back 5 years and you would not understand that sentence...

anyways, check your date if you do sign in - some people said it says 4/29???  trophies missing should reappear after putting the game disc in.

[PZ]

lol, I can understand almost anything about those twits at Sony - Thanks for the update - you mean check the PlayStation system date, I assume?

[Art Blade]

and your camera's date. The pic of your home in the gallery shows uploaded  "Wednesday 21 May 2008"  ;)

[PZ]

lol, that was the date of the picture - I was too lazy to haul out the camera that day so I just used one that would give me the same approximate view  ;)

I must have accumulated over 10,000 digital photos since starting with digital photography in 1998

[Art Blade]

 ;D

[Art Blade]

I've just learned that the PC version REQUIRES a permanent internet connection. My condolences go out to those who have to pay per byte and minute  >:(  :D

I will get the game, however, because it is UBI and not STEAM (a small but important difference because STEAM doesn't create games, UBI does).

I also hear that future games of UBI are going to w@&k exactly the same way. Bye-bye offline gaming...  :(

[PZ]

That's too bad, but it makes sense considering the experience I had with the game failing on the console due to a server outage.  It is funny though, for a game to require Internet connection when it is only a single player game.  :D

[PZ]

Good news for AC2 fans that don't have an Internet connection on their console (PS3 at least - not sure about xBox).  I was on a trailer trip and of course, took along my console.  I was playing Red Dead for a while, but then wanted a change when I saw the AC2 case.  On a whim, I tried the disc and it actually worked without an Internet connection!

I now have to retract all of my hasty negative comments.  :-[

[Art Blade]

at least they were fun to read  ;D