A Year After Central Plaza
by Burbie52, HSM team writer
Memory is a funny thing.
We all have childhood memories that have become bigger or brighter in the retelling, or have heard the stories our parents told about their past, usually embellished with a bit of exaggeration. We reminisce about things, and somehow they take on a different perspective. The world gets tinted with rose-colored glasses, and we find ourselves laughing at some of the things we thought weren’t very funny or were embarrassing at the time. It seems that time changes our remembered version of the past, and we see the world in a different light.
Central Plaza was taken out of Home just over a year ago. And it seems that, as the saying goes, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” When Central Plaza was a part of everyday Home life, many people didn’t much care for it. It was the butt of many jokes, at least among my friends. One of them called it “Central Pervia”, for example. Central Plaza had the reputation of a place where you would be accosted if you looked even remotely female. It was where people would torment the “noobs”, and taunt them by standing on the benches and ignore their pleas for the secret of how to do it. It was a place many avoided if they could, preferring the safety of personal spaces and Aurora or Novus Prime to hang out.
But that all seemed to change the day that the refashioning of Home’s core spaces occurred. When the last few days of C.P. approached, many people went there to have goodbye parties and stand on those benches again for the last time. It was like they felt they were losing an old friend, something to be missed and mourned. This was in sharp contrast to the way many of them had thought of the space just a few weeks before. Sony even made a stone ornament like a memorial to commemorate its passing.
I have heard people say that when Central Plaza left, it took with it the “heart and soul” of Home. It was replaced with the sterile-feeling Hub, built to move people along to their next destination. Though we received five new areas to replace the one we had, still people complained, and I think that some even left Home because of the change. I know a few people who had this reaction. They come into Home much less frequently since the plaza disappeared.
My view is different; though Central Plaza was the place that pulled all the core places together in Home, I think the true heart and soul of Home are its people. I missed it for all of a heartbeat, then moved on.
Could Saucer Pop return?
I have spoken to some people who have been in Home a long time about this subject, and the consensus is that what they miss isn’t really the space; they miss the hometown feel it had, and the Saucer Pop game as well. The new Hub is not as cozy as Central Plaza was to them. It was a well-known space they had seen almost every day for years. Even with all of its warts, they still miss it.
Perhaps the Saucer Pop game could make a comeback elsewhere? It would need a large space — and the Hub, Action District or Adventure District are the only ones that fit that bill. Perhaps when they remove the Midway Sweepstakes, they could place it there.
I wonder what would happen if Sony was to bring back the old Central Plaza as a public venue. Yes, we know that Digital Platforms Community Management has stated point-blank that Central Plaza will never be brought back, but it doesn’t hurt to speculate nonetheless. Central Plaza was, in a way, already brought back with the Yeti vs. Hunters gaming space, which is basically a remade plaza with snow all over it.
But what if they just brought it back the way it was? Would the people who have left Home come back? Would Central Plaza turn back into the subject of ridicule it had become before it was deleted? Would the newer Home visitors frequent it?
I am not sure that it would be the same as it was. The new ignore abilities would stop a lot of the more blatant sexual harassment, and there is so much more to do in Home now than there was even a year ago, that I don’t think it would be as popular as it originally was. For many of the new people in Home, the Hub is their plaza, as they have never known anything different. I stop in there from time to time, and I see the same people there either congregating on the dance floor or standing about near the spawning area, chatting.
Remember when you could see your apartment?
The plaza served its purpose and we have moved on, but there is still a lot of sentiment from those I spoke to about bringing it back to Home. Since this is an already-created space, I assume it would be easy for Sony to revamp it, as they did in the Yeti game space. But would it be a good idea to do so?
There are two sides to this argument. On the one hand you have people who would love this to happen, and on the other you have those who are all about moving into the future and not looking back. And Sony may be in the latter group.
I am fairly ambivalent about this subject. I would be happy either way, but I think the decision to bring back Central Plaza would affect many, and mostly for the better. I have heard some say they would buy Central Plaza as a club space, or even a personal space. I think the club idea might work if they can recode the space for that. They could take the music out, and allow people to use the new LOOT radios or Beat Box items to recreate the heyday of Home. With all of its built-in seating, Central Plaza would be easy to decorate, even though it is large. Just add a few of the new picnic tables, and similar objects, and you are done.
Selling copies of Central Plaza might give Sony the incentive to bring it back for for those who loved it. Money always talks. I am not sure whether this would truly bring back the feeling of the real plaza, though, as a part of its innate charm was meeting new people and that wouldn’t be possible in a space you owned.
This is all speculation, of course. It might not even be possible. I am no coder. And like I said earlier, Sony has already stated that C.P. is dead and gone. Whatever the result or sentiment, we as consumers have to accept what has been decided, and the decisions may already have been made all those months ago when we lost Central Plaza in the first place. Going backward is definitely not the direction that Home has taken this past year, so we must embrace the future of Home and leave those rosy-colored glasses in our pockets.
December 29th, 2012 by Burbie52 | 7 comments
Burbie52 is a 62 year-old published author and founder of the Grey Gamers group within Home. Born and raised in Michigan, she has lived there her entire life, with the exception of a twelve-year residency on the Big Island of Hawaii. She enjoys reading and writing, as well as video games, especially RPG's. She has one son in his twenties.
If it were an apartment or even a club, it would be a giant, empty reminder of days gone by. I don’t see it as a fun apartment.
The problem is that if there is no money in it, why do it? It will cost money to turn it into an apartment or a club. For starters, since you can have furniture in both, you have a smaller memory footprint. There are also collision issues that only occur when placing furniture. Why turn this into an apartment instead of making a new apartment?
If I were to bring it back, I would do it like the Playground, a big public space to hang out in just as it was.
I would like to see central plaza return, but with a face lift of sorts and attached to Pier Park. although I imagine, Park or no park those who want to cause trouble will in any public place
I recently purchased the old home square, and the christmas space from 2 yrs back, on my EU account. It’s nice to see them again, but without anyone in them, it makes them seem ghostly or like a reminder of what used to be.
If Central Plaza was to come back, and I say if, it would need to be public or it would not be the same.
Yes, CP had its warts, but I miss it a lot. I don’t expect perfection in places, things or people. It had its trolls but it also had its groups… those who hung out at the bench, those who danced on the stage, and those who lurked in the shadows. There were even saucer pop enthusiasts and I was one of them. I miss the other games we played there too, like the Scion car chase.
No, I don’t expect CP to be brought back, but I prefer an outdoors setting and I wish Sony would open the ceiling, or at least add some trees and pots of flowers to the Hub dance area.
Great article as usual Burbie,
I am one of those who really liked the old Central Plaza, It had lots of places to sit, the new one there are very few places to sit, it’s like they are saying move it along folks!
Those lucky peeps in the EU can get the Central Plaza as a personal space. I really hope it migrates this side of he Atlantic, I would buy it in a second.
It had blue sky and a friendly atmosphere despite the pervs. It led to a nice looking theatre, a bowling alley, and a decent mall that I believe loaded in a somewhat decent time. However, I admit some of my memory may be off.
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As 2 Shoes has just said, the EU recently got the option to purchase their old CP, and as nice as it is to see the old place again the real “soul” of the place was in fact the people. I liked CP though, the little radio bit with voteable tunes, that giant bit in the middle you could do lots with, and just the over all feel of the place. But to buy it just to stand there in it when it’s empty and lonely…
It’s a bit like wishing to see a dying relative in a hospital bed once more; I dont see the point much. Being brought back as a public space however, now that I’d be quite happy to see.