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        riddles >> cs >> virtual reality
        
(Message started by: BenVitale on Jul 1st, 2008, 1:22pm)
Title: virtual reality
Post by BenVitale on Jul 1st, 2008, 1:22pm
Has anyone visited the 3D digital world "Second Life"? Is anyone a resident of Second Life?

http://secondlife.com/

I'm thinking of becoming a Second Life resident and start a business. I would like to hear your opinions.
Title: Re: virtual reality
Post by towr on Jul 1st, 2008, 2:32pm
I'd start with the prequel, First Life (http://www.getafirstlife.com/)
(Not that I'm one to speak)

I find most virtual worlds so ugly these days. You'd think we'd have better graphics than Ragnarok online by now, but I still much prefer that over anything more recent. The more realistic they try to model characters, the more obviously they fail.
Title: Re: virtual reality
Post by BenVitale on Jul 1st, 2008, 4:07pm

on 07/01/08 at 14:32:27, towr wrote:
I'd start with the prequel, First Life (http://www.getafirstlife.com/)
(Not that I'm one to speak)

I find most virtual worlds so ugly these days. You'd think we'd have better graphics than Ragnarok online by now, but I still much prefer that over anything more recent. The more realistic they try to model characters, the more obviously they fail.


Ouch! I'm interested in hearing anyone's input on the subject. I remember reading an article in some business magazine about a company that specialized in setting up environments in second life for large companies to have meetings and such online. Sounds like a sweet way to make a buck.
Title: Re: virtual reality
Post by SMQ on Jul 2nd, 2008, 5:19am

on 07/01/08 at 14:32:27, towr wrote:
The more realistic they try to model characters, the more obviously they fail.

Yep (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley).

--SMQ
Title: Re: virtual reality
Post by towr on Jul 2nd, 2008, 7:22am

on 07/02/08 at 05:19:28, SMQ wrote:
Yep (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley).
Well, it's not just that. The uncanny valley only really applies to human-like avatars.
The problem seems to me more that they try to trade off some idea they have about realism for making things look good. When you consider their CGI-renderings of the game (e.g. in promotional videos) it's not at all bad. But the reality of what it looks like in play, well, is. While the rendering might be an improvement over using an X number of fixed images for a character, using an unrendered 3D model, so far, isn't.
Title: Re: virtual reality
Post by BenVitale on Jul 2nd, 2008, 8:26am
You are right. I see here an opportunity to make extra cash.


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