PS4 owners thread (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Cooper]

Yeah, so far VR is the only thing that has made me want to go digital. Many times I have gotten everything set up, plugged into the system, then go to start the game, and realize I forgot to put the disc in. Ugh. Now I can blindly stumble around with a sliver of view out the bottom while hoping the disc is within tethered reach, or have to completely get out of the thing again.

 

[CraigF]

Is it normal to get sore hands playing GoW? And I don't necessarily mean playing marathon sessions. Pain is gone the next morning, so no prob, just wondering if I'm doing it "wrong". This game definitely uses "muscles" I didn't know I have...no probs with the game itself though.

 

[Chris Strnad]

Is it normal to get sore hands playing GoW? And I don't necessarily mean playing marathon sessions. Pain is gone the next morning, so no prob, just wondering if I'm doing it "wrong". This game definitely uses "muscles" I didn't know I have...no probs with the game itself though.

Can't say for sure as I only just caved and put in my order for the console & game....but anytime I've run into this issue with other controllers, it was because I hadn't rested my forearms/elbows on anything for a while.

 

[CraigF]

^ Hmmm, I don't think I've ever rested my elbows with a console. I would always have my elbows rested if PC gaming...I've never tried console gaming with a chair that has elbow rests high enough, just regular living-room-type chairs. Been thinking of getting a better "gaming chair" for the living room, something that doesn't look too out of place, but I haven't had much luck finding anything better than what I already have (it swivels, necessary for PSVR if sitting down).

But...I think it's mainly the ergonomics of the DS controllers, they're just not the greatest shape for my hands for certain games. I get much worse hand pains trying to play some "retro" platformers on the PS3, roughly the same controller shape. Besides retro platformers, this is the first PS3/4 game where I've noticed it.

There are a lot of button combos in this game. I can feel my fingers and hands getting "stronger"...I may be able to finish those PS3 platformers by the time I'm done with GoW. If you like GoW, you should try Horizon Zero Dawn as well, take advantage of the PS4-only games. Actually, I'd say HZD before GoW...as good as HZD is in many ways, GoW is more "sophisticated" so may outshine HZD if played before it. Both have very good (but different) combat systems. And both are essentially bug-free. HZD has IMO the best SF story (books, movies) I've encountered in the last 20 years, it's not 100% original, but what is. Usually the game stories are so lame and full of holes I don't even notice/remember the story.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I used to think that the Dual Shock 1, 2, and 3 design was pretty standard and great. Then I used the Dual Shock 4 for a few years and went back to play something on PS3 with the Dual Shock 3. I was amazed at how uncomfortable the DS3 suddenly felt.

The issues you're feeling probably have to do with doing unique combinations you don't normally do with the buttons and giving our fingers a workout, like you said. The DS4 is way more ergonomic than the 3.

 

[Chris Strnad]

If you like GoW, you should try Horizon Zero Dawn as well

HA! My Pro was only just delivered last night...
I have to deal with a 2meg pipe, so it will be a while before GoW, Uncharted 4, Journey, Persona 5 and the KH3 update are done.
Add to that a passing interest in Anthem and a friend asking if I'd play Division2 with him...

The stack of just PS games to play/finish is getting taller...
Ni No Kuni 1
Uncharted 3
Kingdom Hearts 1.5 & 2.5

 

[CraigF]

^ I forgot about all the Sony exclusives... I played UC4 just before GoW, and GoW is certainly a league above it, you'll know that in an hour. And just before UC4 I played Astrobot...so I've been playing a fair number of PS-exclusives lately and they are all very good games. Very good, standard-setting even. Nice to see, I thought games were getting a bit too copy-cattish and "easy" for a while, move you through quickly to buy the next game (the UCs are like that).

You'll notice all the concepts GoW borrows from other games (esp. Borderlands!!, everybody borrows from that, for years), but they've done it so slickly, and only the best stuff (IMO). If you enjoy production a bit, you may appreciate how slickly (especially compared to a UC game) they've integrated cinematic scenes with action scenes with some (higher-quality) cut-scenes. In a UC game, during these "story breaks" you're basically just a shmo making your character move on a pre-determined path: push the buttons we tell you to, monkey. I don't see the point in that, especially in extended sequences like UC games sometimes have ("now run real fast, monkey, you can't see where you're going, but trust us, just run").

Anyway, I'm going to take an office chair into the LR and try your suggestion re elbow rests.

Edit: I just checked to see where I was in GoW (don't like spoilers) and...I'm essentially finished! I had no idea, I was wasting time trying to upgrade myself, and there's apparently nobody left I have to fight to progress to the final cut-scene. I'm disappointed, I can easily be much stronger, but have no reason to, it felt about right for me the way it was (normal "balanced" difficulty). I left a lot of "important" stuff on the table because I didn't have the tools to access it at the time and never went back. You would almost certainly have to "go back" on any higher difficulty. Or to tackle the Realm Tear that has three purple Travelers pop out (each can one-shot kill you).

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Or to tackle the Realm Tear that has three purple Travelers pop out (each can one-shot kill you).

Heh, heh. You may be done with the story, but there's still a lot more if you're interested. That realm tear you speak of is peanuts compared to the Valkyries, and the Valkyries are peanuts to the Valkyrie Queen, who for all intents and purposes is the true final boss of the game.

 

[CraigF]

^ I know better! One Valkyrie kill is enough to know that... The Valkyries may be more dangerous (I never got past the Blue ones, never tried much either), but I don't like fighting the Travelers. Can a Valkyrie one-hit kill you? Probably, just not the ones I've met. But a Purple Traveler sure can. So stoic and steady and quiet and poised, I just want to leave them alone. (I think you're "supposed" to, the dangerous Valkyries and Travelers won't respond unless you go right up to them, or summon them, so easy to bypass.) Also because I don't feel comfortable against them. I need Rage for that, and I don't have nearly enough Rage (or skill, probably) to survive one Purple, never mind three. One other advantage the Valkyries have is the camera can't lock to them during battle, they're too fast, so they unlock the camera regardless of your settings...a disadvantage to the player if you're used to locking the camera to your target.

And that's the thing. Before I posted yesterday, I had gone back in the game to most places. Multiple times even. And in chests where I should be getting good stuff, I guess because of where I am in the story I'm only finding crap. And that's after a lot of "work" too. Like Green armor, pointless Runes that are just re-names of other ones (so they can give you something theoretically useful/valuable), Enchantments that are low-level or boost some enchantment that's useless at this point. Somehow, I think I know where (in the mountain) I left/forgot important stuff. Stuff that boosts Health and Rage. So I played the game with less than I probably should have had. I am so easily distracted by something that looks interesting, especially a puzzle... But that stuff when you first go to/inside the mountain, I seem to recall the story was moving quickly then, and I got swept along, knowingly leaving an area, when I should have completed where I was. So I'll try to get back in there, follow the original path if I still can, and then I guess wrap it up AFAIK. I should have guessed the story was winding down after "the battle", but I really had no idea where the story would go. I'd like to leave the game in a good condition when my memory of stuff is decent, JIC I come back to it.

Also I don't have all the weapon upgrades I should have just following the story. This is inconvenient because I can't buy the highest level of skills, even though I probably have enough XP to buy them all (I've done Trials and Nilfhelm too). What is most inconvenient for me with this situation is the combos won't work with both weapons now, so I have to be much more careful with what weapon I'm using. More of a deal when the enemies are stronger and the battles more frenetic, you might need to swap weapons.

 

[CraigF]

I'm having a lot of problems with Rise of the Tomb Raider (20th) on a Pro. So many very basic issues that I've essentially abandoned it as "unplayable", but one last try... My issues are that DS4 button pushes, the "interaction" buttons on the right side, are not being recognized properly. This is always annoying, but sometimes when multiple fast sequential button presses are required, it actually prevents gameplay.

It's not the controllers, or me being slow. But it makes time-limited mandatory scenes difficult, and when the scene is totally about being fast, it makes it impossible. Not the controllers, if GoW doesn't test them, I don't know what game does. I've turned off all Pro options - no diff. I tried re-mapping the right side buttons (under Accessibility) and no diff (as expected). I'm wondering what in my PS4 setup could "slow down" DS4 button processing...but then I didn't notice a prob in GoW and you'd think you would if there was the slightest bit of slowing down caused by something very PS4-low-level, so I don't think it's that. Any ideas?

Edit: I wonder if I can use the DS4 while it's plugged into the Pro for especially problematical scenes. I vaguely recall this work-around for some PS3 game, needed to get past a point and wireless bogged down for some reason...might work here, kinda bummed I didn't think of this the last time I tried this game several months ago. This is the first time a game has been a problem because I'm pushing the buttons too fast...one for my record book!

 

[LeoA]

I was able to set it to communicate via USB on my new PS4 slim, but had to enable it in settings. Go to devices, then controllers, then communication method to enable wired communication when it's plugged into your console.

If your controller is older, I'm unsure about the original Dual Shock 4 since the technology changed. I vaguely recall USB communication being a feature addition when they revised the controller a couple of years back. But since you said it's a Pro, I doubt this applies to you.

No troubles with mine in Pinball Arcade or the Atari Flashback Collections so far. But no rapid QTE style moments in these games, either. So perhaps I'll encounter the problem as I play more games.

 

[CraigF]

^ I tried what you said about a DS4 via USB. Yup, I got caught the first time by not enabling the DS4 to actually use the USB, but figgered that out too. No diff with ROTTR, but I know for the future if I ever need it. I doubt you'll run into a situation where you'll need the DS4 via USB. But I don't know, you're a pretty experienced gamer and you might be using fancier controllers than I do etc., I know that "serious" gamers prefer wired because it's faster than BT.

I do have an OG DS4 but it's retired, virtually unused, I use two DS4s of the current vintage.

Did what everybody was probably thinking: re-installed the whole ROTTR schmozzle from scratch, and yay! it's working so much better now. Can't believe I thought it was "OK" and (kinda) playable before, I should have known something was seriously wrong, especially for a modern game, now that I've seen how it's supposed to be... Don't know what happened, I originally installed ROTTR very shortly after getting the Pro just over a year ago...a year's worth of system and PSVR updates etc. and who knows what I did too catching up with me.

 

[Sam Posten]

Free games, Play At Home initiative
https://blog.us.playstation.com/2020/04/14/announcing-the-play-at-home-initiative/

 

[DaveF]

Thanks. Passing that on to friends who are using their PS4 presently. I borrowed and started one of the Nathan Drake games a couple years ago and loved it. But life interrupted and I didn't finish it, and returned the game to my friend. This might be me a chance to go back to it.

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Playstation 5 announcement scheduled for Wednesday. Price and release date announcement expected.

Watch live: PlayStation 5 Showcase airs today at 1PM Pacific

Before PlayStation 5 launches this holiday, we wanted to give you one more look at some of the great games coming to PS5 at launch (and beyond!).

blog.playstation.com

 

[Sam Posten]

Playstation 5 announcement scheduled for Wednesday. Price and release date announcement expected.

Watch live: PlayStation 5 Showcase airs today at 1PM Pacific

Before PlayStation 5 launches this holiday, we wanted to give you one more look at some of the great games coming to PS5 at launch (and beyond!).

blog.playstation.com

and thread title changed!

 

[Sam Posten]

Actually the other thread is better as an owners thread