[PS3] HOME - The Beta Test.

So I got my HOME (Closed) Beta invite today, and immediately downloaded it. After downloading it, I immediately shared my username with a friend that already knew it, so that he could download the Home Beta without his own invite. For the last 2 hours, I've been testing it out, and here are my opinions.

When I first approached the interface to install the software, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Home download is only 77 MB. After a few seconds of download, the game fired right up, and hit me with a EULA. Obviously I saw that coming, because the Social Networking aspect of the game itself would require that you say, "Yes, OK, I know people on the internet cuss for no reason."

Post-Loading, I made myself an Avatar. Though the options for clothing seemed a but low, the options for facial customization were satisfying enough to say that I look generally like the person I put on the screen. Not bad, but not perfect either. Much better than I expected from 77 MB, I will say. I put some of the few standard clothes on my character, and I was off into the given spaces.

So upon sitting in my new-found room, I find myself in what looks like a very high-class version of a College dorm room. I've got terrible, standard furniture, in small amounts, sitting in one solitary room. it's not much, but it's mine I suppose. In turning around I find myself having a wrap-around balcony that overlooks the local seaport. The seaport is filled with Yachts, and sits on white-sand beaches, in a small cove. Rather good looks, for 77 MB, yet again. Now it was time to get to the good stuff - Customization.

So I've played a bit with the interface, and I'm getting to know the gist of things, when all-of-the-sudden I realize that I have nothing else I can really add to the space. No picture-frames, no lamps...Nothing but a new layer of paint, and some re-organization. Terrible mess this was. At this point I think, "Well, I'm at least changing the default layout." So I proceed to move a few things around, adding and subtracting furniture as I felt appropriate until I was satisfied. I HAD to buy more items...I was off to the mall.

Now something I didn't mention before comes into play - There was a 3 GB space on my HDD reserved for this game, and I found out why at this point. Though it wasn't intrusive, I was asked to download a 27 MB file to add-on to my existing file for the new "Mall" space. I was given the option to download it right there in front of me, or to download it in the background. That was nice - It wouldn't get in the way if I were doing something else. I sat in my chair and watched it download...Done! Now I'm loading the Mall.

It loads up, and it's time to finally interact with the other users in HOME. I spawn into an interesting enough space, with what looks-like open stores, and people running around. Strangely enough, however, these people who are running around are all generic-looking transparent figures. I soon realize that is only because I haven't allowed for them to load properly, and they begin to turn into "real" people, interacting with me in the usual way. I approached the nearest Furniture shop, and what did I find? "Sorry, we're closed for an update. Check back soon." - No problem, I'll just hit up the clothing shop. Same result.

Now looking around, I could tell there were people who have clothing that was not the defaults I was presented with, so what gives? Did they just update the area for this certain time, or what? I believe so, however, so I will leave my impressions on the topic for later.

Now, I walk to the nearest door, and another loading screen pops up, "Do you wish to download the 'Courtyard' area?" I click yes, and off I go, after another 75 MB download. In the courtyard, apparently, is where people finally have decided they want to interact with other users, because I see groups all around, chatting it up, but one thing is missing, and I checked that back later, but for now, I was going to check out the Theatre.

Another 30 MB download, and I'm in a typical theatre scene. Something you would expect, there aren't seats open for this showing, but what's on? After finally finding a seat, I sit for 30 seconds before I realize the picture that loads on the screen is just basically a flash-player movie of a commercial for SOCOM: US Navy Seals, and I was out. Pretty boring, but people were talking about nothing, and generally it had a good base. At least it worked for what it was - It's just too bad I didn't already know what was showing from outside.

Back in the Courtyard, I now noticed something that I never did before - There are huge televisions posted up here and there. On these televisions, various game advertisements. A fairly good idea, I suppose, but it is also a fairly good bandwidth-leech, if your not careful. Lucky for me, that isn't something I had to worry about. Now, it was time to mix it up with some other users. I wanted to get into chatting, and see how fluent it was.

After about 5 minutes, I hadn't really generated any conversation, so I headed back to my private space really quickly and changed my gender, and clothing up to something decent, and snobby-looking. Big shades, tight body - The Works. Hitting up the lobby again, I've got a small crowd around now, and I'm chatting it up with the PS3 controller, and it's running alright. Quick-Chat is starting to come in handy for nearly the first time since I've owned the system, but with everyone thinking I was a lady, how much more fun would it be with a MIC? A MILLION TIMES!

Now that is a gross exaggeration, but I did get my mic up-and-running, and started chatting, and no surprises, everyone who was previously fawning over me left, except for a few people who actually cared to chat. It was clearly apparent at this point, however, that this 'game' was more of a social networking device than anything else, when someone asked me my details (name, etc.) and I said to myself, and out-loud later, "Where's Myspace?"

Overall, though it does need a lot of immersive work, the game turned out to be as expected. Everyone wants more customization, but I believe Sony will end up releasing clothing and other accessories you have to purchase with real money, and I have yet to delve into the "Create a Club" feature, because it was listed to get deleted when the Closed Beta ends. I wonder how much of a "Club" I can really make? Disco balls, or Light-up flooring? Will my people be able to rock the turn-tables? Can I play what I want from my PS3? We shall see, but I'll be waiting for the official release to come before wasting too much time on that. More information will come if there are updates, but this is a freebie that will be worth a look, if nothing else.

8/10. Needs work, but it's a Beta. It's got the flow I expected, and is worth your time, if your looking to waste it.