Calling all Futurists
I'm a filmmaker gleaning all I can about the virtual universe (which is an erroneous term to begin with). What do YOU think about these spaces? Will they become as ubiquitous as email? Will they take over people's lives? Will they become a significant alternative, mainstream existence? Will it be as egalitarian as many believe, or will human's propensity to mischief undermine the trust many currently have in the space? If mischief prevails (if not necessarily reigns), will people simply ignore it, accepting it as part of the rules of the universe?
Who will rule this universe, or will no one rule it? Who currently has control: the users building out the spaces, or the owners of the servers? What is the ultimate cultural and economic potential of the spaces, and what are the potential downfalls?
Who will rule this universe, or will no one rule it? Who currently has control: the users building out the spaces, or the owners of the servers? What is the ultimate cultural and economic potential of the spaces, and what are the potential downfalls?
Tags: culture, documentary, downfall, economics, futurists, potential
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jack Ryker on -
I view web3d as having a natural niche on the internet.
I think that when one thinks of the internet, the natural
extension would be shared 3d spaces. A profitable
3d internet would mean more exposure. However,
without profitability 3d worlds STILL exist on the internet.
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Permalink Reply by prithwis on
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the questions that you have asked about the "virtual" universe could have jolly well been asked about the "real" universe ... assuming there was someone OUTSIDE the "real" universe who was in a position to ask the question.
while it is true that art imitates life, in certain cases, life imitates art as well .. just think about the violent behaviour exhibited by children who have been exposed to violent video games ... which is just about one of the examples.
no answer is perfect ... but still let me try to respond to your questions
will they become as ubiquitous ? i think they will be ... just as the web has become integral to some of us
will they take over peoples lives ? depends on the individual
significant alternative to mainstream existence ? possible for a restricted minority ... certainly not ruled out
mischief ? of course there will be mischief ... every possible human vice ( except physical damage ) will exist ... i have personally faced deliberate littering and vandalism of my property ... and in some cases rude behaviour. as more louts get interested, we will see more of this ?
who will rule ? obviously the system admin !! he or she is GOD here ... but somehow community policing and community standards may become more effective and may take over the role of GOD ... just as governments have taken over the role of GOD ( if you believe in GOD that is :) in our real life
who has control ? GOD or MAN ? System Admin or the builder ? there will be shifts of power
cultural & economic potential ? as a die hard 3D worlds person, i would believe that the potential is infinite .. The gap between what can be imagined and what can be accomplished has never been smaller. We can now walk backward from our imagination rather than walk forward from the existing past. But those who can visualise a new reality but are vastly outnumbered by those who cannot.
potential downfalls ? the same way societies crumble ... either through internal bickerings or through an external threat ( economic / business / social ) which is more efficient and competent ( why were the Native Americans or Australian Aboriginals decimated by Europeans ?)
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Permalink Reply by Jack Ryker on
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is god man and man god? is it a servant master relationship? or is it more mutually dependent? a system admin without users is lost, and users without a sys admin would soon see their site disintegrate.
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Permalink Reply by Ken Rigby (MellaniuM, Tele3DWorld) on
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Having designed some very realistic world with vehicles you can drive on simulated realistic roads I can say that the brain has to reassure itself which world it is in. I prefer to drive to friends houses virtually because that is the custom. It feels right.
I believe that the guardians of the Virtual Worlds will be those that can bar users from entering as is generally accepted by the Gaming fraternity. P2P, World to World within a galaxy, galaxy to galaxy, and universe will become database controlled.
Benefits: vehicles can only be used for essential journeys (stops global warming and threat of pandemics)
Potential downfalls: Culture change means people problems by the resistance to change syn...
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Permalink Reply by RJ Lavallee on
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It's debatable if the brain has to reassure itself which world it is in. Studies have shown the brain is far too willing to believe what it is watching.
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That's the dilemma. When reversing the car in the real world after being in a virtual one is the time this happens.
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Permalink Reply by Sophrosyne Stenvaag on -
I think synthetic worlds are going to become *very* ubiquitous, and will become the space of much of the technological world's play and work, very soon.
No, people won't ignore mischief. One of the things we've seen is that people bring their lust for litigation with them into the digital, along with their needs to repress others and their fears of free expression. They'll find a way to stifle griefing, to stifle sexuality, to stifle the self-expression of imagination, to ban or code out every sort of deviance from the blandest of cultural norms.
Who will rule? "Family-friendly" corporations and and religious zealots, working together to ensure the biggest market for the tamest goods and ideas.
"Augmentalists" want a digital world just like the atomic one. They're getting it.
Sorry - between the Fox News article on "meet-me" and the SL VAT announcement, I'm a little bitter today...
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Virtual Real Worlds can be created and hosted by individuals; so they can allow only invited guests into their worlds.
Posting the VRW on a server will enable people to request admittance via password. This will enable users to download the VRW prior to entry. Client therefore can be screened like a bouncer for a nightclub.
It is the responsibility of the users to retain the paradigm of sovereignty before the control freaks do.
Learn construction tools and how to host VRWs.
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Permalink Reply by Sophrosyne Stenvaag on
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Ken: are there tools - either software/hardware or social - to either combine or federate Virtual Real Worlds, or are they an aggregation of walled gardens?
They sound like a useful tool, and I do intend to learn how to construct and host them - but I'd hate to see an outcome where only the Theres, Homes and the like have the numbers for market and political power, while the creatives all sit isolated in digital fortresses!
One real advantage to SL is that it shows the power of creative freedom through some impressive statistics, due to its size. That case gets harder to make as worlds proliferate, good and important a thing as that is....
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Tools are freely available Unreal Editor comes with their game; Photoshop for textures, 3D tools such as 3DMax,Maya, AutoCAD, Blender, are excellent commercial tools.
Tutorials, books abound on the internet for free.
SL is server side controlled so errors cause outages and security issues. as well as the ability to find where you are going etc.etc.
You only have to experience the SL for a while to ask where is everyone. The environment is not graphically exciting so mischief will soon become prevalent to prevent boredom.
We need to drive cars to places; thats our culture. Not whoosh here and there.
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Permalink Reply by Jack Ryker on
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I can understand the driving metaphor, when I'm "surfing" t he internet.
3d web is the best way to "surf" the internet. But when I know where
I want to go, I want to whoosh there! Also with a car, then we can have
passengers and together we can surf the 3d webscape.
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I think humans will have to have a virtual culture similar to the culture we have got used to for a while anyway. The brain likes repetition and tradition makes it feel safe. Change is not generally easily accepted.
I prefer to go out and get in the car even to go somewhere virtually now.
Since I have a virtual House I have gotten used to it.
See White Croft http://seriousgames.ning.com/video/video/listForContributor?screenN...
Travelling from one 3D Environment to another without ever seeing Text and images is not to far off. But we may have to have virtual parking places for the cars!
A car and passengers is no problem; tested OK and School Bus.
I think we will drive the 3D Webscape.
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