Gamertell

There’s nothing wrong with being cute and furry in PlayStation Home but after a strange message appeared on the virtual PSP menu June 18, 2009, informing users of a strange virus breaking out, turning everyone into strange creatures.

Hamster Invasions

No one thought that the creature would be avatars wearing the long awaited hamster suit. Along with their availability groups have formed asking players which side they chose to join—humans or hamsters. In fact, there will be a battle this Saturday (June 20, 2009) starting at 8 p.m. PST in Central Plaza for a Dance-off. According to Sony, whichever faction (human or hamster) forms the longest dance line or chains in central plaza will unlock a special reward item for all of Home in a future update. So practice your favorite dance move, where your best outfit or clean your whiskers and be prepared to support your species to the song of “Chain Swing” by Animal House.

Those supporting the hamster race can find the hamster suit at Threads located on the second floor of the mall in Central Plaza.
Hamster suit costume for both male and female avatars:

• Full hamster suit cost $1.99
• Hamster head cost 49 cents.
• Hamster torso cost 49 cents.
• Hamster legs cost 49 cents.
• Hamster hands cost 49 cents.
• Hamster feet cost 49 cents.

Also available at the mall today are free items at Threads:

• 25th Anniversary Ghostbusters T-shirt cost is free.
• Split Second T-shirt cost is free.

New personal spaces available

This week a new apartment and club house are now available at the real estate store located on the first and second floor of the mall. In celebration of the Ghostbusters anniversary the Ghostbusters Firehouse headquarters is available with lots of cool features and a simple clubhouse for players and their friends to meet and party.

Ghostbusters Firehouse:
The Ghostbusters Firehouse space is available for $4.99 and features three full floor space, fire poles avatars can slide down, office areas, bathroom area, kitchen area, bedroom area, a full-sized Ecto-1 vehicle and a controllable slimer that can pass through walls and floors to frighten unsuspecting friends. The space comes with a studio set camera players can use to create their own Ghostbusters machima with. Unfortunately no video editing software or recording program comes with this package. When purchasing this item you also get ornaments and furniture you can use and up to 14 wall spaces for picture frames for those who purchased the picture frames last week.

Items that also come with the personal space include:

• A reel-to-reel style movie camera
• A video recording camera
• A black storage chest
• Blue tape that can be used to mark camera locations in the firehouse for videotaping.
• A blue background screen for use with camera.
• A Ghostbusters Sign
• A plate of half eaten bagels
• A pizza box
• A pizza box with a slice of pizza on cover
• A pizza box with several slices of pizza on cover
• A noodle cup
• A 2 liter bottle of soda
• A plates
• A cup
• A stack of toast
• A firehouse bed
• A coffee maker
• A TV with a green screen
• A TV with no screen on
• A telephone
• A Stay Puft Marshmallow head for your avatar (male or female)

Club House
Also available at the real estate store is a basic club house for $4.99. The club house allows players to hold parties or hang out with friends in privacy without the hassle of random people interrupting your conversations. Its a wide open area you can customize with furniture, features a large video mounted on the wall you can share videos with fellow club members. Once players set up their club house they can start inviting friends to join. Club members can return at any time to read or leave messages on the bulletin boards for other members to arrive. Only those on the member list can enter the clubhouse at any time.

New game space and updates available

SOCOM: Tactical Operations Center
A new space just opened on the world map in Sony Home. SOCOM: Tactical Operations Center just opened featuring videos, strategy maps for the game and more. There’s a military vehicle outside that will offer military uniforms and other items to SOCOM fans soon. Take a glimpse of the newly opened game space:

EA Sports Complex Updates
Electronic Arts has updated their Sony Home Sports Complex to include more race tracks (allowing more players to enjoy the game at once), racing boost shop and leaderboards so players can compare their results with friends or brag about their fastest times around the tracks on the first floor.  More unlockable prizes are now available to those playing Texas Hold’em Poker on the second floor. Still no word as to when the golf pro shop will open in the near future according to Sony’s Home blogs.

The End is Xi

For those of you who have been patiently solving puzzles in Xi:The Hub. The end has finally arrived. As I walked down that long white hall where Jess stood waiting to explain why she created all those puzzles we have been working hard to solve, the other players on foreign servers we had to work with to find the answers and adventures we’ve embarked on - it all lead up to this one fine moment - the answers to what Xi was all about.

I’m not going to ruin the game for those still trying to gather their fragments and butterflies. But the rewards I’ve earned for completing the game were awesome as I stepped into the Alumni Hub with others to unlock three trophies for my apartment and followed the trail of a butterfly for an alumni T-shirt signifying the completion of the game. Then sighed as I can no longer enter the regular hub to help others but I can still play the hexopolis mini games found in alpha zone 1 for old times sake. I must say I can’t wait for a sequel if they ever create one. The game was annoying at times but very entertaining.

If you haven’t played Xi: The Hub yet, teleport into Xi: The Hub from central plaza find those three pieces of the invitation and embark on your own journey to find the meaning of Xi.

Read [Playstation Blog] Read [Dance-off announcement] Site [PlayStation]