Off the Grid: With Burbie and Ted, Part 2
by Burbie52 & ted2112 HSM team writers
You know that expression: party like a rock star? What does that mean exactly? Loud music, swanky VIP backstage area, a cool lounge, concert t-shirts and electric guitars that are free for the taking and most importantly- it’s very exclusive. Yes, not just anybody can gain access into this magical place, you can’t buy tickets, and you can’t flash a backstage pass – because it’s off the grid.
Once again we set our sights on those off the map secret locations hidden away in Home, and the stop this time is the VIP Lounge.
The Guitar Hero VIP Lounge is one of the rare spaces taken off the grid that still works totally. If you are lucky enough to get an invite by someone who has the space saved into their favorites you can hang like a rock star and walk away with some pretty cool swag as well. The space itself looks like a large backstage area of a stadium rock band. There is a giant Jumbotron playing Van Halen clips flanked by a circular lounge/bar type of setting nestled in a compact urban setting under a cool twilight sky setting. This gives it the feel of a place that could be assembled and disassembled by a team of roadies, ,just waiting to take it apart and on to the next city.
Our favorite part of this very cool space is the secluded cave-like lounge in the back right corner of the space. Anyone can gain entry, and when you have a seat in the intimate lounge, you will be rewarded with an electric guitar ornament like the true rock hero you become upon entering this space.
This space was originally attached to the Guitar Hero public space that held a game in which you played guitar in front of the people who were there. Earning a certain amount of points garnered you access to this VIP area. It was always a very busy space, and it was hard to get a chance to play at times on the stage. This ended as more attractions came into Home and people moved on. The VIP was also accessible if you had a friend who had it and could follow them, the only way it is reachable today. Eventually, the space was almost totally forgotten and it was removed quietly from the navigator. But the VIP is still there for some reason and even more inexplicable is the fact it still rewards those who find their way to it.
Guitar Hero is a bit of a sad story. At its peak, it was the first video game to ever past the one billion dollar mark in sales. Unfortunately just a few years later, sales sputtered, and ultimately, the entire franchise collapsed then was cancelled in 2011. What we see in the VIP Lounge is the game as it was at its peak. Pompous, loud, in-your-face rock-and-roll, and that’s what makes the space so cool. The Guitar Hero games were making a fortune, and when they commissioned this space, they spared no expense.
Now we find a desolate space designed to hold a lot of people sitting mostly empty. However, the funny thing about the VIP Lounge is that it’s a great place to meet people. If you hang there long enough someone always seems to stop by, and unlike other crowded, totally open to the public spaces, your fellow companions at the VIP Lounge have something in common with you, and I have always found it easy to strike up a conversation and chat a while with people.
One of the things that attracts us to these semi-secret locations is the exclusiveness of them. We love things off the beaten path, rare items, and being in the know. Add this to the fact we are competitive gamers always on the lookout for that hard-to-find item that developers leave for us to find, and the reward of seeing these things that few get to ever see. These off the grid spaces beckon and invite us in with a whisper, not a shortcut from the start menu.
The VIP Lounge is a great find, not only for these reasons, but it’s simply a wonderfully designed space, with an open and exciting environment, even empty. Its active rewards that will make sure you don’t leave empty handed and stopping by is like going back in time to the height of the Guitar Hero craze. So find a friend that has it tucked away in their favorites and ask for a VIP invite.
You used to have to register an Email and password to get in there, shame down stairs isnt still available.
I was downstaris just a little while back, within the month anyway as I recall. There was even the rope area to go upstairs but it didn’t work although I didn’t try to access it vis email.
Both are saved by me in Favorites. When Home comes back online I’ll have to try the lower area again.
I was lucky enough to get an invite to this space. I saved it in my favorites but have never had a chance to go back. The space was really cool and it was fun to hang out there with friends. Its too bad its gone. I did get my reward so i am happy about that. I cant wait to read about more of these hidden spaces. Also cant wait to go back to this space!
For those of you that want to go to the Guitar Hero Areas.. Id be happy to take you there. Feel free to add me via ps3 my NA account is “Jukebox_Hero666″
I have others also, below is my list…
Removed Places (Un-accessible from Navigator)
-- Guitar Hero VIP and stage sections
-- PSP Minis space
-- GAME Moon Base
-- Presentation Podium
-- Toyota Prius / Little Big Planet Space
-- Backstage Pass
-- Maos Lab
Overflow or less busy existing spaces (Numbered (#) Un-accessible from Navigator)
-- Hubs (3), (4) & (8)
-- Home Grown Lab (8)
-- Midway (10)
-- Bowling Alley (5)
-- Playground (3)
-- Double six (Doesn’t have a number but still is only accessible from favorites list)