Aloha, New HSM Readers!
by Keara22HI, HSM team writer
If you are lurking in the shadows, reading the HSM website articles and going no further, you are missing out on some of the best parts of the HomeStation Magazine. Get adventurous! Look at the top of the first screen:
Archives:
See these links in the bar across the top of the page? The website articles are just the proverbial tip of the iceberg.
First of all, HSM is a magazine! Look in the right hand corner and see the picture of the front cover of the latest issue? Open it up and be awed by a magazine that’s so well done it looks like it belongs in a bookstore. In the magazine you will find the ‘big’ articles that are reserved just for publication in the magazine issues. For example, in Issue 4 is a photo spread and interview with Joanna Dark of the Ladies’ Fashion Runway in the HomeForum. Issue #5 (presently on display) contains an interview with John Ardussi, who knows a thing or three about what goes into creating Home’s many varied virtual commodities. Previous issue cover stories included interviews with Jersquall about his adventures as one of the most famous and well-respected HCVs in Home, with Cubehouse about his creation of Alphazone 4, and with Alex Loffstadt about the past, present, and future of Lockwood/Outso. To see all the Issues in chronological order, just click on Issues.
In addition to the featured cover story and other incredible articles reserved as ‘special – for the next Issue only’, you will also find the articles that have been so popular they are included by reader demand so that those who joined the magazine after those stories were no longer on the first screen would see them.
You will also find some of the more controversial topics like “Virtual Love”, (you don’t need a description to be able to figure out what that one is about), and “Attack of the Weird Messages” which will leave you scratching your head in wonderment at how some Home residents think (or don’t think, as the case may be).
Next on that dashboard is the link to the Podcasts. HomeStation Magazine is not an official part of Sony, but HSM is run like a commercial publication to the level of quality Sony would demand. The podcast is where NorseGamer, Cubehouse, Jersquall, Mike, Terra and invited guests such as SealWyf, Burbie52, DarthGranny, HearItWow and others cut loose on a wide variety of controversial subjects generated by Home activities and attitudes. Best advice – be sitting down while listening to this. And be prepared to fall off that chair laughing.
The Forum! Since the PSN outage, the HSM Forum has grown considerably. Although the Fashions Trends sticky thread is relatively new, it is already packed with great fashion shoots, videos, and slide shows. And, you can edit your posts at any time, add as many pics as you like, and name names! This is also where you find notices of contests (with real cash prizes) and parties and club events where you are all invited.
It is easy to register with HSM to make it possible for you to add your own comments anytime you like. Only tough ground-rule in the HSM Forum: No attacks allowed. No attacks on Sony, on any of the developers, on any of the clubs, fams, or collectives, or personal attacks on any other resident of Home. We are the ‘friendly’ publication, so if you want to fight, take it outside.
Reviews: don’t expect game reviews in HSM to look anything like IGN. Review writers in HSM assume that the readership are hardcore gamers with years of play in their background, who are more interested in the nuances and the ‘feel’ of a game than in a lot of specs. Also, these reviews are personal.
They are written by people who have definite likes and dislikes. Nothing bland or non-committal. If they like a game, they will tell you exactly why. Same with if they don’t like it. No punches pulled for fear of losing advertisers.
And, if there is something controversial about a game, like the same-sex romance possibilities in Dragon Age 2, they don’t dance around the issue and worry about censors.
Furthermore, there are also game reviews of games in-Home and interviews with the gamer super-stars from the leader boards. Have you read our interview with Grimm, the SodiumOne world champion?
If you thought HSM was nothing but ‘soft’ articles about social issues, you are in for a shock when you start to really explore. Those of us who write for HSM, either as staff writers or as free-lance writers, find the freedom of expression to be incredibly refreshing and the immediate feedback (Comments sections) from our highly motivated, intelligent, and articulate readers to be challenging as well as rewarding. So – forget about watching tv, playing games, or going out to a movie: open up all those HSM nooks and crannies and enjoy! And then think about sending NorseGamer and Terra_Cide a sample of your own writing about issues, places, and activities in Home. They’re always on the lookout for new contributors.
And finally: are you aware that there’s presently a writing contest going on? They actually extended the submissions window until July 8th because there are so many guest contributions coming in! So if you’ve ever wanted to win a PSN card *and* be published in one of the most heavily-visited Home fansites in the world, now’s your time!
July 3rd, 2011 by keara22hi | 1 comment
Keara is also known in Home as DarthGranny. She is a wicked little old lady with a wild sense of humor.
This article was a great idea Granny! Hope it gives our readers something to think about and do on the site!