I can’t wait to play Combat Plane 2 on my brand new PlayStation 4.
These interface images are scattered with fake game titles and images, as well as imagined comment threads and mobile mock-ups. I know that’s a necessary step at this stage – rather than give away all the game titles they’ve got coming – but I find it quite amusing.
Fancy a go on the Dragons and Cavaliers multiplayer when it comes out?
Anyway, to the point. Sony has today released the user interface screenshots it used at its stage presentation last week. So there’s nothing really new here but we do get a nice crisp look at how the PS4’s front-end menu systems are currently looking. I would imagine that there’s some scope for change as they continue refining and developing their ideas but, so far, I really like this.
It’s very reminiscent of the recent store redesign, perhaps obviously, but the heaps of super fast RAM and that beefy APU should ensure that it zips along. Let us know what you think below.
Tuffcub
So we can now upload pictures to use instead of avatars? Cool.
McProley
If so, I can see a lot of people just having a cock as their avatar
Tuffcub
Yum
McProley
Haha!
Narayan11
Nothing like a true picture of yourself to show others how you are in real life.
Adam Garrett
It seems part of the general internet move to real names and pictures rather than the anonymity of usernames and avatars, much like social networks (although Twitter is often a bit behind in that sense but it’s getting there).
teflon
Because everyone wants that snotty kid who they beat on CoD to know their real name, and be the target of social hacking…
Adam Garrett
Meh. I’m neither for or against it. If that kid isn’t anonymous either then he wont behave in that way. It’s completely optional anyway, nothing stopping people from putting an avatar up and usernames are still there. I can see why you wouldn’t be too happy about being more upcoming with names and pictures though :P
bunimomike
I want your big, beautiful beard on my 46″ TV.
Avenger
TSA/Steam works fine though, allowing nicknames, account names and personal names to be different as well as custom avatars/name tags.
GhostViper
Knack has a lot of trophies. At least on that picture.
BrendanCalls
I can see it already, that comments list is just gonna be full of “haha, your sh1t” and other abuse, whether its my friends or randoms ;-)
hannes_truce
without a doubt.
SpikeyMikey23
hopefully we can have privacy settings so it can be restricted to friends only or possibly only selected friends (like you can find in crapbook)
bunimomike
Agreed. If I’m particular about who I add (read: add people who are happy with utterly tasteless humour from the off) then it should be fine for me too. Saying that, I’m barely ever into multiplayer gaming on the PS3 but the PS4 might change things a bit with the whole sharing thing. Ah, who I am I kidding. It’s for tossers! :-p
McProley
Its good to see trophies will be carried over. At least presumedly
Alex C
For sure.
hannes_truce
I really hope that’s the case – surely you’ll be able to carry over your SEN/PSN account which their tied to…
Taylor Made
Lets just hope you can change your psn name, cause I badly want to change mine
f4rgo
You, me and a bazillion others…..
cc_star
Tell me about it.
I will start again if you can’t though.
TURRICAN-808
I’m sure the trophies will carry over, but it might be worth voting too:
http://share.blog.us.playstation.com/ideas/2010/08/09/ps3-ps4-trophy-continuity/
Alex C
Better, but still quite dated visually. Still, at least the XMB is gone.
Kris Lipscombe
The very last one has a more modern feeling to it, seems Pinterest like. Hope they put in a better default background though, very ugly.
cc_star
I like the speed of the XMB, although it’s awful for loads of data so has become far too ‘scrolly’ over time.
This looks like the new PSN Store which is great for them pushing content at you, but not so great for just getting in & out to what you want to do – like errrm play a game.
The more time you need to spend in the OS the weaker the UI actually is, so I’m fearing the worse with this.
Which is a shame because everything Sony have said up to now indicates it will be suited to firing up & playing a game, not wading through periphery things like Trophies, brag clips, messaging and all the other shit that detracts from actually playing a game.
Roll on the apocalypse and a return to 8bit/16bit gaming.
Dom El
I’ve always liked the XMB as a basic interface, but then as you say it/the PS3 doesn’t cope well with lots of data, and the game list (particularly as a PS+ subscriber) becomes ridiculous very quickly.
I hope that playing a game is still the most intuitive and primary feature when you turn it on. The 360’s Metro dashboard completely removed any positive feelings I had for the console by making the ‘play game’ button one of the smallest components on the screen. Hopefully Sony will also steer clear of the huge Lynx adverts that Microsoft seem keen to push on gamers (or can Kinect tell if we smell?).
skibadee
it is your choice really play a game or be social? sure the game would start if that is what you want. depends on your style of gaming I guess.
Bilbo_bobbins
looks alright, lets hope its quicker than the current store speed though because that is terrible.
cc_star
Well as everything is connected, so it’s pulling data from numerous sources in order to populate all the different areas like messaging, trophies, brag clips… So I can imagine it will have lag.
DJ Judas
I can see myself making extensive use of the system suspend feature and booting straight into the game rather than to the system UI.
Narayan11
In the end, all will come down to on how fast the whole thing is, to change, access, move in and out of menus, etc. Needs to be at least the same speed as a smartphone, which is the standard we are now used to. PS3 shop is still too slow despite recent updates.
cam the man
Images 6, 7 & 8 look just like an android smart phone with the signal strength, battery and clock in the top right corner.
f4rgo
Yep, it will have companion apps/support on smartphones/tablets.
Zephyre
Just what I noticed. Assumed it was something to do with the controller
Sad Panda
What a pile of crap. Is privacy dead? I’ll be amazed if they allow these features to be turned off.
I’m gutted as I want to play the likes of the new Killzone and Infamous but want none of these enforced interactions. I sometimes enjoy an online game in a party with friends but have no interest interacting with the random racist immature idiots that the online community is littered with.
Kris Lipscombe
Which particular bit has you angry? It all seems to be interaction with friends, rather than the community at large from those images.
Sad Panda
The whole in your face social media aspect gets me riled up.
I don’t care that John got a trophy or that Peter shared a screenshot and I really don’t want the details of Jim’s last bowel movement.
I want to play games on the machine. All this rubbish running in the background and tracking everything will slow things down.
I’m a day one console buyer, I’ve even bought a Wii U on launch which I’m happy with, but the more I hear about the PS4/Nextbox, the less I like.
yiddo
You think that you HAVE to do this? PS4 will have cross game chat so get you and your mates into a party, and it will just be you lot talking, regardless of whether your on the same game or not. Done.
Sheepdip
What of course funny, is Xbox owners are paying £40 a year for the social aspect of Xbox Live….
But when Sony does it, social is now bad…..
Origami Killer
Looks quite nice! Like the idea of this share feature