PSN: PlayStation Trophies, And How It Will Affect Your PSN Games
Sony have finally shown off the new trophy system which will be added into the next PlayStation Network update! You can watch the latest about it by clicking the video above.
Trophies work in a similar way to achievements, however instead there are only 4 kinds of trophies - bronze, silver and gold and platinum. Think of it to be like the Xbox only allowing Achievements in 50 (Gold), 30 (Silver) and 10 (Bronze) points per achievement. It's a much simpler system, and clearly will be the 'Soccer' to your 'NFL' in terms of overall 'points' with Xbox Live users, but unless you're REALLY into a stupidly large Gamerscore-esque number it shouldn't worry you. In fact it will make those gold trophies far more valuable. Platinum trophies you earn once you get every other trophy in the game.
Trophies are also used in a new RPG-esque boosting system, where getting more trophies will extend your 'rank'. It can be assumed that higher ranks require more trophies as well. This will be the "virtual urination contest" tool that I'm sure PlayStation users have been dying to use since the Xbox 360 Gamerscore.
[Thank you Chris Kohler for that quote!]
Some interesting notes - much like the Xbox and the Xbox Live Arcade, there will be a 'limit' as to how many trophies a game can have - so a PSN title will have less than a retail game. However, it seems to allow many more than the '12' limit used with XBLA titles as shown by the PixelJunk Eden list, which has at least 18 trophies to get.
Update: According to the GameVideos Network Update Walkthrough, smaller PSN games can NOT get platinum trophies. That's a little unfair in my opinion. Hopefully they'll have plenty of gold trophies then, because I'm sure some people would want a reward for getting all the accursed rainbows in PixelJunk Monsters.
PlayStation Network games are mentioned throughout the chat - PAIN, Super Stardust HD, Warhawk and PixelJunk Eden (when released) will all have trophies patched into their games. Whether Warhawk is considered a retail or downloadable game is up in the air. It has also been said that SOCOM Confrontation will also include Trophies.
Super Stardust HD will be the first game to include it, right with the update patch. How the many expansions of SSHD will deal with extra trophies isn't quite known yet. Hopefully more games will go back and include them - Uncharted had its own 'achievement' like system built in, but I don't know if how they did it will gel exactly with how Sony intend it to be used. Same with Grand Theft Auto IV and the original Resistance.
Trophies will be added into your PlayStation 3, along with in-game XMB, in the PS3 2.40 patch coming on July 2nd - just two days away!
Continue reading for the official Press Release.
New PLAYSTATION(R)3 System Software Update (v.2.40) to Enhance Community Features
Update Includes XMB(TM) Access In-Game for Easier Communication with
Friends and Trophies, a New Ranking and Rewards System for PS3(TM) Gamers
FOSTER CITY, Calif., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer
Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced details of PLAYSTATION(R)3
(PS3(TM)) system software update 2.40, designed to enhance the way PS3
users play and interact with one another. Through regular firmware updates,
SCEA has the ability to continually deliver new features to PS3 system that
address the needs of its users. Now with the 2.40 update, PS3's community
and in-game experience will be upgraded with new offerings that gamers have
asked for. The update will deliver XMB(TM) (XrossMediaBar) access in-game,
enabling PS3 users to connect and communicate with other gamers and utilize
other XMB features seamlessly while playing most games.
In addition to being able to communicate with friends from within a
game, PS3 users will also be able to earn Trophies following the 2.40
update. This new, integrated system enables gamers to tout their
accomplishments via profiles, which also allow users to compare their
skills to other members of the community. Firmware update 2.40 will be
available on July 2.
"Today's PLAYSTATION 3 experience has evolved significantly from what
we debuted at launch, and the 2.40 firmware update will drive the PS3
community experience forward at a time when the platform's momentum is
stronger than ever, with the launches of several recent blockbuster titles
and other exclusive content on the way," said Peter Dille, senior vice
president of marketing and PLAYSTATION Network, SCEA.
"We listen closely to our community, and we're proud to deliver new
features that have been among the most requested -- XMB access in-game and
Trophies. These features provide new ways for the PS3 community to easily
connect, communicate and share gaming experiences with one another in and
out of games."
XMB Access In-Game
XMB access in-game will enable gamers to interact with friends using
messaging, view their friends' online status and profiles (including their
-- all without interrupting the flow of gameplay. By pushing the PS button
on the PS3 controller, the Home menu takes center stage over a game in
progress. Depending on the game, XMB access will either automatically pause
the game or it will continue to run in the background. With these enhanced
communications features further connecting the PLAYSTATION Network
community -- which has more than 9.8 million registered accounts worldwide
as of June 2008 -- the Friends list capacity has doubled to 100 Friends.
Beyond utilizing Friends list features, XMB access in-game will allow
users to sign-in to PLAYSTATION Network, manage PLAYSTATION(R)Store
downloads, quit a game, and access various options within the Settings
category. PS3 users can also quickly end their game and navigate directly
to other PS3 system features simply by selecting to view content such as
photos or videos stored on the system's hard drive. XMB access in-game
works with most existing PS3 games.
In addition to these enhanced community features, the 2.40 update lays
the groundwork for gamers to customize their individual gaming experience
by accessing the XMB during a game and selecting music stored on their PS3
system's hard drive. Once a music file is played, users can access a
control panel via the XMB that enables them to pause, stop, or repeat the
track; go to a different track; or shuffle. The 2.40 update provides
developers with the tools that will enable them to offer personalized
background music as an option in their games, and the supporting titles are
expected to be announced in the future.
Additionally, the firmware 2.40 update includes Google-powered Internet
search functionality on the XMB, allowing users to input search terms and
be directed to a search results page without having to first open the PS3
Internet browser. PSP(R)(PlayStation(R)Portable) system recently added
similar Internet search functionality through a firmware update.
Trophies
Trophies offer a new and innovative way for gamers to showcase their
gaming accomplishments. PS3 users can earn virtual trophies, which will be
viewable on the XMB's Game category under a new Trophy Collection icon, and
will also be touted through individual profiles. These profiles will serve
as virtual representations of PS3 users, allowing them to personalize their
identities and display their gaming accomplishments within the PlayStation
community. Gamers will be ranked on a Level-basis depending on the bronze,
silver, gold, and platinum trophies they earn across all games. They will
also be able to see how much progress they have made toward the next Level,
as well as compare their Trophies to friends.
Super Stardust(TM) HD, a PLAYSTATION Network-exclusive released in June
2007, will be the first game to leverage the Trophies system and will offer
a variety of trophies*. The following first-party games are also slated to
offer Trophy support:
-- BUZZ!(TM) Quiz TV
-- LittleBigPlanet(TM)
-- MotorStorm(TM) Pacific Rift
-- NBA 09 - PS3
-- PAIN*
-- PixelJunk(TM) Eden
-- Resistance 2(TM)
-- SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
-- Warhawk(TM)*
*Requires a game update to be downloaded and installed.
PS3 users can expect to see additional first and third-party games
bringing Trophy support to their feature sets through 2008 and beyond,
providing even greater opportunity to showcase their accomplishments and
compete with friends. SCEA is actively working with developers to ensure
that Trophies are incorporated into new titles in the future.
