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[RCU005]

I wonder why Sony bothers adding all these features to their consoles when even them don’t use them.

The very first second they say “it’s up to developers”, the only thing they hear is: We don’t need to waste time adding them.

Sony builds an entire UI around their Activity Cards gimmick and not even their own games use them (or most likely, use them properly).

Then, they update the UI to make them practically useless now, so even if they are well implemented, they are just hidden and people won’t bother. Then there’s the issue about starting an activity which should start the game and leave you right in it, but it doesn’t happen in most of the games, even first party. At this time, Sony should get rid of them entirely and redesign the UI (which is extremely needed).

The only game that I’ve seen used the activity cards 100% right is A Plague Tale: Innocence. They really understood how to utilize them, they had guides and completion percentage and all. I bet no more than 1% of all games use these cards properly.

Then there’s de DualSense. The PS5 came with Astro Playground installed for the purpose of showcasing what the controller can do. It was amazing! However, there are so many games that doesn’t use the controller not even a fraction of its capabilities.

The only game that I feel uses it 100% like Astro did, is Control. Games like God of War Ragnarok, Spider-Man Miles Morales (currently playing it for the first time), Horizon: Forbidden West, etc don’t use it very well. It’s there, but doesn’t feel very well implemented. They are all first party!! Not even Sony use it right!

Those features should be mandatory! They are, after all, what they use to advertise their system! If they are not mandatory, no developer is going to bother do it well, or even at all! But not even Sony sets the example!

This has happened since the PS3!

What are the features that you like the most about the PS5? Which ones would you like to get used more, and which ones do you not care about?

Was there a feature on PS3, PSP, PSVita, PS4 that you liked but didn’t get used often or properly?

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

If you're thinking this way, then get the Wii U if you haven't. The Gamepad and its features are well used by many titles for the platform, which is a major reason why I love the Wii U

 

[tmlDan]

The activity cards are not useless, i use them in almost every game that supports them properly. The issue is devs not properly using them, in the last of us and GOW they are AMAZING.

The dualsense is also used well in a lot of games, dunno what you're on

 

[dotnotbot]

Was there a feature on PS3, PSP, PSVita, PS4 that you liked but didn’t get used often or properly?

Touchpad on Dualshock 4 worked really well in Tearaway Unfolded, would be useful if we had more games where you can customize your stuff or design levels

 

[Ar¢tos]

Sackboy used the cards well, at least they worked for me when I needed them.

 

[Heisenberg007]

You need to play more games. There are plenty of games that use these features. I just played Hogwart's Legacy an hour ago and used the Activitiy Cards feature.

Here is a list of some of the games that use DualSense features: https://www.androidcentral.com/list-ps5-games-dualsense-haptic-feedback-adaptive-triggers

Here is a 2021 list of some of the games (25+) that use Activity Cards feature: https://www.resetera.com/threads/is-there-a-list-of-ps5-games-that-use-activity-cards.397231/

 

[radewagon]

Think that's bad.... OP, did you ever hear the tragedy of PS Vita? I thought not. It's not a story that Sony would tell you.

 

[Skifi28]

What are the alternatives? Not implementing new cool features? Forcing developers to use them in a specific way or the game is not being allowed to be released? It's always up to developers what they do, you can't force them to use the platform features well much like you can't force them to make good games.

 

[SkylineRKR]

Astrobot used the cards well, for the rest I never used them. Its just in my memory to start a game from the launcher. I would've prefered Quick Resume.

 

[TheRedRiders]

I strongly disagree with the Dualsense features.

There's several games which implement it terrifically. Horizon Forbidden West when shooting arrows, using weapons and so many other things, Ghost of Tsushima (especially when I ride the horse across different terrains like rocks, wood, and sand). The Witcher 3 when I'm in battle and sword hits flesh or armour, when Geralt traverses with the horse.

I could go on and on but Sony hit the nail on the head with the Dualsense.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

The main reason is that it's designed to be optional, and so developers don't bother.

Just look at consoles like Nintendo Wii and DS.
Games were expected to make use of the motion controls in the Wii and the dual screens + pen on the DS, which resulted in very unique games.
Nintendo also made sure to use those features to create unique games that could only be experienced on these consoles because of their unique hardware.

I honestly wish consoles focused on providing experiences that you can't have on PC with a mouse and keyboard or some generic standard controller.

 

[MirageMew2]

I feel your love for Control but I found it a little bit too much, like the left and right vibration for walking is cool but kills the battery. I also think you’re underselling the feature in a lot of games.

My favorites:
- Marvel’s Avengers
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Dirt 5
- Returnal

I think my gold-standard for DualSense utilization is Demon’s Souls and Returnal, and Hogwarts Legacy is actually creeping up for me in that regard. The tingling in the haptics while casting feels great everytime.

 

[Magic Carpet]

The cards just feel like FOMO to me and I don't like that so I tuned out of them.
I really like the new feel of the rumble and wish Xbox would do more here.
The force triggers I eventually turned off as it eventually just became irritating and fatiguing.

I really wish they would make configurable back buttons as standard.

 

[mrmustard]

Then there’s de DualSense. The PS5 came with Astro Playground installed for the purpose of showcasing what the controller can do. It was amazing! However, there are so many games that doesn’t use the controller not even a fraction of its capabilities.

The only game that I feel uses it 100% like Astro did, is Control. Games like God of War Ragnarok, Spider-Man Miles Morales (currently playing it for the first time), Horizon: Forbidden West, etc don’t use it very well. It’s there, but doesn’t feel very well implemented. They are all first party!! Not even Sony use it right!

Those features should be mandatory! They are, after all, what they use to advertise their system! If they are not mandatory, no developer is going to bother do it well, or even at all! But not even Sony sets the example!

You can't design games around the controller if you bring them to PS4 or Pc and multi games even less. More than generic implementation of the features won't happen. Astro was just a showcase.

 

[AmuroChan]

It's not feasible to force every developer to use all of these additional features, especially 3rd party devs who have to develop for all platforms. Maybe Sony can offer some financial incentives to encourage adopting some of these features, but at the end of the day, they are meant to be optional and additive to the game experience. It's not a must-have.

 

[cireza]

It was great with DS/3DS and Wii U. If these features are ignored, it probably means that they aren't that great to begin with.

 

[Filben]

Shooting the bow in HFW with adaptive triggers feels very good.

Also racing games like F1 21 and 22, GT7 and ACC feel amazing!

 

[sachos]

Yeah i think there are a lot of people that just straight up don't know Activity Cards are a thing. I remember asking some streamers during launch period to test them out and pretty much noone knew what they were lol. And as you say, a lot of the time they do not send you directly to the game and show you all the startup intro logos anyway. When properly implemented they are awesome, maybe Sony could do a better way showing them, at least the "Continue Game" one, that one should be really easy to access and see.

 

[RyanEvans21]

Yeah i think there are a lot of people that just straight up don't know Activity Cards are a thing. I remember asking some streamers during launch period to test them out and pretty much noone knew what they were lol. And as you say, a lot of the time they do not send you directly to the game and show you all the startup intro logos anyway. When properly implemented they are awesome, maybe Sony could do a better way showing them, at least the "Continue Game" one, that one should be really easy to access and see.

Most people just go straight to multiplayer like COD or Nba 2k

 

[Loxus]

Gonna have to agree with OP here.


To fix this, Sony has to either mandate Activity Cards for at least fast boot or do it themselves via the UI division.

 

[tmlDan]

Gonna have to agree with OP here.


To fix this, Sony has to either mandate Activity Cards for at least fast boot or do it themselves via the UI division.

How can you agree with the OP who called it a gimmick and then basically say its useful but sony needs to force it on devs.

You're not agreeing with him, you're just saying it needs to be better implemented by game makers.

 

[rofif]

You are wrong about dulsense.
Many many games use it well. Recent Hagwarts Legacy is excellent on dualsense. So was forspoken. It's not only sony 1st party.

Activity cards are kinda ok but worthless since you can suspend your game or get in the menu from cold boot very fast anyway.

 

[Topher]

DualSense has been an awesome feature. But yeah, I forget Activity cards are even there.

 

[jaysius]

Touchpad on Dualshock 4 worked really well in Tearaway Unfolded, would be useful if we had more games where you can customize your stuff or design levels

Playing Elite Dangerous let you assign every quadrant to an action showed why nobody did that, it wasn’t precise enough, the wrong actions usually ended up happening from upper right or left presses. The thing along with battery was poorly made.

I said it from the start that all those features would be useless without mandates, and people naively thought devs would just spend all that time developing for gimmicks of one system.

Also pour a lol out for the MANDATORY 1 HOUR trials of EVERY GAME EVER MADE that was dug up about PS Plus new tiers.

 

[gothmog]

I wish activity cards took off. I feel like they could focus it. Maybe a screen that is basically an I'm bored and want to jump right in to something interesting.

 

[March Climber]

Touchpad on Dualshock 4 worked really well in Tearaway Unfolded, would be useful if we had more games where you can customize your stuff or design levels

Are you talking about the big 'open map' button?

 

[TLZ]

I haven't used the cards once. What are they supposed to do exactly? I just use regular load game to continue where I left and it works. Does this card work like a different save file that takes me where I've never been before?

 

[bitbydeath]

I haven't used the cards once. What are they supposed to do exactly? I just use regular load game to continue where I left and it works. Does this card work like a different save file that takes me where I've never been before?

I’ve seen them used for two things:
1. Quickly jumping into a specific part of the game.
2. Trophy assistance, they pop-up when you have particular trophies in reach and can show videos on what you need to do/where to go in order to complete them.

 

[RoboFu]

I just wonder why they ended their video service?

 

[Small John McCarthy]

I’d just like to be able to customise and declutter the UI. I don’t use activity cards, would prefer them off, but I don’t think that’s possible.

Same with “news from games you follow” - I seem to be constantly ‘auto following’ games.

 

[Ezekiel_]

DualSense is a game changer, never going back. This is was a new generation can bring. First and third party have been great. Expect other platform holders to follow suit.

Activity Cards I've never used. Loading games and save states is hyper fast.

If there was a feature that allowed to go straight to the latest save of a game from the OS, skipping all menus, I'd use that.

 

[TrueLegend]

The point I have raised again and again. Less stable and reliable controller with drift issues for some gimmick feature. PS controller peaked at Sixaxis. Unlike PS Xbox opted for low latency in controller which is actually useful but every dumbfuck n their mom gave a hot take about this controller including MKBHD instead of talking about how it offers shitty improvements. De Duelsense suck.

 

[midnightAI]

The point I have raised again and again. Less stable and reliable controller with drift issues for some gimmick feature. PS controller peaked at Sixaxis. Unlike PS Xbox opted for low latency in controller which is actually useful but every dumbfuck n their mom gave a hot take about this controller including MKBHD instead of talking about how it offers shitty improvements. De Duelsense suck.

Isn't DualSense lower latency than the XBox controller?

(I love the other features, but guess you don't which is fair enough, your opinion)

 

[Crayon]

Dual sense has been nice. They cards was neat but lots of things are neat when you expect developers to implement it. The cards is a win for the ones that have a cintinue or mp card, tho. Those are nice. Make it two taps away instead of three, please.

 

[Crispy Gamer]

Activity cards are amazing lol it's all I use for single player games

 

[Yumi]

Is it Deathloop that restricts the trigger when trying to shoot a gun that is out of ammo? Cause I think that is brilliant, but haven’t been able to try it myself. I like the idea of utilizing haptic feedback to negate the use of a UI display.

 

[Lunarorbit]

Are you talking about the big 'open map' button?

Preach! First party games should do a much better job of implementing these features. I like the dual sense as a controller though

 

[adamsapple]

Are you talking about the big 'open map' button?

Press for map, Hold for inventory.

Probably the best use of the big-ass touch pad.

 

[Celcius]

I'm still wondering when they're going to add 8K support since it says it right there on the box.

 

[onQ123]

Sadly devs think about the bottom line which is that most of the people who buy PlayStation & Xbox consoles when they 1st come out are the hardcore gamers who don't want this type of stuff in their games so if it's a big release they will avoid going off the normal path. But now that PS5 is basically relaunching & the slim should reach the masses you will probably get some offbeat games that are built around these features.

 

[kruis]

OP could have mentioned 3D audio as well. It was supposed to be a major feature, but it turned out to be a complete nothing burger.

 

[Northeastmonk]

I’m curious to why the PS5 has to reboot when backing up saves to a USB. Is it because it’s backing up all your saves instead of a selected few? The PS4 could back up individual game saves to the USB and it was a quick/simple process.

 

[Ar¢tos]

I’m curious to why the PS5 has to reboot when backing up saves to a USB. Is it because it’s backing up all your saves instead of a selected few? The PS4 could back up individual game saves to the USB and it was a quick/simple process.

?!?
Mine doesn't reboot...

 

[Loxus]

How can you agree with the OP who called it a gimmick and then basically say its useful but sony needs to force it on devs.

You're not agreeing with him, you're just saying it needs to be better implemented by game makers.

Did you watch the video?
The activity cards are basically a gimmick at this point.

 

[Northeastmonk]

?!?
Mine doesn't reboot...

I use cloud while my spouse uses USB. On PS4 I’d back up for them every once in a while. Today I did it on her PS5 and it had to reboot. Maybe the first time? I only selected “Save Data”. I didn’t include settings or games and apps.

 

[Ar¢tos]

I use cloud while my spouse uses USB. On PS4 I’d back up for them every once in a while. Today I did it on her PS5 and it had to reboot. Maybe the first time? I only selected “Save Data”. I didn’t include settings or games and apps.

Nvm, I thought you were talking about backing up ps4 saves on ps5.
Being FreeBSD based, I assume it reboots to backup to usb drive because of mounting/unmounting partitions/filesystems.

 

[Punished Miku]

The activity cards still don't make much sense to me, but I never gave it much time. Some kind of developer bookmarked quick resume? Seems like a bad idea to back out of the game and reference out of game materials to figure out what you want to do.

Dual sense was a nice addition, but I kind of hate resistance triggers now.

 

[Ar¢tos]

The activity cards still don't make much sense to me, but I never gave it much time. Some kind of developer bookmarked quick resume? Seems like a bad idea to back out of the game and reference out of game materials to figure out what you want to do.

Dual sense was a nice addition, but I kind of hate resistance triggers now.

Doesn't the console already had quick resume?
A few days ago I used rest mode instead of turning off by mistake and when I turned back it went straight to the game in the place where I left it.

 

[Punished Miku]

Doesn't the console already had quick resume?
A few days ago I used rest mode instead of turning off by mistake and when I turned back it went straight to the game in the place where I left it.

I honestly have no idea if they added that in. I vaguely recall them adding that in for one game at a time but don't know.

 

[Ar¢tos]

I honestly have no idea if they added that in. I vaguely recall them adding that in for one game at a time but don't know.

It was a ps4 game, don't know if that makes any difference.