Home gets major update next week
- Posted February 21st, 2008 at 14:57 EDT by Dave Wales
- 6,882 views
- 31 Comments
Home is getting ready to release a major update next week for its exclusive private beta users. This update is going to be referred to as 0.8.3, which brings us inevitably closer to the final 1.0.0 build that will ultimately be the public release of Home. This update comes straight from an email, as well as the Official Beta PlayStation Forum. A lot of changes and fixes are being implemented with this update and we plan on explaining them all one by one.
The UI has been completely face lifted and renamed to Home CS (Home Chip System), not only will this improve the visual eye candy of the interface but will make the flow of the experience a lot more logical and efficient. A new vector-based font system has been implemented which will lead to better font clarity as well as improvement to a slew of different icons found throughout Home.
Your Virtual PSP will now be able to identify friends in three steps, Offline, Online, and Online in Home. These three indicators will also be color coded as well. They’ve also updated the Virtual PSP’s menu system to flow better in order to bring you a more logical way of navigating. The options that are not yet available will no longer be invisible to you, just simply grayed out. The update will also enable more backgrounds for your VPSP in order to provide better customization.
The update will also bring forth an HDR approach to lighting and blooming which will tone some things down while making the objects much sharper. They’ve also improved the water shader in order to give it a more realistic look and feel. The new engine also provides stable frame rates even in crowded areas of Home. 1080p support has also been returned to the interactive virtual lifestyle as well.
The wardrobe and physical customizations to your character has been upgraded as well. You’ll now be able to handle everything from anywhere and all at the same time, these changed are displayed below.
- The wardrobe is accessible from any location, not just your Home Space.
- A selection of pre-set characters is available with more coming.
- Jewellery is now available for both sexes.
- Improved the look of skin on all characters.
- Your avatar is well lit and has a mirror behind to make customisation much easier.
- The standard list of clothing has been reduced to our intended starting pack.
- More clothing is available from the new Marketplace (see below!).
- Save & Load! You can now save your character in 9 different setups.
- Extra clothing will be added soon to test our update system.
In the Marketplace you’ll now find things you can use for your Home Space as well as your character. The store will include a variety of items for you to enjoy.
Players have also been given summer homes, as well as improved balcony views. Beta testers will also now enjoy the furniture starter packs, which happens to be an increase in furniture than what is currently available. They’ll also experience updates to the marketplace in order to test the system. Along with this, the lamps that come in the furniture pack will also come with working light switches to toy around with.
Some of the game launching applications has been fixed, but there will be some things users have to look out for before use because not all the bugs have been worked out yet. Game launching currently only allows same region players to launch together, so you won’t be able to launch with US gamers if you’re stationed in the UK.
Streaming video watching is now being implemented as well. Before, the beta users would be stuck having to let something fully download before enjoying it. That will no longer be a concern.
Here is a list of other bugs being fixed with this update as well.
- Fixed the problem where you could appear in a location and some other characters there would be invisible.
- Fixed the floating pool balls.
- Fixed the levitating avatars.
- Fixed ... (continued on next page)
Comments
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iplayonlysony
- 3:00pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 2
The only thing I want to know is, WHEN IS HOME GETTING RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC?
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andr3as2006
- 3:31pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 6
Why you guess that is going to be released on March 20? Is something special for that date?
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rahstar2003 |
explosive78- 3:31pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 7
So i guess this answeres why it hasent been released. Alot of bugs to fix, and there still fixing them. Most importantly launching a game smoothly from in home with everyone.
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IRONMAIDEN
- 3:41pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 8
very uninteresting for those who dont have home. WHOOP DE DOO
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yoboyrob9041226 |
BIGROB904- 3:49pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 10
well this kinda pisses me off cuz i dont have home yet and i want to kno when its coming out. psn id : bigrob904
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LittleB69 |
MightyB69- 5:01pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 14
Home will not be released to the public before late 2008.. the closed beta is almost over and then there will be a more open beta and not before that is done will it go public.. so my guess is Q4 if they are on schedule maybe Q3 if all goes well with the beta or Q109 if there is some big problem.... Just my guess.
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the_jim |
clear_as_night- 6:01pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 17
March 20? i seriously doubt it if they are only up to version 0.8.3. They have got so much more left to do but that would be sweet if it is. we can only hope:) I think sony should use home as a major selling point once its out, i honestly think people will think twice about buying a rival console once they have seen home;)
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wx_wolverine
- 6:20pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 19
the news that i really wanted was to know when i can have it not this...and also i would like to know how did some people got to have the beta version it cant be that easy because i usually search for things like tha on the web and found nothing...
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Tha_Last_Romeo |
Tha_Last_Romeo- 7:33pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 20
Oh wow... I am join the japanese camp... Who cares, i been wait along with the rest of you and we all know they will just make us wait. I will talk about it when i see it.
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Alpha2
- 8:30pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 22
Trust me guys you dont want this thing getting rushed out the door. Yes they're taking an ungodly time fixing issues but as I've said numerous times, if you were in the beta you'd see it was far from being ready, this upate goes a long way to fixing issues but they're issues that should have been worked on long before they even mentioned Home to the public.
More than anything what they need to be conceptrating on is the implementations of Multiplayer game launching, sure it's nice to have 1080p and new lighting, and skin was pretty ugly before but some of those thigns could have waited while they improved backend performance. When the update comes we'll see how much better it's become.
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vicam121581
- 9:56pm GMT - February 21st, 2008
- 23
this is great and all but I'll be honest if the next Home post I want to read is "release date is ____"
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InfernoReaper |
GrimDarkling- 1:50am GMT - February 22nd, 2008
- 26
Nice to know some updates even if almost none of the public can touch Home right now.
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If Sony went by the US fiscal calendar, March would only be Q1 and Home is releasing Q2 2008. That's April - June.
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chubacca
- 1:53am GMT - February 22nd, 2008
- 27
It smells like vaporware yes but I reckon the delay is caused by the Japs who designed it - didnt have a clue where to start so they looked at second life and thought oooh cyberspace....that looks hip. Then designed Home v 1.0 then stood back and then quickly scrapped it, designed it again, vomited out their nose, then scrapped it again, and again, and eventually time will run out and they will have to release something and it will probably be very very lame. Then Sony wont be able to help themselves, they will try to make money off it and start flogging crap on it. I dont think they have a clue about what they are doing. Prepare to feel let down....again.
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