Land of the Lost
by Estim20, HSM team writer
There’s something about that which we lost that sparks curiosity within people. Anything we cannot readily find, if they can be found at all, intrigues us immensely. It conjures up all manners of emotions, such as curiosity, greed, lust, anger and even fear. Why is it we are attracted to the lost?
Perhaps it’s the journey of discovery, meeting new people along the way and experiencing new situations. The lost item we seek is thus a MacGuffin to our adventurous plight, a means to setting the right scenarios in motion to fulfilling our lives. As the end nears, we long for the journey to continue and regret that everything ceases but we feel we are enriched by the pursuit, even if the object we seek doesn’t actually provide anything afterward.
Maybe it’s the lure of riches and fame that uncovering ancient treasures incur. Whether the lost artifact is pirate treasure, Amelia Earhart’s plane or the shipwrecks of the ancient Mediterranean, the consequence is the same. Mayhap it is the desire to learn more about what causes a space to disappear. Truth be told, the general aren’t necessarily privy to the inner workings of contractual agreements – plenty of us, especially Norse, can provide insight into how businesses are run but there’s plenty left behind the curtain, in that small little are occupied by a bearded man in green clothing. As a side note: red or silver slippers, they’re magical.
Regardless of the reasons that encourage us to pursue the ‘lost,’ at the end of the day these items are, in fact, lost. Home is not immune to this dire symptom and we’re missing a few spaces as a result. This article shall look at some of the public spaces lost during the march of progress, highlighting the diversity and explanations behind such losses. Consider this a memorial to Home’s past and a tribute to Home’s future in its own, unique way.
Types of Lost Spaces
Before I begin describing these spaces, let’s define our terms. Spaces that are considered lost will fall into two categories. Category 1 includes those spaces permanently removed from Home itself, inaccessible by any and all means. These are common when a company cannot afford a contract, whether due to abrupt or expected changes in finances, and when a company experiences a falling out. Chances are good that the community notices, though that’s no guarantee and even if they do notice, they may not always lament the loss of such a space at great lengths.
Category 2 includes those spaces that are technically still available, but rendered inaccessible through the original means. This means, to the average user, that you may be able to access said spaces if you added them to your Favorites list (or if you know someone currently in said space and apply the “Go to” function liberally). Category 2 spaces can easily slip into Category 1 if/when Sony decides to remove them permanently.
As such, the most critical distinction between the two categories is whether the data still exists on Sony’s side. Obviously without the data available, it’s moot to discuss whether or not you can teleport to a Category 1 space, let alone do anything. However, Category 2 lends a unique circumstance as some spaces, as we’ll see below, contain interactive elements, ranging from quizzes to games (and a few do offer free items upon completion).
Central Plaza & Its Game Event Spaces
In case anyone views this as an unintended time capsule (e.g. anyone who buys a console in 2012), here’s the basic synopsis: Central Plaza once shared the function with the Mall, Bowling Alley and Gamer’s Lounge as the Core Spaces. Sony owned and operated these spaces as the premiere Home spaces not catered to any specific third party’s wares. After you landed in Harbor Studio upon your first visit, you most likely landed here.
It provided the much-lauded – and criticized – social anchor for a nascent program before being torn down for the newer, younger Hub. Once upon a time, as everything around Home evolved and offered so much more, Central stood as the beacon’s light shining from Home’s soul, reminding us where we actually were. Given its (no longer) enduring nature, it provided ample opportunities to celebrate anything, whether it’s a new year, the passing of the seasons or advertising at its finest.
Two examples spring to mind and they belong undeniably in the advertising genre of makeovers. Anyone with a weak heart against such matters, please turn away now.
Let’s start with Dead Island’s conquer of the faithful Plaza. Dead Island is a first-person zombie title, a sub-genre of sorts in the action camp that is currently experiencing an undead Renaissance. It is set in the fictional island of Banoi and you control one of three survivors. You begin the game awake in a hotel, hungover from a party at the tropical getaway, and find out that things could’ve turned out a lot worse for the lads in The Hangover.
When violence wasn’t your thing, Sony offered a Zombie Survival Quiz, detailing various methods of ensuring your life in a world run by brain eaters. Perform well and the outcome looks promising; choose poorly and you’re brain food. Either way, you get a t-shirt commemorating your success at completing the quiz and walk out styling (and not dead).With every intent on game promotion, Sony redecorated Central Plaza so that it’s assailed by a new threat that doesn’t fit the usual Home personality rubric: zombies. Central gets the tropical make-over and users are permitted to play a zombie-themed mini game, wherein you face ambling corpses with a variety of skull-remodeling weaponry. Complete various challenges within the game and you may unlock the exploding bait, useful in-game when you must watch the undead erupt in a blaze of glory.
Another Central Plaza event is an earlier game-centric outing, one for Killzone 3. Fans of the series don’t need much introduction and it is a high-profile release, but for those of you like me who aren’t into the series, a little primer is in order. Killzone began its lifespan on the PlayStation 2 in 2004 and set up the conflict between the Helghast Empire and Interplanetary Strategic Alliance. Each game is an FPS and sends the player-controlled protagonists against the Helghast and deal them a hefty blow.
In order to promote its (then unreleased) third PS3 outing, Sony remodeled Central to look like a bombed, chaotic cityscape in the midst of a heated battle. Like the Dead Island space that followed it, the Killzone Plaza provided users with a mini-game, this time firing upon Helghast opponents, ranging from infantry to ships as they bombard the surface (and you) incessantly. Achieve victory and you may earn points to spend on new weapons and abilities in the game itself. Plus while you were there, you had the option of preordering within Home and receiving a limited-time offer avatar costume: a Helghast soldier in a hover pack.
Central Plaza’s myriad event spaces were all tied by one factor: they were available for a brief period of time. They’re removed once they served their purpose, such as (in the case of Dead Island and Killzone) when a game is finally released and thus unavailable for preorder. As such, these spaces contained no sense of long-term perseverance and inevitably disappear. What’s more surprising is that they sometimes remain on the server and retain its access, if through only two possible methods: the Favorites List or the “Go to” function.
Toyota Prius Solar Scramble
Not all event spaces are tied to Central Plaza. Occasionally third-party companies and Sony team up to create a new space, using Central as only a means to gain access. Case in point: LittleBigPlanet’s Prius space. Toyota teamed up with Media Molecule in 2011 to promote a contest wherein users could win a new television should they create a Prius-themed level. With the in-game contest came a Home space that continued the focus on the Prius-LBP combination.
When you entered the space, you stood in a green carpet environment aside a road. Approach and you may drive in a mini-game using, what else, a Toyota Prius. The game revolved around driving the Prius (looking decidedly non-felt), collecting items inspired by the eco-friendly mindset of the vehicle. Finish the challenges and you won limited-time Sackboy items, such as a smiling Sackboy face cap.
The justification for this space’s removal is no different from the basic reasoning behind the Central Plaza events; neither type of event was intended to stay for long. I recall this space proving fairly popular for what it meant to accomplish – and the game does still function, which is the most surprising thing beyond it still being available.
Minis Space
Do you remember the minis? These are cheap games with a small file size, perhaps most similar to the applications you may find in cell phone app stores. They are simple, bite-sized and can be played on either the PS3 or PSP (and soon PSP Vita undoubtedly). Obviously with any selection there will be stinkers, but sometimes you do find hidden gems and reliable favorites (Monopoly comes to mind).
If you aren’t familiar with the minis line and/or don’t regularly browse it, no worries, Sony is – or used to be – on the case. Last year the company opened the doors to the minis event space, chronicling and heralding all the various minis games it offered for the frugal gamer. It is known as “The Observatory” and now currently sits in the second category.
It lives up to the name “The Observatory” in an oblique manner, perhaps serving the ‘observe’ pun more than anything else. If I had to describe it, imagine Atrus from Myst finding a massive, bright orange craggy canyon during a Sony-sponsored expedition and takes the opportunity to construct the company an open, glass-lined building to display games. Your mental image may not be far removed from the actual space.
While there, you could learn about minis and even purchase them from conveniently-placed kiosks. When you didn’t desire to empty your wallet on PSN swag, enjoy the in-space mini game (pun possibly intended) to earn a free reward. When that didn’t tickle your fancy, you can relax in the atmosphere of the space, which proved rather delightful and a welcome change of pace from Central’s usual crowd.
All signs point to this space being an ‘event space,’ which includes such examples as any of the gamescom and E3 spaces. This suggests that Sony never intended to host the minis event space permanently, instead focusing on the games line for a small window of time to garner them attention from the users. Did it succeed? Without numbers, I can’t tell you whether it made a dent in sales. As a space, though, it’s incredibly well-designed and draws clear attention to the minis. As mentioned, this space is a Category 2 so anyone can still technically visit but as always, don’t anticipate it will remain available forever – just look at our next example.
Singstar VIP Room
Ah, Singstar; what have they done with you?
Singstar is, predictably enough, a series dedicated to vocal musical talents. Similar to the Guitar Hero and Rock Band series, you are given a selection of songs with the pertinent tracks removed so that you may sing along. It’s basically karaoke with trophy support, music videos and an entire Home space dedicated to its existence. The game’s peripheral of choice is the microphone, which has served it since the PS2 days (while undergoing important upgrades when transported to the PS3).
The Home space doesn’t support any interactive singing mini-games, although you can still sing through group chat should the muse inspire you. Rather, it mimics real-life clubs by offering a suitable dance floor and popular songs Singstar offers in its own games (when it isn’t playing its own, unique song). It isn’t quite the suitable replacement for the Central jukebox, as all songs are but brief snippets while their respective music videos play on a huge monitor, but it does provide the general audience a chance to Rick Roll someone Home-style.
For those who desired a VIP experience, Singstar once offered a VIP lounge akin to Guitar Hero’s backroom (if more club-oriented). All they required was you head to any of the doors adjacent to the screen and enjoy. To my knowledge, however, this space is currently unavailable and rests as a Category 1. It used to be available as Category 2, before witnessing a revival to advertise Christmas and, later, Stereophonics. After that point it met its demise and remains off the grid, no more than a memory for those who enjoyed dancing. It may resurface as an events space though its last appearance (for NA anyway) was last year, during said Stereophonics event.
The events featured in the VIP Lounge were no different that events held in any other space when it came time to evaluate their continued existence. They never intended on advertising bands for long, which extended to the items sold featuring relevant material. Likewise, Christmas lasts only so long and even the most energetic celebrator will likely avoid letting it overstay its welcome
As for the lounge itself, I believe it’s still available in the UK but in the US. The UK Mall even updated the Singstar section fairly recently, back in September. My guess, thus, is that Singstar simply isn’t selling as well here in the States as it is overseas, encouraging the company to offer more for foreign users. If this is true, then anyone hoping to visit the lounge again should voice their opinion more often in the forums.
IREM
It’s only fitting I make a mention of dear Irem, before this article is over.
Irem began its existence as IPM, or International Playing Machine, in 1974 as a purveyor of arcade cabinets. Its first cabinets sold in 1978, changing its name to IREM (International Rental Electronics Machines initially, then changed to mean Innovations in Recreational Electonic Media in the 1980s) the following year. It’s perhaps best known for its R-Type line in the United States, though they also released Spelunker and Disaster Report to the gaming masses.
Irem also entered Home as a developer, advertising its various games and offering unique, Home exclusive clothing options ranging from game-specific lines to everyday wear (including bikinis). Over its existence on Home, it produced nine spaces, porting three over to the United States and all becoming popular destinations in their own right.
However, September 1st, 2011 met the end of seven of the nine spaces they produced, which included the three spaces US enjoyed. The natural disasters that hit Japan earlier this year took its toll on society, forcing Irem to trim some of its expenditures and ending the Disaster Report line for now. As a result, only two spaces still exist on Home and the US will be without them; at least until (or if) Irem regains its footing and re-releases them.
There really isn’t much I need to extol upon. Granzella’s South Island Hideaway is the current permutation of the idea pioneered by Seaside of Memories, right down to diving beneath the ocean for hidden treasures. Think of it as Seaside’s spiritual successor – with jet skis. IREM Square gave users the opportunity to celebrate Bon Odori year-round, without the spirits of the dead walking about us, and just about every direction you looked gave away free items (and returning for the next few days gave away different items). The Gathering Spot for Cave Explorers brought Spelunkers into Home, hinting at a reward system similar to IREM Square (if decked in spelunking motifs), but ultimately proving unfruitful for US Home.
IREM proved its worth as an investor when it provided highly-lauded events, including the April Fool’s Day event, a tradition that isn’t limited to their Home spaces. It transformed each of their then-current spaces into a JRPG, allowing users to change their avatars into fantasy creatures and party like it’s adventure time. Unfortunately, NA Home didn’t enjoy these events, though that didn’t stop people from region hopping and enjoying them.
As mentioned, each of the seven spaces taken down left Home due to financial woes, among other consequences, following the wake of natural disasters. IREM may return its investments to Home, though no one can provide any guarantees. Still, anyone who purchased items from the IREM store may still use their items and reminisce with the recently-opened Granzella spaces.
In Conclusion
Home archaeology is a fascinating field if anyone ever decided to pursue it, and any selection of lost spaces would justify it. Any reasonable cross-section of ‘lost worlds’ would reveal the incredible diversity inherent in Home’s past, reaffirm Home’s continued development and give us time to pause and reflect on where Home will lead us. It couldn’t be timelier, either, what with the Hub fast approaching.
As I contemplate what kinds of comments this will receive, let me mention: I realize I abstained from mentioning certain spaces in this list. Uncharted 2, where are you (among other examples)? Well, this wasn’t done without due process. As such, there are two reasons (beyond lack of capacity to take photos for Category 1 spaces, such as Nepalese Village). I thought about writing another article as a follow-up, detailing the most popular spaces no longer with us. This should prove fascinating if we get a decent representation of the general audience and it’ll give us time to see how everyone truly feels on these spaces. This way, we can give the most well-renown ones more focus.
Either case, the list of lost spaces will likely fluctuate as time goes by. Central has already joined, as well as most of the Core Spaces (as we know them at least). Will other spaces become archaeological treasures in the future? Undoubtedly. What will they be? Only time (and business) will tell. Where will Home be when that time comes? We shall see, fellow archaeologists. We shall see.
November 13th, 2011 by Estim20 | 10 comments
Very nice job Estim! This subject turned out to be a good one for you, I look forward to your next article with anticipation. You truly have a knack for words.
Thanks, Burbie!
There are definitely more spaces to choose from, including dearest Central Plaza. It’ll be fun reminiscing about that one in particular. lol
IF Home ever develops a Mueseum it would be a good place to give these places that time forgot a new home so that newer ppl to Home could see what long term users are talking about when they claim any lost space was “the best space ever”.It also might alleviate any bitterness some ppl seem to develop when their cherished hidey-hole gets taken away.Trips down memory lane are always fun and I hope you write more of these articles so that newer ppl to Home can see what they missed.Btw I had no idea that you could still visit places(sometimes) once removed from the general public if you had them favored,thanks for the tip.
I truly miss the SingStar VIP lounge. It was a blessedly troll-free environment, and even though the regular music wasn’t as good as the main SingStar lounge, it had an amazing view. Plus, it hosted a Stereophonics event, and they’re simply one of the most awesome bands ever.
There’s this story about a bartender and a thief . . .
The Singstar VIP Lounge shall duly be missed. Anything with a Stereophonics events can’t be bad. lol
The diving items from IREM dun work with Granzella sadly; have to get a new one.
The Move Event space is still around, you can still get the free Move Controller costumes by playing the mini game and buy the Sparkly Move Controller costume at the store inside it. They have not reused that Event Space for anything new, so it’s still standing by.
Also the Theaters that were just eliminated are still around, at least Theater 10 is on the server, as I was just in it last night-I had accidentally saved it-now I’m glad I did!
I think the trick is to save ones you smell a demise for, then hope for a bell ringer. The two I have on my list for potential demise is the ModRacer Game Space (which is actually the Backstage Area to the Move Event Space, so I think will be kept/reused,) and Guitar Hero, especially the VIP area, as the game series is no longer in production.
From my understanding, the Event Space used for Move, and the Backstage Space (if you favorite it you can see that actual name) used for the ModNation Racers game, are permanent spaces on the Sony servers reused for different events. So if you save them, I’m guessing you will always get a little of the “lost spaces” thing going on with them. Just a little tip!
Thanks for the tip!
Yeah, the Move space is another space I could have included. lol It isn’t uncommon for event spaces to disappear, even if they will be reused (take the example of the Singstar VIP Lounge once upon a time). Ultimately it’s up to Sony, of course, and any relevant third parties to dictate whether or not these spaces see the light of day again, and isn’t impossible for them to agree to it. E3 and gamescom are two examples where they revive spaces, if specifically for annual events (as long as both events occur in real life, they may continue the tradition on Home).
Should I ever create a sequel to this article, Move will definitely be mentioned.
I would like to point out that the minis Space has not gone. It is still accesible in the EU-region; and by this I mean its still on the navigator.
Its usually as empty as the PlayStation®Plus Private Members Club… so its a good place to hide.
Thanks for the info!
I probably should’ve added a caveat in the intro mentioning that these are all based on NA Home, which can differ from other regions. NA Home’s minis space isn’t available on the Navigator but can still be accessed if you faved it or use Go To. As such, for those using the United State’s Home, it is a Category 2 Lost Space. Nice to know it isn’t one at all for Europe, however.