Is the PS3 inviting trouble by supporting mods?

by Nick Doerr { Apr 12th 2008 at 4:00PM }

A key selling point to some people for the PS3 is the console's ability to support mods, like with Unreal Tournament 3. However, XNA group manager at Microsoft Chris Satchell thinks Sony is inviting trouble for allowing this. Specifically, if there aren't any XNA-style security measures to protect people from malicious content. You know, phallic drawings.

Well, not entirely. His argument revolves around letting people have access to writing in a game's native mode and not a controlled layer like XNA (using analogies like "writing into the metal" and "sandbox" respectively). This brings about an interesting topic, though -- will peer-reviewed downloadable content really get monitored closely enough? Legal action will be brought against major offenders, to be sure, but is there really a complete and accurate way to keep the trash in the trashcan, so to speak? Leave your thoughts!

Tags: xna

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

The Sound @ Apr 12th 2008 4:06PM

Uhhmmm.

It's a Microsoft fool, what else do you expect him to say?

And besides, UTIII mods run on a 'sandbox' style platform anyway, it's not like downloading them gives you complete access to the actual console.

The Sound @ Apr 12th 2008 6:40PM

*Tool

Well, ok, fool works too.

russell @ Apr 12th 2008 4:09PM

microsoft never says or does anything stupid!

/sarcasm

Vertrucio @ Apr 12th 2008 5:17PM

Yep. So far only Unreal supports mods, and the only way to mod for UT3 is via unrealscript, which is isn't native PS3. Unrealscript is very, very limited in what it can do outside the game.

sean @ Apr 12th 2008 4:22PM

let me translate that for you. "Microsoft doesn't like not having complete control of its users and wont allow mods even though unreal tournament 3 has been out for about 6 months without one problem on the PS3."

plus they don't have a browser on their system so it would be twice as hard to get the mods on em.

Da @ Apr 12th 2008 11:35PM

well there has been the hello world from a couple of weeks back.. and maybe he's pissed master chief is on PS3 now (and looking better then he ever has)

stephen @ Apr 12th 2008 4:27PM

has anyone else noticed xbox is always saying something about the playstation brand? Jealous.......

Edge @ Apr 12th 2008 5:00PM

Xbox 360 holds more than 50% of the most rented games on GameFly while the remaining systems fight for the remaining share.

I suppose GameFly is a bastion of 360 fanboys........

Grow up.

BowserUSC @ Apr 12th 2008 5:00PM

Are you serious? I didn't realize Sony kept absolutely quite about Microsoft and the 360.

Just an obvious case of blatant fanboyism and not wanting to see both sides of an issue.

crayzedcrazed @ Apr 12th 2008 5:46PM

@ Edge
What the hell does renting games on GameFly have to do with anything?

Nick @ Apr 12th 2008 6:36PM

Trying to figure out what his comments have to do with anything in the OP.

The Sound @ Apr 12th 2008 6:40PM

Edge, I'm glad you didn't fail basic math.

18 Million > 11.5 million.

2 years > 1 year

Game rentals are completely irrelevant.

Eric Rice @ Apr 12th 2008 4:27PM

On a kinda semi-related note, this is part of the reason all the sandbox-ish virtual worlds are trying -so hard- to distance themselves from the Second Life model of wide-open user generated content. Because of poorly scripted rampaging penises.

Lock up a platform, we get spoon fed Corporate content.
Open it up, we get goat.se portals to Paypal.

I kinda trust my peers and I kinda don't.

chin @ Apr 12th 2008 4:34PM

These deceptive grinning faces seem to be a Microsoft brand. =)

Bob @ Apr 14th 2008 2:23PM

I think that this guy is an idiot

Syn @ Apr 12th 2008 4:45PM

What's wrong with his face??

In anycase, Microsoft is just jealous that they didn't think of it first.

chin @ Apr 12th 2008 4:54PM

Looks like this one here: http://lustich.de/bilder/tiere/lachkatze/

Syn @ Apr 12th 2008 4:56PM

Oh... I forgot to add a few points...

UT3 is rated Mature.

1. Some guy would take the time to draw a penis
2. Another person would have to download the penis in order to see other people as a penis
3. If you look in your pants, you see a penis.
4. The internet is full of penis
5. Microsoft is a little girl, who is disgusted by Sony's gigantic PENIS
6. Microsoft is being RAPED

The Sound @ Apr 12th 2008 6:41PM

/comments

JDEdward @ Apr 12th 2008 4:50PM

I think Microsoft are being pestered by XBox360 owners to allow mods. They have probably found that instead of telling the truth - "We don't want the likes of you playing with our console" - it sounds far better to launch an attack at the PS3 in order to shift the focus off them.

Sorry M$ your cover is blown...

DrunkRaba @ Apr 12th 2008 4:51PM

Boo hoo, we don't want to give anyone any freedom and neither should Sony!

Edge @ Apr 12th 2008 4:53PM

Basically, your an idiot if you don't think people won't do stupid things with freedom. You are likewise an idiot if you think an iron grip is the answer to everything.

Further more, you are an idiot of the highest order if you think Microsoft controls the mod situation because they are "evil". Let's recall Microsoft's response to Master Chief in UT3/PS3. "It's all cool." And just about everyone expected them to be totally douchey about it.

Being a Microsoft hateboy is just as reprehensible as being a ___boy of any other persuasion. Grow up people.

Liquid Ocelot (call me Liquid) @ Apr 12th 2008 4:58PM

Wow, you're the "bigger man". You're soooo cool, i wish i could be like you. Y'know, JUST SO COOL

Noshino @ Apr 12th 2008 5:00PM

"Let's recall Microsoft's response to Master Chief in UT3/PS3. "It's all cool." And just about everyone expected them to be totally douchey about it."

Huh? actually NO ONE expected them to sue them since there was no basis for a lawsuit...unless the person that made it was to get profit out of it, or violate some law, Microsoft couldn't do ANYTHING about it, so they didn't even bother...

For example, the case of the Gears of War dolls, the guy had made it for a relative of his, and Epic (or Microsoft, I don't recall correctly which of the 2 it was) jumped at him because they feared that he might make some profit out of it...

In the case of UTIII, this has been done for a while, and these mods are available at no cost

Edge @ Apr 12th 2008 5:09PM

Of course, Noshino. That was the rational response.

But go back and look at the comments. There were people who thought Microsoft was going to sue the modder into a hole just to be a bully. I brought that up to illustrate how most people these days have a horrible bias against Microsoft for no tangible reason other than the junk the local linux guru force feeds them.

Liquid Ocelot: Oh no, thank you for pointing out that I am being different than the faux-different people.

The_Black_Circle @ Apr 12th 2008 5:24PM

Except, Edge, he was douche about UT3 on PS3.
http://donkeyxote.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!239CCA3F6918F4C1!429.entry
" the real Halo is available only on the Xbox 360. And no one is taking characters from PlayStation games (do they even have any games?) and putting them on our platform..."
How is that NOT being a douche?

Edge @ Apr 12th 2008 5:43PM

Hummm....that IS a pretty douchey thing to say about PS3, considering that I can't think of a single 360 game that is capable of that right now. Point most certainly conceded.

never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 6:13PM

Yeah freedom sucks so bad. Lock them all up! Hang them from trees! Burn them at the stake! Crucify those who oppose free thinking! Everyone just stay in your little box and do what you're told.. Don't ever think outside the box, god forbid!

Edge it's people like you that are what's wrong with the world today..

Edge @ Apr 12th 2008 6:42PM

...And the answer is to blindly hate on everything that Microsoft does, because Microsoft is a sign of the apocolypse, Satan communicates with us through reflections off of J Allard's head, and Bill Gates sodomizes giraffes?

Why attack me?

never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 7:53PM

"Basically, your an idiot if you don't think people won't do stupid things with freedom."

That is why I responded to your idiotic remark...

Zeromus @ Apr 12th 2008 5:03PM

...then the rest of the PC world is in trouble too! I shake my head at this statement...Only Microsoft would say something like this that TOTALLY does not make sense.

PS3lost @ Apr 12th 2008 5:20PM

With your fanboy powers combined... Captain Butthurt

John Daniel @ Apr 12th 2008 5:26PM

This reminds me of Microsoft saying that the future is downloadable HD content so it doesnt matter what Bluray does. If they felt that way why did they waste billions on HDDVD? Slowly but surely Microsoft is realizing Sony is catching up and starting to beat XBOX360. All they can do is sound like fanboys on the internet and bash their competition.

massive_98 @ Apr 12th 2008 5:55PM

Sounds like they are blowing smoke until they announce mod support for the xbox version.

rainking187 @ Apr 12th 2008 5:36PM

Microsoft thinks everything is a bad idea until they figure out how to charge you for it. Remember how when people complained about the BC on the 360 they acted like it was a ridiculous idea to play any games released before the current gen? Then someone came up with the Xbox originals idea. MS don't think playing older games is so stupid now, do they?

Edge @ Apr 12th 2008 5:51PM

Um....yeah.

Fill in the blank: "You go into business to make _____."

Carlton @ Apr 12th 2008 7:59PM

@Edge

Microsoft version.

Fill in the blank: "You go into business to rape _____."

Ysleiro @ Apr 14th 2008 9:58AM

Damn guys cut the guy some slack.. jaja..

on a serious note though.. its not rape.. its not going to be free..

i'm pretty sure that Nintendo or Sony ask for money for downloadable games..

imaballa @ Apr 12th 2008 5:54PM

I don't know what hes talking about, the Xbox 360's system firmware got hacked like 4 months after 360's release.

The xbox 360 is the most hacked next gen console out there.

never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 6:11PM

Edge @ Apr 12th 2008 6:42PM

My favorite recurring quote in all of gaming:

"..."

never$$hort @ Apr 12th 2008 7:50PM

Huh?

Kspraydad @ Apr 12th 2008 6:11PM

Why is Don 'Edge' Mattrick hanging out on PS3Fanboy today?

SharpShooter @ Apr 12th 2008 8:42PM

His 360 is in for repairs.

Shadowen @ Apr 12th 2008 7:59PM

As long as my PS3 doesnt get a virus, Im happy. :P

Ty @ Apr 12th 2008 8:43PM

DISAPPOINTING Nick. I expect YOU to take the liberty to answer such an elementary fricken question. COME ON. "OH NO, WE GOT HAX IN OUR MODS!........ EULA MOTHER FUCKERS!"

Seriously, mod converters (PC to PS3) should be released to the fucking public so this shit doesn't fall on Sony or any other company that actually "tries to bring" over community content. Because lord knows, as soon as a PS3 gets haxxored or corrupted by a bad mod that was simply brought over by Sony or a company like Epic, Sony's gonna get flamed again by all the Xbots about security and shiet...

I hate Microsoft, and I hate Americans and Canadians that like the Xbox or Microsofts ideals for video games.

If you don't take to the video game community like the place where the video game community flourished (PC) you're doing it wrong (xbox, wii).

To be honest I don't own a PS3. My sister owns one in Toronto though. I only have a PS2 and some good gaming PCs (laptops). When something goes wrong on PC, the best remedy is format attack. And I think thats all they need to implement properly on the PS3, too keep the Xbots at bay if Epic and Sony ever do open up the mod community.

Wouldn't be surprised if noobs at MS Xbox tried to make hacks for the PS3. Noobs.

kenjix @ Apr 12th 2008 8:43PM

How about they get their own console working first before they worry about the next guy. Without Mods the 360 is ticking time bomb!

stargateheaven @ Apr 12th 2008 9:10PM

Microsoft dont want people to do this because they dont get money from it. end of story. they'd rather make the content them selves then sell it to all the saps!!

Ty @ Apr 12th 2008 9:13PM

Shut up Nick... I hate your stupid posts sometimes. Of course its inviting trouble to the PS3. THE PS3 AINT NO POSIE PUSHING PONY POP.

OH NO. TROUBLE (a virus or a worm is the worst that could get through... but only until it starts actually compromising the experience.)

Something shitty gets on your hard drive and stars fuxing shit up? Time to do some cleaning. Too noobish to find the culprit and remove it so you had to format? Wanna blame Sony? Ya you do?... WELL SORRY BUT SONY'S NOT IN.

THEY don't wanna be picking up the phone hearing you say that you're out on the BULLY PLANK PUTTING ON YOUR MUSHROOM PANTS and you had to hit the BOO HOO BUTTON because you couldn't find the CRANBERRIES! YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

These video game console user agreements WILL BANG THESE WEAK ASS XBOTS AND NINTENFAGGOT pussies! So grow a dick or get fucked before you even think about owning a PS3!

I HAVE A PS3.
If you don't got a PS3 you should go back in time and give your mother an abortion! So if you're reading this you atleast have 1 PS3. Some guys have 3 PS3s. Others have 5. I HAVE A PS3. You got balls if you're still here then!

You must have balls if you're still here! Seriously?

Are your balls bigger than mine?

NO YOUR FUCKING BALLS AREN'T BIGGER THEN MINE! I'm SURE! MY BALLS ARE HUGE!

So quick question multi console pwning fags(PC exempt).

do you accept the ps3 eula?

DO YOU ACCEPT THE PS3 EULA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????

(IF YOU ANSWER NO, LEAVE NOW. IF YES CONTINUE READING)

Personified Sony EULA walks in wearing a suit looking at Nick. The EULA starts to scream as it walks over to my seat. I get up. I'm totally cool with everything. The EULA clears everything off my office desk onto the floor breaking shit. Then sits down quietly and lays back looking at Nick. Pulls out a grenade, pulls out the pin and puts in on the desk infront of Nick the big pussy. A couple of seconds pass and the EULA JUMPS ON THE NADE AND TAKES THE FULL BLAST OF THE EXPLOSION. He gets knocked all the way back to the wall of the room. Even I'm a little surprised. Nick looks at me and I tell him to go back in time and give his mother an abortion.

The EULA gets up and asks him if he still "accepts the agreement."

Fags...