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[lupinko]

Namco Museum Beta just went up on the JP store.

Is that any different from the one the people who got the Closed Namco Museum Beta. I got the closed version.

 

[Wollan]

having to manually download every area you visit the first time

Home is modular, that's the only way to do a mmo world if outside companies are to add their own spaces and material.
Press Triangle to background download new spaces.

 

[Tntnnbltn]

Did anyone have ban bets that Home wouldn't be released in 2008?

 

[Fersis]

Home is modular, that's the only way to do a mmo world if outside companies are to add their own spaces and material.
Press Triangle to background download new spaces.

Are you in the current BETA?
Does R2 have a room ?

 

[kittel]

The Japanese Home servers are amazingly fast.

I am in the closed JP home and there is loading and like DrXym so elegantly put loading sucks. If the JP servers are fast I can't believe what US home would be like.

 

[DrXym]

Yeah the loading times in Home are really bad. Not just the initial load but having to go through 10 second loads through each room (thats on top of having to manually download every area you visit the first time).

You're even missing a few clicks I think - I'm pretty sure they show a "HDD warning" message every time that requires you to press X to dismiss (at least for me).

Yeah, I forgot that one

It's just a very clumsy first experience. I must find the anecdote about Steve Jobs bugging engineers to shave seconds off the floppy disk boot times for the first Mac by describing how many seconds it wasted when you considered millions of users. A single second wasted is a million seconds of time and power wasted. The same applies to Home.

Aside from that and more pragmatically, first impressions last. Home is driven by ad revenue. If its a pain to get into Home and the content is boring, people will stop visiting. The experience has to be compelling from the moment its started.

 

[Wollan]

Are you in the current BETA?
Does R2 have a room ?

Yes
No
As stated in the PR though, the Resistance franchise room is coming soon.

 

[Bearillusion]

The Namco Museum thing is a great idea until I remember that to play them I'd have to jump through the hoops of starting up Home. I'd much rather be able to play them from the XMB.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

lulz at Eurogamer putting up gaming content in Home. lulz


lulz

"Hey we are Eurogamer where in Home, this place is crap 5/10. 360 version looks better"

 

[jiggle]

I'd much rather be able to play them from the XMB.

You can

 

[Fersis]

"Hey we are Eurogamer where in Home, this place is crap 5/10. 360 version looks better"

:lol lulz

 

[Marty Chinn]

The Namco Museum thing is a great idea until I remember that to play them I'd have to jump through the hoops of starting up Home. I'd much rather be able to play them from the XMB.

You can. I did.

 

[Bearillusion]

You can. I did.

Cool. Then why play them in Home?

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

The Namco Museum thing is a great idea until I remember that to play them I'd have to jump through the hoops of starting up Home. I'd much rather be able to play them from the XMB.

Errr, i can.......

Cool having the cabinets in your pad as well.

 

[Wollan]

Cool. Then why play them in Home?

Why complain without knowledge?

 

[jiggle]

Cool. Then why play them in Home?

game launch
rewards for HOME when you play

 

[Marty Chinn]

Cool. Then why play them in Home?

It's just cool that you can launch them in home rather than needing to jump out. Also cool that you can place the cabinets in home too. Also cool that you unlock stuff for home. Much easier to play, unlock, and place while in home than from the XMB. But also nice that you can just play from XMB. So how is playing in Home bad?

 

[Goldrusher]

No need to load Home, to play Namco Museum and to get the rewards.

But it's possible. Sure.

 

[WiiRevolution1]

http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/12/10/upcoming-home-content-shown-at-london-media-day/

Some more info.

Wow Motorstorm apartment WANT

 

[Norml]

The loading in Home is atrocious. Not just the time it takes, but the number of clicks it takes to actually be in Home. First you click home. Then you see a loading progress bar. Then you see a Home logo page. Then you must click again. Then you see a message of the day. Then you click again to dismiss. Then you see another progress bar. Eventually several minutes later you're in Home. Then there are edge cases such as launching Home for the first time or without signing onto PSN first which add even more clicks.

From the moment somebody launches Home they should be required to click precisely 0 more times in a standard startup to reach a zone and it should take 60 seconds flat. If there is a message of the day or some other notification show it should show as Home is loading, or after a person has already appeared in their zone.

It's a basic usability issue. Home should be a natural extension of the XMB, not some pain in the ass app which is a bother to start.

I don't think it's several minutes, more like 1+. Launching the Home beta for the 1st time takes about 2 and a half minutes.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

Cool. Then why play them in Home?

Impress the HAWT bitches with your Pac Mans cabinets.

 

[DrXym]

I don't think it's several minutes, more like 1+. Launching the Home beta for the 1st time takes about 2 and a half minutes.

It takes more that if you include reading the user agreement and reserving 3Gb of disk space. The user agreement is another oddity. I'm sure it's using the PS3 built-in browser component for a simple plain text documents which means all the buttons do different things than the rest of the app.

 

[gofreak]

PR needs more focus on item unlocking. And game launching support.

Still, some unexpected stuff in there. The Red Bull space looks a lot more interesting than I thought. I didn't think they could actually embed larger games like that into the spaces themselves, I was expecting something very static like the spaces in the current beta. I'm kind of interested to see how that works..like you'll be able to go into the space and watch others playing, or competing and join in yourself etc.? I somehow think that might become a very popular 'default' space for many people if that's the case, at least while no other similarly interesting spaces are available.

Don't see why the warhawk/uncharted/socom etc. spaces can't be there on Dec 11, though.

edit - Also, while the designer furniture etc. may seem a little OTT for some, adding fabric customisation for furniture was something I wanted them to do.

 

[Norml]

It takes more that if you include reading the user agreement and reserving 3Gb of disk space.

I just watched a video to make sure, all that for the 1st time is done in 2:25.

 

[2real4tv]

To the complaints....no one is forcing it down your throat move on and use the XMB. I find the 5-10s loading time to be expected for a 3d world that has to link up with several clients.

 

[jiggle]

Don't see why the warhawk/uncharted/socom etc. spaces can't be there on Dec 11, though.

I wonder if JPN version gets a different gamespace. launch this there with farcry would be :lol...

 

[eznark]

Are they just opening it as is, or will there be a big content update as well today?

 

[Panajev2001a]

The Red Bull space looks a lot more interesting than I thought. I didn't think they could actually embed larger games like that into the spaces themselves, I was expecting something very static like the spaces in the current beta.

Yes, this is huge news for me too, I really did not think Home was THIS versatile, I too thought it would always be a cool, but mostly static online world.

 

[DarienA]

The loading in Home is atrocious. Not just the time it takes, but the number of clicks it takes to actually be in Home. First you click home. Then you see a loading progress bar. Then you see a Home logo page. Then you must click again. Then you see a message of the day. Then you click again to dismiss. Then you see another progress bar. Eventually several minutes later you're in Home. Then there are edge cases such as launching Home for the first time or without signing onto PSN first which add even more clicks.

From the moment somebody launches Home they should be required to click precisely 0 more times in a standard startup to reach a zone and it should take 60 seconds flat. If there is a message of the day or some other notification show it should show as Home is loading, or after a person has already appeared in their zone.

It's a basic usability issue. Home should be a natural extension of the XMB, not some pain in the ass app which is a bother to start.

You're seriously over exaggerating the launch time. If you're seeing that, there's something wrong with your PS3.

Just now at 6:26:30EST I launched Home, at 6:27:50 I was running around in the GAF clubhouse. That includes taking about 20 seconds or so to read the welcome message.

If you're seeing slower load times than that you might have a HD problem.

In addition it takes about 20 seconds to move from one already downloaded area to another (in this case the GAF Clubhouse to the Central Area or the Central Area to the Shopping Area).

 

[neojubei]

The beta testers have a free clubhouse slip. I snagged mine at least. I could make it and be king of Gaf Home.

I guess I'll make a clubhouse tonight.:lol

 

[kittel]

you know what would be amazing? LBP spaces/planets based on IP. Free IP-based levels since it's advertising.

 

[Pallaris]

Thew new stuff shown looks promising. So long as they keep adding content and incentives to visit i'm pretty sure it will catch on. Plus game launching could be huge as well.

I still don't like how much HDD thrashing there is upon entering a new area...takes a while for the framerate to become stable which takes the shine off it a bit.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

I guess I will sit and twiddle my thumbs as I wait to see it on my PS3 console at this early morning hour.

 

[FirewalkR]

And just to add to the awesome, I received my Qore HOME Beta invite today!!!!

Sony: "lol"

Anyway, can I use it with my Euro account after downloading?

 

[Wollan]

Anyway, can I use it with my Euro account after downloading?

It's basically just like the PS Store. It adjusts to whatever account you're using.

 

[FirewalkR]

It's basically just like the PS Store. It adjusts to whatever account you're using.

Nice, thx! Turns out my previous post will have some truth in it after all. :lol

PS: That was fast, I blinked twice when I saw an answer so soon.

 

[Darkman M]

And just to add to the awesome, I received my Qore HOME Beta invite today!!!!

Sony: "lol"

Anyway, can I use it with my Euro account after downloading?

:lol Are you fuckin serious? You got so owned if you aren't joking.

 

[The Elite]

Hopefully it will be fun now that everyone will be able to enter. I barely used it during the closed beta.

 

[FirewalkR]

:lol Are you fuckin serious? You got so owned if you aren't joking.

Actually, the mail arrived yesterday, I'd quit checking sometime ago lol.

And seems I'm not the only one, I went to take a look at my us account email after I saw someone at B3D posting he'd received the invite yesterday. :lol

 

[gofreak]

An AFP article with comments from Junji "JB" Shoda, a Sony Computer Entertainment Japan vice president.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jZSfpoPfeBARUV8VDSsfEZWto-KQD94VQ8QO1

Sony Corp.'s much delayed virtual community for owners of its PlayStation 3 game console will start worldwide Thursday, but it's unlikely to attract many newcomers to the machine, company officials said.

The free-of-charge PlayStation Home service is mainly meant to make gaming more fun for people who already own the PS3, they said.

"This is a community for gamers," Shoda told reporters at a Sony Computer Entertainment office in Tokyo. "It's meant to enrich the interactive experience for gamers."

The service, offered in eight languages, will start in Japan, Europe, U.S. and other areas where PlayStation 3 is available. The service will be updated with new games, licensing partners and events including a New Year's countdown ceremony, Sony said.

On the delays:

Shoda said the delays were needed to get feedback and understand what gamers wanted, as well as check on security and other anti-crime features.

Ryoji Akagawa, a senior producer at Sony's game unit, said Home will help ensure PS3 owners will keep coming back to play games. It may also possibly encourage family members to start playing with the PS3 that's in their homes, he said.

You know how you use Home to keep gamers coming back to play games, Sony? Integrate item unlocks in them, nao!

There's a little more on Diesel's involvement here too:

http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/868532/Diesel-partners-PlayStation-Home-online-retail-campaign/

Hopefully it will be fun now that everyone will be able to enter. I barely used it during the closed beta.

More people won't just magically make it more fun. The spaces were already well populated in the closed beta.

What'll make it fun, or compelling, are reasons to revisit regularly. That's done with new content. The best way to continuously make available new content in home is item unlocks in games as you play them. New spaces and stuff are nice aswell, but item unlocking would be a much more frequent occurence if a lot of games supported it, and one that's tied to your own participation in games across the whole platform.

 

[industrian]

Thank you for the birthday present, Sony.

Even if I am in the beta.

 

[Fersis]

I like the idea of going to an R2 room and talk about the game and form a party and then launch the game from there.

 

[sun-drop]

The MotorStorm apartment, a premium customizable living space, is very different to the Harbour Studio and the Summer House that closed beta users have already seen. Based around the MotorStorm franchise it's set on a cliff shelf, overlooking the MotorStorm festival, complete with an animated race taking place below. The Home developers we spoke to hadn't yet decided how it would be distributed, but suggested it might be a contest prize or
event-based item.

dam that needs to be made a unlock for completing the offline mode ..... will make people hold on the the game longer, play it more, want to play it. sony leverage this shit!!

 

[antiloop]

So it officially exists for me again.

 

[gofreak]

dam that needs to be made a unlock for completing the offline mode ..... will make people hold on the the game longer, play it more, want to play it. sony leverage this shit!!

Wait..those screenshots are of the apartment, or of a Home space? If it's of the apartment...where do you put your stuff? You're living outside? :lol

 

[Nightz]

Interesting concepts:

While all of the above content was shown live, there were also some pieces of concept art on show. These were for upcoming first-party game spaces, such as the Buzz! space which includes a multiplayer minigame called the "Buzz! Runaround." The concept art showed a top-down view of the environment, which looks like a Buzz! controller. Questions are pumped through from MyBuzz! and players must stand on the correct colored button to rack up points. Everyone in the room can play the game simultaneously, which means up to 32 people can be running around this virtual Buzz! controller at a time. This will also have a leaderboard, much like the Red Bull Air Race game.

Concept art for the MotorStorm space, complete with "MotorKartStorm" minigame and merchandise counter where you can buy such things as MotorStorm branded ripped festival jeans, were also shown. Finally, the Resistance 2 space concept art was revealed. The developers will be playing on the "Twisted History" aspect of the franchise by transforming the Home central plaza into a Chimeran infested invasion site. There was also talk of a team-based minigame requiring people to fight back a horde of Chimera, though that wasn't shown in the concept artwork.

Other interesting stuff...

A lot of interesting tid bits were also revealed. The Trophy room, long assumed dead, has been placed on hold. Though Daniel Hill did assure us that 3D Trophies would happen in the future. Speaking of Trophies, it has been confirmed that Home will be able to read what Trophies you have and unlock content appropriately. Not only that, but Home will also be able to dish out its own Trophies, though there is no indication how those will work.

It's possible for future games to have this functionality built in, so that when you acquire a Trophy a message will pop up telling you what you've unlocked in Home. There's also the potential for in-game menus, taking you straight to a game's Home space. It seems that integrating the entire PS3 platform in this way is a large aspect of Home.

There are hopes to develop further PSN Store integration, such as being able to download a game's demo or downloadable content simply by approaching an in-Home advertisement. Cross-game invites are possible by pulling people through Home, thanks to the party system, though it won't be available immediately.

Other updates, like bigger clubs, cross-Home game launching and extended profiles, are already planned. This interesting content should start to drop immediately, with more coming fairly regularly. If that happens, Home could definitely be a worthwhile addition to the PS3's feature list.

http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/12/10/upcoming-home-content-shown-at-london-media-day/

 

[Tr4nce]

Can't believe it's finally coming. Will it be worth the long wait? I dunno, but I'm sure as hell gonna find out tomorrow! Congrats Sony

 

[sun-drop]

A lot of interesting tid bits were also revealed. The Trophy room, long assumed dead, has been placed on hold. Though Daniel Hill did assure us that 3D Trophies would happen in the future. Speaking of Trophies, it has been confirmed that Home will be able to read what Trophies you have and unlock content appropriately. Not only that, but Home will also be able to dish out its own Trophies, though there is no indication how those will work.

YES!

 

[gofreak]

Cross-game invites are possible by pulling people through Home, thanks to the party system, though it won't be available immediately.

This needed bolding too Talk's cheap, though, Sony. So make it happen, and make games use the party system.

edit - the events stuff at the link sounds cool too.

 

[The Librarian]

So I'll finally be able to try this out. Don't think I'll use it that much, though: it just seems like a glorified chat room.