Sony has revealed that the new online modes for their new portable, the PlayStation Vita, will be called Near, Party, LiveArea, and Activity.
According to Sony Europe manager of R&D, Phil Rogers, Near is a location-based gifting system that can be compared to the Nintendo 3DS' SpotPass. "What Near does is it allows users to discover each other, leave gifts for each other and essentially find out more about games," said Rogers.
"You can see where people are in relation to your location, their five most recently played games and also gifts that they've registered. This is fairly cool because it exposes users to games they might not have heard of and you can see how popular those games are and how people are rating them."
Near will allow your gifts to follow you around with up to a 100KB gift box per game. Boxes can contain multiple gifts but they won't be able to go over the 100KB size limit.
Here's how Rogers explained Near's functionality, taking a jab at how it's better than the 3DS' SpotPass:
"Imagine user A visits locations one to ten through that day, and they get home and sync with the server and it uploads to the Near server your ten locations that you've been to. User B comes along, does the same thing, but at some point in User B's day they passed User A's location five, which means they're now able to collect gifts that that user's dropped. That comes into the Near application and then in-game they pick up those gifts."
With Near, you'll be able to decide how many times a gift can be picked up, how long a gift will last for, who can access the gift, and the probability of finding it. You'll also be able to write gift-givers a note to say thank you.
Plus, items won't be the only things that are giftable. According to Rogers, you can gift people challenges that will give them rewards if they're successful. You can also gift people in-game items with Near.
Party is another online functionality for the PS Vita. Rogers described Party as a good way for, "having friends together to discuss games, chat about them and get into them."
Party will allow you and three friends to form a party similar to an Xbox Live party. Regardless of what you do on the Vita, you'll still be in your party. You'll be able to chat across games through text and voice, according to Rogers. In other words, cross-game voice chat will be available on the Vita.
Similar to Xbox Live, you'll be able to launch Vita games within Party mode and your friends can join you.
There will be three modes in the LiveArea part of the Vita that can be updated by developers and publishers. LiveArea is where you'll go to launch your Vita and it will include Index, Live, and Game. From here you can start a game, comment on people's activities within a game and publish messages.
Publishers will be able to push data to users by putting images or announcements on the LiveArea front page. This will allow a more customized experience for the users. Interestingly enough, LiveArea also has a location features that will allow publishers and developers to track Vita owners.
Activity mode will allow players to discuss their progress. "The system automatically puts a few activities in there," Rogers said. Things like Trophies and ratings. "That encourages people to then comment similar to Facebook style," he said.
Source: Eurogamer
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cardinalsfan1122
Nice features especially the cross game chat, but im going with wifi, do the other features wont be big for me.
@DPsx7
Are you a hermit? You dont have a phone you dont bring a MOBILE gaming console with you on the go, (hint: thats the point) Alot of us do need them for their JOBS im sure you dont know much about that though, and if you actually read the contract there ar no ridiculous fees. Plus we use them to talk to pppl something im sure you dont do often. you sir need to turn off the games occasionally and go make some friends I seriously feel bad for you.
Staggzilla
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josethetiger
Even if they just have four great games a year, I'll be able to keep myself busy. Also, hoping it plays psp game downloads. I have 2 psp go's a 3000 and a 1000. I have 3 sons, so they all get played. Have two wifi vitas reserved. By the end of sumer I'm sure I'll end up with 3 preordered. Love my psp's. Will probably trade in all but the 1000... very much looking forward to the PSV!
Death_Wombat
I'm 75% sure I'm getting this. I have ATT already so I'm going to see if this can be added to my plan (already have unlimited data plan). The onlythings that will make it 100% for me is if I can still play games I downloaded off psn, or from the fragile umd discs, and also if it's region free. Why region free. BECAUSE SO MANY GREAT GAMES ARE NEVER PORTED TO THE STATES!
Although if Vita still uses UMDs I'm going to go all digital and DL them from now on cause you have no idea how many games I can't play anymore cause the stupid case broke. (although it would be nice if it could just play the discs and I can toss the piece of crap case they were made in)
Esspytood
basically, anyone that disses these features, doesn't get out much. (and might claim that they do)
Jax009
Yes yes, but can it play games?
gamermoney
if im playing uncharted...why do i wanna talk to someone playing madden? I still dont understand the necessity of cross game chat but I guess im ok w it *shrugs* Anyways, cant we nail down a release date already lol
eaglefan129
I love it how a handheld is getting crossgame voice chat over a console
GamebustaZX
yeah I have a PS3 and XBL its so lacking social wise without the cross game chat I dont know why that was not just a no brainer to do and why it has taken them so long to do it I would have much more fun on PSN if they would put cross game chat on
jjfan1
gifts? what would be an example of a gift that you can receive?
theantigzus
im getting the wifi only but i will be uograding to a 4g plan so i cant wait, not really for what they announced in this article but just in general so we can all see for ourselves, this baby has potential :)
darthmalstrom
Okay I'm sorry but I have a 3DS, and I don't ever walk around with it on me that's a recipe for disaster especially if someone who wants a 3DS sees me with one so all these special features are useless to me I'm sorry but I refuse to take my $250 out while I'm going anywhere for fear that it'll be stolen so when I get my PSVita I sure as hell won't be taking it anywhere with me unless it's put away and I get to my destination I'm sorry but the world is too damn dangerous to take a chance on having an expensive gaming device to be stolen
macross2012
The funny part of all of this is most people will be buying the non 3G version so who really cares. Yes we can use wireless but most people will be doing the same thing they are doing with the PSP.
lowkevmic
There are a few parts that the writer mentions "Like Xbox Live", which makes me ask the question...What is it exactly about the new PSVita that will revolutionize potable gaming??
I have a Windows phone with Xbox Live built in, and I can already do everything this article is mentioning, minus the "gift" system that is on the PS3. I don't have to sync my phone either, because anything I achive on my phone is added to my gamerscore the very next time I'm on my console.
I'm really wanting this Vita to be awesome, but so far since E3 I haven't heard anythnig that makes me wanna spend the money for it. Especially since I already have an ipad and Xbox Live on my phone. I guess what I'm asking is, what exactly does this Vita offer that I simply can't get from the portable gaming devices I already have now??
DPsx72
I don't carry my portables around so this whole Gift and Spotpass stuff is junk. Why can't we just have our tried and true methods of playing online? Nobody wants to chat with someone playing a different game, that's why they invented phones and IM's. FB sucks too.
Sony had really better focus on games instead of gimmicks or Vita is going to sink like the PSP. Nin did it right by focusing on gaming. The fluff was either absent or kept to a minimum. I guess Sony at least managed to survive a full gen against a Nin unit, nobody really did that in the past. Still they aren't even close to beating the DS/3DS.
Aaron82
Sounds interesting, but why the hell does Sony always name their online modes?
How about you're either online or you're not online?
Why make it so confusing?
ValkyrieRyu
oh my gah, can't wait!
Ldrofmn
Soo when's the PS3 getting cross game chat?
JBISS
gifts? that was the big news!?
WhatGuy
Fine, I'll post the first statement..
I saw during E3 during 1 screen shot that the PS Vita had cross game chat.
Most likely the PS3 will get cross game chat when the Vita releases.
Displaying 1–20 of 20