ps home report 01

PLATFORM: PS Home
RELEASE DATE: 12/2008
DEVELOPER: Sony
ESRB RATING: NA

Is it really a gambling addiction if there isn't real money exchanged? I've spent countless hours exploring Sony's social gaming platform Playstation Home. Home is the gathering place of the PS community where everyone person with a PS3 can join as an avatar and explore the numerous spaces available; all for free. By far the most popular of these spaces is the EA Sports Complex. Surprisingly, the main draw is the poker tables and trying to build your avatar's bankroll up, rather than focusing on the many successful EA Sports franchises.

Never mind the brand new games I have, or the freshly downloaded content, I always find myself back here. Texas Hold'em is what's playing on the the three colored game tables in the space. Green felt for the novice, red for the skilled and black for the expert games. The red and black tables require a buy-in that you can build up to with your bank roll from playing on the green tables. Playing with the PS Home "friends" that I remember or with strangers, it's always the same game, but just like real poker it's always a different experience.

I've played 238 poker games in Home. I am pretty quick on the draw to get a seat at a table. However everyone starts out a PS Home "noob" sometime. Just recently Gamedae contributer: B-real finally joined Home for a game of poker. Starting out can be a bit mystifying and I've definitely had to help some people figure out how to get a seat before. So now, once and for all, the official Gamedae guide:

How to get into a EA Sports Complex poker game:

STEP ONE: Get in the game

• Start off by using the in world navigator then follow this path: Explore/Sports/EA Racing Complex - Poker I. This will take you to the EA Sports Complex Green poker room. The poker tables are upstairs. Your first visit will land you on the first floor and you have to find the stairs to make your way up to the poker tables. On return visits you will appear upstairs.
• When you first start out, your bankroll is at $0. Playing at red or black tables (where you have to buy-in to the game) is out of the question. Look for a green table with as few players playing at or surrounding the table. You will have to wait for the game to end so the table opens up. Hey, this is a free game so you can't complain too much about waiting for a game. Tables with less people playing means you may have a shorter wait. You do not have to be touching the table to get a seat.
  

STEP TWO: Get some scratch

• Walking up to the table should prompt a "X Poker" dialog box. Press X. If you seem to have selected something besides Poker, don't panic, don't press anything other than left and right on your D-pad. This allows you to scroll through selectable thing near you be it people, games or some other site to be seen.
  
• Hopefully you should have second dialog box in front of you that shows a controller icon the word Poker and a button saying PLAY.
  
• Hold your horses. Look up (using the right analog stick. See the Game in Progress Screen? That gray screen with white text will prompt you when the game is finished declaring (some name) winner showing his/her winning (some amount). Wait still, the name will eventually quickly flash three times, then the text will change to "Green Table Requirements" this is your cue. Quickly, but solidly, press X. You will hear a chime and with any luck your dialog box will show you have entered the game.
  
• Wait for the count down and other players to fill up the table.
  
• Don't bet it all on the first hand and you should be OK.

STEP THREE: Join the rest of us

You can gain winnings for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place at the table. After gaining a decent amount of bankroll you should head over to the red table in the room. Bankroll can be seen while in a poker game by pressing R1 or after a winning match the dialog box will show you your winnings and total bankroll.


Gamedaettiquette:

* Do not drop out of a game before it starts
• If need to leave a game early (i.e. go to sleep) you should go all in. You can tell people your reason fr doing so...if you want.
• Be a good sport. If you win and someone says "nh" (nice hand) you say "ty" (thank you). Saying "gg" (good game) is common when someone leaves the game after losing all their chips. I usually reserve it for the final three players.

There is always a but...

The downside of free content is waiting for your turn. PS has tried a number of ways to deal with this problem but hasn't quite figured it out yet. I've waited half an hour for a game before. Yes, I know, when do you think I write this blog? But then again, I've played poker matches here that last hours. I'm more into the late night crowd in the EA space; when are you visiting?

Comment and tell me your screen name and when/where to find you on Home.

UPDATE:
Ironically, since I just posted this today, the EA Sports Complex in PS Home was taken down this morning to "undergo maintenance."  I'll keep you posted if I hear anything concrete. Rumors are spreading that it's gone for good but I highly doubt this is the case. Hopefully it's down for some new updates. Let's hope it's a good thing.