A Day at the Mall
by FEMAELSTROM, HSM team writer
I love the wish lists. They give us a freedom to hope for what is not, and there is always a small part of us that knows that it could be. In reality, most (if not all) of our Home-based desires are just a programming session away from reality. As I wander through this vast and limitless wonderland of our beloved Home, I see many things that I think would be really great add-ons. Some are honestly far-fetched, while some I do believe are doable. This is one that I think would be really fun, and I will leave the coding to the experts at Sony.
The other day I got a PSN card, and I sat and thought about what I wanted to buy. The thoughts roamed free like happy cows on a big, green, field. All the developers came to mind in a whirlwind, and I did spend a good chunk of it (at the risk of sounding boastful, it was a $50 card. I was happy and treated myself to it. I know that this sends me down another path of my spending habits, but let’s put that on the back burner for now). I was with my lady friend, and I wanted her opinion of items. I would go into the stores and see my preview, and believe me that is very helpful for the stores that offer it, hint to those that do not, get this feature, it helps the buyers.
This could be made more interactive on our little slice of Home.
I know that from personal experience that one of the best bonding things one can do is to shop with friends or loved ones. There is such a dynamic that goes into the whole process. The friend or loved one takes you into a store, and you sit and enjoy it. Though there are probably 1,000 jokes about men sitting and waiting, and even more complaints, the simple fact is this: when your shopping companion goes into a real world store and tries clothes on and asks your opinion, that is asking a lot. To a degree, they are leaving some veto power to you as well as trying to please you. If my lady friend tries on a top, and were to ask me my opinion, she is saying that she wants my input and is trying to wear something to make me see her as more pleasing. The person trying the clothes wants a fair and good opinion to make a good choice with what is their real money. Then there are times that a person simply wants to straight-out know if an item looks good or not.
My idea is this: Wouldn’t it be great to make a way that, with friends, you could share the shopping experience, like people do when they go to a real world mall? Imagine being able to walk into the Threads store and try on a piece of clothing and asking a friend what they thought of your selection. Yes, the logic still remains that in the end the account holder has the final say, but this is one of those things that could actually make people have a lot of fun interacting with one another. I think that people would have fun meeting in the mall and walking into a store by way of a cyberlink that allows them to shop together.
I also have the idea that it would be great to be able to ‘house hunt’ with a friend. This idea goes back to the thought I have always had that we the users should be able to tour any house before we choose to buy it. Some of the houses here in Home are starting to raise in price, and this is not something that bothers me, but I would like to tour the estate before buying it. I have the feeling that if I were given a chance to tour an estate and perhaps with a friend, that would be a great social element to add in.
Come on guys, you know this should be you.
I see Home as a place where we want to emulate the real world to a great degree. We want to hang out, talk to our friends, dress how we like, but there are factors that we do love here and want, that should work themselves in. The real interactive things. The things that we would do in real life if we were closer to those we call friends. We are given the ability to hang out in various cantinas and bars, and Granzella just gave us a burger joint that we can role play in, to act as though we are, well, working, serving our friends in a burger joint. Hellfire’s Home Tycoon allows us the ability to play a ‘builder’ game and invite our friends over and let them roam freely, thus furthering the interactive experience. In Home we are given the gift machine as a real and open gesture of our wanting to interact with those around us.
This may sound like a minor and pointless endeavor to some, but my view is, like sharing a meal or a dance, there are some things that people like to do together. Shopping is one of those rare items as well. I am all for anything that extends the social landscape here on this wonderful land we call Home, and if there’s ever an election, I want to be president of Home, so I could make the social projects a number-one priority. Make it so that all the people of Home, the Homebodies ( as I call them) can have these avenues to further explore the realm of the social life here on what has become a social environment more than a gaming one in many ways.
Well, this is simply my wish. It may sound a little strange to implement, but there was a time people wanted to watch movies together, dance together, listen to radio, and send gifts to one another. All these things have become reality, and are common to us now. Wouldn’t it be great to have another avenue to share with our Homebody friends? I think so.
Now we need a food court!
December 15th, 2012 by FEMAELSTROM | 4 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.
A pleasant read as always Strom. And some very heartwarming ideas that would make perfect additions to Homes internal workings. Home at it’s core is a social activity, and these little extensions would only enhance the experience. I thinks it’s a great idea, to be able to enter a shop cubicle with friends and try on whatever the shop has to offer… pose… dance… etc, but then upon leaving the shop cubicle and walking out onto the Malls main floor… you are back to wearing what you went in with.
A food court sounds great also, and I’d be totally up for it. Although I’d hate to be met with an alert like ‘Your Avatar hasn’t eaten in 11 days and is too weak to Orb Run, why not head over to the Home Food Court for a tasty meal….’ Tamagotchi anyone?
Thanks for a really good article Strom.
This would be a very fun idea for Home. I would love to be able to show people what I am thinking about buying. Oh well, maybe someday it will be possible. Nice read as always Strom.
Very good article Strom. And your right, like in a real mall situation, some would love the option of trying on clothes and getting a friend’s opinion about it. And if you run for president of Home, you got my vote.
Cool Bobsfed, that and me, we got 2.