Sony Announces Ground-Breaking 3D Online Community "Home"

[Apophis]

TOKYO and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 7, 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced the unveiling of a first-of-its-kind 3D online user community service for the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. The service, known as “Home,” will enable users to create their own avatar and explore a real-time virtual community, as if they are playing a detailed 3D game for PS3. The service will become available globally beginning in fall 2007.

Home will be demonstrated at the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, California on March 7 as a key element of SCEI Worldwide Studios’ President Phil Harrison’s keynote presentation titled “Game 3.0: Developing and Creating for the 3rd Age of Videogames.”

Home is a real-time online 3D, networked community available on the PLAYSTATION®Network. It allows PS3 users to interact, communicate, join online games, shop, share private content and even build and show off their own personal spaces to others in real time. Home will be available as a free download from the PLAYSTATION®Store and will launch directly from XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) on PS3.

With an avatar uniquely customized according to each user’s preference, users can explore the 3D community that is Home – a sleek, modern environment featuring spacious common areas; custom spaces dedicated to specific games; and personal apartments. Each user is assigned an apartment in Home where they can invite others to join them as they show off their own style in an area they can personalize themselves with furniture, art and other items – even a different view from their windows. They can also show their personal video, pictures and other digital media content found on their PS3 hard drives in their apartments. Very rich interactive communication with others is achieved through built in text, audio and video chat, along with sophisticated emotional animations for each character.

Sharing continues in the “Hall of Fame,” where users can display new 3D trophies that will be unlocked through in-game milestones for the games they own as well viewing the trophies of other users across the PLAYSTATION Network and for other games they’ve yet to purchase.

“This is a significant step forward in the area of user community services and emergent entertainment experiences,” said Izumi Kawanishi, Corporate Executive and CTO Software, SCEI. “While the 3D graphics demonstrate the power of PS3 and the PLAYSTATION Network, the most impressive feature in Home is the variety of ways in which multiple consumers, as well as our third-party partners, can experience the next generation of communication by interacting and sharing among each other. I feel strongly that this unique blend of community, user-generated content, collaboration and commerce will expand the future of computer entertainment.”

Home will go into a closed beta test this spring with a full launch targeted for later this year. By having a broad range of business partners participate in Home – from 3rd party publishers and developers to brands outside traditional gaming categories - along with a powerful selection of upcoming game software titles for PS3, SCEI will continue to expand the horizons of networked entertainment and vigorously promote PS3 as the next generation computer entertainment platform.

[Apophis]

Somehow I think I deleted the thread rather than merging it. In any case; sorry for the loss of replies.

[Trooper]

....better get asch to fix it....

[Pokerface]

The Mii channel meets Second Life.

[Vinzalf]

I am assuming there will be a TG Private spot there, when the time and availability occurs.

[nulloperations]

This won't really be enough to draw Second Life users into the PS3 market. The bulk of players who it will draw already own a PS3, and most of those younger players. One of the key draws of Second Life is the knowledge the game is supposed to only contain 18+ users. With the lack of adult content or adult freedoms, the bulk of the paying SL userdatabase won't bother showing up.

[Apophis]

Originally Posted by nulloperations

This won't really be enough to draw Second Life users into the PS3 market. The bulk of players who it will draw already own a PS3, and most of those younger players. One of the key draws of Second Life is the knowledge the game is supposed to only contain 18+ users. With the lack of adult content or adult freedoms, the bulk of the paying SL userdatabase won't bother showing up.

Skip the social "chat" aspect of it. I couldn't give $0.02 about that. I think the concept kicks ass though! I like the way your trophies are displayed and achievements in different games. Far nicer than just a bunch of little boxes like XBox Live. I think using it as a method to meet up for multiplayer gaming is cool. The whole thing provides a central "hub" for the entertainment options within the console itself. VERY cool.

[CingularDuality]

Originally Posted by Apophis

Skip the social "chat" aspect of it. I couldn't give $0.02 about that. I think the concept kicks ass though! I like the way your trophies are displayed and achievements in different games. Far nicer than just a bunch of little boxes like XBox Live. I think using it as a method to meet up for multiplayer gaming is cool. The whole thing provides a central "hub" for the entertainment options within the console itself. VERY cool.

So when do you and the other 8 PS3 owners get to try this out?

[Wyzcrak]

As interesting as this may be from an industry standpoint, what impact does it have, if any, on the future plans of TG's infrastructure? How does TG plan to embrace online console gaming?

[Apophis]

Originally Posted by Wyzcrak

As interesting as this may be from an industry standpoint, what impact does it have, if any, on the future plans of TG's infrastructure? How does TG plan to embrace online console gaming?

That's top secret for now, I just need more time to finish ironing out the kinks in the plan.

[Wyzcrak]

Kinky.

[[TEC]Doct0r-Pwnage]

"social chat" if anyone has ever played a online console game you know that the social skills of the player base are that of a 2 year old retarded mutant from the planet dumbass. Seriously a social chat function on a console is not good its awful well unless you like to converse with idiots

[USN_Squid]

Originally Posted by [TEC]Doct0r-Pwnage

"social chat" if anyone has ever played a online console game you know that the social skills of the player base are that of a 2 year old retarded mutant from the planet dumbass. Seriously a social chat function on a console is not good its awful well unless you like to converse with idiots

This message brought to you by Doct0r-Pwnage.....

Ah, love ya man!

Seriously though, the idea is just a glimpse into the horizon of where online gaming is going. Combining various technologies together (bluetooth) with large community interactions is going to lead to some exciting things. I'm wondering how my wallet will like it though.

[pjaronex]

I wonder how a 3D online user community service would work with BF2. A place where say a squad could live on base, train, discuss tactics, weapons, or even attend training by a third party. I dont know what all might be possible would take some thought.

[Zephyr]

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need adult content to draw individuals into a virtual social network. What you need is to expose people to it by using something like this that is included in a package that people will buy for other reasons. Of course, I still think we're one console generation off from getting this "metaverse" concept right overall. This looks like the closest thing to it yet, but I think we'll need a Second Life 2 to give us that. Second Life 1, on that note, is just such a coding mess and doesn't have the "realistic" appeal to the masses that this does.

The people look real, the environments look nice, that's enough to get lots of people more interested than you think.

Sony is laying the groundwork of something pretty intelligent though...If they make it that simple to create your character and room, place annoying videos and music on radios and tv's within it...and then give out a search and "friending" functionality...myspace denziens are going to flock to this before you can say "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

(This all providing something actually sparks people's interest enough to go and buy a PS3, or Microsoft doesn't flip out and emulate this on their own console)

Remember...what determines popularity of websites on the internet is which allow emo-teenagers to go and "define" themselves.

Also, do you know how many girls I know who play the old "The Sims" nonstop just so they can make the houses? The only reason they don't enjoy playing the actual game is because they want to live in their house. My girlfriend played Oblivion for 4 months straight so she could get the manor in Skingrad and fill up all its shelves, cabinets, and display cases with all the armors from across the game. It looked damn nice really, and it was reason enough for her to do the quests and she had a blast because her endgoal in mind was to decorate the house.

Also, with the success of Nintendogs and my girlfriends obsession with the "Pet Store" mod for Oblivion, I can tell you that many people LOVE the idea of taking care of virtual pets and if they include THAT in this, they've got another winner lined up.

But $600...

-Zephyr