Measuring Home
by ted2112 HSM team writer
The other weekend, I was staying at a hotel that reminded me a lot of the Harbor studio, except it didn’t have that cool skylight in the middle, and it over looked a parking lot instead of an expansive harbor.
Ok, come to think about it, it was nothing like the Harbor studio, except maybe its layout and dimensions.
This got me thinking, however: with all the countless hours spent in the original Home personal space, I have never given much thought to how big it really was.
The Home Harbor Studio
My hotel space was 396 square feet — bigger than most hotel spaces, because it was in the middle of nowhere, off-season and I got upgraded to a suite. Even with this, hotel rooms are tiny efficient layouts; not exactly places you want to hang out all day in. The Harbor Studio, on the other hand, seemed huge and inviting by contrast, and it’s a space I always considered small before.
So, what I set out to do is give some real world measurements to our favorite Home spaces. For those reading this outside the U.S., I apologize; I used Imperial measurements. What I did was use my avatar’s height and stride as my basic measuring tool. The average height for a U.S. male is 5 feet 10 inches, with a stride of 2 feet 6 inches. Using this, I measured length and width, and calculated square feet. My results were very surprising.
Harbor Studio
The Florida version
This swanky little free space is much bigger than you think it is. The inside portion is about 35 feet by 65 feet, with a square footage of 2,275. When you add the outside patio space, it grows to an impressive 2,560 square feet; not too shabby for free space. The Harbor studio always reminded me of this condo development I know in Fort Pierce, Florida. So I checked out the real estate there, and I’m pleased to tell you we all saved a virtual three hundred thousand by getting the space for free. Thanks Sony!
Loot Space Station
This one was difficult to measure, because it’s a three level circle with a jelly fish tank, but based on my calculations with a bit taken off for the longer stride – due to an artificial gravity environment – I came up with staggering 20,000 square feet. Compared with the International Space Station, this is a bargain at a few bucks versus $150 billion and only 353 square feet. If you don’t like jumpsuits and eating out of a baggie, it’s a no-brainer.
Chamber Apartment
A tree in a house
This cozy tree huggin’ space comes in at about 4,500 human square feet. I calculated the little fairy square footage at 750,000 square feet. I compared this to Disney’s Tree House Villas in Disney World. The Disneyfication version of the Chamber apartment comes in at 1,074 square feet, and unlike the Chamber Apartment you can only rent the room at $870 a night — and Tinker Bell is not included.
The Mall
You don’t have to look very hard at the Mall to tell it’s tiny. I’ve got to be honest with you here: when I was trying to measure my local mall, I kept bumping into people, and I don’t trust my results. Also, somebody put the video game store next to Victoria Secret; I kept losing count and gave up. I can tell you the internet puts the average mall size at 56,212 square feet. I think the Mall in the Hub is much smaller than that.
I have often wondered how the developers make a space, and thanks to the Blueprint:Home personal space from nDreams, I think I have some insight. I think they simply create. If it looks good, it looks good. I don’t think they set out to make a room a scaled-down dimensional space that reflects real life. I mean, why bother? Virtual space is far more fun than boring old real life. We want that something extra, we want that pizzazz; it’s why we play video games, we don’t want a character study on a room.
A house in a tree
The real-world recession hasn’t affected the price of virtual real estate; it has remained steady, and in fact gone up. Also, we have gotten more bang for our buck with real estate getting bigger and bigger. Look at the Journey space. It’s so big and takes you a while to walk from one end to the other, with lots of things to check out in the process. It’s a great way to stretch your virtual legs. Also, Avalon Keep has pushed the limit on how big you can make a personal space. I didn’t bother measuring that; I wouldn’t know where to start.
I know the size of things is an empty number when you consider the many other factors involved in making a space great. More money doesn’t always mean more quality, and bigger isn’t always better. The virtual space at its heart is simply a tool that can help us set ourselves free to transform from one place to another, and while it’s possible to put a square-footage number on it, at the same time it’s impossible to measure its ability to make out imaginations soar.
September 2nd, 2012 by ted2112 | 7 comments
ted2112 is a writer and a Bass player that has been both inspired and takes to heart Kurt Vonnegut words...."we are here on planet Earth to fart around, and don't let anyone tell you different."
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I love your quirky look at things Ted. I wonder how much the Silicon would be, or the new Lockwood Dream Island or Dream Yacht. Home gives us the ability to not only meet people we would have never had the chance to meet but also to experience a lifestyle most of us will never have.
We can go on virtual vacations we could never take and own homes we can decorate in ways we never will. You are right it is all up to us and our imaginations.
Great read as always.
LOL Nice Ted, i never really thought about it, even when it struck me that some things seem out of proportion. The Harbor Studio for example, is surprisingly big. Even though it looks small. Love the comment about the mall, lol i suspect with the game store and Victoria secret next to each other, the rest of the mall could disappear and very few guys would notice!
I don’t know what to say as I’m at a loss for words… and numbers.
Maybe some dev will start selling a yardstick and other carpenter tools, levels and the like.
Very interesting. (Now I now what Arte Shaw meant.)
I meant Arte Johnson of the Laugh In TV series. But cus I didn’t know what I meant before maybe I don’t know what I mean know.
Anyway here’s Arte Johnson of Laugh In. Laugh In? Or was that the Guess Who? nm I am I was.
Size is a funny thing, on first view of a property I’m usually impressed with large places that would allow for imaginative things to happen, but when you start to fill them in, it becomes painfully obvious how small some of the items really are in relation. Being from the UK, I know our housing in RL is much smaller than most places common in the US. Seems houses are like spiders; the warmer the climate, the bigger they get!
I’d like them to make (just for a laugh) a standard Scottish council-house! Couple of plastic harbor chairs, a toilet and a TV an’ you’d be set! lol
This was very informitive and funny. I love the chamber apartment those flying pixies have a lot of square footage!
Love this article. I always thought of the Harbor Studio as small and I am surprised how big it actually is according to your measurements! I dont own the Waterfall Terrace but I think that space is really big and also the new Dream Island seems huge and neverending. As for the Mall, u r right its small! Would love it much bigger and with more shops! LOL