Another Fascinating Response
by KLCgame, as a guest contribution to HomeStation Magazine
Editor’s introduction: it is a prevailing belief of this publication, discussed several times throughout its pages, that you have to be slightly damaged in some way to find the escapism of virtual reality so appealing. I pointedly do not exclude myself from this. Every time I hear some doorknob contend that Home is “just a game,” I have an overwhelming urge to kill a dōmo-kun, because Home is far, far more than just a game. It is a living, breathing society which provides some very real and tangible benefits for those who inhabit its environs.
The following letter is one very personal and pertinent example of this. Many thanks to its author for sharing it.
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After reading a fair amount of the articles that people have posted here and on the PlayStation forums about what Home means to them, I decided that I would like to tell my story of what Home means to me.
Like most people on Home, I first tried Home out of curiosity. I noticed an odd new icon on my PS3’s XMB during the holiday season of ’08, so I clicked on it.
My initial thoughts mirrored CheekyGuy’s HSM forum thread post, “Alice in Home Land” — it was whimsical, but quite scary. However I decided Home was intriguing, and kept returning. I still played my regular PS3 games, but I made sure I’d visit Home at least twice a week almost every week. Before I knew it, it was Home’s first anniversary, so I reflected on the year that had passed and realized that Home had helped me in my life in the real world. Heck, even my boyfriend noticed it.
Sadly, a month, before Home’s second anniversary, I received news that would change all that.
On November 12th, 2010 at 2:48 pm PST, I received the news that my mother passed away after a year-long fight with cancer.
I figured it wouldn’t affect me very much. We weren’t very close anymore. We had not been close for a long time, so I figured that I would just get back to life as usual. I’d used Home for a very long time, so I figured I’d start there. So, for a few days I was on Home, just trying to forget what had happened — but you never really forget. And it started to affect me without me noticing.
After a few days, my best friend on the PSN confronted me and asked what was wrong. He said I’d been “distant.” I hadn’t noticed it, but some thought, I knew he was right. So we went to his Harbor Studio and talked about what had happened to my mother. We must have talked for hours…but after all was done and several tears shed, I realized it had affected me, and it would have eaten away at me if I hadn’t gone and talked about it.
I was worried about talking too much to my boyfriend because, in general, I never really show if anything is bothering me in the real world. In Home, though, my friend had really gotten to know me much more than I had let most people know me outside of Home.
Finally, after a few months, I’m doing much better — but thinking about the future still bothers me. However, with great friends on PSN — like quite a few of you who are reading this — I have returned to ninety percent of the person I was prior to November 12th 2010. I must admit that I don’t want that remaining ten percent back, because this incident and my friends on Home have made me a better person.
So: what does Home mean to me? Home is my Eden. It’s the place “where everybody knows your name” (and not just because it’s above your avatar’s head). Home is my time away without being that far away. All I can hope is that no one eats the apple that will take this all away from us.
March 29th, 2011 by KLC_KILLER | 18 comments
KLC is a long time user of PSN and Home. She has also been a long time gamer, she has enjoyed various gaming systems and she still has a working Atari, NES, Super NES, Nintendo 64, and 90% of variations of all PlayStation generations. When she is not gaming, she is training to join the US Army. She also is interested in joining the WWE as a female wrestler. She currently resides in sunny Southern California.
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Thanks for this article KLC. I know this was hard for you to write, as it was a very personal experience. It is but another example for the fact that Home is much more than a game to many people, me included. This place has helped a lot of my friends, you included. i am glad you are writing for us continue the good work!
Thank you burbie and all of HSM. You all are the type of people that over power the fools on Home that ruin it and make home amazing.
Home has been therapeutic for many of us.
Am no exception. Although Home for yours truly is likely different than that of most Home users (as it probably is for most Homelings), since the Collective is a thriving, dynamic community within the Home community itself.
The stupid real life pilot of the Nosdrugis avatar has its own share of real life issues and hardships. From regular family stuff regarding the upbringing of teens, to financial woes, to family member illness, strokes, and even sudden accidental death.
The support of not only the Homeling community, but even beyond into Home, has been of great assistance, and obviously a grand escape, from the day to day difficulties and challenges that plague us all in the stupid real world.
Thanks for sharing your personal experience
It’s no problem Nos I wrote this not just as my back story but also as a thank you of sorts to HSM and the Home community.
KLC, you were at our in-Home book group last Sunday, using another avatar name, weren’t you? I was quite touched by your sharing your experience with us. Thank you.
Home is all about the people. The minigames could all go away, and I would continue to log into Home every night, and stay long past my bedtime.
Yes, On psn I’m KLC_KILLER because KLCgame was taken or something along those lines (been awhile). I normally use KLCgame, been using it on chat rooms and such for coming up on 12 years.
I would as well Seal, The people on Home is like a pound cake, It’s great on its own the mini-games are just the cut up strawberries around it, they are not necessary but they do add a bit more, flavor of sorts.
Love the pound-cake analogy! I’m definitely going to use that. Thank you!
Yea I have tons of those.
Congratulations on a great ‘first article’. Welcome to this happy band of writers at HSM. I hope to see a lot more of your articles soon.
Well I think I’m still in the interview stage, but thank you for the kind words and I too hope I will be writing more articles for this great magazine.
Wow! That was extremely powerful, KLC! I am touched yet intrigued by all of this. Very inspirational as well.
Thank you for sharing this. I’m just in awe
right now…..
I’m glad it touched you.
I liked your article, it’s a very personal Article and it must of taken alot to sit and write this and I appreciate that Open Honesty you have in your writing.
The ‘Alice In Homeland’ Thread was just a dark fairytale and Home is nothing at all like that.
If anyone says Home is just a game, then they don’t really understand the half of it. I don’t think Sony realise just what they have here. Because they have something really special, hidden away on that XMB bar.
Keep writing, you got a great future ahead of you
I was just saying that my first experience in Home was a bit scary. But, I do believe I have a bright future ahead of me.
Nice article KLC. I am also grateful for Home. Was same for me, saw this icon and clicked, and there was no turning back. I have only been on Home for 15 months, and what a ride it has been. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people on Home, my FL is rich with them. They have helped me in RL as well. Am also grateful for Home to allow me to express my creative ways that I can not do in RL.
I’m glad Home has helped you as it has helped me. Trust me it will only get better, Lab.
Very good article KLC and a pleasure meeting you last night. I believe many of us have a personal story from Home that relates in our real lives, I know I have a few myself.
Thank you for sharing with us.
The feeling is mutual Eli.