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Sign up for a chance to join the PlayStation Preview Program and test drive new upcoming features, like 16-player Parties and improved voice chat

Loudninja

Loudninja

Member
Oct 27, 2017
42,209
We are getting ready to test an update to the Party function on PlayStation 4, and can use some help from PS4 owners! Starting today, sign up for a chance to participate in the Preview Program for an advance look at the new Party features.


Register here for a chance to participate in the Preview Program as a PS4 System Software Beta tester*. Once you have joined and are accepted as a tester, you can expect to see the following updates to Party:


  • Increased maximum Party participants from 8 to 16
  • Improved audio quality for voice chat
  • Improved network connectivity

Do note that if you participate in the Preview Program, you won't be able to join the same Party or use Share Play with others who aren't participating in the program. However, the preview code we'll be providing can be redeemed by 20 different qualifying accounts, so share the code with your friends and try out the new Party updates together! Once you participate in the Preview Program, Parties that you're able to join will have an asterisk (*) in front of the Party name.
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In addition, U.S. testers will have early access to the chat transcription feature that will be available through Party and the PS4 Second Screen app. By using this feature, you can convert Party voice chat to text on your Second Screen app, or enter text into your app which will be read aloud to other Party members. This feature will only be available in the U.S., and only in English.
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Lucifonz

Lucifonz

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,132
United Kingdom
Woohoo, improved voice chat - finally! Only took them almost an entire gen to get there, but super glad they're finally improving it. PS4 party chat has always felt like 360 level of audio quality.
 
jsnepo

jsnepo

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
4,648
So is this what the new firmware update is about? I got prompted to download it just now.
 
FusedAtoms

FusedAtoms

Member
Jul 21, 2018
3,595
Loudninja said:
In addition, U.S. testers will have early access to the chat transcription feature that will be available through Party and the PS4 Second Screen app. By using this feature, you can convert Party voice chat to text on your Second Screen app, or enter text into your app which will be read aloud to other Party members. This feature will only be available in the U.S., and only in English.
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wait what lmao that's crazy
 
Haze

Haze

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,785
Detroit, MI
It's about time they improved the audio quality of party chat. It sounds legitimately bad as of now to the point where i'd Rather not use it most of the time.
 
CrazyAndy

CrazyAndy

Self-requested ban
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,071
FusedAtoms said:
wait what lmao that's crazy
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I think MK11 has a similar feature already?

edit: yepp


Speech to Text:
Within all of the online modes where Voice Chat is available, players can enable features to have incoming voice be transcribed on screen. This is found in the Online section of the Options menu on PS4, and in the Xbox One System Settings for Ease of Access.
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Toumari

Toumari

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,305
England
Surprised they didn't hold this for PS5. I'm guessing at this point the PS5 UI will just use all these features rather than starting from scratch again.
 
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Qudi

Qudi

Member
Jul 26, 2018
5,322
All of this sounds great! Dont know if its possible, but having channels in a party would be cool instead of leaving entirely and creating a new one.
 
gofreak

gofreak

Member
Oct 26, 2017
7,736
Toumari said:
Surprised they didn't hold this for PS5. I'm guessing at this point the PS5 UI will just use all these features rather than starting from scratch again.
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Yeah. All of this is effectively work for PS5 also, of that I've little doubt.

I think it's probably easiest to think of the network as decoupled from the machines - both machines will probably more or less have the same interface to the network, and will be one shared network community.
 
xeroyear

xeroyear

Member
Nov 8, 2018
199
Brown Intruder

Brown Intruder

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,849
xeroyear said:
I thought Xbox only uses dedicated servers when a user cannot connect to a party directly?

"Party Chat will first try to establish network connectivity between party members directly. If direct (P2P) connectivity fails, a request is made to spin up a server in Azure to enable connectivity between NAT types that are incompatible and then the consoles will connect through the server in Azure."
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Thanks for the clarification.

Voice chat on Xbox is pretty damn pristine
 

Deleted member 9317

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
9,451
New York
"Do note that if you participate in the Preview Program, you won't be able to join the same Party or use Share Play with others who aren't participating in the program."

Remember, this is testing.
 
bombshell

bombshell

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,927
Denmark
Shao Kahn said:
"Do note that if you participate in the Preview Program, you won't be able to join the same Party or use Share Play with others who aren't participating in the program."

Remember, this is testing.
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They do specify that the code you'll get if you get in can be redeemed by 20 people so they encourage you to give the code to friends you'd like to party chat with.
 
Carn

Carn

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,921
The Netherlands
Toumari said:
Surprised they didn't hold this for PS5. I'm guessing at this point the PS5 UI will just use all these features rather than starting from scratch again.
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Sony would be crazy if they don't. I can get the reboot that PS4 was regarding OS and other features because of the different architecture, but PS5 is a continuation of the PS4 design choices so it would be weird if they would start from scratch again.
 
noyram23

noyram23

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
9,372
16 people party chat and I haven't been to 1 party chat myself, I guess Switch is the console for me lol
 
tomofthepops

tomofthepops

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,548
With next gen hardware being the closest spec wise to the last gen that it has ever been I hope we don't get a feature reset like we did 360-one & ps3-ps4.
 
Jade1962

Jade1962

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
4,259
Why are some mentioning Azure? Doubt they are running anything off it at this point.
 
AudioEppa

AudioEppa

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
4,643
That's cool, but nah, I'll never be in a party chat of that many people. It gets annoying when it hits 7 to 8 lol. Keep that circle small.
 
Killthee

Killthee

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,169
FusedAtoms said:
wait what lmao that's crazy
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It's the law now, expect it to be the norm going forward in the US.

Video game communications now fall under US accessibility laws

The CVAA actually dates back to October 2010 but video games managed to evade it for several years due to temporary waivers sought by the Electronic Software Association, the North American industry body. The last of those waivers expired on December 31st so, as Gamasutra noted, here we are. The USA already has numerous accessibility laws but they dated back to ye olden times before computers became the way we communicate. Along came the CVAA to get the digital realm in shape, covering everything from closed captioning on television broadcasts to accessible in-game chat.

The changes means that developers should, where appropriate and as much as is possible "with reasonable effort and expense", ensure text and voice chat are accessible without hearing, without vision, with colour perception problems, with limited physical dexterity, with cognitive or intellectual disabilities, and so on.
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ZeoVGM

ZeoVGM

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
76,219
Providence, RI
I would be more excited if party chat overlay would be a feature as well, so I know who is talking if I group up with randoms for a Destiny raid or something.
 
JaseC64

JaseC64

Enlightened
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
11,008
Strong Island NY
Carn said:
Sony would be crazy if they don't. I can get the reboot that PS4 was regarding OS and other features because of the different architecture, but PS5 is a continuation of the PS4 design choices so it would be weird if they would start from scratch again.
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I think ps4 to ps5 will be the first time the services remain and improve over time. Ps5 will have its own exclusive features I'm sure in regards to psn integration.

Psn during the ps3 days was like their first get go. Remember the html store front?

Ps5 may have a new slick gui but the background bits of psn will be the same as ps4. It would be bonkers if they psn on ps5 are lackluster to where it becomes a mockery. Day1 I can tell its gonna be ready with all the features you've come to love.
 
ProstatePuncher

ProstatePuncher

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
5,800
European code: 6G6X-L5NM-BALP

20 redemptions on it. Remember that you can't engage in parties with people who are on 6.71 if you redeem this. You can roll back to 6.71 by updating your system software as you normally would if you feel you'd rather be back with the normals.
 
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