If you are still unclear about what PlayStation 3 Firmware 2.40 offers to you in terms of in-game XMB access and Trophy Support, then look no further. Eric Lempel, Director of PlayStation Network Operations, has posted a comprehensive FAQ list on the PlayStation Blog detailing exactly what will be supported and what won’t. We’ve included the FAQ below for you to look at.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Will voice-messaging/private chat be featured in 2.40 as well? If not, can we expect to see this feature added in the future?

We are evaluating the opportunity to offer voice chat, but for this update, we wanted to focus on text messaging as the key priority for communications that our users have asked for.

Can you use the web browser in game?

No, you must exit the game before browsing the internet.

Will In-Game XMB come up during playback of PS2 games, Blu-Ray discs, and DVDs?

The XMB is an exclusive feature for PS3 game titles. Accessing the XMB during gameplay was the top request from our users, which we focused on for this update. However, we continually engage PS3 owners for feedback and will evaluate the opportunity to offer XMB access during movie playback in the future.

Can we go to the display settings and change anything there in-game (resolution, input, etc)?

No, you must exit the game before changing these settings.

Will it be possible to change in-game the sound output?

Yes, sound output changes are supported.

Will we be able to access the PLAYSTATION Store while in-game?

No, but you can view your downloads in progress.

Will we be able to stream music (either via media server or USB drive) for custom soundtracks or is it relegated to music stored on the HDD?

Currently only music stored on the HDD is accessible in games that support this feature. We’d also like to reiterate that Firmware v2.40 merely enables custom soundtracks. It’s up to developers to include this feature in upcoming games (or to patch existing ones).

Does 2.4 enable cross game invites? Will it down the line?

No, cross-game invites are not available in this system software update. We are evaluating opportunities to expand on the new features delivered in 2.40.

Will trophies be mandatory for all games release here on out?

We are working with developers to ensure that Trophies are supported across the board in the future.

Where is each player’s trophy stat info held? I am going to upgrade my hard drive and I don’t know if the trophies will still be on my account if I earn some and then get a new hard drive.

Trophies will be attached to users’ PSN ID. Trophy data needs to be synchronized to the online account on PSN to be transferred to the new PS3 system.

Will the patch automatically allocate unlocked trophies according to your saved files or would you have to do it again?

No, Trophies aren’t retroactive.

Can we view PSN profiles/Trophies from a PC using a Web browser? Will there be an API for web developers to access the PSN data, so online profiles can be created?

We’re evaluating these opportunities to expand where Trophies can be experienced.

Can you only compare trophies with friends that are online?

As long as a friend has a PSN account, you can compare trophies with them regardless of their online status.

Is there a limit to how many trophies the devs can put set by Sony?

There’s not a limit on number of trophies, but there’s a value assigned to each trophy. Developers must balance out the trophies that are available to stay within an overall value based on whether the game is considered large-scope or small-scope. Essentially, a user that has unlocked every trophy in one game would have the same level as a user that unlocked every trophy in another title, all titles (depending on scope) have the same overall impact on a users’ level.

Will new games have a cool little icon on the back saying “trophy compatible?”

We’re currently working on how Trophy support will be messaged to the consumer on our software packaging.

When you get a trophy, does it make a noise?

Currently, no. How quickly things can change – there *will* be a sound effect when you unlock a Trophy.

Issue 36 of the XTREME PSP Magazine is now available to download. Yep, it’s been over three years since the magazine has started and we hope there are many more ahead of us. This issue is packed with content including reviews of Metal Gear Solid 4 on the PlayStation 3 and Lego Indiana Jones on the PSP. We also have a number of new game previews, wallpapers and more.

Content:

• Previews:
  • Hellboy (PSP)
  • WALL-E (PSP)
  • SOCOM: Confrontation (PS3)
  • Prince of Persia (PS3)
  • Call of Duty 5 (PS3)
• Reviews:
  • Lego Indiana Jones (PSP)
  • Secret Agent Clank (PSP)
  • Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)
  • Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3)

[Download XTREME PSP Mag i036]

The second part of the Firmware 2.40 video walkthrough is now available to watch. In-game XMB and various other features were shown off in part I of the walkthrough, and part II shows off the trophy support. Super Stardust HD will be the first game to support the trophy feature. We’ve reported most of the features in our earlier articles, but it’s still useful to watch the video (included below).

Some games that will include Trophy support include (some games will require a patch):

• BUZZ! Quiz TV
• LittleBigPlanet
• MotorStorm Pacific Rift
• NBA 09 – PS3
• PAIN
• PixelJunk Eden
• Resistance 2
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
• Warhawk

[Via: PlayStation.Blog]

­

In yet another press release today, SCEE has confirmed that Firmware 2.40 will be available to download on July 2nd 2008. Firmware 2.40 includes XMB access in-game. This means that you can access the PS3 menu at any time while playing most games, simply by tapping the PlayStation button on your controller. With 2.40, you can check if any of your friends are online (thanks to their own user profile), read and send messages, change some settings for games, all without having to quit the game you are playing. While you can’t pause an online multiplayer game involving other people, you can rejoin play at any time when you’ve finished browsing.

Press Release:

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced new online gaming functionality for PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3), which will become available on July 2, 2008 with the 2.40 enhancement, an automatic firmware upgrade that delivers several of the features most requested by gamers. Combined with PLAYSTATION Network’s unique service of free* online gaming, the enhancement makes PS3 an even more attractive platform of choice for the online gamer.

Firstly, the 2.40 enhancement allows XMB (XrossMediaBar) access in-game. This means that you can access the PS3 menu at any time while playing most games, simply by tapping the PlayStation button on your controller. With 2.40, you can check if any of your friends are online (thanks to their own user profile), read and send messages, change some settings for games, all without having to quit the game you are playing. While you can’t pause an online multiplayer game involving other people, you can rejoin play at any time when you’ve finished browsing. Along with these enhanced communications features, the Friends list capacity will double to 100 Friends.

2.40 also delivers trophies to recognise players’ achievements in the online arena. Other competitive activities recognise winners with trophies – so why not gaming on PS3? Many online games will have gold, silver and bronze trophies – with platinum available for those who snag all three – all displayed on the XMB for everyone to see.

Super Stardust HD, a PLAYSTATION Network-exclusive released last year, 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! Quiz TV
• LittleBigPlanet
• MotorStorm Pacific Rift
• NBA 09 – PS3
• PAIN**
• PixelJunk Eden
• Resistance 2
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
• Warhawk**

The 2.40 enhancement is just one more reason to join PSN, the online network for PS3 users that lets you game online for free*. All you need to do to join is connect your PS3 to broadband and register, or go to the connection guide at www.eu.playstation.com to find out more.

Once in, you’ll find online matches and leagues for all of your favourite games – whether that’s MotorStorm, Resistance, Warhawk or Gran Turismo5 Prologue – absolutely free (although users are responsible for paying their broadband fees) and at any time of the day or night. You’ll also find PLAYSTATION Store, where you can download entire games as well as extra levels, content for your existing games plus internet browsing, video chat thanks to PLAYSTATION Eye and much, much more.

* No subscription required, broadband fees apply
** Requires a game update to be downloaded and installed

­In a press release today, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has announced that the DualShock 3 Wireless Controller will be available for the PlayStation 3 in Europe from July 2nd 2008. The US and Japan have had the DualShock 3 controller for some time now so this will be good news for European gamers. David Reeves, President and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, commented, "We are delighted to confirm that DUALSHOCK 3 will be released in SCEE territories in early July. We hope this will add to the intense gaming experience for our fans, as we continue to evolve PS3, its software and its peripherals."

Press Release:

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced that DUALSHOCK3 Wireless Controller will be available for PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) in Europe on July 2, 2008. The eagerly awaited wireless controller with vibration function will put truly responsive gaming power into players’ hands, shaking up gaming experiences when it arrives on PS3 this summer.

It’s not what you see – it’s what you feel that makes DUALSHOCK 3 the first choice for all gamers. More than 28 million DUALSHOCK controllers have been sold since the first DUALSHOCK release for PlayStation in 1998. Now DUALSHOCK 3 puts some serious power into existing and future PS3 titles, with its vibration function offering even more interactive play between gamers and the many games – past, present and future – which support the vibration functionality. DUALSHOCK 3 also retains the high-precision, high-response motion-sensitive aspects that have made SIXAXIS so popular.

David Reeves, President and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, commented, "We are delighted to confirm that DUALSHOCK 3 will be released in SCEE territories in early July. We hope this will add to the intense gaming experience for our fans, as we continue to evolve PS3, its software and its peripherals."

Almost all future PS3 releases will support DUALSHOCK 3, and the controller is already compatible with many existing PS3 titles (firmware upgrade 1.94 required). Face the heart-pounding fear of alien warfare in Resistance: Fall of Man, hold tight as you tear through the streets of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, or feel the thrill of treasure hunting in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune – your favourite PS3 games like you’ve never experienced them before.

Making your gaming experience more immersive, more intuitive and more realistic, DUALSHOCK 3 is the only Bluetooth controller combining vibration function and SIXAXIS features, and the first choice for anyone wanting to get the most out of their PS3 gaming experience.

Eric Lempel, Director of PlayStation Network Operations, over at the PlayStation Blog has uploaded a video showing off the upcoming PlayStation 3 firmware 2.40. The first part of the walkthrough shows off come of the in-game XMB features such as messaging, game launching (from within another game), in-game music playback, the XMB clock and more. According to the blog post, the firmware update is "coming soon", but there is still no mention of a firm release date. You can check out the video below.

Part two of the walkthrough will be uploaded in a few days time showing off the new 2D Trophy support and some of the other new features offered by the new system software.

[Via: PlayStation.Blog]

The latest custom firmware from Dark_AleX and Team M33 is now available to download. The custom firmware utilizes the latest Official firmware 4.01 (as the name suggests) but also adds the common features found in M33’s custom firmware. In addition to releasing firmware 4.01 M33, version two of the firmware has also been released fixing a few minor bugs.

The download package includes the files needed to install 4.01 M33 and the M33 v2 update. The Firmware 1.50 Kernel is also included for those who like playing some of the older homebrew games and applications.

Changelog for Custom Firmware 4.01 M33:

• Bug fix: vshmenu didn’t let change camera mode due to camera_plugin using select button. Fixed, now vsh menu will not be loaded when using the camera.
• Recovery can now be translated, See how below. Translation to spanish is auto-included.
• Updated the M33 SDK with a new function and sample, and released the psp-packer tool to compress prx’s and PBP’s in the PSP format.
• The folder of 4.01 and higher homebrew will be GAME4XX so it won’t need change on update.

Changelog for Custom Firmware 4.01 M33-2:

• Nids resolver: Fixed scePowerGetCpuClockFrequency issue. This is the same bug that happened in 3.80 M33-1, it won’t happen again
• Fixes recovery problems that have appeared in prior version (incorrect position of back string in language others than english, enable, and disabled strings not translated in plugins, hide pic0 pic1 couldn’t be changed, language file in flash1 wasn’t working..
• Spanish recovery translation typos fixed.

[Download CFW 4.01 M33-1, M33-2 and FW 1.5 Kernel Add-on]

A big update for the US PlayStation Store this week, with two new playable demos, lots of game add-on content and a range of new game videos and movie trailers. The European PlayStation Store has had a small update this week with only one new playable demo, some new add-on game content and four new videos and trailers. Europe has also finally got the Metal Gear Solid 4 Database, which was released in the US and Japan last week. Check out the complete list below.

European Additions:

• Playable Demos
  
  • Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
• Game Add-on Content
  • Metal Gear Solid 4 Database
• Guitar Hero 3: World of Warcraft Song
• Pain: Nigel Character (£0.69)
• Videos and Trailers
• Prince of Persia Trailer
• Pain Characters Trailer
• Prince Caspian Game Trailer
• Call of Duty: World at War Reveal Trailer

US Additions:

• Playable Demos
  • Hot Shot Golf: Out of Bounds
  • Top Spin 3
• Game Add-on Content
  • PAIN: Nigel Character ($0.99)
  • Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock "I am Murloc" World of Warcraft Single
  • Rock Band
    • "Crackity Jones" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "Dead" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "Debaser" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "Gouge Away" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "Here Comes Your Man" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "Hey" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "I Bleed" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "La La Love You" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "Monkey Gone to Heaven" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "Mr. Grieves" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "No. 13 Baby" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "Silver" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "Tame" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • "There Goes my Gun" – the Pixies ($1.99)
    • Doolittle album ($18.99) – This album includes "Crackity Jones," "Dead," "Debaser," "Gouge Away," "Here Comes Your Man," "Hey," "I Bleed," "La La Love You," "Monkey Gone to Heaven," "Mr. Grieves," "No 13 Baby," "Silver," "Tame," and "There Goes My Gun" by the Pixies.
    • "Dreamin’" – Weezer ($1.99)
    • "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" – Weezer ($1.99)
    • "Troublemaker" – Weezer ($1.99)
    • Weezer Pack 1 ($5.49) – includes "Dreamin’," "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived," and "Troublemaker" by Weezer.
• Game Videos and Trailers
  • Battlefield: Bad Company Accolades TV Spot
  • Battlefield: Bad Company Preston’s Blog
  • Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway – Ubidays Trailer
  • Call of Duty: World at War
  • The Incredible Hulk Trailer
  • HAZE Launch Trailer
  • HAZE Song Trailer
• Movie and Blu-Ray Trailers
  • The House Bunny trailer
  • So I Married An Axe Murderer Blu-ray Disc trailer
  • Men In Black Blu-ray Disc trailer
    
• PS3 Themes (free)
  • PAIN: Nigel Theme
  • PLAYSTATION Network Theme

Sony’s Mid-Term Corporate Strategy Meeting today, the first screenshots of the new Video Store for the PlayStation Network were revealed. Although not the best quality, it gives you some idea of what to expect. The PlayStation Network update that took place this week was to prepare the network for the Video Store. The exact release date for the Video Store is still unknown, but it is expected to hit the PlayStation 3 before the end of the Summer, and then the PSP in the future.

Before the PlayStation Network update this week, the following screen was not part of the activation process. This new screen suggests that a new option will be available to activate video content, and possibly other services in the future.

During the Sony Strategic Meeting in Tokyo today, Sony announced a service that will allow PS3 owners to view daily world news interactively. The system, billed under their Life with PlayStation brand, allows you to zoom around a virtual globe and gain world news from various cities. The service will allow geo-tagged pictures to be viewed on the globe in the future, and is part of a whole slew of non-game services Sony are planning for the future.

The idea is a simple one. Since many people switch on their TVs in the morning to get news of what is going on, Sony want you to switch on your PS3 as well and use that to deliver the information you require, whilst playing music in the background and linking into other services to be announced in the future. Since this new Life with PlayStation brand has been announced in a Strategic Meeting that concentrated on services that will be launched before March 2009, I think we can assume these new features will appear within the next eight months.

[Via: PS3Attitude]