Virtual worlds

[innonimatu]

Ever since I read Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash a few years ago I have thought that eventually people would come to spend most of their time on virtual worlds and really lead a parallel life there. I fact I believe it will eventually be encouraged. The real world may be near to reaching limits for growth: population growth is slowing; using resources as if there was no tomorrow is also coming to an end, due to the environmental damage caused; there are few corners of the planet that are not yet integrated into a “globalized” economy. Only technological progress can be assumed to continue drive growth. Virtual worlds might be a convenient way out if this semi-impasse. Of course, the problem of somehow trading virtual assets for real assets is a big one, if trine on a large scale.


Recently “Second Live” (among other games – this one being arguably more than just a game) has begun showing how this expansion into virtual worlds may happen in practice. Some people hail it as the next big thing. Others suspect it may be no more than a pyramid scheme.

Having read about this on Slashdot today, I thought it would be a good topic for discussion here also. I haven’t yet tried any MMORPG or virtual world, but I think this may well be the beginning of a big change on how the world works.
Has anyone here tried playing “Second Live” or anything similar? What are your views on the possible future role of “virtual worlds” on people’s lives?

 

[Old Spice]

I have played a lot of mmos and you have about as many rights there as you do on this forum. Anyway I see games as a thing to do with friends not something I do by myself most of the time. Though nothing can beat what the real world has to offer. Second life is a bit to do it your self for most people.

 

[Narz]

It's sad, the world is so packed there are no longer any virgin lands to explore so we must seek them out virtually.

 

[GenMarshall]

It's sad, the world is so packed there are no longer any virgin lands to explore so we must seek them out virtually.

There is space and other planets .

 

[Hauss]

There is space and other planets .

/agree

We need space colonies. Limited resources will force us to eventually, but I would like to see it in my lifetime.

 

[Irish Caesar]

It's sad, the world is so packed there are no longer any virgin lands to explore so we must seek them out virtually.

Nah, there's still places to explore. You just have to look for them.

 

[Narz]

There is space and other planets .

Good luck breathing there.

Nah, there's still places to explore. You just have to look for them.

Yeah but you can't exacatlly go out and start a village there. AFAIK, all the undeveloped land in the US is either national park or owned by someone.

 

[Urederra]

Well, look at the top 10 best selling games on 2006. Five out of ten are Sim games. (I don't find them entertaining, but I must be a minority here)

It's sad, the world is so packed there are no longer any virgin lands to explore so we must seek them out virtually.

So, basically you are complaining that there is not more virgin lands for you to de-virgin. A real ecologist and earth lover should want the virgin lands to remain virgin.

 

[Narz]

So, basically you are complaining that there is not more virgin lands for you to de-virgin. A real ecologist and earth lover should want the virgin lands to remain virgin.

I want them to remain virgin until I get there.

 

[Old Spice]

Is that how you think of women too Narz?

 

[Narz]

Is that how you think of women too Narz?

Ideally, yes. Don't we all?

 

[Yeeek]

I played a lot Star Wars Galaxies, untill the publisher of the game decided to screw up everyone but thats another story..


I was a huge fan of the game, not because i'm half a Star Wars nerd. But because you could own a shop, have a real virtual job. Dealing with your ressources, setting up prices and all the stuff that goes with being a shop owner, minus the real life constraints. I got sucked in.

Oh yeah, i was selling drugs and weapons. I had two accounts dedicated to the whole thing. Since you could only have a character per server. I had one to pump out ressources he was engineer/artisan/architect and the other (my main character) was a smuggler/weaponsmith/pistoleer dabbler (hey you've got to know how to use a gun in this galaxy).

I loved every bit of it. Players owned houses, cities, vehicles, huge pets like you could see in different Star Wars movies etc. The only bad thing in the game was that, well, everyone wanted to be a Jedi So there was huge issues about them and eventually led to the fall of the game.

So back on the main topic, what really got me addicted was the fact that i could "own" virtual things. Money, houses, a job i couldn't do for real etc... Yeah you can add a virtual wife to the list. Yeah, creepy i know!

 

[Perfection]

The reason we go on the "virtual world" is not because of any deteriation of the "real world" but more the fact that we can do things in the "virtual world" we could never do in the "real world".

 

[warpus]

It's sad, the world is so packed there are no longer any virgin lands to explore so we must seek them out virtually.

Now that the virgin lands are all explored, all we have left to explore are the virgins.