[MUD-Dev2] [Design] Personal virtual worlds

[John Buehler]

Mike Rozak writes:

> I just wrote up a short article about "Personal virtual
> worlds". It's an idea that I've been thinking about for some
> time, and which I'm currently basing my VW toolkit on, at
http://www.mxac.com.au/mif .
>
> The article can be found at:
http://www.mxac.com.au/drt/PersonalVirtualWorlds.htm
>
> I'd like to hear what you think.

It's very difficult to respond to the piece because there are so many
unspoken assumptions.

1. The assumption exists that a Personal Virtual World is a roleplaying game
environment.

2. The assumption exists that a Personal Virtual World is a stand-alone
environment.

3. The assumption exists that a Personal Virtual World is constructed using
current development techniques (that exist to satisfy the needs of those who
build games today).

Look at virtual environments for a much broader scope.  Replace the desktop
with a virtual environment.  Replace web sites with web virtual environments
in the same way that virtual properties make up the canvas of Second Life's
virtual world.  Those two changes would make virtual environments something
that would be ubiquitous to computer users, and the creative talents of
hundreds of millions of people would be brought to bear.

Those talents would produce 3D content by the pile.  Toolkits for all types
of demographics, including your dollhouse, amateur and professional virtual
worlds toolkits.  Throw in the content that is created by people with those
tools.  Consider the things that would be created by people who can assume
that such toolkits are available; algorithmic chair generators, picture
frame generators for framing your favorite digital photographs,
visualizations for MP3 songs that include not just flowing colors but
dancing figures and whatever else you might want to do.  Remember that guy
who did up his Christmas lights to dramatic music?  Stuff like that would be
easily accomplished.  There's ultimately no limit once the dam is breached.
The dam in question here is that of being able to create 3D content and use
it on any PC and anywhere on the web.

Games would then be nothing more than a variation on a theme.  Create an
experience that is entertaining to visitors and people will bring their
avatar to your web site via the overarching web virtual environment.
Fantasy settings would be a niche.

Yes, this is vastly more involved than spending a couple man years to create
a toolkit to get people cranking out their own fantasy roleplaying games.
Ultimately, I believe that PC and web adoption of the 3D experience will be
the key.  The transition will happen when people begin to figure out how to
make 3D more appealing than 2D - in every way.  At some point, 3D will just
make sense.

JB