According to your mindset, competition is a bad thing. I say throw away your useless pride in a specific company and just TRY IT BEFORE YOU PUT IT DOWN!

If you're putting it down before it even comes out... then you're an idiot. Either that, or another name that might be too rude.

I've seen the trailer for this and it looks VERY interesting. Kinda like The Sims with a social networking twist. A little like IMVU and Yahoo's short-lived "There", but on a MUCH broader scope. Not cramped up in these tiny little rooms with only a handful of people... no, you're talking about a whole crowd of users, all PSN users. And it CERTAINLY has many twists that The Sims, IMVU, and There don't have.

It is a meshing of several big ideas like the three I just mentioned (IMVU for its 3D interface; There since it steps up from IMVU and actually lets you walk FREELY, not just jump from predesignated spots like IMVU; and The Sims for the ability to furnish your home and customize the people to such an extent). The "home" in the game functions as a private invitation-only chatroom of sorts. And there are many public spots, too. There'll be a Hall of Fame of sorts to display your trophies you've earned in PS3 games. There'll virtual cinemas (maybe not at first release) where you can download trailers and such. You can actually jump straight into a PS3 multiplayer game with people you've met there. You can play movies and showcase pics on virtual screens and play music on virtual stereos.. actually letting those around hear that song, too, and to see those movies and pictures.

Yes, the base of it is a mesh of other software titles... but it certainly isn't a rip-off. And they're not trying to sell Home. Home is free of charge.

I'm personally looking forward to it and Sony's plans for bringing the software to the next step.

And for those MS fans... they've done their share of copying, too. Say what you want, Forza Motorsport was doing nothing more than copying Gran Turismo and a ton of other titles followed suit. I wouldn't be suprised if those biters copied DMC, God of War, and Motorstorm. Yet inevitably, it's competition, and you have no choice but to accept it.

P.S. Discussing it like this seems more like you're just trying to sway others to buy the console you like. Say what you want.. that's pretty much all it is. You just want to say your system is the best. Please... do us all a favor and swallow your pride and give the companies some credit. Even Forza Motorsport I'll give credit to for its attempt to step the game up. Just.. give everyone a chance.

And for the trailer for Home:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=17559&type=wmv&p...

scarslasher

In a way, it's kinda like IMVU... on steroids. If you don't believe me, check out the trailer on gametrailers.com.

And the kicker for this killer app... it's free.

scarslasher

Now, I"m not "impling" anything here, but, Sony has the PS Home, SIXAXIS, and alot of other things in their PS3, running for $600 bucks. Now, if say, oh, I don't know, I was buying a system for some of these things, wouldn't it make more since to pay for maybe the Wii? Since it does have a controller....."similar" to Sony's, and only costs $250....O! and it has Miis, "sorta like" the avatars on PS Home....Or maybe I should buy the 360, which, get this, "also" rewards me for stuff I do in games with things (in this case points) outside of the games themselves, for only $300-$400 bucks. In fact, if I'm really low on cash, I could possibly buy both a (core) 360 and Wii, get all the......err....."familar" features, and come out $50 on top! Not accounting for tax of course. Now THAT sounds like something a consumer should be worried about.

Now don't look too far into that. I was just doing a little math to myself to see if what some people were arguing about was really worth it. I personally think what Sony doing is "perfectly fine". They run their business their way, and we the consumers sometimes judge them and their decisions too harshly. Although, if they're going to expect me to pay $600 bucks (and by the way, the $600 PS3 IS practicly the only one out there) they should have SOMETHING to make up for that $50 I'm losing. That's why I think so many people are arging that Sony does or doesn't copy. I was just trying to give a reason for all this madness.

Tristenkw5

Thank you, though i can't work out if you're being serious or sarcastic!! I'm not used to compliments.

And you're lucky this is a fairly old thread now because otherwise you'd unfortunately end up with an inevitable "gay" comment.

KeyonSumner

I like you, and wish there were more of you.

ca$h

I will frame it for you a different way. I don't call it a ripoff - I fully acknowledge that improving and adapting the ideas of others is a valid way to add value to a product.

However, let's think back a little bit. When Nintendo started revealing things about the Wii, did they ever push Mii's as "the" reason to buy the console. Did they ever have a press conference devoted solely and only to the Mii's? Sure, they were noted and shown off. Same goes for achievements and the 360 - it was part of a concept, not "the" reason to buy. At the GDC this year, this is Sony's "Big" announcement.
So, ask yourself, have any of you been holding off on buyinga PS3, and because of this decided it was the reason torun out and buy one? Did anyone really buy a Wii only because of the Mii's? For all the other reasons that Sony gives for buying the PS3 - games, graphics, BluRay, etc. - which were not good enough for many to go buy it, is this the game changer that makes up their mind to drop 600 dollars, or 1000 Australian, or 425 pounts, etc.?

And if you are a Sony stockholder, does it make you happy that the announcement your gaming division makes to help bail them out of a capital investment nightmare is, while improved, a copy of what was previously accomplished by the 360, the Wii, Animal Crossing, and Mario PArty 6? (Yes, Mario Party 6 - you do well, and you get things for a little room on your save file)

BigHeadDave

And it amazes me the vitriol that can spew forth when we basically all have the same passion.

The friction between factions is something you have to see to believe. Criticise by all means but jeez the vilification that is displayed is astounding.

"Can't we all just get along", Read some literature, do some excercise, drink some beer, smoke some weed, hell, chase some smack for all i care but lets all do whatever we need to do to chill the fuck out and remember that the main reason we are all here is because we share the same interest.

KeyonSumner

That being said, having Home compared to Second Life is scary. Second Life sucks. We get reports of millions of people signing up for Second Life, but hardly anyone seems to actually play (use?) it on a regular basis. I know several people that have tried it, but I've yet to meet anyone that didn't find it really boring. If Sony really is aiming for something similar to Second Life, this could end up flopping.

slacker164

It's an evolutionary development over previous incarnations of presence type services on the game console platforms. There's NOTHING wrong with that.

In fact, this is exactly the sort of stuff competition between the console manufacturers SHOULD bring forward. I think this is gonna be really great, assuming Sony doesn't bungle it.

And before I get accussed of being a Sony shill or a PS3 fanboy...I've got all current gen consoles, plus Nintendo DS, XBox and Sega Dreamcast. I'm platform agnostic.

Pixelantes Anonymous

Nice comeback! I tell ya, when I read the web, I love it when someone posts something insightful and relevant and the other person just totally blows it off. Brilliant! Way to show him.

Luke

Oh, and for the record, I don't even own a Wii. I've got an Xbox 360.

Doomstalk

RocketChump

RocketChump

And if you can't understand that, well...that's your problem.

Karttikeya

YES!!! I like the idea.

Risky+Safety

Furthermore, Nintendo has proven itself to still be very much relevant to the industry. They've pioneered an entirely new business model with the DS and the Wii, and been met with tremendous success. After having already shipped 4 million units worldwide, they're still having shortage issues with the Wii; that's a level of demand which blows every previous console out of the water. And the DS-- people in Japan are still lining up when a new shipment arrives. Nintendo's also invented several unique features that the rest of the industry is scrambling to duplicate. If you need proof, just take a look at the story above. Additionally, they've developed and maintained the strongest stable of properties the industry has ever seen. Yes, they use them a lot. But that's the point of creating a brand or property: using it to sell products.

Nintendo has an extraordinarily strong position in the market. The attention they've gained as of late is entirely deserved, and far from the "retard who graduated high school" effect you've outlined.

Doomstalk

longhornlump

I'm pretty sure IE7 borrowed tabs from Opera and FF and Favorties is a direct rip off of bookmarks from Netscape, but that doesn't matter cause without these features, IE and any other browser would pretty much suck. I could go on about what ideas have been borrowed by MS but I'm not concerned about that cause I like MS products as well.

I just wanted to point out that borrowing ideas is common practice committed by all that benefits that hurts no one and helps those missing out on features.

longhornlump

I don't know how any one, especially consumers, would actually pat them on the back for this idea. They have everything running against them. They have an overpriced system, bad overhyped games, no developers, inferior graphics to 360, inferior online system, and they've basically pissed off half of the hardcore gamers in America through their stupidity.

I'm not alone when I say I would never buy a PS3. I have a few friends who have completely boycotted Sony. What are you going to do to get us to buy your stuff Sony? Maybe you should start working on some of the things I mentioned and worry less about "competition". If you aren't even trying to beat 360 or Wii, you aren't competition. You're just a loser, copying ideas. I'm starting to think PS3 should be thrown into the same junk pile as Virtual Boy.

protozoider

But Sony isn't putting their twist on it? Only when Nintendo does something, it's putting a "twist" on it, but for Sony it's copying??!!??

I never said Sony didn't put a twist on it. My post was about how V1L3's comparison between consoles and games was less apt than the comparison of consoles directly to other consoles and I was answering his question about why people thought Sony was copying.

Frankly, I don't appreciate being called "pathetic" for it. C'mon, man, elevate the discourse.

This is actually a feature I'm anticipating, and frankly I don't mind a little corporate borrowing, anyway. It's how good ideas stick.

doubtful

"...and then kissED and made up."

hero imprisoned

Like any good company they borrowed ideas from the competition to improve their products. Vista and it's 3D tabbing is also a crippled version of OS X and Expose.

MS's success is predicated on their ability to improve upon the ideas of others, I don't fault them for that but just wanted to show to a few other that they shouldn't bash Sony for something everyone else does.

longhornlump

"OMGROFL sony is totally copying nintendo, hurr"

Who cares, seriously. I hope sony calls their avatars "Me's," just because it will piss you whiners off.

Nothing's original anymore, it all borrows from what exist and tries to improve. Plain and simple.

And the PShome logo is a d-button with a door on it.

s2sxiii

"The main component of the company's new push is a service called Home. Accessed through the PlayStation3 console, Home allows users to build identities known in the online world as avatars. Users can move through the 3D online Home world to interact with other users. As in "Second Life," users can also purchase items such as apartments, clothing and decorations."

3D world like Second life!

"In a demonstration to media outlets on Tuesday night, Harrison also unveiled a new title, "LittleBigPlanet," which allows users to create their own games using materials found in the virtual world."

LittleBigPlanet!

keyrat

Minister of Fun

By the way, Apple TV is a handicap Windows Media Center Extender. But nobody critisizes Apple over that...because they are the "underdog".

Give me a break. You could at least rely on fair judgement and facts. Than stereotypes of the industry.

Karttikeya

Nintendo's done loads since the N64: There's been the... er no. Or the... No that's been done before. How about the... Hmm. I'll get back to you.

KeyonSumner

KeyonSumner

As any business major would tell you, being first to market does not guarantee you anything, just that you will spend money on R&D while your competitors, IF they are capable enough, will use your "research" to better their own products. Notice the emphasis on IF. The Second Mover still needs to create a product that is "better" than the First Mover or the Second Mover will lose. Better can mean anything from better user experience to cheaper prices. The Second Mover still needs to have a solid plan in order to exploit their advantage.

Tepoz

MS has borrowed ideas from Apple forever and dominanted the web browser market by borrowing from Netscape early on and now Firefox and Opera. That and they bundled it with their OS.

Is everyone here going to stop using Windows cause it a ripoff of Mac OS? I don't think so. Just like most people won't care that Sony is stealing ideas to save itself.

longhornlump

But Sony isn't putting their twist on it? Only when Nintendo does something, it's putting a "twist" on it, but for Sony it's copying??!!??

Pathetic.

Lachoy

Jovah45

I don't think it'd bother anyone so much if they'd just be honest and say that they knew their competitors were on the right track or something, but usually they just claim they invented it despite being years late to the table.

Ninegauger

LMFAO!!!!

Couldn't agree more! Oh and I changed one word for you, hope you don't mind :)

Lachoy

Also: It's cute the way you guys will turn anything into a console war.

iwanttobeasleep

Maybe, just maybe if you had compared it to animal crossing you would have gotten away with it.

How in any way is home going to be like those two games? Totally different situation why don't you get back to not playing your PS3 now.

WantedCreative

Haggis

StuartY

sylvaing1

sweetie55

TOCATL

Check the vid. They seem pretty happy:

http://www.threespeech.com/

kenshin001

How is it a rip-off of the Wii at all, is what I'm trying to figure out.

Yes, you have an avatar... Just like in Second Life, Phantasy Star Universe, or practically any other online game where you create your own character.

You're comparing apples to oranges. Almost all games have an avatar with varying degrees of customization. Even with no customizing, someone or something is representing you in the game world.

Only one console, until now, allowed you to create a representative avatar: the Wii. So when a second console allows you to do the same, people are apt to make comparisons.

Nintendo certainly didn't invent avatars, but they did put their twist on it. That twist is what people are accusing Sony of ripping off.

doubtful

Ixero

y2julio

Last time I checked, Nintendo wasn't the innovator since the N64, they are now just an outlet for mainstream rehashed ideas. I'm not going to even list off every "innovation" Nintendo has made in the past 6 years and list of their predecessor ideas (*cough*Sega Pocket Brain Trainer*cough*).

Karttikeya

Ask all the people who STILL play Word of Warcraft and Second Life. I'm sure they all quit after an hour.

V1L3

Congrats on getting your name in the big papers.

inajeep

That totally won't get boring in an hour i'm sure of it.

WantedCreative

How is it a rip-off of the Wii at all, is what I'm trying to figure out.

Yes, you have an avatar... Just like in Second Life, Phantasy Star Universe, or practically any other online game where you create your own character.

If anything, this sounds like a mix between Xbox Live achievements, "Your Room" in Phantasy Star Universe and Second Life.

If Nintendo has to be mentioned, I'd say it has more in common with Animal Crossing (making your own clothes, wallpaper, etc).

V1L3

Adam In Texas

Can't ever please

Kyle81

Fuzz

Amen. Much like Apple

DeadPlasmaCell

MR. FAP☆FAP!

BlindsidesDork

Leave it to sony to do nothing original, and then claim they did something great.

ThatGuyOverThere

t0yrobo

Squints

G1GAHURTZ

Lider

Unrelenting JOY!

Daithi O'Coinnigh

*crosses fingers* Please don't be lame please don't be lame.

ca$h