Which PS2 network games play globally?

[AOD]

Okay so here's the scenario.

I have a brother in law with a PS2 who resides in South America and will be getting a broadband connection installed shortly.

I already have broadband and several Network enabled titles for my PS2.

My question is this. Which PS2 games allow you to play against other folks anywhere in the world?

Before you think I'm going daft, let me explain. Certain titles (Such as Hardware Online Arena) connect you to a server that is location specific. For example, when I connect I can only see players in Europe (don't even know if Hardware is available in US but that's another story).

I want titles where I can play against anybody, especially my brother in law.

Our favourite games are racing type ones, so will titles like Midnight Club II or Need For Speed Underground give us what we want?

If anybody has a link to an FAQ of some description that will give a nice list of suitable titles, that would be excellent.

 

[Stinja]

Ahhh, i've asked this question myself elsewhere.

Unfortunately no-one really seems to know... I can confirm that these games do NOT have worlwide access:

SOCOM 1 and 2
Warhammer 40K: Fire Warrior
XIII
Twisted Metal Black: Online
Hardware Online Arena (from you)

Unfortunately it seems to be Sony Europes policy to not allow worldwide gaming, maybe due to their concern for latency and keeping the online experience at its best? but it certainly negates part of the joy of online gaming, which is being able to play with friends and family which are geographically dispersed.

The one game which might be a potential is Tribes Aerial Assult. An american friend confirmed that the NTSC version does not do DNAS checking, and connects to american servers, so in theory with a chipped PS2 you could buy an NTSC copy, and connect and play that way.

 

[UncagedTyphoon]

Ghost Recon
GHost Recon Island Thunder
R63

And nearly all Xbox games you play against People in the us
maybe you need to reveiw your plans

 

[AOD]

Originally posted by UncagedTyphoon
And nearly all Xbox games you play against People in the us
maybe you need to reveiw your plans

..and I think you need to review the topic of this thread

I thought the thread was for PS2 games, not XBOX??

Thanks for the info but it's not exactly on-topic is it?

iZed, thank you for your input, perhaps I'll pose the question in the UK Playstation forums and see what kind of a response it gets.

I can understand Sony's wish to maintain quality, but at the end of the day, if you have a duff connection, surely that will affect server hosted titles also, albeit to a lesser degree maybe.

 

[UncagedTyphoon]

no not at all I'm just pointing out another possiable answer to your thread as i do agree with you one of the enjoyment of online gaming is play against friends and having a laugh so I can see what your trying to do

And no before you think of it Im not trying to open a XBOX vs PS2
as you can see from me Sig I have a ps2 and dont see the big issue that people make out I enjoy both consoles

 

[AOD]

Well it would be an option if we both had an Xbox, but neither of us do and that's unlikely to change in the near future.

 

[derekrcross]

has the ps2 got any software like xbox connect
this maybe a way round it using the computer just a thought

 

[Stinja]

You mean like Tunneling software?

That was my next guess when i thought about this a while back. As there are PS2 LAN games, which if you could bridge via two PCs and the internet should function just like a proper online game (via the ethernet adapter or iLink).

I had a search and found out about some freeware/shareware type things are available or will be shortly: The guys at Xlink that did Xbox tunneling are working on a PS2 version.
Then there's a PC tunneling thing called Gamers Internet Tunnel (Gits) which is potentially comptible for some PS2 games (seems very non-commital). And i found a few more vague references.

Of course if anyone knows anything more....(?!)

 

[AOD]

Ah yes, Gits. Gamers Internet Tunnel.

The only time I've heard it referred to is in connection with Timesplitters 2, as it has the LAN play option, but not "proper" online.

From what I've read of it, it's not insurmountable, but it's only used for titles that have a LAN option and that aren't expecting to authenticate against a central server of some description.

Ideally looking for something that would be more "pick up and play" than having to faff around with fixed IP addresses etc.

 

[UncagedTyphoon]

AOD

Try this one for size

http://www.gamespy.com/

Noticed the claim they support PS2

 

[AOD]

Thanks, I'll take a look.

 

[Stinja]

Originally posted by AOD
From what I've read of it, it's not insurmountable, but it's only used for titles that have a LAN option and that aren't expecting to authenticate against a central server of some description.

Ideally looking for something that would be more "pick up and play" than having to faff around with fixed IP addresses etc.

I'm going to try out Tribes: Aerial Assult, as so far its the only PS2 game i've heard of that dosent utilise DNAS to authenticate when setting up games.

You would still need a chipped PS2, as you'd need the NTSC-U/C version, but after that from what i've heard it should allow net play fine.

If you do get anything working, please let us know.

 

[AOD]

Well, to be honest I don't fancy getting my PS2 chipped and as I'm a member of the PS2 online Beta test community, this would pretty much destroy my involvement in this anyway.

Thanks for the suggestion though, just out of interest, why would my copy of Tribes necessarily have to be NTSC? Can't an NTSC copy play against a PAL one?

 

[Stinja]

Tribes:AA isnt out yet. So currently you would need an NTSC one.

So it all depends on what happend on PAL release. If it just got Euro language options and PAL TV adjustments, then it should work fine with the yanks.

But to date every online game (to my knowledge) that first got a NTSC release, has been changed so that it only connects to European only servers. Hence no playing with the yanks.

member of the PS2 online Beta test community, this would pretty much destroy my involvement

Maybe. The good chips allow themselves to be "turned off", and thus do not get detected by Sony's DNAS system. Maybe the beta games have extra detection features? but i would hazard a guess that you'd be fine.