unsider Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Google's Lively http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2008/07/breaking-news-g.html CNN's reports http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/08/07/virtual.living/ The amount invested in this industry. http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2008/07/161-million-inv.html Discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsaba Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 I don't see how this can connect well with social networking sites... We can call social networking world virtual reality, but in comparison to this, it's really not. At least social networking fools you with screenames of people you know in real life and real people's names to let you venture virtually but with the impression that it is real. You can decorate yourself with mostly real pictures of yourself and friends and real information. This new virtual world is a large leap from that. I think the appeal that most people find in social networking is far different from the appeal needed to take interest in this. This is more like gaming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corbin Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Haven't looked into it, but this 'Lively' stuff sounds pointless to me. I'm well able to type facebook.com and youtube.com into my address bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsider Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share Posted July 13, 2008 Ya 'pointless' was a word that came to mind when i found out about it. Another word that comes to mind is 'over-the-top'. I'm still not sure of my opinion on this whole matter. I think the technological advances are fascinating & logical, but while this type of thing intrigues me it scares me just as much. It's 'sophisticated' but is it really necessary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerRobot Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Personally, i don't really see this thing taking off. I'd rather spend an evening down the pub than on some virtual world im afraid. For the foreseeable, 3D virtual worlds are just games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsider Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share Posted July 13, 2008 Personally, i don't really see this thing taking off. I'd rather spend an evening down the pub than on some virtual world im afraid. For the foreseeable, 3D virtual worlds are just games. Your idea has merit, and for all we know, could end up true, but you also have to consider that this is a 3D myspace, facebook enviroment. We could very well see some positive results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.josh Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 People can make their custom little avatars and their custom little homes and all that stuff but it's not "productive." It's just a spruced up chatroom. But try and introduce an economy into that. It's not so easy. Just look at any MMO. Look at World of Warcraft, a very popular MMO. You have to move your avatar close enough to someone to trade with them. Or go to 1 of a handful of auction houses throughout the world. Or mail it to them (which there is a delay, but that's game mechanics). Wouldn't it be more convenient to be able to type in a name, or click and instantly deal with them, regardless of where they are "at?" Yes it would, but that's the problem. That kind of makes the whole avatar/world thing pointless, now doesn't it? A "virtual world" does nothing but impose limitations on what you can do. None of this stuff is anything new to MMO gamers. I think there will eventually be a virtual reality or at least, a more "visual" way of surfing the internet, but not like all these things people are doing. At least, not until we all have VR goggles and gloves or implants to jack into to really "be" there, because as of right now, it doesn't matter how you put it up on the screen, you still got to use your hands on a mouse and keyboard. A 2d menu type interface will always be the fastest, most efficient way to do things on the internet, so long as most people are restricted to these things. We need to move beyond our current input technology in order to advance further with our output technology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsider Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 That's a very interesting take on the situation. But the "physical VR" elements are also being developed/partially there already, the progress we've already made, and things like WII that are continuing to push those boundaries. IMO it's only a matter of time before they begin introducing physical products for these virtual worlds. But that's pure speculation, but it's still interesting to assume that the future will bring about such technology. Really it's like you said, if the industry works, people will follow it with their money and their minds, and eventually new innovations will be created to advance that industry. *shrug* who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.josh Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 Well the technology to make a "virtual world" is already here. Like I said, this is nothing new to MMO gamers. It's just not very practical though, due to limited means of interacting. That is, we're still limited to using a mouse and keyboard, which isn't very practical. That's why I don't think any "leaps" into it will be serious, until physical interfaces catch up to it. You also have to consider communication obstacles. In order to make it "virtual," or "visual," an agreed upon language of symbols or images will have to become the norm. I mean, that's the whole point of words. Words are the current visual representation of thoughts and intentions. That's not going to be easily replaced. In fact, I don't think it's going to be possible to replace it at all. At least, not completely. It's always going to boil down to text. And text is always going to most efficiently be arranged the way it already is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsider Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 I'm both jealous and impressed of your ability to coherantly create valid arguments that both: prove your point, and say something worthwhile. But I agree with the points you've made. More opinions people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
947740 Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Is this supposed to be like a game? It seems more gamish than chat-roomish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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