A progress report on PlayStation Home beta
by Ross Miller 
{ Aug 28th 2007 at 3:15PM }
First off, let's talk about what's missing from the beta. "None of the new features or areas outlined at E3 have made it into the beta. None," said the tester. That includes transition from Home into other games (e.g. Resistance), no trophy room and no new lobby. "Sony also had a monthly roadmap of improvements/features/places they were going to implement but have not followed it," said the tester. "Home has had one update since launch."
On the positive side of things, voice chat is said to work very well, as do the game's physics and the variety of facial customization. "The features that are in home do work well. All the games are fun to play and promote communication," said the tester.
We don't know how indicative the report is, if at all, on Home's ability to launch this year, or if there is even another, even more exclusive beta with the new features included. What we saw at E3 looked good, but unfortunately we were unable to see it with multiple people in the same space.
Gallery: PlayStation Home
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Leobebes @ Aug 28th 2007 3:24PM
That is some nice digital ass. I hope there is a hot coffee exploit on PS Home since this seems like the most boring, derivative, arrogant piece of tripe Sony has ever embarked on.
Sometimes less is more...no?
warioswoods @ Aug 28th 2007 8:38PM
I hope you were voted down for the second part of your comment rather than the first, for that is a realistic, attractive female shape, and a great relief after all the years of badly designed female characters in The Sims or Second Life, which range from horribly awkward to androgynous.
mr nimblewick @ Aug 28th 2007 3:25PM
Gotta love the baggy pants and star-trek shirt.
Did they ever finalize how they are going to stop... um... less desirable content?
Marty @ Aug 28th 2007 3:34PM
Wait until some idiot makes a penis in Little Big World, and then the shit will really hit the fan.
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 28th 2007 4:23PM
That's Little Big Planet.
Davis @ Aug 28th 2007 3:27PM
yea there was an update. It wasnt much but it included more facial and body customization from what I can remeber; theres a huge list of change but i mostly remember glitch fixes. It is still very limited though, and no one is ever logged on because there's NOTHING to do. Last time I was on, there were only 7 others on.
Snukadaman @ Aug 28th 2007 4:26PM
Not much people people on it and this is just the beta....that doesnt bode well really..but you never know...it might get better..and people stop saying this is hate...anything sony does better xbox live doesnt sit on its ass and watch. They both get better with every update to each system. Its also kinda sad since home was suppose too be up in what..sept/october and they cant add trophys..but then again lets also be real..this was never the system seller either. It was just something people had too use as a counterpoint against XBL.
joeyg @ Aug 28th 2007 3:30PM
ahhh more bitching and whining about everything sony does...
if you guys don't get it, it's basically just a graphical representation of a lobby...you know, kinda like when your just staring at your xbl friends list and have to click on someone specific to talk to..eh nvm. why bother explaining.
mr nimblewick @ Aug 28th 2007 3:33PM
I think they understand, they just don't see the point since a list is a fast and easy way to connect to friends when compared to visual lobbies.
I'm not criticizing Home, mind you. I only own a Wii, there's nothing fast or easy about friend codes.
Marty @ Aug 28th 2007 3:30PM
They should rename it - to "Done" - because (wait for it) it's finished!
bl13 @ Aug 28th 2007 3:37PM
/facepalm
samfish @ Aug 28th 2007 3:33PM
The Home beta must be the biggest eSausage Fest on the planet...
GRANTED @ Aug 28th 2007 3:37PM
...naked peach is getting excited
J-Guy @ Aug 28th 2007 5:47PM
samfish, your avatar is starting to bother me.
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 28th 2007 10:11PM
Only just starting to bother you? samfish needs something hotter.
samfish @ Aug 28th 2007 10:15PM
I could make her more naked, if that helps?
JJ Rooster @ Aug 28th 2007 3:44PM
Home is the PSN's killer app! The only updates I care about are when they add new dance moves, so I can walk up to people and breakdance in front of them. Oh that will be so cool... plus I can chat up girls and be a virtual loser!
/yeah, not sold.
Patrick Flynn @ Aug 28th 2007 3:51PM
Think about it....imagine a group like the Patriotic Nigras on second life....nuking the "game" constantly as sony is banning people left and right...
...this could be kinda fun :P
hydralisk456 @ Aug 28th 2007 4:27PM
Pool's Closed Bitch!
Firenfunk @ Aug 28th 2007 3:59PM
Personally, really looking to this, think it's a great idea, and for free you can't complain really. Will be interesting to see how it develops.
Marty @ Aug 28th 2007 5:32PM
Hehe, "free"... you realize Home is just going to be a micro-transaction paradise for Sony, right?
CGamble20 @ Aug 28th 2007 7:37PM
@Marty
Well XBL is a micro-transaction paradise for Microsoft, its just they make you pay 50 bucks a year to have the privilege to pay them more.
Justice @ Aug 28th 2007 4:02PM
I really can't wait for this. The whole social experience, seeing people from the PS boards online. =]
For those who don't like it, that's cool then again if people enjoy myspace or any other profile thing, should enjoy this.
konajinx @ Aug 28th 2007 6:31PM
Oh yeah, seeing people from the PS boards will just be grand. These are the same people who blame people with low post counts as being trolls, even when said people have legitimate questions and complaints. Same people who bash low post counts when their own "high" counts are nothing but posts that say "LOL" or are some retarded emoticon and nothing more. Same people who claim that anyone that writes something negative about the PS# in the press doesn't know anything about gaming, yet if the same person wrote something positive about the system, they'd be agreeing with them 100%. Oh yeah, great people one and all.
Justice @ Aug 28th 2007 7:44PM
I know Kona isn't that splendid? =] nice to see you make crap out of nothing. Well there is a good chance that someone who will get Home will be on the PS site. Same way if I played GOW, I might be facing someone from the Xbox forums, wiether or not other people like them.
Seems you like to put words into people's mouths. And dude you get people like that anywhere. it's life, learn to deal with it. And grow up, hope you learned life lesson #1: people are people, deal with it. =] Thanks :D
CGamble20 @ Aug 28th 2007 7:58PM
@konajinx
sounds like you know from experience....and most people with low post counts have things like "I just bought a PS3 and I am very disappointed. I want to get a 360." First, why would you post that on the OFFICIAL forum for playstation, why would you even think to get a positive reaction if you did, and why would you post it anywhere at all?
just saying, not defending all the PS forums guys, they can be ridiculous sometimes...
Liqwid @ Aug 28th 2007 4:02PM
Oh, jeez! It's raining outside!
a.j. @ Aug 28th 2007 4:06PM
man, you guys have a lot of pent up hostility. i've never seen so many people attack things as quickly as you fanboys. i own both systems so i don't give a shit either way but man, angry angry kids abound. no love from mama growing up?
Marty @ Aug 28th 2007 5:34PM
Thanks for the analysis, Sigmund.
a.j. @ Aug 28th 2007 5:57PM
you're welcome. go ahead...call me names now lol.
FoxHoundADAM @ Aug 28th 2007 4:13PM
This just strengthens my opinion that Home is really just a big role playing game, just without the dragons and what not. It will be neat but it won't be the big community that you boot up to everyday.
At least not at first. Also, seeing Home before 2008 is just crazy talk.
mafafu @ Aug 28th 2007 6:07PM
"This just strengthens my opinion that Home is really just a big role playing game"
Without the all important Game.
Xeno Mezphy @ Aug 30th 2007 4:05PM
Now they have to add Dragons or I'm going to be disappointed
Chainblast @ Aug 28th 2007 4:20PM
Like almost everything Sony has done this generation Home seems too big, too elaborate and too complex for its own good. People just want simple, effective and functional online community/gaming features available to them without the added fat. Well at least that's what I want.
Firenfunk @ Aug 28th 2007 4:23PM
I don't think it will be like an RPG, there's no character progression or competitive element, excepting the games you can find and play in there. It's more a virtual social space as I see it, and I think that's cool. I like socializing.
Jeff @ Aug 28th 2007 4:24PM
Home and better online could actually make the ps3 a competitor for Xbox-- that's why 360 fanboys get so upset about it. Who would prefer achievement points to visible trophies, that you could horde and show off to your friends?
C'mon. We all know the world revolves around prettieshiniez.
Marty @ Aug 28th 2007 6:17PM
Don't kid yourself... people being able to see your gamer score will always be better than a trophy room. I don't want to spend hours looking through my friends' profiles just to see if I am better than them or not. :P
Firenfunk @ Aug 28th 2007 4:36PM
a.j. I agree with you. It's a little depressing to see fellow gamers contributing to the stereotype that gamers are in general are frustrated, angry and sad.
Chainblast, I and many others like the idea of Home, so saying what "people want" seems to be somewhat untrue. For you, fine, but not everybody thinks like you. It would be a sad world if we all thought alike.
Jeff - not for me. Not interested in either achievement points or the trophies really.
a.j. @ Aug 28th 2007 6:01PM
thanks...it just baffles me how these cats just go claws out on anything related to a console they don't like. such animisoity over something completely trivial in the grand scheme of shit. like you said, it just makes generalizing gamers as idiots that much easier.
Ford Tang @ Aug 28th 2007 5:16PM
I think this could really fly...if they allow user created content. Without that, I don't think people will have much reason to go on Home.
They have obviously pulled ideas from Second life and what they need to do is incorporate more of it. Second life isn't the best, but if they can catch some of that and make it easy, I think people will really love it.
Richard @ Aug 28th 2007 5:20PM
Well what did you expect from a company that brought such critically acclaimed hits such as Star Wars Galaxies? I mean, their MMO-anything record is stellar!
tlozwarlock @ Aug 28th 2007 5:23PM
Without going as far as the beta tester did for IGN, I'll say that Home is fun in the way that going to an all gamer message board is fun. You get to interface with other gamers and compile a friendlist with the less idiotic ones out there. It just happens in real time.
The real draw to Home, at least for me, is the sense of community and the random creativity that bursts forth. I've seen conga lines, voice-chat DJs, and a Home-flavored dancing paper-rock-scissors game bust out in the game room. When the media sharing capabilities come into play, this user creativity should skyrocket.
GoonieGooGoo @ Aug 28th 2007 5:46PM
???
"I've seen conga lines, voice-chat DJs, and a Home-flavored dancing paper-rock-scissors game bust out in the game room."
Wow.....I would so much prefer this kind of stuff over a basic interface, actual playable games....and being able to just invite my friends into games right now.
I am in absolute awe and feel so much more relieved in spending 1200$ plus on 2 PS3s for a gacked version of Second Life.
Great Sony....just Great. This is DEFINITELY Living!!
tlozwarlock @ Aug 28th 2007 5:59PM
lol Someone needs a lesson in sarcasm. I haven't touched Home in two months for the very reasons I listed. Maybe I should start adding "/sarcasm" to my posts...
But why on earth would you need to buy two PS3's?
GoonieGooGoo @ Aug 28th 2007 5:41PM
Talk about a big MEH......
Home is looking destined to be uber boring by the time they get it running in like 4 years.
Does anyone really care about HOME more than actual playable GAMES on their PS3???
WAKE UP SONY!!! We don't need customizable virtual dens...we need 2 simple things: 1) A Unified Friends List that actually works across games, and 2)ACTUAL GAMES!!!
Mr Khan @ Aug 28th 2007 5:52PM
Sad about the lack of progress
Smooth, straight to game disc transition could've made the game into a compelling GUI. An advertising thing like "the other guys have point and click menus, PS3 has a whole world," Without that feature, however, it loses a lot of what could distinguish it
IMO, the trophies are something that they shouldn't dely anything for, as they would be fun, but certainly unessential (like Melee trophies)
JJ @ Aug 28th 2007 6:13PM
I know richard...lets also not forget they brought us Eq1 and 2 as well.
And dont forget bungie brought us such gems as Oni...as did Rockstar... who'da thunk those guys would of gone on to much greatness after that crappy game =)
I actually think home looks interesting, if nothing that to kill some time with friends in virtual avatar chatting or what not.
I mean to say the social aspect of something is stupid...is ...well stupid. I mean thats like asking whats the point of Sims, or any online game ever made.
I think it'll be something thats neat in the long run if they get all the kinks worked out.
and Goonie... why cant we have all types of little playthings on our systems? There's friends lists there, there's arguably games there as well. So why not a virtual den?
and i agree there will be a lot of microtransactions but as MS can attest, microtransactions can generate money. I mean i've bought several themes and gamerpics on 360 myself, not an obscene amount mind you, but enough to make me wonder about myself sometimes... So i really dont see how this is any different other than the fact that... I can show it off virtually.
Justin @ Aug 28th 2007 6:58PM
I am a 360 gamer so I will not be using home, but yes I can see a function for it. Social networking groups are very popular and Home could be Sony's version of it.You should definitely be able to go from your home area with your friends straight into games though.
Imagine that you could have your own clan area/hall where you could all meet before a MP game or filing into a virtual theatre and being at Sony's press conferences.
Dev's and publishers could have areas where you could go to catch up on the latest info about upcoming games watch vids or try virtual console demos. You could have versions of E3, Leipzig or the Tokyo games show going on in Home.
As I am in my late 30's I probably would not be that interested in virtual social area but I am sure the kids would be. I think customizing your avatar and home area could be very popular.
I would like to see something like this on Xbox Live, the blades are kind of flat and boring. It would be cool to wonder round a virtual XBLA shop and try the demos 'in-store'.
My 2 pence worth
Firenfunk @ Aug 28th 2007 7:07PM
@Justin... Well I agree with much of your post, apart from when you equate the desire to socialise with age! I'm 32 and still enjoy socializing, both in real life and online, and I don't see why you believe this "sort of thing" is just "for the young ones" (paraphrasing of course). Don't write yourself off just yet!
Wilhelm @ Aug 28th 2007 7:29PM
I only own a 360, so you can expect what I'm about to say... OMG WTF SO GAY F*CK SONY PS3 BLOWS...
But really, 'Home' to me looks like an advanced version of the Sims, where your'neighbors' are actually people. At first I thought it'd be 'gay' or something, but after looking through the screenshots it looks pretty neat. It's not something I'd go run out and buy a PS3 for, but it's still pretty cool.
Oh... and just to add in a random fanboy comment... I hope Home turns out really good for you PS3 owners, god knows you have nothing else to play!