Uncharted and Warhawk Home spaces snapshots
by Jem Alexander 
{ Jul 21st 2008 at 11:20AM }
Click for high resolution
Hype for Home may be pretty dead right now, but there are still a few aspects of the service that intrigue us, like Game Spaces. A couple of these were shown off in trailer form at Sony's E3 Press Conference, but we had a chance to have an in-depth look at the Uncharted and Warhawk spaces with a Sony representative. Most of the presentation was seen through the lens of a camera, so check out the gallery for plenty of snapshots.
The Uncharted Game Space takes the form of Sully's bar, complete with "photos" of characters from the game on the walls. The space is made up of several rooms and rull of relics and mounted animal heads. There's a chance that something in there might be indicative of where the series is headed (a diver's helmet? Uncharted 2: Quest for Atlantis confirmed?)
The Warhawk space is similar, featuring assets from the game. The best things about these Game Spaces are the interactive elements. Uncharted has a locked door with a keypad input. The number can be found by carefully looking around and this will open another room for you to explore. There's also an Uncharted-inspired platforming mini-game. The Warhawk space has a sandtable for you and your clan to plan out your method for the upcoming match before jumping into a game.
The Uncharted Game Space takes the form of Sully's bar, complete with "photos" of characters from the game on the walls. The space is made up of several rooms and rull of relics and mounted animal heads. There's a chance that something in there might be indicative of where the series is headed (a diver's helmet? Uncharted 2: Quest for Atlantis confirmed?)
The Warhawk space is similar, featuring assets from the game. The best things about these Game Spaces are the interactive elements. Uncharted has a locked door with a keypad input. The number can be found by carefully looking around and this will open another room for you to explore. There's also an Uncharted-inspired platforming mini-game. The Warhawk space has a sandtable for you and your clan to plan out your method for the upcoming match before jumping into a game.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jimbo @ Jul 21st 2008 11:31AM
I would much rather devs work on putting actual content into the game, rather than wasting time on gimmicks like Home. Seriously, nobody is going to use the "standtable" for Warhawk, except maybe to mess around with it for a minute before they realize what a joke it is.
The entire concept behind Home is flawed. I just don't EVER see me sitting at the XMB, and choosing to go to Home rather than actually playing a game. I know a lot of other people think it will be fun, but Sony has to convinve me there is going to be content that makes me actually choose to log in than play a real game. Minigames like bowling and walking around a virtual world aren't going to do it.
baby sea tuna @ Jul 21st 2008 11:43AM
I dunno. I'd probably use it now, since I don't have any PS3 retail games that I really want to play.
Noshino @ Jul 21st 2008 12:03PM
"The entire concept behind Home is flawed. I just don't EVER see me sitting at the XMB, and choosing to go to Home rather than actually playing a game. I know a lot of other people think it will be fun, but Sony has to convinve me there is going to be content that makes me actually choose to log in than play a real game."
It isn't a choice between going to Home or playing a game, the choice is between using Home or just XMB since you can play a game from Home.
As far as I have heard, they haven't polished the "Launch from Space" feature, but hopefully they do by the time Home is on open beta as I for sure will use Home then. Gathering with your party before a game on a space instead of just a simple lobby is something that at least I've been looking forward for a while
Duke @ Jul 21st 2008 1:42PM
Noshino, does wandering around a virtual world to prepare to go play a game really sound fun to you? To me it seems like too many steps to do a simple thing.
I really don't think this is going to get much day to day usage by the older crowd. A lot of us pick up and play on a schedule or with time constraints. This concept ignores that plus in console gaming. Going from your room, to a load screen, to the outdoor area, to a load screen, to a meeting room, etc is just a bit tedious to me.
Vidikron (FU) @ Jul 21st 2008 2:30PM
@Duke
Answer me this... do background downloads continue while in Home? If so, that actually makes Home fairly useful. There's been quite a few times where I just been sitting around not doing nothing waiting for a game to download, but wasn't really in the mood to play anything specific. At least Home would give me something to do rather than pointlessly wandering around the XMB and signing in and out of my various profiles.
Noshino @ Jul 21st 2008 2:31PM
for a quick match, no
When I have time, hell yah, being able to chill with other peeps on the space, organize the party, talk about the strategy, and then go as a part to the game....how could you not like that? well, if you are a loner, then I understand why you wouldn't...
Duke @ Jul 21st 2008 3:31PM
Vid - I'm not sure about the background downloads. Thats a good point though. I never thought about it being a distraction for moments like that.
Noshino - I'm not really a loner after running a gaming group for 6 years, but I don't find a draw in talking to avatars in a virtual living room either. Its just not my thing. Also, not that its the exact same, but games like 2nd Life make no sense to me at all. I have enough to do in the real world.
Marty @ Jul 21st 2008 11:31AM
"I like your hair!"
Arttemis @ Jul 21st 2008 11:37AM
I'm glad I wasn't the only one to notice that...
What I thought was funny, though, was how E3fanboy that said it was facing a female avatar when he said it...
but the guy behind her (facing the wrong direction) replied, "thanks!"
I eloheled.
LAZoftheTamarinds @ Jul 21st 2008 11:33AM
A shark head hanging in the Uncharted section!? Instantly sold, I don't care how long HOME takes THEY GOT A FRICKIN SHARK HEAD!!!
I also can't wait to check out that Uncharted minigame.
baby sea tuna @ Jul 21st 2008 11:40AM
Wow, that's all it takes, huh? Glad to see that the Home bar has been lowered yet again.
LAZoftheTamarinds @ Jul 21st 2008 11:47AM
If you can't tell by the Uppercases and overexcitement over a Shark's Head hanging from a wall, I was being sarcastic.
baby sea tuna @ Jul 21st 2008 11:54AM
In case you haven't noticed yet, sarcasm and the Internet do not exactly play well together.
Negativecool @ Jul 21st 2008 12:26PM
Sarcasm is easily detectable on the internet to those who don't jump at the chance at insulting another person's opinion.
MrEverdred01 @ Jul 21st 2008 11:43AM
Of course the hype for home is dead. Anybody who can stay excited for over a year and a half full of delays must have some sort of chemical unbalance in their brain.
baby sea tuna @ Jul 21st 2008 11:53AM
Little Big Planet disagrees with you.
Marty @ Jul 21st 2008 11:56AM
LBP is not going to live up to the hype.
LAZoftheTamarinds @ Jul 21st 2008 12:00PM
Oh it will live up to the hype Marty. Just you wait.
It will be undeniably one of the best games of 08 and beyond.
Marty @ Jul 21st 2008 2:05PM
Oh I'm sure it'll be huge, just like Rag Doll Kung Fu was.
MrEverdred01 @ Jul 21st 2008 3:16PM
Rag Doll Kung Fu's not an awesome community-based innovative orgasmic game for all ages like Little Big Planet is. And I think it's more the constant delays which make that year and a half so painful and replaced the excitement with disappointment.
tiremfej @ Jul 21st 2008 12:17PM
LAZ, I've read a few reports of the game, while they say it's beautiful it's actually boring to play.
Anyway, Home? You have to type to chat? Ugh...give me Second Life and my 360. Or wait, keep Second Life, just give me the 360 with the upcoming Programming night...that's all I'll ever need.
unboring @ Jul 21st 2008 12:34PM
where are these reports? can you posts links? I bet for every post you link that says its a boring game I can post a hundred previews that say it is the messiah of the gaming industry.
and home will be a fun destraction, I have messed about in secondlife and I do like the idea of a sony metaverse, it will be interesting to see the direction it takes. Hey , free is free right, really it just seems like the grownup verion of Miis or microsofts Avatars.
Ayrkain @ Jul 21st 2008 4:16PM
Re: Have to type?
Nope. You can use bluetooth to voicechat also.
DarkNessBear @ Jul 21st 2008 12:29PM
Joystiq:
"Blah blah! PS3 sucks!" Any cool PS3 news:
*looks for reason why it sucks*
"...Oh! Blah blah! Ps3! You are a loser!"
Any friggen news regarding the PS3 everyone lashes out on. It's like we are reading to different posts, one where it says, "XMB Now Ingame!" or "New Home gamespaces!" and you guys read, "PS3 now causes aids!" or "Ps3 sets homes on fire!"
*shrug* Home looks pretty cool. Can't wait to check it out.
Mike @ Jul 21st 2008 2:17PM
AAAHMMMENNN!!!
You are totally right man. It's a trend to down play anything Playstation3 nowadays.
I think that Americans has finally realize how much Japan hates the 360 so they decided to retaliate by hating the PS3 or something.
Marty @ Jul 21st 2008 2:07PM
Or maybe we've just seen it tried (and failed) many times before, so we have a pretty good idea of how this is going to go?
Burritoclock @ Jul 21st 2008 12:30PM
Can I borrow your time machine, there are some stocks I want to get 20 years ago.
Burritoclock @ Jul 21st 2008 12:31PM
damn reply... oh forget it you know the drill.
Kola @ Jul 21st 2008 12:35PM
Meh give me Live party spaces any day. Boo Sony!!
Mike @ Jul 21st 2008 2:17PM
I've finally realized why so many people seems to always hate on the PS3.
World exclusive news people:
PS3 has been sleeping with a lot of people moms and sisters. That's why so many people are upset.
I personally like my PS3 very much and yes I have games to play. Warhawk, Uncharted, DMC4, MGS4, R&C Tools of Destruction, GT5 Prologue, Sing Star, UT3, Ninja Gaiden, Resistance, Heavenly sword, Guitar Hero 3, Dark Sector, GTA4, Burnout Paradise, CoD4, Eye of Judgment and more. They are catching up to the 360. My personal preference is PS3. I'm sure the 360 is just as fun. It's all about choices people...
Dwag @ Jul 21st 2008 4:44PM
I might use this(once to set up everything) but I bet there will be jerks like always flaming random people and even if they get banned they just comeback.
It's like a big distraction I highly doubt hardcores who might be excited now are gonna actually use this as much as they make it seem they will. Frankly thosebig clan matches are always seperated in like 4-8 people and frankly if I wanted to talk to my squad I'd just go to private chat talk and then join the game. Home will probably=in my head folding@home or whatever its called I never use it its there but its worthless in my opinion.