Sony Home - The official thread*
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There was a new Home beta patch yesterday. It appears that launching Warhawk from Home together has been implemented. I read from GAF that the open beta is targeted for July.
EDIT: This is different from the bunked Home 1.0 download here: http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=47597
The patch is a legit Home beta update.
EDIT: This is different from the bunked Home 1.0 download here: http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=47597
The patch is a legit Home beta update.
Nah, of course not. I think they've said and marketed (in the loosest sense of the word!) it as an available option/alternative - never as a replacement for the XMB.
Patsu, any idea where that GAF July came from? It's a little later than some anticipated but, if legit, it's good to finally get some idea of timescales.
There was a leaked Excel schedule file that has Home in the July timeframe. The memory trigger is here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10564919&postcount=320
You should be able to google for the sources. It may slip though.
Based on some Sony execs' interviews, 2.40 is the version with in-game XMB access. Sony is internally commiting to 1 major update per quarter. This quarter (April - June) we got BD-Live and a smaller PSN update (2.3x). So next quarter (July - Sep) should be XMB enhancement.
I hope the firmware update comes together with the Home's lobby service. These are all guess work and unofficial notes from the community.
EDIT: I forgot about the KillZone website and UK Playstation forum integration with PSN. They were scheduled about a month ago but got delayed by a month. Don't know what's cooking behind the scene.
You should be able to google for the sources. It may slip though.
Based on some Sony execs' interviews, 2.40 is the version with in-game XMB access. Sony is internally commiting to 1 major update per quarter. This quarter (April - June) we got BD-Live and a smaller PSN update (2.3x). So next quarter (July - Sep) should be XMB enhancement.
I hope the firmware update comes together with the Home's lobby service. These are all guess work and unofficial notes from the community.
EDIT: I forgot about the KillZone website and UK Playstation forum integration with PSN. They were scheduled about a month ago but got delayed by a month. Don't know what's cooking behind the scene.
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Maybe they should stop giving dates, and say simply "when it's done" instead.
It's understandable that developing of this complexity and trying to make it usable and fun takes time, and they should take their time however these delays are getting ridicules.
Anyway, now that this thread is back, any idea whether trophies are game-save-sharing resilient?
Nah... they should keep the deadline in mind and focus on the important stuff first. I think earlier on, they spent too much time with perfecting the visuals and remodelling the environment. They should work on the functionality first.
Something like the Hotshot Golf lobby:
plus some community update like this:
should be good enough for a start. The developers will add their game lobby services anyway (e.g., Warhawk clan room, Uncharted map explorer, ...).
The rest can pile in over time. Oh, and get rid of that Information Bar from XMB. >_<
EDIT: The other way is to limit beta access to the current lobby service (with Warhawk, Uncharted, MotorStorm and RFOM extensions). The marketplace, theater, game parlour, etc. can be opened later.
Something like the Hotshot Golf lobby:
plus some community update like this:
should be good enough for a start. The developers will add their game lobby services anyway (e.g., Warhawk clan room, Uncharted map explorer, ...).
The rest can pile in over time. Oh, and get rid of that Information Bar from XMB. >_<
EDIT: The other way is to limit beta access to the current lobby service (with Warhawk, Uncharted, MotorStorm and RFOM extensions). The marketplace, theater, game parlour, etc. can be opened later.
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I think beta testers only see visual changes simply because the complex part, including hdk is not fully ready nor easily presentable at this point. That doesn't mean they are not working on those.
Clearly Home is supposed to be much more than a 3d lobby or XMB.
The initial implementation should be robust and fairly complete.
And I disagree about something like HSG lobby being enough. Clearly Home is supposed to be much more than a 3d lobby or XMB. And like dating, first impressions are critical.
That info bar is a good idea, too bad they couldn't come up with a design that doesn't look out of place. Until than it will stay disabled on my PS3.
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I think Patsu mentioned the lobby as a visual style they could have targeted, instead of spending a lot of time on the visuals to the detriment of online functionality. Although I find Sony's constant delays across all their promised products and services quite comical, in this case I don't think they could have launched without the visual style in place, as that's going to be a big fact into user reaction.
And I disagree about something like HSG lobby being enough. Clearly Home is supposed to be much more than a 3d lobby or XMB. And like dating, first impressions are critical.
If Home was a game, yes... first impressions would be VERY important...but it's not a game. It's a pretty little 3-d world wrapped around "KEY" gaming functionality that the PS3 is very much lacking right now. Achievements, game launching, unified messaging and communications....as a gamer I'm tired of waiting for this stuff. Home is more like an "arranged marriage", we know it's coming and were gonna take it however it is. It's gonna be with us for the rest of the console cycle, it's free and optional. Personally I would rather have a 3-d lobby with the key functionality NOW, than have to wait for some glorious grand HOME launch with a bunch of fluff and frills. They can continue to add and expand to Home in the future. This is clearly a case of their own hype getting the best of them.
I was refering to the remodelling of the entire Home world from indoor to outdoor environment. They also had the Japanese users choose what visual style they like their world in. I think because the initial beta had very little meat, the testers focused their attention on the visuals only.
Only when the game lobby services started did they have real stuff to feedback on. But by then, they would have been limited by the visual assets even if they encounter performance or latency issues. At this point, I won't preclude yet another revamp of the look to fit into the game service performance tolerance.
However I do agree with betan's comment about backend changes, security development and HDK prep work. Those should always continue but pinned down by preliminary API specs.
I brought up the Hotshot Golf lobby service because it is rather functional by people's accounts (e.g., http://forums.gametrailers.com/showthread.php?t=345758 ):
In any case, Sony is forging ahead. The MacMini took 13 tiring iterations to get right. I hope the Home team found enough strength to see this through (Must be hair pulling).
As long as the current Home works (may be slow in game launching), Sony should consider opening it up to a lot more closed beta testers. They have to pick the right ones though (Choose those who can value add and are interested to make Home better).
I suspect many people turn it off and check occasionally. If this is the case, they can just do it the "PS3 online manual" way: Make it into a URL link that appears as an XMB icon.
If they want it to appear on the desktop constantly, they can have XMB run a "news" app (or screen saver) in the background by default. Everytime you enter XMB, the background app is started.
Or make it into a mail in the Message Box. And update XMB to reflect "New Mail" alert more clearly.
Only when the game lobby services started did they have real stuff to feedback on. But by then, they would have been limited by the visual assets even if they encounter performance or latency issues. At this point, I won't preclude yet another revamp of the look to fit into the game service performance tolerance.
However I do agree with betan's comment about backend changes, security development and HDK prep work. Those should always continue but pinned down by preliminary API specs.
I brought up the Hotshot Golf lobby service because it is rather functional by people's accounts (e.g., http://forums.gametrailers.com/showthread.php?t=345758 ):
In any case, Sony is forging ahead. The MacMini took 13 tiring iterations to get right. I hope the Home team found enough strength to see this through (Must be hair pulling).
As long as the current Home works (may be slow in game launching), Sony should consider opening it up to a lot more closed beta testers. They have to pick the right ones though (Choose those who can value add and are interested to make Home better).
betan said:
I suspect many people turn it off and check occasionally. If this is the case, they can just do it the "PS3 online manual" way: Make it into a URL link that appears as an XMB icon.
If they want it to appear on the desktop constantly, they can have XMB run a "news" app (or screen saver) in the background by default. Everytime you enter XMB, the background app is started.
Or make it into a mail in the Message Box. And update XMB to reflect "New Mail" alert more clearly.
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The basic in-game XMB is done by a separate firmware team though. They only get to reduce a large chunk of OS footprint in 2.20 (together with Blu-ray Live release). Two weeks later, 2.30 brought PS Store upgrade (together with DTS-MA).
2.40 is the promised in-game XMB (Don't know about secondary features yet).
2.40 is the promised in-game XMB (Don't know about secondary features yet).
Well, hopefully that means the basics are coming soon so people don't have to wait for Home to get this stuff.
Yes, but I think it also gives Microsoft an opening to go with FaceBook + 360 integration
That's competition at work.
Kaz needs someone to be responsible for the studios and Home aspect (Phil's old role). Someone who can watch after Konami and make tough decisions in PS Home in recent days.
Or rather... he should be the one doing it. And have a COO to help him with the manufacturing and supply chain stuff.
That's competition at work.
Kaz needs someone to be responsible for the studios and Home aspect (Phil's old role). Someone who can watch after Konami and make tough decisions in PS Home in recent days.
Or rather... he should be the one doing it. And have a COO to help him with the manufacturing and supply chain stuff.
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