A new batch of people have been invited. I am one of them. Fantastic so far! I can't get over the graphics and what they have implemented, video screens, arcade games, pool, bowling. You download the 54MB initial client, then 10-40MB "zones" each time you enter a new area. So it breaks the download into chunks. Personally, I would have preferred the full 3GB that it allocates from the HDD being downloaded straight away. But I can see why some might prefer it. I don't see why they haven't released it already.
Even after all the hype and everything, I'm STILL not sure what Home is about...what's the "point" of it exactly?
I was also invited into the Home beta. If anyone would like to add me, my username is the same here as it is on PSN. It is a neat little tool, and I really enjoy playing around with it. The best thing has to be, by far, the amazing harbour view you get from the balcony of your apartment. Really pretty, really amazing.
Good question. In some ways it is a glorified chat room. It also acts as a lobby system to intiate multiplayer online games, a place to waste some time while awaiting other players, and a place to show off your skills by wearing/owning itmes granted from game achievements. You can also access much of the 'normal' PS3 settings and configure them, so I suppose it could replace much of the default interface. What impressed me most was the scope of the character customisation and the level of the graphics. Also world is in 5.1 surround. If you're not a social gamer it probably won't appeal at all. But it is interesting if you are that way inclined, kind of like a more controlled Secondlife without the naked weirdos flying around. You could make a fairly accurate representation of yourself if you so desired. I quite enjoyed walking around and playing the mini-games.
Looks cool, I wish MS would let you do something like this with the avatars but I guess that I would rather both systems weren't entirely the same since it gives me a reason to buy a PS3 someday. The download thing sounds like what Guild Wars does.
how do you get invited? I m tired of having spent so much time and money on my PS3 and its network services/products and never being invited >< plus they fucked up the codecs >< idiots
Wow, it sounds like fun, plus the fact that its free makes me curious about it. I used to play online games a lot when I was in high school and college, but now my job is very time consuming...so hopefully it'll be a good way to meet some other gamers as most of my PS3 friend list consists of friends at home. Problem is they're 15 hours behind me in time haha.
bleh, I find home boring for the moment. The only good thing I got out of home was the namco museum beta (seperate app for ps3 that lets me play old namco arcade games, only has 4 atm).
Yeah, the zone loading is just like Guildwars. I got the invite for being a long term GAP member, but it was a random email. It's not something you apply for (yet).
BTW, activation codes are tied to your PSN account, so you shouldn't give them away. You risk the HOME account being closed.
I got my Home beta invite the other day, too! I think it's a nice concept, but I'd definitely like to see more improvement by the time the final release is out. -SK