Playstation Plus Questions

[Solid Snake]

Man, trying to read through Sony's official materials regarding the Playstation Plus service is like trying to comb through the debris of a trainwreck. I'm wondering if any of you who are Playstation Plus subscribers can help me understand the semantics.

1: I buy a subscription and then download a game that's free for subscribers. A year later, I don't renew the subscription.
So I understand I can't re-download the game after cancelling the subscription. But what happens to the copy that's already on my PS3 or Vita? Is it deleted?
What happens if I subsequently renew after a brief cancellation period? Do I lose all access to that content?

2: How exactly does the "Automatic Download" service work? Can I control what's automatically downloaded? The service seems to suggest that Demos for games will be automatically downloaded without asking for my permission, and I don't have the free hard drive space to want that to happen.

3: Say I already purchased a game before becoming a PS Plus member. Then it goes on sale and is free for subscribers for a month. Then I cancel my subscription. I can't lose my ability to download that game, right?

4: Say there's a game that's discounted for PS Plus members, but it isn't free. I purchase it. Then I don't renew my subscription. If the game is lost in the void, have I essentially just lost my money?

[Kyanbu The Legend]

1. The game is set to check if your subscription is active. if it's not then the game will simply tell you to renew it every time you boot it up. It will still technically be yours and it'll still stay on the hard drive, you just won't be able to play it until you renew your PS+ or just buy it (which is the better option from my experience).

2. If I remember correctly, yes you do have control over it. Not entirely sure though, I've never touched this feature personally.

3. yeah, you can still get it.

4. No the game is yours to keep and it won't be locked. The discount thing just means you got it for cheap. It's no different then buying a new game on sale at your local store.

[Solid Snake]

Originally Posted by Kyanbu The Legend

1. The game is set to check if your subscription is active. if it's not then the game will simply tell you to renew it every time you boot it up.

That's...kind of annoying.
Do I have the option to purchase 'free for PS Plus' games even as a PS Plus member? I'd hate to "own" a game that I had to pay $50 each year to play. That's like a perpetual loan, not a genuine purchase.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Yes, you can simply just buy the game if you want. Honestly it's why I never went back to PS+ in the first place. Sure it's nice and all far as free games and beta tests go. But really what happens when that service get's discontinued for any given reason?

It'd suck to lose all of those free titles due to them locking up. Thank god the only free titles I got was the HD updates of Sonic 1 and Sonic 2. >_>

Which I already own the original carts of and the mega collection+ and Sonic Generation's Sonic 1 port.

[Solid Snake]

Originally Posted by Kyanbu The Legend

Yes, you can simply just buy the game if you want. Honestly it's why I never went back to PS+ in the first place. Sure it's nice and all far as free games and beta tests go. But really what happens when that service get's discontinued for any given reason?

It'd suck to lose all of those free titles due to them locking up. Thank god the only free titles I got was the HD updates of Sonic 1 and Sonic 2. >_>

The only reason I'm actually interested in the service in the first place is for the free 1 GB of cloud storage for PS3 saves.

I do a heck of a lot of my gaming with PS3 saves, and I'm moving twice in the next few months. Given how sensitive the hardware is I'm anticipating the probability I'll lose all my stuff on that hard drive. Either the moves will fuck with the HDD and require a hard reboot, or I'll just lose the PS3 outright. It'll fly with me eventually -- it has to because I can't trust my parents with it, they've all but declared they'd conveniently misplace it when given the chance -- and it might get lost.

I just wish I could override some of these PS3 titles' save games so I could transfer them to an external drive. Then I'd just plug a flash stick into the port and be done with it. But nnnoooo, fucking Assassin's Creed and other games have locked that shit.

Since it looks like I have to pay $50 for the cloud storage, I was curious as to what other benefits I could derive from it without getting sucked into paying $50 each year for renewal.

[Living Bobbeh]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

That's...kind of annoying.
Do I have the option to purchase 'free for PS Plus' games even as a PS Plus member? I'd hate to "own" a game that I had to pay $50 each year to play. That's like a perpetual loan, not a genuine purchase.

You can purchase the game if you so wish, but unless there is a promotion running, it won't be any cheaper than buying outside of Plus.

[Solid Snake]

Actually, if anyone knows any credible way to bypass an inability to transfer saves onto the flash stick, using that tactic would save me a buttload of money.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

The only reason I'm actually interested in the service in the first place is for the free 1 GB of cloud storage for PS3 saves.

I do a heck of a lot of my gaming with PS3 saves, and I'm moving twice in the next few months. Given how sensitive the hardware is I'm anticipating the probability I'll lose all my stuff on that hard drive. Either the moves will fuck with the HDD and require a hard reboot, or I'll just lose the PS3 outright. It'll fly with me eventually -- it has to because I can't trust my parents with it, they've all but declared they'd conveniently misplace it when given the chance -- and it might get lost.

I just wish I could override some of these PS3 titles' save games so I could transfer them to an external drive. Then I'd just plug a flash stick into the port and be done with it. But nnnoooo, fucking Assassin's Creed and other games have locked that shit.

Since it looks like I have to pay $50 for the cloud storage, I was curious as to what other benefits I could derive from it without getting sucked into paying $50 each year for renewal.

Ah I see, have you tryed copying your saves onto your Vita? Or does it block you from doing so?

[Solid Snake]

...That's not a bad idea, actually. I haven't thought of whether PS3 saves can be transferred to the Vita.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

It worked for the PSP, I don't see why not.