Lockwood, Love and Home
by NorseGamer, HSM Editor-in-Chief, with PR announcement by Megan Egglesden, Lockwood Product Manager
At a recent HomeStation production meeting, the team discussed an interesting question: when are you actually more alive — in the real world, fulfilling duties and obligations, or in virtual reality, where you can express yourself with tremendous creative freedom and ignore all the frailties we live with as a species?
The lines are really starting to blur between the two. We live in a culture where one out of five relationships started online. In our insanely busy lives, and in a society which is increasingly dehumanizing communication, we are ironically pressured to stare at a screen to find love. It’s a remarkable sociological shift.
Yet, paradoxically, expanding the playing field exponentially also increases the odds of finding someone who really is a perfect fit. It doesn’t matter if you secretly love munching on Cheetohs whilst cosplaying as Ted Koppel and performing handstands in order to get a new perspective on The Sound of Music; by God, there’s someone else out there who enjoys exactly the same thing.
This is one of the reasons why I completely understand it when relationships form in Home. No, Home’s not a dating service, and yes, people should be careful online. But there can be no question that there are some amazing love stories in Home, several of which we’ve published. Indeed, I can testify, firsthand, to the magic of finding someone special as a result of Home. And if you’ve never gone on a date with a loved one in Home, it can actually be a lot of fun; when your only real means of connecting with someone is the emotion you can put into your words, it adds a certain poignancy to everything.
Hence why I absolutely applaud what Lockwood is doing with their most recent promotion:
I applaud it because it’s a developer sponsoring a social event, and Lockwood is once again demonstrating that they understand the foundation of Home: its society.
There are those who will suggest that Home should be all about the games — and that Home media should focus solely on gaming and the whizbangery of the game industry.
Bull.
To ignore Home’s social scene is to ignore the very beating heart of Home: its users. Yes, Home is evolving into a platform for gaming experiences, but only because it first spent years establishing a basic social network (which it continues to enhance with periodic core client updates). The games are fantastic window dressing, and it’s exciting to see them evolve and grow more intricate, but what makes Home unique in the world of console gaming is that it is a place where two people can leisurely interact, share ideas, and make emotional connections.
And Lockwood gets this. These periodic ShowOff competitions are proof positive of this, and commodities such as the Gift Machine — whose tokens consistently place in Sony’s monthly top-ten lists for number of items sold — demonstrate that Lockwood has a solid grasp on behavioral economics and how to monetize the social side of Home.
So let’s look at their latest announcement in detail:
Throw caution to the wind and show us what a romantic soul you are in the ShowOff: First Date photo competition! First Place WINS one of two pre-release Iron Fusion content packs. If you really want that ultimate prize, you’ll be pleased to know that all entrants get submitted into a prize draw for another chance to win! Five picnic packs are up for grabs to runners up, along with one Lockwood Team Choice Award.
If you’ve never taken part in Lockwood’s exciting photo competition for PlayStation®Home users, now’s your chance. Each ShowOff competition has a theme, the rest is up to you. Be as creative and artistic as you can in interpreting the theme. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
A shortlist of the best entries will be selected by Lockwood’s design team and the winner will then be selected by a popular vote.
What would you do on your First Date in PlayStation®Home?
A cosy shot of you and a loved one on a romantic night out, a suitably decorated apartment that would be the setting for your perfect date, or choosing the perfect outfit to meet your suitor – there are so many possibilities! Maybe your picture will feature a double date. That’s fine too, but remember, only the user sending the image is eligible to win – other users in group shots will have to enter too if they want to be in with a chance! Multiple entries are allowed.
A casual milkshake shared in Dolly’s Diner, or drifting under the stars on the Figment yacht – entries can be taken in any space, just make sure it’s appropriate to the type of date you want to convey and think about the nitty-gritty things like composition, lighting and style to really give yourself the edge.
How to Enter
Visit http://competitions.lockwoodpublishing.com/ or select the ShowOff banner in the Gift Machine from 7th February 5pm GMT.
Dates
Start – Tuesday 7th February 5pm GMT
Close – Wednesday 15th February 5pm GMT
Public Vote Start – Friday 17th February
Public Vote Close/Announce Winner – Tuesday 21st February
In addition to new items from the store and the Lockwood Gift Machine, HSM also recommends visiting the Lockwood Showcase in Home:
Six new hidden rewards have been added to the Lockwood Publishing Showcase; as usual we haven’t made it easy, you’re going to have to search if you want to find them. Be warned the Heart Wreath reward is only unlocked from Valentine’s Day onwards, that’s the 14th February. An animated reward item is hidden behind closed doors, you’ll have to visit from 22nd February to find that one.
Preview the Unicorn and Pegasus Stitchkins or the latest in Bedroom Furniture from Cucumber, or head to the Runway to take a closer look at some Figment Designer Clothing.
Amazing, isn’t it, to think of how far we’ve come in terms of our ability to communicate with each other. It wasn’t that long ago that we eagerly waited for a handwritten letter from a distant love. Today we can communicate with them, in real time, through the medium of virtual reality. It’s an exciting time to be in love.
Keep an eye on HSM regarding this Lockwood promotion, as we have something special in mind…
February 8th, 2012 by NorseGamer | 1 comment
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 love what Lockwood Publishing has done for the Nation of Avatars and this is another reason why…I can see the “Demon War Horses” chewing on the cucumber beds…Get those pics into Lockwood!!!Don’t procrastinate…Before you know it that day will pass…