2009 March 05 « Social Network bar

Real Life or Second Life

Second life

Several science fiction authors have predicted a world where humans will live as simulations. An illusion of a real world. All thou it was like living in another dimension, people were conscious of the fact that the world in question was not theirs. Since the first games emerged from the software industry, avatars were used as they obeyed to the player’s command. During all those years the graphic improuved as well as the interaction of the player. Virtual worlds were created to perfection.

Today there are two kinds of virtual worlds:

Massively Multiplayer online role-playing games

Massively Multiplayer online real life games

The internet evolutions has permitted players to join their games from all over the world simultaniously. The first kind of virtual worlds are games, where the player has a definite role an has to obey the game rules. The second type of virtual world has no rules whatsover and there is no goal attached to the game, it provides the condition to players as on the real life. VW such as Second life gives the users the opportunity to be part of its economy, avatars can work and do business, contribute to its environment by creating tools,clothes, buildings, buy real estate. There is even an exchange between real life money and second life money. Companies were quick to show interest in this new economy due to the fact that they were low to accept innovative economic structures such as Web 2.0 technology. Companies have their own advertisement, stores such as Apple or Nike have they own stores own second life where users can view the latest products. Selection agencies have already used this 3D platform in order to organize recruitment fairs or even selection.

Several scholars critize this new form of economic structure. They argue that Virtual worlds does not have many inhabitants, also people coming on second life, very few of them contribute to its economy. Also due to its high graphics only the latest computers can provide a user an adequate 3D sensation.

But on my opinion second life is just a pioneering site were the first real life simulation will be created. the whole internet will be a 3D simulation and companies must contribute to its development will be part of a future elite.

Besides Second life you have other Virtual worlds such as :

For others see page with list of online virtual worlds

In the future more virtual worlds will be created, portals are going to provide users jumps between one world to another. Sales online will grow on this 3D worlds, people will buy practically anything through this 3D worlds and exchange rates will provide an new kind of economic structure. Imagine a Facebook with 170 million inhabitants on a virtual world?