What is the PSN?
It's the set of servers that Sony run in order to provide PS3s with online functionality.
What sort of functionality?
System updates, messaging + chat, trophy logging, profile hosting, and some game lobby hosting.
How much does it cost to use PSN?
PSN access is free. Multiplayer is free.
You only pay for what you choose to buy from the PlayStation Store.
what is the PlayStation Store?
A digital store where you can download PSN content, such as games, demos, wallpapers, themes, soundtracks, trailers, and DLC.
what is DLC?
DownLoadable Content. Downloaded add-on packs for games, adding costumes, levels, game types etc. They may be free or at a small cost.
How do I buy stuff off of the store?
First you'll need to set up your PSN account.
You'll then need to load up your PSN wallet with cash. You can do this via Credit Card, or by buying PlayStation Network cards ($30 and $50)
You cannot use overseas PlayStation Network cards with the local store. Likewise, you can't use local cards with the overseas stores.
Do I have to use a Credit card? I've heard mixed reports about whether Debit cards work or not.
Ok, first up, Credit card is the only officially supported payment method.
The confusion surrounding whether Debit cards work or not is caused by the fact that people are talking about different things. There are three types of DEBIT cards:
Standard Debit cards commonly called CashCards, Keycards, etc. these are for EFTPOS use only and cannot be used as a credit card.
Visa or MasterCard Debit cards issued by a bank, and attached to a debit account – these are the cards which are advertised with 'spend your own money' and similar statements.
These cards are cleared in the same manner as a Credit card, and work fine on the PSN store.
Debit cards preloaded with a money value, that work more like a gift card – disposable credit cards (like those they sell at the Post Office and 7-11 stores) no longer work on the PSN store.
If your card isn't working (and you have a Credit Card or the first type of Debit Card), Sony suggests you try the following:
Wait 24 hours and try again
Call your bank/card issuer, and ask them about the problem. Specifically the security level on the card.
Contact Sony's support line – 1300 365 911
Are my credit card details stored?
They will be associated with your account, yes. However, you can easily remove them yourself – they're not locked to your account.
When is the store updated with new content?
Usually, the store is updated on Friday morning (6 or 7am). In the past, technical difficulties have pushed update out to Saturday afternoon. If there's special content (like a highly anticipated demo)
Sony may update the store early in order to release it the same time that Xbox Live gets it.
Can I download PSN games/game patches/demos/DLC onto a USB stick, and transfer it to my PS3 later?
No. You must connect your PS3 to the PS Store directly to download protected content such as this. (Source)
How many times can I redownload purchased content from the store. If I buy something off of the store it should be mine, right?
It is. This is the deal:
Once you buy something from the store, it's yours.
The store is linked to your PSN account, so even if it is later removed from the store (like, limited edition), you can redownload it by going to your Download List.
You can download bought content to the same PS3 as many times as you like.
Here's where the download limit applies – some content can be shared across multiple PS3s.
Shared content can be spread across a maximum of 5 PS3 consoles.
To share your content, log into your PSN account from a different PS3 console, activate it, and then download the content from your Download List.
Other users on that console will also be able to access that content, but only while your PSN user login remains. If they delete the purchaser's login from the console, the content becomes unavailable.
Each of the 5 consoles can download the content as many times as you like (using the purchaser's user login).
Singstar tracks are an example of content that cannot be redownloaded to a different console (due to DRM restrictions.
PS Support is able to override this on request if necessary (console upgrade, receive a refurbished console from repairs, etc.). Call their support line.
Does this mean I can split the cost of store content with my friends?
Yes, it does. Some people even set up a 'gameshare' account, so they don't have their user login saved on other people's consoles. See the gameshare section below.
So how do I know if content is shareable?
If you're lucky, it will say if it is shareable or not in the item description. Look for something similar to 'this content may be downloaded to 5 consoles'. Blu-ray full games that have been made available for download usually will not be shareable.
Check with Google if you are unsure.
Ok, so – gamesharing?
Right. For downloaded content to stay active on a console, the purchaser's account has to stay on it. Obviously, you don't want your PSN account on someone's console, where they can screw with it, right?
So people on the interblag have been clever, and set up dud accounts, explicitly for gamesharing.
What?
Let's say that you have two PSN users – Adam and Ben. They're in grade 10, and generally act like bastards to each other, so naturally they don't trust each other not to screw with their PSN accounts.
They want to buy Tekken 5, but $30 is too much money – and they want to share their downloaded content so they can save money.
Instead of using Adam's PSN account to buy the game, and then having to log into Ben's console to download it – they create a dud PSN account Gameshare – which they both have the password to. Each of them signs into the Gameshare account on their own consoles and puts $15 into the wallet. Adam uses the Gameshare account to purchase Tekken 5, and downloads it to his console. Ben then logs into the Gameshare account, and downloads the game to his console via the Download List.
From then on, they can log in on their own accounts, and play against each other on their own consoles. Neither have had to give out the password to their own accounts to the other. All they have to do is leave the Gameshare account on their console, and the content will stay active.
This works well when organising gamesharing with strangers on forums.
Is there anything I need to be aware of when gamesharing?
Well, mainly the fact that Sony don't like it a whole lot.
http://community.eu.playstation.com/playstationeu/board/message?board.id=b_EN_PS3_Home&message.id=209518#M209518
Hey folks
Right-o, you should all know to never, ever pass on your PSN Password to a third party. Not your mum, not your best mate, not the dude who just asked you if he can download WipEout HD from your profile.
Some reasons why:
1. It is your PSN account, no one elses. If someone you know wants to play PlayStation – get them to make their own account. It's easy enough to do – just point them here.
2. If it is the dude asking if he can download stuff, the liklihood is he'll change your password and run away with all your games. If you have automatic wallet funding on, he'll probably buy everything from the store too.
3. If this happens, we have to suspend your PSN account untill we can ensure that only the original owner is able to access the account.
4. Some games have a lock-out feature which bars access to a game if it has been accessed on a different console within the last 24 hours. If someone else has your password and plays your games on a different console, you might not be able to access them yourself.
5. Everytime someone accesses your account on a different console, any other console signed into your account will be signed out. Annoying when you've just slaughtered 500 foes in Killzone 2.
I'd encourage you all to report anyone who makes an attempt to phish for your account details. The best way to do this is to forward their message to you to the moderation team, or to submit a grief report at http://www.ps3reporting.com
Be vigilant. If we know of users who are doing this, we will take strong action against them. There will also be a message in this weeks Message of the Day regarding phishing for those who do not read these forums.
Stay safe, and be excellent to eachother...
Points 4 and 5 are the most relevant to gamesharing.
So what's Sony's offical line on gamesharing? I've heard conflicting reports.
Yes, it's been inconsistent. But the community moderators on the offical forums have tried clearing things up.
http://community.eu.playstation.com/playstationeu/board/message?board.id=419&message.id=85412#M85412
Firstly, let me define what this "Game Sharing" is...
You can activate your PlayStation Network account on up to 5 PS3 consoles. This allows you to play your downloaded content on each of those consoles, so long as your username is saved on each.
This feature has 2 functions. Primarily, it's a support feature. We want to be sure that, if for any reason your PS3 breaks, you can instantly start playing the content you have purchased on another console.
Its other function is to act as a replacement for taking a disc around to your mates' house. If you wanted to show your friend Warhawk for example, but had the Downloadable version – you wouldn't be able to take the disc around to your mates place to play. Instead, you can put your account on his console and download the content to play whilst your there.
But people, here is the important part: You must never, ever give your account details to anyone else. Not your closest friend, not your housemate, not your mum... no one. Do not do it. Even if you do go round to your mates house – delete your account before you leave and do not under any circumstance leave your password saved on his machine.
If we have reason to believe your account is comprimised, we have to ban it from the network. Don't risk it. Keep your password to yourself.
I read about this awesome <game/content/download> being released on the store, but I can't find it?
It may have been released on a store from a different region.
Currently, there are 3 major PSN store regions – USA, Japan, and Europe. Within those, there are many minor store regions – the AUS PSN is one of these.
The Australian store content mostly aligns with the European store – but is updated at a different time, and may have slightly different content (mostly due to differences in release dates between Europe and Aus).
If you want to download the awesome <game/content/download>, you can register a new PSN user account in that region. From the XMB, go to the Users menu, and Add New User.
You will need a actual overseas address (the registration process will check). Also, to load money into your wallet, you will need a credit card with details that match the address. This usually means that you need a credit card from overseas.
In the past, people used Entropay to get around this limitation (the card provided had a blank address, and passed verification), but it is unclear if new Entropay accounts will work anymore.
And what's Sony's offical line on accessing foreign PSN Stores?
They don't like it.
http://community.eu.playstation.com/playstationeu/board/message?board.id=62&message.id=1588904#M1588904
Just to say – providing false information when creating a PSN Account means the following things:
1. We wont be able to contact you about stuff like Betas and Promotions
2. Providing false info is fraud
3. Providing false info is against the PSN Terms of Service and User Agreement
4. If we come across an account which is obviously filled out with false info (eg. the address field reads 'EEEEEEHEHEHEHE')we have the right to ban it.
PSN+
What is PlayStation Plus?
It's a paid subscription service. On top of the existing, free PSN service, you can pay a subscription to gain access to additional features.
Such as?
At least 4 games per month
1 PSN
2 Minis
1 PSOne
2 Dynamic Themes
2 Premium Avatars
Premium game elements/add-ons
Member discounts on PSN Store items (20-50%)
Early access to demos + beta trials
Full game trial
Automatic download feature
How muchit costs for membership?
$20.95 for 90 days.
$69.95 for a year. If you sign up for a year before Aug 3, 2010, you get a free digital copy of LittleBigPlanet (not tied to subscription). The LBP deal has expired. The current offer is Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty
Can you go into more detail about each item? Are there any catches?
Each of the available items have various conditions associated with it, yeah.
Games
The PSN/Minis/PSOne games are yours to keep while your subscription is active. The subscription is prepaid, so if you cancel – the games will work until the expiry date of your PSN subscription. Then they will deactivate. They will reactivate if you resubscribe.
Also – the games are only available for free download during the month in which they are offered. Miss out, and you'll only have the option to buy them instead. However, once you've downloaded it once, it'll appear in your Download List, so you can safely delete it later. (Or, just begin the download – so it gets listed in your Download List, then cancel it, and download it later)
Dynamic Themes/Premium Avatars/Premium Game Elements/Add-Ons
These are yours to keep regardless of your subscription status.
Members-Only Discounted Items
Anything you buy using your PSN+ member's discount is yours to keep, regardless of your subscription status.
Early Access to Demos + Beta Trials
Is pretty self-explanatory.
Full Game Trial
Each month, Sony will offer 2 games for download. You will be able to play the full version (not a demo) of the games for 1 hour (unless otherwise stated).
You can then purchase the game, if you decide. Once you buy it, all game saves and trophies earned during the trial will be unlocked and will show up on your trophy list and your PSN profile.
Automatic Download
Under System Settings, you can schedule your PS3 to wake up and utilise the automatic download feature.
It will:
Automatically download + install any updates for games you have been playing
Automatically download + install certain game demos, chosen by Sony (known as 'push demos)
Automatically download system firmware updates (you need to install it manually)
If your PS3 is on (and not in standby mode) during the time you have scheduled for Automatic Download, the console will skip the scheduled window and wait for the next one.
