Sony HOME Beta Impressions

Crappy Video of me busting the move in HOME


Sony PS3 HOME for PSN will be here finally Tomorrow. For every fanboy and girl it's time to start the hatein(Please add to NanoGeekTech Dictionary), loving, or start a new round of flame wars. I have been in Sony HOME Beta since November 21th 2008. The past month I have had the chance to see want it feels like to be a professional beta tester. I've had the fortunate chance to be part of the SOCOM: Confrontation beta, LBP aka Little Big Planet beta and now HOME Sony's super uber Microsoft LIVE killer.


(video is in Japanese)Home
TGS 08: Japanese SF4 Partner Demo


If HOME and LIVE was in the ring at this moment fighting to the death. I Hate to say that Microsoft LIVE would severally kick the truffles out of Sony's HOME. I have the opportunity to own a launch day 360 and Sony PS3 and have truly enjoyed LIVE for the past few year. Ever since my PS3 fell into my lap Sony has been diligently working to upgrade their PSN to compete with Microsoft LIVE.

HOME has been in the making for what may seem like fucking forever but it was only introduced in early 2005 and December 11th 2008 millions of legions of fanboys and girls would be running around, doing the cabbage patch in a happy Kongo line. And that's about what everyone would be doing IF Sony does not add a little more features for the masses. As of right now HOME is a little boring. A few shops has just been open giving beta testers the chance to grab some freebies before we officially start to be nickel and dime to death, my friends welcome to the new age of MICRO-TRANSACTION heaven.


(Video is in Japanese)Home
TGS 08: Japanese RE5 Partner Demo


Before you enter HOME you will have to create your own Avatar. Sony HOME allows a more realistic representation of yourself. You can choose everything from hair color, to how far you want your eyes apart. You can dress your up your virtual dude/dudette goth, casual, or GQ. I can tell you this much there is a reason PSN is free if you want your virtual "you" to look good it's gone to cost you real money. When you are finished pimping yourself up, its time to check out your love pad. You begin in a nice ass apartment, with a nice ass view of the ocean and sailboats. If you want to live like Donald Trump or Jay-Z and gotta to have the phat crib it's gone to cost you.

HOME is a separate part of your PSN XLB it will be located right above the PSN store icon. During the beta your are given the chance to enter the Theater which plays a long extended demo of SOCOM: Confrontation including interviews with real Navy SEALS. There is the mall with a few shops. For the most part all stores where closed and opened on December 4th 2008. The stores that are currently open are Estates, a Clothing store and Furniture store.


(video is in Japanese)Home
TGS 08: Japanese Gran Turismo Partner Demo


What bored me about HOME was the lack of things to do. There are a few arcade games to play in the bowling alley. Besides the arcade games you and a few friends or random strangers can get together and bowl or shoot some pool. Bowling and pool are pretty simple, if you've played the flash games at work you will be a master guarantee. The Arcades games that you can master are Ice Breaker, Echochorme, and Carriage Return. More to be added, it only make sense.

After you run around, play the arcade games, bowl, shoot some pool, talk to girl who was probably a guy, there is nothing else to do. I would presume once the open beta is launched later today you will be able to access more features. While in HOME you will have ability to launch any game directly from your PS3. You will also be able to Download new game content in the background while running round or just acting like a plain jackass in HOME. As the service grows so would the functionality.

There is one thing I would love to see implemented in Sony's HOME, the ability to "RUN" . Your virtual MinnieMe feels like he/she is running on tar. Everyone looks like they are running but you feel like your are barley moving. I hope they fix this. The amount of loading when you go in and out of a building can be a little annoying. Before I did the most recent HOME update, right before you entered a new building the new location would load in the background while you go and do something else. Now it seems like this does not happen anymore. The loading times takes only a few seconds and I will presume this can change but only time will tell.


Home
Red Bull Trailer


Sony PS3 HOME for the PSN is a great step for Sony, and some people may be very disappointed later today because of the enormous expectation riding on this Trojan horse Sony calls HOME. Please do not be disappointed because this is a service that will eventually change the way we interact with everyone in the gaming world. This is a chance to meet your favorite game creator and play pool or go bowling. This may be a chance to go to E3 2009 LIVE from your PS3 and play all of Sony's exclusive demos right on your PS3 in comfort of your own HOME. Sony's PS3 HOME is a new space where advertisers can really get rich, where game developers can build a endless lifetime into their current and future games and where the average Joe can make new friends, network and where new future business ventures will be created. With the officially introduction of Sony PS3 HOME the possibilities of a new and exciting way to be part of your favorite game and to know these endless possibilities exist may drive some mad.......