Phil Harrison reveals new Home details, including privacy and safety features

by Ross Miller { Mar 13th 2007 at 3:52PM }

MTV News' Stephen Totilo has managed to glean new details from Sony's Phil Harrison on their megaton PlayStation 3 announcement, Home, in a video interview (after the break) and accompanying Multiplayer post (scroll down to yesterday's entry).

The initial plan with Home is to start with apartments for users, then go on to outdoors, houses, gardens, neighborhoods. Currently, 16 people will be allowed in one apartment at any given time, although that limit is being tweaked. As for lobbies, which will be "infinitely spawned by the number of users online," 64 will be the limit. A search function will be included to help users find their friends online.

As to concerns whether the social aspect of Home will take away from time spent gaming, Harrison sees that as a non-issue. "I think that you shouldn't lose sight that home is all about games and creating social interaction between gamers ... [Home is] a springboard to a deeper gaming experience," he said.

Also mentioned was that no collision detection would be implemented, so users will likely just walk through one another. While that should eliminate problems associated with crowds, it also reduces the options for those who wish to use their avatars for naughtier means.

Gallery: PlayStation Home

Harrison outlined their current policies on privacy and safety to semi-official blog Three Speech. Private spaces will not be monitored, although complaints can be filed if a user feels he or she has been subjected to unwanted, inappropriate behavior. There will be a profanity filter for public areas and players who are not of a certain age will have their text and voice capabilities turned off. Of course, that's dependent upon whether the child gives an honest birth date; we're willing to bet local news organizations are going to go crazy over what they'll call "a virtual world of sex in your living room."

Other tidbits from Totilo and Three Speech:

PSP remote access has been considered, as has been moving the online avatar into real games.
The motion control of the Sixaxis will be used for to simulate virtual actions such as gestures for waving and bowing.
Third-party developers are being worked with for in-Home projects.
Sony is looking at having trophies for PSP games
A future goal is to let users transition seamlessly from Home into a disc-based game, such as Motorstorm.

Home is expected for release, for free, this Fall.

Tags: harrison, home, phil harrison, PhilHarrison, playstation home, PlaystationHome, ps home, PsHome

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Myke @ Mar 13th 2007 3:55PM

are we talking about walking through walls and stuff too? because that would seemed kinda half-assed, IMO

Ian @ Mar 13th 2007 4:04PM

I'm really interested in Home since it has so many possibilities. There are two things that concern me at the moment through. Microtransactions (for cars for example) and advertising in game. How substantial will these be? Secondly, how much attention are girls going to get? Answer: Loads.

In the nightclub, there will be about 50 guys to every 1 girl!

http://www.MarioKartWii.com

a dirty bastard @ Mar 13th 2007 4:23PM

no jus walkin thugh ppl i guess there tryin to avoid ppl from simulatin sexual contact in the game

sheppy @ Mar 13th 2007 4:15PM

I just like the idea of hooking up with a network of friends, shooting the shit, virtual pool (please let players be able to set their own rules like 9ball rotations) and bringing the few friends I trust back to the apartment to preview some crap thrown together on my microkorg.

RoroCo @ Mar 13th 2007 4:16PM

This idea is so meh to me. I just want to play games. If I wanted to socialize on the interwebs/tubes, I would do it from work. When I get home, I just want to play some good games.

And is anyone else tired of hearing "We are concidering it."?

Zamfir @ Mar 13th 2007 4:19PM

I think he means collision detection between avatars only. If the furniture has physics, then I'm sure walls are solid.

What's with Joystiq and the constant Home-related sexual references? Trust me, real women are the way to go guys.

IslandLife @ Mar 13th 2007 4:25PM

@RoroCo

No, but I'm really tired of hearing you go on about it. If you don't like then don't FREAKIN' USE IT!. YEAH, It's really that simple!

john @ Mar 13th 2007 4:37PM

"Could there be monkeys flying out of my butt?"

"Why not!"

PofS3 @ Mar 13th 2007 4:40PM

I guess the PS3 fan base is a lonely group. If someone wants to play Sims they could go out and buy Sims but to create a Sims environment like this is ridicules that every PS3 owner will have to wade through to see there trophies (achievements) or there friends trophies (achievements). Not only will this be lame, this will also be worse then MySpace!!! What is going to keep people from plastering there walls in there apartment with there manhood and having videos of themselves running on ever TV. Hope all you PofS fans enjoy it!!! LOL

Spirit @ Mar 13th 2007 4:46PM

@5

With the whole sexual references thing, that Joystiq is constantly referencing... well I'm not sure why they are doing it ever? There will be just as much sexual themes as WoW or any other online community. It's not like Home will have custom animations like Second Life.

I think Sony's on to something here - and even fanboys may have to admit its a good idea.

Well, except maybe Joystiq. Some people you cant change.

steve17 @ Mar 13th 2007 5:03PM

god that pic of phil's head makes me laugh.

Josh @ Mar 13th 2007 5:16PM

I'm sorry, the canned stuff the Miis are saying in those screen shots is just idiotic.

"I wonder when we'll get some food?"

WTF? Will the PS3 dispense a slice of turkey loaf out of the Blu-Ray slot when you are at a Home "Party?"

Phil Harrison: "Why not?"

Sky Shark @ Mar 13th 2007 5:17PM

Yeah search for friends...couldn't they just add a little list called a friends list. Wait that's not Sony's way. They would call it Pal List or Aquinetence lists. Personally I see this being a very cheapy thing and they're going to use it to cover up the fact that most of their decent games are ports and the fact that the system will never become widely used. As for crowds I doubt there will be many so they could probably I mean those are meant for MMORPGs where there will be many people playing at once. Unless games start being first party blockbusters and there's a huge price drop there won't be many casual gamers who own this system that would probably use it.

Jake @ Mar 13th 2007 5:25PM

I don't want to knock on this Home business at all because it is optional and may even be free.

But, I really don't see myself using it. My idea of building community is playing games online with people I don't know until I add enough cool people to my friends list that I can mostly play with cool people. We chat between and during games.

Playing games is the key to playing games, lol. Adding online adds to the games. Adding chat adds to the online game. But taking away the game to improve online chat seems just plain goofy. Seems like Second Life or Facebook or Myspace for non-gaming computer owners.

Another annoyance is to go to PSHome you have to probably commit to it. You can't run it in the background of a game; it is a game. You gotta shut the game down to go there, then reboot to begin gaming. It just seems like having background chatroom capability would be better than the whole avatar thing.

GJM @ Mar 13th 2007 5:41PM

Just recently sheppy attempted to insult me by stating this:

"Because when I have been playing PS3, it's been with friends. Physical entities next to me, crowded over pizza boxes and rushing through levels. To me, online will never replace four player splitscreen. Why go online with 39 strangers when three good friends can have even more fun. Not to mention splitscreen Ridge Racer 7."

Yet now he can't wait to go online and eschew those same "physical entities". What a hypocrite.

Poo Jangles @ Mar 13th 2007 5:46PM

At the moment Home is WAY over-hyped...even the mainstream media has picked it up and treats it like the second-coming -- like they've never used a chat room before! It'll be interesting to see how interested people are when it actually releases. I think there's potential to do something really great and at least as much potential to fuck it up. I mean, you won't even be able to go straight from Home to a game? Doesn't sound very "integrated" to me. Sure they'll fix that, but it makes you wonder what other little features it will be lacking come October.

Rasta @ Mar 13th 2007 6:03PM

People who are questioning Home can't read I suppose. They said its free and it will be seemless between games. Just read this shit, haters!!!

wilbz @ Mar 13th 2007 6:22PM

@17: "They said its free and it will be seemless between games."

From TFA: A FUTURE GOAL is to let users transition seamlessly from Home into a disc-based game, such as Motorstorm. (emphasis mine)

My future goal is to be rich, that doesn't mean that I already am though. I'm sure Sony has plenty of future goals, but lest you get caught up in the hype, remember similar such "goals" in other games that never really came to fruition (Fable, Black & White, insert future Peter Molyneux game here). Compared to what was promised, and what has been delivered so far regarding the PS3, I would hesitate to be overly excited about anything until it's final form has been revealed.

My biggest concern is that Sony's going to make a "Jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none" approach to this, and it's going to interfere with doing all the things the PS3 was SUPPOSED to do (e.g. play games). OTOH, if this really takes off, it might be discouraging to third party support if people are spending more time in Home paying micro-transactions to customize their virtual apartment, than they are playing games.

Hmerly @ Mar 13th 2007 6:29PM

This just doesn't sound all that cool to me, but who knows.

Rasta @ Mar 13th 2007 7:13PM

bro, the beta isn't even out yet. So by the time we reach fall it will be implemented for sure. they've had this thing going on for a couple of years now. now are you really that worried about 3rd party games? you shouldn't be. Home is going to be great, truly limetless and that should hopefully spark creativity with developers. Which is sorely needed.

Jake @ Mar 13th 2007 7:55PM

Rasta,

Home in and of itself seems a lot less fun than playing games, to me. If it has special features that I am yet unaware of, like ones that spark the creativity of devs you hint at, then I will become interested perhaps. I just don't yet see how this will enhance the games. Trophy's and achievements are kind of cool, but having an apartment for avatars to chill in seems, well, not so cool.

But, I admittedly tried and didn't like Second Life, which is somewhat similar, so maybe I need to just pass this off as not being my gig. Kind of like Warioware and ddr, I think those games are retarded as hell, but many people really enjoy them.

I consider myself a fan of the Playstation brand. PS2 is/was the shiz and PS1 was pretty damn good too. PS3 will eventually be the shiz as well, I believe. It only needs more games at this point, which it will positively get. Home just doesn't seem like something a Playstation fan such as myself would get into. Badass sequels and new IP's, hell yes bring them on.

Sky Shark @ Mar 13th 2007 8:01PM

@17. People who are questioning Home can't read I suppose. They said its free and it will be seemless between games. Just read this shit, haters!!

Yeah Sony said it so it will be. Remember those films of what the PS3 could 'do' in 05...yeah where are those graphics and effects? Right now they need PR and saying these things gives them some what better PR with their fanbase. Also it makes their product look better which is what they care about. Besides we're not all Sony haters to not like this. Oh yeah, wow its gonna be free? They say Home is free now and their online is but what about if they realize they can make a buck off of their online and need to in order to keep it up and running? What if they then start charging for online like Live, sure it will be free but to be able to use it you'll have to pay for the online in the first place. Finally this thing will most likely be over-hyped like the PS3.

JJ @ Mar 13th 2007 8:09PM

I dont see why anyone would have a problem with home, its just another virtual interface to interact with other people.

Millions of people do it everyday on MMOS and chat rooms and what not.

Where's the problem?

While all may not use it, that goes for tons of extras and games on EVERY system under the sun. Doesn't make it a pointless endeavor.

Joey @ Mar 13th 2007 9:14PM

I think home will be awesome. I liked everything that I saw about home. I kinda like the idea of having my own place and have friends from online hang out there. Or go with friends to a game room.
I also thought it was need to be able to see movie trailers or real movies playing while in home.
I am not sure why people are so negative. "Why isn't it more like Xbox Live?" Or its copying stuff from Xbox Live and the Wii's Mii." Please Wii avatars are dumb and so is their service. So Home will be no comparision to that kiddy crap. Xbox Live started internet mainstream for games. So if anything similar thats a good thing.

Purple Haze @ Mar 13th 2007 10:37PM

why did it say at the end that i might also like my chemical romance? wtf is wrong with them, I fucking hate my chemical romance!

Rasta @ Mar 14th 2007 2:00AM

One word google. Advertising revenue is something that should keep it free for the most part, if there is some crappy movie with some clips, or sample of an album in some public fourm is fine with me. Another thing, you might not of heard Ozzfest is free. Fuckin brilliant!!! Instead of dropping 50 bucks on tix, I can buy more beer. That shit gets hot out there. Same with Home being free, you use the money on items IF you choose to do so. Hopefully you will be able to buy items in some kind of pack. And with user created content it should find its way on the Network sooner or later if not upon release. Compare that to 50 bucks a year plus a crazy currency exchange for microtransactions!!! Put the fuckin brakes on the 360 purchase for me. My buddy just bought a PS3, he also has a 1080P set up too. First time I saw it in action, it was nucking futs!