Anyone checked out Playstation Home recently?

[Mendon]

Just curious if anyone has checked out Playstation Home recently.

 

I had tried Home when it first became available and thought it was pretty much boring..... reminded me alot of The Sim's Online which I never had an interest in. Bowling and Pool were sort of cool, but constantly standing around with nothing to do but dancing and/or reading the crude sexual remarks players were making to female avatars while waiting for a bowling alley or pool table to become available was a total turn-off.

 

But I've read several news stories where they have been adding many different Game Theme areas (Resident Evil, inFamous, Uncharted, Red Baron, etc) plus some ongoing puzzle game (can't recall the name at the moment) where you search out clues to solve some mystery and was curious if the Home experience has improved at all?

 

Any opinions posted would be appreciated.

 

 

Mendon

[cimerians]

I havent tried it yet either. I didnt like it when it first came out but I've been reading the same things as you have.

[DaytonaUSA]

Yea I knew they've come out with a lot more, but they really shot themselves in the foot by releasing Home early before it was really complete as the whole service really just left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

I'll have to log back in though to see what I'm missing. I just got a couple new games, so I'll have to pry myself away from them .

[HammR25]

I went to the Resistance area and that game was ok. The Red Bull race isn't bad either.

[Reaperman]

I keep meaning to, but there's a big download again, and I can't imagine what home could have added that I'd freaking ever want to see. I held out until the redbull area. neat scene, but like the rest there's really nowhere to go.

 

I really wanted psn home not to suck too. I don't mind the aimless world or microtransactions, and I don't think I would even mind the people too much, but there's just nothing for them to do except be annoying. Sony's "enjoy 'standing around in a room' from our new game," idea is bad. and I don't care to have the latest sony megamovie crammed down my throat or listen to the top 5 sony artists in their lame-ass jukebox. I did spend money on clothes--but try as I might I couldn't get my character to look like something beyond 17-year-old skateboard punk.

[DaytonaUSA]

but try as I might I couldn't get my character to look like something beyond 17-year-old skateboard punk.

 

 

So true. I'm also amazed that they don't have my haircut. Which honestly, is very simple. Short on the sides, gelled down inch long on the top. I see people all the time with this haircut, and they don't have it at all. Also, facial hair needs some help. People with normal beards are kinda out of luck.

[Reaperman]

well I've been in the middle of a move, but finally got my gaming setup together a few nights ago and oddly enough the first place I went was playstation home. (I should probably have my sanity evaluated for that choice)

 

But my expectations were set so low that home surprised me a little. Not a half bad job, Sony.

 

I found clothes and hair that pretty closely fit my overall moods and went nuts at the mall. (facial hair still lacking)

speed has certainly picked up a few notches and there's a lot more to do.

I played a car racing mini game, went on a kind of an exploration/scavanger hunt (xi), played a little of a text adventure they made up, and took in some speederbike forest racing. The best part is that there's now enough to do that everybody's not on top of eachother or finding ways around the language filter. Everybody who wants to play something, pretty much can these days.

 

I've also seen some nice web browser integration, and there seems to be game launching now (titles I don't have). The best part is that I must have spent 4-5 hours on home and I still haven't gotten around to all the new stuff. It's not yet an immersive online world, but it's not 500 people in a room bored off their ass and dancing around because the one chessboard is taken.

Edited July 8, 2009 by Reaperman

[DaytonaUSA]

Speeder bike mini games on Endor you say?

[JPjuice23]

Its a fun 20 minutes of your life...

[Mendon]

I went there the other day and ended up spending about 2 hours. They have added a LOT since I was last there, which was a few days after Home was released.

 

I had fun wandering all the areas and goofing around. I enjoyed the Namco area; the RE5 area was sort of neat but unless you played the game, you weren't allowed to do much there; the Siren area was totally strange; Red Bull was fun, Resistance was fun, inFamous was okay..... overall, I enjoyed myself and will probably visit again very soon. Still long wait times for bowling but oh well.

 

One thing I can't get over, though, is people spending money for virtual clothes, furniture, and other items for use in Home. I just can't see myself spending 49cents for a plant or 99cents for a chair or $1.99 for a shirt or pants. I guess some people might be into this sort of thing but I can think of better things to spend my money on than virtual furniture and clothes.

 

 

Mendon

[Reaperman]

I've actually been spending an embarassing amount of time in home these days.

I've never been involved in a conversation there, or even witnessed one of any value, but I have been exploring quite a bit.

 

I actually just keep buying stuff too. I've built myself a drag carmen miranda. not really drag, since they won't let men wear woman gear, but my carmen certainly looks manly enough.

[Seob]

I find the buzz section funny. Playing agains other people.

[Ite]

I bought the Ghostbusters house for my new home in there. Pretty awesome set up!

[JerryTerrifying]

When it was in the closed beta I thought it was cool for about a week, made a few PSN friends that I still talk to. The last time I was on I was trying to win a free download of Ultra Bomberman. Whenever there's a promotion or game space promoting something I log in. I want to get the Bat cave you get from playing Arkham Assylum.

[cimerians]

OK....damnit now I have to get on and try HOME again. It was pretty bleak and boring the first year of release.

[Reaperman]

it seems to be a little low on publicity, but home's sodium environment/game is about the first thing that I'd call 'fun' in the whole community. It's a nice little hovertank action game where powerups are picked up and applied toward permanant upgrades to the tank. Whole thing plays a lot like a mech game, but a lot faster than most.

 

now I don't have to 'force' myself to check out home anymore

 

youtube link

Edited January 14, 2010 by Reaperman

[DaytonaUSA]

I just went on Home last night, and was surprised to realize I accidently stayed up till 3:45 am!

 

Everything that I hated about the original has either been solved or there has been progress on. Now that there's actually stuff to do, the amount of pervy ass wipes running around that ruined the experience before by having a one track mind and trying to pick up chicks, have all but left. People do the right thing and laugh off the few left instead of participating.

 

The games were a lot of fun, and the few sponsored areas I went to were a blast. The mall was very nice as well, and Lucas' section was a welcome addition. I actually spent money....in HOME! And I SWORE I'd never do that lol.

 

 

 

Overall, if you hated it before, I'd heartily suggest going back. The interface, the people, the activities, the speed, and the fun has all been addressed and I love it. Now that soon there will be moderators (volunteer PSN users) in Home, it should relieve the rest of the problems with the few bad apples out there.

[Reaperman]

yeah, I've been going there about once a week and enjoying it. The new areas are more exploration focused, and that's really what I wanted to do in there from the beginning. I especially like wandering around all the little spaces of the motorstorm area.

 

I still have yet to converse with anybody in there, but it's not like I have much in common with the typical home user anyway. Maybe I should search through the clubs again for something that matches my tastes. It's also a bit of a downer that they haven't reintroduced the microphone into the mix, or found a use for the camera. I know there is a lot of potential for abuse with camera/microphone but it'd be nice to have all my toys playing together.

[DaytonaUSA]

yeah, I've been going there about once a week and enjoying it. The new areas are more exploration focused, and that's really what I wanted to do in there from the beginning. I especially like wandering around all the little spaces of the motorstorm area.

 

I still have yet to converse with anybody in there, but it's not like I have much in common with the typical home user anyway. Maybe I should search through the clubs again for something that matches my tastes. It's also a bit of a downer that they haven't reintroduced the microphone into the mix, or found a use for the camera. I know there is a lot of potential for abuse with camera/microphone but it'd be nice to have all my toys playing together.

 

 

Honestly, the best people I've found were at the bowling alley. You'll get your typical asshat that picks on you for no reason every once in a while, but if you come up with calm, witty responses, everyone laughs at his expense, and he moves on (and if not, you can just ignore them which is a great option!). I've found that 99% of the people at the bowling alley are nice, and I've actually made some PSN "buddies" there. A nice feature is that I can see where exactly one of my PSN Friends are and go to their location. There was a guy who was a lot of fun to bowl with, IE: very mature and friendly, and it was fun to find him when I was bored to meet up for a round or two of bowling. You can even invite people to your location, which was helpful.

 

The mall was a great surprise to me. It's more in line to what I pictured and I'm glad they didn't go the "avatar" route like on the 360, and made shopping seem more social.

 

Try there in the bowling alley though, and lemme know how it goes. Going to other places is hit and miss. I've been to the Red Bull area which was fine, but the LocoRoco place was horrid. The background never did load for me, and all I could see were avatars and blue sky with a couple of posters that were apparently on walls but seemed to just be floating there.

[The MilkMan]

for awhile there, I'd go dance a jig and bowl a couple about twice a week. Fun stuff

[MagitekAngel]

I just got a PS3 a few days ago and went ahead and tried home. It pretty much felt like walking through a 3D commercial. Probably won't bother with it again for a while.

[Reaperman]

I've just been throwing money at home recently. Kind of depressingly, I updated my firmware just to throw more money at sony's virtual items.

 

I bought the log cabin, and a bunch of furniture for it, numerous articles of clothing--but I have yet to actually 'socialize' within the system. Though I did try to join the Chassic Game Room club, he hasn't approved it yet.

 

It's started bugging me that certain things don't work. My clock doesn't work--I paid good money for that. Same with my TV, and stereo system. I know there are issues with 'media sharing' but some functionality would be just swell. Currently the picture frame is the only customizable item that I've seen.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Reaperman

[Bilnick]

Sony should add a quest system to Home. Give people a reason to go there and reward them for it.

 

For example:

 

Score 250 in Bowling and maybe you get a bowling shirt for your avatar.

Watch a trailer for a movie and maybe you get a poster of that movie for your apartment.

Get a top ten score on Echochrome and maybe your avatar has a custom title, "Joe the Echochrome Master"

Have trivia contests and award clothes, furniture, whatever to winners.

Play 100 games of pool and you receive a hat or something for your avatar.

Have Bowling tournaments and reward the winners with Sony dollars, or trinkets for their Home avatar or living space.

 

Seems to me Sony could be doing a lot more with Home if they wanted.

[Elw00d]

Bilnick, There are a number of rewards in Home. I think the only one I received in the bowling alley was for getting through a couple of levels an arcade game (a weird little bubble machine). You can get Galaga and PacMan arcade machine placeables and T-Shirts in the Namco space. Sony sometimes has scavenger hunts for items usually starting in Central plaza (one was for a motorcycle helmet and another was for a drum set).

 

But Magitek is right, it is pretty much a huge interactive commercial. I guess that's how they can offer it free.

[Mendon]

They had an Easter Egg hunt recently in the Plaza. Was funny watching people searching the planters and stuff.

 

 

Mendon