Sony, you've got my attention.

[Dark Jaguar]

http://kotaku.com/gaming/clips/gdc07-cli...242341.php

http://kotaku.com/gaming/littlebigplanet...242305.php

First of all, remember the rumor that made the internet implode? Turns out that yes, Sony WAS making the "Home" network, and yes, it's basically a fusion of Live achievements and Wii Miis. Only, it takes it way beyond what Nintendo is doing with Mii. Check that first link for a video. Now, I'll tell you right now I prefer the art style Nintendo went with. I just don't like the realistic "Second Life" look. I prefer cute little animal robots that nearly resemble old timey sprites in their width/height ratios. Other than that, the idea of a massive set of environments to chat with others and a home you can invite people back to full of decorations? Yeah, I'm all over that. Still, that's really just a secondary perk (and a chat room like the V-Chat of old).

So check the second video. THAT is a platformer I WANT to play! It's a nicely done physics system that lends itself well to all sorts of awesome little tricks worked into the game. I mean I really want to play that!

So in other words, Sony's starting to get my attention. Keep it up and maybe I might just get a PS3. Of course, announcements of dropping features like native support for PS2 games (in favor of poor emulation and paying for a team of programmers to slowly expand it's emulated games list, which seems a very poor choice to me) don't help things. BC needs to get improved, not set back a few years.

[DMiller]

I was shocked to see something good come from Sony today, but they still have a looong way to go to convince me to get a PS3. I need to see a lot of great games that I can't already get on the Wii or 360.

[Great Rumbler]

Despite some good news, it's unlikely that I'll have a PS3 before 2008.

[Paco]

It's impressive when you first see it, but then the questions start to set in...

Will I have to travel to the arcade and cinema to play games or watch trailers? Will I be able to voice chat at all times, anytime, with anyone? Will I be able to send/receive messages and invites at any time? Will I be able to access anything I want on the service no matter where I am or what I'm doing? Do I have to launch Home from the crossbar first, then load a game, and then send out invites?

I suppose I'm wondering how well it will stack up to Live.

[Dark Jaguar]

I doubt you actually NEED to go through the virtual environment to send out an invite or have the games linked. There's no technical limitation that would require that. That would just be self indulgant stupidity if the programmers required it.

You've imagined a lot of nightmare scenarios but until I hear otherwise I think they are all baseless.

[A Black Falcon]

*Watches video*

*Thinks it vaguely resembles virtual worlds as seen in Otherland or Snow Crash, but not on that level of coolness*

Okay, not THAT cool, but definitely interesting...

[Paco]

I doubt you actually NEED to go through the virtual environment to send out an invite or have the games linked. There's no technical limitation that would require that. That would just be self indulgant stupidity if the programmers required it.

You've imagined a lot of nightmare scenarios but until I hear otherwise I think they are all baseless.

The video only showed voice chatting in virtual space, accessing the arcade games in the arcade...I have no reason to believe it works any other way.

The thing is, Home looks like a seperate application you have to launch whereas Xbox Live is an integrated feature of the 360 hardware. I suppose we'll see in time.

[lazyfatbum]

What I wanna know is how free it is.

[Dark Jaguar]

More free than something that isn't.

Apparently Sony has said the whole thing is free as a download, when it comes out.

[Paco]

Like all free MMO's, it'll make money off of nickels and dimes when you want to customize your avatar and apartment. Sony also mentioned there will be other retail stores- both for your virtual space and real online retail stores, arcade games will charge, and more. Sony said they have many ideas in mind to make it an e-commerce service.

[Dark Jaguar]

I have no intention on buying costumes and decorations. I'll stick with the basic package in that regard.