Comments on: I don’t get Second Life http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/ apparently much happier in person Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:03:04 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: dnorman http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82611 dnorman Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82611 heh. someone figures out a way to script "copy. paste." and an entire in-game economy collapses. nice. yeah, no bubble there :-) heh. someone figures out a way to script “copy. paste.” and an entire in-game economy collapses. nice. yeah, no bubble there :-)

]]> By: Aron Burrell http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82612 Aron Burrell Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82612 After some thought, and the gruesome images presented to me care of Something Awful, I think if something like this were to be developed (that is, a virtual university on an MMORPG model), it'd have to be done as a unique project unto itself. It could be based on similar architecture as Second Life, but I think it'd have to be more customized to the purpose and even if it were a commercial enterprise, its central purpose (while not to the exclusion of other purposes) would have to be education. After some thought, and the gruesome images presented to me care of Something Awful, I think if something like this were to be developed (that is, a virtual university on an MMORPG model), it’d have to be done as a unique project unto itself. It could be based on similar architecture as Second Life, but I think it’d have to be more customized to the purpose and even if it were a commercial enterprise, its central purpose (while not to the exclusion of other purposes) would have to be education.

]]> By: Aron Burrell http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82654 Aron Burrell Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82654 Being something of an MMORPGer, I like the idea of a fully virtual environment. The importance is the appearance and feel of a 'real world' environment. If I could login and actually be (or have a 3rd person view of) a character/avatar within a virtual university land, it'd be awesome. Of course, it needn't be limited by real world constraints. The appearance of a classroom/lecture hall sets the mood. I for one hate the idea of staring at a canvas/presentation/chat window completely disconnected from my peers and prof. Of course there are limitations to the real world lecture hall, but within this system why wouldn't my character be able to set aside the hall at a whim and view only the screen, or have automatic alpha transparency on objects or portions of objects blocking the view? Being something of an MMORPGer, I like the idea of a fully virtual environment. The importance is the appearance and feel of a ‘real world’ environment. If I could login and actually be (or have a 3rd person view of) a character/avatar within a virtual university land, it’d be awesome. Of course, it needn’t be limited by real world constraints. The appearance of a classroom/lecture hall sets the mood. I for one hate the idea of staring at a canvas/presentation/chat window completely disconnected from my peers and prof.

Of course there are limitations to the real world lecture hall, but within this system why wouldn’t my character be able to set aside the hall at a whim and view only the screen, or have automatic alpha transparency on objects or portions of objects blocking the view?

]]> By: dnorman http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82655 dnorman Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82655 Aron - what just plain "feels" wrong to me is unthinkingly faithful reproductions. Where you have to get a good seat in order to be able to properly see the presentation screen. I guess you're right, though - each person has the option of rendering the "lecture hall" however they wish. Maybe some view the presentation full screen, others are more tuned into a text or audio channel, etc... It just seems like a waste not to force ourselves to think critically about what would make a more effective communal space, assuming the limitations of physical space and time were lifted. Instead, we have nice wood grained lecture halls with neatly arranged chairs obediently facing forward... Aron – what just plain “feels” wrong to me is unthinkingly faithful reproductions. Where you have to get a good seat in order to be able to properly see the presentation screen. I guess you’re right, though – each person has the option of rendering the “lecture hall” however they wish. Maybe some view the presentation full screen, others are more tuned into a text or audio channel, etc…

It just seems like a waste not to force ourselves to think critically about what would make a more effective communal space, assuming the limitations of physical space and time were lifted. Instead, we have nice wood grained lecture halls with neatly arranged chairs obediently facing forward…

]]> By: Aron Burrell http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82656 Aron Burrell Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82656 Well, may not matter after the in-game economy crumbles... http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/11/15/1714241.shtml Well, may not matter after the in-game economy crumbles…

http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/11/15/1714241.shtml

]]> By: Aron Burrell http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82657 Aron Burrell Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82657 Wow, I also feel compelled to post the Something Awful take on Second Life... amazing. http://www.somethingawful.com/secondlifesafari/ Wow, I also feel compelled to post the Something Awful take on Second Life… amazing.

http://www.somethingawful.com/secondlifesafari/

]]> By: Aron Burrell http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82658 Aron Burrell Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82658 Whoops, forgot the work-safety warning on that last link. Whoops, forgot the work-safety warning on that last link.

]]> By: dnorman http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82660 dnorman Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82660 Aron, definitely check out Croquet http://croquetproject.org/ It's sorta SecondLifeish, but it's an open system where anyone can run a server, and all scripting is done via a variant of Smalltalk. Looks pretty darned cool, but not quite ready for prime time (well, not as shiny as SL, at least...) Aron, definitely check out Croquet

http://croquetproject.org/

It’s sorta SecondLifeish, but it’s an open system where anyone can run a server, and all scripting is done via a variant of Smalltalk. Looks pretty darned cool, but not quite ready for prime time (well, not as shiny as SL, at least…)

]]> By: davidicus http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82663 davidicus Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82663 some outside the box architect like Gehry needs to get in there and work without gravity, material, and cost constraints. btw, your blog doesn't remember me any more :( having to type my name and email in every time i comment is making me whine. some outside the box architect like Gehry needs to get in there and work without gravity, material, and cost constraints.

btw, your blog doesn’t remember me any more :( having to type my name and email in every time i comment is making me whine.

]]> By: dnorman http://www.darcynorman.net/2006/11/15/i-dont-get-second-life/#comment-82674 dnorman Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 599816694#comment-82674 d - Gehry in SL would be cool. There is some pretty sweet architecture in there already. I'd love to see what an up-and-coming architect or designer would come up with, without being encumbered by decades of terrestrial design projects. so THAT's what that noise is. The remember-davidicus module was acting up, and mixing up repeat visitors, so Person A might come back and be "remembered" as Person B (and vice versa). Doh. When I get a chance, I'll take a look. d – Gehry in SL would be cool. There is some pretty sweet architecture in there already. I’d love to see what an up-and-coming architect or designer would come up with, without being encumbered by decades of terrestrial design projects.

so THAT’s what that noise is. The remember-davidicus module was acting up, and mixing up repeat visitors, so Person A might come back and be “remembered” as Person B (and vice versa). Doh. When I get a chance, I’ll take a look.

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