One Step Back

PlayStation 3 Opened Like a 7-Eleven

2011-01-04T09:37:00.003-05:00

Like the Nintendo Wii and Microsoft's XBox 360 before it, Sony's PlayStation 3 fell before the might of the console modding and hacker community over the new year. The famed 'Geohot', known for the iPhone jailbreak put out the PS3's root key, and a team known as fail0verflow has released a tool allowing coders to sign their code to make it indistinguishable from Sony's own.

Some might ask why has this happened only now, just over four years past the console's launch. They'll point to the exploits used early on in Wii titles like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, or the various modchips and physical solutions for both it and the XBox 360. I think the answer to these questions comes from Sony's own actions. In order to do this, though, we'll need to look into the history of the PlayStation 3.

The Playstation 3 launched in November of 2006, just in time to enter the current generation's fight against the XBox 360 and the Wii. One of the things that set Sony's machine apart from Microsoft and Nintendo's offerings, was that they were throwing their substantial weight behind the Blu-Ray high-definition movie disc format, and even integrating it right into the console itself. The other, lesser-known, but much more important difference, especially for the scope of this article, is a feature known as OtherOS.

OtherOS is an option that allowed an installation of Linux or other alternative PC operating systems on the PlayStation 3. Sony included code, known as a hypervisor, that kept the operating system from accessing the most sensitive parts of the hardware, but for nearly every purpose, what was provided was more than enough. It wasn't until Sony became spooked at what the Linux community was potentially able to do with this, even with the hypervisor in place, and the removal of the OtherOS feature in the subsequent firmware release in April of 2010 that the PS3 was even considered a hacking target.

While many people may already know this, it must be said that Linux users are a very dedicated community, and a move this drastic was essentially a slap in the face. Nearly overnight, the focus was turned from showing off the latest homebrew games and clever applications, to finding a way to keep the ability to run Linux, and even crack the PlayStation 3's security. If Sony was scared when the first few drops came through the ceiling, they should have felt sheer panic at the thought of the whole roof collapsing on them. Lawsuits were filed over the feature's removal, and are still in the courts even now. But yet the timing of the feature's removal has yet to be explored.

Since the PlayStation 3 had its OtherOS feature from November 2006 until April 2010, the timeline for a hack coming has to start from its removal. In this sense, the PS3 fared no better than its competitors. In fact, it probably came out the worst in this way, because while game pirates are banned from Microsoft's XBox Live service, and game piracy is difficult and very risky for the Wii, pirated PS3 games can be played with Sony's own signature, and on PlayStation Network, a service that costs absolutely nothing for its use. Compounding the issue even further, this exploit is one that Sony is completely unable to patch out without opening themselves to even more lawsuits. The keys being used are the same ones used to sign official games, and to invalidate those renders their entire catalog unplayable. I doubt that a company even as arrogant as Sony has become would let themselves make that colossal a blunder.

But now that we've discussed why Sony's machine didn't really last as long as people want to think it did, let's see what can be learned for the next generation's consoles.

First, you must know that the ability to run Linux and develop their own homebrew games and applications is something that people want. It is therefore in a company's best interests to allow this out of the box, as Sony did initially.

Second, give them access to all the hardware. Put the keys somewhere else and open up the entire architecture for outside use. Sony's hypervisor and limiting access to one of its cores planted a giant sign that said, essentially, 'try to get in here'.

Third, don't panic when the limits are tested, or even broken. So long as you've kept the key in a place that's inconsequential to performance, nobody will want to get to it unless their goal was piracy. It was the fact that someone did get into that last core that prompted the OtherOS removal. All that was being done was widening the sandbox given to users, and had it been ignored or praised as being clever by Sony themselves, with a full unlocking of the last core as a response, we probably would still be thinking of the PlayStation 3 as being 'unhackable'.

Finally, once the genie is out of the bottle, putting it back in is impossible. The class-action suits against Sony, and the complete attention turned towards the total destruction of the PlayStation 3's security has shown what will happen when a freedom is restricted. Once a feature is in a console, there is no surefire way to remove it again. Even going so far as to require internet connectivity is useless, because simply forcing an update on people to remove a feature would lead to lawsuits even faster.

So when it really comes down to it, the PlayStation 3 really only lasted eight months before being hacked. It survived for three and a half years because it wasn't interesting to hackers. Because pirates ride on hacker's coattails, Sony was able to keep piracy at a near-zero level by opening the console up. Once they closed the hardware off, they dug their own graves. Now all we need to do is wait until the ISOs hit the torrent sites.

Review: Pinnacle Game Profiler

2008-02-07T11:12:00.000-05:00

A previous post of mine mentions having been hooked on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and getting 'trained' on the XBox 360, but the PC version doesn't have the greatest of support for gamepads of any variety, much less the console's controllers it eventually was ported to (hint for future PC game devs out there. Never overlook the possibility of PC-to-console ports, and if you can plan for them ahead of time, even better. Nothing's more satisfying than being able to system-shift painlessly). I wasn't about to go to strictly keyboard and mouse for my Oblivion fix, and so I checked with my good friend Google.

It let me to a site for a piece of software called Pinnacle Game Profiler, and at the time, the evolving Oblivion profile being developed with the 360's controller in mind. I was hooked on the possibility, and went for the demo.

The profile itself isn't 100% perfect to the control scheme you'd find on the 360. However, it's only the obscurer commands you'll have to adapt to, and only because of the limitations of software of this type. As it is, it stands about 95% accurate, and you'll only need a few minutes of playtime to adjust.

Furthermore, this program is set to detect games you've loaded profiles in for, and since it emulates a keyboard and mouse, you can control literally any program with your pad (or stick) of choice.

The version I used for this review was 3.8.4, and since then, version 4.0 has gone public, boasting even more compatibility, including Windows Vista, and refinements in input processing, plus more efficient processing.

It's the best there is at what it does, but limitations outside of anyone's control (besides Bethesda Softworks) keep it from attaining perfection.

Verdicts:
3.8.4: 9.5/10
4.0.0: 9.8/10

(Edited slightly on February 8th. Originally, I goofed and said it now worked on Windows XP, when I'd meant to say it now supported Windows Vista instead.)

Other methods for playing older games on today's hardware

2008-02-07T07:13:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, just playing a remake (see my older post for more information about that) just isn't quite satisfactory enough, and ports sometimes fix bugs that players have come to rely on, and so there's one other method that can be used to sate whatever your classic game craving might be.

It's the one word that most companies publically treat as a profanity, but offers the truest experience outside the actual hardware: Emulation.

Like I'd stated before, some companies have used this technique in official releases, but with consoles of the previous and current generations nearing the same specifications as lower-end computer hardware, the experience can be very satisfying.

I had entered the previous generation with rather strong anti-Microsoft bias, and as such, made the standard fanboyish comments about their console. However, as the massive black thing began making its true power known, I became intrigued with it. And finally, shortly after the XBox 360 had been launched, bringing us into the current generation, I broke down and purchased a pre-owned original XBox, and a game I knew I'd enjoy, Street Fighter Anniversary Collection. After awhile, I even picked up an arcade-style stick for the game, making the experience pretty much the arcade come home. However, as my game improved, and my desire to improve further strengthened, I began to learn this port was not arcade-perfect. I knew I had only one alternative left.

So, approximately a year into my owning the console, I began researching software-based modification techniques, known more commonly as soft-mods. I learned that advancements had been made on that front, and that you no longer needed to keep constant power to the system, else the dreaded 'clock-loop' (a situation where you are unable to proceed past the time and date-setting screen) would brick your hardware. The installation had even been made so simple, all you needed to do was read the instructions and follow the prompts. I did more research, and finally decided it was time. As soon as I found a copy of the game I needed, and the appropriate pieces, I was going to go to the dark side. As I'd learned, it was very simple. I made a common newbie error, and thankfully had somone experienced to talk with to explain what had happened.

The last part was deciding which emulators to load onto my newly-unlocked gaming powerhouse. Being a fighting game fan, I knew I needed good arcade fighters, especially some entries in the Street Fighter and The King of Fighters serieses, so I needed CPS1, CPS2 and Neo Geo options. That went on first, and I found a well-coded Super Nintendo emulator. That was next. I also backed up selected copies of my purchased games onto the XBox's hard drive, as a portability solution, and to avoid the normal wear and tear of constant usage.

A word of warning, though. It's no secret that if your console is detected by Microsoft as being modified on their Live! service, your system will be banned permanently by serial number. This never affected my decision at all, as I don't play online anyway, but I set my mod up with a way to make it indistinguishable from a stock system when I choose.

Later, I learned that not only was the holy grail of emulation being worked on, it had already been broken. The one-thought-impenetrable CPS3 hardware was finally playable, and when news of an XBox port of the first emulator to run these newer Capcom offerings was announced, I was almost unable to wait for it.

I am awed, but also slightly disappointed by the result. It appears that the limits of the console were finally found, as games run at full speed and with sound, but only as long as the emulated game doesn't need to pull up new art, or render some of the more complicated effects, such as scaling. Even then, though, the dip in framerate isn't crippling, or even long-lived. This plays well with Street Fighter III and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, as most effects of this type occur during times when there's no input being accepted anyway. Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact, though, due to limitations, is unfortunately nearly unplayably slow. Perhaps in the future, optimizations will be made to either the emulator or the game, and it too will enjoy playablity.

My absense, and a mini-review

2007-12-05T14:12:00.000-05:00

Well, I know it's been awhile, but there's been a few reasons behind this, and it starts with Thanksgiving with an out-of-town relative.

My brother brings over his XBox 360, and subsequently gets me hooked on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which is pretty much crack in a DVD case. In the weeks following, I obtain the PC version, and am merrily playing my Khajiit 'Lifestealer' custom class, and leaving nearly everything else by the wayside. Now, as it's a relatively new game, it won't get much exposure here... at least yet. I will, however, give a brief rundown on why this is one of the very few RPGs I'll actually play:

It's freeform. You can rack up quests 'til Oblivion won't have it (note: Oblivion is the 'hell' of their world), and complete them at your leisure, or finish each quest as you recieve it.
Completing the main quest series does not mean the end of the game. Some quests may be of the complete-or-lose-and-restart-from-save variety, but there's always more to do in the game.
Combat is realtime, and rather strategic. If you're good enough, you can win fights without taking a single hit. And besides, it always feels nice to jump your opponent's fireball spell and slash him on the way down.
It's open. Bethesda Softworks has made tools available for players to create their own content. Everything from new quests to new toys to play around with. Some enterprising players have even toyed with some of the default game systems to make them more player-friendly.

Now, nothing this expansive and open comes flawlessly, however, and there are some issues that can arise. Some quests don't play well with others, and quite often plugins (the term for user-created content) will conflict with others. It happens sometimes, but the flaws don't detract from the myriad pluses all that much. Let me just say, if you can find this game, for any platform (it's currently available for the XBox 360, Playstation 3 and PC), your money would be well-spent in this purchase. I would recommend the PC version over the console ports, and the Game of the Year Edition over vanilla Oblivion, for the reasons described above (console users can't access all the user-made modifications available), but make sure you clear your social calendar for at least a week before starting play. You'll need it.

The Art of Remakes

2007-11-11T00:58:00.000-05:00

To any company, the remake is one thing that begins to make the mouth water, and for good reason. The sole purpose for a company to exist, naturally, is to make money. A remake, or classics collection, depending on how it's done, is one of the easiest ways to do so. You take the best of what's already been, as most of the work has been done the first time around, and generally add a few extras, then put on a bargain price, and finally put it on the shelf, ready to find a new generation of fans.

Except, whether they see it or not, there's an art to remaking and collecting.

There are generally four schools of thought to this, and let's take a look at them.

Some, such as Super Mario All-Stars and the to-be-released-but-excessively-named Super Street Fighter II Turbo: HD Remix, recieve graphical overhauls while the core gameplay is untouched. The former is very noteworthy, as it was the first well-known both remake and collection, and has almost become a classic in its own right. The latter is more controversial, but getting alot of fan-based feedback, and more importantly, still in development. It should go without saying, then, the jury is still out. This is, in my own opinion, the way to go.

Another way to reviving a franchise for another go without too much hassle is an amalgamation. This is more prevalent in fighting games, and it involves taking a series with alot of tweaks to it (see Street Fighter II and Darkstalkers for examples), and then allowing the same characters to have different gameplay styles and the player to mix and match them at will. This can take some work, but when done right, and with respect and detail paid to the source material, it can be an entry in its own right. Of course, it can also fall flat on its back, especially when it's done in a rather rushed manner or makes one standard the one to follow (see Mortal Kombat Trilogy).

And now, we move on to the more-or-less ports, bundled together. This is true of smaller-sized games, like Mega Man Anniversary Collection (and it's Mega Man X-based sequel). This train differs from the mere collection in that extras are generally included, and consist of content that can't be had easily anywhere else. For example, all three versions of MMAC included ports of both arcade games the franchise spawned (Mega Man: The Power Battle, and Mega Man 2: Power Fighters), which saw very limited release outside of Japan.

Then, we get into the straight collections. Most of the work here comes in programming the console-based emulators, and then the original code from the original console is run through it. While this makes for the truest experience, given that some differences will remain, I feel it shows laziness on the part of developers, and even more when there's speculation not even the emulator itself was written from scratch, as there has been with Sonic Mega Collection. Also, unlockables tend to be either more emulated games, or maybe some art.

And finally, just finally, we get to where I believe the term 'remake' is tarnished almost forevermore, the steaming pile dropped on the Game Boy Advance called Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis. To anyone that has played this and thought it represents the actual experience, I'd like to apologize, and point you toward the above-mentioned Mega Collection. Almost all of the code was rewritten from scratch, and it shows.

The Introduction

2007-11-11T00:38:00.000-05:00

It seems all blogs must begin somewhere, and this one is no different. I'm not out looking to change the world, nor even a section of it. I'm just going to offer my views, and should they be popular, that's fine. Should I get tons of hate mail, well, most will likely see the virtual circular file without even being seen.

So what's this blog all about? Simple. I've been a gamer for many years now, back when the market thought all we were were nerds and geeks sitting at home playing on our little toyboxes on the television and throwing the Nielsen rating out of whack. I've played, not everything, but quite a bit of it, from my first console, the Atari 2600, bought at a rummage sale for the 'bargain' price of $20 with one cartidge, all the way through to some of the latest offerings on the XBox and Gamecube.

But I'm certainly no nostalgic gamer, either. I've played good games, and I've played crap. That holds true no matter what era you're looking at, and it shows today.

While this blog won't be bereft of postings on the current generation, such as the XBox 360, Playsation 3 and Wii, it will be minimal, and usually of interest to those like myself, where there's a connection to the games of old.

So, it seems fitting this blog is primarily for those who are at least one step back from the latest trends, and the title seems catchy enough. So with no more blathering, welcome to One Step Back. Classics, to last generation's tech, and with any luck, no real filler.