PSHome - but will it be home?

Sony are pulling its muscles to start competing in the 3D virtual worlds of the future. Mimicking some of the features of Second Life, Home allows customized avatars to walk around inworld, chatting and playing games. As could be expected from a console game provider, they mock the graphic quality of SL, instead targeting a look comparable to other games on the same platform.

Question is, are they missing the key feature for us SL lovers: That WE create the world? The slick graphics certainly suggest that the environments are created by professional game designers. None of the hype mention things like in-world 3D modelling tools, customized animations, script languages or a real-estate market. And these avatars just looks so boringly human. Are they just too photo-realistic to be any fun? And will Sony dare to allow the player to really control them? If they, like us, are born as sex-less androgens, will it be possible to add those missing parts? Not to mention using them:-)

Oh well. I guess this will be a much more tightly controlled environment, where content can be rented or purchased only from Sony and their professional partners. If that is so, will the avatars here have the same feeling of identity, the same feelings towards each others? Remains to be seen, I guess!

The positive outcome will be to familiarize more people with these kinds of environments, so that one day they will be ready to come and live in the Real Second Life!