Last week’s Tweak It prompted many more comments than we expected. Asking you how you would tweak the PS3’s GameOS to improve its existing capabilities you all had a lot of great ideas. Having read through all your suggestions here are my top three:
- “Notification display: change so you can have All, Only Messages or Off.” ~ sideshow
- “Automated trophy sync.” ~ Kennykazey, musicmonkey, Awayze, hazelam
- “Game independent screenshot feature.” ~ hazelam
This week we would like to know how you would change Sony’s PlayStation Network Store. From our gamer’s perspective the PSN Store is where we go to access the latest downloadable goodies whether they be trailers, DLC or games. As the key non-retail place where we go to spend our hard-earned pennies and cents the Store should be a welcoming place.
From Sony’s perspective they should be trying to make the Store as easy to use as possible, to make those impulse purchases easier and quicker. Not only that, it is their shop window where they should be doing all they can to encourage us to visit often and linger longer as we browse the virtual shelves.
There were hints back in March that Sony were working on a Store redesign, followed by rumours earlier this month that a new Store design is already being tested. Changes are likely coming then, but it may not be too late for Sony to listen to suggestions. Here are a couple to get you started:
- A page on the Store that lists only the DLC for the games that you already own. The Xbox’s Games Marketplace does this already, but it could be taken one step further and leave out of the list any DLC you already have and any games that you have all the DLC for.
- Dynamic themes on the Store often have a ‘Preview’ button which essentially shows you a ‘trailer’ for the theme. The pages for the games also should feature a preview/trailer button so there is no need to go hunting elsewhere on the Store for them.
Over to you, our readers. We know that you would like to see lower prices, so let’s take that as a given. What else could Sony do to the Store to encourage you to spend your money there and make it a nicer place to visit?
flatspikes
Improved review system, iOS style so I can get that little bit extra info from users before taking the plunge.
ron_mcphatty
I would like a page which lists all the content you have paid for, so its easier to find if you want to re-download it. The downloads list is a huge pain the in rear!
fattyuk
Im gonna be upgrading my HDD soon, and according to my list there is over 750 items on there! many Many demos I won’t need, so it would be nice to just download what I’ve paid for. Saying that would be nice to have it all in catogories aswell like ps plus content, expired betas, dlc,full games etc.
TSBonyman
A better way to organise your previous downloads, oh yes please! I’ve been avoiding a hdd upgrade because of that, regularly deleting content from my 160Gb to make room ( or in the case of Home and Vidzone deleting and re-installing again when needed). That would make the experience much smoother and it’s something everyone will probably have to go through at some point whether through a hdd upgrade or the dreaded ylod.
Watchful
If you do a backup of your HDD you can avoid re-downloading. Assuming you’ve got a large enough external USB HDD of course.
TSBonyman
lol, i forgot about that – and i back-up regularly! :)
Deathbrin
That is genius.
colmshan1990
Yes, please.
It’s a hassle, a big, unnecessary hassle.
Roynaldo
Dont give a rats arse about the store really but as with last weeks comment il stay in the same vein. Speed it up!
Deathbrin
It’s nowhere near as bad as the XMB. Seriously i don’t even notice.
Mason_Mk
Sort out the download list, to sort it by demos / full game / dlc / psp stuff
Trying to find a piece of DLC or a demo for a game in a 700+ list is not fun
Mason_Mk
Oh and also sort out categories, there’s always demos found in DLC, games found in demos, etc. Also the game franchises section is empty, look at the ratchet and clank bit and it shows 2 themes, and none of the demos, or the games. And other things like PSP essential games not appearing in there full game categories.
eye8have9you3
Oooh I’m starting to quite like this new feature, well done for thinking it up.
Now I’ve been pretty happy with the store so far (cost aside) but there are a couple of things I’d like to see. Firstly a pre-order system, I live in a pretty rural area, and whilst my ~2.5Mb download speed is fine for online gaming, it can take ages to download new demos or dlc. Maybe this could be incorporated into the PS+ auto download thing.
The other thing is sharing. I read somewhere recently that amazon are gonna let you lend out your kindle books for upto 21 days to other users, during which period you can’t use it. The whole 5 downloads per item helps in playing friends games, but a proper lending system could encourage more people to buy games, or if you add a small nominal fee, like £1 per lend, make money from customers who don’t want to part with around ten quid for a game they’ve never seen or tried, especially for games not suited to a demo.
Deathbrin
Yeah well good luck in bringing the thoughts over to the Japanese who control the thing and don’t give a s*** though. Some Store recommendations would be just SCEE so i suppose that’s easier.
eye8have9you3
Oh also I would like a fixed time to have the store updates go live. There’s nothing more annoying than waiting having to check the store several times a day looking for an update that never seems to come
Yahavage
Tidy up the damn categories! As people have pointed out it’s just a mish-mash of stuff thrown together at the moment. I’d like customisable options for filters, i.e. release date, publisher, developer, as well as genre etc.
Maybe add some kind of quick buy option, instead of making me click to buy and then click to download, let me buy and download with one simple click! (As I’m typing this I’m aware of lazy it’s making me sound lol) This might not be needed if they sped the damn thing up though. Also after I’ve purchased something take me back to the top page of whatever it was I was viewing, just to speed things up more.
Deathbrin
Whoa, you’d be making a store guy’s regular day seem like proper job, in Hell.
Deathbrin
I like to activate and download later, should be optional, i don’t think one click matters though as it doesn’t matter how many items you buy you can download+install them all at once from the Store.
FluBBa
Add a “Add to wish list” button for stuff you want to buy but not right now.
Fix a web version of the store so you can buy stuff from any computer and have it automaticly download on your PS3.
Clean up the store categories, it’s horrible right now; trying to browse to titles you know should be there is a nightmare (try to find Wipeout Pulse for the PSP).
Yahavage
Wishlist nice. I would love one of these. Especially for when you see something and think ‘oh that looks smart! but no money ;; ‘ and then when yo do have money you forget about it so it never gets bought…
Deathbrin
Yes, it’s very annoying when the cart doesn’t save or you forget something. A good one.
colmshan1990
Yes, a wish list would be fantastic!
I often browse the store and fill up a basket, then go see how many PSN vouchers I need.
Sadly, I then either have to write it down or hope I remember all those things in the basket. Not easy when looking at a load of DLC.
Darth Newdar
Totally agree with all three. A proper web version is my biggest wish. Even if you couldn’t actually buy things on it, it would be great to be able to see prices without relying on Google searches all the time. A wish list and better categorisation would also be great.
fattyuk
I’ve actually got a wish list on my iPad lol but sometimes I’ll see stuff, not right it down and totally forgot about it!
More offers and bundles need to be done, even if they just stuck loads of oldish games on there and had a 3 for £10 offer or 5 for £20 or along those sort of lines.
A nice new revamp of the colours and background etc would also go down a treat, the blue background is looking very and old and stale those days,
esir
Store for my country. That would really increase my purchases.
esir
Romania btw. and an edit function would be cool on the site.
Deathbrin
That sucks. So you have PSN but no Store then? How about using some other Store?
fattyuk
Might go on ip address mate, same as from what I’ve hear any uk user can’t access the us video store/netflix etc and vice versa they can’t access BBC iplayer 4od love film etc.
Faulker
I can do that, but it would be more convenient if all my purchases would be tied to my real account. I’d also pay via debit card on which I don’t keep much money, so even if the number does get stolen and they drain it I wouldn’t lose much.
TSBonyman
A direct link to click should you have any issues with a particular purchase, even if it only took you to the correct place on the forums so your issue can be acnowledged.
Option to purchase content as a gift for a friend or another account holder.
And there’s been a few times i would have welcomed a Refund button.. ;)
Deathbrin
Well that can be better placed in the XMB triangle options for an item, i think.
Deathbrin
Yes shame there’s no refunds, i’ve spent on DLC which didn’t work for my game (i had no idea) and games that were completely shit, maybe they should introduce a 30 minute warranty or something.
Deathbrin
That would also make impulse purchases easier so you don’t worry that it’ll hurt later.
fattyuk
No mate lol that would never work!!
That’s what demos and 60 minute Trails are for.
colmshan1990
It is what they’re for, but then… why don’t we have them?
It’s the rule for MS to have them, and it’s not because they pay for Live either, as the free Silver version can access the demos too. (I think)
TSBonyman
I was joking about the Refund button – i would never expect that but yes it would help if every game had a trial.
Kennykazey
Simplify the user interface, finding a specific game or piece of dlc is like navigating a maze at times. They need to reduce the number of options and sub-menus and have one efficient and logical path for the customer to follow. Also, the top menu should get back the ps3- / psp-game selection instead of one saying “all games”. It also needs to be made faster.