I am sure you have already read this. And I am not sure if it has already been posted, but I was so frustrated by this article, that it made me want to scream.
Sony’s oft delayed Home sure to disappoint PS3 users
UPDATED: We all know that Sony’s Home online service, similar to Xbox Live, isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. The Home service is plagued with performance and security concerns. In this guest post, Buckle Gross gives us his thoughts on the matter.
Sony’s clone of virtual worlds Second Life, Active Worlds and there.com will be given away free to users of their much beleaguered Playstation 3 console. The long over-due application has suffered repeated delays and set-backs as it struggles to provide the market compelling reasons to choose its video game machine over the much more successful competition from Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.
What Sony will be doing that is unique, will be “microtransactions.” Sony has sold the idea of a highly profitable tolls and sales opportunities to its third parties. It is widely expected that users will quickly tire of the frequent requests for cash payment and that any compelling content will surely be locked behind pay-for-play doors.
Another failure with Sony’s implementation will be the lack of voice chat features, already common in Microsoft’s LIVE service. Users will be required to purchase an additional, and often expensive, 3rd party keyboard in order to use text-based chat effectively.
Otherwise they will have to use the criticized on-screen character selection that is described by many as being very tiresome and not effective. The PS3 controller also lacks an elegant typing solution as was implemented by Microsoft in their Messenger Keypad. Sony has not included a audio headset by default with the Playstation 3 unlike with Microsoft’s Xbox 360. That being the case, users who do want to try and use voice communication will be required to trek down to the accessories shop and lay down more money for a device for the already high priced product.
The company also promised to implement their clone of Microsoft’s highly innovative and loved achievement feature. Sony plans to copy the feature and to provide a 3D Achievement Room where the Achievements are shown as 3D objects like has been implemented as a familiar feature of many other video games. Gamers familiar with the industry find the effort a sign of desperation as Sony plays catch-up to features that have been available for many years to users of competing consoles.
Security groups and Parents have expressed a great deal of concern that the environment will quickly be over run with abuse of all kinds. Predators are sure to see opportunity. And, like other failed virtual communities the system is rife for potential abuse. The system has the potential to be used by predators to groom and identify potential victims of abuse. Unlike competing consoles that have put parental control in place for parents, the Playstation 3 has fallen behind in this area.
Few parents or law enforcement officials look forward to an uncontrolled hive of abuse, racism, bullying and all manner of chaos being exposed to their children. Sony has already struggled with this behavior in its existing Playstation Network. It has shown little interest in addressing security concerns and has refused to explain how they will keep the 3D world from becoming a danger to its users, both physically and emotionally.
The application is currently in Beta stages of development, and leaks from insiders are rampant. Reports of instability, performance problems, and unruly users are common. Beta users warn that unless Sony takes more time to repair the system, early releases will be unusable.
Industry watchers and users alike have found the delays frustrating, and it is widely accepted that the challenges are probably insurmountable. Luckily for Sony the gaming public have shown little interest in it. But, for those who have shown interest, the company’s reluctance to explain its failure has brought concern. Questions of its ability to deliver what has been promised are being asked, and users are abandoning hope that Sony can deliver on its promises. This has just put more pressure on the company to rescue its quickly sinking Playstation 3.
http://gamer.blorge.com/2008/02/09/sonys-oft-delayed-home-sure-to-disappoint-ps3-users/
it does not have to be pointed out where this guy is wrong, since most of his downfalls were inaccurate sales figures, something this site knows everything about.
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