This Thursday, September 29th, we will release the latest update to the PlayStation Home client. PlayStation Home version 1.55 delivers a brand new start-up experience, updates to the Wardrobe and Furniture browser, and general enhancements that will result in improved stability and smoother operation. Here’s a look at what’s coming as part of PlayStation Home 1.55:

How to Apply the 1.55 Patch

If you are upgrading from an old version of Home (1.40 or earlier) then when you attempt to apply the 1.55 patch please wait for the orange “hard drive activity” light to stop flashing on your PS3 before commencing the patching process.

NEW FEATURES

Start-Up

• Improved the layout, design, color scheme and text of the start-up flow.
• The start-up flow will now display a variety of information depending on how recently you last visited PlayStation Home.

Wardrobe and Furniture Browser

• When you are browsing through a category of items in the wardrobe or furniture browser we now display the name of the object you have highlighted.
• There is an option in the Menu Pad under “Options > Settings > Personal > Clothing / Furniture Names” to change this behavior:

• Off: Switches the display of names off.
• Selected: Displays the name of the selected object only (default).
• All: Displays names for all objects.

You can click [L3] to display more information about the highlighted object. This will pop up a menu showing:

• Name.
• Description.
• Image.
• Whether it is a purchase, reward or part of the default inventory.
• Date of acquisition (if relevant).

In addition to the name changes the overall speed of the wardrobe and furniture browser has been significantly increased.

General

• Added an option to manually clear the cache of data that Home creates on your HDD. This can sometimes resolve problems that you might be having. You can find it in the Menu Pad under “Options > Settings > Personal > Clear Cache”.

IMPROVEMENTS

Menu Pad

• There is an option to view “Help” from the carousel on the Menu Pad. This is only available to new users.
• There is an option to “Redecorate” on the carousel on the Menu Pad. This is only available when you are in your Personal Space or a Clubhouse that you own (i.e. somewhere that you can place furniture).

Loading Screen Tips

• Different loading screen tips are now shown depending on how many times you have visited PlayStation Home.

General

• Continued work to improve stability.

We also have new games, spaces, and items releasing this week into the ever-evolving world of PlayStation Home. To start, LOOT unveils the updated Active Camera, which allows you to record videos in PlayStation Home straight to your hard drive. Additional functionality includes the ability to pause and resume recording for smooth in-camera editing and the ability to upload your videos straight to YouTube. Since the LOOT Active Camera will work in any of your personal spaces, the possibilities are endless! Make it. Record it. Share it. What will you create?

Also coming this week to PlayStation Home: Lockwood’s Airsoft costumes , LOOT’s new Office Furniture line, nDreams’ Ansada Fone personal space, Hudson’s Elemental Monster Lounge personal space, a handful of new Granzella clothing items, new Access All Areas/Alice Cooper clothing and furniture items, and a variety of truly awesome Codeglue items (including my personal fave – Cardbot!)

The Lockwood Showcase will be opening this Thursday. Be sure to head over to this new space and pick up five limited-time rewards!

Of course, the PlayStation Home Community Theater receives an update this week with new videos from Gamer Indepth “ShoutOuts” and Hip Hop Gamer. We’re also keeping our End of Summer community reward available throughout the week for those of you who may not have had a chance to log in since last Thursday – be sure to get in there this week or risk missing out forever!

See you in Home!