I Want My MP3
by FEMAELSTROM, HSM team writer
As I hummed this phrase to Dire Straits’ “Money For Nothing,” it started to haunt me. I often think about how the things that I like in the real world could be moved to Home, and one thing that is sorely missing is an MP3 player. Having said this, I could stop the article here; I’m perfectly well aware of the legal limitations which have prevented something like this from happening in Home. But allow me to open this topic up a little wider, and offer some speculation on what it would look like if the blizzard of legalese was somehow dismissed.
What are we, living in that little town in Footloose? Do we really need Kevin Bacon to free us?
One of these would be real nice in Home, don’t ya’ think?
The first thing we have to do is examine the technology. And we see that the PS3 system can handle MP3 files, as well as other music player formats. That’s not the problem — we can already load our music on the HDD and play it thru the XMB with a visualiser.
There is another important element here. There are already games that let us access music on the HDD music and use it in a game. I can personnaly vouch for Gran Turismo 5, Tekken 6, Soul Calibur 5, Wipeout HD and Little Big Planet 1 and 2. There are in-game options that allow us to access music on the HDD and play it through the game, thus enhancing the experience. And that is what we want to do here on Home — enhance our experience, through music.
Let’s look at what we have currently. There are several music players available for us to buy. For the most part, this is a great idea. We can buy a music player and place it where we want, and enjoy music in any private space. It provides a personal space soundtrack, and lets the Homebodies that use it dance. The downside: each radio plays a limited set of songs, and those songs are restricted to a specific radio. If you buy the radio associated with the Playground public space, that is the music you will get. I own the Novus Prime radio, and that is all it can play: the Novus Prime soundtrack. What would be ideal is a player that lets us play what we want, by any artist, through an open and working MP3 player.
The EOD by LOOT marked a fine advance in allowing us to select music channels, but there are a couple of drawbacks. For now, it has been hardwired into the LOOT-based private spaces, so it can’t be used in clubs or other personal spaces until it goes portable. The second drawback is that, since the EOD carries only specific radio stations, the user can’t program the EOD with their own playlists.
Ok, this is a little large, but maybe it plays Neil Sedaka.
Another advantage to an MP3 player would be that people who host parties in a private estate or clubhouse could provide music more easily. Currently, it is a real hassle to host a party with music. One person has to serve as host and disc jockey. As easy as this sounds on paper, I have heard from different people that it is a daunting task to say the least, and the sound is iffy. I once heard someone pipe the music off their laptop through the headset. It was a noble effort, but it was a lot of trouble for the hostess. After a short time, she only offered to play special requests. Some party organizers have even created accounts on music-streaming websites; these broadcast a higher quality of sound, but require the guests to tune into the streaming channel using their own computers. An in-Home MP3 player would let the community personalize their estates, clubhouses and party experiences with music aimed directly at like-minded individuals.
The developers could really express themselves designing an MP3 player. Imagine them being able to make MP3 players in diverse design styles that would really “wow” the buying audience. MP3 players could be made to look like radios, robots, jukeboxes, sci fi elements, even rocks (something which has even been done in real life). The possibilities are literally endless, and a well-designed player would certainly bring in the cash. The first runner-up and other follow-ups would also be able to prosper, as the design variation would match the diversity of Home itself.
“What, we’re ALL lawyers, cool!”
One last thought. I know that there are a ton of legal questions to be examined, which are currently deemed insurmountable. Intellectual-property complications are as prevalent these days as locusts in Biblical times. In corporate terms, I can certainly see the need to follow and respect legal issues and limitations, but they put the snake’s bite on our desires. Legal issues being what they are, I hope they don’t forever keep us from enjoying the real pleasures of an in-Home MP3 player.
I firmly believe that this could be a real cash cow for the first developer to hit the market with a good player, and I believe that the Home audience will really respond. This is something many of us want for our private estates, so we can share our own music with the people with whom we choose to spend our time.
Sorry Kevin Bacon, maybe we don’t need you after all. But keep on dancing.
July 28th, 2012 by FEMAELSTROM | 13 comments
FEMAELSTROM came to Home in June 2011 and never wanted to leave, even at weekly maintenance when he usually gets booted. The sand box environment appeals to the explorer in him and often is out and about as he ‘geeks’ out dressed like some sort of sci-fi character, while he people watches in popular public spaces. An artist and writer, FEMAELSTROM loves making friends and meeting people. He loves sci-fi and decorating Home estates and loves to respond “here” when people ask “where are you from?” in public places.
I would pay at least 50$ for something that allow me to play music from my HDD
I’ve never understood the difference between having someone over to my house while iTunes is playing on my computer, and having friends over to my virtual house, while in Home, while MP3s are playing on my PS3 hard drive streaming through my virtual house. I see no difference. It friends, in my house, listening to music I own.
I’m not a lawyer (and I don’t play one on the Internet), but I would think that the legal issues for a personal-space MP3 player would be similar to those of the picture frames. If you are playing music for your 11 closest friends, it’s not that different than inviting them over to your real-world home for a party. You have not become a radio station.
I Agree with Seal on that one. I understand we cant broadcast music we bought for private use. But my private places on home are… well private! If I have to buy some a 2nd time, on a “home mp3 player” so be it. But give me choice. I want classic, blues, progressive rock, folks…
Sadly, the new portable LOOT EOD system clearly states at the open house it will not include music.. which really sucks! It is currently our only option to relieve our poor ears from the canned crap at the public spaces. Frankly I would prefer not to have to wear my ps3 headset in one ear with my mp3 player glued to the other.
I thought microsoft patented in game music in 2006. Somthing called, ‘method and apparatus for playing custom soundtracks’ patent. And, the work around loophole the reason some ps3 games have in custom soundtracks feature is because devs of those games pay microsoft a royalty. The game developers have to put that feature in the game themselves.Since Sony is the developer of pshome custom soundtracks for home cant be done unless Sony pays microsoft. Which might not work for Sony to well paying the compatiton in all.
Now, that’s an angle I had never run into before. I had assumed the issue was paying royalties to the music publishers. If it’s a matter of patented technology, and Microsoft holds the patent, it’s a whole different kettle ‘o fish. Thank you!
Back to the music-publisher angle, though. I don’t know whether the cases would be comparable, but my employer pays a blanket annual royalty to ASCAP so they can use any music covered by them without having to pay individual performers. (Saves tons of research time.) Now, I don’t really see Sony paying big bucks so we the users can stream music, but perhaps the cost could be shifted to the consumer, through the sale or rental of MP3 player technology. If some of that sale or rental price found its way over to Microsoft, so be it.
Now I assumed also, that the reason for paying music publishers. Was if your planning to make money off of the music, which is why its copyright protected. So djs and radio stations cant just make a profit of copyright protected work. I have not heard of any pshome djs making any money off dj’ing in home. Just like in our real lives were not charging are friends to come over and listen to tunes. pshome djs aren’t either so we are not violating this part of copyright laws. Well I don’t think so.
Music would be a real boon that is for sure, but I have to say that though it can be a bit of a hassle, a good DJ can make music in Home if they know what they are doing. The hardest part is timing the release on the R2 button, but once you learn how to do that it becomes second nature really. If they could somehow make it so we don’t have to use R2 off and on to provide a constant stream of sound either voice or music and the problems would be solved.
I don’t know why we have to do this in Home to talk when we can play any music,talk or anything else we like when we are in a chat room or playing online without it.
Good read Strom.
burbie just imagine if the R2 button went away and it was like other online games . there would be so many ppl talking over each other. You would hear all the noise in multip pplz houses. i think sony saw this and made the r2 button so we dont have to hear a bunch of ppl in a club are group channel talking all at once. even if they were all not speaking theres still the possibility of alot of background noise to deal with. alot of ppl can go in group and club channel so i think sony put the r2 feature to help use communicate better when we are in large numbers
I equate all these reasons and their legal trappings to a rattlesnake: we hear the rattle, but it’s the other end that bites us. All these things being what they are remain out of our hands, and thats the part that bites us, whatever the wranglings are, we are with out a good and working player. My view is this: the powers that be should hack through the sticky details and just get us to a place where we have one. I know that’s a VERY simplistic view, but leave me alone…it’s too early to get too deep. LOL, love you all.
Yes I’m tardy to the party on this one, but Great Article! I have had the same thought since coming to Home.I would plunk down some funds on this one. Hope someones listening!
You know Phoenix, it’s never too late, and yes I do too hope that somebody is listening to the fact that I too would pay a nice price for a good player.