Welcome to the Second Life Forums Archive

These forums are CLOSED. Please visit the new forums HERE

PS3 Home: Sony's answer to SecondLife?

Howard Sachs
Human Scum
Join date: 4 Nov 2005
Posts: 124
03-07-2007 14:35
Of course custom content creation will keep SL ahead of the competition in that particular area. That is as far as I am concerned the only thing that puts SL in that special position. Without the custom content, I would be gone long ago.
_____________________
RobbyRacoon Olmstead
Red warrior is hungry!
Join date: 20 Sep 2006
Posts: 1,821
03-07-2007 14:42
From: Cristalle Karami
Possibly, but there are plenty of people out there who are on the edge of purchasing land but haven't because it's too high. Honestly, I got lucky and found First Land within 2 weeks of actually starting to look for it. If it was not for First Land, I probably wouldn't have become premium until needing a large amount of unrestricted mainland for a club or something like that.


Yeah, First Land turned pretty poopy in the end, didn't it? I got First Land immediately upon joining (RobbyRacoon is my alt. When I started my main I had a Premium membership). I just did a search and chose from several First Land locations, and started building. In fact, now that I think of it, my wife and friend both managed to get First Land adjoining mine on the same day, and we had a great time with joining our parcels and sharing prim alotments.

It must be very frustrating indeed for newer players these days. If I had had to use a SandBox for building in those early days, I would almost certainly have left Second Life with never a backward glance.

When added up, I have owned more than a full sim's worth of MainLand in various locations and times, and I will never ever ever purchase MainLand again. In each and every instance it has become absolutely ruined by the introduction of neighboring clubs, casinos, malls, escort sites, or just plain inconsiderate jerks with 1,000,000 active scripts. Since I never plan to own Mainland again, I can rent Island land as a Basic, which is kind of the point I was trying to make before.

On the other hand, building and scripting is critically important to me. If I just needed 3D chat and cyber sex, Sony's free Home might be adequate.

[EDIT] Hmmm... That makes me wonder... If I was only interested in social aspects of an online world, something like HOME might actually be ideal. Not just adequate, but great. Because without user-created content and inconsiderate scripters, I don't have to worry about cagers, orbiters, 300 open listens, prims encroaching my land, and a whole host of other problems that unrestricted user content allows.
RobbyRacoon Olmstead
Red warrior is hungry!
Join date: 20 Sep 2006
Posts: 1,821
03-07-2007 14:43
From: Howard Sachs
Of course custom content creation will keep SL ahead of the competition in that particular area. That is as far as I am concerned the only thing that puts SL in that special position. Without the custom content, I would be gone long ago.


Yup. Agreed. Would-be competitors take note :)
Strife Onizuka
Moonchild
Join date: 3 Mar 2004
Posts: 5,887
03-07-2007 15:23
You won't have neighbors in Sony's world.

The comparison between SL and Sony's world isn't a good one. A better comparison would be with URU. Your traditional game has distinct levels, traversing them requires a special loading screen (typically). In URU these levels were their own little worlds, called an Age; to move between ages you linked (with a book). From what I can see of Sony's game, it has the same layout. Both have private areas that you have to invite people to (including multi-player content). Land in SL is bound by geometry, it is continuous; there are no loading screens if you fly from one end of the world to the other (when you TP in SL, the loading screen you see is the sim moving your data to the new sim; it is loading you, not you loading it). While this may seem trivial, it is a key factor in the design of the graphics engine. SL is designed for huge dynamic scene graphs, Sony's world and URU are designed for optimized enclosed spaces (SL's octrees are dynamic, URU's are static). Houses won't be next to each other because they will be in different instances of the same place (this is supported by the fact that Sony assigns housing, the only way this could be done fairly is if they were all the same).

Shards

The spaces shown in the pictures and demo video are limited in size. They are already using an instance system for homes, it is no great leap to suggest they are use shards to allow them to scale and localize.

Where's the user created content?

In the demo video they do not mention content creation except for sharing videos. Objects & clothing are purchased from Sony (or share between users). No competition means limited selection. The objects provided are complex mesh. This will be a limiting factor in what Sony can do with it's world. Complex mesh require extensive amounts of bandwidth and memory (SL gets around this by using parametric mesh; instead of streaming the entire mesh, it just streams parameters to generate the mesh; achieving something like a 100:1 compression rate on simple objects).

Product Placement & Advertising

In the last 30 seconds of the video they briefly mention sponsored spaces. These will be spaces that Sony rents out to companies for advertising purposes. They won't be permanent; any content they give out is likely to evaporate at some later date. I'll put 10 to 1 odds that there will be a Pepsi or a Coke machine in the public spaces within a 3 months. In other words Sony intends to use their world for product placement advertising.

Sources:
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/07/playstation-home-the-free-virtual-world-of-playstation-3/
http://www.us.playstation.com/News/PressReleases/381
_____________________
Truth is a river that is always splitting up into arms that reunite. Islanded between the arms, the inhabitants argue for a lifetime as to which is the main river.
- Cyril Connolly

Without the political will to find common ground, the continual friction of tactic and counter tactic, only creates suspicion and hatred and vengeance, and perpetuates the cycle of violence.
- James Nachtwey
tristan Eliot
Say What?!
Join date: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 494
03-07-2007 15:26
From: Strife Onizuka


Product Placement & Advertising

In the last 30 seconds of the video they briefly mention sponsored spaces. These will be spaces that Sony rents out to companies for advertising purposes. They won't be permanent; any content they give out is likely to evaporate at some later date. I'll put 10 to 1 odds that there will be a Pepsi or a Coke machine in the public spaces within a 3 months. In other words Sony intends to use their world for product placement advertising.

Sources:
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/07/playstation-home-the-free-virtual-world-of-playstation-3/
http://www.us.playstation.com/News/PressReleases/381


I suspect advertising will be in our future as well. Especially if enough money is offered for it.
Strife Onizuka
Moonchild
Join date: 3 Mar 2004
Posts: 5,887
03-07-2007 15:33
From: tristan Eliot
I suspect advertising will be in our future as well. Especially if enough money is offered for it.


I am sure it will, but at that point it will be up to the land owners not LL. If land owners don't want advertising on their property they can ban it. If Sony decides they want a coke machine in every common space, they can do it.
_____________________
Truth is a river that is always splitting up into arms that reunite. Islanded between the arms, the inhabitants argue for a lifetime as to which is the main river.
- Cyril Connolly

Without the political will to find common ground, the continual friction of tactic and counter tactic, only creates suspicion and hatred and vengeance, and perpetuates the cycle of violence.
- James Nachtwey
Jesseaitui Petion
king of polynesia :P
Join date: 2 Jan 2006
Posts: 2,175
03-07-2007 15:58
Hm interesting, doesn`t look like you can build your own things though- I`d definitely be bored without that.

Or maybe I missed it.
Jesseaitui Petion
king of polynesia :P
Join date: 2 Jan 2006
Posts: 2,175
03-07-2007 15:59
From: Howard Sachs
Of course custom content creation will keep SL ahead of the competition in that particular area. That is as far as I am concerned the only thing that puts SL in that special position. Without the custom content, I would be gone long ago.


True and True


This games content looks real nice, but it also seems its all created for you by sony, no fun.
Raymond Figtree
Gone, avi, gone
Join date: 17 May 2006
Posts: 6,256
03-07-2007 16:06
From: Cristalle Karami
Sure. And yet probably the biggest barrier to premium membership (to get the money to keep LL's house in order) is the high land price.


I think the biggest barrier is that the premium membership has no value other than land ownership.
_____________________
Read or listen to some Eckhart Tolle. You won't regret it.
Teeny Leviathan
Never started World War 3
Join date: 20 May 2003
Posts: 2,716
03-07-2007 16:22
It looks good, but I don't see PS3 Home as competition to SL. I won't rehash all the other good points made by previous posters, but I can think of other reasons why its not a threat to SL. SL allows alot of free speech. I just don't see Sony allowing users to hold "protests" that may be anti-Sony or critical of companies, groups or entities which Sony does business with. Just imagine the protests that could have happened late last year when everyone was trying to get a PS3 for Christmas. I'd imagine that if such a protest were to happen, Sony would ban the protesters and it would be business as usual.

Sony has a corporate image to maintain. I don't see Sony allowing "mature" content anywhere near PS3 Home. The usual suspects will cry foul when 9 year old "Alphonse" wanders into a virtual strip club and sees boobies. Next thing you know, Jack Thompson will be off on another crusade, and Joe Lieberman will decide that the Senate needs to drop everything and hold hearings on virtual tits because he's "thinking of the children". Also, Sony would be limiting their ability to lure other corporate sponsors if PS3 Home didn't have a child safe image.
Beebo Brink
Uppity Alt
Join date: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 574
03-07-2007 16:24
From: Jesseaitui Petion
This games content looks real nice, but it also seems its all created for you by sony, no fun.

Which means they've missed the core appeal of SL. It's the ability to create surroundings -- no matter how clumsily -- that is so appealing. Gazing at someone else's beautiful creations only goes so far, and never delivers the same satisfaction as trying to DO something yourself. Also, not even a dedicated team of graphic designers is going to have the amazing ingenuity that springs from a critcial mass of residents.
Doing Something
Registered User
Join date: 17 Feb 2007
Posts: 120
03-07-2007 16:35
From: Strife Onizuka
You won't have neighbors in Sony's world.




Awesome!
Doing Something
Registered User
Join date: 17 Feb 2007
Posts: 120
03-07-2007 16:36
From: Chip Midnight
...but to me what makes SL so great is that the content is all user created. .


It's also what makes it so bad.
tristan Eliot
Say What?!
Join date: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 494
03-07-2007 16:37
From: Doing Something
Awesome!


Yeah I was wondering what the downside of NOT having neighbors was. That would be nice on the mainland.
Yumi Murakami
DoIt!AttachTheEarOfACat!
Join date: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 6,860
03-07-2007 18:14
From: Jesseaitui Petion
True and True

This games content looks real nice, but it also seems its all created for you by sony, no fun.


It's easy to think this way, but you have to bear in mind that

- According to LL 75% of all users on Second Life don't create content (and that was a while back - in fact, I think it might even have been before unverifieds, in which case the percentage will be even more skewed by now);

- Of the 25% who do, many of them are counting on that 75% to pay their tier fees.

A substantial redirection of the customer base away from SL could easily result in content creation businesses closing down, and make it harder for people to create content (unless they're prepared to pay their own way)
Kitty Barnett
Registered User
Join date: 10 May 2006
Posts: 5,586
03-07-2007 18:55
From: Beebo Brink
Which means they've missed the core appeal of SL. It's the ability to create surroundings -- no matter how clumsily -- that is so appealing.
The core appeal of SL is social and the vast majority of people fall squarely in a consumer role. If something delivers an equal or better experience and there's enough of a momentum, people will switch. Very few people care who creates the content, just as long as it's there.
Beebo Brink
Uppity Alt
Join date: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 574
03-07-2007 19:01
From: Yumi Murakami
According to LL 75% of all users on Second Life don't create content...

But the 25% of confirmed SL addicts that do create content are going to be more inventive than a small paid staff of graphic designers.

In all endeavors, the staff content providers will create slick, visually pleasing but fairly conventional products.

Opening up the field to anyone who has the yen to contribute brings a vibrancy to the content that simply can't be matched. It provides quirky little projects and visions that no commercial venture would approve and fund.

I can see P3Home providing a safe, conventional, wholly predictable landscape which may well appeal to many people. But I ain't one of them. Probably why I bought land on the main grid instead of an island. Gated communities and homeowner's associations give me the hives. I prefer my deck to have a few wild cards.
Johan Durant
Registered User
Join date: 7 Aug 2006
Posts: 1,657
03-07-2007 19:23
From: Teeny Leviathan

Sony has a corporate image to maintain. I don't see Sony allowing "mature" content anywhere near PS3 Home.

I dunno, they're a-ok with porn on psp:
http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,67759,00.html
_____________________
(Aelin 184,194,22)

The Motion Merchant - an animation store specializing in two-person interactions
Pan Fan
Registered User
Join date: 2 Jul 2006
Posts: 306
03-07-2007 22:09
From: Peekay Semyorka
A friend sent me this link:

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/07/playstation-home-the-free-virtual-world-of-playstation-3/

Truly amazing graphics. Interesting what influence Home will have on the evolution of Second Life, its community, and its commerce?

-peekay


snazzy
Jesseaitui Petion
king of polynesia :P
Join date: 2 Jan 2006
Posts: 2,175
03-07-2007 23:47
From: Yumi Murakami


A substantial redirection of the customer base away from SL could easily result in content creation businesses closing down, and make it harder for people to create content (unless they're prepared to pay their own way)

Yes definitely.

I was just saying its no fun (in my opnion) as I like to create.


I was discussing this with my GF earlier....many -do not- create, so theyd have to problem in an appealing virtual world made all by the company.
Markubis Brentano
Hi...YAH!!
Join date: 15 Apr 2006
Posts: 836
03-08-2007 03:26
From: Yumi Murakami
- According to LL 75% of all users on Second Life don't create content (and that was a while back - in fact, I think it might even have been before unverifieds, in which case the percentage will be even more skewed by now);

- Of the 25% who do, many of them are counting on that 75% to pay their tier fees.




Seriously?

wow....well, I just bought some land in one of the new sims and after building a little waterfall, pond and stream running across my land I put up my skyhouse and garden, and then re-textured it.
I then sat down on my land next to my campfire and had a beer while looking out at all of my newly arriving neighbors. I watched them build their houses, create and decorate their yards. Chatted with a few from my seat by the fire.
I guess I find it hard to believe that the number is so high...especially from what I witnessed. (Perhaps its all in the demographics)

As for my feelings on the Sony game....it looks like a fluffy Sims...no more...no less.

Useless to me
Rocketman Raymaker
Registered User
Join date: 4 Feb 2007
Posts: 530
03-08-2007 04:15
is it possible someone could create a viewer for SL that could be used on PS3?
Argent Stonecutter
Emergency Mustelid
Join date: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 20,263
03-08-2007 04:32
From: Rocketman Raymaker
is it possible someone could create a viewer for SL that could be used on PS3?
With the open source viewer, it's technically possible. It would be an insane amount of work, though... it would basically be a scratch port to a new OS.
Argent Stonecutter
Emergency Mustelid
Join date: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 20,263
03-08-2007 04:43
From: Kitty Barnett
The core appeal of SL is social and the vast majority of people fall squarely in a consumer role. If something delivers an equal or better experience and there's enough of a momentum, people will switch. Very few people care who creates the content, just as long as it's there.
Yeh, but, do you think Sony is going to create:

* Non-human avatars (eg, aliens, furries, robots).
* Cosplay avatars (anime, trek).
* Themes not owned by Sony (eg, Gor).

The videos I've seen of "PS3 Home" look like an upscale version of shopping malls and blingy dance clubs. If they draw that market off, more power to them.
Ace Albion
Registered User
Join date: 21 Oct 2005
Posts: 866
03-08-2007 05:32
It needs to have the ability for people to put up pictures of their cats in their apartments. Otherwise I can't see it working at all.
_____________________
Ace's Spaces! at Deco (147, 148, 24)
ace.5pointstudio.com
1 2 3 4