PS3 app / saved file format questions

[jhiza]

I dug around the forums for a bit on a few questions I have, but didn't see them specifically answered. I have a few questions regarding the PS3.

I'm not entirely sure how the process works for gaming on the PS3. I think I understand that when the ps3 boots up, it's sitting on it's own OS. There are then applications that sit on top of the OS, of which the Folding project appears to be developed by a 3rd party. I'm wondering if it is possible for an application (Folding for example) to run in the background when a game (either downloaded, or via disc) is running? So, does starting a game exit the host OS, or does the game run on top of the host OS? Are the answers the same for both a local (downloaded) game and a disc game?

Additionally, is saved game data format different for each game? I assume it would be up to the game developer to determine their own format, or do they have to adhere to a sony defined format?

[jimparis]

There are then applications that sit on top of the OS, of which the Folding project appears to be developed by a 3rd party.

F@H appears to behave just like a game. The only visible differences are that it starts from a different menu, and the GameOS has the ability to launch it automatically.

I'm wondering if it is possible for an application (Folding for example) to run in the background when a game (either downloaded, or via disc) is running? So, does starting a game exit the host OS, or does the game run on top of the host OS?

The OS is still there handling stuff like disk access & encryption, background downloads, etc. Not all pieces are necessarily still there. It's possibly similar to the PSP where it reboots and only loads the pieces of the OS that it needs.

Are the answers the same for both a local (downloaded) game and a disc game?

I would imagine it's again similar to PSP, where the two are essentially the same, except the disc might have some additional permissions. Recent reports that Warhawk will be distributed both online and on BD would also suggest that the two modes are easily interchangeable.

Additionally, is saved game data format different for each game? I assume it would be up to the game developer to determine their own format, or do they have to adhere to a sony defined format?

It's just like the PSP. Games have to go through the Sony save API which handles crypto and on-disk structure.

[jhiza]

Is there a standard protocol that online games use to communicate?

[jimparis]

Not sure. I read one of the Gripshift devs say that they use Sony's libraries to do matchmaking and whatnot but all the actual in-game stuff is their own P2P.

[ralferoo]

Is there a standard protocol that online games use to communicate?

I read that part of the licensing agreement is that multiplayer games have to use the PSN to log in and connect to game servers, although I believe that they're free to do what they like once they're there. I'd suspect the PSN libraries support it up to the concept of "rooms" containing a bunch of players.

Without access to the Sony dev kit, though, we're all pretty much guessing and it's irrelevant for us doing Linux programming. We'll have to do it all ourselves!

[jhiza]

Is there a standard protocol that online games use to communicate?

I read that part of the licensing agreement is that multiplayer games have to use the PSN to log in and connect to game servers, although I believe that they're free to do what they like once they're there. I'd suspect the PSN libraries support it up to the concept of "rooms" containing a bunch of players.

Without access to the Sony dev kit, though, we're all pretty much guessing and it's irrelevant for us doing Linux programming. We'll have to do it all ourselves!

yea, but assuming it's all either tcp or udp it's potentially just a matter of packet sniffing for data. i was more referring to if the connection protocol was encrypted or not.