PlayStation 4 UI, social tools detailed

Today at the Game Developers Conference, Sony went into more detail about a host of PlayStation 4 features, including its user interface, social tools, controllers and peripherals.

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Today at the Game Developers Conference, Sony went into more detail about a host of PlayStation 4 features, including its user interface, social tools, controllers and peripherals. An information screen will include comments from players and available downloadable content before you start up a game, and a "digest" screen will provide a quick overview of your friends' current activity.

Polygon reports that you'll be able to use your friends' real names, and if you link your account to Facebook, you'll be required to use your own real name. Sony wants to make real names visible wherever it makes sense, and the accounts will be tied to players instead of consoles. The company is also expanding the friends limit, but to what it didn't say. PS3 friends lists are capped at 100.

The DualShock 4 itself builds in the Share button, removing that step from developers. Spectators can send comments, and a long-press on the Share button will take a screenshot. The controllers' light bars will also be illuminated to represent the player order: blue for player 1, red for player 2, green for player 3, and pink for player 4. This reflects the colors of the X, Circle, Triangle, and Square buttons, respectively. Those buttons will be digital this time around, as developers barely made use of the analog buttons. The touchpad itself is 1920x900 resolution, and clicks when pushed like a button press. The new PlayStation Eye, meanwhile, will use its own proprietary connector instead of USB.

Sony also detailed Remote Play, which will be mirrored across the PS4 and Vita. Developers will have access to controller mapping to compensate for the Vita's lack of triggers. Finally, the PlayStation App on iOS and Android will be able to purchase an app that will then begin downloading to the PS4 immediately. And thanks to the already-announced ability to begin playing a partial download, you can start playing whatever has been downloaded soon after.

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  • reply
    March 27, 2013 1:10 PM

    Steve Watts posted a new article, PlayStation 4 UI, social tools detailed.

    Today at the Game Developers Conference, Sony went into more detail about a host of PlayStation 4 features, including its user interface, social tools, controllers and peripherals.

    • reply
      March 27, 2013 1:16 PM

      A few years ago, Real ID by Blizzard requiring real names in forums freaked people out. Now Sony is sticking your real name right there for people to see (albeit via Facebook). I wonder if this will generate any vitrol.

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        March 27, 2013 1:22 PM

        [deleted]

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          March 27, 2013 1:30 PM

          It does look like there are still "handles" for in-game names, so you can still be x420xWEEDxKILLAx if you want to be.

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        March 27, 2013 1:26 PM

        Isn't it optional?

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          March 27, 2013 1:37 PM

          It sounds optional at this point, but language like this: "According to Norton, Sony wants to put players' real names into games wherever it makes sense," makes me think that will change.

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            March 27, 2013 1:42 PM

            I don't see them putting up personal information of potential minors online without consent.

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              March 27, 2013 1:47 PM

              I agree with you when it comes to kids. There's too many legal risks.

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            March 27, 2013 2:28 PM

            I'd hope "Wherever it makes sense" means with your RL friends, kind of like Battle.net does now, but letting you keep it just a username for general multiplayer and friends list.

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          March 27, 2013 2:59 PM

          [deleted]

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        March 27, 2013 2:30 PM

        Since I don't care about multiplayer or social shit, I'm not sure I care too much about the real names - as long as my profile isn't publicly viewable on the internet.

        (I'd prefer it wasn't there at all mind you)

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      March 27, 2013 1:40 PM

      Dibs on player 4!

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      March 27, 2013 6:47 PM

      An expanded friends list would have to be a must. 100 wouldn't cut if they're talking about linking to Facebook accounts.

      I'm betting the odds on the average person's friend count on Facebook cracking 100 quite trivially.

      Beyond data management issues, though, imposing any sort of cap seems a bit silly.

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