Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that its highly anticipated PlayStation(R)Home Beta service for PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(R)) will become available for all PS3 users around the world(*1) on December 11, 2008. Following the successful completion of the closed beta service, PlayStation Home's open beta service will continue to evolve with new features and functionality.
PlayStation Home is a ground-breaking 3D social gaming community available on PS3 that allows users to...
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PlayStation(R)Home Beta Service Will Become Available to All Users on December 11
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A Nascent, But Promising, Concept
As one of the beta testers, I have to admit that Sony's concept of "social gaming" left me a little cold. It's sort of a game within a game concept. Most PS3 games have avatars under the control of the users, and many, if not most, support multiple avatars controlled by many people. "Home" adds another layer. Now you can "socialize" using a personal avatar outside the game. The difference here is context. In this outer layer of avatar existence, you now have your own identity and the freedom to interact (using text or voice) with players outside the context of any particular game, while at the same time having the ability to drop into a game with people you meet. The downside is, just like in real life, you may find yourself dealing with some jerk who thinks finding new ways of being obnoxious is the height of cleverness.
But, potentially speaking, this sounds pretty cool, especially if you've read a lot of science fiction that predicted this development. The trouble with this idea is you can already do much of the same thing using websites or emails. To make this work, Sony has to create a sense of physical space that makes this extra layer of existence seem compelling. In my opinion, it's not enough to be able to talk to avatars and watch game advertisements. You need a compelling reason for being there beyond what you can already do with other methods. Sony has yet to do this, although it's certainly off to a good start.
For example, Home provides everyone with an "apartment" that looks pretty cool. You can even "decorate" it by choosing from a few options. You even have a balcony from which you can admire a beautiful 3D harbor with boats and buildings and believable water. The problem is, right now everyone has the same view, and to make matters worse, this view is only a 3D image You can't go there, and that ruins the illusion of being in a physical space.
To be fair, this is still early days for Sony with this concept. They have promised much more to come. I, for one, will be watching with baited breath to see if they can really get this puppy off the ground.
But, potentially speaking, this sounds pretty cool, especially if you've read a lot of science fiction that predicted this development. The trouble with this idea is you can already do much of the same thing using websites or emails. To make this work, Sony has to create a sense of physical space that makes this extra layer of existence seem compelling. In my opinion, it's not enough to be able to talk to avatars and watch game advertisements. You need a compelling reason for being there beyond what you can already do with other methods. Sony has yet to do this, although it's certainly off to a good start.
For example, Home provides everyone with an "apartment" that looks pretty cool. You can even "decorate" it by choosing from a few options. You even have a balcony from which you can admire a beautiful 3D harbor with boats and buildings and believable water. The problem is, right now everyone has the same view, and to make matters worse, this view is only a 3D image You can't go there, and that ruins the illusion of being in a physical space.
To be fair, this is still early days for Sony with this concept. They have promised much more to come. I, for one, will be watching with baited breath to see if they can really get this puppy off the ground.