What the hell...WHAT PART OF BETA DO YOU PEOPKE NOT UNDERSTAND?

I'd say for a beta, the stuff in Home is pretty impressive.

They will add more stuff!

PEOPLE.

-_-

I fully agree with this article.

Home is not ready. Far from it. Sony simply released Home this early simply in order to stick with the 'by Christmas 2008' promise. Another delay would surely not be appreciated by the community.

Few days ago, I was finally able to say "I'm Home". The excitement however was rather short-lived.

Home does indeed have a lot of potential to expand. But again, Home was not ready to go public.

You know, if people didn't whine about how it was taking so fucking long and how Sony did this and that wrong, it would have been more fulfilling!

Thanks for your closing remarks. Has absolutely nothing to do with HOME but yet you feel inclined to discuss your liking of the 360 over PS3. Regarding Olivia Munn's tossing of the PS3 controller, as a gamer I'm quite disgusted with that action. If you had the brass you guys should have been all over that and dismissed her as nothing more than eye candy on G4.

Gmail is still in beta and it is awesome.

And sajj316, how does explaining that my friend owns and plays more on his 360 and yet acts like a total Sony fanboy show that I like the 360 more? I admit, I do like the 360 more, but I don't see how that's relevant to the article or to the closing comments.

And yes, every hot girl on television is eye candy. That's their sole purpose, right? To look good? Hot chicks can't be entertaining in any other fashion other than just looking good. Am I interpreting that message correctly?

I've been in the beta since the start (May 2007), and honestly I can see where people are coming from. However... Home is not a game, its not about "hmm what can I play and do in here", the only thing close to that is 'what can I do with friends in here'.. Home is about socializing. Simple. if you dont have time/friends to do this (the media, the press for the most part) then you won't find it amusing, just boring. But when you realize how strong of a social community it can be, and how strong of a social TOOL it can be, its really amazing and has incredible potential. Think of it this way... where can you go to speak to like minded gamers? PAX is the only real (recent) way to socialize and meet gamers in real life, all in a group and whatnot; this is why the event is so praised by media and places such as 1UP. What is the extension of this? Forums, gaming community. It's the closest to tat feeling of being able to speak about games with gamers. Home, however, is this very thing. The thing is, its presented in a "game" which immediately makes people thing "what can I DO/PLAY here", where as when you are on a forum, you dont think that at all. Look, ive been using Home for a very long time. Through this time I have made really close friends and a few "enemies", and those who I have become friends with over the past year+, can agree that we met via each others friends, or talking about a game with a group of people, and so on. Hell, one of my friends talked to me once in Home about how he wants to see less of all these things to do (games etc) and have them focus more on the social aspect of Home, BUT because of media like this, the cannot do that, hey have to keep adding 'things to do' and 'games to play', when that is only the secondary factor. And remember, in terms of content and items and features, Home is only going to be growing (this is a beta) from here, not getting smaller. I have SEEN the things that Home can do, I have SEEN all the content that they have had, those are not the troubles or worries, that will come. Seriously, over time people will realize what Home is; I did the very same thing when I launched it over a year and a half ago and thought 'hmm, how boring'. With time people are already realizing it can be a fun experience in meeting fellow gamers. Seriously, be more open minded.

Euhm, I think you missed the entire point of home. You called it "a glorified chat room", so let's disassemble that statement. A social service is a place where people meet up and are able to execute social activities, with the main activity being talking. A chat room is a social service, it is meant for people to be able to talk to each other over the net. What is home? Is it a game? No it's not. Is it a social service? Yes it is, it's a service for people that want to meet others with a playstation 3, find people to communicate with. Home is not a game, it's a social service, and you don't have to use it.

Sentry, don't bother preaching common sense. People still think that Home is a game when it's *not*. It's a free application. If you hate it so much, then don't upload it.

Home is the equivalent of Facebook. You make new friends and so forth.

Oh yeah, and to this line of bullshit (which I find highly offensive as a beta tester of home for over a year): "[To be fair, Home is still in Beta, but it's been in Beta for like 20 years so I don't imagine any drastic changes anytime soon.]"

1) Home has been in beta for about a year and a half now, firstly, it was shown incredibly early which is why it has taken so long, no not twenty years, not even two, chill.

2) You don't imagine any drastic changes anytime soon? Wow. You see, to the public's eyes Home hasnt changed much since its debut at GDC. But trust me, the current build of Home could be called Home 2 compared to the May 07 build of the beta. It has changed CONSTANTLY and for you to say it hasnt or wont is absolutely ridiculous, especially as someone who has experienced and even taken part in helping to mold Home.

Seriously, that was just silly Dan, and disrespectful, as was that segment of Attack of the Show (as many agree). I'm simply disappointed and beginning to agree more and more with Noirmans points on gaming journalism and some of its professionalism.

So both of you are basically saying that Home is a glorified chat room. It is not a game but a social service. Why, then, should I not call it what it is?

I understand the whole social aspect of Home and I understand its supposed purpose on the PS3. What I don't understand is who would actually be entertained by merely sitting around and talking to a bunch of gamers -- about games -- and not actually playing games.

I personally find it boring. I have conversations with my friends via a headset or a telephone (or in person) while I actually play games. My brother and I talk games daily while we're playing videogames, and we don't even necessarily have to be playing the same game or talking about what we're playing.

The social aspect of MMO's is also worth mentioning. Guilds grow tighter and feel a bond by actually doing things with each other and helping each other out.

The last party I went to did not involve a bunch of people sitting on a couch and talking. I love talking about videogames, but I think there are much better uses of my time than slowing typing out words on a DualShock 3. Home seems like something that would be interesting to lonely people that don't get the opportunity to socialize anywhere else, and there are plenty of people like that in the world.

Home may one day grow into something like Second Life, and that could be cool. Second Life, however, is a sandbox with a lot to do and it, like Home, is not necessarily a game. Home in it's current form, however, IS a glorified chat room, and I remain unimpressed.

to the Op, you are a fucking prick, home is still in beta but i suppose your mom is too

Yes, my mom is in beta. Good one.

I like my PS3, I love the games I have with the PS3 generally more than the ones I have on the my 360. I am extremely picky and cheap so I only buy games that I can get extremely discounted.(grabbed sonic unleashed for 20.00 after shipping from amazon for the 360) If there is a multiplatform game I want, I generally get it for the PS3 that way I am assured I will be able to finish it without the machine getting wonky on me(gun shy from my last rrod) . I will get 360 exclusives, I have gears 1 and 2 and Halo 3. Don't get me wrong, I like my 360 as well and am on my second one (blah) and it is a great machine that I would not want to live without.
I only say this because when it comes to these 2 machines they both have their strengths and weaknesses. instead of just enjoying each console for what it brings to the table everyone has to find some reason to dislike the console they don't have, I don't know if it is sour grapes or buyers remorse. or some weak unjustifiable reason like a hate for Microsoft's or Sony's business practices (like any soulless corporation is somehow morally better than another (I'm looking at you Apple))

Now, for HOME, I think it is a big waste and a Sony circle jerk. the concept is nice but, the micro-payment avalanche that is coming is a joke and will certainly kill Home almost as much as the creepy bastards that crowd around female avatars. AVATARS for god sakes! how pathetic do you need to be to get excited over an avatar!?!?!

The things that looked interesting to me haven't been implemented yet, like the situation rooms that you can setup a game with your friends and launch from home. that looked kind of neat (not there)
I think if Sony wanted to make home interesting to users, It would have been better to implement a point system to "buy" things with Home, you buy a boxed game you get 600 points, a Sony store online purchase 400 points, buy Sony/Columbia Blu-ray movies or music CDs 200 points. Make a deal with a fast food restaurant and give points for buying food there. I think in the long run This would be a more sane way for Sony to utilize Home. It would be a great way to encourage people with a little added incentive to purchase other products from Sony and It would pay for itself with the added sales from movies, games and multi-corporate deals.

Home is about being entertained by social activities, talking to other people.. Same thing you're doing now, are you entertained? Sure as hell seems like it since you wrote an entire essay about how Home is boring.

And madpuppy, as usual, you make excellent points. I really don't think Home should be shown off to people until there is something to show, and that's really the question. When are they going to have something to actually show? Home, right now, is like AOL chat rooms from 15 years ago, the only difference being you have an avatar instead of just a screen name.

well well another fanboy article , i swear everything the ps3 does 360 fanboys just love to put there 2 cents in. home is not a game. my only complaint about home is that you cant run only a light jog which makes it feel a bit slow other than that its a beta so what else can you expect , it will become better over time.

I never said Home was a game, I never expected Home to be a game, and I never said it won't get any better. What I said was that I'm not impressed, plain and simple. Home, right now, is boring.

And no, sjaak, I'm not particularly entertained right now. Are you?

"I understand the whole social aspect of Home and I understand its supposed purpose on the PS3. What I don’t understand is who would actually be entertained by merely sitting around and talking to a bunch of gamers — about games — and not actually playing games. I personally find it boring."

OH! I SEE, so this whole site, its community, oh and forums such as NeoGAF and beyond, all boring and pointless huh? Home is basically those, combined with somewhere you can meet new people to actually game WITH, combining a forum and a the online gaming into one servers, basically a virtual PSN community. I don't care about PS3/360 and whatnot, dont bring that bullshit here, no one should. It is about the service, bringing up 360/PS3 fanboys is just silly and annoying as well as immature. What you are saying is, from my perspective, bias. Is that because you dont like PS3?Is it because you are a 360 "fanboy"? I don't know, and I dont care, but I do know what you are saying is a bit contradicting as well as unjust. I'm out though, ive just seen that you're not worth debating with or making reason with, not worth my time sorry.

- Peace.

View Home as a game, and it will suck as it stands. View it as the NXE party system without a shitty 7 friend limit (You can't even get a whole group of friends for a game of Gears 2 without leaving 2 people out in NXE), and Home has a pretty good future.

Can I ask you something Dan? Do you spend an hour at a time in the party system in NXE? I think you and many others are viewing Home as a way to entertain, and that's not the point IMO. It's also useless as it stands right now because you can't launch many games at all.

This is what I think about Home and the potential it holds. So I want to play a game of Killzone 2. I'll hook up with my friends, invite them over to our clan room. We'll maybe pull out a few screenshots showing some funny kills, watch a video preview of an expansion pack that is around the corner. Some people will be bored with this, so they'll talk in the corner while others plan. We finally have our members together, launch the game, and challenge another clan. We're not going to need to set up rooms, 3 rooms, or 4 if we have a 32 player clan.

But I can agree that as it stands now (in BETA), it's not what people have hoped. But to view it so negatively without seeing the potential is a bit unfair IMO. Should we judge Gears 2 based on the shitty matchmaking the first month? Come on now. LOL

as for releasing home early i think its a good thing , this lets the gaming community have a bigger role. ps3 users are part of the making of home since its now public. i find it much more exciting to be part of the creation and behind the scenes than just having it released. seeing home this early shows the work being put into home it gives a chance for users to see how much trial and error gets put into gaming.

Now for the part where you say you rather be playing a game thats fine but there are also people who like to socialize with other gamers via home. it doesnt mean you have no life it just means you are open to meeting new people even if it is just virtual. game launching hasnt even kicked in yet. i talk to a group of friends everyday on the XMB chat room everyday for about an hour before we decide on playing a game together. now we have home which makes it alot more entertaining than just seeing my friends avatar on the screen in a white chat room. and pretty soon we can game launch right after agood gaming convo. i also dont understand the irrelevant point of you talking on headset or the phone with your friends because you can use a headset in home you dont have to type on your DS3 as you stated.

DL: And sajj316, how does explaining that my friend owns and plays more on his 360 and yet acts like a total Sony fanboy show that I like the 360 more? I admit, I do like the 360 more, but I don’t see how that’s relevant to the article or to the closing comments.

SAJJ316: Because I read it and that's how I interpreted it. Since you've just admitted what I suggested, it confirms my statement. My point is exactly what you just said and I quote, "I don’t see how that’s relevant to the article or to the closing comments".

DL: And yes, every hot girl on television is eye candy. That’s their sole purpose, right? To look good? Hot chicks can’t be entertaining in any other fashion other than just looking good. Am I interpreting that message correctly?

SAJJ316: Hey I have no problem looking at very attractive women. My wife is perfectly OK with it as long as it stops at look. Like a hot chick that spokes 3 packs a day and sounds like a man is what I equate to her throwing down the PS3 controller in disgust. Beautiful to look at but you know she doesn't give a crap about this industry ... there lies my disgust. Being passionate about this industry (console bias aside), I would expect you to at least understand that.

Yes, Spriggers, we should judge Gears 2 in its current form. You can't give it props for being as awesome as it could be until it actually is that awesome. Gears 2 multiplayer is messed up, and I will continue to think that until it's fixed, which quite possibly may be never.

Same with Home. Could be cool someday, could be the greatest thing EVER. But I live in the present, and right now it is not impressive.

And Don .. no hard feelings. I'm OK with you not being impressed with HOME at its current state. Your closing remarks + Olivia Munn just got me a little stirred .. that's all.

Sajj316, I understand your point, but I still don't think that my liking of the Xbox 360 automatically means that I hate the PS3, and I don't see how YOU didn't understand MY point that my friend is so blinded by his fanboyism that he can't accept the simple truth that he actually likes the 360. He has like 25 games for it and plays it ALL THE TIME, and he only has 11 PS3 games and hardly ever plays it. Then he sits there, WHILE PLAYING THE 360, and says that he doesn't like it. You don't see the point in bringing that up? He thinks PS3 and Home are the shit and NXE and the 360 are dumb, yet he spends most of his gaming time on the 360. I was simply showing that he is an idiot fanboy and that you can't take his opinions at face value (which I'm sure some people would like to say is the same with me).

And I don't think tossing a PS3 controller on the ground means anything, just like I don't think Jon Stewart making fun of anyone actually means he doesn't like them.

I can agree on some things for sure Dan.

1) Trophies are good, but not until most if not all devs have them.

2) Same thing with Home. if only a handful of devs jump on board, it's a fragmented service. As it stands now, it's boring and almost no games are supported.

But.... Considering they are leapfrogging NXE with 32 players instead of 8, and have way more robust areas and avatars, you could say that technically I'm pretty impressed. Let's just say if Home was a static 2D background with 8 players, they probably could have released that 6 months ago considering what they have in place now. To have created the 3D front end so to speak that they have, and allowing (how many is it) like 100 or so people in one area, and 32 players in your own space is leaps beyond what NXE is doing. I think what is debatable is, will this extra interaction just be fluff? I will say that as it stands, NXE is the better service and it's way more refined. But it's also VERY limited and controlled. Considering Live has been in development for what? 8 years and PSN like maybe 3 if that? Very impressive IMO.

Well then Dan, I think we know where the problem is then.

You expected Home to be a game rather then a social service, in other words "A glorified chat room" , which it is , and has always aimed to be exactly that. If you're not into MSN, don't go whining that it's boring, Home is that exact same thing, only then it's giving people an own face. Everything around it is just side concern and features, like mini games in MSN. Home is as fun as you make it to be, it won't be there entertaining you without you having to do anything for it.

Hahaha, sajj316, why do you keep calling me Don?

sjaak, Home was promised to be more than just a chatroom. If Sony said, "hey, we're going to have a chatroom but with 3D avatars and call it Home", then I would expect it to be pretty much exactly what it is. But Sony DIDN'T say that, and that's part of the problem.

Hi. ^_^

I too agree right now Home is pretty shit, it does feel like a glorified chat room. Ugh. It's boring and seriously premature.

But if you expected a "Second Life" experience from this then I am disgusted. Hardcore Gamer wise, it's got potential. If they tweak the stuff Home can currently do, it's certainly reaching up to Xbox Live.

Ha ... apologies Dan. I hope Sony does fully realize the potential of HOME and not half-bake it. Game-launch functionality with game groups is what I think most gamers are looking outside of the social aspect.

Faiizow, I don't think anyone expected Home to be like Second Life, but it sure would have a lot more going for it if was like that, at least in terms of functionality. Of course, everyone has different opinions and expectations of what Home should be, but most people expected it to be more than what it currently is and that's mainly due to Sony saying it would be more than what it currently is. If they would just stop making huge promises, maybe people would be surprised by what's actually there.

I think some people still think HOME is a game and are bored than...and its still beta so what the hell are you expecting?

@Spriggers

For me is NXE a simple dashboard and not a service...

What were the huge promises?

"Hot chicks can’t be entertaining in any other fashion other than just looking good. Am I interpreting that message correctly?"

Unless they were Jessica Chobot or Jade Raymond...

Olivia Munn doesn't even play games for real. She was simply bashing Home because someone told her to do it. In shorter words? Eye Candy.

Everything about that episode was super funny until she tossed the PS3 controller. Me as a PS3 owner, how can I trust them now? Without thinking that they simply hate the console so, they are going to review PS3 games badly or something...

My question to author of this masterpiece *sarcasm* is what's the reason/agenda behind this article? What do you expect to accomplish in writing it? What have you wrote that hasn't been written already?

You people in the media just don't let up do you? Talk about beating a dead horse to death... GEEEZZ! I think Sony should have included the dictionary meaning for the word BETA in the press release before releasing the home beta.

I'm tire of all this negative Sony press, nothing distinct sets this site apart from all the other self proclaimed gaming journalism websites. You are just as boring as home itself. He we are in the 21st century this is the definition of cutting edge journalism. PLEEEASE!

Oh Merry Christmas btw... thanks for spreading the positive joys of gaming!

CyberCam, are you saying that I'm not supposed to express my opinion if someone else in the world already said something similar? In that case, your comment isn't needed because other people have already said what you said. See how this works?

You're welcome.

Faiizow, some of the things I can think of off the top of my head are watching movies with friends, the trophy room, earning free Home stuff from playing games, etc.

So what did Sony promise Home to be, according to you? Last time I checked, all they ever referred to as Home was a Social networking space

Oh that makes sense, I'm equally as disappointed then.

You know what's also weird, they announced a website like Myspace (HomeSpace!!) specifically made for Home back in May. I don't know if they're still making it but Phil (When he worked there) said you can do all the stuff you'd normally do on PSN within the "HomeSpace" site. If he mean's i can send message to my friends and post stuff on the bulletin board away from Home, that's extremely cool.