This time, we put questions to Sony on presence, navigation, features and moderation within Home…
What’s the function of the lobby and what is the maximum number of users that can be in a lobby?
“The lobby is the central meeting place where you can meet new friends or arrange to meet old friends, before transferring to a private meeting place. The current maximum of concurrent users in a lobby is 64.”
So how do you make sure friends are present in the same space?
“You can invite them via your friends list or invite them to your personal Home space.”
How will we all go about finding people within the Home world?
“We will have search functions for finding people online and offline, and for finding lobbies.”
Will you create lobbies by countries/regions?
“Yes, although users can choose where they want to go.”
How many avatars can I have?
“The current plan is for each Network account to be able to build one avatar, although you can have as many accounts as you like, giving you endless avatar options. Home is the human face of PlayStation Network, and your avatar is how you represent yourself. However, it will be possible to change your appearance, through customising your character and adding accessories, so you’ll be able to constantly re-invent yourself should you so desire.”
And I’ll be able to customise my avatar?
“Avatars are fully customisable with different facial features, height, weight, sex, hair styles, clothing, accessories, etc.”
What about using game characters as my avatar? Or can I use photo data to personalise my avatar (such as using photo data as the skin for my avatar’s face)?
“Not initially - however, we will extend the variety and selection of characters over time, including game characters and pets. Photo data is not supported at this time - however, the face customisation is very detailed and allows an almost infinite variety of faces to be created.”
Can you enter a game like MotorStorm quickly through Home without having to travel to the specific MotorStorm lobby?
“Currently, users can find each other in Home, and then arrange to go off and play MotorStorm at the same time. Eventually, users will be able to meet in Home and seamlessly launch into a game of MotorStorm. Similarly, users will be able to exit to Home directly from the game.”
What about the Hall Of Fame rewards - how are they going to work?
“Users receive points for in-game achievements. More details regarding this will be made available closer to launch.”
What is the policy on acceptable behaviour?
“Within our public spaces, Home follows the same rules and guidelines as the Network with regard to age stipulations and acceptable behaviour. Home uses all the same age controls as the PS3 system software. Private spaces will not be monitored unless abuses or violations to our policies are reported by a user.”
Will we be able to make complaints about other users?
“Of course. We will operate a system of logging complaints with our moderators, which will then be investigated. If necessary we are able to take away a user’s login rights and ban them from the service.”
How much freedom will people have in their private spaces?
“Our policy is not to actively police private areas, and a user cannot be invited to another user’s private space until they have accepted an invitation to be on their buddy list. However, the complaints process will still operate in these private spaces, so if people feel that they have been subjected to inappropriate behaviour while in someone’s private space, they will be able to lodge a complaint by the usual process.”
What means of moderation will be in place for abusive language?
“We will have a basic text profanity filter, though, as noted above, text and voice will be turned off for users not of age.”
Q “Can you enter a game like MotorStorm quickly through Home without having to travel to the specific MotorStorm lobby?
A “Currently, users can find each other in Home, and then arrange to go off and play MotorStorm at the same time. Eventually, users will be able to meet in Home and seamlessly launch into a game of MotorStorm. Similarly, users will be able to exit to Home directly from the game.â€
Ah never mind this was the main feature i was looking forward to and one that most websites were talkign about as being usefull and a 1up on xboxlive lets hope this feature is implemented sooner rather than later
Comment by mike — Mar 11, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
Home is something that looks like it’s going to be good at launch and revolutionary in a few years. It needs the community to help grow it as XBL did. I’m really excited about it. Any chance us ‘ThreeSpeechers’ might be able to get in on the Beta?
B
Comment by Ben Furneaux — Mar 11, 2007 @ 6:59 pm
I’m very happy that there’s no region lockout… that you can meet up with people from all over the world. This ties in nicely with the PS3 games not having region restriction, it’s too bad that most games would be unplayable with cross-oceanic lag, but I’m glad that I’ll be able to chat with my overseas friends.
Oh, and they need more/different lobbies, preferably ones from games. Who wouldn’t want to hang out in the Sky Pirate’s Den from FF12?
Comment by androvsky — Mar 11, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
Can you use your avatar in other games?
Comment by Rivithed — Mar 11, 2007 @ 9:03 pm
I have one question for Sony and the Three-Speech gang.
I’ve come across this little tidbit regarding Motorstorm and I wanted to know if this is the Sony Strategy.
Basically, Motorstorm will use a master server for the US if you buy the US version, a master server for Europe if you buy the European version.
But I was wondering why that is?
Will gamers in Europe (and Australia) not be allowed to play with gamers from America and Japan?
Also, will you have another master server for Australians?
Is this global matchmaking network that you’ve set up very local and not global at all?
I can understand why games might be hard to play with a 200ms (or more) latency but isn’t that up to the gamer?
Why aren’t you allowing the gamer to make that choice for himself?
Also may I be the first to request Howls Moving Castle as a House for Home. I’ll gladly pay money for that. Of course it needs to be animated as well. Give it life, none of that sterile feeling that you’ve got for the Home right now (and have had for the years I’ve seen it).
Comment by Joakim Hagdahl — Mar 11, 2007 @ 9:29 pm
Uhm, I guess that wasn’t one question but still
Comment by Joakim Hagdahl — Mar 11, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
One question I have for Sony is if there will be a day/night cycle? If so, will that be regional or system clock based? Also, is there a possibility that in the future that we will have yearly seasons with snow, autumn..etc?
Comment by Wollan — Mar 12, 2007 @ 12:58 am
my my only 13/12 days left to launch
Comment by PSM3MAGSPITZ — Mar 12, 2007 @ 5:31 am
” the face customisation is very detailed and allows an almost infinite variety of faces to be created”
How can you have an almost infinite amount? That’s like trying to dig half a hole. Having a lot of different face customisations is good but many people would still be happier to use a photograph for their in-home face.
Comment by reakt — Mar 12, 2007 @ 10:33 am
i hope they show the Home feature at 3space,
PSN: TheDirector
Comment by thedirector — Mar 12, 2007 @ 12:25 pm
I would like to know if multi-tasking (being able to go to the XMB while playing a game or in HOME) will be implemented before the offical HOME release date?
And if intergated friends list will make in into the firmware before October 2007.
Comment by Mac — Mar 12, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
[...] UPDATE III (& IV): Kotaku says a new PSP is indeed coming, and ThreeSpeach makes it pretty clear that Home ain’t no Second Life (it sounds more like a chat-room now). [...]
Pingback by Sony’s So Exciting! « repondez, s’il vous PLAY — Mar 12, 2007 @ 6:11 pm
It would be nice if Sony took the initiative and rewarded all Japanese, American And Euro early adopters to the PS3 with something when Home launches. Maybe bigger homes with killer views. I think as early adopters its something that we all deserve. It would be a nice gesture from Sony of appreciation.
Comment by LoutronZ — Mar 12, 2007 @ 6:24 pm
Is there any way you can play online wishout going through home.
It looks lame.
They should do a version without all the secont life sh1t - just a text and picture only version like xbox live..
Comment by Gaffs — Mar 14, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
does anyone know how many public lobbies are going to be available per region/country at launch?
Comment by dave j. — Mar 14, 2007 @ 7:40 pm
A PS3 OWNER SHOULD RECEIVE A “TROPHY” IN YOUR PLAYSTATION “HOME” TROPHY ROOM FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE RESEARCH OF THE “FOLDING HOME PROJECT” AFTER ALL SONY THE WOULD BE THE ADMIRABLE THING TO DO!!!
Comment by ERIC MEADOWS — Mar 19, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
when is it being released in uk?
Comment by JonnyB — Mar 29, 2007 @ 11:17 am
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment