A Fascinating Response
Recently, on the Sony forum, I asked one of my favorite questions about Home:
What does Home mean to you?
In particular, I was asking the veteran Home users on the forum what kept them coming back to Home, considering the honeymoon period and the novelty had long ago worn off. Like nearly everything else with HomeStation Magazine, it was to reinforce a point to Sony: that the glue that holds Home together isn’t the games at all — and it never will be.
It’s the social environment.
Don’t get me wrong: I love all the games that have been introduced into Home in the last twelve months. They provide a lot of revenue, defeat the notion that Home is “boring with nothing to do,” and can be a very pleasant diversion. (Personally, I’d love to tell you more about SodiumTwo, except Outso has an unmarked white van parked outside my house.)
My point is, rather, that I do sincerely hope that the people who write Home’s core client — not just the game developers — do remember to continue to try to expand and improve the social aspects of Home, not just the gaming aspects. If you look at most of the various wish lists out there from the Home community, they seem to be asking for improvements to the social interactivity, not just the gaming experience.
I have no doubt that it’s technologically a huge challenge. Likewise, I have no doubt that, if pulled off correctly, it would generate more than enough long-term revenue to offset the cost.
Anyway.
If you want to read the original post I wrote on the Sony forum in order to gain some context, it can be found at http://community.us.playstation.com/thread/3416338?tstart=0 currently. One of the responses to the post really caught my attention.
I’ve never met deadbyfaith before, but I was quite impressed with what he had to say. With his permission, I’ve reprinted his comment in its entirety, unedited and without alteration.
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Dear NorseGamer,
I’m usually rather intimidated by you’re massively, long and epic posts. But this one definitely got my attention. This is a question I have asked myself quite a few times. And yes, I do become the guy that runs off and plays the latest console releases here and there. But something has really grabbed hold of me this time around when I came back 2-3 months ago.
To everybody,
Home is not just a game. Everybody you see, everybody you bump into, say hi to, insult, cheer up, etc.; they have a past. They have a legacy. You’re looking at a life, in a virtual reality. You don’t know what that person goes through on a daily basis. You see his/her actions in the game and most see a virtual character controlled by a human, just running around and enjoying Home. But it goes so beyond that! There is great depth to Home, indeed. I have met some people on Home that have actually impacted my LIFE. Virtual reality, effecting Physical reality! And I know that I, myself have impacted a few people’s lives.
Conrad_Max has a saying in his Signature that I most truly adore; “The way you play the game is the way you live your life.” And that really couldn’t be any truer. The vastness of Home is, well, VAST! So many LIVES on Home. Real living people whom you can interact with from ACROSS THE WORLD! People in Washington State talking to people way off in England (if they are on the NA Server, that is.) And I’ve met a few of them!
I am a PROUD Leader of Louisiana Hurricanes. Seeing everything that’s gone one with them and what they’ve gone through and keeping strong and such, it’s fascinating. Being able to throw parties and bring the community together in Fellowship and help out newcomers – truly amazing. I’m also a very proud member of RHO. Just the things both these groups have done and their affiliates and all the other groups out there that I don’t know about, impacting lives, veterans and newcomers, young and old… fascinating.
The Sky is truly the limit in Home. Your Imagination can go miles. And I know that there will be new and improved stuff coming out for Home. I know that Home is just going to get better and better. And when Home finally leaves Beta – phew… ya’ll better prepare for that day! I KNOW Sony wasn’t expecting Home to rocket the way it did and has been. Yes, it’s had it’s ups and downs. What successful community doesn’t? Gotta start somewhere, right? Roam wasn’t built in a day.
So, what REALLY keeps me coming back? The developers can can make all the coolest games in the world for Home… but nothing will mean as much to me as the people who play them. I always try my best to be the best Example I can be. Am I perfect? No. I’m human. At the latest space from nDreams – Aurora – I’ve had many people come up to me and look up to me for tips on the game and how to get more EXP and such. What kind of example would I be if I said “Beat it, kid!”
SodiumOne’s Salt Shooter! Level 50 was a BEAST! I felt compelled to post a rather extensive guide for beating that level! And the tips and tricks in it can really play out to ALL levels! I’ve had a FEW people thank me for the guide. And just those few people that I helped and impacted, sure meant a lot to me.
It’s the interaction. I haven’t seen everything Home has to offer because I spend a majority of my time talking with people and helping others and such! And I’ve been on Home for nearly 2 years now! I haven’t even been to every area yet! Haha!
I went to the Xi Museum. I watched the video that was in the lobby there. And I kid you not, it nearly brought a tear to my eye. “Why?” might one ask? Because Xi had a Legacy. Something that truly affected people and brought the community together in a vast way! And I cannot WAIT to see what’s truly around the corner for Aurora. Some have turned their noses up at it for it being too “lame” with their bronze goggles. But some, even with their bronze goggles, have seen something truly beautiful and breath taking. I can’t wait to see Aurora Evolve! What kind of Legacy will Aurora create? This, I’m excited about.
Legacy. Respect. Fellowship. Community.
Those are 4 things that really come to my mind that really keep me here.
I sure hope I answered your question properly, NorseGamer.
-Erik
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You sure did, Erik. And thank you.
March 21st, 2011 by NorseGamer | 6 comments
NorseGamer is the product manager for LOOT Entertainment at Sony Pictures, as well as the founder and publisher of HomeStation Magazine. Born and raised in Silicon Valley, he holds a B.A. in English/Creative Writing from San Francisco State University and presently lives in Los Angeles. All opinions expressed in HSM are solely his and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sony DADC.
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I think,and i could be wrong,that the number of comments for social themed articles in this magazine out-number the gaming article responses.Which,if true,tells me that at least with your readers ppl find these things more interesting.Certainly thats the case with ppl i know in home,i know very few ppl if any that say”I can’t wait for sodium 2 to get here?” but i know many that say”When is imagine’s next get together?”.Maybe it’s just the ppl i hang out with but honestly i dont think that’s the case.I’ve heard the social scene in home compared to soap opera’s and to an extent that’s true.However home is much more hands on than a soap,it’s more like a soap where you control one of the characters.Like a soap the relationships can sometimes weave a complicated tapestry that would require a novel to explain.Only on home the cast of characters is much larger and can fit in a game in between episodes.
Your comment just made my morning, Cthulu! We try to keep up with updating the “next event” poster on the original post of our PSN Forum thread:
http://community.us.playstation.com/thread/3410641
But if there’s nothing there, remember we have a weekly Fashion Walk in Central Plaza every Thursday at 9 PM Eastern time, chaired by the able DarthGranny. They’re always great fun, and they give you an excuse to go through the Storage bin looking for items that can be combined into an awesome costume.
Very nice work on the video’s and tyvm for the link.
Thanks much! Seal is finding a new career as a Home videographer. Need to put that aside for a bit, though, and write stuffs!
Surely Sony realizes this. It is likely not what they want Home to be, but it IS what they advertised Home as in the beginning -- a place to meet and interact with fellow PS3 owners in a virtual world.
This is the one and only real reason to personally visit Home at all. The rest -- the games and stuff -- just gravy. The meat is in the users themselves. No pun intended. Shed your silly fur
It’s always about fud Nos!