Comments on: SCEA Top Ten PlayStation Home Items (By Units Sold) For April, With Consumer Trend Analysis

By: Kid Fleetfoot

Kid Fleetfoot — Wed, 02 May 2012 01:14:06 +0000

I agree with most of what you said about Pirate’s Cove except that I don’t think gold chests should give out free coins. The coinage money is a money maker because of those who are willing to buy the extra fire power and that’s not me (so far).

However, collecting chests and giving out awards of some sort sound like a good plan to me. Too oft I see pirates not even trying for the chests and going sinking other ships routine. That’s fine but gold while not the name of the game should be the goal.

As to fire power, sometimes it works out disastrously for the poor recipient although I must say that I held my own one early morning with the crew I was with with a certain crazed Norwegian with extra fire power. However, the following night I did naught but sink and swim… or so it seemed. It was fun however.

I wish there were an option to rename and/or buy a boat. Something like that could possibly make the game more personalized. Dunno if it would work cus one might have to find friends for a crew. It’s a thought that perhaps ought to be forgot.

I wish some of those pilots would stop saying, “FIRE!” when there’s nothing to fire at it.

And change the Mutiny option off the X key. Please?

By: NorseGamer

NorseGamer — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:41:12 +0000

Social games usually have a fairly sharp power-law distribution to their consumer bases, and I suspect Home is no exception to this. The opinions on the forum represent one particular subset of power users, but (despite attitudes of entitlement to the contrary) it is by no means always representative of the majority.

The Sony forum can at times be a good source of insight underneath all the chest-thumping, but it’s only *one* source — and if we look back at these top-ten sales lists from month to month, it’s interesting to see a growing disconnect between what those users are saying and what the charts are saying.

This doesn’t mean that my own opinions are necessarily any more accurate; I just know my place, and don’t presume to demand that Sony or other developers build everything to suit my specific whims, just because I’ve spent X-amount of money on various services and commodities. The level of petulance on that forum is frankly getting ridiculous.

With regard to Cutthroats, though, I completely agree that some sort of intro-priced commodity would be a very good idea. The cost-to-value ratio for that game’s temporary power-ups is really poor, and it doesn’t surprise me that the game didn’t chart in its debut month.

By: NorseGamer

NorseGamer — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:31:46 +0000

That’s a really good idea, actually. With so much new stuff arriving in Home every week, and half of the top-ten list is basically a lock as you say, the real intrigue is probably in the top twenty slots, not just the top ten. I think I’ll suggest this.

By: The Masked Developer

The Masked Developer — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:51:05 +0000

I’m surprised to see the 1-week X7 pass up there, considering all the raging on the forums. It seems that forum posters might not really reflect the opinions of the majority of the spenders. As for Cutthroats; I need to see a $1.00 value pack for the in-game currency, just to have a taste. I might just be a big miser, though.

By: Burbie52

Burbie52 — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:37:59 +0000

I too am not surprised by the lack of a personal space in the top ten. We are reaching the saturation point, at least in my pocketbook. I won’t be buying anything like that until it has something really unique or outstanding in it. I agree that clothing is getting there too, unless they find a way to increase what we can keep in our wardrobes and deep six stuff we don’t want. Perhaps a deep storage can be added where stuff we never use can be put to never again see the light of day. I don’t care how many people were foolish enough to buy a weeks pass to X7. I think once the newness wears thin it will drop to the wayside quickly for many of the users in Home.
Can’t wait for the summer release of the portable EOD. I will get one of those asap, but it will be interesting to see how they will be implementing its being used in other spaces.

By: musclemutt

musclemutt — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:05:45 +0000

Two things:
One I’d gladly pay a nominal fee to permanently delete some of the clothing items [for instance, did I really need all 6 colors of the Move costume]. I’m tired of scrolling past them in Storage and think of how much bandwidth you’d recover keeping crap out of the mix. If it can’t be deleted for some reason, how about a black hole for storage without retrieval except for paying a nominal fee.
Two It takes me awhile to commit to an area or game, but once I’m in it’s everyday and I got to buy all the extras with it. Seems that instead of working hard to attract new customers, refreshing old attractions occasionally would be smart too, since you’ve already hooked the customers for those. And to go a step further, how about occasionally adding additional virtual items to established personal spaces? The fight club set was very good looking but hardly exhaustive, and these last couple of sets for the big box houses barely qualify as suites. No law says the original developer has to be the one doing the add-ons either. Also, sell some of the discontinued files, like the fountain in the Central Plaza for the space pop game or the Gadgetron HQ of Ratchet and Clank. Some of this stuff is so richly imaginative and well-executed.

By: deuce_for2

deuce_for2 — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:05:43 +0000

They should start sending out a Top 20 since 5 of the Top 10 are locks at this point.

By: deuce_for2

deuce_for2 — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:03:23 +0000

That was my thinking. Putting it in the apartment budget as opposed to the furniture budget would be at the least much more stable, and more likely, even possible. If they pull it off, I will be impressed.

By: The Masked Developer

The Masked Developer — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:23:08 +0000

I suspect that a portable EOD would be very difficult to pull off. It is most likely a very heavy system, and apartments that already have a lot going on (games, etc) could clash.

By: Estim20

Estim20 — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:57:40 +0000

Just a few points on the list to comment on.

1. Cutthroats not breaching the Top Ten is disappointing; it’s pirate, darn it! Although now I’m thinking Yetis versus Hunters and wondering: is that game a harbinger of doom for the model, given its lack of attention?

2 3 and 4. These are the least surprising entries on the list. Alleging they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future is the easiest claim to make and for good reason.

8. So Great Edo wasn’t completely overlooked? Not that I’m surprised but as mentioned, it competed with the controversy that was x7. It’s nice to see the Nameless Sword reach the top ten in light of that.

9. Not surprised to see x7 reach the top ten, but I am as dismayed by that 7-day pass nestled in there as you are. For a quick peek, it’s fine, but if you actually plan on returning frequently, I’d sooner say buy the Infinity Pool and get it over with.

10. We’re finally here. No personal space in the top ten. We’re practically drowning in them as it is, so it must be something outstanding to get in here. Or, you know, more people buy Mansion spaces to get into x7 permanently.

By: Terra_Cide

Terra_Cide — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:52:27 +0000

I still think it would be roaringly good fun to turn x7 into a leather bar once a week. Poking fun at what the user base deems is cool and hip? Let’s up the ante then.

By: BONZO

BONZO — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:26:44 +0000

I am honestly surprised to see a 7 day pass to x7 in there. I suppose it makes sense though, rather than buy the estates or a plus subscription buy the limited single transaction to pacify curiosity and see if it’s worth it. I suspect it may not be there next month though. x7 bundles really need to improve the first week was worth it if you didn’t own the active items but second and third left a lot to be desired. I am glad to see granzella up there, I know price point is sometimes a deterrent but a single upgrade like the sword can really change the Edo game from frustrating to really enjoyable.