Okay guys this thread is fixed now. I apologize for the multiple posts I just wanted to make sure this was taken care of. Thanks to the Mods of Game Reviews I appreciate the help.

pigboy : If you ever need any help or have questions about threads just ask.

Local Mods : For some reason I can't move this one on my own can someone help me out and move this to Video games? Thanks

pigboy : It's okay just keep it in mind in the future I'll fix it now.

Will be moving this to the Video game section since this is not a game review in accordance with the community guidelines.

pigboy : Please review the community guidelines and follow accordingly. Now in regard to the question, tough call. The technology around today is in many ways better but lacks in some areas particularly the reliability and durability when it comes to consoles. If we’re talking just games I am a nostalgia nut so I’ll go with the 80’s but I think the technology of games is better now of days.

Crazy Li : The first time I had a problem with one of my phat models. (I’ve had three PS 3’s) it had the no read disc problem. They wanted me to pay them to fix it or to take it up with the retailer which I bought it. This is one reason why I have not used my PS 3 since around August when the firmware update did what it did. All I get when I turn my PS 3 on now is a message that says “Cannot start, system storage not found.” After reading up on things and knowing that it was the firmware update that did this, I made the decision to just get a new hard drive and do it myself. Sony will replace your console but be certain that you are getting a new and not refurbished console. I’ve read some stuff on their procedures when they replace consoles and some people have claimed that they got refurbished consoles.

Like I said before I’m a writer and I research all sorts of different things and not just for when I’m working on material and such. Knowledge is truly power. I don’t know how reputable those comments about refurbished consoles being sent out as replacements were but based on the track record of these consoles and the suspiciousness of how they sent out a bogus firmware update on the same day they release a new version of the console, I would be careful.

Best advice I can give you on this is to be insistent on making sure you’re getting a new console. I would go as far as to try and get the newest model of the console. Be polite but let them know that this is unacceptable. I live by the philosophy that the customer is always right and even though people can be rude, if you get your points across in a diplomatic way the problem gets resolved quicker. As for my experience with Sony they were extremely polite with me and apologetic in regard to my issue. I just think it’s always better to research and to be as aware of things as you can be.

My other piece of advice is before you get your new console get a vertical stand. The one I have is a Nyko that I got off of Amazon for $10. The pictures that I’ve seen of the newest version of the console have it in a vertical stand but oddly I haven’t seen any vertical stands on sale for it. The console is considerably slimmer and lighter than the Slim model so I doubt the stand I have or any of the stands on the market would fit it. Perhaps Sony is including a stand now with this new version? I guess it couldn’t hurt to ask.

farmboy8 : I’m aware of what went on with Midway. I’m a writer and I use to cover pro wrestling when I was younger. A lot of what went on with Midway and Acclaim was reported by wrestling media due to it’s ties with wrestling games and such. As for me, as I said it isn’t really my area of expertise but I do keep a close eye on what goes on with the video game industry because I am a gamer and no matter how old I get that’ll never change. If I had expertise beyond being an avid gamer and were convinced I could make some money I would consider adding it to my resume. I primarily cover Boxing when things are normal but I’ve done Wrestling and MMA as well.

Far as THQ I think it had more to do with the economy than anything else. They certainly made a good chunk of money off of their WWF licenses and were making good money off of their partnership with the UFC before the UFC opted to go with EA; it is a shame because THQ was always really good when it came to wrestling games. I remember when it was THQ going against Acclaim and how there would be debates as to which made the better wrestling games.

Much like the wrestling industry though things aren’t what they once were and things change. Hopefully there will be another development company who will step up and provide some competition to EA. I doubt that we will see one of the console developers be able to seriously compete under their own labels beyond obviously their own platforms. Sony has done very well with their MLB franchise which they somehow managed to take from EA prohibiting EA from doing any MLB titles for a certain period of time. This is why you saw EA release a college baseball game under their Triple Play franchise years back. I never got to play that game but I heard it was done well.

I still stick to my stance that the console developers for the price that they charge the consumer have a responsibility to ensure that the consoles are reliable and durable and will last. It’s only right considering that the first incarnation of PS3 was $600. A game developer can come along and be the greatest thing since sliced bread but it won’t make any difference if the consoles continue to be faulty.

I was browsing Amazon yesterday looking at hard drives for the PS3 and I started looking at the Superslim model. One thing that some of the reviews said was that the newer model was quieter than the previous two and uses less power. This might be very good but again why send out a firmware update (4.21) that coincidentally crashes thousands of consoles HDD’s the same day you release the newer model? It’s not right as I said if they did that but I can see their motivation. Either way the consumer one way or the other suffers. Since the firmware updates are so vital to the console’s performance you’d think they’d release something that would make all those supposed improvements rather than releasing a sleeker, slimmer model at as much as $300 a pop to the consumer?

Crazy Li : I was wondering did you have your console in a vertical stand? After my second phat model got the YLOD I did some research and everything that I was able to read up on and ask around about suggested that if you keep your console vertical it tends to ventilate better which reduces the likelihood of getting the YLOD. I bought a stand before I got my slim model and it seems to keep things running smooth. With my luck though I’ll get my hard drive replaced and then I’ll end up dealing with another issue. It’s all about the $ with these companies.

Singelli : No I didn't must've been a glitch I'll fix it now. Thanks for letting me know It's closed now guys sorry about that.

earthwarrior : Glad you were able to resolve the issue. Our apologies for the problems. This thread is officially closed.

thudricdholee : Don’t feel bad I have wondered that too on occasion. It can be quite funny at times depending on the subject matter but there are times when I think they go a bit too far with things, at least for broadcast television. If it were a show done for premium subscription television then I wouldn’t see much of an issue with what they do sometimes. It’s good satire when you get down to it and just goofy fun.

I remember growing up how people (Mostly parents) made such a big deal about the Simpsons and the occasional use of profanity as it was really the first cartoon series/cartoon sitcom to have profanity and such. By today’s standards that doesn’t seem like such a big deal. I also remember people complaining about Married… with Children and the raunchy content of that show. Both are still two of my favorite TV shows and I think they were in many ways groundbreaking in terms of the kind of television you see today.

As for me, I wonder sometimes how Family Guy, King of the Hill and a few other shows would have done if they were on Fox when Fox was considered taboo and not the powerhouse that it is now. In many ways I miss those days of Fox. Fox is still good but now of days you can’t really tell which network stands out from the other. Back then Fox made it seem like they were a network that was more than happy and willing to be taboo and do things that the other networks wouldn’t touch. I may be in the minority but I think those shows would have fit in nicely during the old days of Fox.

Crazy Li : I wonder how the games would be if somehow Acclaim was still around. I always liked their games. Their boxing games were kind of hit and miss but the HBO one they did for PS1 was pretty good. Far as EA I think one thing they put an over emphasis on with some of their games is the analog controls. They kind of got rid of it with the last Fight Night game but it can feel complicated if analog is the only option.

With Acclaim, Midway and now THQ seemingly gone I wonder who will be the next to step up or emerge as a power when it comes to video game development. It isn’t really my area of expertise but I do read up on what goes on with these companies regularly and given the economy and such it really seems like EA may be the last one standing eventually minus of course the console developers who release games under their own labels. When it comes to those and how they match up against EA I vote for SCE as solid competition. Sony’s MLB games are the most advanced and realistic that I’ve ever seen.

legacyme3 : I happen to like the EA games especially the ones on combat sports, (Boxing, wrestling, MMA etc.) their MMA game was very well done and in most ways surpassed what THQ was doing with the UFC games. The main issue I have with the EA games concerns online play and spammers and such. I wish they’d get rid of the ability for someone to spam. There’s no skill involved in that and it really takes away from those who do play clean. Just one guy’s opinion. I have beat a few spammers in my time and always send a message afterwards saying something along the lines of “Good fight” and then “Spammer’s Justice”

I haven’t been able to play the most recent UFC or WWF games hope to be able to buy them once I get my hard drive. Hopefully I’ll have it in time for the newest MLB release.

legacyme3 : More than likely you’re right about EA. They did pick up the rights to the UFC franchise. EA made a couple of wrestling games years back, they were ahead of it’s time so it will be interesting to see them do that again on the next generation consoles. Far as Crazy Li: being out of luck that’s pretty much the case.

The place I took my phat model to get serviced told me that all they would be able to do is get the console operational where I could power it on and transfer my data over to a new console but as far as gaming I didn’t even bother with it. It took me six months to be at a point where I could afford a new console so that also goes into why I would rather buy a new hard drive and put it in myself than buy a new console all together. I really think it was nothing more than a strategy to try and boost console sales for Sony during the holiday season in a strained economy in a recession. I don’t think it was right if that is the case but I kind of see their thinking if they did do that. As I said for the price they charge they should make it where these kinds of things don’t happen or at least don’t happen on a regular basis where it seems like there is a pattern.

I’ve had many consoles as I said going back as far as Atari. All of them were in perfect working condition many years after I had them and after countless hours of use. It’s odd how those consoles are pretty much legendary yet the ones with better technology and with all the supposed advances seem to have problems. Advances in technology doesn’t necessarily mean more stable and durable product. It’s just my opinion but I believe these companies have a responsibility to the consumer for the price they charge for these consoles.

alexanyways : I think it is nothing more than political damage control that the government is looking into violent video games in the wake of what happened. It is nothing more than a cop out to avoid what really happened. By blaming an entity like video games is merely avoiding the issue. If the government really cared about the supposed effects of video games there would be no wars (Which would be a good thing.) The most gun related violence takes place under the guides of wars. Wars which are caused by nothing more and nothing less than failed politics and maybe even money.

What happened before Christmas in Connecticut is very tragic but to say video games is the cause of the events that took place is nothing more than passing the buck. I won’t sit here and attempt to make statements in regard to the man who was responsible for what happened because the fact is I don’t know the person and don’t know what his background was but I have heard that there could have been things going on medically which could have played a role.

Either way what happened should have never happened and what needs to happen now is to guarantee that children are safe when they go to school, that is where the focus should be not on video games which are meant for entertainment purposes. Just one man’s opinion.

Crazy Li : Sounds like the infamous Yellow Light of Death. One of my PS3’s did that to me about two years ago. I ended up having to get a slim model after taking my phat model to get serviced so I could get what was on my HDD.

It’s irritating and really annoying because you’d think given the amount of money they charge for these consoles that they’d make it more durable etc. My slim model still works but I have to buy a new HDD because my 320 GB is corrupted. It got corrupted after a firmware update. Coincidentally the day after the firmware update that botched my HDD they released the new superslim model. I did some reading up on it and it turns out a lot of people had the same problem.

Although PS3 (Newer model) is supposedly improved over the first two incarnations and even though it’s cheaper now I am convinced that the firmware update was deliberately suppose to cause problems because the newer model was being released. I would rather buy a new HDD and install it myself, (which should be interesting) rather than spending $265 to $300 for a new superslim model. I’ve been a loyal Sony gamer since the first PS1 was released. The inconsistency of these consoles has me a bit annoyed and as I said I think that the firmware update was deliberate to push the newer model, I think Sony needed to do something to boost their holiday sales.

It doesn’t make it right but it is what it is. I’ve been playing video games my whole life, almost 30 years and the PS3 is the only console I’ve seen that’s had problems. I think my NES, SNES, Sega Genesis and my PS1 all still worked when I gave it to relatives after I upgraded. My PS2 I had to send to Sony once for a new laser but beyond that I never had a problem with any of them.

Yes the technology of video games today is in some ways better then it was 25 years ago but sometimes better technology doesn’t necessarily make things all that much better. They do have a responsibility to the consumer to make sure that these consoles are working and durable for the price charged to that consumer. Just my opinion as a video game fanatic, conspiracy theorist and writer.

I feel your frustration.

DwarvenKnuckleBuster : I guess I can be as good a person to discuss this one as anyone else. I hardly ever sleep straight through anymore. I am a writer and when I am working I tend to work on material overnight and such. The problem is my hours have always seemed out of whack for the most part. It started when I was a teenager and hasn’t changed much since. So even when I’m not working on material (I’ve been inactive for a couple of months) I really don’t sleep much.

I also deal with aches and pains because I don’t really exercise and always have something on my mind so that also doesn’t help. There is nothing worse than wanting a good sleep and having so much stuff on your mind that like it or not keeps you up.

As far as it being bad for your health I am not a doctor but I wouldn’t recommend what I do to anyone especially when I’m working because I tend to push myself to an insane degree when I’m working and don’t really give myself adequate time for myself much less to rest.

thing1 : This thread is closed. Thanks for the heads up.

qwerty1234567890 : It's active now so I'll leave it open for now to see if anyone else wants to join in on this one. Have to remember there are more members now then when this thread was created and people may want to participate now. If this doesn't spark any new interest I'll close it. I'd vote Nintendo by the way even though I had both.

Singelli : Rational thinking and reason definitely seems to go out the window in regard to drinking or at least it did in my case. I wasn’t a heavy drinker or anything but my tolerance was so low, maybe a beer or two tops is all it would take. I guess like I said I might be one of those people who just can’t drink. I wish I had the head on my shoulders that I do now back in my teens and early 20’s. Life would probably have been a little easier. I think of it as young, dumb, naïve, and simply immaturity. It isn’t worth it.