I just started playing my PS3

[Q]

I've had my PS3 for about a month, but finally got some games so I am playing it now.

I don't understand how every game I get requires 500MB-1GB of install?? What is this all about? I don't understand why it is doing this. So after like 30 games I am going to be out of room?

 

[blurredvision]

Early generation blu-ray drives are too slow compared to current-gen DVD drives, therefore it has a hard time streaming data while playing to keep up with today's high-res graphics and textures. So it installs all that stuff because the hard drive is faster feeding the processors and memory data than the blu-ray drive.

 

[Queasy]

In other words, to help with load times.

 

[warcrow]

Yup--exactly what these guys said. The only thing I would add is that you can delete the installs whenever you wish.

XMB---> Games---> Game Data Utility

 

[mugs]

You can delete the install data and reinstall it later. It's unlikely that you'll be playing 30 games concurrently.

 

[nakedfrog]

Or you can slap in a big fat HDD.

 

[Sheep]

I don't know what games you have so far, but fortunately not every game requires installs. Maybe you just picked the ones that did.

Here's a list I dug up with a quick Google search about games that have optional or required installations:

Optional/required installs for PS3 games

As others have mentioned, if you think HDD space will become an issue, adding a larger capacity HDD to the PS3 is no problem at all. Just follow the instructions in the manual and you should be fine.

 

[Cabages]

I actually like it. Faster load times from the HDD, even on DVD based systems. Microsoft is adding the option to the 360 also.

 

[Schadenfroh]

If the game has no installs, you end up with a game like FEAR on the PS3 that has no install and takes FOREVER to load. I have stopped playing it for that reason (and the lack of an anytime save, I hate checkpoints)....

I would imagine that it also helps with the patching process for developers.

 

[BW86]

Originally posted by: Sheep
I don't know what games you have so far, but fortunately not every game requires installs. Maybe you just picked the ones that did.

Here's a list I dug up with a quick Google search about games that have optional or required installations:

Optional/required installs for PS3 games

As others have mentioned, if you think HDD space will become an issue, adding a larger capacity HDD to the PS3 is no problem at all. Just follow the instructions in the manual and you should be fine.

damn, according to that I'm using ~22gb just for game data

 

[Kromis]

Originally posted by: mugs
You can delete the install data and reinstall it later. It's unlikely that you'll be playing 30 games concurrently.

Is that supposed to be a jab at the PS3?

I like.

 

[Baked]

80GB HD FTW! I only have GTA IV and MGS 4 though. I might pickup GT5P if Costco still got it.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: mugs
You can delete the install data and reinstall it later. It's unlikely that you'll be playing 30 games concurrently.

Is that supposed to be a jab at the PS3?

I like.

Hah, no... honestly. I have over 40 games for an unspecified system, but there has never been a month when I played 30 different games. It's not so bad if you have to uninstall a game only to reinstall it a few months later.

 

[JPB]

Originally posted by: Queasy
In other words, to help with load times.

:thumbsup:

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: Quintox
I've had my PS3 for about a month, but finally got some games so I am playing it now.

I don't understand how every game I get requires 500MB-1GB of install?? What is this all about? I don't understand why it is doing this. So after like 30 games I am going to be out of room?

No, you wont be. Every game doesnt need to install. In fact, few do comparatively.

 

[jlmadyson]

The beauty of optional installs.

 

[JackBurton]

Wow, I just tried to play MGS4 online with my brother and what a fvcking mess. First of all, the fvcking install is ridiculous. Secondly, I take two steps and then watch 10 minutes of cut scene, two steps, 10 min cut scene. Thirdly, if you want to play online, you've got to install the online piece (mind you, this is AFTER you've already install MGS4). And after you do that, you've got to sign up for a Konami ID. WTF? Why doesn't it just use your PSN ID? Seriously, after all this sh!t, you don't even feel like playing the game. The thing I LOVED about console games is that when you get a new game, you just pop it in and play. No PC install and configuration crap. Just insert and play. The PS3 seems like it's moving toward becoming a PC instead of an evolving console.

Really awful experience for my brother. He just bought the MSG4 bundle and just wanted to play a game. I started walking him through the PS3 set up at 8:00pm and we finally finished the set up at about ~11:45pm. :| Now grant it, MOST of the time was spent trying to find a unique PSN ID, but still. And let me tell you PSN isn't even in the same league as XBox Live!. I'll GLADLY pay <$50 yr for something so much better. The term, "you get what you pay for" definitely applies to PSN vs XBox Live!.

I still like my PS3, but damn, this install sh!t sucks ass. And going from Live to PSN doesn't help matters much either. :|

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: JackBurton

Really awful experience for my brother. He just bought the MSG4 bundle and just wanted to play a game. I started walking him through the PS3 set up at 8:00pm and we finally finished the set up at about ~11:45pm. :| Now grant it, MOST of the time was spent trying to find a unique PSN ID, but still. And let me tell you PSN isn't even in the same league as XBox Live!. I'll GLADLY pay <$50 yr for something so much better. The term, "you get what you pay for" definitely applies to PSN vs XBox Live!.

I still like my PS3, but damn, this install sh!t sucks ass. And going from Live to PSN doesn't help matters much either. :|

You're over exaggerating. It doesn't take 4 hours to setup PS3. Cry me a river on the unique PSN ID, you'll be facing the same problem when setting up a new Live account. Game installation doesn't take that much time, it's not like you're staring at the installation progress bar... unless you're crazy.

How old is your brother and why does he need somebody to help him setup a game console? Do you think they should not put manual into products anymore?

Ps. Sony Playstation 3 Computer Entertainment System. You can install Linux on the PS3 w/o hacking. I'd say PS3 IS a computer.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: JackBurton

Really awful experience for my brother. He just bought the MSG4 bundle and just wanted to play a game. I started walking him through the PS3 set up at 8:00pm and we finally finished the set up at about ~11:45pm. :| Now grant it, MOST of the time was spent trying to find a unique PSN ID, but still. And let me tell you PSN isn't even in the same league as XBox Live!. I'll GLADLY pay <$50 yr for something so much better. The term, "you get what you pay for" definitely applies to PSN vs XBox Live!.

I still like my PS3, but damn, this install sh!t sucks ass. And going from Live to PSN doesn't help matters much either. :|

You're over exaggerating. It doesn't take 4 hours to setup PS3. Cry me a river on the unique PSN ID, you'll be facing the same problem when setting up a new Live account. Game installation doesn't take that much time, it's not like you're staring at the installation progress bar... unless you're crazy.

I'm not exaggerating. And yes it did take 4 hours. Like I said, most of the time was spent just trying to come up with a unique ID. But I'm not holding that against the PS3. Like you said, you'll have the same problem setting up a Live account. What I DO have a problem with is having a game ask you for yet ANOTHER ID to play online. WTF? What was the point of spending all the time coming up with your own PSN ID if you need to freakin' create another one? And yes, we stared at the installation screen because we were trying to play the game. Doing something else while installing the game isn't going to get us to our goal any faster, which was actually PLAYING THE GAME.

How old is your brother and why does he need somebody to help him setup a game console? Do you think they should not put manual into products anymore?

He's a 33 year old attorney. I don't thinks he's EVER owned a console and bought the PS3 mainly to play blu-ray movies. I helped him set up his console because since I have one, it would be easier for me to walk him through on exactly what he needed to do instead of him fumbling around and wasting even more time. I also have his wireless key.

Ps. Sony Playstation 3 Computer Entertainment System. You can install Linux on the PS3 w/o hacking. I'd say PS3 IS a computer.

I don't give a crap what OS it can use, it's still a console. The iPhone uses a modified version of OSX, but it's still a phone. A very versatile phone, but still a phone.

 

[randay]

its because the HDD is faster then everything, and since every PS3 has a HDD, they decided to make use of it.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: JackBurton
Wow, I just tried to play MGS4 online with my brother and what a fvcking mess. First of all, the fvcking install is ridiculous. Secondly, I take two steps and then watch 10 minutes of cut scene, two steps, 10 min cut scene.

Keep playing. The very first section is like that, but it does improve. As you get into the middle of the game you'll have long stretches of gameplay and then a long cut scene. It's mostly just the very start where is goes back and forth like that. But be prepared for the long cut scenes. They're fantastic though if you just sit back and enjoy them.