Fri, Sep 26, 2008 | 18:07 BST
Play on Home: “Prepare to be bored”
UK mag Play has issued a fairly damning verdict on Home, having been party to the beta since “early this summer”. Snip:
What were we dreaming of? GT5 garages? Trophy cases showcasing our Uncharted skills? Whorehouses? If not these things, we were hoping for a fresh, vibrant and innovative way of networking on the PS3; this, though, is not the first opinion that strikes you, upon entering Home.
At the beginning, the outlook is much more depressing. The initial process of designing your character is fun, given that everything from lips, head size and build can be adjusted to your satisfaction, but it’s those first moments of aimlessly walking around that can be quite alienating. You begin in your empty apartment, with a door leading to the outside world and a seaside view from the windows in your room. Upon walking through the door, we were greeted with a sight that is unfortunately indicative of the Home experience: a download screen. For every new building that we entered, a 30-50mb additional update was needed, which was a little bit frustrating– why not condense everything into one 500mb download, and cut out the middleman? Perhaps this is something they’ll work on before it’s unveiled to the public.
The mag does add at the end of the piece that things are likely to get better when more people get involved.
As the service became populated, we saw how it all came together. Home, when brimming with life, excitement and conversation is something that you’ll want to be a part of, and it could genuinely work as a social tool. The PS3 lacks a decent community aspect, and Home, if implemented properly, could very well bring the Network to a higher standard. It could be worth the wait.
Full thing through the link. Home releases this autumn.
6 comments
#1
rijit
26/09/08, 10:48 pm
I have had the beta since the first day it was released and I agree, Home is boring. Once you are over the initial oohs and aahs, there is not much excitement to it. It’s like a generic Second Life without all the innovation and creativeness that user content generation provides. It also looks like Sony will be charging for all the little items to upgrade your Home life, no way in Hades I am spending money on that crap.
#2
No_PUDding
27/09/08, 1:01 am
More interested in the 2D element.
But the idea of Home games conventions appeals to me no end.
I’d love to be watchign the Sony press conference in Home. Maybe not quite as much as I’d like to be on the GAF IRC channel.
#3
Plainview
27/09/08, 3:41 am
I’ve never been hyped for home, always seemed boring as shit to me.
#4
Gamoc
27/09/08, 2:00 pm
So, they’re saying that this community application is boring without, you know, other people?
Well, colour me surprised.
#5
morriss
27/09/08, 2:06 pm
Has always seemed a rather desolate experience aimed at juveniles, imo.
Having said that, I’d love to try it for myself.
#6
No_PUDding
27/09/08, 2:17 pm
I agree Morriss, it just seems aimless.
If they were trying to make things like this understandable for a casual audience, maybe they should have got rid of the XMB totally (no thanks)…
It’s just weird.
Anyway, I haven’t heard a thing about the 2D element of the Home application, so I hope it is still about, becuase THAT will be great.