by Phoenix, HSM team writer

An abandoned subway, a prairie ranch house, an almost fairytale abode, a futuristic home in the skies, a palace and a chained thrall.

What do these four very different personal spaces have in common? These creations of high whimsy, fresh frontier beauty, stylized edgy visions of what could be and the dark and dangerous rhythmic city subway all belong to the Lockwood universe. Lockwood Publishing, a Home developer and digital media creator sustains not one, not two, but four distinct environmental universes in Home content. Lockwood recently celebrated more than twenty-thousand “likes” on their Facebook social media page; this is an astonishing achievement for a Home developer. So let’s look at what they did that got them there.

SodiumOne, the world in which the Sodium Salt Shooter game exists, was released in December 2009 to Sony PlayStation Home in both SCEA and SCEE Home. Sodium is a massive multiplayer online game which held mass appeal and has not lost that appeal over the years.   This appeal was made even stronger in Home when Lockwood published Sodium2: Project Velocity. Because of the beta nature of Home itself it is a boon to the Sodium franchise that they can continue to change and add ever new content, events, rewards and the like, changing as Home itself does. This ability to change and become something more advanced, but much the same seems to fit with the Lockwood theme or mode of operation.

They have since introduced the Dream Universe, the Jewel Universe and the Prairie Collection — Riders of the Prairie being the newest of the latter collection. In this western universe Lockwood published a public space where Home’s residents could ride beautiful tamed horses of the prairie. This was the first time Home users could move about Home in an equestrian mode of transportation; where walking in a space was formerly the only way to move, now there was riding of a fashion.  These equine creations and their public space were a total success, so much so that now Lockwood has released a personal space pack full of horses for the riding enjoyment of the owners. This space was debuted with a clubhouse skin of a western saloon, both a welcomed addition to the estates tab on the Home navigator.

Updates to the Jewel Universe were made just about a month ago, and yet Home residents were waiting with bated breath for the release of the highly anticipated Whimsy Hollow; this came fast on the heels of the Prairie release. Following the Whimsy Hollow release by a week comes the Sodium Blimp personal space.  These last two additions to the Lockwood universe have been more hits for the developer, received with applause.

Their newest release is an urban gritty piece of real estate in an abandoned subway. The Drop Science personal space, touted as the perfect urban hangout for you and some like-minded souls.

So how is it that this is possible when just weeks after the Jewel release there was grumbling and discontent over Lockwood’s releases? Complaints of freezing, glitching and other icy comments for the developer were heard throughout Home. Here at HSM, Lockwood acknowledged these complaints, in a comment to the author. So why after this would consumers be so excited about more content from this developer?

In my opinion it goes to the fact that Lockwood has constantly provided interesting and intriguing content. Their stylized content is strong in details and atmosphere. Their personal and public spaces offer more than the rewards that are customary in them. When you purchase a Lockwood space you can expect to have to explore the whole of your space, in search of these items. You can expect to spend at the very least a week in your new space acquiring these rewards. Discovery is a given, each space is packed with character, style, detailed design and now whimsy.

There is also the fact that Lockwood will for the most part make efforts to address the problems reported to them in their content. Some of these issues see fast and efficient resolutions, while it may take some time for others. They listen to suggestions and ideas from the fans in Home and their fans are loyal to perhaps a fault.  I believe too that Lockwood enjoys the challenge of exciting the consumers in the Home community; they show this in the diversity in their series, from the Sodium Universe to the possible Whimsy Universe.

Let’s face it: none of the unique spaces introduced by Lockwood has been a stand-alone addition to the Home world. There are clothing lines and furniture for each universe. From the dry salt beds to the dusty prairie, we all know Lockwood does franchise series well. No matter the issues with unintentional glitching, freezing or just not functioning at all, Lockwood content captures the audience attention either through design or rewards. Because of these facts Lockwood content is excitedly looked forward to. Their fan following is large in Home and growing with every new addition to their universes. There is something for everyone in the Lockwood universe.

I look forward to where this first entry in their high-fantasy experiment will take us, as I’m certain those in Home that pick up the Drop Science apartment will look forward to this newest Lockwood space and the possibilities in the ever expanding Lockwood Universe.

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