Sony Home - The official thread*

[tha_con]

tha_con, I didn't encounter much slowdown in Home. LBP 4P co-op could slow to 1-2fps when joining a game. Early R2 closed beta was sluggish too. Home framerate seems okay so far. I only encountered brief stutter when 20+ people were around doing assorted things.

As expected, I take issue with other aspects in the beta. Will discuss in the beta forum ;-)

Maybe we're playing different versions of both games!

I don't know, I never really ran into problems with R2 at all, and I logged about 25 hours into Co-op alone.

I seemed to run into problems in Home under the same circumstances, with around 20 people on screen. But I mean, really, when it launches, that will be common place, and I expect it to pretty much run like that all the time in public spaces.

Not to mention going into someones home space for an R2 game with a group of 30...it could be pretty rough

 

[patsu]

There might be a simple explanation. It depends on the people you play with in LBP, R2 and Home. R2 has dedicated server but if you joined early enough, it was indeed sluggish at first (Probably debug build ?).

 

[tirminyl]

It is not a good idea.

The LBP and R2 beta worked beautifully because both have exceptional content and the support behind the beta is strong. I believe the Socom beta fell flat because the team wasn't ready for it (server issues, 1.5 patch caused more issues).

For Home, I don't think they should expand it unless:

* They throw in all the content that has been shown so far, and then some (for maximum impact). What I have now is clearly dated. Even better, allow Home to "group launch" into R2 beta, LBP, KZ2, Warhawk, Buzz!, etc.

* Clean up the UI (Minimize number of clicks and keystrokes to do common tasks).

I agree with you. More content needs to be added as it stands now, it is bare.

 

[patsu]

Hey tirminyl, they opened one more space now. Hope they continue to add more over the next few days. LBP is strong because new content gets added all the time. Home needs to get there by releasing its own user tools. Or the developers need to do so.



Look at all the guys trying to break the codes for locked doors.

They are like hordes of zombies now (because everyone looks so stiff, much like bored office workers).

 

[patsu]

24 companies to contribute content to Japanese Home: http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/081009c.html

They are:
IREM Software Engineering
Activision
Acquire
Atlus
Walt Disney Japan
AQ Interactive
SNK
EA
Capcom
Gungho Online Entertainment
Q Entertainment
Game Republic
Genki
Koei
Konami Digital Entertainment
Spike
Sega
D3 Publisher
Tecmo
Nippon Ichi Software
Paon
Hudson
Bandai Namco Games
UBI Software

US and Europe Home should have a separate list since Home is region locked.

I still think they need to add user generated spaces (or combine with LBP). At the rate they are adding new content, Home appeal won't last. What's left is game launching, which can be done via XMB and Virtual PSP without running around.

EDIT: Ouch, English version of press release here -- http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/081009ce.html

I was right. The list is for Home @ Japan. Also more details...

PlayStation Home will offer new and exciting experience in collaboration with titles from first party and third party developers and publishers, such as BIOHAZARD® 5 and STREET FIGHTER® IV from Capcom Co. Ltd., and SIREN: Blood Curse, Hot Shot Golf 5, TrashBOX, Mainichi Issho, dress, and Derby Time Online from SCE. Additionally, users’ gaming experience will be further enhanced by communicating with other players in game lounges and experiencing “Home Rewards” system, where users will be able to obtain special items usable within PlayStation Home, depending on the level of their game play.

Sony, add your own "Blu-ray Reward" program to the above Home Reward system. Damn it. You are so all over the place again. Your punches are all spread out and diluted.

 

[Arwin]

Some interesting bits in that press-release! First of all (at least in Japan) the open beta will start in December, with the final phase of a (greatly?) expanded closed beta between late October and early November.

While the company continues to update and elaborate features and service based on various feedback obtained through the closed beta test, it will start the final stage of a large-scale closed beta test between late October and early November, to prepare for the Open Beta Service*1.
In addition to the already available game titles, PlayStation Home will offer new and exciting experience in collaboration with titles from first party and third party developers and publishers, such as BIOHAZARD® 5 and STREET FIGHTER® IV from Capcom Co. Ltd., and SIREN: Blood Curse, Hot Shot Golf 5, TrashBOX, Mainichi Issho, dress, and Derby Time Online from SCE. Additionally, users’ gaming experience will be further enhanced by communicating with other players in game lounges and experiencing “Home Rewards” system, where users will be able to obtain special items usable within PlayStation Home, depending on the level of their game play.In Japan, 24 third party developers and publishers* have decided to join the Japanese version of PlayStation Home. Further details will be announced on PlayStation Home Official Site (http://www.jp.playstation.com/ps3/home/) as they become available.
Taking the opportunity of showcasing PlayStation Home at Tokyo Game Show 2008 starting on October 9, the actual SCEJ booth in real-life will be replicated within the currently running closed beta. In this virtually replicated booth, users will be able to watch promotion videos of various game titles and obtain exclusive items only available in this virtual area.

Will be interesting to see if Sony will push for the open beta to be released close to Microsoft's experience launch on 19 November. I think much will depend on how well that final beta goes.

 

[patsu]

Home runs pretty well now. So they can release it anytime they want. The biggest question mark is the amount of sustained activities and content.

I think Sony will be surprised how quickly these new content feel old upon release. The worldwide web have spoilt people's expectation on article "freshness". Visitors have come to expect updates everytime they visit a new network app. Life with Playstation has Google news update, LBP has our levels and objects.

Home is structurally static and content requires company sponsorships. They need to have a staple supply of new content. For optimal effects, the frequent/sustained changes also need to be obvious the moment you enter Home (See LBP levels).

It looks as if they are going to count on game launching but it doesn't offer that kind of changes. And game launching can be done outside Home anyway.

I think they need a complementary service to lure people beyond pure gaming. The special items mentioned in the press release is a starting point, but it is still weak IMHO. e.g., Compare special items in LBP and Home. The former has a much greater and deeper draw because the items can be used to build interactive levels, and users can create their own items. In Home, it's a prepackaged object that you leave somewhere and that's it (This is just my guess from watching the public videos).

There are some chatting going on which is comforting. But real-time service is usually severely limited by time differences. e.g., Flickr started as a real-time photo exchange/sharing services. After a long period of trial and errors with the users, they switched to photo storage + sharing and never look back. Another example: Forum is a much better community tool compared to chatting.

I feel that Sony should add some persistency to user's contribution in Home (more than just chatting). If not LBP-like levels and objects, they can also consider some twist/variation of forum (to avoid typing). The accumulated content will help to tie Sony over the lull content period.

Home is a novel and valid concept. I feel that the execution should focus on the basic user dynamics before the sponsors' advertisements or the visual revamp they did over the last few rounds. The sponsored services need to tie in with the underlying user dynamics (game launching or communication for now).

Will see what these 24 companies come up with, but if there is no central concept to tie everyone down, they may be all over the place. And why is Sony Pictures and Sony Electronics not in the list ?

Disclaimer: These feedback are done based on public material only. So I'm not breaking any NDA.

Hints:
Sony, focus on clan (room) management. Japanese gamers don't like online gaming but it should be possible to repurpose clan rooms into clubs/special interests groups to group like-minded users together.

The other possibility is learning. Set up Home School in Home. Use learning to draw people in when they are bored. The concept ties in well with interactive marketing too (e.g., learning about new games, new developers, Blu-ray release schedule, ...). The existing web pages and videos should help too, with some twists of course.

Something to Think About (for Sony):
Is Home a highly controversial project internally (still) ? Coz the final output gives me the feeling that the team behind Home does not dare to commit to a direction (beyond Kaz's game launching). It seems very neutral, politically correct and cold; it "only" focused on shallow stuff (like visual revamp) and sourcing for advertisers. Don't take Home too seriously and I think things should work out fine for all.

 

[slider]

Thanks chaps for the posts. Useful info. I remain committed to the concept of Home.

 

[DJ12]

[font=&quot]【[/font]3[font=&quot]】『[/font]PlayStation Home[font=&quot]』ソフトウェアメーカー[/font]24[font=&quot]社参入決定[/font]
[font=&quot]　　　[/font]2008[font=&quot]年内にオープン[/font][font=&quot]β[/font][font=&quot]サービス開始[/font]
------------------------------------------------------------------
[font=&quot]現在、クローズド[/font][font=&quot]β[/font][font=&quot]テストを実施している[/font][font=&quot]“[/font]PS3”[font=&quot]の新しい「遊び場」[/font]
[font=&quot]“[/font]PlayStation Home”[font=&quot]のオープン[/font][font=&quot]β[/font][font=&quot]サービスを[/font]2008[font=&quot]年内に開始いたします。[/font]

[font=&quot]オープン[/font][font=&quot]β[/font][font=&quot]サービス開始に向けて、[/font]2008[font=&quot]年[/font]10[font=&quot]月末から[/font]11[font=&quot]月上旬にかけて[/font]
[font=&quot]最終の大規模なクローズド[/font][font=&quot]β[/font][font=&quot]テストに移行。[/font]

[font=&quot]また、日本国内では[/font]24[font=&quot]社におよぶソフトウェアメーカーの参入が決定し、[/font]
[font=&quot]様々なゲームタイトルとの連動が随時実現する予定です。[/font]

[font=&quot]“[/font]PS3”[font=&quot]ならではのゲームコミュニティ[/font][font=&quot]“[/font]PlayStation Home”[font=&quot]に[/font]
[font=&quot]ご期待ください！[/font]

[font=&quot]▽[/font][font=&quot]プレスリリース[/font]
http://www.jp.playstation.com/R/m81011_NEWS003

[font=&quot]▽[/font]“PlayStation Home”[font=&quot]公式サイト[/font]
http://www.jp.playstation.com/R/m81011_NEWS004

Anyone care to translate this, tried on an online translator but that didn't help much. It's from the latest Japanese PSN update email.

I see todays date in there, is it out in Japan?

 

[patsu]

* Open beta to start in 2008
* Users to migrate from close beta to open beta in late October/early November
* 24 companies to participate in Home
* Please anticipate PS3 game community

 

[tha_con]

I really hope the 'open beta' will be fleshed out with a lot of content. The Uncharted space really gives me high hopes for future projects.

 

[DJ12]

I doubt there will suddenly be loads of content for it just because they open it up. From a developer point of view you want the users there first, why waste all that time making content if no one is there to see it.

Sure some of the more curious devs will probably make something for one person just to see what it's like but the majority won't bother.

Even so, with full support from Sony devs in the future it will still be worth it for me, I've got 9 games (not counting PSN) and 6 of them are first/second party.

 

[tha_con]

Well, when I say content, I mean things like more videos, arcade cabinets, clothes, and furniture. I can't imagine Sony has been working on Home all this time and hasn't created a decent amount of content along those lines. It just wouldn't make sense.

If they Launch the Open Beta with the same amount of content that we have here in the Private Beta...things won't pan out well for Home.

 

[patsu]

Besides the 24 companies in Japan; NaughtyDog (Uncharted), Incognito (Warhawk), Relentless Software (Buzz!), and Insomniac (Resistance) have already created some Home content. In general, the first parties -- including SOE -- should lead the way. I expect Dress to bring in the most non-game sponsors.

Then again, the problem is whether they will come on-time.

 

[Arwin]

There are a bunch of videos on Gametrailers of interviews with developers (SFIV, RE5, GT5) talking about Home integration and showing some early thingies in Home:

Here's a link that contains all three:

http://www.gametrailers.com/game/4865.html

There's also a video of the virtual Home version of the TGS booth

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/41429.html?type=

 

[patsu]

That's one of the videos posted here: http://www.jp.playstation.com/tgs2008/tgstv/index.html

Still no translation

If I remember correctly, there should be 5 Home showcases for TGS. Besides GT5 space and race kits, Resident Evil Home space + costumes, and Street Fighter costumes, there should also be Home arcade from Namco. I forgot who the fifth one was. The other 19 companies will contribute accordingly but no time frame was revealed.

 

[Jaeyden]

I stopped in there last night. Looked great. That video doesn't show it but in addition to those there was also a Motorstorm 2 booth and an LBP area.

 

[patsu]

Where ? I just went into Home and didn't see anything new.

 

[Jaeyden]

TGS08 showroom in the Japanese beta. I have friend that I visit on the Japanese servers. Last night when I joined him it took me right to the Home showroom.

 

[patsu]

I found a reasonably large group of people in Home on Monday night. I think they designated a time to meet. It's the first time I heard people talk in Home. There was a mix of dancing, text chat, voice comms and bubble machines.

I was a little surprised by the crowd. They sounded like they have been in the beta for a long time (They spoke very naturally and leisurely). Hopefully their interest lasts long. Having a day per week for such activities is a great idea.