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Marvel vs. Capcom 2
| Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes | |
|---|---|
 Flyer for Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. | |
| Developer(s) | Arcade, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox Capcom [1] Playstation 3, Xbox 360 Backbone Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom Production Studio 1 [2] |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 - PlayStation Network, Xbox, Xbox 360 - Xbox Live Arcade |
| Release date(s) | Arcade 2000 Dreamcast JP March 30, 2000[3] NA June 29, 2000 EU July 16, 2000[4] PlayStation 2 JP September 19, 2002 NA November 19, 2002 EU November 29, 2002[3] Xbox JP September 19, 2002 NA March 30, 2003[5] EU November 29, 2002 Xbox 360 NA June 29, 2009 PlayStation 3 NA June 29, 2009 |
| Genre(s) | Fighting[6] |
| Mode(s) | Up to 2 players simultaneously[6] |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: T[7] OFLC: M15+[7] USK: 12+[7] VET/SFB: 11[7] |
| Media | GD-ROM (Dreamcast) CD (PS2) DVD(Xbox) |
| Input methods | 8-way joystick, 6 buttons[6] |
| Cabinet | Upright |
| Arcade system | NAOMI [8] |
| Display | Raster (Horizontal)[6] |
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (a.k.a. Marvel vs. Capcom 2or MvC2) is the fourth and final game in the Marvel vs. Capcom series of fighting games. With the final installment of the series, Capcom simplified the engine so that it would be more accessible to casual players, in order to bring in new players. Changes were made to the air combo system and the button configuration was trimmed down to 4 main buttons and 2 assist buttons. The game also features 3 on 3 tag, compared to the 2 on 2 tag from previous games in the series. It is the only game in the series to use the NAOMI system, which is used mostly for 3D games. It is mainly seen in this game in the backgrounds and system effects, as well as Abyss' sphere. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was later ported to the Dreamcast, Xbox, and PlayStation 2. On April 27th, 2009, Capcom announced that a port of the Dreamcast version of the game would be released for Xbox Live Arcade as well as the PlayStation Network on June 29, 2009.
This is the first and only Marvel vs. Capcom game without character-specific endings, as one will get the same end regardless of the characters one uses or how quickly one defeats the final opponent.
Story
When the Earth and everything on it begins to die, Ruby Heart traces the source to an evil being known as Abyss, the Armor of Erosion. She summons the greatest heroes to her airship to find the being. Ultimately, its source of power is revealed to be a mysterious black metal ball within its center.
The ending suggests that the sphere may be worthless now given the massive crack in it; Ruby holds it in her hand and regards it briefly before throwing it over her back into the water, letting it sink to the bottom. It is not stated if Abyss could return or not. The heroes rejoice as they sail off into the distance.
Gameplay
Players select three fighters from the roster of Marvel and Capcom characters and fight one-on-one until one of the teams have no remaining players. Each character has at least one super combo and the entire team shares a single super meter. The characters can draw on this (at a minimum cost of one super meter level) to perform their super combos or other special super moves.
Control is similar to the previous Vs. games, which itself derives from the Street Fighter games, except that the screen is now wider. The major difference is that instead of three punch/kick attack strength, there are only two (like the SNK-style format), with the last two buttons being replaced by assist buttons. Most often, a weak attack can chain two different hits. The second is a medium attack which was featured in the previous games.
The player can also call in an off-screen character to do a selected special move by pressing the corresponding assist button. Each character has three assist types which cause them to execute different special moves (or in some cases, a regular move); this is chosen before the match. The player can call an assist at any time, except during a super jump or when executing special or super moves, and the assist character is vulnerable to attack or even knock out. The characters also receive double damage than normal when attacked during an assist, but will be able to recover all the health lost for as long as they remain unplayed.
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 introduces the ability to force an opponent's teammate into the fight with a move commonly called a "snapback", which requires one super meter to execute. The character will flash for a moment and do a normal attack which will knock the opponent out of the playing field if it's not blocked. If successful, the current character will be knocked out of play and the next available partner will enter the fight on their behalf. If the move connects with both the active and an assist character, it introduces the possibility of the assist character being knocked out without the opponent being able to defend him/her.
The arcade version features an "experience" system which unlocks hidden characters after a certain number of experience points are earned. This system was removed in the console versions in favor of the "Secret Factor" menu, where the player can buy hidden characters, backgrounds, and artworks using points (earned through normal playing). In the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 version, all characters are unlocked from the start.[12]
The upcoming Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 version is based on the Dreamcast code base and will feature Online Multiplayer, using the online system from Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix, as well as widescreen support. They will also feature an optional graphics filter, using 2x or 3x biliniar filtering for smoother or crisper graphics. These versions also allow custom soundtracks, for those not keen on the game's jazz-like soundtrack.
Characters
The game adds all characters from previous games in the Vs. series, with the exception of Norimaro (a character exclusive to the Japanese version of Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter) and characters who were palette swaps of existing characters such as U.S. Agent and Lilith-Mode Morrigan. Some, like Doctor Doom, have added moves, while bosses like Thanos are toned down for competitive purposes. Ryu plays akin to his counterpart from X-Men vs. Street Fighter and Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, instead of the "Complete Change" Ryu seen in the original Marvel vs. Capcom, since Ken and Akuma are once again part of the selectable roster (although they are hidden characters that must be unlocked).
In addition, many new characters were added: Marvel's side now includes Cable, Wolverine with a regular bone skeleton, and Marrow, while Capcom's adds Felicia, Anakaris, and Baby Bonnie Hood from Vampire Savior, Guile from Street Fighter Alpha 3, and 2D fighting game debuts of Hayato (Star Gladiator), Jill Valentine (Resident Evil), Tron Bonne, and Servbot (Mega Man Legends).
Also, several new characters were added to the Capcom side (Ruby Heart, SonSon — actually the granddaughter of the SonSon from a previous Capcom game — and Amingo), as well as a completely new boss (Abyss). There is a total of 56 characters to choose from.
[edit] Ruby Heart
Ruby Heart (ルビィハート) is the lead character of the game. She is a French pirate who owns the flying ship that is responsible for carrying the Marvel and Capcom heroes into battle.
Amingo
The only solid information on Amingo is that he is on a search for a wind that is sweeping across his land and destroying any plant life that it happens to come into contact with. His appearance is that of a round, cactus-like humanoid with a sombrero. He can reshape his entire body into several forms for some of his attacks using a plant theme, and plant smaller, child like versions of himself. He is one of the few characters in the game also to feature a healing assist.
SonSon
SonSon (ソンソン) is a little monkey girl who is the granddaughter of a character who is also named SonSon, who starred in the 1984 Capcom arcade game SonSon. In the game, she tries to find out why her village was struck by an unknown illness. Sonson and her grandfather are both based on Sun Wukong, the main character of the Chinese novel Journey to the West. Several of her attacks are derived from that series, such as the size-changing bo staff, Wukong's ability to replicate himself using the hairs of his body, or Sonson trying to cook her opponent in the Shinka Hakke Jin and turn them into sake.
Abyss
Abyss was responsible for a mysterious wind that spread across the world, killing plant life in its wake. This phenomenon prompted numerous heroes and villains to band together and investigate. He's something akin to entropy incarnate, a fabled monstrosity that would bring the world back to primordial times, killing all life in the process.
Abyss' true form is apparently that of a large glowing sphere that hovers around in the background. Abyss changes into three different forms when fighting and fortunately for the player, all of these forms are incapable of blocking.
In the first stage of the battle, the metal sphere surrounds itself with a giant suit of armor which is slow moving with powerful attacks. The fight takes place in a large temple like structure, presumably underground.
After this form is defeated, the armor melts into the floor and the temple crumbles, leaving the fighters standing in a green pool of slime. The abyss sphere floats in the background as the second form reveals itself: a small green humanoid capable of creating paralyzing bubbles, shooting fire and energy beams, and sinking into the floor to avoid attacks.
After this form is destroyed, the green slime turns orange and a large demonic beast forms around the Abyss sphere. This third form attacks with powerful energy attacks and sheer brute strength. If this form is defeated, the sphere apparently loses its power and the cave and island the monster inhabits begins to sink.
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 has only one ending, which all the characters share. In it, the various fighters celebrate their victory over Abyss on the ship of the pirate, Ruby Heart. Although this varies on which version the player is playing on; the artwork depicts characters that are available from the start, which is different in the arcade version than the console version. At the start of this sequence, Ruby is seen holding Abyss's cracked sphere, which she drops into the ocean, and it sinks into the depths.
Comet Crash
| Comet Crash | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Pelfast |
| Publisher(s) | Pelfast |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation Network |
| Release date(s) | NA April 2, 2009 |
| Genre(s) | Tower defense |
| Mode(s) | Cooperative, versus Players: 1-4 |
Comet crash is a tower defense video game released for the PlayStation Network on April 2, 2009 published by Pelfast.
The premise of the game is you are trying to take back a comet that has been overrun by the enemy. Your purpose is to defend yourself from the computer AI's attacks while building up your own arsenal to lead an attack against the AI. You build Turret, Laser, Bomber, or Pulsar structures to defend against attacking enemy units and you build Basic Ops structures to generate the four basic types of attack units (Scouts, Tanks, Drones and Torpedoes) that once they are produced in the individual Basic Ops structures are teleported to your home base. Building Special Ops structures are used to generate four types of special units; Hammer, Switch, Thief and Carrier.
Paying for structures and upgrades are done with Thorium. Thorium is a mineral that is released from meteoroids that randomly travel across the playing field. Lasers, Bombers, and Turrets are the only structures that will shoot, destroy and release the Thorium from the meteoroids. It's a good idea to build a Laser structure near your base early on.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer options include both Co-op and Versus, however, online play is not available as of now.
Co-Op
There can be up to three players playing cooperatively to defeat the computer.
Versus
You can have four players playing against each other in a king of the hill fashion.
The Good
- Superb balance between offense and defense
- Constructing a maze to slow down and destroy your foes is a blast
- Great pacing
- Chaotic competitive mode and engaging co-op.
The Bad
- Sterile visuals are occasionally detrimental to gameplay
- No online multiplayer.
Comet Crash is a drastic departure from typical tower-defense games. Although you must still defend your base against an unrelenting onslaught of enemy attackers, you are not just a helpless commander trying desperately to hold off opposing forces. Rather, the power of destruction is in your hands as well. To achieve victory, you must not only craft an intricate defensive strategy, but also devise an offensive plan to take down your merciless opponent. This carefully woven dynamic between offensive might and defensive prowess creates a diabolical energy that keeps you constantly strategizing and maneuvering. Throw in gleefully chaotic competitive multiplayer and frantically engaging cooperative action, and you've got something special. Comet Crash soars above other tower-defense games and earns a prestigous spot on the strategy game skyline.
Laying waste to your unnamed assailants is always exciting, but before you even think about how you're going to bring the pain to them, you're going to need to plan out your defensive strategy. The beginning moments of each of the game's 28 campaign missions pit you against initially daunting odds. Your opponent has been handed an array of defensive structures and offensive forces, so you must quickly build up your own defenses or else you'll find yourself decimated within the first few minutes. Comet Crash ignores typical tower-defense conventions in which your enemy releases scripted waves of attackers followed by moments of respite during which you can refine your strategy. There is no such luxury here. You can be attacked at any time, so you must constantly shore up your defenses to ensure that you are equipped to handle anything that comes your way. This unpredictability will keep you on your toes.
The strategy of setting down defensive structures goes beyond merely placing lasers to attack airborne foes or pulsars to electrocute those poorly shielded scouts. Enemy attackers will always follow the shortest path from their base to yours, and you can herd them into circuitous routes by constructing an elaborate network between the two bases. You are allowed to build walls of turrets wherever you like, as long as you don't completely block off the path between bases, which allows you to constantly pepper your enemy as they push forward. Dishing out optimal punishment makes meticulously crafting the most elaborate route possible an addictive endeavor. The levels quickly ramp up in difficulty, so you must master the art of maze creation to have any chance of holding off your relentless foes long enough to build up your own offensive troops. You can also set up nodes that you can pass through but your opponent cannot, letting you circumvent your devious constructions and take a shortcut to your enemy's headquarters.
Once you have your defensive towers all laid out, it's time to shift your focus to destroying your enemy. Two of the eight structures that you can build in Comet Crash are devoted to churning out troops to vanquish the evil threat opposing you. The basic ops structures are where your offensive units are created. These vehicles are not equipped with guns that will let them shoot down turrets or enemies in their path. Rather, they are kamikaze riders, steamrolling directly into your enemy's base if they can successfully wind their way through the dangerous defenses. Basic ops can build four different units. The scout is fast but weak, the tank is more durable but slower, drones fly over obstacles and head straight for the enemy base, and torpedoes are extremely fast but have trouble navigating tight paths. You can have up to 1,000 troops at one time, and once you are ready to strike, you tap the right stick to highlight your desired troop and unleash the hounds.
You also have access to a special ops structure that can build more-interesting troops. Hammers intermittently stun enemies, further exposing them to your defensive barrages; thieves convert bad guys to your side, instantly sending them back at their makers; switches can short-circuit pulsars, clearing the way for your advancing troops; and carriers can shuttle your land vehicles clear across the sky, bypassing terrain obstacles and enemy defenses. Mixing these specialized allies with your regular troops can make your attacks unpredictable and much more dangerous. Your enemy has these tools as well, so you will have to be adaptive and quick-witted to clear levels. You will constantly have to evolve and refine your strategy to ensure that you can dispose of every threat.
With the constant string of decisions you’ll need to make, Comet Crash moves at a blistering pace. There is always a new defensive structure needed, a way to make your elaborate maze even longer, or a different offensive unit to counter your enemy's evolving defensive operation. The action is intense and satisfying, constantly pushing your brain and thumbs to make sure everything moves at peak efficiency. In addition to deciding which structure needs to be built, you will need to collect currency to fund your warfare. Meteors drift through the map, and you need to drag them to your lasers and turrets in order to destroy them and gather the little yellow coins they release. There is a constant tug of war for your resources, which forces you to decide if you want to upgrade your defensive structures or put a little more cash into your offensive reserves. The frantic pace is immensely satisfying and ensures that there is never a dull moment.
As if the single-player mode didn't offer enough excitement, there is an offline-only multiplayer mode that is even more intense than the campaign. This mode is built on pure chaos. Four players can fight it out for galactic supremacy, and you can lay down your defensive structures anywhere on the map. The twelve maps have plenty of open spaces, and because you can choose where to place your bases and defensive structures, the battles are different every time. The lack of concrete rules makes it impossible to anticipate your opponents' actions, giving way to ridiculous battles in which truces are quickly made and then broken, and gleeful yells are as prevalent as aggravated outbursts. The sheer madness that ensues can be difficult to comprehend at times, but the initial anarchy gives way to a more measured, strategic phase. These battles can feature formidable escalation as both players shore up their defenses, scramble for resources, and maneuver their forces for the killing blow. The addition of a three-player co-op mode lets you bring friends along to help you fight the dastardly AI foes. You play through the same levels as the single-player campaign, but having another set of eyes or two to plan out the strategy is a huge help, making it even more fun to take down your enemy.
The sometimes indistinct visuals are the one dark spot in this otherwise brilliant strategy game. For the most part, the sterile style of the graphics does its job, letting you quickly design and employ your strategy. However, in the later levels, when the camera is zoomed out and units and structures are more plentiful and varied, it can be difficult to quickly differentiate between the many onscreen structures. Figuring out how many times a specific turret has been upgraded or what troops your opponent is building can be awfully difficult. It doesn't destroy the fun or your ability to progress, but it can be a slight hindrance, especially on standard-definition television sets. The soundtrack neither adds nor detracts from the mood, supplying a steady stream of generic science-fiction music that never quite matches the energy of the onscreen action.
Fortunately, Comet Crash is just too good to be hampered by these shortcomings. The clever twists to the tower-defense genre add an intensity that is lacking in many of the game's forebears. There is a delicate balance between offense and defense that is just superb, constantly forcing you to bounce between the two in order to smite your enemy. The hectic multiplayer mode can border on sheer chaos, but the cunning strategies needed to defeat human opponents are immensely rewarding. Comet Crash is intense, strategic, and super fun, and it's a tremendous step forward for tower-defense games.
PlayStation Home
| PlayStation Home | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Developer | SCE London Studio SCE Studio Cambridge[1] |
| Type | Online community service Virtual world[2] |
| Updated | June 2, 2009 |
| Version | 1.22.3[3] |
| Launched | December 11, 2008 (Open Beta) |
| Platform | PlayStation 3 |
| Website | Asian website European website Japanese website North American website |
PlayStation Home (also marketed and referred to as Home) is a community-based service developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London and Cambridge studios for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network. It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN account. Home has been in development since early 2005 and started an open public beta test on December 11, 2008.
Home allows users to create a custom avatar, which can be made to suit the user's liking. Users can decorate their avatar's personal apartment ("HomeSpace") with default, bought, or won items. Users can travel throughout the world which is constantly updated by Sony and partners. Each part of the world is known as a space. Public spaces can just be for display, fun, or for meeting people. Home features many mini-games which can be single player or multiplayer. Users can shop for new items to express themselves more through their avatars or HomeSpace. Home features video screens in many places for advertising, but the main video content is shown at the theatre for entertainment. Home plays host to a variety of special events which range from prize-giving events to entertaining events. Users can also use Home to connect with friends and customise content.
History
PlayStation Home (or Home), originally named 'Hub', started as a 2D online lobby for the PlayStation 2 game The Getaway: Black Monday. However, the online userbase for the PlayStation 2 was too small and the project was never completed before the release of the PlayStation 3, at which point the developers began porting code to the new platform. Phil Harrison, then president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, liked the idea of having a virtual 3D community hub for PlayStation gamers, and transferred the project to become PlayStation Home.In a 2007 keynote speech, Phil Harrison used the term "Game 3.0" to describe the service.
An online-based service had been the subject of speculation since the launch of the PlayStation Network. Sony had expressed interest in such a service, specifically trophies (known at the time as "entitlements") for first-party titlesPlayStation Home, as a feature, was first publicly mentioned in an interview with NG-Gamer. This was later detailed by Kotaku and finally confirmed by NG-Gamer. It was officially announced by Phil Harrison on March 7, 2007, during his keynote speech at the 2007 Game Developers Conference[12] and was originally scheduled for a global public release in October 2007.
Home was delayed and expanded several times before initially releasing. Invitations to the closed beta were offered to winners of a weekly Warhawk online gaming event Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, stated that "Spending more time on the development and on the Closed Beta testing reaffirms our commitment to bringing a quality service, maintaining the PlayStation tradition". In July 2008, further invitations were sent to some Home XMB theme downloaders in Japan and North America SCEE and SCEHK did the same, but without releasing a Home XMB theme.Users who purchased more than HK$60 or SG$12 worth of content in a single transaction over the PlayStation Store from August 29 to September 12, 2008 were also invited In November 2008, SCEA invited annual Qore subscribers After major version 1.0, invitations were sent worldwide.
The Open Beta test was started on December 11, 2008, approximately 14 months later than the initial expected release date. In February 2009, Sony reported that the number of users exceeded 4 millionand in May 2009, Sony reported that Home had been downloaded by 6.5 million users, with 85% returning users. Jack Buser, Director of Home for SCEA, stated that Home will remain in beta "indefinitely." He also stated that, "We quite like the name 'open beta,' so you can expect us to stay in open beta for some time."
Features
Users are given an avatar and invitation-only apartments which they can personalise with their own choice of decor and furnishings. The user's avatar is the means of travel and communication. The user's personal spaces and clubs are means of expressing their selves and meeting new people and friends alike.
Avatar
The user can create their own avatar or use one of several preset avatars available in Home Users can access the Wardrobe from the Menu Pad at any time and location. They may customise a variety of the characters features including gender, skin tone, hair, body shape and facial structure. They may also customise their avatar's clothing and accessories using a set of standard items, or items bought from one of the clothing shops in Home. The user has the ability to save up to nine versions of their avatar for quick access at any time.
Personal Spaces and Clubs
Each user has a Personal Space, called a "HomeSpace", which they can modify and change any time they are in it. The initial basic apartment, the Harbour Studio (a studio overlooking a harbour), is free and offers users limited options for customisation and personalisation. In the future, Sony will provide tools that will enable users to have an even greater ability to create their own Personal spaces and content. Users may invite any other Home user (even cross-region) to their Personal Space and in time, will be able to stream the host's music from their console's hard drive. Videos may be enabled in the future, but not during the opening stages of the beta Users can also place their own digital photographs in picture frames to display on the wall of their apartment (only available to North America) Whilst the Harbour Studio and basic furniture is provided to all users free of charge, premium Personal Spaces and other furniture is available to purchase from the shopping complex.
Premium Personal spaces that are available from the Home Estates store include the Summer House, the Lakeside Log Cabin, the Living Room Stage Set from Loot (North America), and for a limited time, the Chamber Apartment (North America)[32]. The Chamber Apartment was free and was only available for one week from May 14 to May 21. The Chamber Apartment has four interactive fire pits/waterfalls and the user can decide rather or not they want a fire pit or a waterfall by stepping on a switch. There is also a living tree with a face on it that will follow the user if the user walks by the face. A Ghostbusters Firehouse Apartment will be available soon. A Killzone 2 themed apartment, called the Visari Throne Room will be available in the later half of June 2009 as well as purchasable themed furniture for Europe and North America
Users are able to purchase Clubs. Each club has a leader (the user who purchased the club) who can elect up to 4 sub-leaders and can have up to 32 members in total. In a similar way to Personal Spaces, the club's owner is able to set-up and decorate a private clubhouse as a meeting point for club members. The clubhouse also features a notice board where the leader and sub-leaders can post messages and announcements to other members.
In time, Home will have a Hall of Fame which will include "Trophy Rooms". The Trophy Room is a Personal Space where users are able to display 3D representations of their PlayStation Network Trophies.
Stage Set is a premium personal space where users, if they have a video capture system, can make their own machinimas in Home. The first Stage Set, the "Living Room Stage Set from Loot", is available at the Home Estates store loaded with interactive lights, cameras, backdrops and movie-related equipment to simulate a real-life studio production environment. The versatile lighting and camera systems allow for a wide range of desired angles, movements, transitions, cuts and lens set-ups that allow users to take control of the technical and artistic aspects. Combined with twelve props and a director's t-shirt that come with the space to decorate the set, users have access to the tools necessary to create their own film when hooked up to a video capture system. Stage Set was created by Loot, a newly formed group of developers from Sony Pictures Entertainment that will create experiences and products for Home. It is only available to users of the North American Home for $4.99 USD.
Operation
Home is in third person, users walk or jog in that way. Upon entering Home, users are greeted with the "Message of the Day"'. It contains administrative information such as upcoming updates, events, and event winners. The Message of the Day is updated frequently.
User Interface
PlayStation Home has no HUD, however, all of Home’s features are available from the controller. The options are: Quick Chat, a Gestures menu, the Menu Pad, the Safe Screen, and in-game XMB. In time, users will be able to play music on their PS3 hard drive. Whether this will be private or can be heard by others will be determined by a complicated licencing issue that Sony must attempt to solve.
The "Menu Pad" – accessible by pressing Start; controls the user's avatar’s appearance – with the 'Wardrobe', decorations, where to travel (with the 'World Map'), settings, and other main options. The Menu Pad is shown in the user’s hands when in use. It has eleven options including a Help menu for beginners. The Menu Pad features an inventory, which currently only has the “Bubble machine”. In time, "Home Stuff" in the shopping complex, will have inventory items for purchase, which the user can use at any time. The "Safe Screen" is used for reporting, changing communication settings, and quick access to the user’s Personal Space and XMB friends list. This is accessed with the Select button.
The Menu Pad was introduced in version 1.0 and was formerly a “virtual PlayStation Portable” (vPSP), but was introduced to reorganise the menus and because of the addition of the in-game XMB feature, eliminating the need for the vPSP’s XMB. A SCEA public relations spokesperson explained that “We felt that PlayStation Home deserved its own navigation device, so we built a user interface that was dedicated to just that purpose.”
Communication
Users communicate in a variety of ways in Home. They are able to write text messages to each other using a either a USB or Bluetooth keyboard or with a PS3 controller using the on-screen keyboard. These messages appear in speech bubbles over the avatar's head and in the 'chat log'. As of version 1.21, there are three modes of the chat log by clicking the left analog stick; normal, expanded, and minimized. Voice chat, with the use of a USB or Bluetooth headset is currently only available within personal spaces or by making a 'Phone call' to a specific user. The user can also perform gestures (or "e-motes") such as waving, nodding or dancing.As of version 1.10, some gestures can be performed whilst walking. A 'Quick chat' feature is also available. This library of short, predetermined phrases (such as "Hello" and "Where are you from?") can be accessed using a quick access menu.
Virtual economy
Although the service itself can be used free of charge, premium content is available to purchase from various stores in the shopping complex. Users browse and pay for items such as virtual clothing and furniture by accessing a shop and using its PlayStation Store interface. Items are paid for in real currency using funds from the user's PlayStation Network Wallet.Alongside content designed by SCE, real-world companies are also able to sell virtual goods through their own stores in Home. For example, Diesel and Ligne Roset are both represented in Home with their own stores where users can purchase virtual items based on their companies’ own clothing and furniture designs respectively.
Advertising is prominent in Home’s public spaces. Currently, this is primarily PlayStation focused although other video gaming-related brands are also represented. Sony currently streams most advertising from ‘their’ Home servers. Most advertising is targeted to specific regional audiences although it is also possible to target particular users.
One of the ways Sony has used advertising in Home is with advertising of the PS3 exclusive Killzone 2. Users in the North American Home who pre-ordered Killzone 2 from Amazon.com received free I.S.A. and Helghast costumes for their avatar. On February 16, 2009, if users located a Helghast soldier in the North American Home, they were granted access to the Killzone 2 demo. European users got a chance to get the Killzone 2 costumes by participating in the "Killzone AM!" event hosted in the European Home on March 28, 2009 at 11 am CET. The requirement was that the users must participate in one full round of Killzone 2 and have a United Kingdom PSN. If users met the requirement, the Home Managers sent the users a voucher code for the costumes.In Japan, if users watched the Killzone 2 trailer and took the Questionnaire in the Home Theatre, the users received an I.S.A. costume. In order to get the Helghast costume, the users had to do a pre-order.
Another Amazon.com pre-order bonus occurred with the PS3 exclusive inFamous. Users in the North American Home who pre-ordered inFamous received a Reaper costume for their avatarIf users of the North American Home download the demo off the PS Store of inFamous and beat it, users will receive a Cole costume for their avatar no later than June 18, 2009.[48][49]
Public Spaces
There are four main regions of Home: Asia, Europe, Japan, and North America. Countries which are not geographically related to those regions, join Europe. Countries that join Europe are Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates. Japan is the only country with its own version of Home. Each region has different features as well as some similar ones. SCEHK operates the Asian Home, SCEE operates the European Home, SCEJ operates the Japanese Home, and SCEA operates the North American Home.
"Spaces" on the world map are broken-up into categories based on the Spaces' publisher or purpose. Home consists of locations from Sony Computer Entertainment and various third-parties. These include the user's Personal Spaces and Clubhouses; a central meeting point; a bowling alley and gaming arcade; a shopping complex; a café; and various game, developer, and company Spaces.
The Spaces' names and availability vary based on the user's location. For example, the shopping complex is called the "Shopping Mall" in Asia and Japan, "Mall" in North America, and the "Shopping Centre" in Europe.
Sony Computer Entertainment content
The Home Square (EuropeAsia, and Japan) or Central Plaza (North America) is Home's central meeting point where users commonly meet and chat. It is where much of the advertising occurs, and it connects all the main locations in Home together. Currently, they have two video screens, advertising posters (unavailable in Central Plaza), and region-specific features (such as Listen@Home for North America). 'Listen@Home' is a listening post in the Central Plaza where users gather to listen to music. There are are a number of songs for users to vote on to listen to; songs change frequently and has featured the rapper 50 Cent and music from the Winter X Games. Also in the Central Plaza, there is a pond-like feature with the mini-game "Saucer Pop". The European Home Square has the mini-game "Helicopter Hit", and a place to play chess and draughts/checkers. The Central Plaza and European Home Square both have the "Teleport" (takes users to "The Hub") and "Manhole cover"(takes users to "Home Maintenance"). The Asian and Japanese Home Square has a pier, located behind the Game Space. Those two also feature posters with event info and results.
The Home Theatre[53] (all regions) is a virtual cinema where users can view a range of video content. This content includes film and game trailers and video game features from third-party publishers such as Eurogamer. Videos are displayed in the 3D environment on virtual video screens which can be viewed full screen. When selecting the full screen view in North Americas Home Theatre, users can also select the option "Link" that opens PlayStation.com. Users can walk around the cinema that they are in except in the European Home. The dynamic video content in Home is presented in standard definition to reduce loading times. Each region has very different Home Theatres.
At the Bowling Alley (Europeand North America) or the Game Space (Asiaand Japan), social mini-games such as 10-pin bowling and pool billiards can be played; it also features a variety of arcade-machine games: Echochrome, Icebreaker, Carriage Return, and Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida www (Japan only). Prizes are awarded for beating the arcade-machine games, such as an Echochrome suit for users avatar. Users who have downloaded Namco Museum.comm (including the beta) from the Asian or Japanese PlayStation Store are able to unlock additional arcade games including Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Galaga, Xevious, Dragon Spirit, and Xevious Resurrection (the latter two are not included with the beta). Users with Namco Museum.comm or the beta on their PS3 can win the prizes for Home for the corresponding account it is played on. However, users can only play them (excluding the latter two listed) at the Game Space, and not the Bowling Alley. Currently, there is pool tables, bowling lanes, arcade machines, video screens, and dart boards (only in Game Space).
The Shopping Centre (Europe), Mall (North America), or Shopping Mall (Asiaand Japan), is where all purchases are made. The shopping complexes allow users to buy new clothes, accessories, premium locations (such as new Personal Spaces), and other items. Purchases use PlayStation Network Wallet funds, and work in a manner similar to the PlayStation Store. Currently there are stores, a video screen, advertising posters, and a place to play chess (unavailable in the Shopping Mall). The current stores consist of "Home Stuff", "Home Estates", "Home Threads", a Home "furniture store", 'Ligne Roset' furniture, and 'Diesel' clothes. The latter two are unavailable in the Shopping Mall. Europe has two new clothing stores which are "Alter Ego" and "The Original V-Shirt Store". Currently, there are no items available for purchase from Home Stuff. In time, Home Stuff will have items that go into users inventory, such as the "Bubble Machine".
Home Café (Asia and Japan) or The Gamer's Lounge (North America) is a two-story building where users can meet up and chat. There is a water feature, a wine gallery and chairs, which is slowly becoming an event space for developer talks and parties.The first developer talk occurred on March 4, 2009 in The Gamer's Lounge with the developers of Street Fighter IV. Users got to ask the developers questions about the game.Japan’s Café is sponsored by Famitsu Game Magazine which features a statue of the mascot of Famitsu holding a video screen and the upstairs has a display of Famitsu’s office. This space is unavailable in Europe. The Home Café for Asia and Japan is temporarily closed due to the developers preparing for the next event.
The PlayStation Events Spaceopens to the public in the occurrence of an event. This space is a venue for special events, announcements, and VIP parties. The first event occurred during the end of January 2009. During that time, the space featured "Events Landing" and "The Gallery". When first entering the PlayStation Events Space, users received a PSP Loco Roco hat for their avatar. Events Landing had a mini-game called 'Tri Sphere' and two video screens. The Gallery had animated Loco Rocos, the 'Touchpad', which featured the 'PSP-3000 Treasure Hunt', a poster, a music-playing sphere for one song, and two video screens. During the first event, the space was only used by Europe.
Another space opened on May 21, 2009 for the next event. The space newly featured the "Presentation Podium" which has a large screen and lounge. It is known as the "beating heart of the PlayStation Events Space". Sony's E3 2009 press conference was shown in the Presentation Podium a few hours after Sony's press conference ended in three part segments for each day of E3. The event lasted all three days of E3 in Home and there were limited time, exclusive virtual items for all three days. The exclusive items were six different colored NPLH (No Place Like Home) t-shirts for both male and females and users receive them by finding the voucher codes in the Presentation Podium or the SCE Home spaces and redeem the codes. During this event, the space was used by Europe and North America.
Game Spaces
Sony Computer Entertainment and various third parties can create dedicated "Game Spaces" for specific games. These spaces depict a level of the game itself and have mini-games or interactions related to the game. There are currently thirteen Game Spaces that have been released for Home. These Game Spaces vary depending on the region the user is in. The first five Game Spaces released for the Home Open Beta were Uncharted: Drake's Fortune "Sully's Bar"[64], Far Cry 2 "Reuben's Office", Far Cry 2 "Train Station", Minna no Golf Lounge, and Siren: New Translation Lounge. The Resident Evil 5 "Studio Lot" (or Biohazard 5 "Film Studio") was the first space to offer an in-lounge shop.
Game Launching is a feature in Home which allows users to launch multiplayer games with other Home users. Dedicated Game Spaces help do this. Currently, games that support game launching are Warhawk, Resident Evil 5/Biohazard 5, Everybody's Golf 5/Minna no Golf 5 (Asia & Japan), Namco Museum.comm (Asia & Japan), Minna de Spelunker (Japan), Catan (Japan), Street Fighter IV, Resistance 2, and Crash Commando.
Some games, such as Street Fighter IV and Resident Evil 5, support Home rewards. These rewards are achieved by reaching a certain achievement in the game.
In time, the PSP will be getting support for Home rewards.[65] In Japan, the first game with Home rewards support was recently announced: Idolmaster SP.
In a discussion at GDC 2009 on March 25, 2009, Jack Buser stated "You'll see about three new spaces launched a month...I'll be shocked if we ever go under that number, we have so much in the pipeline."
Third-party content
Video game developers are able to create "Developer Spaces" and their own "Game Spaces" to showcase their products in Home.Namco Bandai was the first to do this with their "Namco Bandai Game Arena" space for Asia and Japan. This space features all of the Namco Museum.comm arcade games as well as a mini-museum, called the "Community Arena", show casing Soul Calibur IV, Ridge Racer 7, and Tekken 6. There is also a 'Money Exchange Machine', a 'Vending Machine', and a 'Love Seat' in the Game Arena that give the users a Namco Museum Coin, a Namco Museum Soda Can, and a male and female love t-shirt respectively. Both rooms also feature 'The Idolmaster SP Wandering Star Vending Machine' where users can play roulette to get various cans with idols on them and a Haruka mask. The space was released on December 11, 2008 for Japan and March 26, 2009 for Asia. Irem has released a promotional space called the "Square of Irem" for Japan. This space features various 'Night Stalls' with free items such as a Kimono and was released on February 26, 2009.[68] EA Sports released the long awaited "EA Sports Complex" on April 23, 2009 for Europe and North America. The "EA Sports Complex" is made up of two rooms, the second being called "EA Sports Complex Upstairs". The EA Sports Complex features kart racing, and coming soon, a virtual EA shop and mini-golf and the "Upstairs" features poker as well as various posters advertising different EA Sports games. By playing one game of kart racing and poker, users get a male and female t-shirt for each and by winning a game of poker at a green table, users get a silver bracelet and by winning a game of poker at the red table, users get a gold bracelet
SCEJ have also announced that Sony have given licenses to 24 companies to produce content for Home. As well as independent Japanese developers (such as Irem and Koei) the list also includes international companies such as Activision, Capcom, Tecmo, Disney Interactive, EA, Konami, Namco Bandai, Sega, and Ubisoft.
Non-gaming-related companies can also create sponsored "Company Spaces" for Home. The first to do so was Red Bull with their "Red Bull Space" released on January 8, 2009 for Europe and North America. This space features the Red Bull Air Race mini-game with two leaderboards (one for the user's friends and the other for all users of Home in that region, reset daily). Phil Harrison stated that locations built around famous coffee, drinks, clothing, and record companies; along with major retailers and other such companies could feature content depending on the company's desire to create Home content. In time, users may be able to make content for Home, but under strict moderation.[72]
Xi
| Xi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | nDreams |
| Publisher(s) | SCEE, SCEA |
| Native resolution | 720p (HDTV) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 3 via PlayStation Home |
| Release date(s) | March 23, 2009 |
| Genre(s) | Alternate Reality Game |
Xi is the world's first console-based Alternate Reality Game. The game is an adventure to help find "Jess" and the meaning of Xi by collecting fragments and butterflies that takes place in a series of secret areas in Home changing frequently. The game also involves the users to search for clues in the real world.This game was created by nDreams who have released a space for Xi called "The Hub" and another space called "Home Maintenance" as well as "Alpha Zones 1", "2", and "3" within The Hub and "Party at Jess's Apartment" within Home Maintenance. Xi was advertised via clues and hints over the past month prior to its release on March 23, 2009. The clues were hidden in the Menu Pad and videos in the central meeting point. Xi and all of the corresponding spaces are exclusive to Europe and North America.
The Hub and Alpha Zones 1, 2, & 3:
The Hub is the main space for Xi and can be accessed via the Teleport found in the central meeting point. When first entering The Hub, users must find three pieces of paper scattered throughout The Hub in order to access the HoloPAD, Stapler, and AlphaAFK website in that order. Inside of the The Hub includes the 'HoloPAD', 'Stapler', 'Online Getaway', 'What's New' screen, a 'View weekly re-cap' screen, 'Unregister yourself from Xi', and three teleports that access the Alpha Zones. The HoloPAD accesses Enter code, HoloMail, Display fragments, Display butterflies, and Rate avatar. Stapler is a robot that contains the twenty expeditions that reward the butterflies. The fragments are rewarded through different mini-games and puzzles throughout all of the Xi spaces and there are twenty-four in all and the sixth fragment rewards an Xi male and female t-shirt. The Online Getaway accesses the Message Board, Video Vault, Miguel's Blog, Web Browser, AlphaAFK website, Jess247, and Veilcorp.com. Each of these are used in finding clues for Xi. The What's New screen tells the updates for Xi for the day and the View weekly re-cap screen re-caps the story of Xi with the previous week added to it. Unregister yourself from Xi allows users to unregister themselves from the game. The teleports access Alpha Zones 1, 2, & 3.
Alpha Zone 1 is broken up into three rooms, the "Game Test Area", "Maximum-Tilt Lobby", and "Adventure Lobby". In the Game Test Area, users play a mini-game called 'Hexoplis' where they must run around the room playing six mini-games within six minutes (standard) or five minutes (expert). In the Maximum-Tilt Lobby, users must play the mini-game 'Maximum-Tilt' and race on hover bikes avoiding trees using the sixaxis to achieve a score of 25,000 for standard and expert. In the Adventure Lobby, users play a text based mini-game called 'Caverns of the Bandit King' for standard or 'Corrupted' for expert. Alpha Zone 2 takes users to a place called "Light and Dark". Here, there are four different mini-games. The first is 'The Good Aquarium' where users are a fish and must swim through the aquarium which leads to the second mini-game, 'The Evil Aquarium' which has the same principal just with evil fish in the aquarium. The third mini-game is called 'Puzzles 1 and 2' where users solve the puzzles called Short Circuit and Binary Bulbs. The last mini-game is called 'Puzzles 3, 4, and 5' where users solve the puzzles called Fireflies, Flashlight Jigsaw, and Shadow Match. Alpha Zone 3 takes users to a place called "Entrance and Team Maze". Here, there are four mazes. The first maze is called 'Teamwork Maze' where the users must use teamwork to get through the maze. 'Enter the Ghost Maze' takes users to "Ghost Maze" where they must make it through the Ghost Maze without touching a ghost, if they touch a ghost, they must restart the maze. 'Enter the Riddle Maze' takes users to "Riddle Maze" where they must solve riddles to proceed through the maze, if they get a riddle wrong, they must start over. 'Enter the Expert Maze' takes users to "The Expert Maze". In order to access The Expert Maze, users must have obtained the 18th Butterfly in the Xi quest. In The Expert Maze, the users must make their way through the maze using the same rules as the previous three mazes in this one maze.
Home Maintenance and Party at Jess's Apartment:
Home Maintenance is accessed via the Manhole cover found in the central meeting point. In Home Maintenance, the first room users walk through contains an 'Open locker' which contains an ID for William Johnson. Users must dress their avatar like him in order to proceed through the security barrier. Also in the locker room is an 'Enter padlock code', the code is given to them by Stapler in The Hub. Before going through the security barrier, there is a 'Pick up the envelope' on the floor which is a letter from Thom. After getting through the security barrier there are 'Security Terminals' in the room to the left. The Security Terminals access New Staff Registration, Server File Optimiser, Elevator Power Circuit, Colour Code Entry, and the last three terminals say Terminal Locked but there is a code for each of the three locked terminals and each terminal has some information after entering the code. 'Controls' is a mini-game found in the room across the hallway from the Security Terminals where users must assemble a robot with a crane in four rounds. The last thing in Home Maintenance is 'Call the elevator' which takes users to "Party at Jess's Apartment".
Party at Jess's Apartment is an apartment owned by "Jess". The apartment is a customized Summer House with a sound system on the first floor for a dance party. On the second floor is a video screen that plays a music video of Paul Ballard that users must watch to find out where to get a code. There is also a 'Flyer' for the party and it also reveals a secret code that needs to be put into the HoloPAD in The Hub. On the lake is a yacht that has a secret code on it as well. On the first floor there is a "Picture" that has a safe behind it that needs a code.
Events
Home plays host to many types of events, such as developer interviews. They are organised by Home and its affiliated content providers. Live events such as sports and concerts may also be broadcast within HomePremium events may well use the PlayStation Network Wallet. Special events are held at the 'PlayStation Events Space', the 'Home Café' and 'The Gamer's Lounge'.
Several events that have taken place in Home require the users to either answer questions or suggest ideas on the Official PlayStation Home Forums for a chance to win a prize. A couple of these events are the "12 Games of Christmas" (annual event in North America), a question and answer event, and "Name the New Home Space" which determined the name of the new North American Home Space known as the 'Home Café' in Asia and JapanThe prize is generally a $10 USD product voucher for virtual items in the shopping complex. These events are organised by the PlayStation Home Managers.
Security
Sony says that it is strict on the behavior of users in Home. A variety of potentially offensive words and word combinations are automatically censored in messages that users write to each other and administrators are able to block a users' individual console and IP address from accessing the service if a user behaves illegally, inappropriately or other than in accordance with the terms of use of the service.
Users are also able to report the inappropriate or offensive behaviour of other users to moderators by accessing the PlayStation Home Safe Screen.Users are also able to change their communication settings to block messages from users who are not on their friends list.
Updates
PlayStation Home undergoes a weekly maintenance, which occasionally comes with updates. These updates provide bug fixes and expand the social and gameplay aspects of Home. The beta has received several updates such as giving the users the ability to access their patio, to access the 'Menu Pad'; and to access the shopping complex. Other features such as Home Trophies, pets, weather, and seasons have yet to be released. After location-affecting updates, the location must be re-downloaded. World map updates usually do not update the version number.
Version 1.0 was released on November 21, 2008. This version was available to beta testers as a 77 MB download from the PlayStation Store by redeeming a code sent to their email. Upon installation, 3077 MB of hard disk space is reserved for the application. Additional downloads are needed to access the different locations such as Home Square and the Bowling Alley. Those locations' download sizes vary from 16–45 MB each.
Version 1.03 was the first open beta version and was released on December 11, 2008. The Home icon automatically appears under the PlayStation Network category on the XMB when players turn on their PS3. The current version is version 1.22 and was released on June 2, 2009. The update was 13 MB and fixed a couple of bugs.
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